Healthier Holiday Wine Pairings: A Nutrition Coach + Sommelier’s Guide to Sipping Smarter This Season
Before I ever coached a single gut—or had toddlers negotiating holiday dessert rules—I spent my twenties building wine programs for Michelin-rated restaurants. The kind of places where you open Champagne with a whisper and debate the personality differences between left-bank and right-bank Bordeaux on your break. (P.S. Right-bank always.)
These days, instead of late-night tastings, I’m teaching clients why sulfites aren’t the enemy—but pesticides kind of are.
Once a sommelier, always a sommelier.
Most recently, I wrote the wine program for The Jacquelyn, a wellness social club in Sacramento. The list had one theme: wines with a healthier twist. Wines made by real humans farming real land—organic, biodynamic, natural, regenerative, low-alcohol, or no alcohol at all.
Today’s guide brings that same philosophy into your holiday season.
Gorgeous wines. Clean ingredients. Nutrient-forward recipes. Zero deprivation. Maximum vibe.
And also: great wine should spark joy, not inflammation.
This is your guide to holiday wines that taste amazing, feel good in your system, and pair beautifully with seasonal, gluten- and dairy-free Nourished Soul recipes.
Let’s sip smarter.
Wine and Wellness
Tasting through a lineup of organic, biodynamic, and naturally made wines — because wine and wellness can coexist when you know what to look for. As a former sommelier now working in integrative nutrition, I’m passionate about helping people choose wines that support their health goals without sacrificing flavor or joy.
WHY “HEALTHIER” WINES MATTER
Short version:
Cleaner farming → fewer chemicals → fewer post-holiday regrets.
Most of these wineries follow organic, regenerative, biodynamic, natural, or sustainable practices. Which means:
No glyphosate (hi, Italy banned it ages ago)
No synthetic herbicides/pesticides
Fewer additives
More biodiversity in the soil
More antioxidants in the wine
More flavor and fewer mystery headache triggers
Old World producers (France, Italy, Greece, Spain) do this beautifully.
BUT today we’re focusing on small U.S. producers who farm clean and cool.
Why Choose Clean Wine
When wine is grown organically or biodynamically, it contains fewer chemicals and unnecessary additives — which often means fewer post-holiday regrets. Clean, well-farmed wine simply feels different.
REGENERATIVE WINES
Definition: Vineyards farmed to heal the planet—restoring soil, boosting biodiversity, and making wine the Earth would swipe right on.
Health Bonus: Stronger soil microbes = healthier vines = fewer additives needed.
Wineries I Love:
Tablas Creek – The Beyoncé of regenerative wine. First in the world to achieve Regenerative Organic Certification and somehow keeps getting better.
Inman Family Wines – Pinot lovers’ dream: regenerative, elegant, and made with serious intention.
Bonterra Organic Estates – The O.G. of organic + regenerative wines. Big mission, beautiful farming, surprisingly approachable.
ORGANIC WINES
Definition: Grapes grown without synthetic herbicides, pesticides, or chemical fertilizers.
Health Bonus: Less residue, fewer additives, and cleaner fermentation inputs.
Certified Organic Favorites:
Matthiasson – Napa’s cool-kid philosophy professor of wine. Brilliant, balanced, vegetable-garden energy in the best way.
Donkey & Goat – Wild, fun, natural-leaning wines that taste like your artsy friend made them—in a good way.
Kelly Fox Wines – Oregon queen of pure, soulful Pinot that feels like silk pajamas for your tongue.
DuMOL – Immaculate Pinot & Chardonnay with cult-following finesse.
La Follette – Mineral-driven beauties with serious structure.
Land of Saints – Affordable, joyful, and ethically farmed—yes please.
Organic in practice, not always certified:
Corison Winery – Napa Cabernet for people with taste. Feminine, structured, intellectual.
Frog’s Leap – Dry-farmed, organic, and perpetually iconic.
The WALL – Boutique, thoughtful, “if you know, you know.”
Failla – Cool-climate artistry from one of California’s most respected winemakers.
Hartford Court – Russian River Valley richness with serious quality.
SUSTAINABLE WINES
Definition: Farming that treats the vineyard like a long-term relationship—not a Netflix-and-ghost.
Health Bonus: Lower chemical load, lower waste, and often lower sulfites.
Wineries I Love:
Scribe – The effortlessly cool Napa winery with picnic blankets, chic tastings, and organically farmed, minimal-intervention wines.
Klinker Brick – Sustainable, family-run Lodi producers known for juicy Zins and clean farming.
Domaine Drouhin Oregon – French roots, Oregon soul. Sustainable elegance in every bottle.
Ridge Vineyards – Transparent labels, brilliant farming, and Zinfandel royalty.
Peter Michael Winery – Mountain-grown luxury with sustainable practices stitched into every block.
Ashes & Diamonds – California’s chicest mid-century modern winery serving fresh, low-intervention wines + major aesthetic vibes.
BIODYNAMIC WINES
Definition: Farming with lunar cycles, compost teas, herbs, livestock, and a whole lot of cosmic energy. Witchy in the best possible way.
Health Bonus: Hyper-clean grapes, richer soil microbes, fewer additives needed.
Wineries I Love:
Quivira – Dry Creek Valley goodness grown with cosmic intention.
Far Mountain – Small-production, mountain-grown, biodynamic beauty.
Lioco – Crisp, clean, minimal-intervention charm.
Antiquum Farm – Pinot made with sheep-powered grazing and pure magic.
Angwin Estate – High-elevation biodynamic Cabernet with soul.
Rudd Estate – Napa grandeur with biodynamic discipline.
Cristom Vineyards – Oregon Pinot with depth, elegance, and lunar swagger.
Bergström Wines – Cult Oregon Pinot crafted biodynamically.
Montinore Estate – Large-scale biodynamics done with heart.
Hamel Family Wines – Sonoma stunners with holistic farming.
Jolie-Laide – Tiny-production, artsy labels, natural-leaning, wildly delicious.
Arnot-Roberts – Mountain-grown minimalism; the somm world swoons.
NATURAL WINES
Definition: Native yeast, no chemicals, no makeup—wine in its “I woke up like this” era.
Health Bonus: Minimal additives + often gentler on sensitive systems.
Wineries I Love:
Littorai – The philosopher-poet of natural farming; pure coastal elegance.
Scholium Project – Experimental, brainy, weird-in-a-good-way wines.
Broc Cellars – Juicy, funky, vibrant natural wines that taste like a picnic with artists.
Gravner Allies – Iconic skin-contact influence meeting California air.
Sandlands – Understated, soulful, sommelier-beloved treasures.
Radio-Coteau – Natural-leaning, organically farmed, cult-favorite coastal beauties.
Idlewild Wines – Wild Italian varietals made with California swagger.
Forlorn Hope – Tiny lots, eccentric varietals, pure delight.
Bow & Arrow – Oregon’s lo-fi Loire Valley-inspired legends.
Los Pilares – San Diego natural OGs doing it their own way.
Deux Punx – Urban natural wine makers with attitude and heart.
Tatomer – Austria meets Santa Barbara in laser-focused whites.
Dirty & Rowdy – Experimental, joyful, funky wines that make sommeliers giddy.
LOW-ALCOHOL & NON-ALCOHOLIC WINES
Because you deserve a festive glass whether you’re drinking or not.
NA & Low-ABV Wines I Love:
Leitz Eins-Zwei-Zero Sparkling Riesling – Crisp, bright, and shockingly legit.
Noughty Alcohol-Free Sparkling – Champagne vibes without the ABV.
Acid League Proxies – Not wine, but the most sommelier-approved wine alternatives.
Wander + Found NA Riesling – Dry, aromatic, holiday-friendly.
HOLIDAY WINE PAIRINGS
Small production, thoughtful wines + Nourished Soul recipes
Inman Family Wines “Endless Crush Rosé” Vibrant, citrusy, and refreshing.
Why it works: The rosé’s acidity mirrors the brightness of cranberries, keeping each bite lifted and balanced.
Additional Recommendations
Idlewild “Flora & Fauna White” – aromatic white with texture that complements herbs + heat
Bonterra Sauvignon Blanc – clean, zesty, and excellent with citrus-forward dishes
Matthiasson Ribolla Gialla Hazelnuts, baking spices, Meyer lemon curd, Bartlett pear.
Why it works: Persimmon’s fruit and warm spices echo the Ribolla Gialla’s notes.
Additional Recommendations
Broc Cellars “Love Red” – juicy and vibrant; a great pairing for sweet-savory appetizers
Jolie-Laide Trousseau – light-bodied and aromatic with subtle spice
Scribe Chardonnay Minimal intervention with citrus and subtle oak.
Why it works: The wine’s acidity and texture align with the salad’s sesame, tamari, and citrus elements.
Additional Recommendations
Tablas Creek “Esprit de Tablas Blanc”
A Rhône-style blend with warm spice, citrus oil, and herbal complexity.
Why it works: The wine’s savory spice and gentle richness beautifully complement the caramelization of roasted carrots.
Additional Recommendations
Dirty & Rowdy “Familiar Mourvèdre” – bright, lifted red fruit with earthy undertones
Land of Saints Sauvignon Blanc – crisp acidity and stone fruit to balance maple sweetness
Land of Saints Sauvignon Blanc Bright, mineral-driven, and highly versatile.
Why it works: The wine’s acidity balances the creaminess of the cashew-based sauce.
Additional Recommendations
Forlorn Hope Chenin Blanc – bright and refreshing
Scribe Sylvaner – herbal and zesty; ideal with rich plant-based dishes
Jolie-Laide Trousseau Gris Textural, aromatic, and lightly skin-contact.
Why it works: Citrus, olive oil, and herbs meet a wine with the right freshness and grip.
Additional Recommendations
READY FOR A HEALTHIER, HAPPIER NEW YEAR?
If your 2026 goals include:
✔ Drinking more intentionally
✔ Feeling good while still celebrating
✔ Improving digestion, stress resilience, and energy
✔ Choosing wines that support your wellness
✔ Learning how to nourish your body without restriction
Let’s work together.
Cheers to clean wine, bright flavors, happy guts, and celebrations that feel as good as they taste.
