The following is an extended version of the article that appears in our December 2025 issue.
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Photo via Getty Images
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A selection of wines recommended by Ashley Patino, Melissa Stallard and Trevor Ferguson
Your friends (and you) love wine, it’s the season of good cheer, and Richmond is full of wine bars. Time to head out and shop! We’ve asked some local pros about their bars’ perfect gift bottles, with a little extra guidance to make the most of your visit: their picks for the best on-site sips to reward yourself for making the trek.
Ashley Patino
Owner, Friend Bar
- Give: Jauma Danby Grenache, $40/bottle. “Jauma is an Australian winery, great for both natural wine lovers and classic wine lovers. It has no added preservatives and is still stable, beautiful and juicy, and light red/rosé-esque. The first time I had it, I almost drank the whole bottle.”
- Sip: Barry Althof Menhir, $12/glass. “It’s 100% grenache — affordable, silky, great for the fall.” Surprisingly crisp for a red, the Menhir expresses its limestone-rich terroir (from Aubais in southern France) nicely, along with notes of red currant and berries.
Melissa Stallard
Owner, Chez Nous
- Give: Thibault Liger-Belair Bourgogne Les Deux Terres, 2021, $56/bottle. Les Deux Terres is a gamay and pinot noir blend, using grapes from the Beaujolais and Burgundy regions. Stallard says it’s both “elegant and indulgent,” with hints of “red and black fruits and tobacco.”
- Sip: Thevenet & Fils Bourgogne Les Clos, 2023, $16/glass. “We love Burgundy at Chez Nous, and this 100% pinot noir has notes of red fruit with earthy undertones, bright and elegant. Speaks to roasted meats, mushrooms and charcuterie/cheeses.”
Trevor Ferguson, owner of Nouveau Provisions (Photo courtesy Trevor Ferguson)
Trevor Ferguson
Owner, Nouveau Provisions
- Give: Nouveau Farms No. 2 White Wine, $32/bottle. “It’s our very own white blend, with tasting notes of peach, plum, apricot and floral.” A crowd-pleasing, round-bodied blend of petit manseng and chardonnay grapes, this juicy beauty’s fruit flavors are balanced by wet slate and green citrus.
- Sip: La Mothe du Barry, $12/glass. “This merlot from Bordeaux’s tasting notes are vibrant cherry and blueberry, with hints of cocoa and spice.” It boasts solid structure and distinctive minerality.
Amber Hatfield-Matzke
Food and Beverage Director, The Wine Whisperer
- Give: Lundeen Mon Pere Pinot Noir, $28/bottle. “Made by our friend Michael Lundeen out at his winery in Willamette Valley, Oregon, this is a classic example of cooler climate pinot noir from a small producer. With bright cherry tones on the nose, the wine settles out nicely on the palate, offering savory spice and rich earth tones to balance the fruit.”
- Sip: Treveri Brut Prestige, $14/glass. “The Grieb family has been producing world-class sparklings in the Columbia Valley [of Washington state] since 2010. We love this wine because it mimics the palate and body of Champagnes that are triple the price. Made in the traditional method using cool climate pinot noir and chardonnay, Treveri’s Brut Prestige is balanced with ample fruit, toast and a creamy minerality.”
Matty McGuigan
Owner, Click Wine Bar
- Give: Antiquum Pinot Noir Passiflora, $79/bottle. “Antiquum practices regenerative farming or, as they like to call it, grazing-based viticulture. Blue fruit tends to dominate, with dark red brambly hues; tropical fruit notes dance about the midpalate, with soft cocoa powder, which is well supported by ample tannins.”
- Sip: Red Tail Ridge Sekt Sparkling Riesling, $13/glass. “Winemaker and owner Nancy Irelan is a good friend … and has a Ph.D. in grape physiology from UC Davis. This is a dry, methode-Champagne riesling, replete with searing acidity; it quivers like an aspen in the mouth. Each sip is bouncing with fine bubbles and absolutely lousy with mountain river rocks, crisp golden apples, dried apricots and lemon oil.”
