On the Wine Side - Happy Fall!

Happy fall one and all! This time of year is a free-for-all where wine is concerned. It gets warm enough for crisp, cold whites or roses; it gets dark earlier, which makes lighter-bodied reds perfect for outdoor evenings; and there's that bigger red wine feeling in the air, too. What a great time of year!

We have wines to meet any and all directions your day and wine preferences might take you. Here are some favorites from recent classes...

Graham Norton Sauvignon Blanc 

Graham Norton is best known as a comedic actor and host of a very popular television show on the BBC. Now he can also be known for an excellent New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc!

This one is made with fruit from Marlborough and Hawk's Bay, and it's a blend of 90% Sauv Blanc and 10% Chardonnay. It has the lovely zing of lime reminiscent of classic NZ SBs, but the Chard mellows it out and lends it some notes of apricot. It's a real palate pleaser and perfect for snack foods, chicken and salad.

On the softer side was a delicious French white from the Cotes de Cascogne. It's called Domaine de Maubet, and it's a blend of Colombard, Ugni Blanc, Gros Manseng and Sauvignon Blanc. Blends yield such complexity and this one doesn't disappoint, with notes of everything from lemon zest to honeydew melon, though the finish is nice and dry.

Roses are A-OK any time of year in my book, and the Pigoudet remains one of my favorites for a great price. A Provencal French rose that's crisp and clean with just the right notes of floral on the nose and finish.

From Spain there's a new bottle in the store called Algil Expression Tinto de Toro. Tinto del Toro is what some localities call Tempranillo, which is what this wine is made from. Critics describe Tintos as Toros, actually (toro is bull in Spanish): dark, sleek, and richly muscular. This earthy yet fruity wine is big and bold - perfect for sitting by the fire with a blanket and a good burger.

If you're looking for something with a real "wow" factor, you'll want to try one of the Nebbiolos we tasted in a class earlier this week. Considered "the king of grapes and the grape of kings," turns out Nebbiolo is a fickle grape that likes the particular soils of Piedmont, Italy. A stand-out from the class was a classic Barolo from GD Vajra. It's a 2019 and scored 94 poionts from Wine Advocate - and rave reviews from the class.

Almost see-through in the glass with a nose of bright berry and rose petal, on the palate it comes alive with cherry and dried raspberry but also the characteristic "grippy" tannin of a Barolo. There are so many lovely layers to this wine.

A "lesser" Nebbiolo - though still yummy in all the best ways - is the Heredis Langhe Nebbiolo. The lighter color will have you thinking it's a Pinot Noir, and this one is more similar to a Pinot from Oregon, but it also displays the tannin, wood and rose notes of its longer-aged Piedmont cousins, Barolo and Barbaresco at a very affordable price.