SPIRITS

Aside from sending a bottle of Mo-gan David to a friend in Saudi Arabia, it’s pretty difficult to make a mistake
when it comes to giving wine at Christmas time. The grape is the perfect companion for quiet times before the
fireplace or gay times around a gourmet-set table.

Almost every wine merchant in Dallas has a worthy selection, a fact that can cause selection problems for you. What
to pick for a business associate? How about Aunt Minnie? The young newly-weds down the block?

Let’s see if we can offer a few suggestions that will not only ease your shopping burden but suitably impress
friends and relatives on Christmas morn.

● For your uncle who has everything in his cellar, a bottle ofTrockenbeeren Auslese ($30 to $100).Even though he
may already havetwo bottles stashed away, a thirdshould insure you an engraved invitation at probate time.

● To that young couple, a dozen bottles of wine in a sturdy rack. I believeit is better to give two bottles of
eachof six kinds rather than 12 differentwines; it lets their tastes mature withtheir marriage. My suggestion
includes Beaujolais ($3.50), CaliforniaGamay ($2.75), Piesporter Gold-troepchen ($3.50), California Johannsberger
Riesling ($2.50), St. Emilion ($4), and California Zinfan-del ($2.75). A word about the rack: Choose a well-built
one over a pretty one if a choice must be made. A careful selection means you have given a lifetime gift.



●To your teetotaling aunt, a bottleof Jamaica rum ($6-$7). Since I’venever seen such an aunt who wasn’t awhiz at
baking, a good rum for cooking will mean more than a bottle ofwin

●To those you want to be remembered by, a bottle of Chartreuse ($12).It lasts for months whereas a bottle ofScotch
tends to “evaporate” quicklyon party night.

●For your know-it-all-about-winefriend, a bottle of Weidekehrs PinotChardonnay (about $3). You can one-up them
before they realize the winecomes from a mountain vineyard in Arkansas.

●To Aunt Millie, one (one) bottle ofPort ($3.59). It’ll help her to sleep.

●To the members of the neighborhood gourmet club, three bottles ofyour favorite wine. Maybe they’llserve it to you
at the next gathering.

●To the fellow employee who keepshis mouth shut about your juggledexpense account, a bottle of ChateauLatour
($15-$80).

● To a business associate who keepshis mouth shut about the way youoogle his nifty secretary, a case ofChateau
Latour.

● To mom, the world’s best cook, acase of Amontillado sherry for greatsauces and great sipping (about $35).

● To anybody who really wears asilk smoking jacket and buys Havanacigars through a Swiss friend, a bottleof the
oldest Madeira you can find($15-$20).

● To anybody living in anotherstate you wish to remember in ahandsome way, a gift assortment delivered to their
door. Sigel’s will”wire” a 12-bottle selection to Alaska,for example, for as little as $21.65.Another local
merchant, Marty’s, willdeliver to any “wet” area of the city adecorative basket of champagne, twoglasses and caviar.
They’ll make up acustom package, if you wis

● To yourself, a good supply of anyGerman wine, vintage 1971. It wasthe first (and last, thus far) good vintage
year since 1959 and the supply isgoing fast.

● To everybody, a copy of my pocketwine guide (Horchow Collection,$3.25).