Our favorite wines for this fall

We have often written how much our wine tastes change with the weather. As fall approaches — albeit slowly this year — foods become more hearty. Along with it, our wine tastes shift to more full-bodied, richer wines that complement the food we are eating, but also go well at festive gatherings and help warm us on cold winter nights. Here are a few of our favorites heading into the shorter days and longer nights.

While Pinot Noir and Barbera are generally considered lighter-bodied varietals, their choice this time of year is a natural as they go well with big rich meals. I recently tasted and put back on the shelf the Baileyana Pinot Noir ($25, wine club $22.50)j from Appellation Wine Company. The 2013 version is loaded with cherry fruit and earth notes, is silky in the mouth and possessing of enough acid to hold up to meals ranging from stuffed salmon to Thanksgiving dinner. It is delicious and well worth the price.

The Barbera d’Alba from Pio Cesare ($29, wine club $26.10) is from northern Italy in Piedmont and is a lovely wine to pair with your hearty winter pastas. Cherry fruit-focused like the Baileyana, it is sleek and refined on the palate and has enough dusty dry tannin to pair well with pastas and grilled meats.

Zinfandel is another of our fall favorites, it goes well with Thanksgiving dinner and a range of foods. Trentadue Winery from California really focuses on the varietal, so they make it better than most. Both their Alexander Valley Zin ($18, wine club $16.20) and their Zin-based blend Old Patch Red ($14, wine club $12.60) show all the jammy raspberry fruit we love in Zinfandel and really highlight the richness of fall and winter cuisine.

Cabernet is a cold weather favorite as well. While many of our favorite California Cabs can be a bit spendy, one of our new favorites is more gently priced. The 2012 Stephen Vincent ($14, wine club $12.60) is rich and noted with plum and dark cherries, hints of cedar spice box and mild earthiness, closing with firm but not overbearing tannins. At this price it is perfect for your weeknight meatloaf.

For the more special occasions, we have recently reconnected with Justin Winery and have found their 2013 Cab ($29, wine club $26.10) to be really tasty. It is all we want in big rich California Cabernet, with balanced oak and firm tannins framing opulent fruit. Prime rib or rack of lamb will go well with this one.

For the super special occasion with your favorite wine enthusiast, we recommend the 2012 Cade Howell Mountain Cabernet ($95, wine club price $86.50). This is an elegant powerhouse with sleek silky tannins and loads of opulent Napa Valley fruit, a classic that should be enjoyed on a special occasion.

In white we have two great wines for you to enjoy over the coming months. The 2014 Bocelli Pinot Grigio ($15, wine club $13.50) from the brother of opera singer Andrea Bocelli is crisp and zippy, but with enough texture to hold up well with shellfish. Subtle salinity will make it perfect with shrimp and crab, and it will also work as an aperitif.

Chardonnay sales trend higher in fall and winter, and it remains the favorite white varietal here in the States, and they don’t get much better than the 2012 Jordan ($35, wine club price $31.50). The wine is elegant balanced and still has all we love in the varietal with butter and oak, but is in no way gratuitous in its presentation. It will be perfect with the first Dungeness crab of the season due anytime now.

Stop by the shop for other great fall and winter wines as they continue to show up, or check with your favorite wine professional for their choices.

If there is a topic you would like to read about, or if you have questions on wine, you can email George@thedinnerpartyshop.com, or make suggestions by contacting the Healthy Community section at the Coeur d’Alene Press.

George Balling is co-owner (with his wife Mary Lancaster) of the dinner party, a wine and tabletop décor shop by Costco in Coeur d’Alene. George has also worked as a judge in many wine competitions, and his articles are published around the country. You can learn more about the dinner party at www.thedinnerpartyshop.com. You can get all of these articles and other great wine tips by friending us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/#!/dinnerpartyshop.