Red wines make pleasant company when winter comes in

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Interesting juxtaposition of cigar box, leather and tobacco aromas with dry cherries and violets. Warm flavors of blackberry cobbler, cassis, mocha with notes of clove. It had a lingering, smooth finish with a hint anise.

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Polar Vortex: The two words that strike fear in the hearts of folks with perpetually cold feet.

Extra blankets and wooly socks will only take us so far in our battle with this intruder from the Great White North. We’ll need something to fortify our insides while we snuggle in front of that cracklin’ fire.

A couple of weeks ago, I organized a tasting of big red wines to keep us warm as we march inescapably into winter. It featured mostly California cabs. And while there’s nothing wrong with cabernet sauvignons from the Golden State — except, perhaps, their ubiquity — there’s a bigger world of big, red wines to explore.

I’ll focus on three of my favorite plus-size wines of winter.

What makes a wine a winter wine anyway?

I know some of you are saying: “Geez, how is he not talking about Port?” We’re going to leave Port and port-style wines for another day. However, non-fortified, dry wines for winter nights do share one quality with Port and that is alcohol. If you want to warm you cockles, a wine north of 14 percent alcohol is a good place to start.

Finding a wine with elevated alcohol won’t take much of a search these days. So, what else defines a winter wine? A wine with deep, rich flavors, such as juicy black cherries, blackberries, espresso, dark chocolate and aromas of leather, cedar and black licorice. And let’s not forget tannins. Tannins provide the structure that prevents a wine’s fruit from tasting like strawberry jam. They also add a subtle, bitter edge that lends to a red wine’s complexity.

OK, so what makes a wine a great winter wine?

A great big wine has to keep all those intense flavors, sensations and aromas in balance. That’s no easy task. I often compare an elegantly balanced, big red wine to a hippo on a high wire. Not an easy feat, but when a winemaker can pull it off, a standing ovation is in order.

Perhaps the biggest omission from my big red wine tasting was a zinfandel. Often confused for its pink, slightly sweet cousin (white zinfandel), red zinfandels are a great go-to wine for the winter months. My four favorite, reasonably priced zinfandels are Sebastiani, Sonoma County ($17); Dry Creek Valley’s Heritage Vines ($20 — especially the 2012 vintage); Fritz Estate ($25); and Grgich Hills ($35).

If big is never really big enough for you, I’ll quickly mention the wines of Montefalco, Italy. Sagrantino is the grape there. Italian wine law requires Sagrantino di Montefalco wines stay in oak barrels for a minimum of 30 months, but most makers use 2 1/2 years merely as a starting point. These wines are massive with alcohol levels exceeding 15 percent and flavors of chocolate, black cherry, tobacco and leather. Arnaldo-Caprai is the biggest player here. They’re not cheap, though. The 2007 goes for $100.

Lately, I’ve run into a bunch of great Brunellos di Montalcino and their kid brothers, Rossos di Montalcino. These sangiovese-based wines are big, but not anything like sagrantinos. Named after the hilltop village Brunello in Tuscany, this region can claim a string of great vintages. Basically going back to 2004, it’s been one hit after another. Reliable names you’re likely to find on the shelves include Banfi, Frescobaldi and Casanova di Neri. Perhaps the most appealing trait of Brunellos and Rossos di Montalcino is that they’re big but light on their feet and can dance splendidly with most any dish.

So, Polar Vortex, spin away and do your worst. I’ve got a cord of firewood, a flannel comforter and bottle of Brunello. I’m ready … and while you’re up, could you throw another log on the fire?