Our 3 Favorite Fall Wine Pairings

You likely have foods that you enjoy every fall. Perhaps you roast butternut squash, or you make hearty chili to enjoy while watching the early games of the football season. However, have you ever thought about pairing a wine with your seasonal recipes?

Summer is an easy wine-pairing season and a great time to make wine cocktails. A pitcher of sangria goes well with virtually every summer meal. The heavier dishes traditionally served during the fall present slightly more challenges.

Here are three of our favorite wine pairings that perfectly complement the warm flavors of fall.

Spicy Stews and Riesling

Perhaps you have a favorite recipe for authentic Thai curry, or you are getting a little more Chinese takeout with the added pressures of the school year beginning. Either way, when you are eating spicy curries, Riesling is an excellent pairing. The crisp apple flavor of this white wine complements smoky, zesty, peppery flavors perfectly.

Riesling ranges in flavor from extremely dry to slightly sweet. Its lower alcohol content means that it is a good, drinkable weekday wine. Riesling also tends to be very affordable, with Germany and the U.S. producing most varietals available on the market. Try a bottle from Washington; the wine from that state tends to taste like another of its common exports, apples. That subtle sweetness perfectly complements spice. If you have leftover Riesling, try pairing it with roasted pork.

Roasted Chicken and Chardonnay

A roasted chicken is a perfectly warm and comforting food for fall. Whether you make it yourself or pick up the rotisserie version at the grocery store, an ideal wine pairing is a Chardonnay. A buttery, unoaked Chardonnay does a particularly good job of enhancing the chicken’s flavors. As an added bonus, it is easier on the budget.

Chardonnay bottles vary in flavor, including buttery, oaky, crisp and/or zesty tastes. More buttery, rich, creamy wines do a good job of complementing the flavors of herbs and crispy chicken skin you get while eating a roasted chicken. California produces good Chardonnay wine, and bottles of it are found virtually everywhere. While reading the bottle, look for the word “buttery,” or specifically seek out wines that are aged in steel, not oak. If you end up inadvertently buying a more oaky Chardonnay and do not like how it tastes with your roasted chicken, pair it with salad instead. Oaky Chardonnay also pairs well with cheese, so try serving it with an autumn salad with pecans, cheese and vinaigrette.

Spaghetti and Zinfandel

Spaghetti with tomato sauce and meatballs is a classic comfort food that has spread far beyond its Italian-American origins. With acidic tomato sauce and beefy meatballs, you can pair this dish with an assertive wine that stands up to its flavors. A fruity Zinfandel wine perfectly pairs with the red sauce in spaghetti and meatballs. The wine’s sweetness complements the acid of the tomatoes, making a pleasant sensation for your taste buds.

Zinfandel wine has varying characteristics in its varieties. Some Zinfandel bottles are higher in alcohol and are very jam-like and sweet. Pair these varieties with desserts like chocolate cake rather than savory dishes. Lower alcohol varieties, however, are your best bet for pairing with spaghetti and meatballs. Look for descriptive words like “fresh” on the label or flavors like raspberry to find the best wine to pair with your dish. Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley in California are known for being sources of excellent Zinfandel grapes, so keep an eye out for bottles from those regions.

Find Your Perfect Fall Wine Pairing