Escaping the cold creates the perfect opportunity for many wine drinkers to crave a glass of wine to help them warm up, get comfortable, be together with friends and family, and fight off the doldrums of the chilly days and nights still ahead.
Gervasi Vineyard Resort & Spa (GV) has just the wines to make the winter months more enjoyable. Gervasi’s winter wine warmers are perfectly made for the season.
The winter season is the perfect time to discover rich reds, warming whites, cozy pours, and which wines pair perfectly with comfort food and help warm up those bitterly cold nights.
Wine enthusiasts can purchase wine at GV by the bottle to take home or get out of the house for the evening and visit The Cave at Gervasi, which offers nightly tastings.
Eric Rabin, The Cave operations manager, offers his suggestions on winter wines, pairings and the best way to serve and drink wines in the winter months. Eric starts with the best Gervasi red wines to warm up those cold nights but also has a few suggestions for those white wine enthusiasts.
Gervasi wines have a way about them
January can chill a person to the bone. A fireplace, a warm blanket, and some great wines can make a real difference to a person’s internal temperature. Be it red or white wine, there is always something ready for wine drinkers at Gervasi. While both red and whites can be enjoyed during the first months of a new year, Eric offers a bit of advice.
“I would stick with red wines, with their complexity due to tannins and higher alcohol content. A higher alcohol content will have a fuller body, which is how full it feels in your mouth. Think of skim milk versus whole milk. The whole milk hangs out on your palate longer compared to the skim milk. This is not a steadfast rule, though. If you like white wine, go for it, but choose one with a higher alcohol content and/or a higher sugar content to really fill you up!”
Eric Rabin makes it his mission to offer some of the best wine-related suggestions on what Gervasi offers for winter warmer red wines.
“Since January can be bone-chilling, a higher alcohol content wine should do the trick to warm even the coldest of nights,” Eric said. “I suggest Solera, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sangiovese. It has the fruitiness of a youthful wine, the body of a medium-aged wine, and the depth of a well-aged wine. Think milk chocolate and caramel notes with dried black fruits.”
He also said that Gervasi’s Santo, a Tawny-Style Port Dessert Wine, with its high alcohol and sugar content, should warm the belly. Raisin, caramel and chocolate are intertwined to create a full mouthfeel. Two limited edition wines that fit the bill for winter drinking enjoyment are Signora in Rosso and Scarlatta. Eric said that both are deep reds that have hints of savory herbs, black fruits, and caramel notes.
What about the wines for those who prefer a great white wine?
“In the cooler months, a white wine needs a fuller body to keep you toasty and warm. One way to increase the body of a white wine is to increase the sugar content. I suggest sweeter wines, like our Dolce Sera, a late harvest Riesling, or Sognata, our ice wine. Both have notes of honey, cooked stone fruits, and ripe apples,” Eric said.
How do winter reds and whites pair with winter foods?
With Valentine’s Day just several weeks away, those living in the cold states often enjoy a great dessert for lunch or dinner, or rich chocolates for snacks.
“When pairing wines with desserts, the wine always needs to be sweeter than the dessert, otherwise the wine becomes tart and flat. Sweet wines like our Sweet Riesling, aged in a Bourbon barrel, and our Lascito fit the bill. Lascito is a rosé with notes of sweet cherry, strawberry, pineapple, and guava,” Eric offered.
Eric has a few pairing tips for enjoying those winter meals with Gervasi wines.
Roast beef is a favorite winter food and Santo, a tawny-style dessert wine, should work well. The alcohol and sweetness increase the body of the wine, which won’t fall flat when paired with roast beef.
Ohioans love a really good stew in the cold months. Scarlatta, which means Scarlet, can work with the complexity of a Stew, usually beef. Scarlatta is a blend of well-aged Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Malbec. These grape varietals work well with intensely rich food stews.
Italian foods such as lasagna, spaghetti, and pizza are great foods for warming up over the weekend when the family is home and hungry. A perfect wine choice for adults in the family is Signora in Rosso, which translates to “Lady in Red” is Eric’s pick for these types of tasty foods. This wine is aged three years in a white oak barrel, leading to aromas and flavors of black cherry, sweet almond, bay leaf and dark chocolate.
Have a craving for a really juicy, cooked just right steak this weekend? Solera is Eric’s choice for wine because it stands up to a well-seasoned steak. It has bold spices, and the higher alcohol content in the wine will cut the fattiness of the steak.
For fish lovers, winter is a good time to enjoy your favorite fish dinner. Eric said that fish consumed in the wintertime usually includes a more robust sauce. Lascito should work well with any complex sauce to balance the richness of the dish.
Winter serving suggestions for Gervasi wines
Red wines are best served around 60 degrees, while white wines should be served at a cooler temperature, around 50 degrees. Sweet white wine is always served cooler than a dry white wine, around 40 degrees.
Eric mentioned, “A rule of thumb is if you don’t have a wine refrigerator, take the dry white wine out of the fridge 20 minutes before you serve it, or put the red wine in the fridge 20 minutes before serving. This puts each wine at the correct temperature when it comes time to drink the wine.”
A world-class wine experience and visit to The Cave at Gervasi
Another great way to warm up this winter is with a visit to The Cave, which is a unique journey through the art of winemaking. With its cozy atmosphere, The Cave is the ideal destination for wine enthusiasts who appreciate quality and tradition.
Whether you’re a wine connoisseur or simply seeking a refined, relaxing experience, or want to warm up out of the winter cold, The Cave offers an exclusive, intimate setting where Gervasi Vineyard’s winemaking process comes to life.
Visitors appreciate the experience of being a part of curated tastings. You will also enjoy a close-up look at the amazing wine barrel room, with a behind-the-scenes look at how GV’s wines age. The Cave’s intimate tasting room has just the atmosphere to enjoy a guided experience through a selection of Gervasi wines, including winter wines.
The Cave also hosts private events and seasonal gatherings, providing a personalized experience.
Warm up with wine and chocolates
Together, wine and chocolates can feel like a pair of warm gloves when swirling a glass of wine in one hand and holding a favorite chocolate in the other.
If you are looking for a wine-related event to help celebrate Valentine’s Day that includes chocolates and winter wines, GV is offering an amazing event, Chocolates in The Cave, that is bound to warm up those cold bones this winter and make someone very happy on Valentine’s Day.
Chocolates in The Cave is scheduled for Thursday, February 12, from 6-8 pm, and it promises to be a sweet and sparkling Valentine’s wonderland. This romantic, open-house-style evening invites guests to indulge in decadent chocolate-inspired desserts, sip wine, and soak up the cozy glow of The Cave.
In addition to tasting the award-winning Gervasi wines, guests are encouraged to stroll through an antipasti-style dessert display featuring an array of handcrafted chocolate-themed desserts that are perfect for sharing (or you might want to keep them for yourself).
Enjoy a tasting flight of three 2-oz pours of Gervasi’s signature wines as you mingle, snack, and savor the love-filled ambiance.
Gervasi brings the heat
Fill your winter months with more than just cold days and long nights. Whether you love rich red wines or sweet white wines, Gervasi Vineyard Resort & Spa brings the heat with great award-winning wines to warm up this long winter.