Here is our collection of 10 fall wine picks perfect to enjoy as the leaves turn and the weather gets cooler. We’ve also added some additional bottles to consider along with some food pairings suitable for autumn.
Disclosure: Some of the wines in this article were provided as complimentary samples, and those are noted. As always, our picks are based on our independent assessment of quality and trying a wide variety of wines in preparation for this article.
Table of contents
What makes for a good fall wine?
What wines appeal as the season turns to autum?
When the weather gets cooler, I start thinking in terms of savory foods, cooked slowly on the stove or in the oven. There might be a bit of grilling early in the fall, but for the most part, our cooking is indoors.
So we want some wines with some substance and a flavor profile to match those fall foods. But we’re not yet in full hunker down inside mode, so there’s still a place for some white wines and light reds.
Generally, we feature a range of grape varietals to give you some ideas of good fall wines. But we did wind up with two Sangiovese based wines, which work well with hearty Italian fare that hits the spot this time of year.
The list includes wines from Italy and France – predictable for me – along with the US. And we did include one from Chile as well.
We will add to the list as we come across other good finds. Let us know if you have some favorite fall wines in the comments!
10 Fall Wine Picks
OK, here’s are list of 10 wines that are great choices for the fall season. We’ve included some additional bottles in addition to the ten picks we are featuring, so you have some more options to consider.
L’Ecole Merlot
I could simply put “Merlot” here on the list, as we have been observing #MerlotMe month here for many years. But I’ll focus on the 2020 L’Ecole No. 41 Columbia Valley Merlot ($27, 14.5% ABV, sample) that we sampled along with our delicious Bottom Round Roast with Mushrooms recipe.
The L’Ecole Columbia Valley Merlot has a aromatic nose, with boysenberry notes. Bright cherry fruit with notes of vanilla and a bit of spice on the palate, with a nice finish.
We also enjoyed the 2022 Chelsea Goldschmidt Alexander Valley Merlot (about $25, sample) this fall, another good choice. For more ideas, check out our 25 Merlot Food Pairings and Tips article.
Primus The Blend
2019 Primus The Blend ($21, 13.5% ABV, sample) from the Apalta D.O. in Chile’s Colchuga Valley definitely has a flavor profile that captures the fall season. As the name suggests, Primus is a blend, comprised of 40% Carmenere, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Syrah, 10% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc.
The Primus is deep purple in the glass. Cigar box notes and baking spices on the nose. It’s a meaty wine, with dark red fruit, particularly blackberries. Medium acidity.
We paired the Primus with pork tenderloin topped with the flavorful Haitain epis sauce. It was also good with the smothered green beans and potatoes on the side. Both recipes are from Marwin at Food Fidelity.
The 2020 Primus is also now available. I haven’t tasted it, but have the tech sheet for it which indicates that is made with organic grapes, and is more Cabernet Sauvignon driven.
Obsidian Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon
The 2019 Obsidian Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon ($38, 14.8% ABV) is a solid choice in the Cab category. This one comes from volcanic soils of Obsidian Ridge Vineyard, located at 2,640 feet in the Red Hills of Lake County in Northern California.
This Cab is dark inky purple in the glass. Juniper berries and notes of the forest floor on the nose. Black cherry fruit and licorice on the palate. Tannins a bit chewy at first, we briefly decanted the wine.
The Obsidian Ridge Cabernet was great with our Steak with Carrot Top Chimichurri!
The Longevity Cabernet Sauvignon ($14) is a good value option in the Cabernet category. I picked up a few bottles of this Livermore Valley Cab along with some other selections from Black and BIPOC owned wineries for a Social Capital Inc. event. This Cab went quickly!
Peteglia Sangiovese Riserva
Earlier this year, we had a chance to learn more about the Montecucco region in the Tuscan Maremma wine country. This is a somewhat under the radar part of Tuscan that is worth knowing more about, as they produce some very high quality wines. The Peteglia is a good place to start!
The 2016 Peteglia Sangiovese Riserva ($29, sample) is an excellent Sangiovese based Montecucco DOCG wine. Violets on the nose, with plum and other red fruits on the palate along with notes of charcoal.
The Petaglia was excellent with our Everyday Pasta, and I could also see it going well with grilled meat…if you are still grilling in the fall!
Sonoma-Cutrer Pinot Noir
The 2021 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($36, 14.3% ABV, sample) from Sonoma-Cutrer is a quintessential fall wine. Lead pencil and dark red fruit on the nose. On the palate, cherry fruit and a touch of baking spices.
We were eager to try this Pinot in time for this article, so paired it with a simple veggie burger along with rosemary fries. That definitely worked!
This Sonoma-Cutrer Pinot is definitely one to consider for Thanksgiving dinner as well! We go deeper into what wine goes with turkey in another article, for more pairings for the holiday feast.
L’Autre Côte Cabernet Franc
L’Autre Côte Cabernet Franc ($49, 13.4% ABV, sample) has a touch of bell pepper on the nose. Nice cherry fruit, with a dusky finish. A light, well-balanced red wine.
We enjoyed this Cabernet Franc with our Vegetarian Sausage Pasta. The wine worked well with both the tomato sauce and the spices in the sausage.
Cabernet Franc is a versatile, food friendly wine, suitable for the hearty flavors of fall. Lori Budd, who owns Dracaena Wines with her husband, is a huge proponent of Cab Franc. She founded #CabFrancDay, held December 4 each year.
The Dracaena Cab Francs from Paso Robles are another great fall option. We have enjoyed it with our Portuguese Kale Soup, among other cozy favorites.
Il Nero Di Casanova Toscana Sangiovese
2019 Il Nero Di Casanova Toscana Sangiovese ($24, 13.5% ABV) – I enjoyed this high-quality Sangiovese at Sogno, a relatively new Italian restaurant here in Woburn, Massachusetts. It was very good paired with the orecchiette with sausage and rapini.
The winemaker’s tasting notes suggests “blackberries, blueberries, and ripe cherries with slight spicy note”. That jives with my recollection and the spicy aspect plus acidity helps explain why it went well with the flavors of the pasta, with the sausage and strong taste of the rapini.
I could see this Sangiovese going well with a variety Italian comfort food – maybe the pasta sauce with ground beef and chickpeas, or our kale pesto lasagna for something a bit more indulgent.
This Il Nero is considered a good representative Sangiovese from the Casanova estate.
Notre Dame Gigondas
2020 Notre Dame des Pallieres Gigondas ($25) – I’ve been enjoying a number of offerings from Domaine Notre Dame this fall, after sampling them at a Berman‘s tasting. After enjoying the Gigondas on a recent evening, I noted the flavor profile would make it a great fit for this fall wine picks feature.
From the Berman’s tasting notes for the Gigondas: “On the palate, it is rich and smooth with solid, velvety tannins and excellent concentration…seductive notes of blackberry, plum, and provençale herbs with a long lip smacking finish.“
That sounds about right, although my tasting notes didn’t go beyond the note to include in this roundup!
The Gigondas would be great with our braised brisket recipe.
Dineen Vineyards Condriesque
2022 Dineen Vineyards Condriesque ($27, 13.1% ABV) is white wine suitable for fall. The Condriesque is a white Rhone style blend of 48% Viogner and 52% Roussanne. This wine is from Dineen Vineyards in Washington’s Yakima Valley.
I get light touch of petrol and minerality on the nose of the Condriesque. Lemon peel and notes of slate. It has a nuanced flavor profile and enough body to go the fall season and its foods. We recently enjoyed it with our Ground Turkey Cabbage Stir-fry recipe.
Learn more about Dineen Vineyards by checking out my YouTube interview with 2nd generations winery owner Marissa Dineen.
Albino Armani Pinot Grigio
2022 Albino Armani Pinot Grigio delle Venezie ($13, 13% ABV) – I’ve seen Pinot Grigio mentioned as a fall wine pick, so decided to grab a bottle of Albino Armani to test out for this roundup.
I had a chance to participate in a virtual webinar with Albino Armani himself a couple years ago. He has a passion for Pinot Grigio that shows in the wines, it has become a go to wine for me.
This Pinot Grigio has some lemon fruit, and some butterscotch notes. I could see drinking this while wearing some flannel fit for autumn! The wine paired nicely with our broccolini pasta.
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