Marlene Osteen
Winter has a funny way of pushing us toward the familiar. We want the stew that’s been bubbling for hours, the sweater that’s practically part of our DNA, and the kind of company that doesn’t need an explanation. When it comes to wine, I reach for bottles with personality – wines that behave like actual people, wines I know from people I know.
That came into focus for me over lunch with Jason Haas of Tablas Creek in San Luis Obispo. Under his watch, Tablas Creek has become a leader in regenerative farming, where sheep, cover crops, compost, insects, and vines all work in a self-sustaining loop. You can taste that energy. Their Esprit de Tablas Rouge is bright where you expect weight, deep where you expect flash – a blend that feels alive, with the same presence as Jason: thoughtful, grounded, quietly electric.
Another winter staple comes from someone I’ve come to admire in recent years: Guy Davis of Davis Family Vineyards. If you’ve met Guy – or wandered into High Country Wine & Provisions – you know why his wines feel so companionable. His Russian River Valley Pinot Noir tastes like a conversation you don’t want to end: a little bright, a little deep, plenty of charm.
Then there are the majestic wines of the Rhône. Years ago, my husband, daughter and I stayed at Château de Beaucastel and dined with owner François Perrin and his family – a true wine craftsman, passionate about the land and the grape. The Perrins have a knack for making wines that, though elegant and refined, are utterly approachable. Their Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge comes out of the bottle with the same easy manner as François – warm, grounded, full of stories.
Because winter deserves at least one white with real backbone, I always reach for Domaine Weinbach from Alsace. Their wines know cold weather – they’re grown in a valley where winter doesn’t tiptoe, it stomps. The Cuvée Théo Riesling is my go-to: bright, pure, quietly powerful. I also have a soft spot for Weinbach because years ago I vacationed in the Bahamas with their longtime winemaker, the late Laurence Faller. Today, the wines still carry her imprint, thanks to the continued brilliance and steady hand of her sister, Catherine Faller.
So when the cold settles in and the days get short, reach for the wines that feel like people you trust – the ones with a voice, a history, a bit of soul. Winter goes down a whole lot easier that way.
Favorites Count: 0