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The holidays are in full swing. And if you are like me, a bit more of a last-minute shopper than you would care to admit, I have a couple of great beverages to keep top of mind. Each of these bottles is ideal for wrapping up with a bow and gifting to someone who will appreciate the thought behind your choices. Whether you are shopping for a party thrower, a food lover or an avid collector, these are the best bevies for gifting this holiday season.
For the party thrower
You know the type — the host with the most and the planner who is always ready with the perfect party playlist. They are the glue that brings together the friend group, their family and community. Nothing is more suitable for someone with such optimism and light than a drink that can keep up with their convivial nature.
Indie Ale House Marco Polo Italian Style Pilsner
$3.90
Referencing a nostalgic childhood pool game, the Indie Ale House Marco Polo Italian Style Pilsner is a gold medal winner with a flavour to match. This Italian-style pilsner is a cunning, complex beer in the glass. It's clean, crisp and refreshing with a subtle hop aroma. Made by Toronto's Indie Ale House brewery, the Marco Polo is easy to love and enjoy — an ideal party matcher.
Feudo Arancio Cabernet Sauvignon
$12.95 until December 31 (reg. $15.95)
From the Italian island of Sicily, the Feudo Arancio Cabernet Sauvignon is not your average cabernet sauvignon. While it has been aged in French oak barrels, this wine has a unique Italian sensibility in the glass. It is filled with bold aromas of blackcurrant, cherries and hints of spice, followed by a spice-driven palate with rustic tannins. A lighter cab than you would find elsewhere, this bottle is perfectly poised to be shared.
For the food lover
Continually stirring up something new in the kitchen or down to give a new restaurant a try, food is a driving force in everything they do. From quoting moments from The Bear to sending you the latest recipes, the food lovers in our lives keep our diets fun and fresh. Matching with their foodie nature, these wines will surely make dishes shine to their fullest potential.
Mezzacorona Pinot Grigio
$16.45
Ever a great pairing partner, pinot grigio is a wine that pairs well with light and fresh flavours. Made in Trentino, Italy, the Mezzacorona Pinot Grigio brings to life the vibrancy of the dolomite springs. This beautifully fragrant wine is filled with white raspberry, pear, cantaloupe and watercress notes. It's matching perfection with fresh salads, crunchy veg, chicken, seafood and even sharp hard cheeses.
Domaine Lafage Syrah/Grenache 'Bastide Miraflors'
$19.95
The Domaine Lafage 'Bastide Miraflors' is a 70/30 mix of syrah and grenache from the Roussillon region of France. This wine is booming with fruit notes, ranging from blueberries and mulberries to darker flavours of plum, coupled with dark chocolate with subtle touches of mint. Its mild tannins make it incredibly smooth and elegant to sip — an ideal wine for bolder dishes with red meat, rustic vegetables and creamy sauces.
For the collector
In the know and ahead of the curve, they have been buying Bordeaux on futures and travelling to Champagne for as long as you can remember. Everything in their life has a story and a sense of adventure to match. And while they are the wine lover in your life, they will go for only the best and gravitate towards bottles that tell a story with every sip.
Domaine Laroche Saint Martin Chablis
$35.45
From a region with a specific sense of place, only the best plots and grapes are made into the Domaine Laroche Saint Martin Chablis. A wine tribute to the heroic and kind nature of Saint Martin, it displays notes as luminous as he was. Filled with crisp-tart apple and peachy aromas with a bright citrus feel, this wine is expressive and vibrant on the palate. After all, there is chardonnay, and there is chablis.
Jules Lebègue Lussac St-Émilion
$22.80
Jules Lebègue expresses bordeaux with every sip, making wines enigmatic of their region. This bottle is coated with a label design over a century old and filled with symbols that tell the story of this wine. Truly an iconic brand with a taste to match, the J. Lebègue Lussac St-Émilion is filled with red berry aromas paired with pepper, cedar, vanilla and dried fruit, followed by a palate that is long-lived and very elegant.
Happy holidays, everyone! Find each of these gift-ready drinks at the LCBO.
