No Reservation Gifts: Reserve Wine for Father

by Robert Giles

Ties, suspenders, gift cards, and a new spatula for the grill are gifts that every dad has seen quite a few times. You want to find something truly special for dad that can be a little rarer. That's where Colonial’s Reserve Room comes in. We have a great collection of superb wines in those vintages that just get better with age. So, let's take a peek at some of the great hidden gems in our Reserve Room.

There are different ways to make a wine special and unique. In the case of Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cepages, the winemaker takes inspiration from the classical Bordeaux blends and combines that with the best selection of fruits each year from their Sonoma vineyards. The result is a consistently lush wine that provides strong, structured tannins and amazing aging potential. Cinq Cepages is the flagship wine of Chateau St. Jean and can be a long-term investment as well as an extraordinary gift. We have multiple vintages available from the early 2000's that are at a fantastic level of drinkability.

It is also possible to make a wine special by building a reputation. Quilceda Creek has built their reputation as one of the best wineries in Washington state through years of careful fruit selection, meticulous vinification, and a singular focus. While they do release a red blend each year, the highlight of this vineyard's production is Cabernet Sauvignon. While we only have one vintage, it is a spectacular wine of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in new French oak. This is really worth getting or gifting. It yields power and finesse with its strong tannins and dark fruit.

Some wines are special because of their innovation. Anthony Bell of Bell Vineyards pioneered the single clonal process in Napa Valley. Through his meticulous choices in the vineyard, Anthony created wines that have stood the test of time. Clone 4 was selected for its aroma and balanced palate that shows a slight spiciness and light herbal characteristics. Clone 7 was chosen for its larger yield while maintaining a strong concentration of fruits and tannins. Both of these wines have strong tannins leading to age-worthy wines; they’re also pleasing and balanced if you choose to drink now. We have vintages of both from the 2010's.

Finally, a wine can be great simply by being one of the best. Penfolds Grange is a wine from Australia made up predominantly of Shiraz. This is one of the most sought after and age worthy wines that you can find, possessing full, ripe fruit flavors and strong, structured tannins. With vintages from the mid 1990's to the early 2000's, these bottles are ready to be savored and enjoyed for the true masterpieces they are.

While these are all amazing, they’re only a small taste of the wonderful wines we have in our Reserve Room. If you are looking for a flawless Father's Day gift, or maybe just that perfect celebratory bottle for yourself, I highly recommend having these on your list. You can always talk to any of our wine experts if you’d like to be guided to a wine that will fit your style or needs. Cheers!