As autumn sets in, the air gets crisper, and the nights cooler, it’s a good time to swap over your ‘wine wardrobe’. At the same time you start donning an extra layer in the evenings and trading your thongs for sneakers, it also makes sense to start replacing some of your lighter, fresher summer wines with a new selection of autumn favourites.
Seasonal Chardonnay shift
Shorter days and cooler nights call for whites with just a bit more body, weight, and texture. Here in Australia, Chardonnay is an obvious choice year-round, but autumn is the perfect time to select something richer and fuller bodied. Toasty oaked Chardonnays that can often seem like too much of a good thing in the peak of summer come into their own in autumn. Wines such as West Cape Howe ‘Old School’ Chardonnay, Credaro Kinship Chardonnay, and De Iuliis Estate Chardonnay offer excellent value, and premium offerings from Murdoch Hill, Aspley Gorge and Hoddles Creek are well worth seeking out.
Outside Australia, California, Argentina, and Chile produce excellent value Chardonnay, particularly in the fuller, oaked styles. Try Kendall Jackson Vintners Reserve Chardonnay 2018, Terrazas de los Andes 2019, or Bodega Volcanes de Chile Chardonnay 2020 with your next roast chicken.
Best Burgundy bets
If you have been enjoying crisp, mineral-driven Chablis over the summer, autumn is the time to move further south in Burgundy. People often overlook the Côte Châlonnaise located south of the Côte de Beaune, but a wine like Eric de Suremain’s Rully Blanc 1er Cru Monopole “Meix Caillet” 2018 will surprise and delight with its multilayered complexity and notes of ripe orchard fruit.
For complexity, elegance, and richness, it’s hard to beat the renowned commune of Meursault, with beautiful examples from Domaine Matrot or Domaine Arnaud Tessier worth the splurge.
Cosy up with Pinot Gris
When seeking wines with more weight and texture, Pinot Gris is a particularly apt choice. Offering aromas of ripe pear, yellow apple, and hints of baking spice, excellent examples of Australian Pinot Gris include The Hare and the Tortoise, Scorpo, Punt Road, and Ocean Eight.
New Zealand is also top source of Pinot Gris, often showing more ripe yellow fruit, weight, and richness than examples from Australia. Look out for wines from Mt Difficulty, Rockburn, and Prophet’s Rock.
Autumnal blends
I also tend to reach for white blends this time of year, which consistently offer the textural complexity I’m seeking. Some of my favourites include Yangarra Blanc 2021, made from Grenache Blanc, Rousanne, and a host of other Southern French varieties, and Te Whare Ra Toru 2020, an aromatic mix of Gewürztraminer, Riesling, and Pinot Gris with wonderful texture and weight.
As the leaves change colour, it may also be time to change up the colour in your reds from light ruby to richer tones of crimson and garnet.
The complex bouquet of Pinot Noir, with its array of cherry, wet leaves, and forest floor notes echoes the scents of autumn. Top examples abound from Victoria, including Giant Steps, Soumah, Yeringberg, and Wantirna Estate from the Yarra Valley and Moorooduc, Foxey’s Hangout, and Kooyong in the Mornington Peninsula.
The Apple Isle is also a great source for Pinot Noir, with excellent Tasmanian wines including Priory Ridge, Pooley, Domaine Simha, and Stefano Lubiana.
Burgundy should also be on your list for a cellar refresh, with the generously fruited 2018 and 2019 vintages particularly appealing. Look for wines from Anne Gros, Thibault Liger-Belair, and Laurent Roumier.
Spice up the season
Shiraz is always a favourite year-round, and as the cooler autumn weather takes hold, the peppery, spicy notes of Australia’s cool-climate wines offer the savoury complexity that pairs so well with mushroom-based autumn dishes. Look for wines from Shaw+Smith in the Adelaide Hills and Mayer in the Yarra Valley.
The savoury, medium-bodied styles of wine from the Northern Rhône Valley in France are also worth seeking out in autumn. Look for wines from Crozes-Hermitage or St-Joseph from producers such as Domaine Michelas St Jemms and Domaine Les Alexandrins.
As autumn advances, the bigger, bolder Barossa wines offer much-needed warmth and rich intensity. Look for offerings from Tim Smith, Powell and Son, and Langmeil.
You should also include plush, smooth Shiraz from McLaren Vale among your autumn favourites, such as wines from Ministry of Clouds, Coriole, and SC Pannell.
Hail a Cab
Cabernet Sauvignon, with its firm structure and backbone of fine tannins, can seem too heavy in the heat of summer, but in autumn, Cabernet and Cabernet Merlot blends come into their own, pairing well with slow-cooked stews and braises. Margaret River is a terrific source, so look out for great value wines such as Moss Wood Amy’s Cabernet Sauvignon, Stella Bella Cab Merlot, and Thompson Estate as well as more premium cellar-worthy offerings such as Fraser Gallop Parterre and Vasse Felix Heytsbury.
Italy, with its wealth of grape varieties, regions, and styles, is a wonderful country for autumn reds. The Sangiovese-based wines of Tuscany, with their notes of morello cherry and forest floor complexity, are ideal for hearty ragu-styled pasta dishes. Personal favourite producers in the region include Isole e Olena, Fontodi, and Querciabella.
To the north in Piemonte, the Nebbiolo-based wines of Langhe, Barolo, and Barbaresco are also ideal for autumn drinking, particularly when you pair them with the earthy notes of truffle and mushroom. Langhe wines are more approachable in youth. Look for examples from Vietti and Giuseppe Cortese.
And for a special autumn evening, decant a Barolo and Barbaresco and watch the complex layers of sour cherry, forest floor, dried flowers, and game unfold in the glass. Personal favourite producers include GD Vajra and Massolino.
Autumn is a great season to slow down and enjoy some hearty slow-cooked fare. By swapping your ‘wine wardrobe’ over to a selection of autumn favourites, you’ll be all set to enjoy the bounty of the season in the company of friends and family.
- Andrea Pritzker
Master of Wine & Esteemed Critic
