Holiday Gift Ideas From Our Staff
Barbera, Fratelli Arditi – 2022 $9.96
Another great find by our buyers! A light-to-medium-bodied red wine that goes down easy. Fresh but not too fruity, this has all the hallmarks of a classic Barbera and it’s perfect with a slight chill. A pleasant grip on the palate makes this a nice match for cheese and sliced meats. Go to town! – Josh Mizrahi, Sales Manager
Sauvignon Blanc, Jo & Co. $12.96
This wine is just delightful. It is the kind of wine that’s great to have in the fridge for a casual weeknight—an easy choice for a budget-conscious individual looking for a solid crowd pleaser. It is light and fresh, showing a bit of key lime pie, fresh lime zest, and a finish with decent minerality. Certainly worth a try! – Hannah Weiss, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant
Bodegas Vegamar, Garnacha – 2021 $12.96
On Spain’s eastern coast, the wine-growing region of Valencia is home to some of the best wines of the Mediterranean. While Bodegas Vegamar primarily cultivates French varietals, their goal is not to replicate their northern neighbor’s styles, but rather to express their own warm climate and diverse, fertile soil. Case in point, this generously fruity Garnacha. It was hard for me to identify a specific berry because the nose explodes with a medley of pretty much every berry I could name, with a hint of vanilla at the finish. I was worried about balance, but rest assured there is just enough tannin and acidity to tame the juice. – Doug Yacka, Operations Manager
Crozes-Hermitage, Dom. Jean Esprit – 2022 $23.96
When sipping this delicious wine from the Northern Rhône Valley, you can enjoy berry notes such as blackberry and the typical spicy notes of Syrah. A long pleasant finish completes the experience! – Andrea Fraccari, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant
Half-Bottle of St. Crimson, Mead, Enlightenment Wines $24.96
If you’re not the biggest fan of sweet dessert wines, but want a pairing for your favorite fruit pie or crumble, look no further. Pour a glass of this wild, refreshing, black-currant infused honey wine. Fermented for a full year in oak barrels, this unique mead drinks with complexity–and fully dry. – Erikka Anderson, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant
Riesling Grand Cru “Frankstein,” Manbach – 2019 $34.96
I love Rieslings at every time of the year. This Alsatian Riesling hits all the right notes, and it’s from a grand cru vineyard no less. Granite soils give this wine a great structure and minerality with flavors of ripe peach and apple. – Amy Miller, Sales Manager
Kastra Elion Premium Greek Vodka $51.96
The Kastra Elion Premium Greek Vodka is distilled from hand-harvested, Greek olives from the Nafpaktos region of Greece. The end result is a complex spirit, with savory pepper notes, crushed rocks and lemon, poppy seed cake. The texture really stands out as the rounded and buttery finish glides down the throat. – Matthew Gouldstone, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant
Don Fulano Blanco Tequila $54.96
The Fonseca family have been cultivating agave in the Highlands of Jalisco for over 140 years. In 1985 they had just signed a contract with Tequila Sauza and Jose Cuervo to deliver 20,000 tons of agave every year. But early into the contract, both brands reneged, leaving Enrique Fonseca with loads of agave and no one to sell to. So in 1990, Enrique acquired the La Tequileña distillery, which had a unique setup combining both alembic stills and a continuous double-column Coffey still. Enrique took trips to Scotland and France to learn the art of this multi-still distillation. Today, he creates a magical liquid that is both incredibly smooth and full of agave character. – Alex Malecki, Sales Manager