Wonderful wines to help welcome autumn

As we creep ever closer to fall, many wine drinkers will start to think about popping corks (or screwcaps, as it were) on wines that suit cooler temperatures.

But summer’s not quite done yet. Here are six new and/or notable wines ideal for sipping as we make the transition from warmer weather into the first hints of autumn…

Wines of the week

The Willm NV Blanc de Noirs Crémant d’Alsace Brut (Alsace, France — $28.99, Liquor Marts and beyond) is a French bubbly made from the Pinot Noir grape in the traditional method (secondary fermentation, which creates the bubbles, happens in the bottle rather than in tanks before bottling).

It’s pale gold with a hint of pink, and on the nose offers ripe cherry, cranberry, bread dough and strawberry compote notes. On the palate it’s light-bodied and mainly dry, with an almost-wild herbal component coming with the strawberry, tart peach, cranberry, raspberry and bread dough flavours.

The fizz is vibrant and the acidity pronounced, balancing the subtle hint of sweetness nicely (it’s 12 per cent alcohol). Juicy, lively and delicious. 4/5

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The Marisco 2025 The Ned Rosé (Marlborough, New Zealand — $22.99, The Winehouse) is presumably made from the Pinot Noir grape as well; it’s medium pink in appearance, offering bright cherry, strawberry and raspberry aromas, with a hint of ripe orange in there as well.

It’s dry, light-plus-bodied and slightly viscous, and is brimming with red berry and cherry flavours as well as secondary orange and watermelon notes.

The splash of acidity and subtle hints of tannin add some nice texture here as well. A lovely late-summer pink wine. 3.5/5

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After having to source fruit from Ontario and Pacific Northwest states after two consecutive brutally cold winters in the Okanagan Valley, the Gray Monk 2025 Riesling (Okanagan Valley, B.C. — $20.69, Liquor Marts and beyond) sees the return of B.C. fruit. Pale gold in appearance, this Riesling offers ripe apple (and apple skin), pear, floral, lemon zest and light herbal notes aromatically.

It’s mainly dry and light-plus-bodied, delivering ripe apple and lemon notes, along with herbal, tropical fruit and peach flavours, with medium acidity and, at 12 per cent alcohol, a modest-length finish.

A particularly good deal right now, as it’s on sale until the end of September (regular $22.99). 4/5

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From South Africa comes the KWV 2024 Cathedral Cellar Chardonnay (Western Cape, South Africa — $20.99, Liquor Marts and beyond), with grapes sourced primarily from the Stellenbosch region; it’s pale gold in appearance and aromatically brings ripe red apple and spice notes as well as bread dough, peach, lemon zest and a chalky, saline note.

On the dry, medium-bodied palate there’s great depth of fruit — red apple, peach and tropical notes, with a hint of lemon — alongside modest vanilla and spice from nine months in barrel, plus that chalky salinity that adds complexity.

The acidity is modest and the 13.5 per cent alcohol provides some length on the finish — the wine manages to balance big ripe fruit with a mineral note that harkens back to Burgundy, Chardonnay’s homeland … an impressive feat for the price. 4/5

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From western Australia comes the Howard Park 2023 Miamup Cabernet Sauvignon (Margaret River, Australia — $24.99, Liquor Marts and beyond), which spends 18 months in French oak before bottling; it’s inky purple in appearance and aromatically offers deep blackcurrant, cassis, black cherry, white pepper and leafy notes on the nose.

On the palate it’s full-bodied and dry, driven by ripe, dense black fruit flavours and accompanied by leafy and herbal notes, as well as hints of vanilla, baking spice and cocoa from the wood; it’s all wrapped in modestly grippy tannins and, at 14 per cent alcohol, brings a long (but not overly hot) finish.

A decently elegant Aussi Cab that’s drinking well now. 4/5

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Last but certainly not least, the G.D. Vajra 2024 Langhe Rosso (Langhe, Italy — around $30, private wine stores) is made primarily from Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto grapes grown in the Langhe sub-region of Piedmont.

It’s deep cherry red in appearance, with violet, blackberry, earth, plum and subtle peppery, spicy notes on the nose. Medium-bodied and dry but juicy, the ripe dark berry and plum flavours come alongside raspberry, mocha and white pepper flavours, tannins that are on the lighter side, some bright acidity that keeps the fruit lively and, at 13 per cent alcohol, a modestly warm finish.

Drink this lively, crunchy red slightly chilled. Available at Calabria Market and Kenaston Wine Market. 4.5/5

ben.sigurdson@winnipegfreepress.com