My wine recommendations for the first six of the twelve days of Christmas are listed below. Some are from previous recommendations, others are recently tasted wines. Almost all are value-priced. By the way, as the big day approaches, the strength of the wines increase.
If you are buying by the case, split cases will still get you the "case discount". This usually amounts to a 10% discount if you buy 12.
Following the idea expressed in the "12 Days of Christmas" song, I recommend drinking one bottle on day-one, and two bottles on day-two. After that, switch to glasses.
Day 1: Gruet Sparkling Wine, from New Mexico; An excellent medium bodied sparkling wine with crisp flavors - fresh, tart and a great way to prepare for the upcoming holiday. About $13
Day 2: Louis Latour, Macon Villages; French Chardonnay with no oak. It's light to medium bodied, very refreshing, particularly good if eating seafood with butter or olive oil. About $13
Day 3: Big House White, CA; Bonny Doone makes this easy drinking wine with grape varieties you may never have heard of. Read the back of the bottle for the names. It's slightly sweet and great to drink alone or with a fruit salad or dishes with cream. It's very tasty and for the price, I buy it by the case. About $9
Day 4: Dr Loosen Riesling, Germany; This is a very good example of Riesling with a nice blend of sweetness and acid. Some will start drinking this wine as a cocktail and drink it all night. For those who still like White Zinfandel, this is an excellent substitute. About $11
Day 5: Trimbach Gewurztraminer; Easy for me to say! This is normally a sweet, spicy wine, but Trimbach makes it in a dry style. One of my favorites but it can have a bit too much earthiness for some. It's excellent if you are making food with Asian flavors or even spicy Mexican. About $15
Day 6: Conundrum, CA; This is one of the most popular off-dry wines in America. The blend of grapes is always a question, thus the conundrum. It is usually made from Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Muscat and other sweet grape varieties. An excellent upscale white wine that almost everyone will like. About $20