The Top 10 Wines for Winter 2026
Can you feel that chill in the air? Winter is coming — well, at some point it will be — but it’s already obvious even down here in blistering hot Texas that the seasons are starting to change. That’s good news for fans of deeper, more intense wines. There is only so much pinot grigio one can drink, after all. Without further ado, let’s delve into our twice-annual top wines of the season list, this one tuned for the winter to come.
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2022 Larkmead Solari
Our sole A+ wine rating this year — and the only A+ Rob has ever awarded anything — came from Napa’s Larkmead, which is no stranger to our top 10 lists. A giant of a wine, it’s an iconic example of California’s best, concentrated cassis supported by black tea, anise, and dark chocolate that manages to cut through the dense, black fruit with a razor’s edge. It’s certainly youthful now, but incredibly drinkable considering the length of the road it has ahead of it. $200
2021 Monchiero Barolo Del Comune di la Morra DOCG
We were swimming in Barolo this summer, and now that the weather is cooling down, it’s time to start drinking it. Our favorite wine in Monciero’s extensive lineup, the wine balances bold fruit notes with layered tannins, keeping its raspberry, cherry, and nutmeg core from becoming overly exuberant. Herbal on the finish, with elements of cloves, rosemary, and some anise. Cellar forever, if you like. $140
2022 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay Napa Valley
Yes, Virginia, you can drink chardonnay in winter, as long as it’s the good stuff. Montelena’s 2022 bottling is at the top of our list, layering together notes of almond, lemon, tangerine, and a touch of sea salt to make a near-perfect California sipping experience. The oak-driven vanilla is done with perfection here, giving way to pineapple and lychee on the finish. Never heavy thanks to plenty of minerality, keeping it fresh as a daisy. It was my pick for the chardonnay of the summer — and now also the winter. $75 [BUY IT NOW FROM WINE.COM]
2019 Xander Soren Pinot Noir Central Coast Cuvee
This collaboration with Furthermore Wines is a blend of two vineyards, and proof that the whole can indeed be greater than the sum of the parts in the wine world. A bracing pinot, it features surprisingly dark notes of cherries and raspberries, meandering its way to licorice and dark chocolate-dipped raisins. The wine risks becoming heavy but never digs itself into a hole. I especially loved the little hints of spice that perk up here and there, making this a fantastic cold weather wine. $125
2022 Merry Edwards Pinot Noir Warrens’ Hill Russian River Valley
It’d be crazy if we didn’t have a Merry Edwards expression on our top 10 list, so we’re not going to risk getting institutionalized. This is a balanced but quite spicy expression of pinot noir, with floral lavender tempering the bolder notes of cherry and cocoa powder. Despite hailing from a relatively young vineyard, it’s got a depth of flavor that is more commonly associated with more mature stock. Don’t sleep on it. $70
2021 San Felice Pugnitello Toscana IGT
We’ve covered a bit of pugnitello this year, and here’s hoping it’s a grape that picks up in popularity in the years ahead. An ancient variety from Tuscany, it has the richness of a sagrantino but the fruit of Chianti, kicking off with cherry and raspberry notes before finding room for buzzy cinnamon and allspice. This 2021 San Felice bottling has some brooding turned earth to show for itself on the finish, but time in glass helps all of the above flavors meld well together in the end. $65
2022 Baldacci Stags Leap Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon
Floral and spice notes immediately set the stage for a darker, denser expression of Napa cabernet, which helps add nuance to what is otherwise a dense and brooding wine, stuffed full with black fruit, cocoa powder, cedar, and tobacco. The wine twists and turns its way through a variety of dessert tones, though fine tannins and ample acidity manage to keep everything balanced and in check. The proverbial hammer in the velvet glove. $125
NV Pasqua “Hey French, You Could Have Made This But You Didn’t” (Edition 3)
The third edition of this wacky multi-vintage wine is a blend of estate-grown garganega with some pinot blanc and sauvignon blanc, and as with the prior versions it’s a lively, very full-bodied wine — though this one feels like it could have been made in California instead of Italy (or France). Buttery vanilla shortbread and lots of cinnamon pair well with lemon and lime notes on the spicy finish. A perfect harvest-time sipper. $45
2021 Corazon del Sol Los Chacayes Gran Malbec Revana
100% Argentine malbec that spends two years in barrel. An aggressive, burly wine, The product is held together by huge notes of cherry and plum, before slowly fading into a mocha quality. There’s plenty of strawberry and vanilla here, but it’s never jammy, with ample acidity, tannin, and oak influence. This is a big wine for a big occasion. $100
2020 San Felice Poggio Rosso Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG
Chianti is always an excellent choice for winte time drinking, and this offering from San Felice is one of our top picks of the year. The expected tart cherry notes are prominent, but there is also a bitter edge from ample rhubarb, green herbs, and anise on the finish. Plenty more cherry on the back end. $85
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