Top Wine Picks For Those Warm Fall Days

We’re experiencing some oddly warm weather here in Manitoba. Yesterday, the temperature reached 13 degrees Celsius, just a couple degrees shy of our all-time record for this time of year. So with that in mind, I figured I’d highlight a few wines that are ideal for warmer weather in late fall...

1) 2014 Brooklyn’s Blend from Thornhaven Estates

Named after owners Jack and Jan Fraser’s youngest granddaughter, this 60-40 Sauvignon Blanc/Chardonnay mashup brings plenty of ripe fruit aromatically, with peach, red apple, lemon zest and grapefruit notes on the nose. The Brooklyn’s Blend is a light-plus bodied white, with red apple, melon, lime, grapefruit and a hint of bell pepper from the Sauv. Blanc as well as a splash of acidity to keep things fresh. Try with late-season grilled chicken from the barbecue. ($16/bottle)

2) 2013 Pinot Noir from Bench 1775

From the Naramata Bench comes this generous, fruit-forward Pinot Noir. Plum, cherry and raspberry candy aromas are fleshed out with secondary earth, pepper and leather notes. It’s a light-bodied Pinot Noir, with cherry, earth and licorice notes accentuated by mocha and pepper flavours as well as modest vanilla and spice from eight months’ aging in French oak. Do up some burgers on the grill, give this wine about a 10-minute chill and enjoy the mid-November sun. ($28.75/bottle)

3) 2012 Chardonnay JCR Rosehall Vineyard from Rosehall Run

Winner of a gold medal at WineAlign’s 2015 National Wine Awards of Canada, the nose on this Prince Edward County Chardonnay is brimming with pear, apple seed, lemon, tropical, light herbal and spice notes. It’s a light-plus bodied but fairly lean, focused Chardonnay that brings the red apple, lemon, pear and subtle chalky notes on the palate, with very modest spice and heat on the finish thanks to very nuanced oak treatment. An elegant, delightful Chard to try with grilled salmon. ($29.95/bottle)