Best local white wines for the holidays

Posted: 2:12 pm, December 21, 2016 by Publisher Scott Brennan

White wines are wonderful options for holiday parties, meals and even gifts. Luckily there is no shortage of fantastic white wines in Paso Robles. We received so many tasty white wines that we created a separate list for recommended Rhone-style white wines, sparkling wines and rosé wines. Here are the additional white wines we would like to recommend to you.

Best Paso Robles white wines for the holidays

Bianchi 2013 Chardonnay – $10
Excellent value for a delightful white wine. It has tropical and citrus fruit flavors with a rich and buttery mouthfeel from sur lies aging and malolactic fermentation.

Broken Earth Winery Vermentino 2015 – $24
This Italian-style white wine offers aromas of pear and honeydew melon with flavors of stone fruit.

Burbank Ranch 2014 Sauvignon Blanc – $29
This is estate-grown, light wine starts with orange blossom aromas and delivers bright flavors of apple, minerals, and white peach. It has balanced acidity. It will pair well with a selection of cheeses and meats.

LaZarre Wines 2014 Chardonnay – $22
This is Adam LaZarre’s inaugural vintage chardonnay from the Runway Vineyard in Santa Maria. This wine is 100-percent barrel fermented and full of classic lush chardonnay flavors like creamy mango, peach and honeysuckle. It will make a fantastic accompaniment to any holiday party.

Michael Gill Cellars 2014 Vermentino – $40
This Italian varietal reveals an emerald straw color and leads with nutty aromas of lemon creme brûlée. It has a fruity, medium-bodied mouthfeel. It recently won two gold medals at international wine competitions. It will pair well with any holiday meal.

Pomar Junction 2015 Sauvignon Blanc – $28
This light white wine offers classic grassy aromas and flavors with hints of lime, green apple, and a touch of peach. It’s a great wine to start your holiday party.

Riverstar 2015 Riesling – $22
Not a typical riesling. This wine is delightfully dry, not sweet. It has notable acidity, with a fruity and floral bouquet. This wine will pair well with appetizers or lighter fare.

Robert Hall 2015 Cavern Select Chardonnay – $28
This a golden straw-colored, full-bodied wine. It’s a rich and buttery chardonnay. It offers notes of pineapple and ripe peaches. It has a long finish with flavors of toasted oak and fall spices. This bold white can carry your through your whole turkey dinner from salad to pumpkin pie.

Sextant 2015 Central Coast Chardonnay – $16
An excellent value for a solid chardonnay. The wine was fermented on 85-percent stainless steel and 15-percent neutral French oak barrels/It offers a vibrant nose of vanilla and mango. It tastes like ripe pineapple and tart apple with balanced acidity.

Tackitt Family Vineyards Gewurtraminer 2015 – $23
This is a balanced and not so sweet Gewurztraminer. It’s signature wine of Leon Tackitt. A fruity, spicy wine with hints of crisp pear and a smooth finish. This varietal is a holiday classic and great for any holiday party.

Paso Robles wine recommendations

Publisher’s note: For the third year in a row we thought it would be a great idea to recommend local wines for upcoming holiday parties and dinners. Once again, I had no idea how much participation we would receive from our local wineries. Over the last few weeks we received more than 100 entries. I was originally planning a list of 10 or so of the best wines, but after tasting and tasting and tasting, there were just too many solid, well-made wines to recommend. So we decided to break up the list of top local wines into categories. The recommended wines are in alphabetical order.