This Week's Tasting
Feasting On A Budget
November 12, 2025
Sometimes, you need to serve a crowd at your holiday meal. That's no reason to stint on quality or to serve boring wines.
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This Week Wednesday, November 12, 2025 Feasting On A Budget 2025 In-Store, 5 - 6:30pm
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Sometimes, you need to serve a crowd at your holiday meal. That's no reason to stint on quality or to serve boring wines.
Why get a run-of-the-mill Merlot or Chardonnay when you can have something more vibrant with character for your holiday meal? This week, two whites and four reds, all of which give a lot of taste for not so much money. they jump out as flavorful companions for richer foods.
White
2023 Domaine de la Verpaille Mâcon-Villages Vieilles Vignes
Verpaille family-run organic estate in the heart of the Maconnais. In the warm 2023 vintage, they produced a wine that is somewhat lower in acidity and broader on the palate than many others, yet very satisfying and versatile with a wide variety of dishes.
Aroma: Heady and full, opens to a richer note; Mouth: Clear and rich, densely fruited, lower acid, broad, full, long; Very Good Plus $19.99; Case, $16.99
2023 Suavia Soave Classico
Suavia is one of the leaders in quality and terroir expression in this small, hilly zone to the east of Lake Garda. Run by sisters Meri, Valentina, and Alessandra Tessari, Suavia uses their state-of-the-art facility to express the nuances of their native terroir through Garganega and Trebbiano di Soave, the two native grapes. This wine has an enjoyable, fleshy fruit texture, a hint of complexity, clean minerality, and mouthwatering acidity.
Aroma: Juicy white peach, sliced pears, fresh herbs, and lemon peel. Mouth: Medium-bodied, tangy, orange zest, peach, melon, and marjoram. With age, it can develop notes of chamomile, marmalade, and honey. An excellent pairing for the Thanksgiving meal and other holiday meals with poultry, seafood, cheese, appetizers, soups, and pasta. Very Good Plus$17.99, Case 15.99
Red
2020 Ch. Maison Neuve Alexia Cote de Blaye
The new Bordeaux? This is a sterling example. Not the usual Cabernet/Merlot, it is an innovative blend that combines the piquant spice of Malbec with the breadth of Merlot, creating a uniquely heady compote that is better than either alone. Moderate in weight, it flows smoothly over the tongue sneticing and undeniably sexy.
Color: very dark; Aroma: heady and rich, very sexy, spicy, and full; Mouth: light, darkly fleshy with nice malbec spice, delicate, fleshy and full, very, very satisfyingly sexy; Very Good Plus $24.99; Case, $20,99
2022 Bodegas Muga Rioja El Anden de la Estacio
In Muga’s El Anden de la Estacion is a stellar example of Rioja that offers up some of the more complex stylings of a longer-aged Reserva with the youthful character one would expect from an entry-level Crianza. A blend of 70% Tempranillo and 30% Garnacha works together to hit all the right notes. Fleshy and still complex, easy-to-drink yet refined, and both a great introduction to Rioja and one that will be enjoyed by those who are already fans of the wine. A great wine pairing for all holiday meats, whether braised, roasted, or seared. Aroma: Pomegranate, red cherry, raspberry, wild herbs, Mediterranean spices, and black pepper with a hint of vanilla. Mouth: Blackberry fruit, cassis, licorice, smoked spices, medium to full bodied, good structure, firm tannins, silky texture with a very satisfying finish. Very Good Plus$25.99, Case $21.99
2023 Argiano NC Non Confunditur
This renowned Brunello producer masterfully blends Sangiovese with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot to create a seamless, decadent red wine that pairs well with a variety of grilled meats. This is because the Sangiovese drinks more like a Chianti, and the Cabernet and Merlot add weight and structure to pair with all cuts of steak, double-bone-in pork chops, lamb, sausage, spice-and-herb-crusted chicken, and other holiday recipes.
Aroma: Wild black & red raspberry, black cherry, cocoa, toasted brown spices with a hint of smoke & tobacco. Mouth: The wine pleasantly lacks the cloying heaviness or dense extraction often found in many other Super Tuscans. In fact, NC is accessible and fresh, rounded off with a good level of crisp acidity and a well-proportioned body. Very Good Plus$23.99, Case $19.99
2023 Stephane Ogier Cotes du Rhone Rouge Temps est Venu
Stephane Ogier's Cotes du Rhone is head and shoulders above any other we've tasted anywhere near its price. It is a joyful, vibrant, complex wine whose time has come, as its name states in French. Ogier‘s time has indeed come. He is one of the stars of the northern Rhone. You can taste why in this classic southern Rhone blend.
Aroma: light, fresh, intense; Mouth: clean, rounded, fleshy, good acidity, full, mouth-filling, but vibrant acidity, a swirl of herbs and fruit, lovely richness, good length; Very Good Plus 19.99; Mixed Case, 17.99; Case, 16.99
Some other winners:
White
Dry and fruity
2023 Clos de Nouys Vouvray Sec;
Aroma: heady rather dense, rbright fairly dense, herbal herbal; Mouth: bright clean full-fruited .medium bodied and balanced appetizing and very pleasant to drink; Very Good Plus $19.99; Case, $16.99
Off dry, concentrated, but not heavy
2023 Sophie Schaal Gewurztraminer; Aroma: mineral spice, rich,fine mineral, acid; Mouth: sedate as gewurz goes off dry, finely delineated, good acidity, long; Very Good - Excellent $21; Case, $17.99
2023 Stephane Ogier Cotes du Rhone Blanc Temps est Venu; Aroma: light, fresh, intense; Mouth: clean, rounded, fleshy, good acidity, full, mouth-filling but vibrant acidity, a swirl of herbs and fruit nice richness, good length. Very, Very Good $18.99; Case, $16.49
Rose
2024 Montenidoli Canaiuolo Rosato Toscana
With lively acidity, elegant minerality, and plenty of texture, it’s versatile for food pairings and one of our customer favorites.
Aroma: opens with raspberries & violets, progressing to orange blossoms and a touch of stone fruit. Mouth: Round, dry with well-balanced acidity and some warm berry flavors. The finish is long, saline, and mineral, which keeps you returning for more. Very Good Plus $24.99, Case $20.99
Red
Medium bodied, southern French
2023 Les Equilibristes Bisbille; Aroma: spicy and forward, bright, intriguing violet note; Mouth: clean fleshy, deep, fruit round mouth-filling dark fruit, intense fine light acid and tannin to offset the fruit; Very Good Plus $17.99; Case, $14,99
Light tangy Pinot Noir
2023 Domaine de Villargeau Coteaux de Giennoise Pinot Noir; Color: very dark dark, rathr dene; Aroma: sweet & heady new world plum, very ripe a touch of mineral herbaceousness; Mouth: clean richly textured, raspberry plum, very good drive, succulent, light texture black cherry & plum; Very Good Plus $18.99; Case, $16.14
Loire Valley Cabernet Franc
2023 Domaine du Bel Air Bourgueil Jour de Soif; Color: medium dark black; Aroma: light bright clean, fresh lifted, rather bright; Mouth: clean & firm, nice depth of flavor, bright over dark, deep plum, fruit over very fine tannin on the finish; Very Good Plus $21.99; Case, $18.99
Deep, rich Beaujolais
2023 Cheveaux Beaujolais Villages En Chantenay; Color: vary deep purple; Aroma: bright and forward, very deep and dark, fresh intense; Mouth: bright blue fruit, nicely intense, some structure, clean light long acid finish, long; Very Good Plus $22.99; Case, $19.54
Napa-like California Cabernet
2022 Beau Vigne Cabernet Sauvignon North Coast; Aroma: light and fresh soft, more herbal than most smooth, cacao, black cherry; Mouth: clean light on the attack, smooth, Napa -French in style, sweet currant fruit, fine tannins on a long finish; Very Good Plus $24.99; Case, $20.99
Round and dense
2022 Catena D. V. Catena Historico 1910 Malbec Blend; Color: very dark; Aroma: bright, forward fruity spice, herbal, nicely intense; Mouth: rounded leanish, herbal, rather spicy, and clean, spicy acidity, herbal; Very Good Plus$24.99; Case, $21.24
assort any twelve or more of the above wines at their case prices
Richard and Len
Order by phone at 617.367.8605, or reserve here: order@federalwine.com
Please pass this on to any friends who are wine or scotch enthusiasts!
- Len Rothenberg
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