Winter is about warm and cozy ambiance and hearty, comforting dishes. Rich, bold red wines are the go-to choices for the season. However, white wines are not just for summer or warm weather. In fact, many winter dishes pair better with whites than reds. In the world of wine, there’s no shortage of full-bodied, creamy, and round whites that deserve their place in winter.
Oaked Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a classic, produced in many different styles. Refreshing, easy-drinking Chardonnays are ideal for summer, but the true beauty of Chardonnay lies in oak aging. As a naturally round, full-bodied grape variety, oak aging is the perfect companion to Chardonnay. The world’s finest Chardonnays are mostly oak-aged, whether it’s the more elegant Old World style from Burgundy, such as Puligny-Montrachet, Meursault, or Corton-Charlemagne, or the more expressive New World style from Napa Valley, Russian River Valley in California, or Margaret River in Australia.
Oaked Chardonnay often features ripe orchard fruits like apple and peach, tropical notes like pineapple, and nutty flavors such as hazelnut or toasted almonds. It has a buttery, coating mouthfeel, making it ideal for winter creamy dishes and cheese-based sauces like Chicken Fricassée or Fettuccine Alfredo.
Viognier
When you swirl a glass of Viognier and inhale its aromas, you’re transported to a flower market. While not as widely planted as Chardonnay, Viognier has its own unique character and should be your new winter favorite. Aromatic and lush, Viognier offers an intense nose of honeysuckle, tangy citrus, rose, ripe apricot, and nectarine, with a smooth, voluptuous mouthfeel.
The best example of a varietal Viognier wine comes from Condrieu in the Northern Rhône of France. These wines are fragrant and luxurious, with a creamy or oily texture and sometimes a spicy touch—perfect for those who don’t enjoy lean acidity in white wine. For a New World version, look to Barossa Valley, Eden Valley, or Adelaide in Australia. In the U.S., Napa, Sonoma, and Paso Robles offer amazing Viogniers, available as single varietal wines or blended with other Rhône whites.
Viognier pairs best with exotic or well-spiced cuisine. Moroccan tagines or Thai curries are perfect matches, as the full-bodied texture complements the weight of the dishes, while its aromatics and hint of sweetness balance the spices.
Orange Wine
Orange wine, with its unique taste, began as an alternative wine style and eventually became a trend. The winemaking technique, which involves skin-contact maceration (used for red wines), adds complex flavors, more body, and structure to the wine. Increasingly, wine producers around the world are experimenting with this style.
The flavor profile of orange wine varies depending on the grape used, but expect notes of orange peel, citrus blossom, dried apricot, herbs, spices, and even earthy undertones. The skin contact also imparts a touch of tannin, making orange wine excellent for food pairing. Classic orange wine regions include Georgia, where wines are aged in clay amphorae called Qvevri, and Friuli-Venezia Giulia in Northern Italy. Amber Rkatsiteli and orange Ribolla Gialla are perfect winter whites. Their complex flavors, full-bodied texture, and tannin structure make them versatile, pairing well with dishes that typically call for white wine, as well as rich dishes like pork ribs or Indian curry.
Grüner Veltliner Smaragd
Grüner Veltliner is known for its bright acidity and white peppery notes. While most Grüner Veltliners make amazing summer wines, Smaragd is what you should look for in a winter white. This classification ensures the grapes reach optimal ripeness, resulting in dry, full-bodied wines that balance high acidity with ripe stone fruit flavors, white pepper, and honeyed herbal nuances. As an Austrian white, Grüner Veltliner Smaragd pairs well with traditional Central and Eastern European mountain dishes, such as sausages, fatty meat stews, and root vegetables.
South African Chenin Blanc
If you love Riesling but want a winter alternative, Chenin Blanc is a perfect choice. Sharing similarities with the “king of white grapes,” Chenin Blanc offers flavors of green apple, quince, pear, and honeyed notes. While the Loire Valley in France is its historic home, South African Chenin Blanc, often barrel-aged, provides a fuller-bodied twist to this lovely wine. Barrel-aged and lees-aged styles are round, bold, and versatile, pairing well with fatty meats or rich casseroles.
This winter, don’t just reach for robust Cabs or bold Malbecs. Look for delicious, rich, full-bodied white wines. They bring freshness to your winter meals while pairing perfectly with hearty, creamy dishes.
Wine consultant Sylvia Ba is a vinicultural expert with the “VinoVoss”—an AI Sommelier smartphone app and web-based semantic wine search and recommendation system