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Business & Tech

5 Local Wines for Stocking Your Holiday Party

Pleasing your guests with local wine doesn't have to burn a hole in your wallet.

The holiday open house is one of my favorite soirees. It's perfect party math really – take a few dozen friends coming and going, add a table or two covered with food to nibble on and a fully stocked bar, and you're almost guaranteed a good time.

But with so many people, you probably don't want to open up your cellar's best wines. Instead, look for these and other local values. These are straightforward wines that are food and wallet friendly – yet delicious enough that you won't mind drinking the leftovers into the new year.

Whites

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2008 Sauvignon Blanc ($15)

Sauvignon blanc is a grape that Long Island is fast earning a reputation for, and this may be the best value in the category. It delivers zesty citrus flavors, understated grassy-herb character and fresh acidity to prep your palate for the next bite of food. It's great with cheese or local seafood.

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2009 Scuttlehole Chardonnay ($17)

Think you don't like chardonnay? Think again. This 100 percent chardonnay is made without a splinter of oak, retaining the grape's bright green apple and citrus character with an underlying saline minerality that begs for local shellfish. This is local chardonnay at it appetite-whetting best.

Reds

NV ($13)

This is not a complex, nuanced local red, but for $13, this steel-fermented merlot delivers what you want for a party – fruity plum and cherry flavors, with food-friendly acidity and surprising length. Think party meatballs or roast beef crostini. And while I'd never do it myself – I prefer my wine straight up – this is a good option for hot mulled wine if you're into that sort of thing.

2005 Bridge Lane Merlot ($15)

If you're looking for a bit more complexity without paying much more, try this blend of 88 percent merlot, 7 percent cabernet sauvignon, 3 percent cabernet franc, and 2 percent petit verdot. Aged for 10 months in 15 percent new oak, the fruit is darker and richer here – think blackberry and blueberry – with nice earthiness and spice that doesn't overwhelm the fruit-forward qualities. Please don't use this for mulled wine. 

Bubbly

2009 Cuvee Sparkle ($24): This pretty pink bubbly would have sold out over the summer, but owners Michael and Paula Croteau held some back just for the holidays. Get yourself some and enjoy this fruity, crowd-pleaser of a wine with pink grapefruit, strawberry and light peach flavors, a gently creamy mid-palate and a certain softness.

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