Woman on Wine

with Amy Reiley

Some wine experts will recommend pairing wine with certain foods or categories of foods, like “spicy foods” or “salads.” Although I’m into the concept of pairing, I’m much more into the idea of pairing your wine with the season, or perhaps with the company you’re keeping. For example, I’ll serve a different wine to a gathering of female friends than I would for a romantic dinner. I’ll get more into that another time, but for today I’m focusing on seasons. More specifically, this month’s Woman on Wine is dedicated to autumn wine.

True, according to the calendar, it isn’t quite autumn yet. But I think we all can agree that Labor Day is the unofficial start of fall. So I’m offering some suggestions for those of you who are ready to put away the rosé and slip into something a little heartier.

My recommendations for autumn wine:

2017 Edna Valley Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc

If you think Sauvignon Blanc is just for summer, think again! This bright, big, beautiful bottling is without question a great autumn wine. There’s a minerality on the nose that keeps the grass and sweet hay notes from overwhelming the senses. On the palate, it is a tropical fruit salad of zesty limes, passion fruit and lingering pineapple on the finish. This is the wine for those last grilling days of the year.

2017 d’Arenberg The Hermit Crab

This Rhône-style blend offers a lot of body and flavor for something in the under $20 range. And because its aromas and flavors include ripe peach, green apple and pear, I put it on my list of autumn wine. It’s a blend of Viognier and Marsanne from one of my favorite Australian wineries and it’s definitely a wine to look out for, not just in fall but for winter drinking, too.

2014 Lang and Reed North Coast Cabernet Franc

For lovers of big reds, this is a nice middle ground sort of wine that really suits the season. It is reasonably big, but balanced, with good acidity and fine-grained tannins. Its aromas are deliciously complex, with caramel and spice, ripe berries and a whiff of forest floor funk. Up front blueberry and black raspberry flavors are followed by a hint of oak and spice on the finish.

2017 San Marzano Talò Primitivo di Manduria

This is a gorgeous, ruby-colored wine. It offers a lush array of fruit flavors, including cherry and black plum with bright, direct cranberry acidity. On the finish, there are hints of cocoa and espresso. One of the best expressions of Primitivo I’ve ever tried, it is an incredibly food-friendly wine.
Want more wine recommendations? Check out Woman on Wine.

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Amy Reiley

Eat Something Sexy's Creator & Editor-in-Chief Amy Reiley is the award-winning author of five aphrodisiac cookbooks. She has her Master of Arts in Gastronomy, awarded by Le Cordon Bleu and The University of Adelaide. She is also a Certified Nutrition Coach awarded by the International Sports Sciences Association and she is a California Certified Massage Therapist.

Amy is considered a leading authority on aphrodisiacs. Her work in aphrodisiacs is quoted in publications including National Geographic, The New York Times, Epicurious, Wine Enthusiast, Health and Playboy magazines. She speaks internationally on aphrodisiac foods and has brought her knowledge of aphrodisiac history and science to national television shows including The Today Show and CBS Early Show. She is a frequent guest on relationship and lifestyle radio and podcast shows and has been interviewed by BBC and NPR radio, Cosmopolitan radio and popular podcasts including My Dad Wrote a Porno.

Amy is also a freelance food, wine and health researcher and writer as well as a wine competition judge. Her work has appeared in publications ranging from Variety to The Daily Meal. She is an MSN content provider. And she is also a former wine editor for Gayot.com and wine & spirits editor of Las Vegas magazine.

Fun fact: Amy was the creator of the first ever comprehensive food and wine apps, Amy Reiley's Pocket Gourmet and Amy Reiley's Pocket Vineyard for Palm.

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