With the holiday season comes good food, good company and good wine, especially in the heart of wine country. Napa and Sonoma produce some of the country’s best wines and we have the guide to the best pairings for your upcoming hearty and delicious holiday meals.

If beef tenderloin, short ribs or any red meat dish is on your menu this year, you can’t go wrong with a Californian Merlot to compliment the meal. Merlot is a softer red wine and pairs well with richly sauced dishes like a tenderloin with a mushroom sauce or even a holiday casserole. This year, be sure to pick up a bottle or two from Duckhorn Vineyards in Napa, a world-class winery that consistently produces some of the best Merlot in the state.

A Christmas classic, country ham is a sweet and salty dish that pairs best with a fruity and acid-rich wine, like a Riesling. A very crisp and refreshing white, Riesling originated in the Rhine region of Germany and has made its way stateside over the years. Captivating and flavorful, Riesling from Trefethen Vineyards in Napa Valley was awarded double gold in the 2017 California State Fair Wine Competition and is a must for this year’s celebrations.

Located along Highway 29, the artery of wine country that houses Napa and Sonoma’s best vineyards, Alpha Omega was established in 2006 and is a world-renowned location for the country’s best wines. Alpha Omega’s Chardonnay – crisp and clean – is the perfect match for many holiday meals, including risottos, vegetable dishes and cooked seafood like crab and prawns. Try pairing with a butternut squash risotto, a hearty yet unique holiday meal, for the ideal flavor match this holiday.

They say that lamb chops are one of the most wine-friendly meats. They pair with a variety of reds, but best with a fruit-driven wine like a Cabernet. Scarecrow Wine, a local winery, is a historic vineyard once owned by Joseph Judson Cohn, an MGM executive from Hollywood. Since, the estate has changed ownership – including Francis Ford Coppola – and Scarecrow is today established as an ultra-premium cult wine. Their 100% Cabernet Sauvignon production is a California icon and should surely be served at your table this year.