Wines to Fall in Love with This Season

As the crisp fall air touches each individual tree in Northeast Pennsylvania, our taste buds long for a more full-bodied glass of wine, a roaring fire, and a warm fleece blanket. There are many wines that are considered “fall wines,” and we are here to explain them all and what foods pair well with them. So grab that blanket and a bottle of vino and let’s get reading!

Oaked Chardonnay

The Oaked Chardonnay has very dominant flavors making it a difficult wine to pair with some foods. The powerful oaky flavors within this wine make it easy to overpower any dish with which it is paired. It is important to note that if you are not enjoying this wine on its own, you want to pair it with a food that has a similar flavor profile, so the flavors balance together. Some dishes that would complement this fall wine include pan-seared scallops with a white wine (preferably chardonnay) garlic cream sauce or a fatty-meaty fish baked over a cedar plank.

Cabernet Franc

The Cabernet Franc is a lighter version of the Cabernet Sauvignon. According to Betty’s Wine Musings, “A young Cabernet Franc very commonly has green pepper notes. It’s a delightful wine, known for being very herbaceous.” This wine blends well with dishes that include various grilled steaks, chops, portobello mushrooms, chicken calabrese, and salads such as the antipasto salad or a Mediterranean salad.

Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir is another classic fall wine that matches well with rich and savory dishes such as roasted lamb or duck, as well as a chargrilled steak or venison roast. It also complements cheese such as brie or gorgonzola.

Merlot

Merlot is a food-friendly wine because of where it lies on the red wine spectrum. Because it lies right in the middle, it can be paired with roasted turkey and other light meats as well as lean cuts of beef and other dark meat. Merlot also goes well with roasted vegetables and savory sauces such as beef bourguignon.

Champagne and other Sparkling Wines

Champagne and sparkling wines are very versatile wines for pairing with food. Of course, when we think of these types of wines, we immediately think there is something to celebrate, but you don’t need to be engaged or accepting a job promotion to pop open a bottle of bubbly. Sparkling wine and Champagne come in a wide variety of blends ranging from sweet to dry. The dryer wines pair best with aged, hard cheeses such as parmesan, gouda or cheddar. They also pair well with cream-based pasta or risotto, and fish and seafood dishes, especially lobster. The sweet wines complement fruit desserts such as tarts or crepes. They also pair well with brie and mascarpone cheese, shrimp, salmon, stuffed mushrooms, and egg dishes.

Come Dine With Us!

Now that you have learned all about the best possible food and wine pairings, join us by popping a bottle of vino and letting us do the cooking! Call Grico’s at 570-654-9120 to make a reservation today!