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Breaking out the best for our loved ones is part of what makes this time of year so special. We want to cook the most delicious feasts, pour the best wine, serve curated spirits and give thoughtful gifts. It may sound like a tall order, but if you can handle the heat in the kitchen, we've got the best bottles sorted. Whether you're hosting or gifting, this list of top picks is sure to impress.
These exceptional New World wines from California and the Okanagan will pair perfectly with your meal or the host's, while a high-quality port with sweeter notes offers a beautiful way to cap off the night. For the hobby bartender or for anyone who loves mixing up a drink at home, there's a cocktail kit with their name on it. And whisky aficionados will get a kick out of an Irish dram that packs plenty of flavour into a finely balanced palate.
Skip the overcrowded shopping malls and instead buy them a gift they'll really love. These holiday wines and spirits will please guests and look great on your bar cart too. It's the season of sharing, but we wouldn't blame you if you wanted these all to yourself.
6 holiday wine and spirits perfect for gifting or impressing guests
Meaty mains like steak, roasts and rack of lamb have met their match in this exceptional cabernet sauvignon from Sonoma County, California. After aging for 16 months in French and American oak, this robust wine is rich with dark cherry and plum, along with notes of baking spices, black pepper, crushed violet and cassis. Spicy oak lingers with the lush, velvety finish. It's crafted by the certified sustainable Rodney Strong Vineyards, which has roots dating back to 1971.
If you’re looking for a tasty way to top off your holiday meals, this vintage port is a classy option. Graham’s, based in Portugal’s Douro Valley, is one of the most prestigious producers of port wine and has been making high-quality expressions since the 19th century. This striking red-purple vintage wine has plum and spice aromas and is ready to drink. Its luscious tannins and medium-bodied sweeter notes will linger long after the dessert course is over.
For the dad who will never turn down a dram, this award-winning Irish whisky is the perfect stocking-stuffer. True to its name, Glendalough Double Barrel Irish Whiskey is matured twice: once, in flame-charred, ex-bourbon American oak, before being finished in oloroso casks from Montilla. On the nose, dad will find plenty of dark fruits, cherries, raisin, fig and Christmas pudding; then, he’ll savour the welcome tastes of butterscotch, honey, peppercorn, dried fruit, maraschino cherries and brown sugar. Add a splash to your Christmas morning Irish coffee for an extra dose of holiday spirit.
One of the Okanagan Valley’s most renowned wineries has packaged up a real treat for wine lovers this holiday. The Mission Hill Winery Lasting Legacy Holiday Gift Set features three popular bottles from their small-lot and limited production line of collectible wines. Gift or keep to enjoy this holiday, or age Compendium, Quatrain and Perpetua in the cellar for decades and rediscover later. The hand-harvested grapes make up the top one per cent of grapes from all of Mission Hill’s vineyards and benefit from extended barrel aging and an additional 24 months in the bottle.
For the budding mixologist (or anyone who enjoys a tasty tipple), a cocktail kit from Canadian distiller, Dillon’s, gives them everything they need to craft the perfect drink at home. Simply follow the provided recipe card’s measurements and stir the kit’s ingredients together. They’ll be sipping a deliciously spirit forward-cocktail by the fire in no time — and if you’re lucky, they’ll make one for you, too.
You don’t have to be a film buff (or, a fan of Megalopolis) to get on board with a pour of Francis Ford Coppola Diamond Collection Chardonnay. From Francis Ford Coppola’s Monterey County vineyard, this bottle’s oakiness is well-balanced and integrated with flavours of buttery popcorn and fresh fruit. Peppy and fresh, this is best served with nicely barbecued poultry, vegetarian plates or a crackling holiday fire on a chilly day.
