Sauvignon Blanc and Rose were made for the summer months. Their crisp acidity and fruity palette just beg to be sipped outside on a steamy evening.
But come winter, we long for something more substantial. Just as we look to hearty braises and stews in the kitchen to bring a sense of warmth and sustenance, so we look to bigger, more full-bodied wines to see us through the chilly times.
Many would automatically turn-coat to red, with their structured tannins and fuller mouth feel. But don’t forget the winter whites—Chardonnay and Riesling. A glass of Chardonnay at holiday time leaves you aglow instead of weighed down, as it can on a sweltering summer day. And Riesling is a perfect pair with the stick-to-your-ribs fare of the winter months.
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is the most popular of all white wines, beloved by viticulturists, winemakers and consumers alike. Chardonnay has its roots in France’s Burgundy region, but is now grown in literally every wine growing country around the globe.
The grape itself is incredibly versatile. It thrives in a variety of soil and climate conditions and reflects both the terroir in which the grapes are grown and the winemaking techniques practiced in the cellar. For this reason, you’ll find a wide spectrum of Chardonnay styles to enjoy—from flinty and crisp to full-bodied butterscotch.
Here in Sonoma County, there are numerous microclimates that affect both the type of clones planted in a certain area (Clone 4, for instance, loves the warm valley floors) and the character of the finished wine. In the cellar, the winemaker can control the amount of toast and the degree of malolactic fermentation, resulting in varying degrees of vanilla and butterscotch.
Because of the extreme variation in style, nailing down hard 
and fast pairing rules for Chardonnay can be quite tricky. Lobster and crab pair beautifully with steely, cool climate Chardonnays, for instance; creamy sauces with medium bodied ones; and a roast chicken would go wonderfully with a more robust, oaked wine. And then there’s always shrimp and mushroom fettuccine with caramelized shallots and corn that pairs perfectly with Clos du Bois Calcaire Chardonnay.
Riesling
While Chardonnay is sort of like the sunny Californian that just so happens to look great in a fuzzy white coat, Riesling was born to be a winter white. It can withstand the cold better than just about any other vine, and does so often in Germany and France’s Alsace region where the grape is famed.
In the cellar, Riesling dislikes oak. By nature, it is a highly aromatic wine showing notes of jasmine and honeysuckle on the nose, with low alcohol and a zesty, almost spicy palate. Yet as Rieslings age, they can take on toasty characteristics, despite the lack of oak treatment, and acquire a mild scent of Asian citrus and brioche.
The lovely acid-fruit balance of Riesling makes it a great match for a variety of flavors. I like it with Chinese food or sushi, but I 
also love it with white braises or simple roast chicken. This may be strange, but when I think of Riesling I think of Jean-Georges Vongerichten and I’m not exactly sure why. It could be that he’s from Alsace. Or it could be that he once had a Chicken Braised in Riesling recipe (see photo to the right) on the cover of Food+Wine that still makes me salivate. Or it could be that his name is equated with Asian-inspired dishes with which Riesling pairs so well. Or maybe it’s just all three.
So give the red a rest tonight and try a winter white!
18 Comments
Hi Lia,
I have a question. Do you and your husband drink wine every night? We do, and there are many nights where there is one glass left in the bottle. We normally drink red this time of the year, but there are occasional dishes (or moods) where I want to open a white. I just feel wasteful at the end of the week when we have so many open bottles with one or 2 glasses left. Oh, and my husband will never drink will almost never drink white. So, no chance of getting him to finish that one.
I’m a newbie when it comes to actually knowing anything about wine. Not that I haven’t been drinking wine . . I started with Annie Green Springs in High School.
But for the last few years I’ve tried to enlarge my “repertoire”. I’m not crazy about white wine though. Love the reds. As to leftover - how long can wine in an open bottle keep? I have a bottle I opened on Saturday and I’ve been having a glass each evening. Tastes ok to me. Otherwise, I use wine in recipes. I rarely have leftovers. My husband doesn’t drink wine. My grown kids think it tastes awful. steph
Maureen . . . Yes, like you guys, we too drink wine every night. And, like you, we struggle with the multiple open bottles dilemma too.
I’ll give you the short answer of what we tend to do here. But your question prompted me to delve deeper into other options, so I’m putting together a full post on the subject–stay tuned!
My hub and I tend to have a white or rose open in the fridge (we keep it with a vacuvin) that we’ll sip about a half glass of as we get dinner ready–kind of like a little aperatif. And then we’ll open a bottle–either red or white–that goes with whatever we’re having that night. And therein lies the difficulty. We usually only drink half of the bottle, so we may have a syrah on Monday, but then something that pairs better with a pinot or zin the next day, which means the syrah sits for an extra day. Usually, though, wines seem to keep at least a day and up to three with the vacuvin system. Hope that helps!
Stephanie . . . I think you’re just fine having a glass of wine each night off a bottle . . . and if it starts to smell or taste funky by the last day, don’t feel bad about tossing it. And don’t worry . . . I’m sure your kids will come around someday ;-).
Lia, thanks for this post. I actually didn’t realize that winter was the time of year to drink these two whites. It makes sense though - in the heat of summer, chardonnay never sounds like a good idea.
Thanks again!
Thanks Lia, that does help. I do have a vacuvin, and forget to use it. We’ve been good about trying to finish those half bottles/1 glass left, with a “use up leftovers” about every 3rd day, but sometimes that doesn’t happen. Today at lunch I sauteed some portabello mushrooms, and added a dash of merlot that was opened on Sunday.
Foodette . . . You’re so very welcome. There are several others too that are hearty enough to enjoy during the winter, but I thought these two would be good to start with ;-).
Maureen . . . Vacuvins are fabulous. Although I have to say your lunch sounds pretty fabulous too!
I’ll have to ask for a vacuvin for Christmas. I just put the cork back. Told ya I was illiterate about wine. Oh - that reminds me . . .Mr. E gave me a recommendation for a wine when he first started to educate me and I bought a really delicious zin (my first $25 bottle of wine). I put it in the fridge after having a glass and the next night it tasted terrible. He was very kind to me when I told him what I had done and asked why it tasted so bad. And didn’t even look down on my ignorance. That is nice when people don’t respond like wine snobs to those of us who are just learning.
steph
How wonderful! I adore a hearty white this time of year - especially a Riesling. Now I’m sure I’ll think of Jean Georges too haha!
I love white wine, too, especially the crisp food-friendly varieties like Pinot Gris, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. And then there are the bubblies…don’t get me started. I love Prosecco and popcorn.
Now that the weather is cooler, I definitely crave red wine with dinner. I guess it’s serendipitous that we eat more hearty food at this of time year.
Our only problem is that my husband and I drink like thirsty field hands, and finish off a bottle in no time!
Karen,
I don’t see that as a problem at all!
Stephanie . . . There is nothing more exciting than learning something new (I’m a big believer, as my last post can testify to). So don’t ever feel bad to ask about something you don’t know about wine. I (and Mr. E) am more than happy to answer the best I can . . . and to tap my resources to learn something new myself if I don’t know the answer!
Amanda . . . And now I’ll be thinking of you thinking of me thinking of JG when I think of Riesling ;-).
Karen . . . Prosecco and popcorn. Oh my that sounds wonderful (there’s something happy and giddy in just thinking about it). I’m just going to have to give that a try this weekend!
Maureen . . . I’m with you!
Karen - I don’t see the problem either.
Lia - thanks . . I have a large list of wines to try. Usually I forget it at home and feel like calling Mr. E when I am standing there staring at wines. I don’t though . . .
I gave my daughter the hint about the vacuvin. Had her taste my wine tonight - she said she preferred milk. All my kids drink 3-4 glasses a day. Farm kids.
steph
My wife doesn’t think she will enjoy a white in the winter so we almost never have any. I’m okay with this until around late February when I start to really miss a good quality Riesling or a simple Sauvignon Blanc while sitting around at night reading for work.
Finally in March I’ll open my own bottle - to heck with it - and sit back and enjoy a crisp white wine while I contemplate my upcoming Spring chores. It’s funny. I actually look forward to that day, when I cast off what she wants for an hour and drink something without compromise. For one night a year, I don’t care about anyone else’s opinion of what to drink except my own. I rule with an iron fist - for like 85 minutes.
Steve - my husband doesn’t like wine so I rule with an iron fist all the time.
steph
Thanks for the wine suggestions, Lia! We don’t usually drink white wine at our house in the fall and winter…it’s always seemed like a warm weather-thing to me. I’ll have to give your suggestions a try! I don’t think I’ve ever even tried a Riesling. (!)
Steve . . . You crack me up. I can just see you there in your armchair, sipping that Riesling with a lordly grin on your face. So much better way to ring in spring than cleaning in any case!
Steph . . . I’m telling you, the kids will get over milk one day, dangit, and learn to love this fermented grape juice!
Elisabeth . . . I’ll be curious to hear what you think. I’m tempted to try the JGV recipe in the next couple of weeks (all these years and I’ve never made it!) to pair with a nice Riesling.
And there’s nothing like a sweet German Auslese with some pan-seared foie gras…
Ohhh, you can tell where my mind is lately….
Katie . . . Oh I so hear you. Mine too. And, thankfully, I’m headed to the marvelous Cyrus Restaurant tonight where there’s a whole section of the menu entitled “foie gras” :-). Cheers!
One Trackback
[…] This question has come up quite a bit lately, so I thought it would be a good topic to delve into in a post. But instead of just telling you my […]