With the weather taking a decidedly wetter and cooler turn this week (it is October now after all!) we've been seeking out some of the more robust and warming wines in our collection for comfort: silky Beaujolais and brooding Burgundy, skin contact wines at the more savoury and structured end of the spectrum, and richer, weightier whites capable of holding their own alongside hearty Autumnal fare. Check out twelve of our top picks for Autumn below; some new, some perennial favourites, and all perfect companions as the nights draw in.
Jean-Claude Lapalu works biodynamically with 60-80 year old Gamay vines in Saint-Etienne-la-Varenne near Brouilly. Vinifying without sulphur, he produces elegant, ethereal Beaujolais which has put him firmly on the map as a worthy successor to the famed natural producers this region is known for. This is his superb value old vine Beaujolais-Villages with bright red cherry fruit, savoury undertones and a mouth-watering cranberry acidity.
Sophie and Thierry Chardon of L'Aumonier have been based in Touraine since 1996, working with the Sauvignon Blanc the area is famed for as well as Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Côt (Malbec), Gamay and Cabernet Franc. Farming has been organic since 2006 and biodynamic since 2021 with the soil a mixture of the argile and silex. Cuvée Henri is a delightful Loire Chenin, lively and rich with honeyed aromas of lime zest, pear and quince. Silkily textured on the palate with racy acidity and chalky minerals.
Young Piemonte winemakers Pauline and Francesco of Tenuta Foresto follow the Fukuoka method of farming; a practice pioneered by Japanese farmer and philosopher Masunobu Fukuoka who referred to his work as ‘do-nothing farming.’ Favonio is Moscato Bianco from 50 year old vines that is macerated on skins for three days in concrete before ageing in 700L oak tonneaux where it stays for 10 months before bottling without sulphur. A bright toned, spicy and structured orange wine with citrus peel, nut and exotic floral aromas balanced by a crisp finish.
Domaine du Météore (pictured top) is a unique Faugères estate located atop a 200 metre wide crater that was created when a meteorite crashed into the area 10,000 years ago and this is a special cuvée made in collaboration with the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. A deep and spicy blend of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre with an aromatic nose combining ripe blackcurrant with a balsamic freshness and the wild mint, fennel and lavender of the garrigue.
Famille Arbeau are based in Fronton, a tiny but fascinating appellation on the river Tarn around 30 miles north of Toulouse. This is a brand new cuvée for the 2023 vintage made from a blend of Braucol, Côt and Cabernet Sauvignon. A juicy but well-structured red combining blueberry and raspberry liquorice fruit notes with spicy tobacco, aniseed and savoury game.
An orange wine from Rheinhessen assembled from 7 different organic, old vine varieties: Würzer, Faberrebe, Bacchus, Muller Thürgau, Scheurebe, Riesling and Sylvaner, fermented with indigenous yeasts and bottled without fining, filtration or sulphur. A wine of beautiful minerality, laser sharp acidity, and a tropical explosion of passionfruit, apricots, pears and spice.
William Downie is a reference for minimal intervention, site specific Pinot Noir in Australia. He's always focussed on the grape, spending several harvests in Burgundy at Domaines Fourrier and Hubert Lignier early in his career, before working at Bass Phillip in Gippsland and De Bortoli. Cathedral is a precise and defined Pinot made from grapes grown predominantly in Mornington Peninsula, with the rest from King Valley. Dark red berries, soft spice, fresh acidity, and a lick of forest floor earthiness.
Château Ollieux Romanis is an historic Corbiéres estate with a wine cellar built in the late 19th century. The blanc is a blend of typical southern French varieties Marsanne, Roussanne, Grenache Blanc and Grenache Gris, fermented in stainless steel with wild yeasts and bottled without sulphur. Fleshy and waxy in texture with ripe melon, tangerine and apricot aromas cut through with herbal fennel and thyme notes of the garrigue on the vibrant, mouth-watering palate.
Making natural wine in the ancient viticultural centre of the Caucasus mountains, Pheasant's Tears work with traditional Georgian winemaking techniques and varieties. All wines are fermented and matured in qvevri, a unique Georgian ceramic vessel and one of the first containers ever used for this purpose thousands of years ago. A single varietal Kisi from grapes grown at 550m altitude. A classic Georgian orange wine, with aromas of ripe peach, almonds, fresh citrus acidity and a faint tannic grip.
Seiichi Saito of Domaine Petit-Roy is based in Chorey-les-Beaune where he has crafted precise and exhilarating wines since 2017. After attending the prestigious Beaune wine school in 2006, Seiichi went on to apprentice for over a decade at some of the finest domaines in Burgundy including Mugnier, Leflaive, Rousseau and Bize. This is Pinot Noir from the famed Les Crays plot in Monthelie. Vivid, lifted aromas of concentrated red and black berry fruit with plenty of enchanting spice aromas and a peppery quality to the long finish.
Partida Creus is the cult natural wine project of Italian ex-architects Massimo Marchiori and Antonella Gerosa who have spent the last 20 years recovering small parcels of abandoned indigenous vines in and around their home in Penedes which they vinify simply to allow their unique character to shine through. This is a lovely red field blend from from Partida Creus. It drinks a little like a Jura Poulsard with juicy, savoury fruit and a bit of funk.
Château Peybonhomme-Les-Tours is a pioneering natural Bordeaux estate run by the Hubert family in the village of Cars near Blaye since 1895. Now in its sixth generation, it has been organic and biodynamic since 2000. Le Blanc is a gorgeous white Bordeaux made from a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Colombard. A fresh citrus and lanolin nose balances perfectly with tropical fruit and creamy notes from ageing in French oak barrels.