As much as most of us are sad to acknowledge it, inevitably summer comes to a close as we feel temperatures begin to drop. The good news though, is that means Fall is just around the corner and soon it will be time to dive into all of our favorite cozy sweaters. Fall can also signal a time to trade in lighter fruity wines. Stone Hill Winery has several suggestions to expand the palate with fuller, richer and a bit drier wines to try this season.
We think of Autumn flavors as savory and earthy, and when asked to list some of these staple flavors, most people would come up with tastes like pumpkin, apple, sweet potato, squash, cinnamon, and maple. Fall meals tend to be heartier, making them well suited for full-bodied whites and medium-bodied reds.
As Fall brings to mind crisp leaves, football games and backyard fires, Hermannsberger, Steinberg Red, and Chambourcin are all great medium-bodied red choices. Hermannsberger, which is made from a blend of Norton and Chambourcin is a dry red wine with soft tannins and a mellow approachable taste mouth feel. This wine maintains juicy red and black fruit notes that is great for sipping and also goes so well with pizza, burgers, steaks and pasta. Steinberg Red is a lighter, semi-sweet blend of red and white grapes. The red grapes give the wine its backbone of a red berry fruit compote taste with a velvety texture. This wine has fresh, bright flavors and a slight sweetness that is terrific with barbeque, brats, burgers and cheeses. Chambourcin ~ the 2018 and 2019 MO Governor’s Cup winner for the Best Wine in the State of Missouri ~ is a medium-bodied red, with hints of toffee and cherry. It is aged in barrels for a year, resulting in a toasty flavor and a lingering finish. This wine pairs well with grilled meats, pasta with red sauces, pork chops and ripe full flavored cheeses.
Stone Hill Winery’s seasonal Cranberry Wine is only available exclusively in the Fall and is always a crowd pleaser. While we can’t guarantee it will solve any holiday gathering complications, this seasonal wine is sure to be a great complement to all your meals and all the togetherness,while hopefully helping to keep conversations happily flowing.
Stone Hill Winery also suggests some full-bodied white wines like Reserve Chardonel and Golden Rhine as ideal fall sippers. Smoked trout, pork or duck with rich sauces, pumpkin bread and pies pair well with both these wines. The Golden Rhine is a semi-sweet German-style white wine similar to an Auslese with luscious ripe fruit flavors that linger on the palate. While the Reserve Chardonel is an elegant, complex, barrel fermented and matured dry white wine.
The more complex, drier rosés are also a great option to go well with sweater weather. Stone Hill’s Dry Rosé is yummy with sweet potatoes and cinnamon, or roasted chicken with rosemary. It can be perfect for your Thanksgiving dinner, complementing the turkey and cranberry sauce. If you prefer a bit of sparkle in your wine, Brut Rosé (MO Competition 2019 Best of Class Sparkling Winner) also pairs well with a wide variety of fall flavors and is worth a try this autumn.
And while these are a few of our favorites for this time of year, the most important “rule” to remember about drinking wine, is simply to always drink what YOU like!!