A down parka may be helpful for braving Everest ascents, enduring Arctic explorations and waiting for the green line after sundown, but we at The Second Glass believe the best way to fight the cold is from the inside out. That’s right—winter’s the time to mainline the biggest, boldest and most alcoholic wines you can find. We suggest the following bottles, sent directly from a hot, sun-soaked climate:
CALIFORNIA SYRAH
The central coast of California is a kick-ass place for making soul-warming, big-bodied Syrah. Originally hailing from France’s Rhône Valley, Syrah—or Shiraz if you’re down under—crossed the globe, landed in California and flourished. Lining coastal vineyards from Santa Barbara to north of the San Francisco Bay, Syrah has become a quintessential American style of wine.
To fight away the winter chills, we decided that stocking up on the high-alcohol, raspberry jam-filled 2005 Barrel 27 Syrah ($15), with flavors of licorice and hints of spice and cedar, is a really good idea. [Available at Blanchards, 741 Centre St., Jamaica Plain. 617.522.9300. blanchardsliquor.com]
ZINFANDEL
DO NOT confuse this ballsy, jammy, sucker-punch-you-in-the-face-when-you’re-not-looking wine with its pansy inbred cousin, White Zinfandel. “Real” Zinfandel is an ink-black, massive-bodied, fruit-laden wine that is grown all over California but thrives in arid Paso Robles. Halfway between L.A. and San Francisco, this region is an up-and-coming superstar, producing fabulous wines at reasonable prices.
We recommend trying some bottles from all-around badass winemaker Christian Tietje at Four Vines Winery. Anarchy (Syrah, Mourvedre, Zinfandel for $30) and the “Maverick” Zinfandel ($23) will blow your socks off. However, for the budget conscious, the 2005 “Old Vine Cuvee” Zinfandel ($12) is a solid choice. [Available at Bauer Wine & Spirits (Tietje’s former place of employment), 330 Newbury St., Boston. 617.262.0363. bauerwines.com]
PORT WINE
After only a few glasses of this sweet, fortified wine from Portugal, your insides will tingle with glee. Actual Port only comes from Portugal and is essentially wine spiked during the fermentation process with brandy, resulting in an elixir with an alcohol content upwards of 20 percent. In the past decade, Portuguese growers in the Duoro Valley have been selling fewer grapes to British Port houses and making their namesake wine themselves. While British-owned Port houses such as Warez, Taylor Fladgate and Grahams make great wine, we at The Second Glass generally root for the underdog and prefer to support the smaller, Portuguese-owned wineries.
Splurge on a bottle of the 2000 Quinta de Ventozelo Late Bottled Vintage Port ($25) from the Portuguese owned and operated winery, and you’ll soon strip off that hand-knit sweater from grandma. Refrigerate after opening and this wine will keep for over a week. [Available at The Wine Emporium, 607 Tremont St., South End, Boston. 617.262.0379. thewineemporiumboston.com]
