Your Guide in Selecting Winter Wines

As the colder temperatures close in, our selection of wines tends to go from the lighter tones of fall to the heavier, darker and more robust varietals. This is because during the winter months our meals lean toward the heartier selections such as stews, roasts, beef and lamb steaks, even exotics such as bison and wild game like venison. In this blog, we’re going to discuss the types of winter wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux and an Australian Shiraz, but also the best whites such as oaked Chardonnay and the festive brands of Champagne, Sparkling Wines and the dessert Port.

Champagne and Sparkling Wines

It’s safe to assume that when you say Champagne and other sparklings around winter, you first think of New Year’s Eve celebrations. These may be your go-to for the festivities, but they also make for excellent pairings. One of the most versatile styles, sparkling wines styles range from complex true Champagnes, crisp, fruity and luxurious, to the Spanish Cavas and the off-dry and lightly sweet Italian Prosecco. The sweetness (may be referred to as the dryness) is an indication of the sugar content and is listed here: (Wikipedia source)

• Extra Brut (less than 6 grams of sugar per litre)
• Brut (less than 12 grams)
• Extra Dry (between 12 and 17 grams)
• Sec (between 17 and 32 grams)
• Demi-sec (between 32 and 50 grams)
• Doux (50 grams)

Champagnes are known as a great aperitif with which to start your party and pair deliciously with many platter foods, such as cheese and vegetables trays. But remember that Champagne is just white wine with bubbles, so load up for seafood dishes and bring on the shrimp or lobster.

Desserts work well with many of the sweeter styles of Sparkling Wines from Moscato D’asti, to Astis and Spumantes and Demi-Secs. The sweeter variations will pair well with toasted almonds, cakes and fruits as well as chocolates.

Oaked Chardonnay

Chardonnays are one of the most widely consumed white wines and known worldwide for its versatility. (See our blog here) Oaked Chardonnay (as the name implies) is aged in oak barrels which imparts the flavors of the vanilla, butter, and of course, oak. Rich, full and creamy they pair well with most seafood, chicken and turkey, even ham isn’t unheard of on the list.

Old World Chardonnay flavors are less fruit dominant and more focused on earth and minerality while being lean and high in acidity. New World Chardonnay flavors are more focused on the fruit, oak and butter and tend to be rich and fruity with a noticeable oak presence and a touch of sweetness.

Cabernet and Bordeaux

Bordeaux

Bordeaux, whether Cabernet or Merlot dominant, tends to be rich and hearty reds perfect for colder temperatures. High acid and plenty of tannins allow these wines to pair well with heartier winter foods such as short ribs, beef plates, stews and lamb. Flavors lean towards dark fruits such as blackberry and cassis with an underlying earthiness, minerality and cedar. These wines are complex and structured so the wines will need to be, at the very least, aerated if not decanted for several hours. Bordeaux also make excellent gifts due to their critical acclaim, age worthiness and high esteem.

Cabernet Sauvignon

Varietally labeled Cabernet Sauvignon reflects the new world style and are polished and modern, with a more fruit driven character. New World Cabernet are robust reds making them ideal partners for filling “crock pot” meals like pot roasts. (I’ve even enjoyed Cab with a ham mac-n-cheese, it’s all in your taste preference.) But the basics like the grilled, fattier meats, short ribs, lamb and thick stews will be a sure fit.

Cabernet’s cover a broad range of price points and styles so they can make for excellent gifts but can work for people who are more budget conscious. Incredible Cabernet can be found between $25 – $50, with well known labels from California to South America. Flavors tend to lean towards dark fruits such as blackberry and plum with vanilla a common complement to the dark fruit notes.

Australian Shiraz

Just for a bit of trivia to amaze and impress your friends, Syrah and Shiraz are the same thing. In summary, Syrah came to fame in France, most prominently in the Rhone Valley, and eventually found its way to Australia where the pronunciation changed to Shiraz. The Australian Shiraz is a personal favorite, as it’s a dark, red wine, very deep and robust, with a touch of spice that pairs well with just about any of the foods we’ve mentioned thus far.

You’ll find this varietal fruit forward and with a slightly higher alcohol content, but smooth and well-balanced, so you can enjoy it with or without a meal. It focuses on the darker berries, with underlying notes of spice and pepper, tobacco and you may even catch a cedar characteristic.

Port

Ports are a very interesting experience in wine. These are fortified wines that are sweet to semi-sweet and can provide up to a 20% alcohol content. Port pairs well with bittersweet dark chocolates, crème brulee, caramels, dried fruits and nuts, which may be why it’s considered more of a dessert wine. These wines that can be quite complex and you can expect flavors of dark fruits, toffee, caramel, prunes/raisins and nuts.

Port can make great gift ideas for wine collectors as vintage ports are prized for their age worthiness, with most taking a decade or more before they are even ready to drink but come at a much higher price. If cost is a factor though, there are many other styles from Rose, white and Ruby Ports to Tawnys, aged Tawnys and late-bottle vintages that offer a similar experience but at a more reasonable price point.

Final Thoughts

Winter wines offer so much flavor and compatibility with the season’s heartier meals we had to include them in our blog selection! We hope that you’re able to use this guide in your selection to winter wines and it helps you in making an informed purchase. As always, if you don’t see something you want covered, feel free to reach out directly through our Contact page or leave a comment below, we read each and every one! All the best ~ Glen.