Wine is one of the top five gifts for adults in the United States, and with good reason: wine is inextricably connected to the vintage in which it was produced, and because of this, a bottle from a significant year is the perfect way to commemorate an important anniversary or milestone. Moreover, a bottle of fine wine is one of the few commodities that will continue to improve after it has been gifted, both in terms of drinkability and monetary value. With the holiday season rapidly approaching, we've curated a selection of recent releases from benchmark estates that have tremendous aging potential:
California
Bryant Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 750ml (WA 97-99) - $749
Colgin Cariad Red Blend 2013 750ml (WA 98) - $469
Continuum Proprietary Red Sage Mountain Vineyard 2015 750ml (JS 100) - $225
Dunn Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain 2013 750ml (WA 95-97) - $129
Eisele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon St. Helena 2013 750ml (WA 99) - $425
Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard Napa Valley 2013 750ml (WE 96) - $219
Hundred Acre Wraith Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2013 750ml - $459
Joseph Phelps Insignia 2015 750ml (WA 97-100) - $225
Joseph Phelps Insignia 2015 1500ml (WA 97-100) - $449
Lewis Cellars Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2015 750ml (WS 93) - $149
Opus One Napa Valley 2015 750ml (WA 97+) - $349
Opus One Overture Napa Valley NV 750ml (2018 Release) - $115
Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red Napa Valley 2014 750ml (WA 94) - $139
Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 1500ml (WA 98+) - $599
Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 3000ml (WA 98+) - $1,499
Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 750ml (WA 98+) - $265
Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 1500ml (WA 98+) - $565
Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 3000ml (WA 98+) - $1,419
Spottswoode Family Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2014 750ml (WA 95+) - $159
Verite La Muse Sonoma County 2014 750ml (WA 100) - $375
Bordeaux
Haut Brion 2012 750ml (WA 96+) - $459
Haut Brion 2015 750ml (WA 100) - $649
Margaux 2012 750ml (WA 96) - $429
Mouton Rothschild 2015 750ml (WA 98) - $589
Palmer 2015 750ml (WA 98) - $299
Pontet Canet 2009 3000ml (WA 100) - $1,345
Burgundy
Armand Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin Lavaux Saint-Jacques 1er Cru 2014 750ml (WA 90) - $285
Clos de Tart Grand Cru Monopole 2014 750ml (WA 95-97) - $425
Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Richebourg Grand Cru 2013 750ml (WA 96) - $1,950
Domaine Faiveley Echezeaux En Orveaux Grand Cru 2015 750ml (JS 95) - $239
Domaine Faiveley Grands Echezeaux Grand Cru 2015 750ml - $325
Domaine Jean Grivot Richebourg Grand Cru 2013 750ml (WA 96) - $739
Domaine Jean Grivot Vosne-Romanee Les Beaux Monts 1er Cru 2015 750ml (WA 95-97) - $249
Domaine Leflaive Puligny Montrachet Les Pucelles 1er Cru 2015 750ml (WA 92-94) - $289
Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet Clavoillon 1er Cru 2016 750ml (D 90) - $189
Domaine Ponsot Chapelle Chambertin Grand Cru 2015 750ml (D 95) - $449
Domaine Ponsot Clos de la Roche Grand Cru Cuvee Vieilles Vignes 2015 1500ml (D 97) - $1,259
Italy
Biondi Santi Annata Brunello di Montalcino 2012 750ml - $155
Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto 2012 750ml (JS 97) - $210
Gaja Sori Tildin Langhe 2014 750ml (WA 94) - $399
Gaja Sori San Lorenzo Langhe 2014 750ml (WA 95) - $399
Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore 2015 750ml (Vinous 98) - $195
Salvioni Brunello di Montalcino La Cerbaiola 2013 750ml (WA 93) - $169
Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia Bolgheri 2015 750ml (WA 97) - $199
Vietti Barolo Brunate 2013 750ml (WA 94) - $155
Each of these highly allocated wines is listed at or near the lowest price on the Internet, so act now to get a head start on your holiday shopping.