'Tis the season. You've been invited to a holiday party, or, a million.  Maybe it's your boss's annual fete, maybe your hipster neighbor's, or,horror, the in-law's.  Maybe it's all three.  Of course, they all say, “No need to bring anything, just yourselves!”  However dripping in sincerity this phrase always is, you know showing up empty-handed is never appropriate.  Cue, the always appropriate bottle of wine.  Now, a new dilemma presents itself: which bottle?  If your own wine knowledge is imperfect, this can be a harrowing decision.  On the other hand, you probably have several resources to help you  make a  quick, 'safe' selection.  Your local wine vendor, the internet, or a wine publication are all equipped to recommend something fairly neutral. 

If, however,this year you'd like to make a statement by bringing something interesting, yet still palette- perfect for the holidays, read on.  I propose four exciting alternatives to your average holiday wine.  One is sparkling, one, white, one, red, and one a dessert wine.  All are sophisticated yet represent good value by staying in the 20 dollar range.  Two hail from the new world, and two from the old, but all four are of interesting origin. 

Few things signify celebration like a bottle of bubbly.  Actual champagne, from Champagne, France is always a safe bet, but gets pricey and predictable around the holidays.  So, instead of proffering another bottle of Veuve, yellow label, and watching as your host places it next to 4 identical bottles, why not spend half the price on a bottle of cava?  Cava is sparkling wine from Spain.  It hails from one of six regions, but  most comes from the northern region of Catalonia.  Spanish law dictates that to be called cava, it must be made in the 'methode traditionelle,' the most quality-focused way of producing sparkling wine.  Developed and pioneered in the region of Champagne,  this technique is costly and labor-intensive, but responsible for virtually all of the best bottles of bubbly today. What does this mean to the average consumer? Essentially, that cava producers are held to many of the same restrictions and employ virtually the same techniques of Champagne producers in France.  Cava is generally a mere fraction of the price, meaning the value for money is enormous.  

My favorite holiday cava is Raventos i Blanca.  Raventos holds the distinction of being the oldest cava producer in the world.  In 1872, Josep Maria Raventos i Blanc made the first cava wine in Penedes, Spain, after studying the traditional french method in France.  It is this distinction that evokes a rich sense of history in every bottle.  Look for the 2006 L'Hereu Reserva Brut.  It is straightforward and smooth, with plenty of ripe fruit, a hint of heady yeast, and very healthy acidity.  It retails for around $20.  Short of finding this exact bottle, any bottle with the Raventos name will be of sound quality.  If Raventos is unavailable, fear not! Most cavas will be cheap and cheerful, and can drunk alone or mixed  into a sparkling holiday cocktail.

Want to really impress your host? Bring a bottle of the next wine, and I can almost guarantee you'll be teaching them about a new varietal.  Say it with me: Rotgipfler.  That's right, rotgipfler, the next 'it-grape' in wine circles, is a white grape from Austria that has just begun showing up on some of the top wine-lists in New York City.  Be ahead of the curve, and tell your host that it produces whites with ample body, racy acidity, and often boasts notes of peaches, pear, and citrus.     Also,  interestingly enough, it is one of the few wines to complement the notoriously hard-to-pair holiday ingredient ginger!

My favorite, and one of the leading producers of rotgipfler in the world, is Weingut Stadlmann.  The wine is called Rotgipfler Tagelsteimer, (Tagelsteimer is the name of the vineyard).  Look for the 2006 version, as the vintage was especially kind to rotgipfler, allowing it lots of 'hang-time' on the vine, and therefore enabling the fruit to fully ripen while maintaining acidity.  Stadlmann's 2006 exhibits a bright yellow color and exotic aromatics including hints of mango and honeysuckle.  Apple and spice coexist on the palate, and a hint of sweetness is perfectly balanced by a backbone of vibrant acidity.  If Stadlmann can't be found, ask for rotgipfler made by his colleague, Karl Alphart.  If your local retailer doesn't carry rotgipfler at all, ask for its distant cousin, gruner vetliner.  A much more common Austrian varietal, gruner vetliner is similar in many ways, exhibiting some of the same hints of apple and stone fruit and the same lively acidity, but typically characterized with a dash of white or black pepper.

For the all-important gift of a holiday red, broaden your horizons with the grape Blaufrankisch.  Called Lemberger in many parts of the U.S., this grape is known as Limberger in Germany, Blaufränkisch in Austria, and Kékfrankos in Hungary.  Originating in Austria as early as the 10^th century before migrating to present day Slovenia, Germany, and Hungary, it is still most widely planted in Austria.  Legend states that Napolean himself sang the grapes praises, and considered its medium-bodied, often spicy red wine one of his favorites.  Because of its propensity for cold weather, the central European grape finds it home in the U.S.  primarily in New York or Washington state .  It is typically medium bodied and moderately acidic, boasting dark-berry fruit and black pepper spice. Blaufrankish is extremely versatile, pairing with everything from salmon to game of any kind, making it the perfect complement to any holiday meal.

As a nod to my own east coast roots, my first suggestion hails from Long Island, and a winery by the name of Channing Daughters.  The 2006 Channing Daughters Blaufrankisch has enjoys cult status and  is featured on many of the top wine lists of New York and California, yet retails for a mere 25 dollars at the winery.  Sourced from a vineyard in Bridgehampton, this red features notes of spicy black pepper, blackberry, raspberry, and even a hint of mint.  Production for this unique wine is small, so if this example of Blaufrankisch is unavailable, ask for a Lemberger from Washington state, the grape's most common home in the U.S.  Look for examples from either Fair Winds Winery, Olympic Cellars, or Cottonwood Cellars, who make three of the best examples from Pacific Northwest. 

Finally, in a season when decadent sweets reign supreme, what more perfect gift can there be than a bottle of indulgent dessert-wine?  Few wines in this category are more perfectly suited to the holidays than port.  Port warms from the inside on a chilly winter night, making for a toasty end to any festive evening. Whether you're attending a rocking soiree uptown or an intimate holiday dinner party in the suburbs, go one hedonistic step further and bring a bottle of chocolate port.  Your host probably didn't even know this indulgent combination existed.  “Chocolate and port?” she'll say, before enveloping you in a hug and introducing you to the most eligible bachelor/bachelorette at the party.  It is exactly what it sounds like: port infused with chocolate, and can either be drunk over ice as a digestif or poured over ice-cream for dessert. 

My favorite example hails from the Barossa Valley in Australia.  Kellermeister Sable Chocolate Port is a fortified wine that has been steeped in fine German chocolate, a mixture of spices, and three year old brandy.  It can be found in various specialty shops around the United States, but is also accessible online, straight from the winery's website for $18 a bottle.  A more accessible version hails from California.  Rosenblum Cellars Desiree Chocolate Port is a fortified blend of Zinfandel and Syrah, infused with a high quality liquid chocolate specially made in Wisconsin.  At $17 dollars a bottle, this liquid-dessert will delight the senses at any holiday fete.

This season, dare to spice up your holidays with your new-found knowledge of four distinctly different alternatives to the usual holiday wines.  At the very least, you'll arrive at the party with an interesting anecdote, perhaps winning you points with the stunning brunette across the room.  At best, you'll impress with your innovative choice, proving to your boss your ability to 'think outside the box.'   Sure, you could easily break-the-bank to impress with an old Burgundy or stifle a yawn as you buy yet another bottle of California Cabernet, but, why?   For your own sake, as well as your host's, seek something different! Happy hunting, and Happy Holidays!