Wine Gifts For Dad

It should not be hard to find a gift for dad. There’s always a tie for the guy who is still working, a fishing rod for those who aren’t or a recliner for those who are sitting on the decision. A good tie costs $85 nowadays and a fishing rod and recliner are significantly more. What is less expensive for a particular dad that isn’t hard to swallow?

Wine. Of course, a bottle of bourbon or scotch would be a treat as well, but this column is about wine and that is what we’re recommending.

A “nice bottle of wine” is subjective, of course. If you know what your father normally enjoys, the choices are narrowed. If he likes California chardonnay, for instance, consider a chardonnay from Burgundy. You can find a Macon-Villages for $25 or a Puligny-Montrachet for $225.

If you think he would enjoy a different experience in white wines, consider an Albarino from Spain or a Grillo from Sicily. Both can be found for less than $25 – maybe you can afford one of each.

If his interests lean toward red wine, there are even more opportunities. Pinot noirs can cost more than $50 and are delicious.  But you can find tempranillo from Spain or Touriga Nacional from Portugal – wines that exceed their price in quality.

Of course, if you are collecting money from your siblings, you have a bigger pot to play with. Maybe get him some Riedel glasses and a bottle of wine. Or get him an expensive wine he wouldn’t buy for himself.

Here are five special, expensive wines we can vouch for and five inexpensive wines that are sure to please.

Brandlin Estate Napa Valley Malbec 2019 ($60). Malbec is the darling grape of Argentina but here the malbec is serious and complex, yet forward and delicious. Floral aromas lead off a beautifully textured wine with currant flavors and hints of cocoa and tea.

Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Three Palms Vineyard Merlot 2020 ($125). Recognized as one of the best and most respected merlots in the valley, this perennial favorite continues to put Merlot in a different class. Ageworthy yet elegant, it has layers of fruit ranging from blueberries to raspberries with dashes of herbs and cocoa.

Calera Mt. Harlan Pinot Noir Ryan Vineyard 2019 ($95).  With grapes coming from vineyards as high as 2,500 feet, Calera gets intense red cherry aromas with fresh plum flavors and easy tannins to make it a good match to food.

Newton Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Spring Mountain District 2017 ($210). Yes, this is a ridiculous amount of money for a bottle of wine, but it may be worth the tariff. Plum, cassis and berry notes in an incredibly appealing mélange of wonderfulness. A very mild oak frame and a bare scent of herbs complete the package. Drinkable now but it has the tannins to let it age for a decade.

Gamble Family Vineyards Paramount Red Wine 2018 ($90). We had the chance to taste this wine beside the 2017 version and liked it slightly better for its more fresh and precise fruit character. The 2017 had more lush fruit but this one is more intense. There is a good bit of cabernet franc in both wines, giving it a more blueberry aroma, but it is rounded out with cabernet sauvignon, merlot and petit verdot to add fruit depth. Plum and black cherry flavors with a nice dash of spice.

Inexpensive

Decoy California Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 ($25).  Drawing grapes from a wide swath of areas, Duckhorn applies its expertise to all of the Decoy wines in its portfolio. Forward and ripe dark fruit flavors with hints of vanilla and nutmeg.

Beringer Knight’s Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 ($35). This is a great value. It has body, tannin and a rich character of ripe and sweet black cherries, kirsch and olives on the palate with generous aromas of blackberries, lavender and herbs. A little merlot, cabernet franc and petite verdot are blended in this wine.

Juggernaut California Hillside Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 ($20).  This is one of the best bargains on the red wine market today.  With grapes grown on Hillsides around California, it has dark fruit and cassis flavors and oak-inspired vanilla notes. Soft and smooth.

Gotas de Mar Rias Baixas Albarino 2022 ($25).  We love these refreshing, crisp wines from northern Spain because they are pefect sippers and they do well with fish. Floral aromas with peach and mineral flavors are a great way to introduce spring to your palate.

Landmark Vineyards Overlook Pinot Noir 2021 ($27). Sourced from Sonoma County, Monterey County, and Santa Barbara County, this is a big chunky pinot noir that can be matched with the boldest cuisine. Ripe cherry and spice notes dominate in a well-priced package.

Wine picks

Scout Wild Red Wine N/V ($18). In what may be a nod to the future of wine labeling, Wild Scout provides a wealth of details to consumers. Unlike food products, wine is not required to post ingredients on their labels. Scout Wild informs consumers that no artificial processing aids nor added sugars were used in making their wine, In addition, Scout Wild lists the four ingredients in their wines: grapes, tartaric acid, yeast and sulfites. We tasted the red wine blend recently that was a mix of primitivo, cabernet sauvignon, and petite sirah and found the result as a very bright pleasant berry-flavored red wine with no discernable oak.

Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 ($80). Rich and complex with blueberry and violet aromas are followed by blackberry and chocolate flavors. Long in the finish.