Wine Time: Kemo Massey

Wine as a gift affords us a tremendous opportunity to reveal something about ourselves to those we love and care about, as it hints at our taste and style, as well.

 Cost need not be an indicator of thoughtfulness when giving wine. I do, however, recommend staying away from mass-produced products named after various animals paired with a color in the description. These wines have their merits, but they can evoke thoughts of bad sweaters and fruitcakes past, if you know what I mean.

Wine at it's best is about family, friends and fellowship, not well-advertised labels and price.

All seriousness aside, spend whatever you like, but make this the season a little adventurous with you selections.

Pensacola is a jewel when it comes to wine tastings, so take advantage of these to branch out. Try and drink stuff you are not familiar with, and ask lots of questions!

Now for the fun part: Let's go shopping!

From Spain, the wine Atteca is imported by the visionary Jorge Ordonez, and is a tremendous crowd-pleasing red based on the Grenache grape that can be had for around $15.

From Italy, top-notch producer Allegrini offers up the muscular and dense Corvina blend La Grola. This wine is a steal at $24.

Alsace in France makes some of my favorite wines of all time. These white wines are unique in that they are dry but powerful and rich on the palate. Riesling is my top choice from this region. Zind humbrecht makes superb wines that range from $20 to $60 retail, all of which will bring smiles.

These wines can be found at Zea's and at Aloha Wine World on Bayou Blvd. Have fun!