Throughout the year I attend innumerable wine and spirits tasting events to discover distinctive wines and new or limited-edition spirits. Here are a dozen ideas that might intrigue those on your holiday gift list.
Highland Park Whisky “Between you and I” ($189)
Between You and I” is a 16-year-old single malt from Highland Park, the Orkney distillery founded in 1798, made in collaboration with Swedish chef Björn Frantzén, who, remarkably, has three Michelin three-star restaurants. Possessing a touch of peat and at 48% ABV, “Between you and I” presents butterscotch, citrus, vanilla, spice and dried fruit notes. The whisky is partially aged in Swedish virgin oak barrels, which gives it more spice and tannins, along with Sherry oak and American oak barrels, which Highland Park’s master whisky maker Gordon Motion, who retired in July after a 27-years, blended for this inspiring whisky.
2021 J.O. Sullivan Founder’s Reserve Merlot ($350)
Sullivan Rutherford Estate has stood as Napa Valley’s Merlot and Cabernet hideaway since its founding in 1972. Recognizing the untapped potential of the estate’s 26 acres of gravelly soils for producing exceptional Merlot, Winemaker Jeff Cole has led winemaking since 2013 and remains steadfast in the pursuit of crafting Merlot that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the world’s greatest examples, including revered Old-World benchmarks. With integrated tannins, elegance, and depth, the 2021 J.O. Sullivan Founder’s Reserve Merlot expresses the singular character of its Rutherford vineyard, offering aromas of violets, wild herbs, and tobacco leaf that unfold into layers of brambleberry, ripe plum, and dark cherry.
Penfolds Bin 389 ($80)
Often referred to as “Baby Grange”—after Penfolds’ Grange which was first introduced by legendary winemaker Max Schubert in 1960 and is considered Australia’s “first growth” and most collectible wine–Bin 389 has a bouquet of blackberries, dark chocolate and aromatic dried herbs and luscious red fruit flavor with hints of licorice and black olive. Unlike Grange which is mostly Shiraz, Bin 389, a blend of 51% Cabernet and 49% Shiraz, possesses the structure of Cabernet Sauvignon and the richness of Shiraz. Components of the wine are matured in the same barrels that held the previous vintage of Grange.
Quattro Gatti Gin Classico ($47) and Olive Grove Gin ($52)
Already attaining top medals in major spirits competitions, Quattro Gatti Gin Classico has just launched in the US. The Umbrian gin opens with bright orange citrus top notes, transitions to floral aromas and finishes on a savory herbaceous note. It’s made with the finest juniper from Umbria. A second expression, Quattro Gatti Olive Grove Gin, is distilled with olive leaf, olives and olive oil. In its botanical mix are coriander, thyme, artichoke and lemon peel. This unique gin has a velvety mouthfeel and lingering savory notes. Pour from freezer into a Martini glass with an olive garnish.
San Leonardo Vignetti delle Dolomiti 2020 ($115)
From the 740-acre San Leonardo estate in southern end of Trentino near the Trentino Alps, this Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Carmenère blend has seductive aromas of wild berries and aromatic herbs with hints of balsamic and tobacco. Aged in French oak barrels and an additional 24 months in bottle at the winery, this “first growth” level Bordeaux-style wine possesses crisp acidity and incredible aging potential. San Leonardo, which has been under the ownership of the Guerrieri Gonzaga family since the mid-18th century, has always specialized in crafting Bordeaux-style wine with lower alcohol levels and this vintage is no exception at 12.5% alcohol.
The Reid Single Malt Vodka ($75)
Elegantly presented in a water droplet-shaped bottle, this single malt vodka hails from Queenstown, New Zealand. At Cardrona Distillery on the South Island, master distiller Sarah Elsom makes the vodka from locally sourced barley milled on site, pure alpine water, and distiller’s yeast. Unlike many vodkas which strive for a neutral or tasteless flavor, The Reid has personality and provenance. It shows subtle notes of pear, lemon, toffee and malt biscuits and has a creamy finish and texture and weight on the palate. It’s a sipping vodka and ideal for Martinis.
Dr. Konstantin Frank Brut 2021 Cuvée 85 ($85)
The Finger Lakes’ most-known wine estate, Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery, is celebrating 40 years of releasing the east coast’s first traditional method sparkler made from the classic Champagne grapes. Blending Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier with a final dosage drawn from the winery’s inaugural 1985 Brut, Cuvée 85 has lovely aromas of citrus blossom, baked apple and almond brioche, and flavors of pear and honeycomb with a toasty finish. This is a limited-edition release of just 100 cases.
Laelia Tequila Añejo ($80)
After releasing the much-awarded Blanco and Reposado, the Añejo has just been launched. Aged over a year in French white oak, it displays sweetness with flavors of vanilla, cooked agave, dried fruit, caramel, cherry and spice. Founded by Fernando Pérez Ontiveros, from a fourth-generation family of agave growers, Laelia Tequila is made in the Amatitán, in the lowlands of Jalisco, in a contemporary Mexican distillery. The brand’s 100% Blue Weber agave is grown in volcanic soil to maturity, a minimum of six years, and uses mountain spring water, which runs through the stoney region, adding minerality to the tequila’s flavor. With an entirely Mexican-lead team, Master Distiller Carlos R. Huizar slowly cooks the agave slowly in a traditional brick oven preserving the fruity notes and aromas.
Castello del Terriccio Lupicaia 2019 ($170)
Castello del Terriccio is one of Tuscany’s largest and most storied coastal estates. The 2019 vintage of their flagship Lupicaia bottling draws its depth from vineyards set within a 3000+ acre landscape of forests, olive groves, meadows, and Mediterranean scrub that stretches toward the Tyrrhenian Sea. Iron and copper rich soils, reflected coastal light, and breezes scented with eucalyptus and wild herbs give the wine its signature minerality and complexity. Since gaining cult status in the 1990s, Lupicaia is admired for its balance of dark fruit, warm spices, and refined structure. The estate also invites visitors to experience its setting through Villa La Marrana, a restored seven-room residence, and Terraforte, a Michelin Guide restaurant overlooking the vineyards and the sea.
Sandeman 2000 Vintage Port ($125)
A vintage of Port is only declared in exceptional years. Sandeman, the world-renowned Port house founded in 1790, declared the 2000 vintage. Director of Oenology at Sogrape overseeing the Port wines describes the vivid brick hued wine as having complex aromas of spices, lavender, cedar and tobacco, with volume and elegance that lingers on the palate. It opens with a bouquet of violets, ripe red fruits and is structured yet fresh with lively acidity, polished tannins and exceptional length. There are limited bottles in circulation of this exceptional Vintage 2000.
2020 Frank Family Vineyards Brut Rosé ($60)
For more than three decades, Frank Family Vineyards has been known for its classic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, as well as its limited-production, méthode Champenoise sparkling wines. For the 2020 Frank Family Brut Rosé, long-time winemaker Todd Graff incorporated a blend of 90% Pinot Noir and 10% Chardonnay sourced from a cool-climate Carneros site near San Pablo Bay. Sunset-hued and aromatic, it shows notes of framboise, rose petals, and a touch of brioche, followed by a bright, lively palate of strawberry and citrus. After four years of aging, the wine’s fine bubbles carry everything through a vibrant, lifted finish. The 2020 Vintage will be released in February.
Herdade do Peso Parcelas 2019 ($66)
With twelve distinct terroirs and seven grape varieties, Herdade do Peso estate, set on a four-thousand-year-old olive grove in the Alentejo in Portugal, is now being distributed in America. Almost opaque in color, “Parcelas” is a blend of 50% Petit Verdot and 50% Alicante Bouschet from the estate’s best single vineyard plots. Savory and aromatic, it displays notes of blueberries, violets and light mint and is extremely rich with firm tannins and a persistent finish.
