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When temperatures drop below zero and snow begins to cover everything, it's time to get out the red wines and warm up a bit. At least, that's what people generally think... but there are some whites that fare just as well and, in some cases, even manage to triumph 'out of season'.
Leave the fresher, more acidic ones in the cellar for a few more months, unless you want your taste buds to freeze too...
How can you take the edge off that biting cold feeling? With a nice full-bodied white, for example.
So here are our top 5 to enjoy while you wait for spring (there's no rush).
How else could we start but with a wine that has its home among the high peaks of the Dolomites? This exceptional Trentino wine knows how to get you through the harshest winter without missing summer. Delicate hints of white flowers, which then give way to a very particular aromatic bouquet, with peach and apple coming through strongly. A highlander who likes the sea, and shows it when placed next to a good chowder.
From the far north to the deep south, with this blend of Malvasia and Pinot Grigio grapes. We fly to Apulia, where the mild, generous climate provides nothing but guarantees. What should you know about this white? That you can drink it from aperitif to main course, not forgetting those moments of pure relaxation when you just want a good glass, without effort. Fragrant, versatile and inviting: the yellow-fleshed fruit take you to warm summer evenings, but its richness and persistence don't make you regret it's February.
Traminer is an aromatic grape variety, which finds its perfect home on the cold hills of the Venetian region. Here it manages to open up and reveal all its best, for a sip that stays in your mind for a long time... Golden, warm and bright, with notes of rose and sweet spices such as cinnamon and cloves. Precisely because of its strong, distinctive aromaticity, you can safely drink it with your favourite veal and potato stew, because it will hold its own.
Our ranking could not fail to include Chardonnay, the world's most famous white grape variety. Fragrant on the nose, mouth-filling on the palate: hints of peach, pear and pineapple start the show, while notes of vanilla and honey are the grand finale. The flavour is rounded and full-bodied, and demonstrates this especially in winter. So even if the thermometer drops, this white knows how to keep you warm...
No, we're not crazy, and we're going to tell you why. Riesling is one of the most acidic grape varieties of all, and indeed it is certainly not the first white that comes to mind when thinking about winter. But there is another side to this coin that is decidedly delicious. Try to imagine the exceptional freshness of this white wine with a savoury, fatty dish: cheese fondue, for example. Now think of snowfall, of enjoying the warmth of home and a nice pot of fondue in the centre of the table. Trust us, a sip of Riesling is just what you need to continue to the encore.
And now that we have given you some ideas, you just have to try them out and see for yourself.
