The days of sitting out in the sun and enjoying your favorite cold drink are over. While some might be upset to see summer end, many look forward to the chilly days and their favorite cozy meals and drinks. Summer is all about light, crisp drinks, but fall drinks are the exact opposite. When the temperature begins to drop, we want something that will keep us feeling warm, like drinks with spices and seasonal flavors.
These wines might feel too heavy on a hot summer day but are perfect once the weather gets crisp and cool. Here are a few autumnal wines you should try this season.
Pinot Noir
If you prefer a light-bodied wine, pinot noir will be the perfect red for you to enjoy this fall. This is also perfect for those days when the weather is just in between fall and summer temperatures. On a fall day when the sun is shining and you can still enjoy being outside with some extra layers on, pinot noir will still be light enough. Pinot noir is a dry wine with fruity and earthy notes and hints of spices such as cloves that make it perfect to get you in the fall mood.
Syrah
For those who want to drink a dark wine as soon as the weather cools down, syrah is a perfect choice. This dark red, full-bodied wine is ideal for the cooler months. Syrah is known for its jammy fruit flavors, including blackberries, cherries, black raspberries, and plums. These fruity flavors are a favorite of many during the fall, as are the peppery notes you can often find in syrah. With hints of spice, smoke, and vanilla, this drink screams fall.
Grenache
Another red wine, grenache is a medium-bodied wine that many people with different tastes will enjoy. Fruit flavors in grenache often involve strawberry, red raspberry, and cherry. Hints of cinnamon, clove, tobacco, and anise give grenache the perfect autumn flavor. This is one fall wine you can’t go wrong with.
Tempranillo
This Spanish wine has everything you could want in a glass of wine on a cool day. How long tempranillo has aged can have a big impact on how it tastes. Although fruity, younger tempranillos might not be what you’re craving when the wind gets chilly, ones that have been aged for a while are exactly what you need. These wines are known for flavors that include cherry, dried fig, tobacco, and cedar. If you’re ever lucky enough to visit a vineyard growing this wine variety, you’ll find that it even has the perfect fall foliage, as unlike, other varieties, its leaves turn bright red in the fall.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet sauvignon is the most popular red wine in the world, but it can be hard to enjoy in warm weather. As a dry, full-bodied wine that’s high in tannins, cabernet sauvignon is best saved for sweater weather. You can notice flavors of fruits like blackcurrant, black cherry, and blackberry. Many also enjoy this wine for its notes of cedar, spices, minerals, and vanilla. Cabernet sauvignon can be fruity, but you can also find plenty that have a more savory taste that can be great in the fall.
Viognier
If you prefer white wine, there are still many great choices for fall wines, including Viognier. Many people love Viognier for its fruity flavors of peach, honeysuckle, and mango, as well as its floral notes of rose and chamomile. This might not sound like a classic fall drink, but oak-aged Viognier is much more autumnal. An oak-aged Viognier often has more of a creamy flavor, with aromas of vanilla and spices like nutmeg and clove.
Dine at Cork this Fall
If you’re looking to enjoy high-quality wine paired with a delicious meal this fall, come to Cork! We have an amazing menu that is sure to have something you love. There’s nothing better than a warm meal full of flavor on a cool fall day, especially when you have a glass of wine to sip on the side.
Make reservations to join us for dinner in Wilkes-Barre today!