Warming whites? Break away from the ice bucket this winter | Hannah Crosbie on drinks

As the nights draw in, there’s no reason that the season’s bold, ripe, room-temperature wines need only be red …

We’ve all heard of chilled reds by now, right? Even so, it was only relatively recently that they became part of our drinking lexicon, and modern British drinkers realised that bringing down the temperature of certain reds by a few degrees made them sing and deliver charmingly pronounced, bright, fresh fruit notes. So much so that I now can’t think of drinking a light French red any other way.

But what if I told you the same can be true for – wait for it – bold, warmer whites? Common knowledge dictates that we serve all white wine from an ice bucket, chilled to within an inch of its life – it’s just what we do – but in reality that can kill a wine, particularly if it’s a powerful and/or aromatic example. Over- or needlessly chilled wine often prevents us from picking up on much of its aromas and, considering that much of what we taste is what we smell, you’re mostly going to end up tasting an unpleasant mouthful of alcohol and acid.

I propose we start enjoying our whites a little warmer than is customary, at room temperature even when we’re sat around a roaring fire. And I can’t think of a better time of year to explore such an approach. Think about what you want from a wine in the autumn and winter months. Do you want it to be higher in alcohol, generous and ripe? In which case I would ask why anyone thinks you necessarily need to drink a red wine to achieve that.

So if you fancy turning to a warming, ripe white to keep your insides warm over the colder months, where should you start? Well, it’s a good idea to be aware of the grapes and regions that are likely to yield bigger, bulkier white wines. As we know, the same grape can yield many different wine styles. Chardonnay, for example, can create anything from an enormous, oaky, American-style wine to a linear, mineral chablis. In fact, those wines are often so unrecognisable from each other that beginners often won’t know they’re made from the exact same grape.

In terms of chardonnay, you’ll be looking for examples from places with warmer climes. Take the aforementioned US, which has a reputation for powerful chardonnay, or seek out wines from the south of France, Australia and South Africa. That said, all these regions are capable of producing lighter, fresher styles, too, so consult the label before you buy.

I’d also keep an eye out for sauvignon blanc from any of those same areas (again, check the label first), chenin blanc from South Africa, and Rhône whites made from marsanne and roussanne for bold, peachy flavours; gewürztraminer is another grape that can offer aromatic, oily cuvées, as are sémillon, viognier and pinot gris (unlike its zesty Italian twin, pinot grigio).

Four whites for winter

Wildstone Roussanne £9.50 Waitrose, 13.5%. Honeyed, aromatic and unmistakably Rhône.

Taste the Difference New Zealand Pinot Gris £11 Sainsbury’s, 12.5%. I love that we’re seeing more widely available pinot gris. Here, opulent tropical fruit is balanced by acidity.

Villavieja Viognier 2021 £14 Forest Wines, 13.5%. A peachy and buttery Argentinian viognier.

Maison Uliz Bourgogne Blanc ‘La Combe’ 2022 £44 Emile Wines, 13%. Textural white burgundy is a special treat at this time of the year, and this one’s brimming with energy.