Did you know that each year, Americans drink more than a billion gallons of wine? There's no denying that vino is one of our favorite beverages, especially around the holidays. Not only does it pair perfectly with a holiday meal, but it can also make it easier to deal with your annoying Aunt Becky!
Whether you're hosting a holiday gathering this year or bringing a gift as a guest, the perfect bottle of wine can be a great addition to the meal. Read on to discover some of our favorite holiday wines and make your holiday a little cheerier!
Belle Glos Clark and Telephone Pinot Noir
Pinot noir is a holiday classic that pairs well with most food, especially steak, pork, and other rich dishes. The wine is light and acidic, which can help to balance some of the heavier flavors of fatty meats. And when it comes to holiday pairings, it's hard to beat the richer, more spiced notes of a good red.
The Belle Glos Clark and Telephone Pinot Noir is smooth and dry, and its deep ruby color is gorgeous in the glass. It has notes of cranberry, raspberry jam, and cedar, as well as clove and holiday baking spices. The texture is rich enough to pair perfectly with dinner, and the wine has a warm finish that will leave your guests wanting more.
Patz and Hall Hyde Vineyard Pinot Noir
The next wine on our list is another pinot hailing from the prestigious Patz and Hall Hyde Vineyard. We particularly enjoy their 2018 vintage, which was one of the finest wines produced that year. The 2018 bottles pack even more acidity and fruit than their beloved 2012 vintage, previously a sommelier favorite.
This particular pinot has a broad palate with strong notes of brandied cherries, strawberry jam, and espresso. Beneath those bright beginnings lurk notes of moist earth and a firm tannin profile. You'll also detect white chocolate, roses, cherries, cloves, and fine herbs on the nose, creating a drinking experience that will elevate your holiday meals.
Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet sauvignon is another fantastic wine choice for holiday festivities. These reds tend to be more full-bodied than their pinot cousins with jammy notes and dry finishes. These flavor profiles can balance beautifully against the rich tastes of a holiday meal and the complexity of traditional winter desserts.
Josh Cellars has a gorgeous classic cab sav that will bring you top-shelf flavors without breaking the bank. The nose bursts with cinnamon, clove, oak, and dark fruits, while the palate is loaded with juicy berries and black cherries. You'll also find more delicate notes of vanilla and oak, and your guests will love the round, soft tannins this wine offers.
Daou Soul of a Lion Cabernet
Daous Soul of a Lion Cabernet is a red blend that brings all the best of cabernet sauvignon mellowed by some other varietals. To be specific, this blend includes 78 percent cabernet sauvignon, 12 percent cabernet franc, and 10 percent petit verdot. Soul of a Lion gets aged for nearly two years in French oak to give it a gorgeous tannin profile.
When you sample the nose of this blend, you'll discover blackberry, blueberry, black currant, cherries, sweet tobacco, and licorice. More sophisticated palates may also be able to pick out flavors of chargrill and graphite, as well as chocolatey tannins. The blend features notes of rose petals and green pepper on top and a long, luscious finish.
Luigi Bosca Malbec
Malbecs tend to have a similar profile to cabernet sauvignon, making them well-suited to robust holiday meals. They tend to be very full-bodied and have relatively low acidity, as well as having mid-range tannin profiles. They tend to be somewhat dry, although not as dry as their cab sav cousins.
Luigi Boscas Malbec is deep ruby in color and opens with aromas of black pepper, spices, and rich red fruit on the nose. The palate features a burst of ripe, juicy berries, including blackberries and blueberries, and a rich touch of mocha at the end. The tannins are soft and sweet and will make the perfect accompaniment to your dessert course.
Chandon California Blanc de Pinot Noir
You might be surprised to learn that not all pinot noir is deep red in color and rich in flavor. Chandon has crafted a pinot noir that's a delicate salmon color with much lighter tasting notes. It provides an incredible versatile pairing, complementing everything from seared tuna and sushi to mac and cheese and chocolate cake.
The main tasting notes in this Blanc de Pinot Noir are light fruits such as nectarines, red currents, raspberries, and elderberries. You may also detect notes of pink peppercorn and nutmeg on the finish. The lively acidity and lingering creamy texture make this a gorgeous complement to your holiday meals.
Gerard Bertrand Cote des Roses Languedoc Rosé
Continuing to move to the lighter end of the scale, rosés can be a gorgeous addition to your holiday festivities. Although traditionally thought of as a summer wine, rosé can help to offset some of the heavier flavors of a rich meal. These festive wines do incorporate some of the color from the wine skins, but not enough to classify them as a true red.
Gerard Bertrands Cote des Roses is a gorgeous wine from presentation to finish. Sold in elegant bottles with a clear stopper and a rose pattern in the base, this wine features a bouquet of summer fruits, red currant, and cassis. You'll taste floral notes of rose, as well as grapefruit and an almost candied finish.
Chateau d'Esclans Whispering Angel
Chateau d'Esclans has crafted another gorgeous holiday rosé in their Whispering Angel. This wine is a gorgeous peachy salmon color and tastes as fresh as it looks. When you pour it, you'll detect notes of raspberry and strawberry carried on a fresh breeze springtime in a glass.
While it may seem strange to pair such a springy wine with winter festivities, this wine can be the perfect way to make sure everyone at the table has something they like. The palate carries the same fruity notes as the nose built on a serious backbone of acidity. The wine expands beautifully on your mid-palate and finishes long, clean, and fresh.
Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé
Billecart-Salmons Brut Rosé is the perfect blend between the elegance of champagne and the brightness of rosé. This particular wine is a blend of chardonnay, meunier, and pinot noir that's been vinified as a red wine. This blend creates a pale pink wine warmed through with glints of gold and an elegant, subtle aroma.
On the nose, you'll find notes of red berries and citrus fruits, and the palate brings in lovely flavors of raspberry. The continuous bubbles in this wine also give it a gorgeous texture unlike most other rosés you'll find. This brut rose is the perfect accompaniment to red fruit desserts such as cherry pies, raspberry tarts, and strawberry cakes.
Frank Family Chardonnay
If white is more your style, it's hard to beat a good chardonnay for your holiday selections. Chardonnay tends to be somewhat dry and medium-bodied with medium acidity. The tannin profiles on these wines are very low, if they're present at all, and many chardonnays include richer notes than some of the rosés we've discussed.
Frank Family has crafted a gorgeous chardonnay that's the perfect addition to your holiday table. Their wine is fresh and airy, with notes of orchard fruit and lemon peel, as well as white pepper and mint. You may notice aromas of stone fruit, lemon zest, white flowers, and vanilla on the nose and lychee and toasted almonds on the finish.
Cuvaison Los Carneros Chardonnay
If you prefer a chardonnay that's a little toastier, look no further than Cuvaisons Los Carneros Chardonnay. This wine carries notes of brioche and apricot, which are perfect for a holiday brunch or formal tea. It can also pair with vinaigrette salad dressings and a variety of other elegant holiday classics.
The Los Carneros chardonnay begins with aromas of vanilla, clove, jasmine, and honeysuckle. On the palate, those give way to the brioche and apricot notes we mentioned, accompanied by pear, peach, and bright lemon. The fruit tones balance beautifully with the oaky notes at the end of this wine for a plush, enjoyable drinking experience.
Bonterra Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon blanc tends to be a much higher-acidity wine than chardonnay and is a little less dry than its buttery cousin. It tends to have a medium-light body and relatively low tannin profiles. Sauvignon blanc tends to offer brighter flavors than chardonnay and can offer a refreshing contrast to rich winter dishes.
Bonterras sauvignon blanc is exemplary of the varietal, offering the perfect brightness to pair with your meal. Right off the nose, you'll get tropical aromas like fresh-cut grass, kiwi, and grapefruit. The palate offers a bright minerality that will make you forget your winter blues and carry you to the shores of a sunny beach somewhere.
Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio
Pinot grigio tends to have the lowest tannins of any of the wines for the holidays we've discussed so far. This varietal isn't quite as high in acidity as sauvignon blanc, but it is still fairly acidic. It also tends to be a very dry wine with a medium body and light flavor profiles.
Santa Margheritas pinot grigio is a classic (and one that's relatively affordable without compromising flavor). The wine is dry and shows a gorgeous pale straw color in the glass. Its aroma is clean and intense, and the golden apple finish on this wine will make it the perfect sophisticated addition to any winter festivities.
Segura Viudas Reserva Brut
What's the holiday season without a little sparkle, and what better way to add sparkle than in a wine glass? Brut wines are dry and sparkling, and in some cases, they can be considered Champagne. However, as you may know, while all Champagnes are sparkling wine, not all sparkling wines are Champagnes.
Segura Viudas Reservas brut hails from Spain and thus is not a Champagne, but that doesn't make it any less of a perfect addition to your holiday festivities. This wine offers a clean, delicate flavor born of a blend of Macabeo, Parellada, and Xarel-lo grapes. The mouthfeel on this wine is pleasingly creamy, and the floral palate is the perfect way to ring in the holidays.
Vietti Cascinetta Moscato d'Asti
On the other end of the sparkling wine spectrum we find moscato d'Asti, another sparkling wine that is not a Champagne. Unlike brut wines, moscato is sweet and, in fact, is often considered a dessert wine. But the right moscato can pair well with lighter entrees, such as lobster or Asian cuisine.
Vietti Cascinettas Moscato d'Asti begins with intense aromas of peaches, ginger, and rose petals. The palate offers a lovely complexity, light acidity, and a gorgeous delicate sweetness. You'll love the finish of apricots and the balance this wine brings to the table, whether you're on your first course or fifth.
Find the Best Holiday Wines
There's nothing better than a holiday meal spent with people you love, and a great bottle of wine can be the perfect accompaniment. Pinot noir is always a great pairing for holiday meals, as is a bottle of cabernet sauvignon. Rosé is a popular choice, and if you're a white wine lover, you can't go wrong with chardonnay.
If you'd like to find the best holiday wines, check out the rest of our site at Liquorama. We are here to provide you with the perfect wine, the smoothest tequila, the hoppiest beer, and more. Shop our wine selection today and start getting your drinks for the holidays the easy way.