5 Red Wines to Drink this Autumn

As the seasons change so does our preference for what we drink. Light and juicy red wines have played their perfect role throughout the Summer but now we need something else. A little more texture, a little more depth. Some darker fruit and some earthy notes. Here are five medium bodied red wines that are still fresh but will be more suited to the cooler weeks ahead...

BERGECRAC 2024

Let's kick off with the new vintage of Bergecrac Rouge from Château Barouillet that has just recently arrived. A blend of no less that 6 local varieties including the likes of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec, you might expect this to be a heady, powerful number but that's not the case. Really fresh and light on its feet but still offering those black fruit and spicy notes we are looking for, you really can't go wrong at this price point.

TEMBO 2024

Now to the south of France where Languedoc borders Roussillon. This blend of Grenache and Carignan brings wild, dark fruit to the proceedings but retains freshness with a tiny hint of spritz. Another intriguing wine from La Voluta with plenty of complexity and is best served with an Autumnal dish.

BALLE DANS LE PIED 2024

We have written recently about our excitement for new Cheverny winemaking duo Peltier Ravineau and if you taste this new arrival from them, we're sure you will be in agreement. A bargain at just £23, this blend of Gamay, Côt (Malbec) and Cabernet Franc is on the lighter side and brings some beautiful, peppery spice to the palate alongside bright, fresh fruit. Snap it up!

MONTICELLI ROSSO 2022

We have just re-stocked on this wine from 2022 after tasting again recently and being wowed by its development inside the bottle over time. A blend of Valpolicella grape varieties from Silvia Tezza in Verona, this brings some of the most profound floral notes in recent memory alongside delicate complexity of both fresh and dried fruit. This is a brilliant choice for this time of year.

GRAPEL 2022

Finally, a new arrival from Claudio Plessi who is fast becoming our favourite Lambrusco producer. A sparkling red wine made from the rare Grapello grape variety, this has subtle earthy and irony notes alongside red and black fruit aromas. Treads the line between rustic and precise perfectly and can be a versatile bottles for food pairings or great as an aperitif.

There you go, plenty of choices to ease you in to the new season...

Happy drinking!