Wired For Wine Gift Baskets

One of our fine Cabernet Sauvignon gifts.

One of our fine Rose gifts.

One of our fine gifts.

One of our fine gifts.

One of our fine Champagne gifts.

One of our fine Cabernet Sauvignon gifts.

We think the Altos Las Hormigas Gualtallary Malbec is a knock-outred wine from Argentina. Altos Las Hormigas works beautifully with manymeat dishes. If you feel like steak, grill it, slice it thinly, and drape it on an arugula salad with shaved parmesan and a garlicky vinaigrette. Pan-friedpork chops with a plum/cardamom compote will work beautifully too. Old habits die hard winelovers. Make a sage, white pepper, salt and garlicbutter in the food processor and then spread it liberally under the skin of a small chicken. Roast until the skin is crispy, and serve with silky mashedpotatoes. Youll be glad you did. Or, make a classic Coq au Vin with mushrooms and onions. Thin crust sausage pizza with a couple of anchovies layeredon is another delicious choice for this versatile wine. On the lighter, meat-free side, putting a glass of this Mendoza Malbec next to a mushroom lasagnawill not disappoint either. Its spaghetti and giant turkey meatballs for dinner around here... Suculento!

The Woodlands Margaret is ready to open now, and will open beautifully with a terrine of chicken liver pate made with Madeira, served with brandied fruitand grilled country style bread. The earthy side of this wine is perfect for braised lamb shanks with cannelini beans. For a lighter meal, make it SauvignonBlanc-steamed mussels with garlic toasts. Craving comfort? Make a big dish of red chile-chicken enchiladas. And then, open another bottle to go with amild brie and some more of that grilled country style bread. Youre going to want to get to know this Margaret better winelovers.

Get lost in the deep purple, wine lovers. Its made by Michel Rolland. Heres some background on him. Rolland also maintains partnershipinterests in far-flung regions of the globe, including his involvement with Long Shadows Vintners. His home, however, is in Pomerol, where he ownsand manages a number of holdings and fine wine estates: Chateau Le Bon Pasteur in Pomerol, Chateau Bertineau Saint-Vincent in Lalande-de-Pomerol, ChateauRolland-Maillet in Saint-Emilion, and Chateau Fontenil in Fronsac. In addition, Michel manages the Chateau La Grande Clottee in Lussac-Saint-Emilionunder a vineyard lease system. In other words, hes got serious wine game.

From a bulwark of the venerated Napa Valley wine community, the Forman Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Its just about ready to drink, and has remarkable ageability. Its not youll find all over the place, and we were lucky to grab some. Youve got plenty of time to think about your pairings, the setting, the occasion, and the lucky people youll share it with. Let everyone ooh and ahh over this stunning Napa Cab and offer the first glass without accompaniment. Or, you could have blue cheese sliders on the side if you felt like showing off the tannins in the wine... Pan-roasted veal chops with a fresh herb salsa will bring out the savoury side of the wine as well as its elegance. For the wow factor, and to brag about the bold, powerful side of this Forman, make it a rosemary-black pepper rib roast of beef with porcini gravy. Some buttery, garlic mashed potatoes on the side wouldnt hurt either. Short ribs braised with mushrooms and tomatoes over creamy polenta will satisfy the comfort food category, and still make for a memorable pairing. What dreams do you have for your Forman??

One of our fine Cabernet Sauvignon gifts.

Bottle design may vary. From beloved producer Domaine Pierre Gelin, and renowned Cotes de Nuit appelation, only 100 cases of thisDomaine Pierre Gelin Clos de Meixvelle GevreyChambertin were imported to the US, and we got some. How is your Burgundy assortment looking?

One of our fine gifts.

One of the oldest estates in the DOC, it dates back to the 1200s.Inhale deeply and you just might be transported to a tiny trattoria in the heart of Tuscany. This is only one of the wonderful things which may happenwhen you first encounter the Castellin Villa Riserva Chianti Classico. Its no wall flower. Rather, its a big, bold, complex superstar of a red winewhich has it all: ripe, dark fruit, ample acidity and tannins, spice and earth notes, and layers upon layers of tasty goodness. Its made for hearty, meatydishes, so put away the puff pastry... Your call as to the complexity of the cuisine. Sear the heck out of a beautiful, thick cut of marbled steak afteryouve seasoned it liberally with your favorite seasonings and then finish it off in the oven. Meat sauces on sturdy, preferably homemade pastas, and tomato/redwine braising sauces will show off the pedigree of this wine like a stage and a spotlight. Whats on your marquee for dinner?

This luscious Rodney Strong Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is the perfect companion for hearty meat and lamb dishes. Pour a glass and serve it witha ripe Camembert and some austere water crackers while you consider your energy level for the meal. We love this California Cabernet with Spanish beeftenderloin Asturias, pan-seared beef tenderloin steaks bathed in a delicious blue cheese-white wine sauce. The rich complexity of the wine willmatch the decadence of the cheese beautifully. A simpler but equally mouth-watering option is grilled lamb chops with a balsamic/shallot reduction. Thedark, ripe fruit and spice notes in this Knights Valley Cab works terrifically with the sweet notes in the balsamic. Serve the lamb chops with a fried,and then baked eggplant dish. The gorgeous texture and fruit of this Rodney Strong will end the meal on a very high note if you open that last bottle andserve it with a dark chocolate/brioche bread pudding with a red berry sauce. Wheres the corkscrew??!Ultimate Beverage Challenge: "This wine is aromatically seductive with tempered dark chocolate and blackberry preserves. Bold on the palate,flavors start savory with red bell pepper and tomato paste before turning to black plums and soft, vanilla-spiked tannins. A compelling wine that continuesto open in the glass."