The new year has arrived, and it is cold and grey out there, so it is the perfect time to sit back and curl up by the fire – if you are lucky enough to have one – with a glass of red wine.

In the winter chill, there is nothing quite like warming up your bones by the fire with a glass of rich red wine. We’ve done the Christmas parties and entertaining in December, so we are ready for some chilling at home!

And if you don’t have a fire, light a candle, sit on the sofa with a blanket and enjoy a glass of rich red; it is guaranteed to make you cosy or hygge, as the Danish say.

Here’s our selection of winter warmer wines. They will pair fantastically with those hearty winter dishes over the next few months.

Bordeaux:

Grand Vin de Chateau de Ricaud Cadillac côtes de Bordeaux 2016

Grand Vin de Château de Ricaud, a true jewel of a wine, was created in 2010.

“Blackberry and blueberry aromas with a hint of licorice. Full body, firm and silky tannins and a lovely finish. Shows some hot-stone and fresh-herb undertones to the currant flavors. Drink or hold.” 91 Points, James Suckling,January 2019

Food Pairing: A great wine for winter dishes! Perfect with Roast poultry and red meat. Also great with spaghetti bolognaise or pasta with meatballs. Or simply, to enjoy with a big cheese platter!

South of France:

Big reds and think South of France or Rhone. ..

Côtes du Roussillon Coume des Loups Mudigliza  2021

Round, beautifully aromatic with gorgeous silky tannins and a little pepper and spice.

Food Pairing: Get the charcuterie board out and enjoy this wine with your friends. Or just sit by the fire and enjoy on its own.

 

 

Ch Voultes Gasparets Corbieres 2018

This Corbières is full and generous, with lovely silky tannins and tannic freshness, fine and elegant, not without power!

Food Pairing: Perfect partner with many meat dishes, beef daube, beef bourguignon, roast lamb.

 

Aromatic, Cabernet Sauvignon Pays d’Oc Bruno Andreu 2021

Aromatic means the friendliness of South of France, the authenticity of unique varietals and the richness of the Terroir.

Sweet pepper, vanilla and blackcurrant notes with supple tannins. Great length!  Such good value! A cheeky little mid week red.

Food Pairing: Perfect with grilled meat and potatoes.

Rhône:

 

Syrahvissante VSIG Domaine Cheze  2018

100% Syrah, this is a great value for money Rhone wine from Louis Cheze. Plenty of dark cherries. a little pepper with a beautiful roundness.

Food Pairing: Such an easy wine to pair food with. Extremely versatile! Will go typically well with meat, a charcuterie board or a game terrine.

Gigondas Dom Grand Romane Amadieu 2019

A Gigondas with powerful tannins with notes of spicy liquorice and pepper. An astonishing balance of complexity, power and elegance!

“I’m not sure the 2019 Gigondas Domaine Grand Romane isn’t the finest vintage I’ve tasted of this cuvée. It’s a darker, richer Gigondas based on 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre, and 15% Syrah. Medium to full-bodied, remarkably pure, and beautifully balanced, it has complex notes of damp forest floor, peppery garrigue, and assorted darker berry fruits. It’s a brilliant effort from this team that will keep for 10-15 years.” 94 Points, Jeb Dunnuck, January 2022

Food Pairing: Game! Any meaty hearty meals will go perfectly with this Gigondas.

En Long en Large et en Travers IGP Méditerranée Organic 2019

A great wine to sit by the fire with! A delicious wine with lots of fruit. Aromas of crunchy black fruits as well as toasted notes on the finish.

Food Pairing: Ideal with a charcuterie platter, or on its own.

Le Serre de la Garde, Côtes Du Rhône rouge Fond Croze Organic 2020

Fruity and delicious, a beautiful balance between power, finesse and freshness.  Black fruits and spice aromas.

Food Pairing: Delicious with beef bourguignon!

 

Chateau Val Joanis “Les Griottes” 2020

From a selection of plateaux and hillsides located on average at 450 metres altitude, Les Griottes is an elegant and powerful wine, dominated by aromas of liquorice, spices, black berries and red berries. A delicious heart-warming wine!

Food Pairing: A great partner to game and red meat.

Châteauneuf du Pape Tradition Rouge Pierre Usseglio 2017

A very powerful but elegant wine. A concentrated and structured wine that is made for ageing.

“This is lovely right from the start, offering a velvety wave of raspberry compote that’s followed by alluring fruitcake, incense, black tea and warned anise notes. Black cherry and dark plum paste notes line the finish, playing a supporting role to the raspberry component. With mouthfeel, length and fruit to burn, what’s not to like? Best from 2023 through 2036.” 94 Points, Wine Spectator, James Molesworth, June 2021

Châteauneuf du Pape Tradition Rouge Pierre Usseglio 2018

“The 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape reveals a saturated ruby color as well as a rocking bouquet of black raspberries, hints of cassis, ground pepper, garrigue, and crushed flowers. It’s full-bodied and beautifully pure, with good acidity and a great finish. A hedonistic fruit bomb with balance, class, and length, drink it over the coming 10-15 years. Maturity: 2019 2034” 92-94 Points, Jeb Dunnuck, August 2019

Food Pairing: A great pairing to charcuterie, red meat, game, a mushroom fricassee and cheeses.

Italy:

Pinataro Negroamaro ITG Puglia 2021

Intense and fruity with sweet spicy notes with a soft and persistent taste. Balanced tannins. Such a great value for the quality. A great glass to sit by the fire with!

Food Pairing: Beef lasagna, Spaghetti bolognese or a meaty ragù.

Valpolicella DOC Superiore , Marco Mosconi 2015 organic

Full-bodied, rich, structured tannins and very long. Incredibly well-made Valpolicella. A perfect winter warmer!

Food Pairing: A fantastic partner to red meat and game in particular.

 

Chianti Classico Casale Dello Sparviero  Organic 2019

A classic from Tuscany. We’ll drink this all year around. Fresh, plenty of berry aromas and soft silky tannins. Long finish.

Food Pairing: Great partner to red and white meat, pasta dishes and risotto.

Spain:

Finca la Emperatriz single vineyard Red Rioja 2017

Part of the vineyard, the older vines, is officially classified in Rioja as a “Viñedo Singular”, a new system in Rioja since 2017, which is the equivalent to the Cru system in France to identify and protect outstanding pieces of vineyard. Of just 200 Ha in the whole of Rioja, Finca la Emperatriz accounts for 35 Ha., all in one piece.

“I really liked the seriousness, restraint and balance of the 2017 Finca la Emperatriz Gran Vino Tinto. It combines ripeness and power with elegance and subtleness. The wine feels too young, especially in the palate, with some tannins still to be resolved by some more time in bottle. It’s medium to full-bodied and has a dry, serious and long finish. This should evolve toward a quite classical expression of Rioja… ” 93 Points, Wine Advocate, Luis Gutiérrez, October 2020

Food Pairing: A great wine to pair with many dishes. Great partner to lamb and beef, and rich Spanish food.

 

Montebaco de Finca Crianza, Ribera del Duero 2019

Montebaco De Finca is a classic Ribera del Duero. It’s quality and character are an expression of the terroir of some of the best plots at the Monte Alto estate. Well-Balanced, lively fruit, elegant tannins. Great ageing potential.

Food Pairing: A great partner to lamb! Also pairs well with salmon.

Portugal:

Herdade do Freixo Terroir Red 2019 Portugal

Fresh, with gorgeous chocolate, black plum, red fruit aromas. Long and delicious. Perfect for longer nights and cosy nights in!

Food Pairing: Perfect with meat and fish dishes. Also great with Italian pasta dishes.

Argentina:

Hunuc Reserve Malbec Argentinian Red Organic 2021

We couldn’t have fireside reds without including a Malbec or 2! Hunuc Reserve has a medium body, liquorice and berry aromas, soft and silky tannins and a flavourful finish.

Food Pairing: Grilled red meat, Osso bucco, beef lasagna.

Clos de los Siete Argentina 2017

In 1998 Michel Rolland collaborated with a group of partners from Bordeaux, whose names are closely linked to the internationally best known Grand Cru wines to produce Clos de los Siete, a blend of Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet, Syrah and Petit Verdot.

The 2017 vintage is a beauty!

“A very refined, creamy wine, showing blackberries and blueberries with chocolate and light hazelnut notes. Medium to full body. The fine tannins are polished and creamy and the beautiful, reserved finish goes on for a really long time. Wow! Best ever, because of its length and beauty. One for the palate or the cellar. Drink or hold.” 95 Points, James Suckling,February 2020

Food Pairing: Ideal partner with red meat. Fantastic with steak, beef stew, pulled-pork, filet mignon. Also good with meaty fish dishes such as salmon teriyaki.

The food pairings mentioned for these reds are mainly non vegetarian, but there are many veggie dishes which will go extremely well with theses wines. Some great examples of veggie dishes:

• A mushroom wellington

• Truffle Risotto

• Vegetarian moussaka

• Tomato based pasta dishes

• And just about any mushroom dishes!