Wines to Drink in the Fall

Now that the Autumnal Equinox is here (Saturday, September 22nd, 2018 at 9:54PM EST) you may have shifted gears from the lazy days of summer to the crisp days of fall. With everything pumpkin spice quickly being snatched from the grocery store shelves and October just a week away, you can be sure everyone is getting into the autumn frame of mind.

Between the refreshing wines of summer and the warming wines of winter lies some delicious fall wines that are perfect for this time of year. 

SYRAH

Spicy and warm but still light enough to go perfectly with the weather.

"Syrah, also known as Shiraz, is a dark-skinned grape variety grown throughout the world and used primarily to produce red wine. In 1999, Syrah was found to be the offspring of two obscure grapes from southeastern France, Dureza and Mondeuse Blanche." - Wikipedia

BEAUJOLAIS

Light, with tasty berry flavors, and perfect to snuggle up with.

"Beaujolais is a French Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée wine generally made of the Gamay grape which has a thin skin and is low in tannins. Like most AOC wines they are not labeled varietally." - Wikipedia

UNOAKED CHARDONNAY

With rich vanilla flavors, unoaked Chardonnay keeps the smoothness for fall without the winter heaviness of oaked Chardonnay.

"Barrels are also credited with giving wine a richer texture, adding to the belief that oak adds complexity. An unoaked wine is more likely to be lighter-bodied than its oaked counterpart, with more fresh fruit flavors and less of any cedary, toasty, vanilla character." - Wikipedia

ROUSSANNE

Hinting of pear and honey, Roussanne fits in perfectly with falling leaves and warm fires.

"Roussanne is a white wine grape grown originally in the Rhône wine region in France, where it is often blended with Marsanne. It is the only other white variety, besides Marsanne, allowed in the northern Rhône appellations of Crozes-Hermitage AOC, Hermitage AOC and Saint-Joseph AOC." - Wikipedia

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Warm Red Wines for Winter

January seemed to last forever this year and now that we're finally into February it seems there may be an end to winter in sight! Spring is right around the corner but we still have a few weeks of winter left. With the days still pretty short and most activities being indoors, it's still the perfect weather for wine. Warm red wines are great for fighting off the chill and the end-of-winter blues.

Cabernet Sauvignon

One of the most popular red wine grape varieties is Cabernet Sauvignon. Having strong fruit flavors of plum and black cherry when young, this wine gives off the distinct aroma of blackcurrants. As it ages, it can give off aromas of tobacco and cedar. Lamb, and other fatty red meats, pair well with Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Malbec

Recently, Malbec has been rapidly growing in popularity. Similar to Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec has flavors of plum and black cherry. It also consists of blackberry and can even have chocolate flavors. Because of it's softer tannins, it pairs well with lean meats.

Syrah

Giving hearty, spicy red wines, the Syrah grape variety is a perfect choice for those chilly winter nights. Along with the previous mentioned wines, it has flavors of wild black fruits such as blackcurrants. These fruit flavors can be accompanied with roasting meat and black pepper spice flavors. Wild game and stews are wonderful pairings to go with Syrah.

Now that winter is in full swing and we're (hopefully) headed to an early spring, try to push through these last days of winter with these delightful, warm, red wine varieties.

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