Holiday deals on wine abound, but consider true value when buying

There is a plethora of deals on wine for the holidays, in print and on the net. I took the time to review several. Sadly, I must warn that some deals are just packaging schemes to rid stores of suspect inventory.  In short, check out the true value before jumping into a bargain.  Probably good advice in most cases. A wonderful place to check, other than patiently waiting for the information to appear here, would be to go to winesearcher.com or cellartracker.com. For those who are computer illiterate, any neighborhood kid can look prices up in 13 nanoseconds if you provide the internet address and name of wine. They can even tell you where it is for sale.

I love the internet. When it comes to research, I can look up links that discuss nearly any idea that piques my interest and get up to speed fairly quickly. I have learned, though, that I must don my BS detector prior to the search.  Just like me, everyone worthy of reading has an opinion, and unlike you and me, many are flawed in their appraisals. Nevertheless, I have avoided drinking serious plonk by deciding if most folks pan a product, it is probably not worth tainting my buds to validate them. On the rare occasion I have neglected this well-thought-out position, I have ended up looking like a Cheshire cat licking peanut butter off a hairbrush.

That said, there is a tremendous bargain out there that your local folks may be able to match.  A case, four each, of Antinori Tiganello Toscana 2008, 93 points ($70); Chateau Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape 2008, 93 points ($57); and 2007 Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2007, 92 points ($38) will set you back $540. Careful shopping only got me to $630 plus shipping.

Columbia Crest is actually the best part of the deal for those who drink wine frequently. Ready 2013 through 2018, it is a bit firm, with chewy tannin. A dark color and a bouquet of currant, dried blueberry and smoke reinforced by the same flavors through a long, clean finish says buy a bunch. Found a case (12) for $425. Toscana is ready to drink and Beaucastel needs a couple but will go through 2025. As I have mentioned in the past, Beaucastel CdP is a large producer. Don’t look for great price appreciation. Also, the 2004, also rated 93 points, is going for $70/bottle when you buy a case. It is perfect now. A couple of DC stores have it and your local guy could probably bring it in for you.

The CdP is ripe, dark crimson with a bouquet redolent of cassis, blackberry and anise with violet and spice nuance.  Mouthwatering fruit, toast and a pleasant minerality profile tell me lay down and drink later. The Toscana, with powerful blackberry and floral aromas that have a faint but distinct nuance of rosemary and coffee, supported by a stout frame and  chewy tannins, shows great promise. This blend of Sangiovese, Cab Sauvignon and Franc has a long finish with a lovely fruit concentration. There were nearly 30,000 cases produced, so I don’t think you need to cellar it. The construct and tannins tell me the wine has 20 years minimum.

I would be remiss not to include 2009 Clos du Mont-Olivet Chateauneuf du Pape la Cuvee du Papet that can be found by diligent search for $625/case. RP went on and the price leaped, but it is coming back to reality. The wine is very dark ruby with a huge bouquet of dark fruits, kirsch, underbrush, raspberries, licorice, spice box and pepper. Parker called it opulent and voluptuously textured. I, being a bit crass and far more in vogue, might define it as the Kate Upton of  2009 Rhone wine. This 2009 has great body,  great mouthfeel, pleasing  texture and appropriate tannin. Like most CdP, it is approachable now, but this gem will improve for at least 15 years.