The Top 10 Wines for Winter 2025
Winter is coming — and it’s about time. After another scorcher of a summer, I know I’m ready to tuck into some bigger, richer wines. Whether you’re looking for something to sip with Thursday night takeout or a companion to pair with your opulent holiday meal, we’ve got you covered. This top 10 list has a little something for everyone — though all our picks are selected with cooler weather in mind.
Want to buy them? Remember: Check Total Wine and Wine.com for the best deals on all of these picks! You can also search multiple stores at wine-searcher to find the best prices on all these products and more.
1. 2021 Merry Edwards Pinot Noir Richaven Russian River Valley – I refuse to apologize for my unabashed fandom for Merry Edwards; there’s arguably no one doing pinot noir better in California today than this quality-driven Sonoma operation. At the top of this year’s releases is this bottling from the 10-acre Richaven vineyard in the Russian River Valley – it’s the only wine I’ve awarded with an A+ rating all year. Far lighter and brighter than the typical RRV pinot (and many of Merry Edwards’s other wines), this expression is floral and doused in cherry notes, layered with cinnamon, lilac, and violets. As I said in my review: Impossible to put down, and one of my favorite Merry Edwards bottlings ever. $80
2. 2021 Larkmead Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley – Fall is when we start cracking open the cabernets that have been happily cellaring all summer, when the meals get bigger and the weather chills down. Larkmead’s 2021 (a Bordeaux-style blend) is one of our favorite California cabs, an aggressive exploration of blackberries, cedar, and violets, ringed with vanilla and mocha. Never jammy or overly busy, it’s a heavy-duty experience that needs plenty of airtime for its exquisite structure to be properly showcased. Lay a few down for next winter while you’re at it. $125
3. 2017 1853 Heritage Malbec – 100% malbec from Mendoza, Argentina. This fall-heavy wine pulls no punches, displaying aggressive notes of stewed plums, blackcurrants, milk chocolate, and a touch of sage. At 15% abv it could weigh you down, but there’s enough acidity here to keep it from doing so. The lengthy finish makes it perfect for holiday feasts and fireside sips. $40
4. 2019 Beaulieu Vineyard Rutherford Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – BV brings its A-game (and 10% petit Verdot) to this top-tier expression of cabernet from the 2019 vintage. Watch for notes of clove, cinnamon, and cedar on the finish, balancing out a predictably huge attack which features cassis and tobacco notes, moving eventually into rich, dark chocolate. Surprisingly it’s also one of the more affordable blue chip Napa cabernets available at this level of quality. $85
5. 2019 San Felice Campogiovanni Brunello di Montalcino – This gravelly Brunello is rich and thick, taking its plum and cherry-laden core through a journey of Italy that is complete with a drop of balsamic vinegar and a tasting of chocolate, finished with summery herbs. Seductive and amply acidic, there’s a certain gaminess to the wine that is unavoidable – but also wholly seasonally appropriate. $75
6. 2018 Paul Hobbs Cabernet Sauvignon Coombsville – A new release cab from the storied 2018 vintage for Napa cab, after spending 20 years on French oak and six years in the cellar. It’s never fruity of jammy, but rather a soulful wine that showcases all of Napa cabernet’s greatest qualities. Rich notes of chocolate and vanilla abut a nice acidity, light florals, and some baking spice on the back end. Tannin is tempering now, but another 5 years in cellar won’t hurt. $120
7. 2021 Compris As One Pinot Noir Chehalam Mountains AVA – Compris was a new brand for us this year – and we’re looking forward to continuing to explore what this Oregon winery is doing. Tart cherry and raspberry notes smolder with notes of cola and tea leaf, making for a classic presentation of Willamette Valley fruit. Maybe big for pinot, but still light on its feet. $55
8. 2019 Sapaio Toscana IGT – Hey, more cabernet… this time from Italy. This Supertuscan (70% cabernet sauvignon, 20% petit verdot, and 10% cabernet franc) impresses immediately, slick with its whip-cracking herbaceousness, but balanced with lots of cherry and lush currant notes. Bay leaf, mint, and sage all set the stage for a holiday feast, with a drop of vanilla rounding things out on the back end. It sounds daunting, but there’s ample acidity to keep any weightier notes in check. $94
9. 2021 Oleandri Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon – Another top shelf California cabernet for your wintertime sipping experience, this luxurious bottling clearly has plenty of runway ahead of it, layering cocoa, anise, and graphite atop a core of raspberry and cassis. Decant before devouring. Cellar if you can. $135
10. 2009 Cantine Florio Marsala Vergine Reserva – What, you’re not sipping on Marsala? This fortified wine can be an acquired taste, and this bottle from Florio is the perfect way to acquire it. Aged 13 years in oak casks, it’s a rich wine that mingles oak, raisins, saline, and citrus into a cohesive and seductive whole. Try some after dinner in lieu of Port or spirits. $75
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