Uncorking wines for the holidays

Just as winemakers don't plan their vacations during harvest, wine merchants don't stray far from their bins in the last quarter of the year.

Wine is a popular accompaniment to the holidays, whether for a party or as a gift. Nearly 40 percent of all sparkling wine sold in the United States annually is sold during the last quarter. Sales of table wines also rise, though not as dramatically.

Today, Taste provides wine shoppers with a guide to wine stores where they can expect personal service and distinctive collections, wines as fitting for the Thanksgiving table as cranberries and pumpkin, wines that will make for memorable gifts regardless of budget, and wines with which to welcome the new year without fear of starting 2008 deeply in debt.

The custom at our house as the Thanksgiving turkey is about to be carved is to set the table with several styles of wine to match both the varied tastes of guests and the varied flavors of the foods.

But not this year. So confident am I now that two varietals are enough to please every taste and flavor of the holiday feast, I'm going with them alone.

For the white, riesling. For the red, pinot noir. They simply are the friendliest and most captivating and versatile varietals available.

Here are three each that should leave guests delighted, and if not, select a new round next year – of guests, not wines.

Riesling

Annie's Lane 2006 Clare Valley Dry Riesling ($14): It says "dry," but it's actually a touch sweet, just enough to flesh out its apple and peach flavors and extend its refreshing finish. Darn near won the white sweepstakes at this year's Long Beach Grand Cru.

Pacific Rim Dry Riesling ($11): That's right, no vintage and no appellation, and that's because it's a rare international blend. Washington state provided 80 percent of the fruit, the Mosel region of Germany 20 percent. The result is a riesling that approaches viognier in its honeysuckle smell, peachiness and viscosity.

J. Lohr 2006 Monterey "Bay Mist" White Riesling ($8.50): Year after year, California's best buy in riesling for its keen balance, spicy notes and a persistence not often found in the varietal.

Pinot noir

Mossback 2005 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($25/$26): Mossback, a label of Crew Wine Co. of Sacramento, went to the most highly regarded appellation in the state for pinot noir, the Russian River Valley, and came back with a bright and elegant take on the varietal, its fresh fruitiness running to Bing cherries, its structure solid but its tannins easy to take.

Morgan 2005 or 2006 Santa Lucia Highlands Twelve Clones Pinot Noir ($27-$31): Don't let the light color and lean build throw you; this is one classically sleek and lively pinot noir, shot through with currents of strawberries, raspberries and suede.

MacPhail 2005 Sonoma Coast Pratt Vineyard Pinot Noir ($56): This is a huskier and richer style of California pinot noir, from its truffled smell to its concentrated berry flavors, which finish with a generous dash of spice; it's assertive enough for any turkey, no matter how big or wild.

– Mike Dunne

Small wine shops in region offer rarities and specialties

Stores with extensive wine sections dot the Sacramento landscape – Cost Plus World Market, Whole Foods Market, Beverages & More, and several supermarket chains.

But the area also is rich with smaller wine shops where personal service and idiosyncratic collections are the focus.

They include:

Beyond Napa Wine Merchants, 2580 Fair Oaks Blvd.: Australian, Italian, Spanish and French wines can be found here, but the strength is independent California producers with impressive track records as well as collectible Napa Valley boutiques like Karl Lawrence, Frank Family, Cliff Lede, Harbison, Viader, Jayson and Phelps.

Capitol Cellars, 110 Diamond Creek Place, Roseville: Proprietor Marcus Graziano has cultivated a close relationship with Napa Valley winemakers, the result of which is an exceptionally deep cellar of prized Napa labels – Nickel & Nickel, Brown Estate, Flora Springs, Cliff Lede, Pahlmeyer, Corison, Shafer, Dyer and the like.