It is the most wonderful time of the year, especially in our magical home. Although it may be cold outside, these beautiful white wines can warm you from the inside out with their rich, textured character and engaging, inviting structure, lending richness to the palate. Adding any of these wines to your holiday table will delight the family and friends you break bread with throughout this special time of year. Cheers!

Bubbles are ideal any time of year, in the warm or cool seasons, particularly when they offer a well-rounded, textural base with creamy, yeast complexity. Sea Smoke Sea Spray Blanc de Noirs sparkling wine is a 100% Pinot Noir wine that Sea Smoke crafts using the traditional method, with the bubbles created in the bottle, aging initially in French oak barrels for 12 months and then another 39 months in the bottle en tirage. This extensive aging gives the sparkling wine incredible complexity and elegance, delivering layers of red apple, golden orchard fruit, ripe fig, and creamy brioche. Although the wine is complex, it is also bright and light on the palate, pairing well with fresh oysters, shellfish, or the ultimate holiday treat: Imperia Royal Ossetra caviar, which is made even better served atop a pile of creamy mashed potatoes (trust me, it is delicious!).

 

Far Niente Napa Valley Chardonnay shines with full-bodied richness and a well-balanced, beautifully refined concentration. The wine is made from fruit grown in the southern part of Coombsville. The area is not as cool as neighboring Carneros. However, the vines experience similar influences from San Pablo Bay and limited heat spikes throughout the growing season, resulting in a long season that produces beautifully ripe fruit with bright acidity. Far Niente ages the wine on the lees in a combination of new and once-used barrels, giving the wine an unctuous roundness with creamy notes of lemon curd, ripe nectarine, melon, and marzipan. It pairs as beautifully with roast chicken as it does with fresh lobster or creamy pasta dishes. 

Cool-climate wines thrive in the Pacific Northwest climate of the Willamette Valley, as shown in Willakenzie Tourdion Cuvée Blanc. The unique white blend brings together estate-grown 45% Pinot Noir, 33% Pinot Blanc, and 22% Pinot Gris. The winery crafts the crisp, fresh, energetic wine by quickly pressing the fruit off the skins, ensuring minimal skin contact to produce a golden wine with very little tannin. The wine shows creamy lemon curd, citrus blossom, honeycomb, and crushed stone with a creamy, well-rounded richness enhanced by 16 months of aging in neutral French oak and stainless steel. 

Limerick Lane specialises in old-vine Zinfandel from historic vineyards in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley, an area better known for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir than for the hearty red variety. Nestled on the warmer side of the region, the area showcases grape varieties that produce stunning wines that tell the story of the land. In addition to these expressive reds, the winery also shines with Rhone-style white wines, including its aromatic Fáilte White Blend. The wine is a blend of 70% Viognier and 30% Grenache Blanc, creating a juicy white with notes of stone fruit and white flowers. Luscious apricot and golden peaches meld with golden citrus notes on the palate, delivering a bright, refreshing white that is ideal with roasted chicken or pork tenderloin, fresh fish tacos, or creamy butternut squash risotto. 

Aging Albarino, whether in stainless steel tanks or in barrels, is not the most common production method for the Spanish grape variety. However, select producers in Galicia’s Rías Baixas are showcasing how well the aromatic white grape variety performs when it is allowed to age. From hand-selected Albarino fruit grown in Bodega Pazo de Barrantes’ single-estate vineyard within the Salnés Valley, Pazo de Barrantes Gran Vino Albarino employs a mix of production methods, including a long fermentation followed by three months of tank aging on the fine lees, which lend texture and complexity to the wine. The lees aging is followed by a blend of six months in stainless steel tanks and acacia wood barrels. After bottling, the wine rests an additional 16 months in the bottle before release. The resulting wine is beautiful, round, and rich, with creamy honey, white flowers, and stone fruit. Although the wine is rich, its natural acidity remains, keeping the palate lively and inviting.