The Best Winter Wines
Christmas dinner is better with the right bottle of red wine.
The best wines for winter holiday meals are red, full-bodied and spicy. Shiraz and Syrah wines from France and California are top-rated for Christmas dinner.
I can't imagine a better Christmas wine than a good Shiraz, or Syrah. Shiraz and Syrah wines come from the same grapes, the former in Australia/South Africa, the latter in France. Syrah is the predominant grape in the northern Rhone. The grapes are dark purple, with firm tannens to make a deep red, full-bodied wine. Spicy and complex, this oaky wine is great for any winter holiday - Christmas, Hanukah, etc - and is best served with red meats and winter vegetables. I last had a couple of glasses of Syrah with a dinner of asparagus and steak, and it was one of the best winter holiday meals I've had in quite some time.
The best Christmas dinner wines don't have to cost a fortune. While there are some top-rated, expensive Shiraz labels, there are great Shiraz and Syrahs to be had for under 40 dollars. My favorite Syrah so far is from the Miner Family Vineyards - no relation to me, unfortunately!
Shiraz and Syrahs are popular wines, and I believe they're the best choices for Christmas dinners and other winter holiday meals. Because they are capable of long aging, there are some luxury vintage Shiraz and Syrahs on the market. But these dark red wines are also pleasant relatively young - a spicy new Syrah will not disappoint the palate. Syrahs are becoming more popular in California, with particularly good growing areas in Santa Barbara, Napa Valley and Amador counties. There are some fairly expensive California Syrahs, but taste and palate don't suffer with a cheaper, less vintage Syrah or Shiraz.
A high quality, high ranking Syrah has great depth and offers spiciness, pepper and a dark fruit taste. My father-in-law, who is a huge oenophile, recommends French Syrahs first, then some California Syrahs. I drink what I like and so does he, but he's the wine expert who can tease out all the sweet (sugar) and bitter (tannin) complexities of wines. In terms of Shiraz and Syrahs - the best wines for red meat and winter holidays - the depth, harmony and balance of the following, win his and my top rated wine list:
Top rated Syrahs
- Colgin Syrah Napa Valley IX Estate
- Alban Syrah Edna Valley Seymour's Vineyard
- Miner Syrah Napa Valley
- Miner Syrah Napa Valley Brookside Vineyard
- Bonaccorsi Syrah Santa Barbara County
- Alban Syrah Edna Valley Reva
Top rated Shiraz
- Penfolds Shiraz South Australia Grange
- Barossa Valley Estate Shiraz E&E Black Pepper
- Kaesler Shiraz Barossa Valley Old Bastard
- Two Hands Shiraz Barossa Valley Ares
There are many fine Syrahs and Shiraz options available. As a Christmas wine, they are really top-rated. Their dark red spiciness is perfect for the winter holidays. All things being equal, I do believe this: Your Christmas will be merrier, your Hanukah happier, and your holiday season more gratifying as a whole, when you pair them with the best wines for the time of year.
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