Wine and Comfort Food: Winter Edition

As the temperatures drop, everyone’s ready with their comforting sweaters for the cozy
weather; the same applies to our palettes as well.

Winter is the prime time to experiment with some heart-warming, soul-craving delicacies that
are perfect for bringing families together for intimate gatherings around a fireplace. Rest
assured, this meal is going to warm your tummy while its rich flavours and textures call for
an awesome wine pairing that adds the cherry on top.

We’ve compiled a delicate selection of wines and their gastronomic counterparts that will
seal the deal for your winter meals. So, let’s get cooking!

How To Choose The Perfect Wine For Winter

When it comes to picking wines that are best to drink in winter, Sommeliers all have different
opinions and preferences on the type of wines they like. Some of the common qualities
winter wines should have included being fuller-bodied, having a spicy taste, having an oily
rich texture, and less acidity content to name a few. While most people unanimously opt for
red wines, there is also room for aged white wines at the dinner table.
However, when choosing your wines, there are three important factors you ought to
consider:

1. Region Of The Wine
   Different areas where wineries are based depend on the climate, temperature, amount of
   sunshine, soil, and topography. Warmer regions have better conditions for wines to drink in
   winter. Wines from this region result in a lower acidity level and higher sugar content.
2. Acidity levels
   Choose wines that have lower acidity levels – they are less tart on the palette unless the
   wine you are choosing is aged.
3. Alcohol Content
   Choosing a wine with higher alcohol content has a thermogenic effect in winter, meaning it
   will warm you up from the inside. How much alcohol a wine consists of also affects whether
   it will be a sweet-tasting wine or a dryer wine.

Best Winter Wine and Food Pairings

If you’re having trouble creating a winter menu for a party or even for a special at-home
dinner, we have a few options that you can consider adding to your dinner table:

Wild Mushroom Risotto With Pinot Noir
Risotto is a hearty meal that is warm for winter. Mushrooms are adaptable, and there are
several that have adapted and thrived in the cold weather. Risotto is suitable for all kinds of
weather, your addition to it is what makes it a winter or summer dish. Pinot noir
complements mushroom dishes and is a perfect wine to have in autumn and winter.

Roasted Venison With Cabernet Sauvignon
Roast meat is a great winter dish, as it is associated with warmth and comfort. A great
selection of meat is venison as it has higher iron levels and a great source of omega 3
among other vitamins and minerals. Cabernet Sauvignon is a type of wine that provides a
similar type of warmth that a roast does, making it a perfect combination.

Buttery Lobster With Aged Chardonnay
It’s worth noting that both Canadian and Maine lobsters feature hard-shelled lobsters with
sweet and tender meat. Crack and butterfly the lobster shell before seasoning and cooking
them. You can grill them or boil them, both will be delicious and hearty for winter eating.
Chardonnay is a great winter wine, as it is both full-bodied and toasty.

Spaghetti Bolognese With Malbec
When you think of comfort foods, you think of spaghetti bolognese. This meal is easy to
make while being meaty and spicy in taste. Pairing it with a dark wine like Malbec, which is
smooth with hints of dark fruitiness is the way to go.

Grilled Salmon With White Burgundy
Eating fish like salmon in winter is great for protecting one’s lungs. Grilling salmon is a great
way to make fish take on a hint of warmth associated with winter comfort food. While red
wines are more common for winter, white burgundy has the same appeal while being a white
wine. It has stone fruitiness with hints of toastiness, vanilla, and saline.

Red Meat Stews With Shiraz
Stew is a go-to warm and hearty winter dish, and it is best to make red meat strews, as they
are a great source of protein that aids with thermogenesis – and helps warm you up.
Following the theme of thermogenesis, a wine like Shiraz which creates the same effect, is
the perfect accompaniment wine for stews.

Bonus: Pumpkin pie with Zinfandel

What’s a hearty winter meal without dessert? Pumpkin pie is a great way to round off a meal,
and these fall-to-winter flavours are nicely paired with Zinfandel. This full-bodied wine has
notes of berries and vanilla. It goes well with both sweet and savoury dishes.

Parting Thoughts

The winter chills sure make you want to snuggle up and get cozy in bed, but you can fix that
perfectly by cooking up a storm in your kitchen and savouring the food with a heavenly wine
pairing. After all, winters are all about experimenting, layering flavours, and creating versatile
dishes that warm the soul.