Whether choosing holiday wines for a crowd gives you agita or not, this Swiss Army Knife of a wine is your friend. But chances are that your local wine shop doesn't have it on the shelf, so ask them to get it in for you. Brazos is the importer, Skurnik the distributor.
What makes the 2021 Viña Maitia Aupa Pipeño ($13) so special? First, it's delicious. It's red fruit is framed by crisp, refreshing acidity, and delivered in a straightforward, gulpable package. Second, it's light - not just in color (closer in color to a rosé than a red) - but importantly in alcohol (12.5%.) And, third, this lip-smacking red is full of bright energy from the nose right on through through onto the palate where its luminescence carries on. Made of 80% pais and 20% carignan, you pretty much can't go wrong.
