DECEMBER 2020 77WINES FOR $65
AND BEYOND
2017 GAJA CA’MARCANDA
MAGARI ($70)
This herb-scented, supple
Tuscan red is a great intro-
duction to the talents of
Italian winemaking legend
Angelo Gaja.
2018 TOR OAKVILLE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
($95)
Tor Kenward, who makes
some of Napa Valley’s top
Cabernets, sources this lus-
cious, structured red from
the same four-acre vineyard
as his $155 Tierra Roja Vine-
yard bottling.2017 QUILCEDA CREEK
CVR ($70)
This gorgeous cuvée costs
a good $80 or so less than
Quilceda’s flagship bottling
yet is flat-out delicious.
Think cassis, black cherry,
and mocha flavors, ending
on a hint of cured tobacco.
2012 BIONDI-SANTI
BRUNELLO DI
MONTALCINO ($118)
Biondi-Santi effectively
created the Brunello di
Montalcino category in- Its wines—like this
layered cherry-and-tobacco-
scented vintage—remain
benchmarks.
NV CHAMPAGNE
BOLLINGER PN VZ15 ($120)
The first new wine from
Bollinger in 12 years is a
triumph. This Blanc de Noirs
offers creamy layers of rasp-
berry and blackberry, tan-
gerine and yuzu citrus, and
subtle spice; it’s essentially
irresistible.THE KYOTO DISTILLERY KI
NO BI DRY GIN ($70)
The Kyoto Distillery uses
local botanicals (Japanese
cypress, yellow yuzu,
gyokuro green tea, shiso,
green sansho, and many
others) for this alluringly
aromatic gin.
RHUM CLÉMENT 15 YEAR
OLD ($200)
Agricole rums like this one
from Martinique have a
delicate, vegetal complexity.
When aged, they can be out-
standing, taking on a vanilla,
dried fruit, spicy depth, like
this rare bottling.THE MACALLAN DOUBLE
CASK 15 YEARS OLD ($135)
Aging in a combination of
American and European
sherry-seasoned oak casks
gives this sultry new malt an
exciting interplay of vanilla
and spice notes; any single-
malt lover would be thrilled.BARRELL DOVETAIL
WHISKEY ($90)
Distiller Tripp Stimson uses
10-year rye finished in Cab-
ernet barrels with 10-year
bourbon finished in rum and
port barrels for this honey-
molasses-scented, mouth-
coating whiskey.
CASA DRAGONES BARREL
BLEND ($150)
Any tequila lover would be
delighted with this boutique
producer’s first añejo. Aging
in American and French oak
barrels creates a polished,
layered tequila, one to sip
late at night in front of a fire.SUPERSTAR
SPIRITS
HIGH-END BOTTLES TO
THRILL THE SPIRITS
LOVERS IN YOUR LIFE
2018 KOSTA BROWNE
ONE-SIXTEEN
CHARDONNAY ($85)
This white from Kosta
Browne rivals its Pinot Noirs,
using fruit from nine Sonoma
County vineyards for a seam-
less wine with floral aromas
and peach-lemon flavors.
ACQUIRE GRACE
The long stems on
Riedel’s Max series
glasses are inspired by
roses that grow near
its factory in Austria.
($40, riedel.com)