Fall wine guide
Here are some of my favorite wines to sip on this Fall! All of these wines are thoughtfully selected by me to pair with the Fall weather, Holiday meals, and all of the Autumn happenings in mind. I hope you enjoy them!
-Ross Larson, Wine Buyer
Red Wines
Piedrasassi Bien Nacido Syrah
Piedrassassi is a winery and bakery in Santa Barbara, California growing grapes and grains and selling their bread and wine every Saturday at their local farmer’s market.
Winemaker Sashi Moorman has gained status as one of the New World’s top producers while working as winemaker and winemaking partner at Piedrasassi, Sandhi, and Domaine de al Cote in Santa Barbara and Evening Land Vineyards in Willamette Valley, OR.
At Piedrasassi, Moorman primarily focuses on Syrah and this Syrah is out of this world. It’s comprised of fruit from older vines and is aged in 40% new French Oak puncheons which imparts some dark, woody, fall flavors into the wine. It is moody and brooding with aromas of leather, dried lavender, pipe tobacco, and black olive tapenade. The palate is intensely packed with similar flavors and added ones of ripe dark cherry, plum, and mocha.
It is dense and perfect for cold nights to come by the fire or to pair with gamey meals. Cozy fall vibes directly in your glass and only about 250 cases were produced! It’s a 2021 and is ready to be poured after a decant sesh, or cellared for up to a decade. Pair with Tagine-style lamb stew, fall of the bone beef short ribs with gouda grits or garlicky mashed potatoes, or any gamey meals you have in rotation.
97 Points Vinous, 95 Points Jeb Dunnuck
$ 40.99
On Sale $30.99
Illahe 1899 Estate Pinot Noir
As mentioned above, the team at Illahe is constantly trying to come up with ways in which to improve their winemaking by simplifying the process- even if that means going all the way back to how it would have been done in 1899! Yup, this wine is made with no electricity or modern mechanization much like how it would have been made in 1899- which is no easy feat now!
To begin production on the project, in 2011 Illahe acquired some Percheron Draft horses to mow the vineyard and bring the hand-picked fruit from the vineyard to the winery at harvest. The grapes are then destemmed with an amazing bicycle powered destemmer (someone peddled hard for this juice!). The grapes are then pressed by hand in a wooden basket, and the juice is pumped from press to barrel using a bicycle operated pump, then bottled by gravity. THEN they get the wine to their distributor without using a car… a mule cart carts the wine to the river where the team then CANOES it over 90 miles to West Linn, OR then bike the remaining 11 miles to the distributor’s warehouse in Portland!
The resulting wine, shocking literally no one, is phenomenal. By creating this wine by hand and handling every step with such care and devotion, the resulting wine is maybe the truest expression of Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ever made. It’s supremely well balanced with aromas of cherry, blackberry, tobacco, and forest floor. Flavors of dried cherry, strawberry, brambly blackberries, baking spices, and cocoa powder follow. If you read all of the above information, it’s easy to see why this wine comes with a higher price tag, but is worth every penny. Pair with anything that won’t overpower this stunner but will sing in harmony- coq a vin, sage and honey basted quail, or mushroom risotto with strawberries or cherries.
$85.99
Les Foulards Rouges Octobre Rouge
In 2001, Jean-François Nicq purchased ~22 acres of vines in Roussillon after working in Côtes du Rhône for 12 years. His little chunk of land and winery, Les Foulards Rouges, are a great spot in the Pyrenees mountains just 6 miles from the Mediterranean Coast and 3 miles from the Spanish border. Jean-François and his mule, Uma, are the primary caretakers of the land and farm organically.
In the cellar, he keeps the winemaking process as simple as possible with an aim to keep the wines fresh, fruity, and light and not overly involved.
Octobre is 50% Grenache, 50% Syrah that undergoes a 10 day cold carbonic maceration, adding to its liveliness that Jean-François tries to preserve in all his wines. This is juicy and energetic with flavors of tart cherry, cranberry, baking spice, herbs and finishing with supple tannins. It’s akin to a warmer climate beaujolais with a little extra umph. Pair with Bangers With Mashed Winter Squash and Fried Sage, Ethiopian Doro Wat, Chili, or simply an outdoor fire.
$31.99
Olivier & Alexis Depardon Cote du Py Morgon
Beaujolais for fall? Groundbreaking! If you don’t know, Beaujolais (ahem… Beaujolais Nouveau) is the red wine most commonly associated with Thanksgiving. You may know of Nouveau, but Beaujolais itself is bigger and has more to offer than just that one style- within Beaujolias there are 12 appellations and they each have their own ‘Lieux-dits’ or ‘climats’ AKA subregions.
Here we are going to the appellation of Morgon, which is in the Northern portion of Beaujolias. Morgon is arguably one of the best of the 12 appellations to pair with Thanksgiving and fall fare as it’s a little more bold and dense than a typical light and fruity bottling- it’s a little rough around the edges and won’t be overpowered by anything on your holiday plate (even red meat).
Depardon has vines growing in all six of Morgon’s climats (Les Charmes, Côte du Py, Corcellette, Douby, Grand Cras, and Micouds). This bottling is from Côte du Py and is 100% Gamay. The wine is undergoes gentle, spontaneous fermentation and semi-carbonic maceration. It’s aged in 5,000-6,000L foudres that have been used at the winery for decades. The resulting juice is robust and bursting with flavors of red berries. The tannins are almost shocking in a beaujolais, but add such great texture and finesse to the wine- in fact, you could age this bottle for a few more years (~8). Pair with steak, veal, charred vegetables, or dark meat with gravy.
$32.99
White Wines
Erste & Neue Pinot Grigio
Leave any preconceived notions of Italian Pinot Grigio at the door & say goodbye to the flabby, flavorless, lacking in character bottles of yore. As we are rolling into the Holiday season, it’s time to show off the power of a really good Pinot Grigio (that’s under $30!).
This Pinot Grigio is from Trinteno, Alto Adige of the Northernmost part of Italy near the Dolomitic Alps. It CAN HANG with the rest of the bottles on the table for Thanksgiving & is pretty versatile to enjoy year-round (not just holidays).
Erste & Neue was conceived in 1986 as a merger between existing wineries Erste Kellerei (est. 1900) and Neue Kellerei (est. 1925). This expression of Pinot Grigio will take you on a complex, impressively multi-layered flavor journey with every sip- that is something I can say about very few bottlings. Erste + Neue have a refreshing take on the grape and its potential from this high altitude locale. Inviting aromas of lime zest, pear, pineapple, and lemon lead to flavors of key lime, tropical fruit, stone fruit, flint, pear, and even a light dusting of nutmeg. The body is fuller than your average bottling but with balanced acidity.
Pair this PG with your Thanksgiving feast, the crispy milk shrimp or crispy duck from Petals of a Peony, or as a safe bet to take to a dinner party where you’re unsure of what the host is cooking…
90 Points James Suckling
$28.99
Castorani Pecorino
Now, let’s travel a bit down the East Coast of Italy to Abruzzo to Castorani, an organic winery nestled between the Majella National Park and the Adriatic Sea ~18 miles from the Coast. Castorani was previously a hunting estate (est 1793) owned by noblewoman Adelina Ruggeri De' Capobianchi and her husband Raffaele Castorani, who invented the first cataract surgery technique. It became a winery in the 1990’s when a group of friends revived the estate.
Pecorino (unrelated to the cheese), a grape native to the Marche region of Italy that is difficult to grow and has low yields, fell into obscurity for some time but experienced a bit of a revival starting in the 1990’s. Castorani’s location between the mountains and the sea make it a great place to grow the grape and this expression is perfect for fall weather!
It’s golden straw in color with aromas of peach, red apple, and lemon curd. On the palate: notes of pear, peach, honey, apple, and honeydew with a savory touch of rosemary and thyme to wrap up your sip. Pair this with green pasta sauces (like kale pesto), savory apple dishes, pork or chicken Milanese, or herb roasted chicken.
92 Points James Suckling
$24.99
Illahe Viognier
We have been long time supporters of and friends with the incredible crew at Illahe, and I just wanted to remind y’all how great their Viognier is for Autumn! It’s great year round, but it absolutely sings in the fall with all of the harvest flavors.
Illahe is a sustainable, LIVE-certified winery in Willamette Valley, OR that produces hand-crafted wines from Estate Vineyards. They respect their land and the ways of the past so much that they really avoid a ton of modern mechanization when possible (see the 1899 Pinot Noir below). The quality of their work, the people, and their bottlings is just top tier and that’s why we have been fans of them and their consistently delicious wines since they became available in Memphis.
Aromas of honeysuckle and peach, followed by flavors of nectarine, pear, white peach, pineapple, and sweet pea make this full bodied, fruity white with balanced acid perfect for fall meals and foods with warm spices (like curries or mild Indian dishes)! Pair with baked brie with apricot jam, tailgating ham & cheese sliders, or butter chicken with the sweet tamarind sauce from India Palace.
$28.99
Unico Zelo Pollen Gewurztraminer
Unico Zelo is a newer winery in Clare Valley, Australia. The small team started production in 2013 a run down warehouse in Adelaide Hills that would eventually be their first winery location. With no land, the team was sourcing their grapes from vineyards that grow grapes that need less water & are drought resistant to combat the warming climate and to use less water in the production process.
In 2022, the team moved their operations when they acquired an old Apple Orchard where they are now growing their own grapes to use in the near future (it’s not quite enough to bottle just yet). In the meantime, Unico Zelo is B-Corp certified, uses 99% renewable energy, and has a great YouTube channel called Wine For the People.
They are young, and only just now started global distribution this year and we are lucky to have some of their offerings in the store! This one is off-dry and bursting with flavors of ginger, peach, lime, golden delicious apple, and pineapple. Gewurztraminer is known for being particularly good to pair with Thanksgiving fare, but the fruitiness of this one makes it great for spicy dishes!
$27.99
Skin Contact & Bubbles
Turley Zinfandel Rosé
“White Zinfandel has a good heart, but a bad reputation”- Turley.
Let this statement be your guiding light when picking up a bottle of this rosé of White Zinfandel from Turley Estates.
In 1993, Larry Turley traded in his life as an E.R. doctor to resuscitate old Zinfandel vineyards in California focusing on sites that have incredible potential but were neglected for younger, more fruitful vines. Larry & his team make wines with grapes from 50 vineyards, 31 of which are considered “old vine sites”. What makes an old vine? It’s really an arbitrary term in the U.S. but the Turley team helped found the Historic Vineyard Society which states for vines to be considered “old vines”, they must be 50+ years old.
The idea to make a rosé from their zinfandel grapes came from Christina Turley, Turley’s Vice President/director of sales & marketing and Larry’s daughter. After working in the restaurant industry in NYC and making both Forbes 30 under 30 and Wine Enthusiast 40 under 40, Christina has returned to the family’s estate with a fresh take. A few vineyard blocks of their Zinfandel is picked early to constitute this rosé.
It is dry, unlike most other White Zinfandels, with notes of light pink rose, strawberry, and hibiscus. As the grapes are picked earlier, the resulting wine is higher in acid and lower in alcohol which makes it a great wine for daytime & early afternoon activities this fall (especially while we are still experiencing temperatures well into the 80s).
Pair this with Pork chops with raspberry chimichurri, Khoresh Morgh Nardooni (pomegranate chicken stew), or Pomegranate and honey glazed duck with wild rice .
$25.99
We also carry a wide variety of Turley’s Old Vine Zinfandels.
Vino Volta Different Skins
Now, we go over to Perth’s Swan Valley in Western Australia where Vino Volta is making wines that are “experimental, expressive, quaffable”.
Vino Volta (est. 2018) is the wine child of Garth Cliff & Kristen McGann who strive to make light to medium bodied, bright, and textural wines with a focus on championing lesser known varietals. Though the winery is young, Cliff & McGann have over 4o years of experience in the wine industry, specifically in the warmer climate area of Swan Valley where they weren’t seeing grapes reaching their potential. At Vino Volta, they are growing Old Vine Grenache, Chenin Blanc, and lesser known varietals like Frontignac and Gewurztraminer.
This skin contact wine is made from 53% Frontignac & 47% Gewurztraminer. Prior to trying this wine, I can’t say that Frontignac has ever come across my desk, but I’ve enjoyed learning about it! It’s considered one of the oldest wine varieties in the world with Greek origins, is a member of the Muscat family, and is also known as Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains. The darker skins of Frontignac in this region give it the nickname “Brown Muscat”.
Here, the Frontignac and Gewurztraminer are fermented separately and left on the skins for 3 weeks, then blended together resulting in a pink hued wine. The wine is aged on the lees for 7 months in used barriques, rounding out the texture and acid a bit. This wine is super aromatic with notes of lemon bar, pear, and orange flowers. Flavors of citrus pith, ginger, rose, and salted orchard fruit follow in this racy but refined wine. It’s exciting to drink with its fruit up front and salty amplified texture on the back end. Pair this with your involved harvest salads (with a salty element like Roquefort cheese or pecorino), endive cups with blue cheese, or spicy salty snacks.
$32.99
Brash Higgins ZBo Zibibbo
In 2007, Brad Hickey, a sommelier living in NYC, moved to McLaren Vale to work his first harvest in Australia. Brad met the love of his life, Nicole Thorpe, and decided to stick around. Thorpe had a small vineyard already growing Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon however, McLaren Vale had been experiencing a drought at the time and these grapes were hit the hardest.
Brad & Nicole made a decision to pivot to growing grapes that are more drought resistant and thrive in warm areas, starting with Nero d’Avola. They visited Sicily to learn more about farming Nero & really admired their farming practices and wine-making techniques. When they returned, they planted some Nero and commissioned a potter to construct clay amphora for aging the wine. They released their first bottling & their interest in growing atypical grapes for their area and farming organically became their business.
This is 100% Zibibbo, an ancient aromatic grape from the Muscat family that grows particularly well in warm, dry climates. Zibibbo grapes can grow as large as golf balls prior to harvest and are bronze in color. The grapes are destemmed and placed in terracotta amphorae & fermented with indigenous yeasts. When the wild ferment finishes, the skins of the grapes sink into the wine where they remain covered with the seeds and juice for 6 months. The free run juice is then combined with the pressings and is bottled unfined and unfiltered after allowing it a bit to settle.
This bottle is completely sold out on their website for good reason- it is delicious & so cool! I don’t much like equating wine & beer for fear of insulting either category but this wine is a beer lover’s dream. It is bursting with hoppy aromas and flavors, but is not bitter like an IPA. It’s bone dry with refreshing overtones of lemon, white flower, tangerines, a hint of salinity, and cinnamon tea. Pair this flavorful wine with shellfish, lemony pasta, or blood orange beet and fennel salad.
$40.99
Frignano SGarbato Pet Nat
the perfect and totally unique sparkling pairing for the big meal
Female created, owned, and imported - this wine is Sgarbato, Italian for rude.
It’s a Pet-Nat made from 100% Uva Tosca, a rare grape we’ve barely ever seen, and hailing from the Italian breadbasket of Emilia Romagna.
It is technically rose, but functions like a light sparkling red and pours a deep garnet purple color. Tastes like CRANBERRY JUICE - this is your cranberry sauce ready to drink! Has enough tannins to not be a background player, but a perfect compliment to your thanksgiving meal (won’t overpower it either).
DRY, refreshing, and full of tart red fruit flavors.