Topic

The Best White Wines for Cold Weather

Date February 24, 2022

Words by Matt Tervooren

We’re at that point in the winter when snow goes from novelty to annoyance, and freezing temperatures go from tolerable to, well, intolerable. Even with moments of warmth here and there, we aren’t out of the woods just yet.

There are a few ways you can respond. You could wear more layers or get out of town for a while, but our go-to strategy is to drink more wine. While full-bodied reds are certainly one answer, they’re not the only answer. Big, savory white wines can be just as effective. Here are a few of our favorites.

The Best White Wines for Winter

Domaine Corsin, 'Vieilles Vignes' Saint-Véran 2017 $35

Saint-Véran is a small village toward the southern end of Burgundy where the warmer weather makes for a rounder, more open style of chardonnay. This bottle from Domaine Corsin has a few years of age on it, softening the texture and adding a toasty note.

Domaine Corsin, 'Vieilles Vignes' Saint-Véran 2017

$24.00 USD

Mayacamas, 'Mt. Veeder' Chardonnay 2017 $55

There’s no shortage of rich California chardonnay. In fact, there’s too much of it. Far rarer, though, are chardonnays like this one, which manages to be powerful and full-bodied without tasting like butter-soaked popcorn. Mayacamas - one of the wineries that put Napa on the map - harvests the grapes at high elevation, keeping the wine bright, refreshing, and balanced.

Mayacamas, 'Mt. Veeder' Chardonnay 2017

$25.00 USD

Terroir al Limit, 'Terra del Cuques' Priorat 2016 $55

Priorat wines always warm you up. That goes for the dense reds, as well as the far less common whites. This one is a blend of two grapes called pedro ximénez and muscat, which are farmed organically to produce a full-bodied wine that reminds us of White Burgundy.