The air is getting crisper, the days are getting shorter, and the coffee orders are getting pumpkin-ier. That can only mean one thing–Fall is upon us! As you trade in your tank tops for sweaters, your pool parties for harvest parties, and your sunglasses for scarves, it’s also time to trade in your spritzers and rieslings! Here are the seven wines to add to your shopping cart as we herald in Autumn!
#1: Pinot Noir
This fruity, earthy, dry, and light-bodied red is the perfect way to transition into a new season! Pinot Noir boasts flavors of cherry, raspberry, mushroom, clove, and hibiscus, making it a wonderful pairing for all your favorite Fall staples. Its fruit, flower, and spice aromas lend to its long, smooth finish, so try this wine alongside your best chicken, pork, or duck recipes!
Best served:
- 55-60 degrees
- In an aroma collector glass
- Decant for 30 minutes
- Cellar for 10+ years
#2: Viognier
If you love a good Chardonnay but are in the market to try something new, a Viognier (pronounced vee-own-yay) is a great option! This rich, oily, silky white contains flavors of tangerine, peach, mango, honeysuckle, and rose, and pours a deep, golden color. It pairs beautifully with any delicate meat or scallop seasoned with your favorite aromatic Fall herbs!
Best served:
- 45-55 degrees
- In a white wine glass
- Do not decant
- Cellar 3-5 years
#3: Carignan
It doesn’t get more Fall than this, folks! This medium-bodied red might as well be called Fall-in-a-Bottle with its dried cranberry, raspberry, tobacco leaf, baking spices, and cured meat flavors. It would pair perfectly with a smoked meat, a cinnamon dish, or a butternut squash soup–in other words, this will be a staple in your wine rotation this season!
Best served:
- 60-68 degrees
- In an universal glass
- Decant for 30 minutes
- Cellar 5-10 years
#4: Merlot
Similar to a Cabernet Sauvignon, this lighter-bodied red is another Fall classic! With hints of cherry, plum, chocolate, bay leaf, and vanilla, you can’t go wrong including this in all your hearty meals this month.
Best served:
- 60-68 degrees
- In an oversized glass
- Decant for 30 minutes
- Cellar 10+ years
#5: Chenin Blanc
Whip up your best chicken pot pie and serve it with this medium-bodied white! Chenin Blanc’s primary flavors of yellow apple, pear, chamomile, and honey give it a variety of styles– from dry whites to sweet golden nectars–that make it a great pairing for a wide range of meals!
Best served:
- 45-55 degrees
- In a white wine glass
- Do not decant
- Cellar 5-10 years
#6: Cabernet Franc
The parent grape of both Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc is a complex red with aromas of strawberries, raspberries, bell peppers, and chili peppers. It pairs best with tomato-based dishes–did someone say pizza night?!
Best Served:
- 60-68 degrees
- In an universal glass
- Decant for 30 minutes
- Cellar 5-10 years
#7: Beaujolais
With its light acidity and mild tannins, this bright-noted red is the perfect transitional wine. With flavors of pomegranate, blackberry bramble, violet, and banana, this is one of the few reds that pairs well with almost any main dish, from tacos to salmon to steak! Keep it simple and rustic with this gamay-based wine.
Best served:
- 55-60 degrees
- In an aroma collector
- Do not decant
- Cellar for 5-10 years
Happy Fall, y’all!
Cheers,
Natalie