holiday wine guide
need a last minute grab for your holiday dinner? I got you.
Well.. hellooooo. Been MIA.. I know. A lot has been changing and it’s been, to put it extremely simply, a wild year. Besides facing my daily life, I’ve been existentially figuring out what Dining With Court looks like now, how to be online again, and what to do with this Substack.. so here I am, back.. for…at least now. One exciting thing that’s been happening in my life recently that got me feeling passionate about sharing on this space again is that I’ve begun my wine education journey. I’ve completed my Level 1 and Level 2 WSET certifications, and currently beginning self study to prepare for taking my WSET Level 3 possibly sometime this next year. So instead of bringing you even more Thanksgiving and Holiday recipes your inboxes are probably already flooded with, I’m putting my love for the holidays and my wine certification knowledge together to bring you my recommendations for wines to pair with your holiday dinner tables and parties this season!
Pinot Noir
A classic. A crowd-pleaser, and wine that is a safe bet if you don’t know all the guests at the dinner you’re going to. Pinot noir have notes of red fruit like raspberry, ripe strawberry, and red cherries. On the nose it has spice, like clove or pepper, and earthiness like mushroom and forest floor. When aged in oak it can have notes of vanilla and smoke. On the palate the wine is low to medium in body, lower tannins, and high acidity making it a perfect food wine.
Pinot Noir Fun Facts: California vs Oregon vs Burgundy
If you get a Pinot from California expect it to be more rich in fruit, like ripe dark cherry, with wild/dark florals and oak (vanilla, smoke). tldr: big, bold, juicy.
If you get a Pinot from Burgundy expect high acidity, more mouthwatering and tart cranberry, and bing cherry instead of dark cherry with subtle oak flavors. tldr: elegant, tart, red fruits.
If you get a Pinot from Oregon, expect it to be like Burgundy and California had a baby. Less acidity than Burgundy, and more fruit forward like California but a bit more ripe cranberry vs tart cranberry. tldr: eartiness, balance, ripe fruits.
Some (of waaaay too many) bottles I recommend:
Great bang for your buck— Domaine de Grisy Bourgogne, Saint-Bris-le-Vineux, Pinot Noir 2022 (organic farming) / 2022 Fossil & Fawn, Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, USA (organic farming)
California- 2022 Hirsch Vineyards Bohan Dillon Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, USA (organic, biodynamic farming) / 2023 Presqu'ile ,Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County, USA (organic farming)
Special— 2022 Littorai Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir California, USA (organic, biodynamic farming) / 2022 Domaine Forey Pere et Fils Les Perrieres Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru, France / 2022 Henri Magnien, Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes, Burgundy, France (‘old vines’, organic farming)
Zinfandel (Primitivo, in Italy)
A California wine lovers dream. Bold, jammy fruits, spices, and smoky. With notes of blackberry, strawberry jam, oak flavors of vanilla and coffee, and because of its uneven ripeness causing some clusters of grape to raisinate, it can show notes of dried fruit like raisin and prune. The palate is full bodied, with medium to high acidity and tannin. Zin really helps the clove, cinnamon, and allspice notes of the holidays pop!
Some bottles I recommend:
Good bang for your buck- La Cattiva Rosso Primitivo 2021 (organic farming)
Stagiaire "Still Life with Hillside" Zinfandel, Mendocino, CA 2022
Special- 2019 Hiyu Tzum "Fionn" Zinfandel Columbia Gorge, Hiyu Farm, Oregon (organic, biodynamic farming) / 2022 Matthiasson Armor Plate Vineyard Zinfandel, Sonoma Valley, USA (organic farming, ‘old vines’)
Beaujolais
My love for Beaujolais has known no bounds since I started my WSET journey. I could.. and may.. make a whole newsletter about Beaujolais. It’s my go-to bottle to bring over as a guest to someone’s home. It’s made of 100% Gamay, and my tldr for bojo is that it’s a bang for your buck Pinot style wine. It can have notes of strawberry, peach, raspberry, cherry, jammy plum, cranberries; floral notes like violet, rose, iris, and lily of the valley; and spices like spicy cinnamon and baking spices. On the palate it’s light in body with high acidity and low tannin, making Beaujolais one of the few red wines that can span the gamut of food profiles.
Beaujolais fun fact: There are 10 Beaujolais crus (vineyards that produce high-quality wine), which make a range of different body styles from lighter to bolder. I will order my recommendations from this range for you to pick your preference, but if you ever get a chance, I recommend trying them all!
Some (of waaaay too many) bottles I recommend:
2022 Domaine Gregoire Hoppenot Fleurie 'Origines (organic farming)
La Sœur Cadette Beaujolais Nouveau 2024 (organic farming)
Domaine Dupeuble Beaujolais Nouveau 2024 (organic farming)
2021 Domaine Raphael Chopin, Regnie 'La Ronze', Beaujolais, France (organic farming)
2022 Daniel Bouland, Cote de Brouilly 'Cuvee Melanie', Beaujolais, France
Jean Foillard Morgon Côte du Py Cru Beaujolais 2022 (organic farming)
Red Rhône Blend
Red Rhône blends typically consist of some percentage of Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, and Mourvèdre. These grapes are going to range from stewed strawberries, grilled plum, leather and dried herbs to blackberries, blueberries, tobacco, and spices. The palate will be medium to full on body and tannin, and medium acidity. The earthy and meaty quality of these wines accentuates the savories of holiday cooking.
Best bang for your buck- 2022 Kermit Lynch Selections Cuvee Cotes Du Rhone / 2022 Domaine de la Patience 'La Patience' Rouge, Vin de France (organic farming)
Eric Texier Chat Fou 2022 (organic farming)
2023 Romain Le Bars, Pousse Cailloux Vin de France, Rhone, France (organic farming)
2022 Domaine Charvin Cotes du Rhone Le Poutet, Rhone, France (organic)
Special— 2020 Domaine La Barroche Chateauneuf-du-Pape Signature, Rhone, France (organic)
Carignan
Carignan is a fruit forward red with medium body and tannin, and medium to high acidity. If you’ve stuck with me this far, then you’ll know by now that those are the magic ratios for a great food wine. It has notes of dried cranberry, raspberry, licorice, and baked spices. All flavors somewhere in your holiday dinner party spread that will be bound to make those flavors pop!
Some bottles I recommend:
Venturi Carignan 2022 (organic farming) had to throw Martha Stoumen in there, of course!
O2Y Syracuse Carignan 2022 (organic farming)
Ashanta Under Currents Old-vine Carignan 2022 (organic farming)
Sauternes
Saved the best for last (literally and figuratively for this dessert wine). I was not a sweet wine or dessert wine girl until I had a sip of my first Sauternes during my studies… then, my life was changed. Just like I mentioned with Beaujolais.. I could write a whole other newsletter on sweet wines as nightcaps. The wines of Sauternes are made with mostly Sémillon with Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle. It has notes of notes of honey, dried apricot, caramel, orange marmalade, tropical fruit, honeysuckle, and baking spices. On the palette they are sweet, full bodied, no tannins, and medium to high acidity. Fantastic with fois gras, blue cheese and Roquefort cheese (or any funky cheese), and caramelized onion dip!
Sauternes fun facts: Sémillon is a white grape that is easily susceptible to noble rot. Noble rot is a fungus called Botrytis cinerea that while “eating” aka rotting away causes little microscopic holes on the grape skin causing the berries water to evaporate. In other words, the grape starts to dehydrate. This dehydration concentrates the remaining sugars, acids, and flavors within the grapes, resulting in more complex flavors, and the iconic aromas of noble rot wines: saffron, honey, dried apricot, orange marmalade, mushroom/oxidation. These are truly such special wines! Since Sémillon has these concentrated sugars and flavors, Sauvignon Blanc is added to balance more acidity, giving Sauternes its sweet, full bodied, and medium to high acidity profile.
Some bottles I recommend:
Recommend Sauternes from Château d’Yquem, Château Rieussec, Château Climens, and Château Guiraud.
My dessert wine winter can finally begin!