Take the stress out of buying a gift, let them choose exactly what they want.
Rosie Emms - Fine Wine Advisor
I love the beginning of new seasons and am always quite excited for the start of Autumn. While summer meet ups with friends in the park or the beach are always fun, it’s nice to get some respite before the frantic festive season begins. That for me is where the magic of Autumn truly lies and why it’s such a great season to crack open a bottle of something new and explore; a chance to cosy up after a long woodland walk, to take some time simmering a stew in the kitchen and pair with something rich and delicious in the glass.
Here I’ve rounded up my selection of Autumn wines that I think you’ll enjoy, and that really chime with the season, whether a fragrant Nebbiolo – best enjoyed with the new season mushrooms (or truffles if you can get them) – rich, ripe Chardonnays or Chenin Blanc for umami dishes, and delicious reds from the Rhône with their smoky, savoury charm. I hope you enjoy my selection below - and you can see more about each wine over on our Instagram.
This brilliant-value Bourgogne Blanc comes from limestone parcels scattered around the Puligny side of Meursault. This wine always delivers: in 2022 it’s brimming with fresh pear on the nose. On the palate, it’s so textured and long, and particularly persistent for a Bourgogne. It sees 25% new oak, which is relatively high for a Bourgogne, adding savoury definition - you get a lot of bang for your buck here. It is a great introduction to the Côte d’Or.
The 2021 Bosberaad comes from a single parcel on the Paardeberg, planted in 1980. The nose has quince and fresh conference pears, as well as a citrus element, while the palate is arrow straight with incredible texture. This is an outstanding Chenin Blanc: a wine from one of South Africa's best winemakers, that shouldn't be missed.
Named after the original owner of the vineyard, Bricat was bought in 1989 and the vines have over 50 years of age. Sour cherries, redcurrants, rose and clove spice are supported by a richness and juiciness on the palate. Tannins are resolved and this wine is drinking beautifully.
This is Fürst's village level wine with the grapes coming from 3 vineyard sites, including 2 Grosses Gewächs sites and an Erste Lage vineyard that are in a cool location. The red berry perfume is seductive and the palate is silky with very fine grained tannins and a zesty acidty. There is an attractive violet perfume on the finish.
This is Syrah wearing its Pinot cloak. The Kamaka is the wine that needs the most explanation in the Bott cellar. Seyssuel, on the other side of the river to Côte-Rôtie, is an appellation on the march. There are hopes that it will be elevated to full cru status within a matter of years. Here, the schist and gneiss soils glisten in the sunlight; there’s no granite on this side of the river, The Syrah that grows here is floral and pinot-esque, with an elegant texture and a spicy, salty undertow. Kamata is the Maori word for rock or stone, and a nod to Graeme’s Kiwi origins. Much more than a curiosity
More than any other variety, Gewürztraminer is a love-it-or-hate it grape. But anyone who claims to not like it is missing out when it comes to this wine. Its weight and aromatic perfume make it a brilliant match for one of the toughest foods to pair with wine: oily fish, particularly smoked salmon. It works when it’s young, and is even better with some bottle age. Spicy, floral, silky, and satisfying. Off-dry (30g/l).
Samantha Bullard - Private Client Sales Support
This isn't just for summer; it's a stand-up wine with a rich, textural quality that feels like a cozy cashmere jumper on a cool autumn evening.
What makes this wine so interesting is the vinification. It’s a perfect blend of traditional and modern techniques - part of the wine is fermented in French oak for a layered richness, and part in clay pots, which preserves its beautiful, crushed-rock minerality. The nose is so inviting, with hints of lemon cream and white stone fruit, while the palate offers a bright, focused burst of grapefruit and quince.
This is the bottle I reach for when I’m cooking a for friends and family. It’s a spectacular match for a creamy wild mushroom risotto or a succulent roasted pork belly, as its bright acidity effortlessly cuts through the richness. If there is any left at the end of the dinner this also pairs with dessert too – a lemon tart perhaps?
The best Grenache Blanc that Chris Williams has made to date. A tense and vibrant style, it offers notes of jasmine, white tea, white grapefruit with vibrant and moreish salinity. Beautifully focused, this is a totally charming white that delivers incredible value for money.
Will Hepworth - Fine Wine Advisor
You can’t beat a glass or two of proper, old school Rioja as the evenings draw in and with its lovely brambly fruit and firm structure, this is a real cracker.
Wild strawberries, cherries and bramble fruits are supported by complex layers of liquorice, leather and coconut. There is a vibrancy on the core and the fine grained, yet firm tannins provide great structure to this delicious Rioja.
Fran Moynihan - Fine Wine Advisor
It’s made from an elevated single vineyard in the Wachau, where the grapes benefit from long, slow ripening before being harvested late. This extended hang time on the vine gives it incredible complexity, with gorgeous notes of grapefruit, apricot and mandarin zest, and a steely acidity. Whilst I think it’s easy to associate colder weather and darker evenings with red wines, what I love about Riesling is that it goes so well with Autumn comfort food - the fresh acidity really cuts through the heaviness of the food – great with a decent helping of pork schnitzel!
The altitude here means it is picked late: one part at the end of October, and the other parts on November 10th and 11th. The resulting wine is so complex and intense, with an explosive palate of apricots, sea spray, and so much freshness. This is incredibly ripe, but is impeccably balanced with intense acidity. It’s a spectacularly pure, long, wine: one of the best we’ve tried this year.
Adrian Heaven - Head of Sales, Suffolk
This 2022 Saumur Rouge is perfect for autumn dining. Crafted from Cabernet Franc, it possesses a medium body and freshness that beautifully cuts through the richness of seasonal dishes without weighing down the palate. Its profile—bursting with red fruit (cherry, raspberry and redcurrants) alongside savoury notes matches perfectly with classic autumn cuisine.
Whether you are serving mushroom Stroganoff, roasted root vegetables, roast chicken, or even a simple charcuterie board, the wine’s complexity and refreshing finish make it a versatile, food-friendly staple for the cooler months.
This is an excellent introduction to Saumur Rouge, with its sweet, leafy red fruit and silky tannins. Juiciness par excellence. Father-and-son team Michel and Thibaud Chevré are showing themselves to be every bit as skilled with reds as with whites, which is little surprise given Michel’s long career working with master of Cabernet Franc, Thierry Germain.
Paula Hunter - Fine Wine Advisor
This boasts aromas of bramble fruits entwined with a delicate smoky note (coming from the high-altitude Etna soils) that is really reminiscent of autumnal bonfires.
Fruit driven on the palate with blackberries and cherries combined with liquorice notes, it’s light on its feet yet has a hidden power that leads into quite a finish. One for Pinot and Nebbiolo lovers!
Young Spanish winemaking talent Eduardo Torres is starting to create a name for himself on the impressive vineyards of Mount Etna. This Nerello Mascalese is planted at 850 metres altitude in the Pirrera Contrada, that had been abandoned for a number of years. Eduardo has painstakingly been restoring the vineyard to its true potential. Expect brambles and garrigue notes as well as cranberry and wild strawberry aromas. Violets and liquorice spice are supported but chalky tannins and zesty acidty.
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