Choosing the right wine to pair with your Christmas dinner is an important part of creating a terrific holiday experience. Over the next few weeks we’ll be posting some great wines to help you accomplish just that. This week I chose the two Beringer red blends we carry as they’re a great value and extremely versatile. They should be great crowd pleasers while also serving as easy pairings for typical Christmas dinner food. Both of these wines are very fruit driven as well as being full bodied, perfect for winter. Beringer is the oldest continually operating winery in the Napa Valley and a classic name many people know.

Beringer Quantum 2014 – Napa Valley – On Sale $39.99 – Save $5.00

Full bodied wine with a velvety mouthfeel.  I’m really drawn to the silky tannin in this wine, especially when mixed with the bouquet of dark fruit flavors; black raspberry, dark cherry, dark plum with a hint of chocolate and espresso. It’s decadent and would be a great pairing with a standing rib roast at Christmas dinner. The blend is Cabernet forward with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petite Sirah and Malbec.

Beringer The Waymaker 2014 – Paso Robles – On Sale $19.99 – Save $5.00  

The 2014 Waymaker is a Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah based blend. A bit lower down on the price point than Quantum, it’s a very good value made with high quality grapes. Dark fruit with spices it has a medium full body with savory notes at the back. It is big and flamboyant where the Quantum is reserved and balanced. The Waymaker would pair well with holiday ham.

 

 

Beringer Winery –

Founded in 1876, Beringer is the oldest continually operating winery in the Napa Valley.  Beringer Vineyards produces well-respected premium wines as well as wines at every quality tier. Beringer is known for establishing many ‘firsts’ as leaders in the wine industry, they were one of the first gravity fed facilities and among the first to operate using hand-dug caves and cellars. Beringer was the first winery in the valley to offer public tours at the repeal of prohibition and remains at the top of the savvy Napa visitor’s list of places to tour and taste.