Try These Cozy Wines
Natural wine recommendations for a festive December!
Tis the season for long dark nights and celebrating cozy holidays with loved ones! Here are some natural wines that pair perfectly with both; these wines are all low-intervention, delicious, and perfect for the twinkly celebratory month that is December.
Pinot Noir is the epitome of cozy wine to me. It’s earthy and full of warm fruit notes while still being higher in acidity. When done right a Pinot Noir is not too heavy but inspires thoughts of dark and cozy tasting notes. This one is done right. It tastes like strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, black currants, and finishes with a hint of that comforting mushroomy earthy taste.
Pas de Problème is a small winery located in the Languedoc region of France. They harvest the grapes by hand, don’t use chemicals, let the wines ferment naturally, and bottle them without filtration. In short, this a beautiful example of a natural French Pinot Noir. Definitely crack this wine open on a cool winter night or maybe even on Christmas Eve by the fire!
Echeverría’s No Es Pituko Chardonnay
Who said white wine can’t be cozy too? This unfiltered Chardonnay from Chile is sure to change anyone’s mind on that subject. No Es Pituko is medium body with high acidity and the interesting yeasty tasting notes that come from being unfiltered. This wine will also shatter your preconceived notions about Chardonnay; it is unlike any old-school, oaked, California Chardonnay! This is refreshing and bright and full of body and interest! It tastes like lemonade, Meyer lemons, apples, pears, lemon custard, yogurt, and yeast.
This wine gets better and better as it opens up. It’s perfect for a game night or holiday party or changing your perspectives on what a cozy wine can look like and what a Chardonnay can taste like.
Frank Cornelissen is a Sicilian winemaker who is well-known in the natural wine community as being exceptionally good at what he does and using little intervention in his winemaking. You will typically see his wines labeled as Susucaru. Cornelissen’s vineyard is located on Mount Etna and follows a very high standard of natural winemaking with a huge amount of respect for nature. Cornelissen’s wines are a beautiful testament to Sicily.
This wine, Pistemutta Rosa, is a collaboration project between Cornelissen and Patagonia. It is made from the grape Nerello Mascalese which is quite rare; it’s mostly grown in the Mt. Etna region of Sicily. It tastes like strawberries, jam, herbs, and has an interesting earthy, smoky finish. If you like Pinot Noir, you’ll love this one; it tastes quite similar! Because it’s a collaboration project, Pistemutta Rosa is a bit more affordable that most of Cornelissen’s wines. It’s a steal of a deal and perfect for drinking as you decorate your Christmas tree!
Cirelli’s Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
Often there is nothing quite so cozy as a good red table wine from Italy. This Montepulciano d’Abruzzo from winemaker Francesco Cirelli is a beautiful option for a red table wine to pair with your holiday dinner. It’s dry with medium body and medium tannins to hold up well against rich food and just the right amount of acidity to cut through it. With tasting notes of raspberry, strawberry, apple, floral, and a hint of yeast it’s certainly interesting enough to not be overshadowed by a meal.
Cirelli is a great example of an Italian natural winemaker who left another profession to pursue a passion of crafting quality wine that celebrates the Italian terroir and has little intervention or additives. Cirelli purchased his farm in 2003 with his wife, and they have been tending the land with respect ever since. They farm organically and grow lower yields to achieve more concentrated fruit. The wines are fermented in clay amphorae with little intervention from the winemaker. The result? A dynamic and balanced red wine that celebrates Italy and pairs oh so well with a nice dinner.
I hope these recommendations inspire your holiday meal and party planning! What a perfect season to raise a glass of natural wine and cheers over a good meal. If you try these wines let me know what you think. I always love to hear your thoughts on my wine recommendations. Happy holidays, friends!
These are great recommendations for winter 😌☕️