Merlot Is the Perfect Holiday Wine—Wait, No, Grenache!

I've been getting lots of press releases lately trying to convince me that such and such is the ultimate and appropriate liquor or wine to drink during the holidays. It's made it hard to know what to drink.

This missive came through the other day, touting Merlot's claim to the Christmas throne:

"Merlot has the ideal flavor profile and structure to pair well with the widest spectrum of foods. For the holiday season, Merlot – once relegated to the category of has-been wine, is making a strong comeback and pairs beautifully with turkey, roast beef, Christmas ham … to name a few."

I was intrigued. But then, five minutes later, this e-mail came through and I was confused again:  

"Grenache, the ultimate Christmas wine. This year, sommeliers and chefs around the world are encouraging wine lovers to embrace Grenache as the archetypal Christmas wine. There are in fact many Grenache-based Christmas classics, such as Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Priorat – which go perfectly with turkey and trimmings, but usually slip into the glass ‘anonymously’ because Grenache does not get credit on the label."

Can the vintners in Bordeaux and the Rhone please get together and work this out before the 25th? I've got shopping to do.