Let's uncork some great wines for Christmas.

The Gancia 2005 Camillo Gancia Asti Metodo Classico was produced using the champagne method and disgorged in March 2007. The spumante is sweet but balanced and has only 7% ABV, blossoms, dried apricots, complexity, medium body, medium length, and is mineral and very balanced. Due to its age, it lacks some freshness. Gancia and Contratto show that the champagne method and Moscato can be used to produce sensational sweet sparkling wines. 18.3/20 points.

A typical Californian Chardonnay is the Ridge 2012 Monte Bello Chardonnay with blossoms, vanilla, a hint of mocha, white nougat, yellow plum, full body, and medium length. The wine is mineral and balanced and develops caramel notes with air. 18.3/20 points.

Chardonnay doesn't get much better than this: the Kongsgaard 2020 Chardonnay The Judge needs plenty of air in the decanter and is actually still too young. Another 5 years of aging will do it good. The wine has floral notes, white nougat, full body, lots of glycerin, and is mineral, very long, dense, complex, and fascinating. 19.5/20 points with potential for more in the coming years.

The Marques de Riscal 1964 Reserva, Vina de Crianza (i.e., house reserve) has a powerful and complex nose with toasty notes, leather, tar, and Tempranillo sweetness. The wine has medium body, a long finish, structure, balance, but unfortunately also a very slight potato sack note. Nevertheless, 18.5/20 points.

2009 was a hot vintage in Bordeaux, and some wines that were very fruity when young are already declining. The Château La Mission Haut Brion 2009 Pessac-Leognan Cru Classe is quite different. The wine is actually much too young and should be at its peak in 10 years at the earliest. It will keep for decades. This wine is all about power, density, structure, and durability. The wine has cherry, sweet cherry, blossoms, Amarena, full body, a very long finish, and is dense and balanced. 19.5/20 points.