Fall is the post-season for winegrowers and also for wine drinkers – lots of very good wines at all price levels, whether you are still holding on to your fresh whites or diving into the wintry reds.
Happy browsing!
2023 Trapiche “Oak Cask” Mendoza Chardonnay ($13). An enjoyable everyday Chard with lots of floral, juicy apple flavors and a hint of white cheese in the finish.
2022 Ramõn Bilbao Rueda Verdejo ($17). Light-bodied with good, green, granular fruit and some savory flavors.
2021 Trapiche “Medalla” Mendoza Chardonnay ($20). Full-bodied combination of apples and oak, though not toasty, with good intensity of flavors.
2023 Mar de Fradas Rias Baixas Albariño ($27). Lightly fruit-oily notes of green fruits, especially lime, with light tannins.
2021 Donnafugata “Sul Vulcano” Etna Bianco ($40). Very fresh, with orangish fruit that is a little tangy in the finish – well made, with some minerality and light gripping tannins.
2023 Halter Ranch Paso Robles Heida ($60). From a rare Swiss grape, it is very refreshing with crisp green fruits and light dusty tannins.
2020 Otronia “III & IV” Patagonia Argentina Chardonnay ($80). From the world’s southernmost vineyard, a lovely wine with most of the flavors coming toward the end – tart apple and some ripe pear – with light tannins and some minerality.
2021 Banfi “Rosa Regale” Brachetto d’Acqui ($18). Ideal for those who like a creamy, slight bubbly red wine that is fruity sweet though not cloy.
2023 Hahn Family California Cabernet Sauvignon ($14). Very nice ripe cherries with rounded creamy generosity, but a tad thick in the finish.
2022 Hahn Family California Pinot Noir ($14). Good balance of lightly tart cherry fruit with light tannins.
2021 The Simple Grape California Pinot Noir ($17). Light in color and body, fruity flavors and a tad syrupy.
2022 Montes “Limited Selection” Aconcagua Costa Pinot Noir ($20). A lighter Pinot with lots of slightly sweet but tangy cherry flavors and a raspy finish.
2019 Ruffino “Riserva Ducale” Chianti Classico ($26). Very pleasant – red fruits, lean, savory with raspy tannins in the finish.
2019 Ruffino “Modus” Toscana IGT ($28). Dense flavors of cherries and a lot of mocha and dusty tannins.
2018 Marqués de Caceres Rioja Riserva ($31). Pleasant though somewhat mild, with light fruitiness and mellow wood notes.
2019 La Capilla Ribera del Duero Crianza ($35). Very smooth with lightly creamy blackberries and nice hints of oak barrels.
2020 Château de Pez “2nd Pez” Saint-Esteph ($38). A light Bordeaux red with cassis flavors, lean structure and a savory finish.
2019 Ruffino “Riserva Ducale Oro” Chianti Classico Gran Selecione ($38). Very enjoyable and well-structured with an almost creamy fruitiness of dried cherries, dried herbs and other savory notes with dusty tannins.
2023 Craggy Range “Te Muna Road Vineyard” Martinborough Pinot Noir ($47). From New Zealand’s North Island, a smooth, lightly creamy red with flavors of ripe Bing cherries, some savory notes, flavorful tannins and stony minerality.
2022 Viña Cobos “Bramare” Luján de Cuyo Malbec ($49). Lovely red fruit and a touch of blueberries, a little bit lean and tart, yet still lightly creamy.
2022 Viña Cobos “Bramare” Valle de Uco Malbec ($49). Similar in flavor to the previous wine, but with less grip yet more tannins.
2020 Otronia Patagonia Argentina Pinot Noir ($79). Similar to a Central Coast Pinot – tangy cherry fruitiness, good weight and good intensity of taste.
2021 Arkenstone “NVD” Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($111). Very well-structured with light fruitiness and lots of tannins – but I would have liked a bit more fruit. Nevertheless, it would be quite tasty with steaks cooked rare.
2021 Favia “McDermott” Coombsville Cabernet Sauvignon ($231). Delicious creamy red fruits with a gingerbread texture and lovely earthy finish with walnutty tannins.
Prices listed are generally SRP or from wine-searcher.com. As more wineries are now shipping direct-to-consumer, check the winery website if you can’t find a bottle in your retail store.
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