As winter blankets the Pacific Northwest, there’s something truly magical about sipping on a glass of wine fireside, indulging in the warmth and richness that only this season can bring. From robust cabernet sauvignon to velvety merlot and buttery chardonnay, these wines capture the essence of the season.
The top three grape varietals produced in Washington state are cabernet sauvignon; merlot; and chardonnay, which also happens to be a delicious winter white wine.
Bold, robust, and full-bodied, cabernet sauvignon is a classic choice for winter sipping. Eastern Washington’s unique terroir imparts a distinct character to its cabernet sauvignon, offering a delightful balance of fruitiness and structure. One noteworthy winery on Bainbridge Island producing some amazing cabs is Eagle Harbor. It produced several cabernet sauvignons from Red Mountain and Walla Walla, but its standout and top wine is the Quanta.
The 2019 vintage of Quanta is 90% cabernet sauvignon and 10% cabernet franc with a deep ruby red color. This wine has aromas of plum, black currant, black pepper and graphite. In the mouth, the flavors open up and become quite complex with notes of red raspberry, currants and jam, which linger on the palate. The tannins are well integrated and the acid is perfectly balanced. A great bottle to elevate your winter evenings, providing a luscious escape from the cold and a perfect pairing with hearty stews or a well-seasoned ribeye.
Merlot, often considered the epitome of comfort in a glass, is the third-largest harvested grape in Washington state, with close to 22,000 tons. Grapes from Fletcher Bay Winery’s Tara Rouge come from the Columbia Valley and this red blend — predominately merlot — is a perfect balance of acidity and ripe fruit flavors. It’s a Right Bank Bordeaux-style blend with medium body and aromatics, with firm tannins. Notes of lilac, Rainier cherry, black tea and spicy Red Hots make it taste great with barbecue brisket or lasagna. The result is a wine that feels like a plush blanket, wrapping you in warmth and softness with every sip.
Fletcher Bay also produces a single varietal merlot from the Columbia Valley. The 2021 vintage has aromas and flavors of violet, ripe red plum, black raspberry, cherry cola, hibiscus tea, sage and anise. Sounds way more complex than it is. It’s dry, medium bodied with all the other mediums right there — tannins, acidity and alcohol. Goes great with a leaner meat burger like bison.
While winter weather often calls for red wine, don’t discount fuller bodied white wines like roussanne, marsanne or an oaky chardonnay.
Chardonnay, one of the most popular white wines in the world, can run the gamut of flavors depending on where it was grown, how it was made and what it was aged in. Chardonnay that has “stainless steel” on the label will result in a more crisp, acidic flavor in the glass. Labels that note “oak aged” or “oaky” typically mean the wine was aged in oak barrels and will result in more traditional chardonnay characteristics like a buttery, more rounded mouthfeel, slight nuttiness and fuller body. These types of chardonnays lend themselves well to a winter white wine, especially when served a bit warmer, like 55ºF.
On the sweeter side, something to be enjoyed in smaller amounts and definitely one to warm you in the winter is port. It’s a rich and fortified wine that originated in the Douro Valley in Portugal. Originally crafted from a blend of indigenous grape varieties such as touriga nacional, touriga franca and tinta roriz, port wine is renowned for its luscious sweetness and complexity. The unique winemaking process involves the addition of grape spirits, halting fermentation and preserving the natural sugars, which results in a higher alcohol content and a velvety, full-bodied texture. This fortification process allows the alcohol to preserve the bottle much longer than a nonfortified bottle of wine and stays fresh for months once opened.
With its deep ruby or tawny hues, port offers a diverse range of styles — from the vibrant and fruit-forward ruby port that is aged for a shorter period of time in stainless steel tanks, to the mellow and nutty tawny port that has been aged in wooden barrels. If you’re a port fan, a great local bottle is the Portus Alphonsus from Rolling Bay Winery on Bainbridge Island.
Whether you’re a local wine enthusiast or a visitor exploring the Washington wine scene, embrace the fireside season (and the endless darkness — at least we don’t live in Alaska) with wines that speak to the heart of the terroir. Let each sip be a celebration of the new year.
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