Wine

Top 5 White Wines for Winter

While it’s natural in winter to reach for a red wine, there are plenty of reasons to enjoy some of the richer, more full-bodied and textural white varieties as well.

We asked our Tasting Panel to suggest their top 5 white wines for winter and here they are.

Chardonnay

With its medium to full-bodied weight and wonderful flavours of peach, grapefruit, apple and melon, Chardonnay has endless winter appeal.

It’s one of Tasting Panellist, Adam Walls’ go-to winter varieties, because, he says, “Its allure lies in the fact that it can mix both elegance and fruit power, with its generosity being key to its brilliance when sipping in colder weather.”

Viognier

Whether it’s made in an elegant and fragrant style or as luscious and full-bodied, Viognier and winter go hand in hand.

Viognier is another one of Adam’s first winter choices as, he says, “This is the season for richness and comfort rather than refreshment. Viognier is loaded with stonefruit and hints of ginger and offers a smooth, creamy texture that excels at providing comfort in cooler weather.

Fiano 

Originally from Italy, Fiano is another white that can be made in a rich, generous style and being from the Mediterranean coast, it’s a natural with full-flavoured seafood dishes.

Tasting Panellist, Will Figueira is a fan, saying, “Quality examples have quite strong and intense floral aromas, lovely full flavoured notes of spice, and plenty of stonefruit depth. Fiano is well known as one of the more textural varieties – it’s mouth-filling with a strong flavour profile, making it an excellent food wine.

Roussanne 

If you love Chardonnay, you’re guaranteed to love Roussanne, too. Hailing from France’s Northern Rhône region, it’s a natural match for wintery chicken and pork dishes with creamy sauces.

For Tasting Panellist, Dave Mavor, it’s has a constant place on his winter wine rotation. As he explains, “Roussanne – a rich, full-bodied style with ripe pear and stonefruit characters – it has a great texture, so it goes well with winter-inspired dishes.

Verdelho

Verdelho offers a touch of the tropical to your winter occasions, and with its rich texture and tropical fruit sweetness, it’s a delicious partner to spicy dishes.

As Verdelho fan and Tasting Panellist, Trent Mannell describes, “Verdelho can be slightly fuller in style, with flavours like apricot, guava, ginger and tropical fruit. Its generous texture and mouth-feel make it a beautiful match to richer winter fare.

Make yours a white winter with these Top 5 wines from the Panel!