By Barbara Hay ~
Personalities are like menu items – not all wines fit. Your mom is unique, she has traits that make her your mom. So, don’t just close your eyes and pick the first bottle off the shelf that your fingers stumble upon, follow our guide to help you find a wine to match your Mom’s personality.
The Spirit of Adventure.
If your mother has a talent for being able to get anyone to have a great time, you definitely can’t go with “plain Jane” wine gifts;. For the fun, adventurous mom, the wine should prove an opportunity to explore, have fun and learn something new. Whether your mom is a world traveller, a great explorer or a traveller of the great imaginary adventure, you need a wine ready to offer a sensory adventure. Perhaps, something unpredictable, out-of-the-box that may expose her to something completely different from her usual “go-to” wine.
Patricius Dry Furmint from the Tokaj region of Hungary is a good white wine to start off a world tasting adventure. The Tokaj region was established on an area that encompassed 800 extinct volcanoes. The varietal has proven itself as one of the great white varieties of the world, with an impressive minerality and structure thanks to the volcanic soil. It’s a remarkably versatile vibrant dry wine that boasts a distinctive fruity varietal character, complemented with a perfumed nose due to the Furmint grape. A dynamic acidity combined with a nice minerality deliver flavors of apples with peach and a touch of almond, make it a well-balanced and easy-to-drink terroir white wine.
If mom would prefer a red, why not give her a taste of Uruguay with Familia Deicas Tannat? Tannat, with its roots in Madiran (a tiny village in South West France), is Uruguay’s emblematic varietal. In Uruguay, the tannins come across as more pliable and softer than in the French versions. Tannat has more gusto than Cabernet Sauvignon, and the fruit profiles are mostly black fruits, like blackberry, black cherry, and plum. Tannat has been touted as being one of the “healthiest” red wine grapes, thanks to much higher levels of antioxidants (like resveratrol). This unique red is a blend from four estate vineyards, the Deicas family seeks to find the perfect expression of Tannat from Uruguay, where each micro terroir contributes unique components to the final blend. Deep violet color, intense fig, floral, and mineral aromas, with a juicy palate texture and bright, fresh elegant finish.
The Classics
Sophisticated moms appreciate the finer things, are drawn to the classics. This is the woman who knows great wines – s preferring exquisite flavors and prestigious wineries. You wouldn’t give her a gift certificate to a fast-food chain and you definitely know better than to give her fast-food wines. This mom doesn’t go for trends, she prefers something she knows and loves already, maybe a little Chardonnay or a nice California Cabernet.
At an almost $100 price point, Corison Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a splurge, but isn’t Mom worth it? Made by famed winemaker Cathy Corison, this wine is an age-worthy beauty full of rich flavors of blackcurrant, plums, cherries, leather and chocolate. A true classic.
Chateau Montelena is the Napa Valley winery most famous for winning the white wine section of the historic “Judgment of Paris” wine competition. The ripeness of this Chardonnay is readily apparent as pineapple and flavors of melon, cinnamon, nutmeg and myriad baking spices follow suit as the wine begins to warm and its aromatic opulence comes into focus. The toasty barrel character offers richness, crisp fresh orange zest and ginger notes blending with the creaminess and texture from sur lees aging. A true classic, the texture of the mid-palate seamlessly overlays the dense, concentrated finisher.
The Corporate Powerhouse
Entrepreneurial moms have their eyes on the prize, so leaving things to “chance” isn’t how she plays. Your mom is not the type to ever say “surprise me” when asked about a gift she would like. She’s all business—whether its taking over the industry or working her way to the top elsewhere, she’s all business— knows what she wants and will not stop until she gets it. With this type of mom, you need to play it safe, but still give her the opportunity to try something new – and guaranteed to love. She needs a wine she can use when she wines and dines clients or just after a long week at the office.
Here’s something different, yet save a big, rich, ripe red powerhouse from Douro, Portugal, called Prats and
Symington, Prazo de Roriz Douro, Portugal. This is a beautiful wine—it starts out with spice and slight undertone of stone. Underneath, the wine is smooth with muscular and powerful flavors of dark and supple fruit and dusty tannins. It is delicious and perfect for grilling as the weather gets warmer and it’s powerhouse personality will match your mom’s drive.
If it’s a white your mom loves, how about Voyager Sauvignon Blanc Semillon from Margaret river, Australia? This bright, pale wine offers aromatics of tropical fruits, lime citrus and talc. Palate is crunchy and fresh, with tropical fruits. sliced apple, pear and lime citrus. there are also some grassy undertones It is dense with elegant texture, great depth and length. Delicious, it is beautiful with a complex subtlety to it—just like mom. There is so much going on here that it’s a tribute to working moms..
Bubbles Galore
Effervescent moms have an infectious personality. The life of the party, she’s fun to be around. Always friendly, never offensive, his perky lady lives her life with the glass always half full. She loves wines that are as fresh, flavorful and fun as she is. She craves excitement and definitely wants something she can show off to friends and family.
Sofia by Coppola. When famed movie director Francis Ford Coppola’s daughter, Sofia, was a little girl, he made
her a promise that he would someday make a sparkling wine and name it after her. Fruity and refreshing,
Sofia Blanc de Blancs is a rare blend of 70% Pinot Blanc, 15% Riesling, 15% Muscat. Mellow flavors of apples and
pears are topped by a hint of citrus and honeysuckle. Elegant in character, this wine is lightly textured and vibrant
through the finish. This light sparkling wine with an elegant, feminine flair. In fact, each easily affordable bottle comes already gift-wrapped in pink cellophane!
Prosecco is one of Italy’s many charming sparkling wines., Bright and bubbly, Prosecco is versatile and crowd-pleasing just like mom. A product of Italy’s Veneto region. Santi Nello Prosecco Superiore di Valdobbiadene shows off golden apples, hazelnut, and almond flavors. The wine builds richness while keeping the fruit forward, showing a softer feminine style.
So Chic
“Chic” moms need a wine that is trendy, fun and not-so-ordinary. This mom appreciates the fine things, but often prefers to seek out great finds at local consignment shops. So, she would appreciate boutique wines or wines with connections.
California produces many our finest domestic sparkling wines, but it’s almost as hard to find an affordable American sparkler as it is a bargain Champagne. Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs, is a gorgeous 100 percent Chardonnay, so think sparkling Chablis: crisp, minerally, plus a little biscuity. Blanc de Blancs was the first wine Schramsberg produced in 1965 and gained international recognition in 1972 when then President Nixon served the wine at the historic “Toast to Peace” in Beijing, China. This wine has been chosen as a White House staple by American presidents for the past four decades. While this wine can be enjoyed by itself as an apéritif, it is also perfect with fresh oysters, shellfish, crab cakes, ceviche, grilled sea bass, lemon chicken, Thai curries, aged Gouda or other hard cheeses, and as a counterpoint to soft triple creams. It’s also nice to note that it can be had for as little as $27±a bargain!
Prisoner Wine Company is one of the hottest wineries in the country and makes red and white signature blends.
The flagship namesake label is very recognizable, and the company’s Director of Winemaking is Chrissy Wittmann. All Prisoner Wine Company wines are blends, and The Prisoner, is a big, well-rounded Italian-style red blend of
Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Syrah, and Charbono ($47). If Mom wants red meat for dinner, you won’t go wrong with this one.
We hope our list has helped, or at least inspired you to try something new and different—after all, wine should be fun!
Happy Mother’s Day!