There are so many ways to use wine at the holidays, as a companion to holiday meals, as part of hospitality to guests and visitors, planned or unplanned, as gifts minor or major, as part of religious celebration, toasts and conviviality in general.

Wine gifts can be everyday wines or very exclusive and expensive wines, or perhaps "theme" wines or those packaged in special bottles.

BAYSTONE STORY

Speaking of those very limited, hard-to-find specialties, Baystone is one of the hot new success stories. And a fun story it is.

You start out with the wives of two of America's hottest winemakers (both from Australia), Lisa Groom and Lisa Scholz who want to have their own wine company. Lisa number one is married to Daryl Groom, winemaker at Geyser Peak and one of the most highly awarded winemakers of the decade. Lisa number two is married to Michael "Mick" Scholz who is winemaker for St. Supery, where in only two vintages at the helm he turned an also-ran winery into a superstar.

Lisa and Lisa hired Mick Scholz as consulting winemaker with plans to make just two wines, Chardonnay and Shiraz.

There's more color to the story, as Lisa Groom and Mick Scholz were hometown school chums back in Australia's Barossa Valley, before Lisa Groom went to work at Penfolds Winery where she met and ultimately married Daryl.

The two Lisas have a pretty full plate, what with a half dozen children between them, homes and families to take care of and wine to sell in between. The first releases are flying, as they say, and are likely to become collectables.

Oh! Baystone takes its name from a champion racehorse which won the famous Melbourne Cup in 1958.

You can contact Baystone directly by phone or fax at the same number: (707) 579-3909; E-mail: dgwino@aol.com

Baystone 1998 "Russian River-Saralee's Vineyard" Chardonnay ($20) Produced from specially selected French clones in an experimental vineyard, the wine is in a word...voluptuous! Ripe tropical fruit, with lots of sweet pineapple and tangy citrus back notes. Nicely oaked but not oaky. Delicious. A solid "Best Buy." Rating: 94/90

Baystone 1996 "Sonoma County" Shiraz ($24) Very rich. Ripe plum, black cherry and black currant. So rich that this totally dry wine has an implication of sweetness in the finish. Jammy, with a chewy mouthfeel. Rating: 90/86

FLASH!

According to a news story in the South Bend (IN) Tribune, U.S. District Court Judge Allen Sharp has issued a summary judgment in favor of 13 Indiana consumers, including Garfield cartoonist Jim Davis, who sued to overturn an Indiana law making direct shipments of wine to Indiana consumers from vintners in other states a felony.

Sharp found that the law violates the Commerce Clauses of the U.S. Constitution, and said: "This court now, and always has been, greatly reluctant to wield the Federal Constitution against state legislation, but here, the result is inescapable because these statutes on their face discriminate against out-of-state commerce."

The Indiana ruling will raise questions about the legality of similar laws in other states. Additional lawsuits in behalf of consumers' and vintners' rights to indulge in interstate commerce of wine are currently pending in Texas, Florida and Virginia.

BACK TO SHOPPING

We've told you before about the very serious wines of Mutt Lynch Winery, which never get the respect they deserve because of their cutesy dog-theme labels. But what a great present they would make for a dog-loving wine collector.

To track down the wines' limited number of retail outlets, contact winemaker and chief kennel-person, Brenda Lynch at (707) 542-MUTT or e-mail: muttlynch@aol.com

Mutt Lynch 1997 "Nectar of the Dogs" Sangiovese ($16) Very serious red wine. Dark cherry flavors; full-bodied and intense. Pleasantly tart edge makes it a dandy food companion to spicy Italian cuisine. Rating: 94/88

Domaine Du Bone 1998 "Dry Creek" Zinfandel ($20) Full, jammy flavors of ripe boysenberry fruit. A hint of spice in the background. Full mouth;very satisfying. Rating: 90/86.

Or if you have friends into Asian cuisines, a really nice bottle of Sake makes a great present, and now they're creating specialty Sakes too.

Moonstone by Momokawa "Yuzu" ($8) This is one of the new infused Sakes, in this case with natural citron (lemon and lime). It's a little like drinking grappa, but without all the heat and alcohol. The citrus flavors are very fresh and natural tasting and when served chilled "Yuzu" is very refreshing. It will actually hold up to ice. Rating: 90/94

While we're being international, one of the more interesting wine-of-the-month clubs around is the South African Club. Like most wine clubs, it automatically ships new wines each month. Unlike most of them, SA Wine Club imports its own selections and also makes them available through traditional retail outlets in many states.

For more information: South African Wines (800) 504-9463 or E-mail: jg@sawineco.com

Cathedral Cellar 1996 "South African" Shiraz ($13) Ripe, spicy plum aroma. Really delicious plum fruit, with more of that spice and something slightly floral. Thoroughly delicious and satisfying. Bring on the lamb, duck or cassoulet. Rating: 90/94

Two other favorite wine clubs which ship to all the states where it's legally possible and focus on American wines are Gold Medal Wine Club (800) 266-8888, which emphasizes wines which have won major awards at America's top wine competitions. And California Wine Club (800) 777-4443 or www.cawineclub.com, one of the oldest and best known, which also offers a special (and more expensive) Connoisseurs' Selection.

MEAD ON WINE EXTRA

A few months back, in a broad tasting of Washington State wines, we discovered the wonderful Columbia Winery 1996 "Red Willow" Syrah ($22) and presented it with a well-deserved score of 98/90. The roughly 2000 case production immediately evaporated and there is no more outside the winery library.

Early in January, 2000, we'll be reviewing a broad cross-section of Columbia wines, both red and white, one of which will be the debut of 1997 "Red Willow" Syrah ($29) that saw release on Dec. 1. Once again there are only 2000 cases and once again it will receive a score of 98/90. This advance notice is going out exclusively to Mead On Wine subscribers. The newspaper audience and the rest of the world won't get to start shopping until sometime in January. Trust me. Case purchases highly recommended.

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Wines are scored using a unique 100 point system. First number rates quality; second number rates value.