The holidays cannot come soon enough! This year has been crazy, and I don’t know about you, but I am seriously looking forward to relaxing with a glass of wine in hand. The holidays are a perfect time to stop and enjoy the little moments with friends and family. I know they can be stressful but hey, after the year we’ve had, we can handle it! Finding some wine that is perfect for the occasion also certainly helps! So I decided to compile a little list of my top wines for the holidays!
These are a couple of wines that scream holidays for me and would be perfect for celebrating with friends and family. I’ve chosen them based on personal preference only. It was really hard to pick just a couple out of a long list of wines I love and that I’m likely to have in my glass. But hopefully, this list gets you started and in the spirit for the holidays!
Watch this space too – I’ll also be doing a wrap up of my favourite wines of 2020!
Sparkling wine – Clover Hill Tasmanian cuvée
I start with the best drink for Christmas and the holidays – Sparkling Wine! We’re all going to be celebrating after all, and so I can’t think of a better occasion to pop open a bottle of bubbly than to celebrate the end of 2020. So why not go for a classic that everyone is sure to enjoy?
Clover Hill has a great range of Sparkling Wine whether you want something vintage, red or Rosé. Their wines are made using the traditional method so they are a great way to enjoy those fancy Champagne flavours without the crazy price tag! Plus you’re supporting our Aussie wine industry at the same time.
The Tasmanian cuvée is widely available and has some cracking flavours. Citrus, apples, brioche and cream come together in this crisp wine with a really nice length. It’s almost too good to share, but in the spirit of Christmas, I can’t think of anything better to pop!
Find out more at their website.
Honourable mention – Pink Prosecco 2020
The Pink Prosecco 2020 screams summer to me, and it is sure to be a great addition to any celebration. It ticks all the boxes for me. It’s fun with a cute label and a bright pink colour, it is prosecco which is always dry and refreshing, and it is a good conversation starter! Pink Prosecco is something so new to the world, and so it would be a great time to enjoy it!
This wine looks feels and tastes like you’re in Italy, with fresh zingy fruit and crisp acidity. This vibrant wine is sure to be a summer hit, best enjoyed as a way to cool down when catching up with friends.
Read my full review now.
Rosé – Bailey Wine Co Mount Gambier Rosé 2019
There are so many wines I would recommend in this category – honestly I have had so many beautiful ones this year that it was very hard to choose that perfect one for Summer. So I opted for those that I could imagine myself most lying on a beach with, glass in hand and a smile on my face.
The Bailey Wine Co 2019 Mount Gambier Rosé is screaming out to be enjoyed at a summer picnic with friends. Its crisp, refreshing, balanced and all too easy to polish off. This wine is perfect with cheese or seafood, or simply enjoyed watching the world go by as the weather heats up.
This wine is a pretty salmon hue in the glass, reminding me of where I’d rather be (aka sipping wine like this on the French Riviera…a girl can dream). On the nose, I got a hit of strawberries as well as a hint of citrus.
Read my full review here.
Honourable mention – Vino Intrepido Wines ‘The Sharpest Thorn’ Sangiovese Rosé 2019
It was hard to choose another wine so I opted for one that I think would fit perfectly with a meal. Something you can enjoy over those Summer long lunches when you don’t want a white wine and most certainly not a red!
If you haven’t tried a Sangiovese Rosé before, this wine is sure to win you over! The Vino Intrepido Wines Sangiovese Rosé 2019 is perfect with or without food with strawberry, spice and savoury all in one sip!
What I loved about this wine was that it was so crisp and refreshing whilst also packing a punch of flavour. There was a lot of texture to the wine but it had a lovely crisp finish that left you wanting another sip. This is why I think this wine will go so well with food. I find with some heavier Rosés they can be a bit overpowering on the palate, but this wine was so balanced and just plain delicious.
Read my full review here.
White wine – The Dagger Pinot Grigio 2019
White wine is something I don’t normally drink a lot of, but it is perfect for Summer. I’ve tasted some great ones this year, and choosing between them was tough! But when I thought of the wine I’d love to drink again at the beach or over a long lunch, I thought of this one. Pinot Grigio is a great all-rounder that tends to crowd-please, and this one is no different!
The Dagger Pinot Grigio 2019 from Cloak & Dagger is zippy, refreshing and perfect for warmer weather. It has a lovely pinky tinge which makes it really unusual and beautiful to look at. On the nose, I got pears and citrus that really jumped out of the glass. Along with this, there was some nice ripe peach. Flavour-wise I loved how zippy this wine was. Its crisp acidity went so well with flavours of citrus, apple and pear. The wine was incredibly balanced with a great refreshing and crisp finish.
Overall this wine is perfect for Spring and Summer. It is so refreshing, easy drinking and absolutely delicious! I love how aromatic it is on the nose, followed by a nice texture and crispness in the wine. You’ll find it all too easy to drink!
Read my full review here.
Honourable mention – Nashdale Lane 2018 Colour Series Chardonnay
I know Chardonnay can be polarising, but we love it in our household. It is a great option for those red lovers who want to drink something cool. There are also so many styles on the market that there are options for everyone! This one, in particular, was one I really enjoyed!
The Nashdale Lane 2018 Colour Series Chardonnay is a delicious crowd-pleasing Chardonnay offering something for everyone. Whether you like crisp fruity flavours or oaked toastiness, this wine will be something that ticks all the boxes. It’s complex, creamy, crisp and balanced. The best part about it is that it is great with food, making it perfect for your Summer celebrations and long lunches. Those rich flavours of Christmas feasts will pair beautifully with this wine.
Read my full review here.
Red wine – Mont Wines Pinot Noir 2019
Red wine can be a tricky one at Christmas, but I can tell you now that we seriously enjoy it as we eat our body weight in food. I always gravitate towards wines we can chill and that are light-bodied in Summer, so Pinot Noir was the way to go!
The Mont Wines Pinot Noir 2019 is a refreshing and juicy Pinot Noir that is perfect for warmer weather. Its vibrant red fruit flavours come together in this light wine that is perfect with or without food. It’s all too easy to polish off and is perfect for warmer weather when you feel like red wine. This is sure to be a crowd-pleaser!
This Pinot Noir is quite fruit-forward which I love. Think notes of strawberry and cherry – those flavours classic to Pinot Noir. These vibrant fruit flavours are balanced by a nice acidity that makes the wine oh so refreshing.
Read my full review here.
Honourable mention – Hugh Hamilton ‘The Rascal’ Shiraz 2017
There isn’t a more perfect pairing with Summer foods like BBQ than a great Australian Shiraz, and this one from Hugh Hamilton is absolutely delicious!
The Hugh Hamilton ‘The Rascal’ Shiraz 2017 is a beautiful example of McLaren Vale Shiraz. If you like a big wine, but don’t want something too bold, this wine is for you. It is plush without being overly rich, and perfectly balanced with fruity yet earthy notes. It’s big and round with plush flavours of fruit and vanilla balanced by a nice earthiness and long finish. Perfect for pairing with food, this is the sort of wine you’ll find all too easy to polish off!
Read my full review here.
Bonus – Sparkling Shiraz – Foxey’s Hangout Sparkling Shiraz
Do you think I could possibly have a list of top wines for the holidays without including a Sparkling Shiraz? Never! Nothing goes more perfectly with Chri
stmas than Sparkling Shiraz! It is like Christmas in a bubbly glass! Plus, it is perfect if you feel like red wine but its like 100 degrees outside. It ticks all the boxes of refreshing and perfect with Christmas food.
One of my favourite Sparkling Shiraz has to be the one from Foxey’s Hangout. It has a special place in my heart as I discovered it when I lived in Melbourne. Since then, every time I visit the Mornington Peninsula I always pick up a couple of bottles. This wine is beautiful all year round, but is even more perfect at Christmas! The flavours in this wine stand up to any Christmas feast, and even goes well with Chocolate! Think plum pudding in a glass, along with a good hit of tannins to balance out any sweetness.
At $35 a bottle, it is definitely worth checking out. Find out more on their website.
In summary – Top wines for the holidays 2020
No matter what your taste, I hope these suggestions of my top wines for the holidays have inspired you. But if not, there are so many other wines to discover! These wines I can definitely imagine enjoying on the holidays, and so that’s why they’ve made the list. Just writing this has made me dream of being at the beach sipping on one or all of these great wines!
Looking for some gift inspiration? Check out my gift guide!