Top local white wines for the holidays

Posted: 10:38 am, November 23, 2014 by Publisher Scott Brennan

With the holidays just around the corner we put a call out to local wineries for their top holiday wine recommendations. They did not disappoint. When you celebrate Thanksgiving, throw holiday parties, and plan your Christmas dinner consider pouring some of these tasty local wines.

From the dozens of wines submitted, below are the best white wines we recommend. They are in alphabetical order. Serve them chilled.

Best white wines for the holidays

Castoro Cellars 2012 Estate Chardonnay Whale Rock Vineyard – $22
This bold white wine was aged eight months on French oak, which gives it a toasted marshmallow aroma. It would pair well with seafood dishes and creamed soups.

Eberle 2013 Cotes-du-Robles Blanc – $24
This Rhone-style wine is a blend of grenache blanc and rousanne with a touch of viognier. It leads with an aroma of orange blossom and cardamom and fills the mouth with flavors pear and lemon zest. It will pair well with appetizers like soft aged cheeses, shellfish and other seafood.

J. Lohr 2013 Gesture RVG – $35
This refreshing white wine is named for its blend of rousanne, viognier and grenache blanc. It has aromas of ripe pear and apple blossom. It follows through with flavors of honey, citrus and pear.

Laetitia 2013 Estate Chardonnay – $20
This light and refreshing chardonnay has a hint of oak, without it being overwhelming. It would go well with Caesar salad, grilled shrimp, and white meat turkey.

Nobelle 2012 Belle Riviere – $35
This marsanne was barrel fermented and aged with its lees for six months, giving it a tasty and desirable character. It has light hue, a fruity and floral bouquet that finishes with an orange flavor. It will pour well with a full Thanksgiving meal.

Pear Valley 2012 Tom’s Chardonnay – $21
This vintage was barrel aged for seven months in French and neutral oak. It opens with aromas of ripe pear, apple and candied pineapple that follow through into the palate. It’s an excellent wine to start with.

Robert Hall 2013 Viognier – $20
This wine features honeysuckle blossom and sweet spice aromas with flavors of peaches and tropical fruit. It will make a great holiday party wine with appetizers like fresh fruit and cheeses.

Sculpterra 2013 Viognier – $26
This fresh-tasting wine starts with a nose of white peach, apricot and honeydew melon and delivers with the same flavors. It finishes with a hint of oak. It will pair well with all of your holiday party starters.

Treana 2013 White – $23
This Rhone-style white wine is a blend of marsanne and viognier. Its deep bold looks deliver aromas of honeysuckle, pineapple orange oil followed by flavors of blood orange

Vina Robles 2013 White 4 – $16
This medium-bodied viognier-based blend includes vermentino, verdelho and sauvignon blanc. It has aromas of peach and mango and a palate of layers of fruit with a crisp finish. This white wine has the best price point of this group.

Best Paso Robles wines for the holidays

Editors note: I thought it would be a great idea to recommend local wines for upcoming holiday parties and dinners, but I had no idea how much participation we would receive from wineries. Over the last week we received about 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.