The Giant Steps Tasmanian pinot project has evolved well, with the 2019 Giant Steps Fatal Shore Pinot Noir delivering a convincingly generous and drinkable style that will improve and develop further over the next five or six years. There’s already good early complexity on the nose with rose-like florals, cherry and blueberry fruits, and earthy characters. Rich fleshy texture is pinned in place with bright acid structure.

The 2019 Giant Steps Sexton Vineyard Pinot Noir is similarly nuanced but built on a more tannin-driven structure. While it has youthful complexity to offer, this is the wine that will really develop over the next five or more years in bottle. The fruits are more in the blueberry and dried cherry zone, with foresty, earthy hints and intense cherry fruit flavour delivered in layers of fine, long tannin.

The 2019 Giant Steps Applejack Vineyard Pinot Noir is complex, with strawberry, cherry and pomegranate aromas leading to a palate with concentration, length and a sleek acid-driven structure.

Stepping into the single vineyard realm, the 2019 Giant Steps Primavera Vineyard Pinot Noir is an explosively flavoursome pinot that offers a brightness of cherry and strawberry fruit on the nose and palate that is instantly appealing. This is precise, crunchy with plenty of flavour.

The 2019 Giant Steps Yarra Valley Pinot Noir is a staple of rich cherry fruit, spice and succulent, mouth-filling flavour. It also represents outstanding value.

The Best French Wine to Drink NowChâteau Lassègue’s 2016 vintage is a red blend from the Saint-Émilion appellation in France. "It’s a blend of majority merlot with some cabernet franc and a small amount of cabernet sauvignon, with bright floral notes on the nose followed by black and red fruits, a bit of acid and spice, and some dark chocolate on the palate." Drink this one now, or cellar it for a few years before enjoying.

Wine Pairings for Fall IngredientsKendall-Jackson ‘Vintner’s Reserve’ Pinot Noir, with bright strawberry, cherry and raspberry fruit and a hint of cola and mint.

Wine Experts Share Their Favorite Bottles for Holiday GatheringsPlus their favorite pairings for each.Oregon's Willamette Valley has the ideal climate for crafting sparkling wine, and this option from Gran Moraine is no exception. This bottle is the epitome of balance, between Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes, as well as a blend of the winery's vintages. This rosé has aromas of white peach, strawberry shortcake, and lightly toasted brioche, and flavors that include watermelon rind, lemon meringue pie, and nectarines.Recommended food pairing: Oysters, fish roe, fried chicken, salty foods, and traditional Thanksgiving dinner.

Wine Experts Share Their Favorite Bottles for Holiday GatheringsPlus their favorite pairings for each.Battenhouse says this stunning red is the perfect accompaniment to stand up to your favorite indulgent holiday dishes and is a treat in and of itself. While it's certainly age-worthy, this vintage is full of freshness and ripe tannins with notes of blackberries and Black Forest cake (yum!) balanced with hints of baking spice, menthol, and cigar box. Plus, it has a rich, purple-black color and an intense floral aroma to wow your table before their first sip.Recommended food pairing: Beef tenderloin, porterhouse steaks, lamb shanks, and farmhouse cheddar.

Wine Experts Share Their Favorite Bottles for Holiday GatheringsPlus their favorite pairings for each.South African wine is really having a moment, and Battenhouse says this vibrant Chardonnay is the perfect wine with which to celebrate the holidays. She says there are plenty of jolts of acidity to pair well with all your comfort-food favorites, thanks to notes of Meyer lemon, tree fruits, and saline. Aromatics of bergamot, white truffle, and vanilla bean make this bottle a far cry from the typical buttery, oaky Chardonnay and something that those who don't prefer the varietal to reach for a second glass.Recommended food pairing: Shellfish, lobster, and a traditional Thanksgiving spread.

Wine Experts Share Their Favorite Bottles for Holiday GatheringsPlus their favorite pairings for each.Mollie Battenhouse, a Brooklyn-based sommelier and Jackson Family Wines's national director of wine education, says this vino is a "new pinot-lover's paradise." This wine is woodsy and subdued yet fruity with high acidity while being light in body and tannins. Battenhouse says this is an excellent option for holiday dinners, as it's versatile for whatever main dish you're serving, be it meat, fish, or vegetarian.Recommended food pairing: Fatty fish, spicy flavors, winter squash, and mushrooms.

Another fine choice from the same estate: Tenuta di Arceno 2015 Arcanum. Based on Cabernet Franc, the true signature of the estate, this remarkable wine is built to age yet is drinkable young, offering aromas of violets, roses and raspberries, with long and delicate spice notes; it is a wine that is seductive yet subtle. Arcanum is sourced primarily from the L’Apparita and Belvedere blocks of Cabernet Franc. With superb exposure and sandy clay soils, each year these blocks shine to produce the finest expression of the variety, and the leading wine of the estate. It is perfect for gifting as it pairs with a wide range of food, from Thanksgiving leftovers to grandma’s Italian beef stew. It also pairs well with any Parmigiano or Pecorino cheese dishes.

For pairing or gifting during the holiday season: Tenuta di Arceno Valadorna Toscana 2015. This Merlot-led blend is sourced primarily from the Valadorna and Capraia blocks, which produce the estate’s most complex and mineral-based expressions of this variety. The wine exhibits high-toned aromas of ripe black cherries, vanilla bean, and cedar. With bright acidity, the wine expands quickly on the palate. Plush tannins carry through the center with a fine, tingling finish. The palate shows flavors of tart cherry pie, dried red berries, and black licorice, with a long finish of white pepper, dusty roses, and stony minerality. Pair this with a beautiful charcuterie platter featuring all Italian meats and cheeses, for the perfect hors d’oeuvre at your next holiday gathering.

A classic Chianti is a popular red wine that has been made from grapes grown in a specific area and given a little extra oak barrel aging. Riserva indicates the wine was held in the bottle for more aging to allow for the melding with all of its components before being released to the public. This wine, a blend of the traditional sangiovese and 10% cabernet sauvignon, is bold and has spent almost a year in oak to allow for the perfect marriage of all the elements and to ensure an elegant smoothness. The aroma stresses violets, raspberries and cranberries, with oak and vanilla quietly lying in the background. As with all premium Chianti wines, this product has a long, smooth and elegant finish. This is a grand and regal wine that will prove what Chianti is capable of and also what made it famous.

Both big and complex – dark but not overly extracted fruit with a welcome finish of well-integrated oak.

Another big version, but the great brambly mountain fruit and acidity give it some nice balance.

Masters of Merlot - Mt. Brave Merlot 2016

Masters of Merlot - La Jota Merlot 2017

Here’s what is most special about Merlot. The care, thought, work and inspiration that these growers and winemakers put into this variety.Recommended.

Here’s what is most special about Merlot. The care, thought, work and inspiration that these growers and winemakers put into this variety.Recommended.

Here’s what is most special about Merlot. The care, thought, work and inspiration that these growers and winemakers put into this variety.Recommended.

Here’s what is most special about Merlot. The care, thought, work and inspiration that these growers and winemakers put into this variety.Recommended.

The Merlot MomentumAs this is a global event, I added a 2016 Les Cadrans de Lassègue, Saint-Émilion, Grand Cru in the tasting lineup, an earthy wine yet redolent with cranberries notes and fresh acidity.

The Merlot MomentumAmong the other 2016 and 2017 current releases we sampled were the opulent La Jota Vineyard and the muscle-flexing Mt. Brave.

The Merlot MomentumAmong the other 2016 and 2017 current releases we sampled were the opulent La Jota Vineyard and the muscle-flexing Mt. Brave.