Holiday Wines 2025: Sparkling Stars, Crowd-Pleasers, NA Options & Wine Gifts That Impress, Ep 122

It’s officially the season of festive dinners, Friendsgiving gatherings, holiday parties, and “What wine should I bring?” moments. On this year’s Sip Sip Hooray Holiday Wine episode, the Two Marys share their top picks for the 2025 season—plus expert recommendations from winemakers across California and beyond.

This guide pulls together every wine, winery, non-alcoholic option, and wine gift mentioned in the episode.

🥂 Sparkling Wines for any Holiday Occassion

• Meaghan Frank recommends Dr. Konstantin Frank Célèbre NV Sparkling Riesling, Finger Lakes $25 and gives her favorite food pairing.

• Iron Horse Vineyards 2021 Classic Vintage Brut, Green Valley, Russian River Valley $58 and 2021 Russian River Cuvée, Green Valley, Russian River Valley $58

• Caraccioli Cellars – Best US Sparkling Wne at the 2025 Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships for 2019 Brut Rosé, Santa Lucia Highlands $75

🍽️ White Wines for Holiday Tables

Sauvginon Blanc

• 2024 Alma de Cattleya Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County $28

• Darcie Kent Vineyards in Livermore Valley – a selection of three Sauv Blancs

• Page Mill 2024 Sauvignon Blanc, Livermore Valley $24 Chenin Blanc

• Kunin 2022 Chenin Blanc Natural, “Jurassic Park”, Santa Ynez Valley $36

• Lang & Reed 2024 Chenin Blanc, Mendocino $35

Riesling and Grüner Veltliner

• Tatomer Wines – around $30

• Maidenstoen – site specific Rieslings and Grüner $22-$25

• Trefethen 2024 Dry Riesling, Oak Knoll District, Napa Valley $35

• Cambria 2022 Katherine’s Vineyard Chardonnay, Santa Maria Valley $22

🎉 Friendsgiving Favorite

• Whiny Baby Wines – Unwind White, OMG Rosé and Obsessed Red, all $18

🍷 Red Wines for Holiday Feasting

• Bradley Brown of Big Basin Vineyard gives us several holiday options, and tells us about a special on library wines for $25/bottle, available only at the Santa Cruz, CA tasting room. 2022 Old Vine Carignan, Wirz Vineyard, Cienega Valley, $39; 2022 Pinot Noir , Lester Family Vineyards, Santa Cruz Mountains $60; 2019 Rattlesnake Rock Syrah, Santa Cruz Mountains, $66; 2019 62 Terraces Syrah, Santa Cruz Mountains, $60

• Gamay: I. Brand & Family 2022 Gamay Noir, Escolle Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands, $36

• Grenache: Many selections from A Tribute To Grace in Los Alamos, starting at $36. Clementine Carter, also in Los Alamos, offers several Grenache options and a Grenache Blanc, $45-$56.

• Zinfandel: Ridge Vineyards 2023 Benito Dusi Zinfandel, Benito Dusi Ranch, Paso Robles, $42

• Malbec: 2023 Catena Malbec, Mendoza – around $18-$20 at various wine retailers

• Cabernet Franc from Livermore Valley: Steven Kent 2023 Cabernet Franc, Livermore Valley, $48 and 2022 L’Autre Côte Cabernet Franc, Livermore Valley $120; Cuda Ridge 2923 Cabernet Franc, Livermore Valley $46; McGrail Vineyards 2022 Cabernet Franc, Livermore Valley, $65

•Nolan Jones, winemaker at Lava Cap Winery in El Dorado, in the Sierra Foothills, has three great suggestions: 2024 Grenache, El Dorado, Sierra Foothills, $32; 2022 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, El Dorado, Sierra Foothills, $45; 2023 Tectonic Barbera, El Dorado, Sierra Foothills, $40

Pinot Noir

• 2021 Patz & Hall Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, $45

• Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery – 2020 Pinot Noir, Gap’s Crown Vineyard, Petaluma Gap, Sonoma County, $90

🍾 Best Non-Alcoholic Wine Options (Delicious & Wine-Like)

• Studio Null Wine – $32-$36. Co-founder Dorothy Munholland gives us her favorite recommendation.

• Noughty Wines: Noughty Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Chardonnay $23 and Noughty Non-Alcoholic Rouge (Syrah) $25

• Oddbird Wines

• Giesen Wines

• Lautus De-alcoholized Wine

• Saint Viviana

•Kally verjus based non-alcoholic wine

🎁 Wine Gifts Worth Giving (that you may want for yourself!)