We've all heard the holiday song "The Twelve Days of Christmas." Instead of a partridge in a pear tree, consider giving a case of wine to that special someone on your gift list. But not just any case of wine; make it a mixed case of great-tasting, unusual wines.

And rest assured, I won't blame you if you decide to put this case together and keep it for yourself.

With the help of local wine shop owners and staff, I've put together a suggested mixed case for your consideration. These wines are all very, very good. They are outstanding expressions of their type without costing hundreds of dollars each.

I've picked the general categories but left it up to local experts to recommend specific labels.

My experts were Ilene Dudunake, owner of A New Vintage Wine Shop in Meridian; Divit Cardoza, manager of the Boise Co-op Wine Shop; Brian Erickson, owner of Erickson Fine Wines in Eagle; and Giuseppe Veneziano, owner of La Cantina Sociale Wine Shop in Boise.

A BALANCED CASE

My gift case of wine is balanced, incorporating both whites and reds, as well as Old World and New World. This is the fun of enjoying wine - exploring a range of varietals from around the world.

If any of the following wines are sold out in the local shops, then simply ask for a substitute recommendation that closely resembles the wine you're unable to purchase.

WHITES

A Chablis. No gift case of wine should be without a Chablis, and enjoying the original from France can be a treat for your palate.

Cardoza recommends 2006 Brocard 1er Cru Montee de Tonnerre ($39) because it's a sublime Chablis with a "stony minerality and rich, almost nut-like, flavors and a pure lemony finish."

If your budget can afford a more expensive label, then Cardoza suggests 2006 Francois Raveneau 1er Cru Butteaux ($98). He notes that this label is "considered by Chablis aficionados to be the best of the best in Chablis. A wine worthy of even the most serious cellar."

An American Chardonnay. Turnabout is fair play, so my case also includes an outstanding American Chardonnay: 2007 Benziger Caneros Chardonnay ($18).

Dudunake is excited about this one from a renowned appellation that spans both Sonoma and Napa counties.

"It's awesome!" she said. "I love the mellow oakiness, that vanilla oak flavor that you pick up from the barrels. And the finish is really, really smooth."

A Chenin Blanc. Most Americans aren't familiar with this varietal, and that's too bad because it can have so many interesting, subtle expressions.

Cardoza recommends 2005 Chidaine Montlouis Tuffeaux ($24) from the Loire region. He says this is Chenin Blanc at its best. "While there is some sweetness, it is the richness that is so stunning."

Combining floral aromas and a backbone of tropical fruits, he says this one was rated 94 points by Wine Advocate.

A Riesling. While we're discussing wines with a touch of sweetness, let's also include a Riesling in our special case.

Dudunake recommends 2007 Montinore Estate Riesling Sweet Reserve ($13). "The flavors of pineapple and grapefruit give it a tropical-citrus taste along with nice floral notes on the nose," she said. "The finish is fantastic, not overly sweet, but just enough to know it's a great Riesling from Oregon."

An Italian white. This may be the most interesting bottle in the entire case. Americans just aren't familiar with all the unusual white wines made in Italy.

Veneziano recommends any of his Vernaccias, which range in price from $12 to $30. "Vernaccia is very crisp, highly acidic, and great with seafood," he said.

If your budget can afford something truly unusual, Veneziano recommends Grecante Grechetto ($56). "Grechetto is an aphrodisiac with seafood," he said. "It's very crisp and not highly acidic. This wine accompanies seafood like no other."

A Sauvignon Blanc. Speaking of crisp wines that go well with seafood, let's include a Sauvignon Blanc. Some of the best ones these days are being made in the Marlborough region of New Zealand.

Erickson recommends 2007 Spy Valley Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc ($15). "All New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs have that grapefruit-citrus style," he says. "This one adds a little more peach, so it's more lush, more rounded."

RED WINES

A Bordeaux. Truly outstanding Bordeaux from the most famous estates have gone beyond the means of most folks to buy. But Cardoza came up with a nice value-oriented Bordeaux for our case: 2005 Moulin de Blanchon ($32).

He told me it's "rich and long with surprisingly supple fruit for the appellation. While I suspect it will last 10 years, it can be drunk now with about an hour of decanting and enjoyed with a hearty meal."

An American Cabernet Sauvignon. While California continues its renown for excellent Cabs, both Erickson and I agree that one of the best comes right here from Idaho: 2006 Fraser Vineyards ($24).

This Cab is an absolute delight to drink. Although still young, its powerful fruit-forward style and soft tannins allow you to enjoy it now with the best steak and lamb dishes.

In fact, I've already received reader feedback from a couple who have enjoyed it in a restaurant. They praised it, telling me it was perfect with their steaks.

An Italian red. What can be more quintesentially Italian than a red wine from Tuscany? For me, there's only one choice and that's Chianti.

Veneziano surprised me by putting a twist on this wine: Go with an original Chianti.

"If there's a black rooster on the label," he informed me, "it's the original Chianti, not a wanna-be."

His recommendation is 2001 Castello di Bossi Chianti Classico ($35). This wine is a bold expression of the Sangiovese grape and is well-balanced, being neither too fruity nor too dry. It's the perfect red for your tomato sauce-based pasta dishes, and is versatile enough to go well with steak.

A Pinot Noir. In my opinion, a perfect Pinot is one that pairs wonderfully with a wide range of food dishes. Many American Pinots are a little too fruity and sweet to fit the bill. But an excellent Burgundy is often just the ticket.

Cardoza's first recommendation, for value, is 2005 Michel Sarrazin et Fils Givry 1st Cru V.V. ($34 or $72 for magnum size). It's a premier cru from an old-vines vineyard and comes from the acclaimed 2005 vintage.

If you want to kick it up a notch, he recommends 2006 Fredric Magnien Bonnes Mares Grand Cru ($144). "I love Bonnes Mares for its exotic qualities, rich fruit, aromas of violets and Asian spices, and silkiness," he said.

A Malbec. I love Malbec from Argentina. It's big, bold, robust, yet very drinkable and very economical.

Traditionally, if you saw an Argentine Malbec, it was from the Mendoza region. Dudunake surprised me with a recommendation from the Patagonia region: 2006 Del Fin Del Mundo Reserva ($18).

Patagonian wines are starting to make an appearance here in Boise. Perhaps it's the deeper soils of the region, but the wines seem to me to be fruitier, softer and more approachable, just like this very drinkable reserve Malbec.

A Syrah. For the final wine in our case, I've included a Shiraz from Australia. The same grape as Syrah, the Australians prefer to call it Shiraz.

This particular one is Erickson's recommendation and it's highly rated: 2007 Two Hands Angel's Share McLaren Vale ($36) is in this year's Wine Spectator's top 100 wines of the world.

"This is a classic Australian Shiraz," he says. "It's really ripe and jammy. It has a lot of both red raspberry and blue-colored fruit in it, as well as a hint of pepper."

Garry Scholz: wineadvice.garry@gmail.com