Your favorite cashmere sweater. A cozy fleece blanket. A succulent bowl of savory Boeuf Bourguignon. These are definitely a few of my favorite Winter things and you know what makes them ALL even BETTER? Enjoying them with a nice, big glass of RED WINE!
In my opinion Red Wine is the PERFECT Winter accessory and this post features some of my absolute favorites that are guaranteed to warm you up from the inside out. They are intensely colored, full-bodied, mouthfilling wines with oodles of ripe fruit and copious amounts of tannin. If you crave this style of wine or are in the mood for further exploration these Somm selections will inspire you to race to your local wine store OR your favorite online purveyor. And in order to accommodate your vinous whims, I’ve chosen wines at a variety of price points featuring both steals AND splurges ~ Enjoy!!!
1.) CLINE ANCIENT VINES MOURVEDRE, CENTRAL COAST, CALIFORNIA ($18): Crafted from the concentrated fruit of 80-120 year old vines, this full-bodied beauty delights with mouth-filling notes of luscious plum, blackberry, chocolate + eucalyptus accompanied by supple tannins + a lengthy finish.
2.) ALTA VISTA ESTATE MALBEC, MENDOZA, ARGENTINA ($24): Hailing from the mountains of Mendoza, this 100% Malbec seduces with a dense, inky purple color + fragrant aromas + flavors of blackberry compote, plum, violets + spice with firm tannins + a peppery finish.
3.) ROBERT OATLEY SIGNATURE SERIES CABERNET SAUVIGNON, MARGARET RIVER, AUSTRALIA ($22): This fresh, juicy red delights with a bright garnet color + aromas + flavors of black currant, raspberry, cassis + dried herbs with grippy, gravelly tannins + a lengthy finish.
4.) GAJA CA’MARCANDA PROMIS, TUSCANY, ITALY ($50): This savory blend of Merlot, Syrah + Sangiovese is a stunner with heady floral aromas of rose, violet + earthy red + black fruit. On the palate, mouth-filling flavors of wild strawberry, black cherry + plum are accentuated by rosemary, fennel + smoke + supple tannins which culminate in a long, lingering finish.
5.) LA JOTA MERLOT HOWELL MOUNTAIN, NAPA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA ($85): This beautifully structured blend of predominantly Merlot with dollops of Tannat + Petit Verdot crafted from coveted mountain fruit entices with heady aromas of ripe black fruit, earthy truffles + spice. Opulent layers of blackberry, roasted plum, cassis + espresso delight on the palate + are accompanied by affable tannins + a mineral-tinged finish.
6.) CHATEAU DE BEAUCASTEL CHATEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE, RHONE, FRANCE ($90): This Southern Rhone classic, a blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah + Counoise, delights with aromas + flavors of black currant, black cherry + plum as well as savory notes of smoked meat, tapenade + garrigue + chewy tannins. It all culminates in a lengthy, richly textured, mouthwatering finish.
For purchasing information for any of these Winter Red Wines, simply click on the wine’s name above. And, just in case you can't find a particular wine or it's not available in your area, please don't give up! Ask a clerk at your local retail store to recommend a wine that’s similar to the one you're looking for. Better to enjoy something similar than nothing at all!
Also, if you're interested in learning more about wine this year, I have the perfect place to start: my White Wine 101 and Red Wine 101 blog posts. I hope you enjoy them and please feel free to share this post with your wine loving friends!
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Stephanie Miskew
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