The holidays are a special time of year, and what better time to splurge (if you can) on special holiday wines? Regardless of the holiday traditions you follow, a magnificent bottle or two of wine is perfect to celebrate with family and friends. For example, we compiled a list of 25 wines — 14 reds, five whites and sparklers, and six more wallet-friendly bubbles as a bonus. They are mainly from Washington, in addition to British Columbia, Oregon and Italy. Some of these vintages are no longer available, however you should be able to find recent releases instead at winery websites or in the wild. Moreover, we chose only one bottle from each winery, so more wineries could be featured.
Special Holiday Wines: Whites and Bubbles
While white wines are typically easier on the wallet than reds, you could definitely take these remarkable whites and bubbles to a fancy holiday party. (Note: In alphabetical order.)
Dossier Halo Reserve 2022 Sauvignon Blanc ($100) (Washington)
First, we pay tribute to the best white wine we’ve tasted this year: Dossier Halo Reserve 2022 Sauvignon Blanc. Not only that, but this luxury wine is the best North American Sauvignon Blanc we have tasted. Ever. This beauty is elegant, sophisticated, silky, and creamy, while lively with refreshing acidity. Complex aromas and flavors of lemons, oranges, peaches, pineapples, guava and grapefruit entice. Overall, we call this exceptional and exquisite white wine “wow in a glass.”
Echolands 2023 Albus ($38) (Washington)
Echolands 2023 Albus combines Sauvignon Blanc (76%) and Sémillon (24%) from Taggart Estate Vineyard. Aromas of citrus and grass echo the citrus flavors dancing on the palate. It is mouth-watering delicious, with salinity and bracing acidity. Albus, which means white in Latin, is Echolands’ first estate wine from Taggart Vineyard and their first white wine. What a treat, and a wonderful hostess gift at a holiday party.
Special Holiday Wines: Knudsen Vineyards 2020 Blanc de Blancs ($72) (Oregon)
Knudsen Vineyards 2020 Estate Blanc de Blancs is a beautiful sparkling Chardonnay with soft bubbles and a rich, creamy texture. Think buttery shortbread, lemon zest, and honey in harmony with well-balanced acidity and refreshing complexity. Further, this sparkler represents the first time the winery has produced its own méthode champenoise bottling. And it is perfect to pair with any holiday celebration.
La Frenz 2023 Naramata Estate Sauvignon Blanc ($30) (British Columbia)
La Frenz Naramata 2023 Estate (Wits End Vineyard) Sauvignon Blanc is incredible. Certainly, the grapefruit nose made me smile! This is a crisp, dry wine that also features green apples, lemon, passionfruit and minerality. While it is substantial enough to drink without food, you could also serve it with many seafood dishes, and turkey. As a result, we will look for this beauty next time we cross the border to B.C.
Treveri 2015 Brut Prestige ($35) (Washington)
Specifically, this is a sparkling wine fit for a celebration. Treveri 2015 Brut Prestige blends Pinot Noir (60%) and Chardonnay (40%) into a stunning glass of strawberries, almonds and baked bread. Consequently, toast the holidays with these bubbles! Lift a glass to bring in the new year. Treveri also makes wallet-friendly Blanc de Blancs Brut ($16), Blanc de Blancs Brut Zero ($16) and Blanc de Noir ($20).
More Wallet-Friendly Bonus Bubbles
- FIOL NV Prosecco DOC Extra Dry ($19) (Italy)
- Sofia Brescia Mary Taylor NV Veneto Frizzante ($14) (Italy)
- Tantalus 2019 Blanc de Blancs ($22) (British Columbia)
- Unsworth Vineyards Charme de L’Ile ($21) (British Columbia)
- Vasanti 2023 Paradise Bubbles ($18) (British Columbia)
- Venturi-Schulze 2016 Brut ($22) (British Columbia)
Special Holiday Wines: Red
You’ll have to dig deeper into your pocket for these special red wines, but if you can, here are some fabulous options to consider for the holidays. (Note: In alphabetical order.)
Avignonesi 2020 Desiderio Toscana IGT Merlot ($55) (Italy)
Ultimately, this 100% velvety Merlot is simply gorgeous. Aromas of cherries, plums, blackberries, black tea, chocolate, spices, olives and graphite echo the luxurious palate. Desiderio is a bull that lived on Avignonesi’s Capezzine farm more than 100 years ago, the largest bull in Tuscany at that time. Therefore, Avignonesi named the wine after the beloved bull “to depict Merlot from Tuscany at its best.”
Boudreaux Cellars 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon ($80) (Washington)
The father-daughter wine-making team, Rob and Keely Newsom, undeniably make mighty fine wine. We know because we’ve been drinking their Boudreaux Cellar wines for years. Boudreaux Cellars 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is a classic Cab (92%) with 2% Merlot, and 3% each of Petit Verdot and Cab Franc from seven WA vineyards. What a plush mouthfeel at the eight-year mark. Incroyable!
Brook & Bull 2021 The Deviant ($60) (Washington)
We recently tasted Brook & Bull The Deviant, an amazing blend of Cabernet Franc (58%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (42%). We loved it! First, think maraschino cherries, plums and orange zest. Next, think of your favorite Cab Franc and Cab Sauv combined into one luscious glass. Imagine that! In other words, it showcases the Brook & Bull mission: “We relentlessly pursue beauty, just beauty.”
Caprio Cellars 2021 Sanitella ($88) (Washington)
Caprio Cellars 2021 Sanitella is an elegant Bordeaux-style blend, which pays homage to owner Dennis Murphy’s great-grandmother. Moreover, this gorgeous red is layered, textured and structured, chock-full of concentrated black fruit, along with pepper, spices, cassis and cocoa. Other noteworthy special holiday wines from Caprio Cellars: 2021 Eleanor ($68) and 2021 Red Label Cabernet Sauvignon ($48).
JM Cellars 2022 “Ancora Imparo” Grenache ($65) (Washington)
A visit to JM Cellars isn’t complete without a taste of Ancora Imparo Grenache. Twenty percent of the wine was fermented and aged in a clay amphora and 80% in French oak. This 100% Grenache offers a pretty nose of raspberries and pepper, and deep, rich berry flavors on the palate. Further, Ancora Imparo is Italian for “Yet, I learn” – a perfect name to represent John Bigelow’s winemaking ideology. He is always experimenting, and starting new projects.
Special Holiday Wines: La Rata 2021 (Washington) ($80)
The label is cool. Even more, every vintage of this wine that we’ve tasted is a show-stopper. La Rata is made from Cayuse Vineyards fruit by rockstar (and Rocks star) winemaker Elizabeth Bourcier so, of course, it’s spectacular. The 2021 blends 60% Grenache, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Syrah. We put it in our cellar, so you’ll have to wait for our notes. But others have described La Rata 2021 as stunning, mesmerizing, smoldering, savory with umami goodness, and a masterpiece. Of note, with Elizabeth’s departure from Bionic Wines (to spend more time with her family), her final vintage of this glorious wine, La Rata 2022, will be available in the spring. We’ll be watching for it.
L’Ecole 2021 Ferguson, Estate Ferguson Vineyard ($75) (Washington)
L’Ecole 2021 Ferguson is the 10th vintage since the inaugural, award-winning 2011. Not surprisingly, it’s as exciting as previous vintages. Ferguson is always a head-turner. This is an intoxicating blend of Cab Sauv (56%), Merlot (18%), Cab Franc (14%), Malbec (7%), and Petit Verdot (5%). On the nose, we found mineral-laced aromas of red and black fruit, licorice and chocolate. Next, the palate provides lovely layers of more black and red fruit, chocolate and graphite. Yes, please!
MTR 2014 Memory Found ($95) (Washington)
We opened bottles of MTR 2014 Memory Found twice this year, and decided that it stands tall among our favorite Washington state Syrahs from the Rocks District. Created by Rocks District superstar winemaker, Matt Reynvaan, Memory Found is a killer 100% Rocks Syrah, with savory aromas and flavors of smoked meats, olive tapenade, wet stone, black fruits, earthy notes, and appealing minerality. That is to say this wine rocks.
Quilceda Creek 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley ($) (Washington)
We opened Quilceda Creek 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley for my birthday, earlier this year. It stayed in our cellar since its release, and the flavors evolved ever so gracefully. What a magnificent wine. It’s an opulent combination of luscious and muscular, intense, expressive, and complex; a deep, dark ruby red color, with aromas of black fruits and licorice, and velvety flavors of dark chocolate and black cherries. Another joyous wine for the holidays.
Special Holiday Wines: San Felice 2020 Pugnitello ($69) (Italy)
We’ve been fans of San Felice reds for some time now, and 2020 Pugnitello is remarkable. Pugnitello is an ancient Tuscan native grape variety, whose name means “little fist” and refers to the shape of its cluster. Undoubtedly, this is one smooth, rich, dense red wine. Aromas of cinnamon, clove, vanilla and red fruit mirror the savory palate, along with hints of mocha and orange peel. Holiday flavors indeed!
Saviah Cellars 2020 Funk Estate Cabernet Sauvignon ($75) (Washington)
Unquestionably, 2020 Funk Estate Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon is a spectacular wine that could easily compete on the world stage. As the saying goes, it had me at hello. Aromas of coffee, cassis, mocha, vanilla and bittersweet chocolate lead into more chocolatey flavors, salinity, smoked meats, umami, and black olives with café au lait notes on the finish. This sexy Cab Sauv has a lot going on. It is lush and concentrated but with refined and subtle funk. Be still, my heart.
Sleight of Hand 2021 Off He Goes Syrah ($75) (Washington)
Off He Goes Syrah is a limited edition, single-barrel-select 100% Syrah from renowned Les Collines Vineyard, in the foothills of the Blue Mountains. This is a big Syrah, with pretty aromatics and fantastic dark fruits. It is also a special wine for another reason. The back label contains lyrics from the Pearl Jam song of the same name. Most important, it’s a heartfelt memorial tribute to winemaker Eric Dunham of Dunham Cellars.
Special Holiday Wines: Trothe 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon ($234) (Washington)
Trothe 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is magical, our favorite of the four vintages we’ve tasted. This is a bewitching Cab Sauv, which makes you want to slowly savor each sophisticated sip. The 2021 is luxurious yet powerful, brooding yet captivating, and a harmonic symphony of plush flavors, with classic Horse Heaven Hills minerality and tannins. This is Trothe’s flagship wine that put the Horse Heaven Hills on the international map.
Two Vintners 2020 Alice ($90) (Washington)
Two Vintners 2020 Alice hits all the right notes. It’s an incredible blend of 90% Merlot, and 5% each of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Amazing winemaker Morgan Lee says, “Merlot is special in WA and should be celebrated.” We love this reserve Merlot. What a rich mouthfeel. Aromas of oranges and plums lead into flavors of dark fruit, spices, black currants and black pepper. This wine sings. Go ask Alice. I think she’ll know.
Summary: Special Holiday Wines
In conclusion, if you can splurge on special holiday wines, we hope our list will help you with some ideas. Enjoy a bottle with your delicious dinner at home, or share it with dear friends. Many are likely too expensive to give as gifts, but maybe others are not! Regardless, they all will help make your holiday season special.
Note: We received some of these as winery samples. As well, we tasted some at wineries, while others came from friends, or purchased at our favorite online retailer, Full Pull.
We wish you the best of the season!
Meanwhile, find us on Instagram and Facebook, and here at Write for Wine – It’s Wine O’Clock Somewhere.
Cheers, and Happy Holidays!
Margot and Dave