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Taste, pair, gift these wines for holidays By Jim Flint Nov 18, 2022 12:30 AM A A 7 View all photos Jim Whitaker, owner of Ashland Wine Cellar, pours wine. [Jamie Lusch / Mail Tribune] Josh Kimball stands outside his wine shop in Jacksonville. [Jamie Lusch / Mail Tribune] Kimball's Artisan Wines in Jacksonville focuses on natural wines. [Jamie Lusch / Mail Tribune] A 2021 Goldback Chenin Blanc (Rogue Valley) for $29.95 is crisp and fruity (pear and apple) with a clean finish. [Jamie Lusch / Mail Tribune] Andy Phillips, with Ashland Wine Cellar, recomends a chilled 2021 Teutonic Pinot Meunier with turkey. [Jamie Lusch / Mail Tribune] 2018 Northbar Cellars Tempranillo pairs well with prime rib. [Jamie Lusch / Mail Tribune] Josh Kimball says If a prime rib or steak is on the menu, he recommends a Chateau Gueyrosse 2011. [Jamie Lusch / Mail Tribune] Around the world, people will be raising glasses to celebrate the holiday season. With more than 85 vineyards and nearly as many wineries and tasting rooms in the region, the Rogue Valley is a great place to be when choosing a bottle for a special occasion or to pair with a holiday dinner. Wine is for drinking, but it’s also for sharing. Take a bottle with you as a host or hostess gift at parties, potlucks and other gatherings. Host a bottle swap by inviting friends over for a wine gift exchange. Have your friends bring their favorite bottle of wine, festively wrapped. Then draw numbers, white elephant style, and let the exchange begin. Get your friends or family together for a holiday wine tasting, either at home or at a Rogue Valley tasting room. Try out some recipes for festive wine cocktails or mulled wines. Talk to winemakers and tasting room experts for ideas on what wines to pair with the entree for your holiday feast And you don’t need to wait until New Year’s Eve to pop the cork on a bottle of bubbly. Sparkling wines are versatile pairing wines for holiday dinners, and mimosas are a festive starter for Christmas morning breakfasts. When it comes to wine pairings, there are the traditional selections and general guidelines. You might want to opt for a riesling with a roasted bird. The acidity can help with a dry turkey and can lessen the heaviness of gravy. And a pinot noir can add depth to the gravy’s flavor. If prime rib is on the menu, remember red wine pairs well with any red meat. If you’re planning a switch-up to seafood this holiday, sommeliers might recommend a dry white to complement the spicy or salty flavor of your main. We talked with experts from five local wine merchants for their wine pairing ideas and to get their suggestions for gift-worthy wines. Troon Vineyard Craig Camp, winegrower at Troon Vineyard, 1475 Kubli Road, Grants Pass (in the Applegate Valley), has two suggestions for wines for sure-to-please gifts. “The 2020 Troon Vineyard Syrah just received 96 points from The Wine Enthusiast Magazine,” he said. “It retails for $40. It was one of Oregon’s top-rated wines in 2022.” The wine is produced from estate Biodynamic-certified grapes and is a richly flavored, complex wine that, while enjoyable to drink now, will reward with five or more years of cellaring, he noted. “Another gift-worthy wine is our 2021 Pét tanNat, a sparkling wine which was awarded 92 points and sells for $45,” Camp said. It’s a one-of-a-kind wine produced from Troon’s estate Tannat grapes, rare in Oregon. “It will remind you of classic French Champagne with its toasty flavors and ultra-dry style,” he said. For pairing, Camp recommends Troon’s red and white Biodynamic blends, each selling for $25. “The richly flavored white would be ideal with turkey, and the red would be delicious with either turkey or prime rib.” Ashland Wine Cellar Jim Whitaker, proprietor of Ashland Wine Cellar, 357 E. Main St. in Ashland, has a couple of recommendations for gifting. “A 2018 Domaine Berthel-Capeau Exil des Papes Chaeauneauf-du-Pape of the Rhone Valley has sweet black cherry and black raspberry fruit, incense, camphor and licorice aromas,” he said, “and sells for $43.95. It has big fruit flavors, balanced with fresh acids and a long finish. Pair it with lamb.” When choosing the recipient, Whitaker says keep in mind this wine should mature for 20 years in the cellar. Another gift idea is the 2018 Ca’del Baio Barbaresco Vallegrande (Piedmont), also for $43.95. “It has mint, black cherry and spice flavors, is rich mid-palate, with dusty tannins and a firm, compact finish,” he said. It’s best from 2025 through 2042 and can be paired with short ribs or boar. Andy Phillips, at the cellar’s shop, recommends the following holiday pairings: A 2021 Goldback Chenin Blanc (Rogue Valley) for $29.95 is crisp and fruity (pear and apple) with a clean finish. “Pair with brie, chevre and other fresh cheeses, raw or roasted vegetables and roast turkey,” Phillips advised. With turkey, he recommends a chilled 2021 Teutonic Pinot Meunier (Willamette Valley) for $36.95. “It’s a textbook T-Day wine with pretty cherry fruit and good acid balance,” he said. A third pairing suggestion is a 2018 Northbar Cellars Tempranillo (Rogue Valley). “If you’re having prime rib, this is your wine,” he said. “It’s big, rich and complex with earth undertones.” Grizzly Peak Winery Naomi Fuerte of Grizzly Peak Winery, 1600 E. Nevada St., Ashland, suggests a couple of syrahs for the holidays. “Excellent when paired with prime rib, our 2017 Syrah ($36) is deep magenta in color, a rosé that exudes aromas of ripe black plums, pomegranate, marionberry and caramelized bacon,” she said. The wine’s tannins add balance, complexity and structure when paired with beef, and the fats in the meat make the wine even smoother. With turkey, she recommends a lower tannin rosé, a 2020 Syrah at $22. “Dark and expressive, this bold, ruby red rosé is bursting with flavors that will surprise and please any wine lover,” she said. She says the silky, bright, fruity medium body and the snappy brown sugar finish make it an excellent holiday wine. “The lower tannin content allows it to pair nicely with leaner meats such as turkey, but it’s still robust enough to stand up to the myriad of flavors that accompany the meal.” For those looking for an impressive wine gift, she suggests Grizzly Peak’s limited offering of a four-vintage syrah vertical at $140. “All the wines have won either gold or double gold,” she said, “including in this year’s Oregon Wine Experience competition. A vertical allows tasters to taste the effects of growing conditions in different vintages.” The package includes a 2014 Syrah double gold, 2015 Syrah gold, 2016 Syrah double gold, and 2017 Syrah double gold. Kimball’s Artisan Wines Josh Kimball, shopkeeper at Kimball’s Artisan Wines, 120 S. Third St., Jacksonville, has wine pairing suggestions for three different holiday dinner entrees. If fowl is on the menu, he suggests a Marcel Deiss 2020 Alsace Complantation (white blend) for $27. “Alsatian wine is incredibly crowd-pleasing and especially food-friendly,” Kimball said. “Acidity, minerality and complex structure make the region’s wines excellent choices for serving with roasted turkey.” Or any bird, for that matter — chicken, goose, duck and Cornish hens. For game, he suggests a Guillaume Chanudet 2019 Fleurie La Madone for $24. “Beaujolais is a wine-producing region in France featuring the delicious wines made from Gamay Noir,” he said. “The grape has a thin skin, but don’t let that fool you. It’s capable of producing a wide array of wine styles, from the fresh and fruity to the concentrated and complex.” If prime rib or steak is on the menu, he recommends a Chateau Gueyrosse 2011 Saint-Emillion Grand Cru for $38. “The big flavors of roast beef really beg for red wine,” Kimball said, “and a beefy one at that. Bordeaux is a big-blended red that delivers fruity aromas of plum, cassis and dark cherry, as well as notes of truffle, dark chocolate and vanilla.” The contrasting fruit flavors and complex notes complement the smoky and savory flavors of prime rib. Wooldridge Creek Winery Steve Grande, winemaker and general manager of Wooldridge Creek Winery, 818 Stage Creek Road, Grants Pass (in the Applegate Valley), says bubbles make a great gift and are perfect for celebrating. “Our 2020 Sparkling Brut ($36) is made from 100% barrel-fermented chardonnay and offers aromas of pear, pineapple and toasted marshmallow,” he said. “The mouthfeel is lush and creamy as well as bright and refreshing.” Another gift-worthy wine he suggests is their 2017 Warrick Red Reserve ($42), blended from the best lots of that vintage and then barrel-aged. “Composed of 50% tempranillo, 40% zinfandel and 10% malbec, it makes for a stellar food wine,” Grande said. Pairing wines with large holiday meals can be tricky because of the variety of courses and flavors, but his go-to for turkey is a pinot noir. “Our 2019 pinot ($40) displays a mix of bright fruit and cherry cola notes, along with more savory aromas of sage and cigar box, and is the wine I’ll be setting on my Turkey Day table,” he said. For prime rib, he recommends a syrah. “Our 2019 ($40) has darker notes of incense and peppercorns that will complement the crust of a prime rib while the bright acidity, blueberry and plum flavors will rise to meet the richness of such a savory cut.” It’s not too early to stock up for the holidays. Visit your favorite Rogue Valley tasting rooms for ideas on wines for your holiday entertaining. You can get tips for food pairings and taste what’s new. Check out the websites of Rogue Valley’s many wineries and vineyards for more ideas. The true spirit of the holiday season is spending time with friends and loved ones. A fine wine or a glass of bubbly can add a festive note to your celebrations. Reach freelance writer Jim Flint at [email protected].