Anthony Gismondi: Perfect bottles for that special person

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The holidays are just around the corner; for many, that means gift-giving. So, in the spirit of the holiday season and the inevitable shopping frenzy, our present is a slight format change this week to present a stellar list of wines you can wrap up and gift with the confidence that they will never be re-gifted.

We have created scenarios to help you sleuth out the perfect bottle for a friend or co-worker. There is no need to spend a fortune; the price is irrelevant if you take the time to select a thoughtful gift. The real art of gift-giving is to match the taste, style, and, most significantly, the cost for each person on your gift list. It takes a bit of work, but with a little research and some help from a talented sales clerk, you should be able to find the right bottle for the right person.

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Please note B.C. liquor stores sales prices are confirmed until Nov. 23 only. After that, prices will increase on many of today’s picks by $2 or $3, so don’t delay your shopping. For those who are simply looking for a good bottle of wine to drink, this list is made for you, too.

Wines for a sparkling occasion:You must keep a sparkler or two in the refrigerator to pull out any time to celebrate with friends. Here are some favourites.

Medici Ermete Bei Momenti Reggiano N/V Lambrusco, Emilia-Romagna, Italy $18.99

Louis Bouillot Perle d’Aurore Rosé N/V Crémant de Bourgogne, Burgundy, France $30.99

Bottega Rosé Gold N/V Prosecco Spumante Brut , Treviso, Italy $34.99

Ferrari Brut Metodo Classico, N/V Chardonnay, Trento, Italy $34.99

Champagne Piper-Heidsieck N/V Brut, France $59.99

Organic, Earth-friendly green wines: These are perfect for the vegetarian/vegan/environmentally conscious crowd: organic, bio-dynamic, regenerative farming, wild-fermented wines are appreciated at any time.

Mouton Cadet x Mathilde 2022 Rosé, Bordeaux, France $17.97

Umani Ronchi CaSal di Serra 2020 Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, Marche, Itaky $19.99

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Nathalie Bonhomme 2022 El Petit Bonhomme Tinto, Jumilla, Spain $19.99

Domaine Montmartel 2022 Côtes du Rhône, Rhone Valley, France $19.99

Emiliana Coyam 2020, Valle del Colchagua, Chile $33.99

Food-friendly bottles: Gastronomic wines tend to mesh effortlessly with food, and it would be ridiculous to ignore their versatility and ability to improve any dish you are serving guests.

Quails’ Gate 2023 Dry Riesling, West Kelowna, B.C. $19.99

Selbach Riesling 2022, Mosel Valley, Germany $22.99

Boutinot 2021 Les Coteaux Côtes du Rhone Villages, Rhône Valley, France $19.99

Giovanni Rosso Langhe Nebbiolo 2020, Piemonte, Italy 31.99

Big, rich and red: This is a popular theme. The go-to grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Syrah, or a blend containing some or all those grapes.

M. Chapoutier 2021 Belleruche Côtes du Rhône Rouge, Rhône Valley France $22.99

Vina Cobos Felino 2021 Malbec Mendoza, Argentina $26.99

Tenuta Luce La Vite Lucente 2020, Tuscany, Italy $44.99

Black Stallion 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California $43.99

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Serve something different: This doesn’t mean you have to be a wine geek, but wines with a sense of place are best given to the curious wine drinker.

Garzón Estate 2022 Tannat Reserva, Garzón, Maldonado, San José, Uruguay $22.99

Las Moradas de San Martín Senda, Madrid, Spain $35.99

Clos de los Siete 2021, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina $29.99

Giant Steps Single Vineyard Wines 2021 Sexton Vineyard Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley, Australia $59.99

Weekend wine picks

Menade Rueda Verdejo Ecologico 2022, Rueda, Castilla-Leon, Spain

$22.99 I 89/100

UPC: 8437008963075

Menade is a high-level organic Spanish white wine made from Verdejo grapes without sulphur or copper sulphate treatments in vineyards. The nose is an attractive mix of white fruits and herbaceous, dried, scrubby elements. It is a lively, fresh, fun white wine on the palate that pitches citrus and lime with some sweeter mango, giving it a medium-rich style. The finish is a mix of everything before, with a touch of water helping it to flow easily. Pick a creamy cheese match or shellfish.

Tohu Sauvignon Blanc 2022, Awatere Valley, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand

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$23.49 I 90/100

UPC: 9421003130012

Bright acidity and a screwcap have given youth to this all Marlborough, Awatere Valley white that is awash in citrus blossoms and scents of lemon grass and passion fruit. A bright citrus undercurrent steadies a riper, juicy, pink grapefruit and a saline mineral finish. It is a fine representative of the Kiwi Sauvignon upper class and the first Maori-owned winery. Oysters anyone?

Italia Pinot Nero Can N/V, Lombardy, Italy

$22-$25 I 88/100

UPC: 8010471007400

This happy looking can of Pinot Nero (a.k.a. Pinot Noir) is made with grapes grown in Lombardy’s Pavia Region, in northern Italy. Look for a rush of fresh berries with non-existent tannins. As suggested by the producer, we tasted it right from the fridge al fresco with a selection of cheese, and it was a winner. Adria Vini is a winemaking venture jointly owned by Boutinot and Araldica Castelvero, the leading co-operative in the Monferrato hills of Piemonte. The aim “is to produce authentic, well-priced still and sparkling wines from local grape varieties.” It is only sold in private wine shops.

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Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon 2021, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo County, California

$23.99 I 89/100

UPC: 657891700207

Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon is a Paso standard and one that, over time, winemaker Austin Hope says they have worked hard to reign in the alcohol and, more importantly, build texture and weight with denser, softer tannins shearing the rustic moniker from the wine. You can expect a full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon with lush black and red fruits and a hint of savoury vanilla. It is ready to drink with almost any beef dish off the grill.

Antinori Pèppoli Chianti Classico 2020, Tuscany, Italy

$30.99 I 90/100

 UPC:8001935001362

Pèppoli is a single estate in Chianti Classico owned and farmed by Marchesi Antinori. It is primarily Sangiovese and complemented by other Indigenous grapes, each fermented and separately aged in stainless steel before aging for nine months in large, older Slavonian oak barrels. The textures are soft, fleshy, and full of black cherry with a spiced forest floor finish. Very polished in the way most Classico are not. It’s food-friendly, and we loved it with a broad spectrum of Chinese dishes.

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You are invited to Light Up the Vines at Haywire Winery, which features an enchanting winter evening in wine country. The winery tasting lounge and cellar will transform into a sparkling holiday wonderland, perfect for celebrating the season. Enjoy sips from across our portfolio expertly paired with house-made small bites as you shop our selection of holiday-perfect wines and gift bundles. Whether you’re toasting with friends or savouring a solo escape, this is the ultimate start to the holiday season. Book one of two start times: Dec. 6 or 7 at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Tickets: $25 (20 per cent off for Haywire Club Members). Sign up at Tock.

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Sparkling wines, including Cava, have become increasingly popular in Japan especially among younger generations and women, says Sergio Fuster, CEO of Raventós Codorníu, DO Cava’s second-biggest producer. Japan is Cava’s seventh biggest market, with 9.7 million bottles exported to Japan in 2023.  It’s versatile enough to pair Cava with traditional Japanese dishes like sushi and tempura and contemporary fusion food. But there is one more reason why Cava does so well in Japan. The Spanish pronunciation of the word Cava sounds much like the Japanese word Kaba, meaning hippopotamus. The funny association and Cava’s easy pronunciation in Japanese have boosted sales across the country. What’s in a name, you say?

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B.C. wine of the week

Joiryde Winery Tread Lightly Gewürztraminer – Chardonnay 2023, Okanagan Valley

$17.49 I 88/100

UPC: 696852024525

Tread Lightly is a fun, vibrant, dry white wine with an energizing nose and palate. The mix is 61/39 Gewürztraminer and the aromatic Chardonnay Musqué clone. The nose is ginger-dominated, with plenty of exotic tropical fruit on the palate reminiscent of pineapple, orange, and citrus. It is ready to drink and well suited to sushi rolls or grilled prawns.

Value wine of the week

Ed Edmundo Malbec 2022, Argentina

$19.99 I 89/100

UPC: 7791540053771

This wine was a hit at Gismondi on Wine at $20, but you can buy it until Nov. 23 for only $14.99. look for a full and juicy red with wild blackberries, blueberries, and black plums, pitching a warm, sun-ripened richness with soft tannins. This is a friendly, modern Malbec, ready to enjoy with barbecue fare.

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