The Top 10 Wines for Winter 2027

For the first time in recent memory, the high temperature for the day was under 90 degrees here. That counts as fall in Austin, Texas, and is enough for us to break out our second top 10 wines list for the year. These 10 selections were picked with cooler weather in mind (and the meals that come with it) – though no one will bat an eye if you pop the cork on one of these before the temperature dips too far (or after it comes back up).

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. 2022 Terrazas de los Andes Extremo Malbec

Argentine malbec exists in two worlds: Affordable but wholly enjoyable entry-level wines on one hand, meticulously produced artisanal products on the other. As the name (and price) suggest, Terrazas de los Andes Extremo Malbec is in the latter camp, a serious wine produced at an altitude over a mile above sea level. The results are something else, a restrained wine that keeps wild herbs on the down low, fruit and oak well-integrated with silky tannin and bright acidity. Gentle spice notes linger on a finish so delightful you’ll forget what you paid for the experience. $200

2. 2023 Sassotondo Monte Calvo Ciliegiolo

Maremma flies a bit under the radar, but you’ll find some of Italy’s most nuanced wines produced in this Tuscan region. This one is made from ciliegiolo grapes (purportedly a progenitor of sangiovese, though this is disputed) which grow in rich volcanic soil. What Sassotondo has done with it is delightful, producing a light-bodied expression of fruity cherries, touched with almonds, flowers, and some peppery spice. While Chianti can be excessively tart, this wine offers a more balanced, almost creamy quality that really holds your attention. $45

3. 2020 Montefili Vigna Nel Bosco Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG

Bosco is Italian for “woods,” and this Chianti Clasico bottling doesn’t just evoke the forest with its name, it also does in the glass. Lightly earthy and dusky, with a mix of green herbs and toasted spices, this smoldering wine moves into slightly sweeter, chocolate-driven character as the finish builds. In the end, the drinker is left with notes of cherry and plum to chew on. $61

4. 2021 Roederer Estate Clark Road Vineyard Anderson Valley

Vintage sparkling wines usually mean shelling out a small fortune for the luxury, but Roederer’s 2021 Clark Road Vineyard offering – 3/4 pinot noir and 1/4 chardonnay – is a delicious exception. One of my favorite wines from the operation, this fruity delight pairs dried apples and toasted almonds with ample salinity and late-game melon, all coming together to show off the delightful, citrus peel-driven finish. Great value. $55

5. 2023 X Novo Pinot Noir X Omni Vineyard

We had our first experience with X Novo this year and are hoping it won’t be the last. This brightly fruit-forward pinot keeps the focus on the purity of the berries, with smoldering terroir becoming increasingly visible as the wine develops in glass. The gentle tannins complement the wine beautifully, and even the touch of balsamic on the finish only serves to amplify the wine’s charms further. Like Cru Burgundy, made in California. $100

6. 2023 Oleandri La Scala Red Wine Napa Valley

This Left Bank Bordeaux-style blend throws a twist into the mix in the form of 4.5% petite sirah, which gives an already aggressive wine even more gravity and density. Nearly black in its opacity, the wine takes its core of currant and cocoa powder and pours on the earthiness, though the wine never approaches anything that tastes green or off. Air improves things further – consider decanting – allowing bright cherry elements to emerge. $80

7. 2023 The Prisoner Grail Stags Leap District

You surely know The Prisoner as a widely available (and much loved) red blend – but lately the brand has become the spearhead for a wide range of spinoffs, the latest being The Prisoner Grail, a luxe cabernet blend that approaches a whopping $200. It’s made from fruit from one of the most prized vineyards in Napa, Wappo Hill, and the significantly boozy wine doesn’t pull any punches. Bold currant, blackberry, and blueberry notes inform a very dense, undulating experience that is, quite naturally, balanced by gently tannic tobacco and graphite notes. The wine’s complexity never really ends, even as the finish finally fades out. $200

8. 2023 Prats + Symington Chryseia Douro DOC

Portugal is known for cheap whites and expensive Ports, but Chryseia stands as one of the country’s most noteworthy red table wines. A blend of Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca, the wine can stand up against any of the icons of the Old World, its elegant body driven by plum and cherry en route to a more brambly, slightly ashy finish. The structure is just about perfect, while the wine’s intensity is unyielding. $125

9. 2023 The Hilt Estate Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills

For my money, Chardonnay works better when there’s a bit of chill in the air than in the dead of summer, and while this beautiful wine leads with iconic lemon, apple, and pear notes, the fruit settles down into an autumnal groove, ultimately evoking thoughts of apple pie and coconut cream. Never overly woody nor saccharine in the slightest, it offers a clean and versatile experience that works both as a happy hour crowd-pleaser and as a mealtime companion. $50 [BUY IT NOW FROM WINE.COM]

10. 2022 Papapietro Perry Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Peters Vineyard

This striking Russian River Pinot dodges the trap that frequently sinks other Pinot Noirs from the region, its low-level notes of tea leaf and cola livened up by effusive cherry and boysenberry flavors, along with a grating of orange peel. The finish’s distinct chocolate and cinnamon notes provide an enchanting denouement to the wine’s lively attack. $69

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