Lauren's 2017 Holiday Gift Guide

The holidays are right around the corner so it is time to start thinking about finding the perfect gifts for the ones you love. I'll continue adding more products as I review them. If you'd like your product considered, please email me at capitalcooking@gmail.com. Happy Holidays!

Local:

If you don't have a copy yet, get one for yourself and one for all of your friends. The Capital Cooking Cookbook is only $20 from now until Christmas by using this code: 5KCP7TEC. Perfect for present to make special cooking memories!

Wine Lovers:

Sterling Vineyards has two new party guests that are sure to make the best-dressed list at this year’s party. Try their first-ever sparkling wines, a Blanc de Blancs 2016 and a Rosé 2016. 

The Sterling Vineyards Blanc de Blancs 2016, made from 100% Napa Valley Chardonnay, pours a glistening pale straw color with ribbons of fine bubbles. The aromas of green apple, lemon citrus, pear and lemon cream are distinct. The palate is fresh with fruit-forward flavors, floral notes and a soft, creamy texture. This is a sophisticated and elegant wine with balanced fruit, structure and acidity.Available nationwide, SRP $28

Sleek, elegant, and richly complex, the Sterling Vineyards Sparkling Rosé 2016 is a blend of 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir, fermented in stainless steel to maintain freshness, with limited skin contact to give it body and depth. An elegant pale salmon pink color in the glass, this wine boasts fresh aromas of strawberry, cherry blossom, rose petal and crisp apple, leading to a lush palate of upfront fruit flavors, balanced by creamy texture and bright acidity. Persistent effervescence lends to a crisp, clean finish. Available nationwide, SRP $28

Moët & Chandon’s holiday offerings include:

· Moët Impérial Golden Sparkle Bottle (SRP $39.99) – A chic dressing of the House’s iconic Impérial Brut champagne, this bottle embodies Moët & Chandon’s unique style of bright fruitiness and elegant maturity with a seductive palate; the gold bottle adds a touch of glistening glamour to all holiday meals.

· Moët Impérial Golden Sparkle Gift Box (SRP $39.99) – This festive go-to gift for seasonal festivities will make any party-goer a crowd favorite. Bringing a bottle of Moët & Chandon’s iconic Impérial Brut Champagne will add a golden touch to any end of year festivities.

· Moët Impérial The Greatest Entertainer Gift Box (SRP $39.99) – In partnership with 20th Century Fox’s holiday hit movie The Greatest Showman, a film inspired by the imagination of P.T. Barnum, Moët & Chandon’s limited edition gift box is the perfect offering for any movie or Hollywood fan.

Tommasi Filodora’s ($18) is a fantastic bottle to have on hand for any impromptu cocktail parties or celebrations that may arise this season.

Two standout new vintages from Bonterra Organic Vineyards, the 2015 Merlot and 2016 Pinot Noir, are sourced from organically grown grapes in Mendocino County. The 2015 Merlot (SRP $16) has aromas of black currant, black cherries and a touch of wood smoke with flavors of plums, dark berries, toasty oak and vanilla spice. It has an elegant and restrained style with structure and balance, soft tannins and a long finish.
The 2016 Pinot Noir (SRP $16) has aromas of strawberry and raspberry, with notes of oak spice and vanilla. In the mouth, this wine is rich with nice soft tannins and flavors of berries, vanilla and spice that fade into a lovely long finish. 

Ravage Wines are bold reds from the coast of California, and the recently released Ravage 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon (SRP: $12.99; available nationwide) boasts of luscious vanilla and mocha flavors that we know and love during the winter.

Entertaining:

Photo by Kristen Finn

Sagaform Products:  I love their glassware and entertaining tools.

Cocktails and Spirits:

Grey Goose Limited Edition Holiday Flour Tin ($39.99)

Cocktail Recipes coming soon