January 18, 2022 by Arden Montgomery

Best Wines For Winter

The mountains of the world have regained their snowy peaks and the northern hemisphere is getting ready to settle into the deep, cold months of winter. Although the days are finally getting longer, the chilliest time of the year is only just getting started. And what better way to pass the time than with a glass of delicious winter-ready wine?

What makes a great winter wine?

If you’re looking for a viticultural experience designed to pair with the cold weather, there are a number of distinguishing qualities for which you can look. 

First, think about the food you tend to eat during winter. Most of us instinctively reach for hearty fare served hot – things like roasts, stews, and savory soups. Your wine pairing needs to be rich and full bodied in order to stand up to those heavy foods. 

Next, reach for bottles that serve well at room temperature or higher. With the exception of your celebratory champagnes, wintertime whites will be those that sip well unrefrigerated. Reds will be mulling-friendly and tannin-and-spice forward in flavor profile. 

Finally, the best wine for dark days – both in mood and actual presence of sunlight – is a bottle that you know you already love. It doesn’t matter how it’s supposed to be served, what seasonal fare it pairs with, or how robust its body. If it makes you smile, that’s good enough for us. 

Here are a few fan favorites from the Argaux collection guaranteed to be a warming experience. 

Best wine for football season

2020 Chateau Barbebelle Aix-en-Provence ‘Héritage’ Rosé – $28

A rosé? In winter? Why, of course!

This sophisticated rosé vin provençal introduces itself with garden aromas reminiscent of perfumed summer winds, offering an uplifting experience on the nose. The palate follows with bursting red berries, stone fruits, and fragrant florals balanced by a dry and oh-so drinkable finish. 

We recommend this wine as your go-to sportball beverage for its food friendliness. The Heritage is an ideal pair for sushi, but can party down just as well next to a 7-layer cheese dip and pigs-in-blankets.

Best wine for your valentine

2018 Domaine de La Bonne Tonne ‘Grands-Cras’ Morgon Beaujolais – $35

This wine is custom-made for nights when you want to get cozy with your sweetie but NOT nod off in the middle of your favorite Valentine’s day rom com. 

This red is strong and deep with a berry-forward aroma and a spicy palate to warm your heart on a cold v-day evening. But the body is surprisingly light and wonderfully energetics, so your date night can stretch on into the wee hours if you so choose. 

Best wine for a cozy day in the kitchen

2020 Bruna Grimaldi Langhe Arneis – $24

The Arneis grape is ancient, with a history stretching back as far as 1200. So what better wine is there for testing out all your newly giften kitchen gadgets with a group of foodie friends? In with the old AND the new, we say.

This delicious old-world wine features flavors that would have seemed utterly alien to winemakers in the 13th century, including notes of pineapple, lemon zest, and white flowers. We recommend pairing a glass of the Langhe with this lemon alfredo gnocchi, or a generous slice of Samin Nosrat’s ahi confit. 

Best wine to pair with wintertime fare

2018 Raul Perez Bodegas y Vinedos Bierzo Tinto ‘Ultreia St. Jacques’ – $25

This Spanish staple longs to be your resident table wine until at least the Spring Equinox. It offers an absolute smorgasbord of tasting adjectives – spicy, juicy, floral, dry, and bright – with promised flavors that sound like they belong in a really sophisticated and delicious pasta sauce: red fruit, dried herbs, coffee bean, and tomato leaf. 

So, if you love a hearty, spicy dish (like this Yucatan pork stew) to keep you cozy during the most wonderful time of the year, this is the wine to drink alongside. 

Best wine for a snow-day evening

2019 Casa Vinicola Triacca ‘Gaux Dopo’ Nebbiolo – $22

Finish off a day in the powder, wherever you are in the world, with this alpine aperitif OR apres-ski to help you defrost. 

The ‘Gaux Dopo Nebbiolo is near and dear to our hearts. Not just because of the name, but also because of its divine freshness, and delicious flavors that front strawberries, rose petals, cherries, and sweet violets (all plants that symbolize love and the heart in herbalism as well as mythology.)

A great pair with lighter wintertime fare, and a promise of a loving embrace from the inside during chillier times. 

Best wine for a casual winter gathering

2016 Wonderland Project ‘White Queen’ Sonoma Chardonnay – $25

A wintertime chill with your best pals never tasted so good. California’s snowy peaks are finally snow capped once more, and so we had to include this CA classic from the heart of the golden state’s wine country on our list. 

A quintessential Chardonnay with a palate like a sweet-centric bakery, you’ll want to stock this one all year long. 

How Argaux can help

Do all of these sound too good to pass up? Well guess what? You don’t have to choose! Our Seasonal Six box comes with all of these delicious wines in tow – no need to choose. Save them for special occasions, drink them all year long, or invite your friends over for a tasting night and enjoy them all at once!

Or if none of these are quite what you’re looking for, don’t worry – we’ll be introducing our picks for spring in just a few short months. In the meantime, you can reach out to our resident sommeliers and get a hand-picked bottle that’s everything you love in a wine. 

Cheers!

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