New Season, New Tastes: Three Reds for Fall's Soulful Turn

September signals a shift in everything—the light, the pace, and especially what we crave in our glass. Those easy summer wines that carried us through long afternoons suddenly feel inadequate. Your palate wants something with more substance, more story, more soul.

Where summer wines offered bright refreshment—that crisp rosé on the patio, the light white with grilled fish—fall demands wines that match the season's deeper, richer energy. Think about how your eating changes this time of year. You're drawn to braised dishes, roasted vegetables, foods that take time and develop complexity. Your wine should do the same.

Fall is red wine season, not because of temperature but because of intention. These are wines that ask you to slow down, to savor, to notice the layers that unfold with each sip. Here are three reds that understand the assignment.

2023 Les Lunes Syrah: When You Need Depth

This wine bridges summer's end and fall's beginning. Rich enough to satisfy your craving for something substantial, but not so heavy that it overwhelms. Dark fruit mingles with subtle spice, while the texture provides weight without being ponderous. Pour it with some grill chard meats with a piece of your heart still in the summer season. 

2022 Giacomo Fenocchio Langhe Nebbiolo: When You Need Elegance

Fenocchio understands great Nebbiolo in all it’s forms, from single vineyard Barolo to this entry level Langhe. A bounty of red fruit and spices that speak to autumn's essence, all the while bright acidity keeps it food-friendly. There's real structure here, tannins that support rather than dominate.

2022 Bideona Laderas Rioja Alavesa: When You Need Soulful Purity

This Rioja delivers the kind of depth that comes from old vines and terroir not the crusty old Rioja traditions of over-oaking. The delicate yet powerful red fruit here is truly something to experience, use it as a base layer for whatever food/experience you decide to build on top. 

Each wine represents fall's invitation to embrace something richer, more satisfying than summer's easy pleasures.