FALL FASHION
3 EASY-DRINKING RED WINES TO ENJOY THIS FALL UNDER $30.00
Me dressed up when my friends tell me they wanna go get wine at some casual place ^
Summer is fading away and it’s that time of year where we transition from swimwear to sweaters.
For me, personally, Fall is my favorite time of year to enjoy easy-drinking reds that don’t have a crazy amount of tannins. I’m thinking Beaujolais, Etna Rosso, Langhe Nebbiolo, maybe a bit of Blaufrankish. Basically - the types of wines I can serve a bit chilled if I want to. Or just drink as they are.
So without further ado, check out these 3 Easy Drinking Fall Red Wines when you feel like taking a break from that Pumpkin Spice shit.
Me with Pumpkin Spice ^
FALL RED WINE UNDER $30.00
G.D VAJRA LANGHE NEBBIOLO JC CLARÉ - $24.00 @ Stanleys Wet Goods
The G.D. Vajra Langhe Nebbiolo is like a sweater made of the finest cashmere. It’s soft, elegant, versatile, and keeps you warm when need be. This Nebbiolo is from the Langhe DOC, which is a great place to look for easy-drinking, friendly Nebbiolo that won’t put a major gouge in your wallet.
Nebbiolo from the Langhe is typically lighter, unlike the more potent and powerful Roero Nebbiolo. I find Langhe Nebbiolo is easier to drink early, requires minimal decanting, and - a lot of times - can be served chilled.
As someone who lives in Los Angeles, Fall to me is the equivalent of seeing the emergence of the Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks. Replace images of falling leaves and changing foliage in your mind with images of red Starbucks Coffee Cups. Fall weather over here consists of the gusty Santa Ana winds (and fires, which sucks.)
Los Angeles is currently 90 degrees as I sit in our apartment writing this, so the last kind of Fall wine I’m going to want to drink is some big, tannic, concentrated bruiser. Which is why I’ll save my the majority of my GSMs, Cabernet Sauvignons, Anglianicos, Lagriens, and Bordeaux Blends for winter.
I compare this Langhe Nebbiolo to a cashmere sweater - not a wool one - because it’s warm enough to fend off a chill, but you’re not going to be smothered by it. It’s comforting, but in a sophisticated and refined way. With aromas of dried cranberries, leather, clay, rose potpourri, and an intensely tarry core - it’s very attractive I promise - this lighter-bodied wine has fantastic acidity as well. There’s a little bit of an effervescent sparkle and it glitters like raw garnets.
Bring this wine out the next time you want to make some sort of pasta dish and you’ll be very happy, I promise. Folks in the wine biz do say “what goes together, grows together,” and that is a great philosophy to have when pairing wine with food. If you’re living in a warmer place and experiencing some sultry warm fall weather - chill this baby down and enjoy it while experiencing those warm Santa Ana winds…
Guy Breton Cuvée Marylou Beaujolais 2020 - $26.00 @ Stanley’s Wet Goods
Guy Breton is a real one. He was known as one of Kermit Lynch’s (one of the most badass importers around) original, “Gang of Four,” who revitalized the image of Beaujolais Nouveau. Ya see, in the 1980s there was a lot of commercialization going on in Beaujolais, and a lot of the wine was cheap easy-drinking stuff with no substance whatsoever. Enter Guy.
Guy teamed up with four other vignerons and encouraged a, “back to nature,” movement within the Beaujolais appellation. He got rid of imported yeasts, sulfites and stripped everything down. Only native yeasts were used in making the wine, and no herbicides or pesticides were used. Guy’s philosophy was very stripped down. The Cuveé Marylou is just that - a beautiful and pure expression of Beauj.
Picture fresh cherry jello, crushed violets, with this stunning earthen quality. The core of this wine is pure mineral - like shale or something. The Cuvée Marylou is a wine that’s about as fresh as they come, with very low tannins but unbelievable floral aromas. This wine is a LBD - little black dress - wine and goes with pretty much everything. From sushi to tacos - we had it with a Chinese chicken salad with date dressing and bacon and it was absolutely to die for.
This is one of my partner’s favorite wines, and it’s dangerously drinkable. If you can manage to get your hands on a bottle, expect it to disappear very quickly…
Boeckel Pinot Noir, Alsace 2018 - $18.00 @ Stanley’s Wet Goods
Alsatian Pinot Noir is some of the most underrated and under-priced stuff around. At 18 bucks, this beauty of a wine WAY over delivers. It’s got that Burgundian funk mixed with an acidity on par with several of the great pinot noirs out of Oregon and Washington. Plus, there’s a stunning and rich red fruit on this wine that I would associate with places like the Russian River Valley.
The Boeckel Pinot Noir is concentrated and intense. Picture luscious dark red cherries, tart cranberries, a bit of smokiness and this very rich, mineral-driven core. There’s a subtle peppery kick to this wine, making it perfect for those who love spicier varietals. If you’re a cabernet sauvignon lover looking to venture into pinot noir, this very intense and powerful pinot doesn’t play.
Give it a whirl with meaty, gamey dishes like sausages, venison or bison burgers. This rustic, complicated pinot noir is absolutely beautiful with food but with its level of sophistication can do just fine on its own. Thurstqueen is all about finding fancy wines so you can drink classy af without breaking the bank, and I can’t think of a finer example of this at play here.
Super stellar stuff!
Till next time, Thurstqueens…