2023 Holiday Wine Guide
How to buy a great bottle almost anywhere for less than $25.
An annual question: what wine should I drink with holiday and special occasion meals this year? And a nuance for how we might be feeling about our finances right now, what are some more affordable options (< $25)?
The internet abounds with recommendation articles and listicles, and I even asked ChatGPT, which did a reasonable job of regurgitating prevailing wisdom, and even a not boring list of three options after I pressed it a bit (I share that at the end).
But we each still need to walk into a store soon and make some choices, so here are my steers for this year, and a few guiding things to consider.
Pairing
For a big and rambling feast of any kind, start by leaving any goals of pairing wines with food at the door. If you’re attending a small and curated gathering you might dare, but most agree that the wide range of flavor profiles at most holiday meals makes this impossible to do well, or at least not worth the effort. Adrian Flores, sommelier and creative at The Mott Studio, recommends you think of wine at these meals as a respite for the palate, something that softens the blows of a massive spread and refreshes you for the next bite. This means wines that are lighter and brighter (i.e. higher acidity) and fairly easy drinking.
Also consider the setting and climate, per Nicola Parisi, food and beverage photographer and graphic designer. Are you in a warm climate, or is dinner in a small space where all those festive bodies will heat the room? A cold white or orange wine or a lightly chilled red might sound better and feel more refreshing (and please don’t serve any red wine at warm room temperature no matter what).
Crowd
Considering your audience cuts across many arenas in life, and it definitely applies here. For family? Many of us will want something more traditional and low friction for these gatherings (spare yourself the time explaining that natural wine is actually as traditional as it gets). Gathering with friends might open the door to experimenting with natural wines or something less conventional.
Labels
We start eating and drinking with our eyes, so labels set the first vibe for a bottle, and the desired vibe might be different at a Friendsgiving than at your Aunt’s annual Christmas Eve dinner. For example, Field Recordings Skins versus Tablas Creek Patelin de Tablas Blanc (both good holiday meal choices for white wines, btw). A tip from our somm Adrian is to use labels as a tool to choose between two good bottles, or find a more experimental choice with an elevated label and use it to smooth its introduction with a more traditional crowd.
Varietals
Now we really get into it. I’ll make some recommendations for specific bottles below, but most useful of all is to be able to shop almost anywhere and find something you’re happy with, and that means being informed but still flexible.
Whites: Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Chenin Blanc
Reds: Pinot Noir, Beaujolais/Gamay, Grenache
A few notes on these. If you’re having more richly spiced dishes in your spread, dry or off-dry Riesling and Gewurztraminer will take that spice on while still giving freshness between all the other bites. They can be on the sweeter side though so you’ll need to scope some labels or talk to someone in the shop. As a starting point, dry versus off-dry has to do with residual sugar content left at the end of fermentation, where dry means less than 10 grams per liter, sweet means more than 30 grams, and off-dry is everything in between. But bottles are not typically printed with this information, so because fermentation turns sugar into alcohol, a shortcut is to check the alcohol content or ABV. Less than 9% and the wine is sweet, between 10-11% is off-dry, and 12% or more is dry. Oregon, Washington and California Rieslings are typically dry and delicious. For German Riesling, “Trocken” will indicate a dry one.
How to choose between Riesling and Gewurtztraminer? Riesling will be higher in acidity to balance butter and richness.
If you don’t want to venture into slightly sweeter whites or dinner will be more of a rosemary and garlic affair than strong spices, a Chenin Blanc, Vermentino or even a Pinot Blanc will be great choices. What if they only have Chardonnay?? Find a new wine store, or try to get one that’s unoaked (aged in neutral oak or stainless steel), which will be more of the crisp and fruity style you want here.
Moving on to reds, in choosing a Pinot Noir, Beaujolais/Gamay or Grenache, your wine will be light-to-medium bodied, with medium acidity and a bit earthy and herbal. When most people think of Beaujolais they go straight to Beaujolais Nouveau, famous for its raucous fall release parties, but really Beaujolais is a region in France whose reds are made from Gamay grapes, and Nouveau is a just particular style of wine where the Gamay grapes are fermented for less than two months before release, resulting in a very light and fruity red. A nice Nouveau can drink well with a big feast, but for more complexity and structure without heaviness, look instead for a Beaujolais Villages or a Morgon.
Pinot Noir is a classic holiday meal choice since its lighter body pairs well with turkey, roast chicken and some red meats, and its herbal earthy notes with the rest of the meal. Grenache is probably as big/rich as I would go with a red for these occasions, and a French or American Grenache will slow roll at your holiday table a bit nicer than the warm climate and higher alcohol Spanish Garnacha.
Pro Tips
A couple more things to elevate your wine game this year:
Buy in Bulk
Take the advice of Jimmy Wiater, SF sommelier and hospitality pro, and go somewhere that offers a case discount, usually around 10%. Then you have 12 bottles of something good you can bring with you or host with all season.
Keep It Low (ABV)
Some of the bigger reds can get up to 14-15% ABV, which might be fun at first but for a marathon meal you and your guests might want to pace it. Stick closer to 12-13%, conveniently the sweet spot for natural wines or some of those cooler climate reds and whites.
Avoid Big Reds
Their higher ABVs notwithstanding, avoid big heavy warm-climate reds like Cabernet, Zinfandel or Tempranillo that fill your mouth with flavor and texture, leaving room for little else. One asterisk on this is natural wines, where you might find some more food-friendly expressions of Syrah or Zinfandel.
Chill.
Your reds, especially these varietals, want a slight chill to around 60 degrees, or 20 minutes in the fridge, before serving.
The Recs
I hope you’re set up to shop almost anywhere, but here are a few wines I can recommend specifically. Each wine is less than $25, and I’ve linked where they are locally available in the Bay Area.
Domaine de Colette Beaujolais-Villages - $18 available at Bi-Rite Market
Juicy and crisp with substance, and a very good value
McKinlay Willamette Valley Pinot Noir - $22 available at Plumpjack
Natural Pinot that balances brightness with earthiness, silky smooth
Marietta "Nadi - Wirz Vineyard" Cienega Valley Dry Riesling - $22 available at K&L
Fruity, dry and bright with a little spice and smoke, a true palate lifter
Brincadeiro Naturalmente Turbio - $12 available at K&L
Fruity and crisp blend of Spanish grapes, a bit cloudy in color with a fun label
Domaine Begude "Sipiona" Gewurztraminer Vin de France - $20 available at K&L
Natural Gewurtz with a couple weeks of skin contact, bright and punchy with subtle spicy notes
Cantina Horus Frappato di Vittoria Sole e Terra - $25 available at Noe Valley Wine and Spirits
Maybe a curveball given all the detail I went into on varietals, but Italian wines are famously food friendly. I drank this red recently, and it was both light and rich. A good stand-in for a Gamay.
Broc La Boutanche Red Blend - $26 available at Broc Cellars
We love this because it’s a liter and more is more, but also because Broc is a terrific Sonoma producer with a tasting room in Berkeley. It’s a more classic Zin (i.e. less big), and made with natural winemaking techniques that make it pleasantly acidic and food friendly.
Honorable Mentions That I Couldn’t Locate Locally
Weinhaus Heger Pinot Noir “Tuniberg”
Deep and fresh natural Pinot with bright acidity and soft tannins
Denavolo ‘Dinavolino’
Orange, natural, blend of grapes like malvasia and marsanne, long maceration, fun smokiness that softens with air
*Prices current as of November 2023
Thank Yous
A few friends downloaded me on their wisdom and perspectives for this piece, thank you to them!
Adrian Flores sommelier and creative at The Mott Studio
Jimmy Wiater, sommelier, cannabis and hospitality pro
Nicola Parisi, food and beverage photographer and graphic designer
As promised, what ChatGPT said:
Certainly! If you're looking for a more concise list of wine options for a holiday meal, here are three diverse choices:
Gewürztraminer: Aromatic and slightly spicy, Gewürztraminer can be a unique and flavorful white wine choice. It pairs well with a variety of holiday dishes, especially those with a hint of sweetness or spice.
Gamay (Beaujolais): Gamay, particularly Beaujolais Nouveau, is a light and fruity red wine that works well with both white and dark meat. It's festive, easy-drinking, and adds a touch of celebration to the meal.
Sparkling Rosé: A sparkling rosé is a versatile and lively option that brings a festive atmosphere to your holiday table. Its acidity and effervescence make it a great palate cleanser, and it complements a wide range of flavors.
Feel free to choose one or a combination of these wines based on your preferences and the preferences of your guests. Remember, the most important thing is to enjoy the wine with the food and company you have. Cheers!
My hot take: Overly cheerful, but these are decent recommendations! I prefer other options from Beaujolais rather than the Nouveau. And I didn’t mention it, but a sparkling wine will be a nice addition, particularly if you’re kicking off with any cheese and charcuterie.