The Best Winter Wines to Warm Up With
Published: November 8, 2025
When the temperature drops and daylight hours shrink, there's something magical about curling up with the right glass of wine. The crisp air outside makes rich, warming flavors feel even more inviting, while shorter days call for wines that offer comfort and depth. Whether you're gathered around the fireplace with loved ones or preparing a hearty meal to chase away the winter chill, the season demands wines with boldness, spice, and character.
Winter wines aren't just about staying warm; they're about embracing the season's unique pleasures. Think of how a steaming bowl of beef stew hits differently on a snowy evening than it would in July. The same principle applies to wine. The bottles that might feel too heavy during summer become perfect companions for winter's cozy moments.
Let's explore the wines that will transform your winter evenings from ordinary to extraordinary, creating the perfect liquid accompaniment to the season's hearty meals and festive gatherings.
1. Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon stands as the king of winter red wines, renowned worldwide for its bold structure and age-worthy character. This noble grape produces wines with intense dark fruit flavors, firm tannins, and often a touch of oak that adds vanilla and spice notes to the mix.
Why it suits Winter: What makes Cabernet Sauvignon perfect for winter is its ability to match the season's heartiness. The wine's deep blackcurrant and blackberry flavors, combined with structured tannins and often hints of cedar and tobacco from oak aging, create a warming sensation that echoes winter's need for substantial, satisfying flavors. These wines have enough weight and complexity to stand up to the season's richest dishes.
Food Pairings: Perfect pairings include braised short ribs where the wine's tannins complement the meat's richness, roasted lamb with herbs that play beautifully against the wine's earthy undertones, or aged cheeses that match the wine's intensity and complexity.
2. Merlot
Merlot offers a gentler approach to winter reds while still providing the comfort and warmth the season demands. Known for its approachable style and smooth texture, Merlot produces wines with plush, velvety mouthfeel and flavors of ripe plums, cherries, and often notes of chocolate and herbs.
Why it suits Winter: Why Merlot suits winter perfectly comes down to its comforting nature. The wine's soft, plush texture feels like a warm embrace, while flavors of dark plum, cherry, and cocoa create a sense of indulgence that matches the season's desire for comfort. Unlike more tannic reds, Merlot's smoothness makes it approachable for longer evenings of sipping by the fire.
Food Pairings: Ideal pairings include beef bourguignon where the wine's fruit complements the dish's rich sauce, pasta with meat ragu that echoes the wine's smooth, comforting nature, or roasted turkey during holiday gatherings.
3. Zinfandel
Zinfandel bursts with bold fruit flavors and a natural spice that feels especially fitting when fall meals get heartier. Its ripe notes of blackberry and plum are balanced by a peppery kick that stands up beautifully to roasted meats, stews, or anything slow-cooked and full of flavor. There’s a richness here that makes every sip feel generous and inviting, perfect for evenings that call for cozy food and good company.
Why it feels like fall: The combination of dark fruit and spice echoes the comfort and depth of seasonal cooking.
Perfect pairings for fall: Braised short ribs, roasted lamb, or a smoky chili.
4. Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir has a way of capturing the cozy spirit of fall. With its silky texture, bright red fruit flavors, and subtle earthiness, it feels perfectly at home as the air turns crisp. This is a wine that brings comfort without weight, making it just as enjoyable with a hearty dinner as it is while lingering over good conversation. Its balance of freshness and warmth is what makes Pinot Noir such a timeless choice when the season shifts toward cooler evenings and richer meals. Check out our guide to the best Pinot Noir to find your next favorite!
Why it feels like fall: Its earthy undertones and touch of spice echo the flavors of the season.
Perfect pairings for fall: Mushroom risotto, roasted root vegetables, or a simple herb-crusted chicken.
5. Syrah/Shiraz
Syrah, known as Shiraz in Australia, brings a distinctive personality to winter wine selections with its characteristic blend of dark fruit and savory spice. This grape variety produces wines known for their smoky, peppery notes and bold, concentrated flavors that range from elegant and restrained to powerfully fruit-forward.
Why it suits Winter: The winter appeal of Syrah lies in its natural warmth and depth. Those signature smoky, peppery notes feel like liquid comfort on cold nights, while the wine's bold dark fruit provides richness without being overly heavy. The spice elements—whether from the grape itself or from oak aging—add layers of complexity that make each sip interesting and warming.
Food Pairings: This wine shines alongside roasted duck where the wine's spice complements the meat's richness, hearty casseroles that can handle the wine's bold flavors, or venison stew where the wine's earthiness pairs perfectly with game meats.
6. Red Blend
Red blends represent the art of winemaking, combining different grape varieties to create wines with greater complexity and depth than single varietals might achieve alone. These wines can range from Bordeaux-style blends featuring Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot to creative New World combinations that showcase winemaker artistry.
Why it suits Winter: The winter appeal of red blends lies in their layered complexity and versatility. By blending multiple grape varieties, winemakers create wines with diverse flavor profiles that can complement a wide range of winter dishes. These wines often combine the structure of Cabernet Sauvignon with the softness of Merlot, or the spice of Syrah with the fruit of Zinfandel, resulting in bottles that offer something for every winter mood.
Food Pairings: These versatile wines pair beautifully with shepherd's pie where their complexity matches the dish's layered flavors, hearty lasagna that can handle the wine's depth and richness, or roasted root vegetables that complement the wine's earthy elements.
7. Malbec
Malbec, originally from France but now synonymous with Argentina, produces wines known for their approachable style and distinctive character. These wines typically offer deep purple color, smooth tannins, and flavors of dark plum, blackberry, and often subtle smoky or spicy notes from oak aging.
Why it suits Winter: Malbec's winter appeal comes from its bold dark fruit flavors combined with smooth, approachable tannins. The wine's natural richness and often subtle smoky notes create a warming profile perfect for cold weather, while its smooth texture makes it enjoyable for extended winter evenings. The wine strikes a perfect balance between power and elegance that suits winter's dual nature of hearty meals and cozy moments.
Food Pairings: Think perfectly grilled steak, where Malbec's smoothness complements the meat without overpowering it, lamb chops with herbs, where the wine's fruit and subtle spice enhance the meat's natural flavors, or charcuterie boards.
8. Chardonnay
While many associate white wines with summer, full-bodied, oaked Chardonnay styles make excellent winter wines. These wines undergo malolactic fermentation and oak aging to create creamy, butter-textured wines with flavors of baked apple, pear, vanilla, and sometimes tropical fruit notes. Check out our blog on the best Chardonnay wines to find your next favorite.
Why it suits Winter: The winter suitability of oaked Chardonnay lies in its rich, buttery texture and indulgent flavors. These wines feel substantial enough to match winter's heartier fare, while flavors of baked apple, vanilla oak, and cream create the kind of indulgent experience that cold weather demands. The wine's full body and creamy mouthfeel provide warmth and satisfaction that lighter whites simply cannot offer.
Food Pairings: Perfect winter pairings include creamy soups where the wine's richness complements dairy-based broths, butter-roasted chicken where both wine and dish share luxurious textures, or lobster with drawn butter where the wine's opulence matches the dish's decadence.
9. Sparkling Wine
Sparkling wine is not just for celebrations—it brings a refreshing brightness to fall sipping. The crisp bubbles and lively acidity make it perfect for cutting through richer seasonal foods like creamy cheeses or roasted vegetables. Sparkling wines also pair beautifully with fall desserts, adding a light, effervescent contrast to caramel, pumpkin, or apple flavors. Whether enjoyed with a cheese board at a small gathering or as a festive accompaniment to a cozy meal, bubbles bring a playful, refreshing element to the season.
Why it feels like fall: The crisp, lively character of sparkling wines balances the richer flavors of the season.
Perfect pairings for fall: Cheese boards, roasted vegetables, or spiced autumn desserts.
10. Port & Dessert Wines
Fortified wines like Port, Sherry, and sweet dessert wines offer a different kind of winter warmth. These wines feature higher alcohol content and often significant sweetness, with flavors ranging from dried fruits and nuts to chocolate and spice, depending on the style and production method.
Why it suits Winter: The winter magic of fortified and dessert wines comes from their rich, concentrated flavors and warming alcohol content. These wines often showcase flavors that feel inherently winter-like: dried fruits, nuts, chocolate, caramel, and baking spices. They provide the perfect ending to winter meals or serve as sophisticated sippers for cold evenings by the fire.
Food Pairings: These wines shine with chocolate desserts where their sweetness and richness create perfect harmony, blue cheese where the wine's sweetness balances the cheese's intensity, or spiced nuts that complement the wine's natural spice and nut flavors.
Bringing Cozy Flavors to Your Table
Fall is the perfect time to explore wines that feel warm, cozy, and full of seasonal flavor. From the bright, earthy charm of Pinot Noir to the bold richness of Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon, each varietal brings something special to the table. Whites like Chardonnay and Riesling balance heartier dishes, while Red Blends and Cabernet Franc offer layered complexity for gatherings. Sparkling wine or Prosecco adds a lively, festive touch to desserts or cheese boards, making every fall moment a little more memorable.
All of these wines and many more are available at yourwinestore.com. You can buy wine online quickly and easily, enjoying the convenience of the best online wine store and having your favorite fall wines delivered straight to your door.