From the Tribune:
’Tis the season for festive celebrations, grand family feasts—and questions about holiday wine pairing. What’s a great wine for the holidays? Which wine for prime rib? How about dessert?
And this time of year, drinking seasonally means drinking bigger. Whether red or white, bigger wines carry more richness, body and flavor intensity to warm the soul on chilly days. Think wines with big ripe fruit, higher alcohol or sugar content, and bold, herbaceous, nutty or spicy flavors. And since it’s the holidays, it’s the ideal time to select more elevated versions—meaning it’s time to pull out those special bottles that have been tucked away waiting for the right occasion.
Our 2018 Cooley Cabernet Sauvignon was a suggested pairing for your main course of Prime Rib:
It’s best to go with tannins. A firmly tannic wine pairs wonderfully with a well-marbled, juicy slab of beef. The ribbons of fat soften the tannins, pulling the fruit flavors forward. A wine with herbal hints bridges nicely to the roast’s herb-rubbed crust. A medium-weight red with good acidity balances the richness of the meat and allows its rare-pink flavors to shine.
