We doff our cap to these 6 stellar wines for autumn enjoyment

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This article was published 02/11/2024 (699 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Fall ends up being a bit of a busy time when you wear both the literary-editor and drinks-writer hats at the Free Press (figuratively speaking — although actual hats might help keep work tasks better sorted).

In recent weeks, there have been a number of winemakers, winery owners and export managers rolling through town, with whom I’ve met and tasted, as well as a range of other drinks-related events.

Meanwhile, on the books side, a lot of my time has been spent on the phone, or Zoom, chatting with authors ahead of their tours, book launches and the like, which are just now starting to slow down as the holiday season creeps closer. It can be tough to keep up, but it’s a good problem to have.

Anyhow, amid the chaos, here are a half-dozen wines I’ve recently tasted and enjoyed.

Baglio Oro 2022 Dei Respiri Grillo (Sicily, Italy — around $20, private wine stores)

Pale gold in colour, this Italian white from the southern island of Sicily is slightly muted aromatically, eventually offering delicate red apple, melon and pear notes.

It’s a dry, light-plus bodied white, with surprisingly ripe and juicy red apple, pear, white peach and melon flavours, modest acidity, a touch of fleshy roundness in texture and a short finish.

Available at Jones & Co. 3.5/5

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Champalou 2022 Vouvray (Loire Valley, France — $32.90, Liquor Marts and beyond)

Made from the Chenin Blanc grape, the Loire Valley’s signature white variety, this French white is medium straw in colour and aromatically brings intriguing floral, honeycomb, pear and lemon candy notes, with a hint of perfume lingering underneath.

It’s dry, light-plus bodied and slightly viscous, with a striking combination of pear, white peach and honeycomb flavours, modest chalkiness and acidity and a slighty warm finish (it’s 13 per cent alcohol). 4.5/5

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Dirty Laundry 2021 Hush Rosé (Okanagan Valley, B.C. — around $26, private wine stores)

A blend of grapes led by the white Pinot Gris and red Cabernet Sauvignon varieties, the Hush rosé is medium pink in colour and aromatically offers attractive white peach, spice, raspberry, floral and apricot notes.

It’s light-plus bodied and off-dry, with ripe mandarin orange, tangerine, and peach flavours, a hint of watermelon candy, light acidity and nice length on the finish. Fun and fruity stuff.

Available at De Nardi Wines, Calabria Market and The Pourium. 4/5

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Substance 2021 Cs Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, Wash. — $26.99, Liquor Marts and beyond)

Sourced from four Washington state vineyards, this Cabernet Sauvignon brings plum, cassis, blackberry and tart cherry notes with subtle savoury and herbal notes.

It’s a dry, medium-plus bodied red that offers blueberry, cassis, plum, meaty and spicy notes as well as secondary and herbal components, white pepper flavours that come with medium tannins and, at 14.5 per cent alcohol, a somewhat warm finish.

It’s slightly leaner in style than most American Cabernets, but the fruit’s nice and ripe without becoming cloying. 3.5/5

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Pietrame 2021 Edizione Limitata Montepulciano d’Abruzzo (Abruzzo, Italy — $17.99, Liquor Marts and beyond)

Made from estate-grown Montepulciano grapes, this Italian red brings wild plum and cherry aromas as well as cocoa, violet, spice and somewhat meaty, savoury notes.

On the dry and medium-plus bodied palate it’s more fruit-driven, with fresh plum and cherry flavours front and centre and with secondary milk chocolate, raspberry and vanilla notes coming through.

Tannins are light and dusty and, at 13 per cent alcohol, there’s moderate length to the finish. 4/5

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San Felice 2021 Chianti Classico (Tuscany, Italy — $25.99, Liquor Marts and beyond)

Sangiovese is the primary red grape here, with splashes of indigenous varieties Colorino and Pugnitello thrown in for good measure; this Chianti delivers earth, leather, ripe cherry and raspberry aromas, with some secondary red licorice notes coming through as well.

It’s dry and medium-plus bodied, with deep cherry and dark berry flavours as well as raspberry, savoury spice and white pepper flavours, medium acidity, light tannins and a modest 13 per cent alcohol on the finish.

Brings classic Chianti complexity with approachable and lively fruit flavours; drink now or hold for two to three years. 4/5

uncorked@mts.net

@bensigurdson