5 Best Wines for Après Ski
When planning to hit the slopes, we’re usually more preoccupied with finding the best wines for après ski than plotting the runs for the day. It’s not that we don’t love skiing -- there’s probably no better outdoor winter activity we’d rather sign up for. There’s something uniquely, well, fun, about kicking off your heavy ski boots and uncorking some delicious après ski wine. Is there a better way to soak in the glory of that double black diamond you (almost perilously) crushed? Not likely.
If you want après ski wine that’s juicy and warming, if you want to uncork a party with your après ski wine, if you want après ski wine that’s crisp and refreshing because you’re going to slay powder all day, then you can stop your search right here. No matter how you approach the slopes, the best wines for après ski will get you on course for that fine winter feeling.
Maison de Ardoisières Silice - $30
This energetic varietal Jacquère is loaded with zesty flavors of citrus juice, lemon peel, crushed rocks, and coarse salt. Refreshing acid and solid structure lead to a zesty, thirst-quenching finish. Domaine des Ardoisières is headed by Champagne native Brice Ormont and comprises 13 hectares across Savoie’s steep hills.
Chacra Roka Malbec - $29
Founded in 2004 by Piero Incisa della Rocchetta (grandson of the famed creator of Sassicaia), Chacra’s mission is to express the unique microclimates of Rio Negro through organic farming and biodynamic principles. ‘Roka’ is Chacra’s first venture into the world of Malbec and is exclusively produced for Verve Wine. The wine is dark and delicious, marked by flavors of violets, ripe plums, wet earth, and sappy wild berries. A true crowd pleaser!
Patrick Bottex Bugey-Cerdon NV - $23
Ideally located between Savoie, Burgundy, and the Jura, Bugey is one of France’s most unique and interesting grape-growing havens. Bottex’s one-of-a-kind méthode ancestrale sparkling is comprised of 80% Gamay / 20% Poulsard, grown on high-altitude slopes on clay-limestone soils. Chuggable, low-alcohol, and delightfully refreshing, you’ll feel like you made it to Chamonix.
Dhondt Grellet Extra Brut Champagne - $57
Hailing from six hectares across Sezanne, Cuis, and Avenay val d’Or, this soft, delicate Champagne is vividly refreshing. Chardonnay dominant (50%), rounded out with 30% Pinot Noir and 20% Pinot Meunier, the wine shows a prominent creaminess, yet remains fruit-forward with lively acidity. Perfect as an aperitif, or served with all things fried.
Niepoort Bairrada Tinto 'Nat Cool' - $23
This juicy and easy-drinking red is crafted entirely from the Baga grape, a variety native to Portugal’s Barraida region. Carbonic maceration and steel vinification ensures this wine is super fresh and fruit-forward, perfect for #porchpounding year-round!