Craft & Cork >> Wine

With nearly three weeks to spare in the season, Labour Day marks the unofficial end of summer with teachers and students going back to school and everyone else winding up their idyllic vacays. However, the well-worn rule of not wearing white after the first weekend of September has fallen out of fashion, more or less depending on your level of individual style, sense of daring and/or don’t-care-attitude.

The “rules” for wine seem to be similarly flexible, if not completely lax. While many imbibers save their pinks for the sunniest days of September, most people begin looking for more comfort in their wardrobe, food and wine. That’s why loose clothing with longer sleeves pairs well with stews, casseroles and wines with more body and a little less crispness. You can find this coziness in both whites and reds, without feeling too heavy (metaphorically speaking!).

The first two wines mentioned here have something for everyone because they are each blended with three grape varieties. The Australia Style Cabernet Shiraz Merlot combination produces an elegant wine with aromas of pepper spice, leather and violets, and fruit-forward flavours of blackberries, cassis and vanilla. Velvety tannins grace the palate so it pairs beautifully well with braised beef, prime rib and roasted lamb. Don’t forget to add this wine to your braising liquid or pan gravy!

Our Winemaker’s Trio White is a refined and harmonious blend of Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscat. Each variety adds its unique personality to the mix so you’ll notice floral and citrus aromas from the Pinot Grigio, grassy notes from the Sauvignon Blanc and tropical fruit and lychee on the palate from the Muscat. The balance of flavours makes a fine pairing with zesty stir fries, grilled salmon and pork or creamy pastas.

Two wines that can go it alone as the days and nights get cooler are our New Zealand Style Sauvignon Blanc and Italy Style Sangiovese. This Sauvignon Blanc looks light in the glass but surprises you with intense flavours of grapefruit peel, freshly cut grass and a touch of herbs and mint. Refreshing and food friendly, it pairs well with roast chicken, goat cheese and mushroom crepes and avocado shrimp salad.

The Italy Style Sangiovese comes from Tuscany’s best loved grape so you may feel like you’re amidst its charming villages and rolling hills when you drink it. Aromas of tobacco, cherries and ripe plums greet you before your palate is brimming with blackberries and vanilla. Since your head may already be in Tuscany, pair this wine with pappardelle, fennel sausage or Ribollita (a Tuscan soup made with beans, cabbage, onions and carrots).

Whether you dare to venture outside with a white ensemble or stay in with your roomy sweats, an autumn day (even when it’s still summer on the calendar) feels better with a glass of fall wine to help you make the seasonal transition. Pumpkin spice can wait for another month!

Cheers to sweater weather and wine!