There is no better way to start the New Year than with family, friends and great wine all in one place. But buying wine for a crowd with various tastes can be mind-boggling never mind expensive especially if you are pressed for time. Below are eight great wines that will impress all your guests as well as your wallet.
2009 Veramonte Reserva Merlot
If you are going to drink for a while, you are safer drinking this smooth and voluptuous, Chilean wine because it has a good balance on the alcohol. The wine has the essence of ripe plums, red cherries, and notes of cocoa and vanilla. It is a great choice for hearty entrÚes like chicken Parmesan or sausage and peppers.
Twin Vines Vinho Verde
This a refreshing, delightful little white wine that is almost clear in the glass. It has a very nice floral character on the nose and the surprising small amount of spritz that elevates and enhances all these flavors all the way through the finish. With its notes of melon and green apple the wine goes great with sea food.
2011 Lapostolle Casa Sauvignon Blanc
This dry, charming white is intensely aromatic ripe with traces of guava, peach, and pineapple. It is an extra dry, medium bodied, fruit forward wine, with forward acidity, and warm finish. It is a perfect choice for New Year because of the amount of food lying around.
2010 White Truck Moscato
White Truck 2010 Moscato, California, is so juicy that each sip brings to mind orange blossoms, mangoes, and pears. It is a delicious but simple wine that pairs great with hot dishes.
2011 Excelsior Chardonnay
This South African wine comes with the typical Chardonnay qualities; flavors of green apple, tangy lime, and a whisper of toasted oak. It is dry crisp biting and fruity with a tang of a Sauvignon blanc but flavor of Chardonnay.
2010 Folonari Pinot Noir
Folonari Pinot Nero 2009 is a lighter-bodied Pinot Noir, which is exactly what you would expect from a wine made from this grape that hails from northern Italy. It is a light wine with lovely berry flavors and a mid-palate lift that easily pairs with most foods.
2009 Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon
This graceful, smooth-drinking California Cabernet is Port-like in bouquet and palate with little fruit left. It is enriched with a heat in the finish which is great to pair with your meats. You can get yourself a bottle at the bargain price.
2011 Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Pinot Grigio
It exhibits aromas of citrus, apple and some floral notes on the nose that come from this aromatic blend. This is a light wine maybe a bit thin but the light sweetness makes it quite nice. Crisp and juicy with a touch of spice, this white is a mouthwatering complement to fried chicken, quesadillas, and Greek salad. Overall a simple but refreshing wine that would be a safe bet to serve at a party with a lot of varied palates.
