Well this weekend, like many of you, I will be decorating for the holidays. I thought I was smart and put up my outside Christmas lights a few weeks ago while the weather the warm, with the intention of turning them on December 1st. However, Mother Nature had a good chuckle over that one. We had a near hurricane here Wednesday night pass and well, I will be outside repairing, cleaning, re-attaching and replacing the bulbs broken during the 110 km/hr winds.
I will also be putting up my Christmas Tree this weekend. I light to have it all done by the 1st, and next weekend is our Christmas party, and I like to have people over before to enjoy a nice glass of wine. There’s nothing like a glass of great wine to help with the holiday decorating. Wine and Christmas music just seem to go hand in hand with the Christmas decorating.
Here’s a new one I have tried recently that I really enjoyed. I heard someone say recently they didn’t like Merlot. You are not trying the right ones. This one by Beringer, made in California, is a juicy vibrant expression of a Merlot. Tasty with a Capital T! Dark plums, black cherries and a hint of cocoa, make it the perfect wine for Christmas decorating. Someone needs to write a song about that… And when it comes in at under $20, you can decorate a lot of rooms with a wine like that.
Well, if you would like your mouth to come alive with flavor try this Canadian gem. Mission Hill 2012 Pinot Grigio is on the shelves now, and it’s gorgeous. This unoaked wine boasts flavors of honey, stone fruits and a hint of ginger. Crisp acidity and delicious on the palate, you will want to have a few in the wine rack this season, as this delicious wine is perfect for sharing with friends and will go with any meal, even the turkey.
I have to take a few minutes to tell you about a local gem I have just discovered. I have written about Benjamin Bridge Nova 7 before, well this is a hearty red from the same vineyard here in Nova Scotia. Winemakers Peter J. Gamble and Jean-Benoit Deslauriers have hit it out of the ball-park with this delicious red wine. For the notes I am going to quote the winemaker, as he says it beautifully.
“An opaque purple colour so deep it borders on pure black. On the nose, a very earthy bouquet gains complexity from hints of black cherries, oregano and rose petals. On the palate, the wine shows great concentration and density, while remaining elegant and sophisticated.” Winemaker Jean-Benoit Deslauriers
What a great wine to serve this Christmas at a gathering. And what a great story to go with it. Taurus, the bull, is a symbol of strength, and that’s where the name of the wine came from. And grown here in Nova Scotia using the Maréchal Foch grape, it really is a beautiful expression of our terroir. You hear wine people use the term ‘terroir, and what it means is that the wine is a true expression of the place it came from. Things like soil and climate are unique to an area and contribute to the personality of the wine.
A quick reminder to ensure you have everything you need before you uncork that wine. Please don’t drink and drive this holiday season, and more importantly drink responsibly.
And have fun decorating. We tend to put too much stress on ourselves this season, instead of enjoying each moment.
Cheers, and thanks for reading
Darlene
Wine-It’s Just My Opinion 