Whether you're feeding your extended family for the holidays or hosting open houses, cocktail soirées, or other such festive fêtes, you'll definitely want to serve the right wine. Had enough of Yellowtail? Hate giving wine you've never tasted but just bought for the interesting label? Don't know the difference between Ken Wright and Charles Shaw? Well, stop fretting and get out of the wine section at that chain grocery store! Pay a visit to one of our local wine shops, and prepare to be inundated with loads of knowledge about wine and wine pairings. I've enlisted the help of the area's wine experts to give you a leg up on the whites, reds and bubblies to serve with your winter meals.

Tempting Turkey

Although it escaped being nominated the U.S. national bird despite Ben Franklin's best efforts, the ubiquitous turkey does not escape our holiday tables each year. If you're looking for red, oenophiles Marny Birkitt and David MacDonald of The Wine Cellar (15 S. Madison St.) recommend focusing on lighter, well-balanced wines that will not overpower the flavors of the meal. "Concentrate on fruit character rather than on tannins," MacDonald says, adding that the same is true when serving pork or ham. (Tannins are the plant chemicals found primarily in red wine – because of its longer contact with grape skins – that make your mouth pucker.) MacDonald recommends the "perfect wine" for these dishes would be the Cline Cashmere 2005 ($18), a silky red combination of Mourvedre, Grenache, and Syrah grapes. Mimi Stein of The Home Farm Store (1 E. Washington St.), which specializes in affordable eco-friendly wines, strongly seconds that choice, adding that the Portugese Altano Duoro 2006 ($10) is her next choice for turkey. Boxwood Winery Executive VP Rachel Martin, who oversees the winery's off-site sip central at The Tasting Room (16 E. Washington St.) and is an expert in Bordeaux wines, suggests 2005 Boxwood Topiary ($35, $20 375ml), which is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot grapes and a great all-around wine. Over at Market Salamander (200 W. Washington St.), Executive Sous Chef Vaughn Skaggs, who runs the Market's Wine Loft, considers the Westbrook Blue Ridge Marlborough Pinot Noir 2005 ($20) from New Zealand – which won a gold medal at last year's Air New Zealand Wine Awards – fit to accompany his well-dressed bird. For a white, Skaggs picks Germany's Winzer von Erbach Riesling, Erbacher Honigberg 2006 ($14), a dry, not-too-sweet Riesling that is a great family wine because the bottle is a full liter, rather than the usual 750ml, giving you at least one to two more glasses. He also recommends the 2006 Lison Pramaggiore Busa alla Torre da Lele ($7.50), a Pinot Grigio named for the owner of a restaurant in the glass-making district of Venice. A lot of skin contact gives this wine its interesting peachy pinkish color. Wally Lunsford of the Aldie Peddler (39494 John Mosby Hwy., Aldie) chose the Vouvray Clos le Vigneau 2006 ($14) from France's Loire Valley region to tickle his turkey tastebuds with its aromas of apple and tropical fruit and a balanced, slightly acidic tangy finish.

Heavenly Ham

Lunsford agrees with the other grape groupies that ham is probably the hardest to pair. He suggests going with the clean and crisp style of La Slina Gavi 2006 ($14), made with the white Cortese grape from Northern Italy. MacDonald of The Wine Cellar agrees that whites are a terrific choice, but he says to avoid lots of oak and acidity ( i.e., stay away from oak-aged Chardonnay or Italian Pinot Grigio). He and Birkitt recommend O'Reilly's Pinot Gris 2006 ($18) from Oregon for its clean finish. For a light, citrusy, sustainably farmed option, Stein recommends the Honig Sauvignon Blanc 2006 ($17), which makes a wonderful hostess gift with its beautiful label. Martin recommends the Sémillon/Sauvignon Blanc blend of 2005 Chateau Langlet, Graves ($20), which offers hints of tropical fruit and a nice mouth feel. For a red, she goes with the well-balanced 2003 Chateaux. d'Agassac ($35), which, like all of the wines sold at The Tasting Room, you can try before you buy ($2-$5 for a 1 oz. portion). The Wine Cellar gang suggests Rosenblum Cellars "Chateau la Paws" 2005 California Côte du Bone Roan ($16), which is an unusual blend of Carignane, Syrah, Mourvedre and a little Zinfandel. The blend offers dark fruit aromas with hints of spice and smoke and flavors reminiscent of plums and prunes, and a portion of the proceeds of this creatively named juice benefits Paws With A Cause, a charitable organization that trains assistance dogs for people with disabilities. Skaggs at Market Salamander stuck with the reds, recommending Graystone Pinot Noir 2004 ($13) from Maldova and Michael~David Vineyards 7 Deadly Zins 2005 ($20). The latter also is a great gift, with a poem on the back label: "With the tilt of a glass, I commit seven zins … Oh lord with your help…I'll do it again."

Lovable Lamb

Crown roast of lamb, stuffed boneless leg of lamb, chops, smoky cardamom lamb stew…whatever! I love lamb, and with lamb, you definitely want red, wine. According to Martin, any of their Bordeaux wines are a wonderful pairing with lamb because the tannic structure of the wine helps to "cut the fat" in the meat and maintain an elegant presence in the mouth. She recommends the medium- to full-bodied 2003 Chateaux. Bernadotte ($35), with its concentrated dark fruit and cedar flavors and sensual personality. Try Alain Jaume & Fils 2005 Domaine Grand Veneur "Les Champauvins" Côtes du Rhône Villages ($18) from Market Salamander, with its intensely deep color and dark stone fruit and spice flavors. Stein at Home Farm likes Spain's Ardales Noble 2004 ($15), a red made with the Tempranillo grape that retains the ECOCERT label, the European agency certifying it is organic. Lunsford of the Peddler picks a Pinot Noir, saying that he sold six cases of Sonoma Valley's De_Fin_I_Tive 2006 ($26) on a recent Saturday! To really impress the in-laws, MacDonald and Birkitt suggest a bottle of Domaine de la Grange de Peres 2002 ($75), a declassified red from the Languedoc region that MacDonald describes as the French version of "cult" wine (in other words, vino with a following) and worth every penny.

Bowl-You-Over Beef

Serving beef at the holidays – from prime rib to tenderloin – also has become very popular. Just like with lamb, The Tasting Room's Martin suggests pairing any of the Bordeaux wines with red meat. Especially for prime rib, she chose 2004 Chateaux. Lucia ($45), with its modern personality and ripe blueberry and blackberry aromas and notes of charcoal. For an Italian selection, Lunsford of The Aldie Peddler recommends a bottle of Casara Roveri Colli Berici Cabernet 2003 ($23), which spends two years in oak barrels and showcases notes of black currant and cassis. Lunsford also highly recommends McKenzie-Mueller Los Carneros Pinot Noir 2004 ($40), saying that one of his customers described it as "better than sex!" Birkitt and MacDonald went for the "classic" selections of Piping Shrike Barossa Valley Shiraz 2005 ($20), named for the Australian Magpies that guard the grape vines from sneaky blackbirds, and Alexander Valley Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 ($20). Market Salamander's Skaggs recommends local Corcoran Vineyards' (formerly Waterford Vineyards) Meritage 2005 ($26), a balanced blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon made in the Bordeaux tradition.

Bubbles!

To end the evening right, or start it out with a bang, consider busting open some suds! No, not beer. Bubbly! Market Salamander offers several, but Skaggs recommends Champagne François de Rozay Brut NV ($32). Home Farm carries the Soutiran Champagne ($60), a brut rosé made with the Pinot Noir grape. Birkitt recommends Laurent-Perrier ($43) as a good alternative to Veuve Cliquot and Trouillard Brut Champagne NV ($35) with its crisp nuttiness. Both made in the "methode champagnoise" but not hailing from the region, Birkitt says that Saint Hilaire 2004 ($14), France's oldest sparkling wine, and Mont Marcal Cava Reserva ($14) from Spain are great values.

Decadent Desserts

Try these pairings after you stuff yourself at dinner to really make the night feel complete! With pecan pie, go with Ronchi di Manzano Friulano 2002 ($17, 325ml) or Madeira Broadbent Colheita 1996 ($37.50), according to Salamander's Skaggs. He also recommends Brooks Tethys Late Harvest Riesling ($30, 325ml) from Oregon's Willamette Valley paired with pumpkin pie. The Aldie Peddler's Lunsford says that his favorite is Gray Ghost Adieu 2006 ($23, 325ml) drizzled over vanilla ice cream with peaches (frozen will do this time of year). Stein of Home Farm says that the essence of ripe apples in Chateau O'Brien Apple Wine 2005 ($18) is great with dessert or on its own. These latter two Virginia wines also make great gifts! Now that you know where to go, stop by any of these local vendors to talk shop and pick up a few bottles to try at home or give as gifts. They can also help you pick out the perfect wines for entertaining a crowd. The Wine Cellar, Market Salamander, Home Farm Store and The Aldie Peddler offer a 10% discount on case purchases, and you can place special orders with all of the vendors.