Breathe a sigh of relief — you survived the holiday season.

And, while some of us might have had a little too much wine in the past few weeks (guilty as charged), I do believe we should all reward ourselves for enduring such stressful times. It’s not easy to host parties for 15 or more of your closest friends and family while everything looks and tastes delicious — and doesn’t get catch fire — all the while keeping yourself calm and collected.

When I treat myself, it’s usually with a fabulous dessert or a glass of my favorite wine. I moved last weekend, so I was left with no time to craft the former. Wine it was.

So, today, I’ll discuss the varietals of wine I find best for winter sipping.

First, the whites. How dare I break convention, you might ask. There’s no hard-and-fast rule that says you absolutely have to shy away from the lighter styles in the colder months and only drink red. While they are best served chilled on hot, sweltering days with a few frozen grapes — for aesthetic purposes, of course — it’s perfectly OK to enjoy them in the winter.

In fact, some of my favorite nights have been spent reading in front of the fire with a good glass of pinot grigio. And, “reading in front of the fire,” I mean curled up in bed, electric blanket on high, watching my favorite romantic comedy.

While pinot is a go-to, I like something with a little more complexity. Sauvignon blanc is delicious any time of the year because of its bright, citrus notes and, in the winter, reminds you of warmer days. My personal favorite comes from New Zealand vinter Hay Maker, which has intense tropical flavors and notes of grapefruit. It’s perfect with roasted chicken, pan-seared fish or vegetarian entrées.

If you like something a little more woodsy, chardonnay is also good, provided you can find one without the buttery aftertaste. I also adore chenin blanc, which has about the same body as a chardonnay but with a more nuanced profile. The wine is also quite dynamic, capable of producing light and fizzy sparkling lines. The 2014 Cave de Saumur Les Pouches chenin blanc is absolutely divine, with a bright pear aroma and notes of lemongrass.

I do love my reds, however, and I couldn’t talk about winter reds without zinfandel. Its fruitiness, pepperiness and smoothness are only a handful of the reasons I could go on for hours about this wine.

My favorite zinfandel comes from Plungerhead, a blend of 90 percent zinfandel, 7 percent petite sirah, 2 percent petite verdot and 1 percent primitivo. It has a bold, well-rounded aroma of cherries and blackberries, black pepper and smoky tobacco. On the palate, it offers fruity flavors of currants and spicy notes of cinnamon and clove, supported by a base of toasted oak. It’s a wonderland of perfumed spice and sensual allure.

My favorite red, however, is malbec. Originally part of the French Bordeaux blend, the varietal is as old as modern wine history, itself. My favorites come from Argentina, where, grown at the Andean foothills, they are rich, jammy and smooth while maintaining some bite. Typically you’ll encounter malbecs with rich currant and berry flavors, and sometimes they’ll have a little tannic finish to round of the sweetness of the fruit. Other malbecs will be less assertive, and you might need to remind yourself that, no, they’re not juice and you should probably slow down.

Whichever way you swing — white or red — you can’t really go wrong when it comes to wine. Regardless of whatever “rules” there might be, just choose something you and your friends will enjoy.

So, I implore you, go forth and treat thyself. There’s an entire winter (wine) wonderland ahead of you: explore, drink and be merry.

— Staff Writer Alan Bennett can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 329 or abennett@journaltribune.com.