Sometimes, when the chills of winter creep into your bones, the only thing that can rescue you is a glass of beautiful, full-bodied wine. Here are 5 wines to beat the winter.
Galileo knew what he was talking about when he once said: “Wine is sunlight, held together by water.”
I’m assuming one of history’s most famed astronomers and physicists was referring to his awareness of—and cure for—Season Affective Disorder.
After all, one thing we’re always short of during winter is a bit of warm sunshine.
So in support of Galileo’s wisdom, we’ve put together five of our favourite winter warmers of bottled sunshine perfect for those cold dark evenings.
5 wines to get you through winter
When we’re after a wine for winter, we usually look for slightly higher ABV, plenty of body and tannic structure, and lots of dark fruit notes.
Having said that, there’s always room for white wine in winter—and even rosé. But similar rules apply; plenty of body and full of flavour, and that don’t need to be particularly cold to drink.
1. Grant Burge Filsell Old Vine Shiraz
Made with grapes from some of the Barossa’s oldest and most respected vineyards—including the Filsell Vineyard—Grant Burge has created a Shiraz that really epitomises full-bodied South Australian wine.
Packed with deep rich dark berries, chocolate and spice, this wine is exactly what you want on a cold evening.
Refined yet full of grunt, this is the wine that will go with everything from bolognese to beef and béarnaise.
Available from major retailers nationally
2. Lisa McGuigan Platinum Maximus Shiraz
Lisa McGuigan never does things by halves, and her Maximus Shiraz is the perfect example of that.
Lisa’s maiden voyage into making a Shiraz from Mudgee grapes under her own label brings us a real warrior wine.
Robust, statuesque and blazing with dark fruit and solid tannins, this is the wine you want next to you when the fire pit’s flaming and you’re ready to do battle with that big char-grilled t-bone.
We recently visited Lisa’s incredible Hunter Valley cellar door Vamp—check out our review and video walkthrough of this unique wine house here.
3. Oakvale Cabernet Shiraz
The perfect blend of South Australian Cabernet and Hunter Valley Shiraz creates a beautifully balanced wine in this Oakvale red.
Rich, velvety, savoury, spicy and sweet: all the qualities you want in a comforting glass over winter. Oak and cedar build foundations for the dark chocolate, berries—blackberry, dark cherry, boysenberry—pepper and warming menthol, and allow for a luxuriantly long finish.
If you’re not having a roast dinner when you’re enjoying a glass of Oakvale Cab Shiraz, you’re missing out.
Available direct from Oakvale here
4. Petaluma Pinot Noir
This New Zealand classic is made for winter. The cool climate of Central Otago brings out all the structure and elegance in this Pinot Noir.
Hints of wood from 25% of the yield seeing new French oak combine with the wine’s natural vibrancy to create complex flavours and textures. Dark berries and touches of cherry run into to a lovely finish led by fresh tannins.
Fresh and balanced acidity lets this Pinot play its own game, but pair it with game, spicy Thai or even blue cheese and you’re set for the evening.
Available from First Choice stores nationally
5. Scarborough Obsessive Chardonnay
One of the most respected wine families in the country, the Scarboroughs are known for their Hunter Valley Chardonnays.
Referring to the family patriarch, Ian ‘Scarbie’ Scarborough, The Obsessive is Scarborough flagship Chardonnay and is nothing short of extraordinary.
Left on its lees and in new French oak for 15 months, The Obsessive has beautiful creamy body that’s held up with firm acidity and elegant, rounded fruit flavours.
Great with anything from fish to steak—or just on its own, this is no normal Chardonnay.
Just make sure you leave this one out of the fridge for at least an hour before you open it. Flavours really develop as it warms a little.
Available from Scarborough Wines here
Do you have a favourite wine to keep you company over the winter months? Let us know in the comments below.
