Syracuse sommelier recommends 3 lesser-known wines to bring for the holidays

Syracuse, N.Y. — Cha McCoy has a simple request.

This holiday season, don’t bring a “basic wine” to your family gatherings.

McCoy is the owner and sommelier of The Communion Wine + Spirits, located on the ground floor of the State Tower Building in downtown Syracuse.

“Being able to highlight under-represented wine regions has been a big focus in my studies,” said McCoy, who celebrated The Communion’s first anniversary in October. “This is a great time to bring something unique to the table.”

McCoy is more than a certified sommelier. She’s a public speaker, industry marketing consultant and wine educator, who loves introducing customers to under-represented wine styles and grape-growing regions, along with traditionally under-represented wine producers.

VinePair named McCoy the 2023 Wine Professional of the Year. She’s been named to Wine Enthusiast magazine’s “Top 40 Under 40 Tastemakers,” and Wine & Spirits magazine’s “Rising Black Voices in Wine.”

“The corporate brands have had enough of your money,” McCoy said with a laugh. “Let’s focus on smaller labels. Let’s help support other families, mine included, by shopping small.”

If you’re trying to decide what to bring to holiday gatherings, McCoy recommends three lesser-known wines rooted in Native American, South African and South American cultures.

1. Camins 2 Dreams Gamay

Winemaker Tara Gomez first started Kalawashaq’ Wine Cellars (named for the village where her Chumash ancestors once lived), then teamed up with her wife Mireia Taribó, to create a new winery Camins 2 Dreams.

McCoy’s first recommendation for Turkey Day is the Gamay from Camins 2 Dreams, featuring flavors of prune and fresh cranberries. It pairs well with roasted white meats and root vegetables.

“This is made by a Native American winemaker, ready for anything you’re gonna have on Family Day, a.k.a. Thanksgiving,” McCoy said. “They’re…