After a long day at work, for many of us there’s nothing better than curling up on the sofa, glass of wine in hand, and binge-watching a favorite guilty-pleasure TV show. Whether your television preferences lean towards thrillers, the latest must-watch dramas, or laugh-out-loud comedies, we’ve got the perfect wine pairing to match your streaming style. Here are eight of our favorite TV shows of the moment, and our picks for the best California wines to go with them.
Emily in Paris est tres fun. Netflix’s popular, lighthearted television series gives Francophiles and fashionistas alike the opportunity to escape in high style to the world’s most romantic and glamorous city. Seen through the eyes of Gen Z American Emily Cooper, life in Paris is a dazzling and dizzying montage of fashion, food, friends, luxury, and romance.
Wine to Try: Domaine Carneros Brut Rosé, Carneros, $46
In the show, Emily’s frenemy is Camille, whose family owns the Champagne house, Chateau de Lalisse, making a glass of bubbles a must for streaming season three.
Emily in Paris is a fun, flirty Netflix comedy and this playful rosé from Domaine Carneros captures that spirit in the glass. Made from primarily Pinot Noir grapes, with a bit of Chardonnay added for structure, the result is an easy-drinking vintage with notes of rose, grilled peach, and honeysuckle.
Adventure, close calls, and world-wide escapades tantalize fans of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan on Amazon Prime. The TV series sees Jack Ryan transform from a somewhat nerdy desk jockey at the CIA into a bold, badass field agent foiling terrorist plots from Venezuela in season two to the former Soviet Union in the current season.
Wine to Try: Sequoia Grove Rutherford Bench Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, $90
Viewers need a big red to stand up to Jack Ryan’s white-knuckle adventures, and the 2019 Sequoia Grove Rutherford Bench Cabernet delivers. This Reserve Cabernet packs a punch with intense dark fruit flavors and notes of tobacco and cocoa powder. Bold and powerful, with elegant, silky tannins, it showcases the quality of Rutherford bench fruit, with a seamless finish that mimics Jack Ryan’s calm demeanor during any stressful situation.
For five seasons fans have loved escaping to Big Sky Country and the escapades of the Dutton family. Widower John Dutton III is the sixth-generation owner of Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, the largest ranch in Montana. The popular Paramount Network TV show centers around the family’s dynamics and drama at the ranch and the continuing fight with neighboring Broken Rock Indian Reservation, Yellowstone National Park, and developers who all want a piece of the Dutton’s land.
Wine to Try: Patz & Hall Dutton Ranch Russian River Chardonnay, Sonoma County, $45
In an episode of Yellowstone, Lynelle Perry admonishes, “You’re supposed to sip it,” after John Dutton guzzles a glass of Chardonnay. There’s no Chardonnay better to sip (or guzzle) while watching Yellowstone than the obvious 2018 Patz & Hall Dutton Ranch Russian River Valley Chardonnay. This 100% Chardonnay from some of the oldest vines in Sonoma creates a dry wine bursting with flavors of Meyer lemon, orange blossom, and passion fruit. Despite having some toast and buttery characteristics, the wine also has a minerality to it so it feels balanced in the glass.
With the popularity of Game of Thrones, it’s no surprise that HBO’s prequel, House of the Dragon, is firing up the airways. Based on George R.R. Martin’s book Fire & Blood, House of the Dragon is set 200 years before Game of Thrones. The fantasy television show depicts the beginning of the decline of the House Targaryen and a war of succession known as the Dance of the Dragons.
Wine to Try: Robert Hall Paso Red, Paso Robles, $20
What pairs better with the blood and guts of battle than a big, bold red wine from Paso Robles? As the Dance of the Dragons rages on, enjoy this full-bodied red blend that harmonizes Shiraz, Tempranillo, Zinfandel, Petite Verdot, and Petite Sirah into a red with berry and herbaceous flavors.
Based in Regency England, Bridgerton, one of Netflix’s top television series ever, gives fans a front-row seat into the drama, romance, and gossip of London high society. Viewers and Lady Whistledown delight in the shenanigans of the Bridgerton and Featherington families as they angle for love and a standing in society.
Wine to Try: WALT Blue Jay Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley, $50
The Walt Blue Jay Pinot Noir matches the elegance and refinement of Regency, England. The wine displays the softness and elegance of classic Pinot Noir along with the defining cherry flavor. Aromas of clove, dried grasses, and plum add to the plush finish of the wine.
Part sci-fi, part horror, Netflix’s Stranger Things is set in the 1980s in a small town where the disappearance of a young boy brings to light secret experiments, a government coverup, and a young girl with supernatural powers.
Wine to Try: Seghesio Venom, Alexander Valley, $55
In season four, Policeman Jim Hopper’s dreams of a bottle of Tuscany’s finest while imprisoned in eastern Russia keep him going. The 100% Sangiovese 2019 Seghesio Venom will keep viewers going as they binge watch Stranger Things. Made from Tuscany’s signature grape, the Venom marries earthy clay notes with cherry, cassis, and violets. The wine has smooth tannins and an acidic bite.
The psychological thriller You keeps fans on the edge of their seat with the disturbing lengths its main character Joe Goldberg will go to find and keep love. Viewers are taken along on Joe’s obsessive, toxic, and violent attempts to find his soul mate. In season three, his wife, Love Quinn, turns the tables leaving viewers to wonder if Joe has met his match.
Wine to Try: Charles Krug Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, $23
The sharp, crisp acidity of the 2022 Charles Krug Sauvignon Blanc is the perfect sipper to pair with the sharp acidity of the show itself. The wine bursts with notes of grapefruit, lime peel, and lemon blossom.
One of the hottest current TV shows, this HBO dark comedy-drama gained critical acclaim and a cult-like following since debuting in 2021. The show centers on a week in the life of resort guests and hotel employees of the White Lotus resort chain. Instead of seven days in paradise, each new day brings complex revelations that shows the picture-perfect travelers and locale to be a façade.
Wine to Try: DaVero Sangiovese, Sonoma County, $55
With season two set in Taormina, Sicily, the 2021 DaVero Sangiovese will give you a bit of that Italian La Dolce Vita while you watch the lives of the characters unravel on the screen. The 100% Sangiovese has plum and spice flavors and cherry notes. With medium body and nice acidity, this red wine is similar to a Tuscan Chianti Classico.
The next time you’re ready for a Netflix and chill type of evening, grab your remote control, corkscrew, and favorite bottle of red or white wine and settle in for a perfectly paired night of binge watching.
