The New Year has arrived snowy and frigid, reminding us that wintertime temperatures can be miserable. But January also delivers a jolt of cold, harsh economic reality: it’s time to pay the credit card bill for our profligate holiday spending. While I’m not one who has the discipline to commit to new year’s resolutions, I know it’s time to tighten the budgetary belt a bit, and that includes food…. and wine.
It’s easy to craft inexpensive, hearty wintertime meals. But in my home even modest foods deserve an accompanying wine, and I’ll always look for appropriate bottles to pair with dinner. The good news is there are a whole host of very tasty, inexpensive wines ($10 to $25 a bottle) from which to choose. The wines I am recommending are especially complimentary to a wide variety of wintertime dishes including: soups like chili, gumbo, pasta Fagioli and cheesy potato: dishes such as pot roast, mac and cheese and spaghetti and meatballs; or casseroles like lasagna, moussaka, rice pilaf and Italian sausage and peppers.
The wines below are generally available at wine shops in our area. If you can’t find one, simply ask your retailer to order it for you. So, here you go.
White wine: 2022 Chateau Fage Bordeaux Blanc ($11); 2022 A to Z Oregon Riesling ($18); 2023 Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc/Riesling ($16).2023 Domaine du Salvard Cheverny ($20 – blend of sauvignon blanc and Chardonnay); 2022 Foris Oregon Gewurztraminer ($24); 2023 Chateau Ducasse Bordeaux Blanc ($19); 2023 Laboure-Roi Bourgogne Blanc ($24 – chardonnay).
Beckman Cuvee Le Bec is an excellent wintertime wineReds: 2019 Torrebruna Sangiovese ($11); 2021 Terrazas de los Andes Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva ($18); 2022 Domaine la Guicharde Cotes du Rhone ($21); 2021 Omen Origins Sierra Foothills Zinfandel ($23); 2023 Laboure-Roi Bourgogne ($24- pinot noir); 2021 Masi Bonacosta Valpolicella ($19); 2021 Beckman Cuvee Le Bec Santa Ynez Valley ($25); Clos de L’Esperance Bordeaux Rouge ($16 – merlot); 2020 Mommessin Beaujolais Villages (22).
Happy wintertime sipping!
John Brown is also a novelist. His latest book – Augie’s Wine – has just been released and is now available to order at his website wordsbyjohnbrown.com. His first two books– Augie’s War and Augie’s World – are also available online and at bookstores around the state. You can find out more about his novels, and review all of his archived Vines & Vittles columns at wordsbyjohnbrown.com
