Helping Find That Perfect Christmas Wine in Mineola

This Christmas season, whether you've got a crowd coming to your home or you're the invited guest, a nice wine can complement the meal. But what to bring? A bottle of red? A Chardonnay? And how much do you spend?

Fortunately, Mineola residents don't have to fret. For solutions they can visit the Village's newest wine and liquor store ­– , located at 151 E. Jericho Turnpike. Gurgen Minossyan and his brother manage this vast two-floor store, which opened in September.

Alcomir stocks about 34,000 bottles of wine and liquor in the expansive new locale, so chances are they have the bottle of wine that meets seasonal needs and budgets. In the white wine category, Gurgen recommends the Cabernet Savignon from Cupcake Vineyards for $8.99, a no-brainer, according to Gurgen. Never heard of Cupcake Vineyards? The winery's 2008 Cabernet won numerous wine-tasting awards, and its Chardonnay and Merlot have also earned top accolades. Cupcake's Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot come from California's hot and sunny Central Coast, where the topography and climate produce some of California's best wines. Its Sauvignon Blanc comes from the Marlborough valley of New Zealand, which is known for long days and cool climate that allow the grapes to mature slowly over a longer period of time.

For those who want to spend money, there is the brand-name Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio for $22.99. For about $9 less, consumers can opt for St. Michael-Eppan Pinot from the vineyards of the Alto Adige region of Italy, near the Austrian border. A bottle of St. Michael's is $13.99 at Alcomir, and Gurgen lets you in on a secret: "It's the exact same wine [as Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio] which most people don't know," Gurgen said.

Alcomir displays their wines by country and region. The store also houses a large selection from France and Italy, as well as California. You can also find a generous representation from Chile, Spain and New Zealand.

What about Long Island wines? Pindar is available here, but Gurgen said it is actually cheaper for his store to carry wines from France than Long Island.

The highest-priced wines at this Mineola establishment are Banfi Brunello, a red, for $54.99; Napanook (Napa Valley), also for $54.99. If you want to brag to your friends, there is an $89.99 choice from the Pichon Longueville from France.

"If you have a question, come see me," Gurgen said.