Richly layered reds are ready for autumn
Lighter, juicy wines with backbone best suited for the transition to fall
The Labour Day long weekend signals the change between summer and autumn.
Even though warm weather and humidity are likely to linger for weeks to come, the backto-school season and onset of sweater weather dramatically shifts our mindset.
Gearing up for fall’s cooler temperatures and colourful leaves also affects our appetite — how else do you explain the otherwise inexplicable seasonal demand for lattes infused with pumpkin spice flavouring?
Meal preparation leans toward soothing comfort-food dishes, such mac and cheese, roasts and stews, which are warming and soulful.
The bounty of fall produce also changes the range of flavours available.
So, it’s little surprise that your taste in wine may shift as we approach shorter days and longer nights. The refreshing white wines and rosés that were staples for summer make way for richer and riper wines.
To my taste, lighter and juicy reds made from Gamay, Grenache and Pinot Noir suit the changing season.
These are wines with soothing layers of fruit flavours (mostly red berries) and marked acidity that gives the wines vigour and backbone. Not surprisingly, this trio is also a classic pairing for roast chicken or turkey.
Lighter styles of these wines might taste better to you when it’s slightly chilled — say 15 or 20 minutes in the fridge prior to serving.
They have different chemical compositions than fuller-bodied red wines, namely less tannins and polyphenols that contribute to the texture and structure of a wine. More of those compounds make robust wines taste harsher or more astringent, which would be amplified when you chill the wine.
If red wine isn’t to your taste, richer whites like oak aged Chardonnays or Viogniers are well suited to the cooler weather. Both offer concentration and complexity that make them a great partner on crisp fall evening. Christopher Waters is the co-founder and editor of Vines, a national consumer wine magazine.