Dress up holiday parties in reds and whites

In addition to decorating Christmas trees, hanging lights and buying gifts, many of us soon will be engaged in another December tradition: The holiday party.

If you are holding the party yourself, choosing the right -- and affordable -- wines can be daunting.

You will want to pick a wine that appeals to a wide range of people, that is easy to drink, that doesn't require food, and, perhaps most important of all, doesn't break the bank.

The wine-tasting group did some of the hard work for you, comparing five whites and four reds, all costing less than $10 a bottle. Here is what we found:

Party whites:

- Jest White California Blend at $9.99. This blend was very aromatic, offering sweet aromas of lavender, cotton candy, sweet peaches in syrup, honey and cocoa. The lavender taste followed in the mouth. The wine had low acids and was a bit sweet, but not cloying. It had a short, crisp finish. It tied for first in our tasting among the white wines.

- 2004 Alice White "Lexia" at $7.99. We smelled mango, pineapple and ripe melon in the nose. This wine made from muscat grapes was sweeter than the Jest White. We had mixed reviews on this wine. Some thought it was pretty and would appeal to both chardonnay and white zinfandel drinkers. Others thought it was too sweet and one-dimensional.

- 2003 Ca' del Solo Big House White at $9.99. This was a blend of sauvignon blanc, French colombard, pinot blanc, chenin blanc and viognier. It offered a complex, subtle bouquet of grass, chalk, matchsticks, grapefruit and melon. In the mouth, we found the wine to be well balanced with mineral flavors and just a hint of charcoal. This wine tied for first.

- 2003 Cline Red Truck White at $9.99. This blend was much creamier and richer than the other wines. The nose smelled of unripe bananas and just a hint of tea leaves. It was a mouth-watering and tasted pleasantly of soft rose soap and had a short finish.

- 2003 Yelcho Reserva Sauvignon Blanc at $9.99. This Chilean wine had lots of grapefruit and a hint of gasoline in the nose. The grapefruit continued to dominate in the mouth where we also found a good acidic backbone to the wine.

Party reds:

- 2002 Jake's Fault Shiraz at $9.99. We noticed vanilla, menthol and wet tobacco in the aroma. It reminded one of our tasters of a "soggy pack of Kool cigarettes." The flavors were the same in the mouth, and the wine's texture was light.

- Jest Red California Blend at $9.99. Orange-peel aromas mixed with cedar and oak reminded us of potpourri. The smooth texture and soft palate made some tasters think of flower petals. This wine tied for first among the reds.

- 2002 Delicato Shiraz at $5.99. Dried cranberry aromas dominated the nose, although we were able to detect a whiff of matchstick and baby powder. In the mouth, the tannins (astringent substances from the grapes) overpowered the fruit. The finish was a little bitter, reminding us of an herbal liqueur such as Campari.

- 2002 Columbia Crest "Two Vines" Shiraz at $8.99. We smelled sweet fruit and S'mores (that's right -- cocoa, vanilla, marshmallows and even graham cracker). More ripe cherries and cocoa in the mouth made us think of cherry Tootsie Roll Pops.

The tasters agreed that although they did have definite favorites among the red wines, all were winners that would be great to serve at a party.

Contributing: Kate Sutherland, collector and restaurant critic Thayer Wine. Prices and availability vary by region.

Questions may be sent to Frank Sutherland, editor, The Tennessean, 1100 Broadway, Nashville 37203, or e-mailed to editor@tennessean.com.