Gilroy Today 2012 12 Winter | Page 47

With Thanksgiving a mere few days past and Christmas looming just around the corner , I ’ m thinking of the many holiday rituals that we go through . Choosing wines for the holidays can be a little confusing . There are many opportunities to share wine with friends and family : wines for gifts , wines for the holiday dinner tables , and wines to share with special friends during this time of conviviality . Often , your wine selections can be very different . Here are a few suggestions :

Wine , as a gift
I always try to find something unusual and not normally available everywhere . Your favorite local winery can be a big help in this as they often have a few “ special occasion ” offerings that are not colder region like Mendocino will be better suited . And when I am asked about a vegetarian pairing , my choice is usually a hearty Chardonnay ( like from Burrell School ).
Wine , for sharing with special friends
I look for the unique and flavorful wines , like Negrette , Marsanne , Graciano , Grenache , Picpoul , or Carignane . De Rose in Hollister , Guglielmo in Morgan Hill , Bokisch in Lodi , Sarah ’ s Vineyard from Gilroy , Burrell School in Los Gatos , Terry Hoage from Paso Robles and Martin Ranch in Gilroy are some of the many places that these unusual wines can be found and tasted . They make great gifts , good dinner pairing and terrific tastes to share with special friends over the holidays .

Holiday Selections

By Mel Rodinsky
Mel Rodinsky , retired after 30 years with IBM as a manufacturing systems consultant , has been a wine hobbyist for over 40 years . He chaired the San Jose Chapter of Tasters Guild , a large nationwide wine-tasting club , for 12 years . He currently represents small boutique wineries to restaurants and retailers throughout Santa Clara Valley and Santa Cruz .
available anywhere else . All of the wineries in our local setting have something “ special ” this time of year . Another suggestion is to look for seasonal wines like Zinfandel , Syrah , Cabernet Sauvignon or Petite Sirah , as they are most often associated with holiday gifting and the dining scene .
Wine , for the holiday dinner table
Whether it is turkey , ham or goose , my favorite choice is Pinot Noir . Be careful to choose the type of Pinot Noir to match the flavor , usually to match the sauce . For example : fruity stuffing or fruity glaze on the holiday ham will need a fruity Pinot Noir , usually coming from a hotter region ( like Santa Barbara ). If the sauce is more savory or earthy ( like with mushrooms ) then a drier less fruity Pinot from a
And , don ’ t forget the bubbly
There is one other special holiday wine that I need to offer as a holiday suggestion , and that is sparkling wine . They are always in order , and make great gifts , good dining and fine for sharing . In this viticultural region , Fortino and Guglielmo have some excellent sparkler buys for the holiday season . For those of you who are looking for something different in sparklers , how about Cava ’ s ( from Spain ), Prosecco ’ s ( from Italy ) or even sparkling Shiraz ( from Australia ); which are also sparklers like Champagne ( from France ).
No matter what your choice is , there are plenty of holiday offerings to satisfy every taste , and make this holiday time of year special .
Saluti !
W I N T E R / H O L I D A Y 2 0 1 2 G I L R O Y T O D A Y 47