As you hunker down for another winter season, you’ll need something to keep both your hands and your tastebuds busy on those chilly winter evenings as you await the arrival of Spring.
What better way to solve both quandaries than opening a bottle of quality wine and enjoying it with friends and family. After all, enjoying a glass or three of good wine while rugged up and warm is a sure-fire way to get through the winter months unscathed. The only question that remains is, “what wine will you be drinking this winter?”.
Wines to Keep You Warm this Winter
This Season’s Must-Try Non-Alcoholic Winter Wines
It is a common misnomer to think the ideal winter wine is red. In fact, the best wines for winter complement the food with which they’re paired, the circumstances and what you feel like drinking. Whilst mulled wine is typically enjoyed at warm temperature, there’s nothing wrong with sipping a chilled, crisp sparkling wine in the middle of June should it take your fancy!
In this article, we explore the most popular winter wine varietals and recommend the best non-alcoholic wine from Edenvale. Our alcohol-removed wines allow you to enjoy a tipple (or three!) without compromising taste all through the big chill. We’ll also suggest some delightful food and wine pairings to really make the most of these special drops. So sit back, relax, open a bottle, and enjoy some sensational alcohol-removed wine for the winter season.
Craving the perfect winter wines? You’ll find them at Edenvale
Best Winter Wines
So, what are the best wines to drink over the winter months? Here are our top four wine picks to bring sunshine into this time of year.
Chardonnay
Many wine aficionados note that heavier and richer white wine varietals, such as Chardonnay, typically taste best when not chilled. This is because with a little warmth the true aromas of Chardonnay are revealed. To best enjoy a Chardonnay this winter, take it out of the fridge and leave it to rest on the kitchen bench to decant before drinking. Doing so enhances the roundness and rich mouthfeel, making this a superb white winter wine.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Sure, Cabernet Sauvignon is an obvious and easy red winter wine recommendation, but that’s because this layered and complex red wine varietal is a perfect companion on chilly nights. With its typically full body, dark fruits and oak flavours, Cab Sav is a fabulous red wine in winter, and an ideal pairing for any hearty dinner, as you’ll see further on in our food recommendations.
Discover Edenvale Cabernet Sauvignon
Shiraz
Shiraz is arguably Australian wine lovers’ favourite drop, and certainly the most popular red wine varietal in the country. Its spice, fruit weight, and deep red colour provide all the comforts to keep us warm and get through winter. Whether you prefer a richer bodied wine over dinner or a medium-bodied drop with your lunch, Shiraz is the ultimate warm winter wine for making a bland season bold.
Mulled wine
When you think of the best winter wines in Australia, do you think of mulled wine? If not, why not?! While not exclusively a winter wine, mulled wine’s enticing sweet and spicy blend of flavours and aromas is an utter delight in these cold months. As the Mercury descends and you crave a warming red wine that soothes the soul, you can’t go past a steaming glass of mulled wine.
Edenvale’s Hearth Mulled Wine is proudly made from only the best selected South Eastern Australian wine grapes and offers an aromatic fusion of citrus, red currant fruits, clove, cinnamon, and herbal notes.
Non-Alcoholic Wine Options
Now your taste buds are fired up, let’s look at some of our favourite Edenvale drops to get through the chill.
Non-Alcoholic Chardonnay
Edenvale’s non-alcoholic Chardonnay is a beautifully-balanced, super smooth drop full of fresh fruit and oak. Expect rich melon, citrus and apple tasting notes with a light touch of oak and plenty of complexity. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better non-alcoholic Chardonnay for winter.
Non-Alcoholic Cabernet Sauvignon
If you’re looking for well-structured winter red wines, Edenvale’s non-alcoholic Cabernet Sauvignon is for you. Think deep red colours, intense blackcurrants, super juicy blackberries and even a touch of cedar. You’re warming up already, right?
Non-Alcoholic Premium Reserve Sparkling Shiraz
The best red wine for winter surely comes with a side serve of bubbles? A true Australian classic, Edenvale’s Premium Reserve Sparkling Shiraz exhibits luscious blackberry and currant flavours with a subtle hint of oak and smoky spice. Just the winter warmer! The palate is a delicious combination of dark fruit and chocolate, making this the perfect comfort non-alcoholic red wine drop.
Winter Wine Pairings
OK, we’ve looked at our cold seasonal wine selections, now let’s explore the best dishes to accompany them.
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For your Chardonnay food pairing, anything seafood or chicken will go down a treat, including seafood with butter sauces, sage-butter chicken, and grilled and roasted salmon.
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When enjoying a night with a bottle of Cab Sav, throw a juicy steak on the BBQ, or prepare one of the following: burgers, braised beef dishes, roast or grilled lamb, with a side of portobello mushrooms.
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If Shiraz is your drop of choice on a winter night this year, try pairing it with aged hard cheeses like Gouda, barbecued or braised chicken, duck, or a roast leg of lamb.
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Food pairings for mulled wine nights typically focus on Swedish dishes, as well as fondue, mince pies, and cheeses.
Which Wine Is Best for Winter?
The best wines for winter are whatever takes your fancy! Don’t feel pressure to conform to old-fashioned thinking. The beauty of Edenvale wine is it can be enjoyed anywhere, for any occasion and time of day. Whether you prefer a crisp chilled non-alcoholic white wine or a big bold alcohol-removed red wine, there are no rules.
Is Shiraz Better Cold?
Shiraz for winter is best served at room temperature. Whilst other lighter reds such as Pinot Noir might be best slightly cooler, bigger-bodied reds will be just fine if you leave them out of the fridge. Brrr!
What Wine Pairs Well With Winter Dishes?
Full-bodied, bold red wines like Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon are traditionally paired with winter dishes. Their deep flavour profiles and structure complement heartier, filling dishes. However, don’t disregard white winter wines, as they can be every bit as enjoyable and sophisticated. Indeed, rich, oak-driven Chardonnay is a wonderful accompaniment to cheesy or creamy dishes often popular during the cold months.
How Do You Serve Wine in Winter?
Even in winter, Rosé and fruit-driven white wines such as Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon are best kept in the fridge. In contrast, oak-influenced wines, including Chardonnay, don’t require as much chill and will be happy at around 10 - 12 degrees Celsius.
Dry and full-bodied red wines like Shiraz, Cabernet and Tempranillo typically exhibit tannins that comfortably store at 16 - 18 degrees, the ideal temperature for maximising their fruit qualities. You can afford to keep lighter red wines without those robust tannins, such as Pinot Noir, at slightly cooler temperatures.
Contact Us About Winter Wine Drinks
The winter wine vibes are strong! We hope this information helps you make some great choices during this chilly season. If you have any questions or need more information, please reach out to our friendly team. They’re wrapped in their winter woollies and ready to help.