Three Excellent Wines for the Holiday Season

Three Excellent Wines for the Holiday Season

Perrin & Fils Cotes Du Rhone Villages, 2007
Erta e China Rosso di Toscana, 2006
Columbia Crest H3 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007

Here are three lovely red wines that we have recently enjoyed and can highly recommend them for your holiday enjoyment. Each of these wines are available in the Seattle area and that all represent great values and delicious wines.




Perrin & Fils Cotes Du Rhone Villages, 2007

This red blend is 50% Grenache and 50% Syrah and is made from the well respected Perrin family with the same techniques as Chateau du Beaucastel. This wine has a deep red color with aromas of blackberry and cherry. This is a medium bodied wine with rich berry flavors, licorice, exotic spice and rocky earth. There are smooth tannins and gentle acidity that work together to create a well balanced and smooth finish. This is a truly delicious Rhone blend from the outstanding 2007 vintage. We purchased the wine at Costco, in Kirkland, for about $11.





Erta e China Rosso di Toscana, 2006

This wine is a blend of 50% Sangiovese and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon aged for 14 months in 2 year old American and French oak barrels. The resulting wine, produced by Renzo Masi, is a big wine that will satisfy your need for a dark, black fruit “tooth-stainer”. The color is dark ruby and nearly opaque. The nose shows dark fruit, ripe plum, leather and smoke. This is a mouth filling full-bodied wine with rich flavors of plum, cassis, cherry, licorice, nutmeg and mushroom. There are abundant tannins that are well integrated with the fruit and acidity to create a harmonious and well balanced wine. The oak aging has aided the development of this wine without adding much oak or vanilla flavors. This wine will pair well with any sharp cheese or a rib-eye steak. We purchased this blend from the Chianti Rufina region, from Esquin Wine Merchants, for about $12.



Columbia Crest H3 Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007

We have been big fans of Columbia Crest wines for years. I can't think of another American winery that can produce such a tremendous quantity of wine and produce an excellent product at every price point. They have wines starting at about $6 and wines priced above $35. The Columbia Crest Reserve Cabernet, 2005 was recently selected as “Wine of the Year” (2009) from the Wine Spectator Magazine. The Columbia Crest “H3” wines are upper-mid level wines that sell for about $12 to $14 in the Seattle area. The name “H3” stands for Horse Heaven Hills which is the appellation of this wine and the home of the Columbia Crest Winery in Patterson, Washington. This is an excellent representation of a Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon. In the glass this Cabernet has a blood red color and a lovely nose packed with sweet black fruit and hints of spicy oak and vanilla. In the mouth this is a medium bodied wine with an explosion of fresh fruit including blackberry and cassis balanced by some nice minerality and a touch of creamy oak. There are abundant dusty tannins and nice acidity completing the package. This wine is quite delicious and memorable. I highly recommend trying this wine during the holidays and picking up a few extra bottles as gifts for your friends!