Let us begin by instilling a festive mood by bursting into song, following a tune I think you’ll recognize from The Sound of Music.

Fine wines from Napa that tickle my palate;

Australian whites that do not break my wallet.

Great chardonnays that the UPS brings;

these are a few of my favorite things.

Ports and Madeiras so swell for late sipping;

single-malt whisky—a wee bit o’ nipping!

Champagne from France with a capital “C”;

these are the things that bring pleasure to me.

Torrontes whites, they’re from famed Argentina;

a lovely Sancerre, so what could taste keener?

Or, for a treat, a good rich, red Bordeaux;

any “first growth” would be swell, as you know.

Give me some wines from my bella Italia;

Sicilian wines will always delight ya.

And Lodi reds are amazingly lush;

maybe that’s why I like them so much.

When my stocks slip, when the Dow dips, when I missed a putt.

I simply pop open some good English gin;

then sip it and rest my butt.

Top pinot noirs from the district Carneros;

merlots that don’t cost a lot of dineros.

Sauvignon blancs that are lively and crisp;

good margaritas put salt on my lips.

I’d love a red wine from ancient Burgundy;

for holiday dinner or even next Sunday.

Sipping fine rum on a holiday cruise;

that’s a sure way of inspiring my muse.

Wonderful wines from lush, green Sonoma;

rich Dry Creek zins with such fragrant aroma.

Also sauternes with their profile so sweet;

add Paso Robles—those wines are a treat.

Wines from the Moselle, what else could be better?

Wines that are drier, and wines that are wetter.

Ice wines from Lake Okanagan, for sure;

so many wines with so much allure.

When my pants slip, when my shirts rip, when I feel obese;

I go to my wine rack and open a treat;

and that’s when I’m most at peace.

It’s Just So Sparkly!

After that, what’s left, except to note my top wine and spirit gifts for the holiday season. After all, we can’t live by songs alone.

Louis Roederer Cristal Champagne makes a very grand statement to a worthy recipient. (I, for instance, would be flattered off my feet by such a gift.) A top Krug Champagne also heads the charts. Very impressive is a magnum of any great Champagne or California sparkling wine. A side note: though jeroboams are even larger in size than magnums, they are a bit gauche, hard to pour, and not “fermented in this bottle.” Stay with a magnum.

Highland Park eighteen-year-old Scotch whisky—for the bolder, the Bowmore from Islay. No problem giving both because they are very stylistically different.

Vega Sicilia Unico Reserva Especial—one of the top five great wines from Europe. So delicious one could weep. Rare as well.

Taylor Fladgate Quinta de Vargellas Vinha Velha—a mouthful to say, to be sure, but a mouthful of great wine, as well. A special, very limited production port. For a fine Madeira—Cossart & Gordon Bual.

Château d’Yquem—it is flat out the finest of sauternes and one of the most notable and historic wines in the world. How sweet it is! Some older vintages make a most impressive gift that will stay in memory long after the bottle is dry.

Joseph Phelps Insignia, Caymus Special Select, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cask 23 Cabernet Sauvignon—I can’t think of three Napa Valley cabernets that have been so highly honored over so many years. Right up there, too, is Shafer Hillside Select.

There are so many great Bordeaux, especially from the 2000 and 2005 vintages. I have a soft spot in my mouth for Château Haut-Brion. This was the first grown-up wine I purchased when I lived and loved in New York City—$4.75 a bottle then. Those were the days! Today the 2005 is about $950, but then again, 2005 is a super year.

Burgundy lovers would be pleased as punch with a great DRC wine such as La Tache.

Italophiles will adore the king of Italian wines—Barolo. For example, the DOCG 2001 Cabutto Barolo Vigna Sarmasa Riserva del Fondatore. I love saying it.

For tequila fans, give El Tesoro Platinum, an elegant spirit in an elegant clear bottle.

Your giftee likes white wine? Then go for Maison Louis Latour, Corton-Charlemagne. Great white Burgundies are complex, elegant, and can age beautifully for years. These wines are pure expressions of chardonnay at its finest.

For a lovely sipping rum, Angostura 1824; for a bold kick, Bacardi 151 Puerto Rican rum at, yes, 151 proof.

This essay marks the beginning of my sixth year as wine columnist for the NHG. It is a pleasure writing for such a sophisticated wine audience. Comments? ejsprwine@aol.com.

Ed Schwartz has been involved in many aspects of fine wine for 30 years and has worked with top wineries in California, Italy and France. His writings on wine, food and travel have appeared in the SF Chronicle, LA Times and Image magazine.