Making Spirits Bright: Holiday Gift Guide
No matter what you’re celebrating this season, whether it’s toasting with friends or sending a little holiday spirit to loved ones far away, we've got the perfect bottle for you (and your budget)! Our Holiday Gift Guide is an expertly curated collection of gift-worthy bottles for every kind of wine and spirits lover. So sit back and relax, ‘cause we’ve got this holiday season covered! Check out the full guide here, and read on for some highlights!
Fa-la-la-la Local Whiskey Love
Brooklyn-Born Whiskies from Kings County Distillery
Show your local pride with this 5pc aged whiskey gift sets, as well as single-bottle stocking stuffers from Kings County Distillery, New York City's oldest, largest, and first working distillery since Prohibition. Founded in 2010, Kings County makes handmade moonshine, bourbon, and other whiskeys out of the 120-year-old Paymaster Building in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
Set in handsome wooden boxes, these are great gifts that also work well as a personal indulgence! In the deluxe 5pc set, you'll find the following:
- Kings County Moonshine (200ml)
- Kings County Straight Bourbon (200ml)
- Kings County Barrel Strength Bourbon (200ml)
- Kings County Spiced Whiskey (200ml)
- Kings County Peated Bourbon (200ml)
California Christmas Dreamin’
Amass Vodka
Infused with Marigold, Chamomile, and Lemon, Amass Vodka celebrates the Nordic distilling tradition with subtle layers of floral and citrus. The result is a glycerin-free spirit that uses marigold petals in place of additives to create an elegant spirit with a smooth mouthfeel, suited for a variety of cocktails and seasons, developed by Morgan McLachlan, one of world’s foremost female Master Distillers.
Baubles and Bubbly
Charivari! Brut Sparkling Rose 2019
What's a holiday without a little bubbly? This blend of 65% Gamay and 35% Grolleau hails from a leased organic vineyard that Anne-Cecile and Tanguy maintain in Franceuil, near Amboise. The grapes are co-fermented and bottled with about 15g of residual sugar. It is absolutely delicious: lovely notes of strawberry and raspberry on the nose and a creamy, delicate palate. Its name, "Charivari," pronounced sha·ri·va·ri, is the term for a French folk custom in which the community gives a noisy mock serenade at the home of newlyweds.
Making Mischief & Merriment:
El Imposto Cinsault de Agjua Seco 2021
Known for it’s adorably mischievous label and beer-type bottle, "El Impostor" was first produced in 2014 when Juan decided to experiment with a particularly vigorous parcel of Cinsault. The grapes come from a two-hectare organic parcel of 20-year-old Cinsault vines planted on granitic soils with quartz and schist. Unfined, unfiltered and absolutely delicious, El Impostor is dry, sparkling Cinsault that positively glows with bright pink color. It’s tart and tangy with a sour cherry note that is similar in appearance to a sour beer or a piquette, but closer in style to a a Lambrusco rose. Hence the name, El Impostor!
Sipping in a Winter Wonderland:
Maison des Ardoisieres Cuvée Silice Jacqueres 2018
Dreaming of a white Christmas? This critically acclaimed, mineral driven white from Savoie is as bright and charming as anything Currier & Ives, filled with notes of lemon peel, salt, and apple blossom. It is wonderful chilled, alongside a crisp winter salad, roast cornish hen, fondue and even mac and cheese!
Feliz Navidad
Gil Berzal “Recoveco” Rioja Blanco 2018 & Lopez de Heredia Vina Cubillo Rioja Crianza 2012
If your idea of a good time is curled up beside the fireplace on a chilly night, than these bottles are for you. The Gil Berzal "Recoveco" Rioja 2018 is an organic blend of Viura and Malvasia grown biodynamically on a single plot in some of the best terroir in Rioja. Unfined, unfiltered, this dry, succulent white opens with subtle aromas of tropical fruit, apple, and white flowers that explode with notes of anise, fresh brioche, and sweet herbs. Fresh and nervy, the wine has a lovely balance of depth and mineral complexity. It’s delightful now, but will age wonderfully for up to 10 years. This one is a keeper!
The Lopez de Heredia Cubillo 2012 is a classic blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha and small amounts of Graciano and Mazuelo from vines averaging 40 years, there are spice-accented aromas of red berries and cherry cola with a smoky nuance throughout. This wine sees two years in used American oak barrels and another two in bottle prior to release, giving it the time to develop beautifully while still maintaining its youthful personality. Supple and energetic with zesty acidity at the core and a long, smooth finish handled with a gentle tannic grip and snap of peppery spices.
