Belle Glos Clark & Telephone Pinot Noir

The Wagner family behind Caymus has a Pinot Noir side, and this is its best-known bottle. Belle Glos Clark & Telephone Pinot Noir is made by Joe Wagner, fifth-generation Napa winemaker, who named the label for his grandmother Lorna Belle Glos Wagner, the Caymus co-founder who loved Pinot Noir above all. The vineyard sits at the corner of Clark Avenue and Telephone Road in the fog-cooled Santa Maria Valley, planted in 1972 to own-rooted vines of the rare Martini clone. The wine is Pinot at full volume, black cherry, blackberry pie, cocoa, and a plush texture, which makes it a holiday wine gift that reads generous the moment it's poured. Right for year-end client lists, holiday thank-yous to partners and vendors, and recipients who find Cabernet too heavy but still want a rich red. The family name carries it. Recipients who know Caymus will connect the dots, and the grandmother story gives everyone else something to ask about. Rich Pinot is the great compromiser, big enough for Cabernet drinkers, silky enough for people who don't like tannin. The vineyard fact is a good one. The vines went in back in 1972 on their own roots, a rarity in California. It fits the season's table, turkey, ham, duck, salmon, which is exactly when holiday gifts get opened. Make Clark & Telephone your December send; Prime Wines wraps every bottle and delivers across the US and Canada with a single invoice. Is Belle Glos Clark & Telephone a good holiday wine gift? Yes. It comes from the Caymus family's Wagner winemaking line, named for the grandmother who co-founded Caymus in 1972, and its rich, silky style suits nearly every holiday table. Prime Wines delivers it gift-wrapped with your message across the US and Canada. What should I write in the gift message with Belle Glos? Lean on the family angle without a history lesson. Try "A wine made in honor of a beloved grandmother felt right for the season. Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday," or keep it simple: "A family wine for the family season. Thank you for a great year."