In Southern California, when the calendar says fall, it may still feel like summer. When it comes to choosing wines for festive meals with friends, we often straddle two seasons. Here is a sampling of wines and spirits under $200 that are serious enough for the season but balanced enough for the dreamy California sunshine.
CALIFORNIA PINOT NOIR
Merry Edwards Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2021
From this all-women-led team comes a gorgeous wine resplendent with aromas and flavors of ripe cherries, dark chocolate, and an earthy, umami-like whiff of mushrooms. A versatile wine that will partner with whatever you’re serving. One of the finest producers of this varietal, it is made with grapes grown along the Sonoma coast.
merryedwards.com
Native 9 Pinot Noir 2016
This Santa Maria wine is a zestier and more peppery expression of the Pinot Noir grape, owing to its dry central coast climate. A small-production wine, Native 9 has flavors of dried fruits and that terroir-induced pepper hit. It’s perfect with barbecued or roasted meats.
native9wine.com
CALIFORNIA CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Miner – 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville
A stunning example of what the vaunted Oakville appellation of Napa Valley does to grapes. Lush and ripe and round but made with such expertise that Miner wines are more restrained than many California reds. It is more like a Bordeaux, thanks to the addition of 15% Cabernet Franc, a grape that contributes acidity and structure. This wine is perfect with robust flavors like steak and wood-fired roasted vegetables.
minerwines.com
SAKE
Sake isn’t usually on a wine list outside a Japanese restaurant, but it should be. If you love drinking delicious cold rice wine with your sushi, why wouldn’t you also love it with other foods you enjoy? Any fish and chicken dish pairs well. Among the best Japanese sakes (for the price) are these:
Hakkaisan Junmai Daiginjo 45
At a 45% rice polishing ratio, this sake is a wonderful entry-level luxe choice that is clean, fragrant, crisp and mildly dry.
Kubota Manju Junmai Daiginjo
With a 33% rice polishing ratio, this rice wine is a bit more refined and florally aromatic, with a full-bodied flavor that hints of pear.
MTCSake.com
Bonus Entry That Is Worth the Splurge:
David Arthur 2021 Elevation 1147
If you were to splurge on one California wine for a special occasion, it should be this David Arthur Elevation 1147, Vintage 2021. It is a beautifully balanced 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wine more akin to a vaunted Bordeaux with firm tannins than a giant-fruited California red. This small production wine, crafted from grapes grown atop the acclaimed Pritchard Hill, can be enjoyed now but was crafted to age for 10 years or more. If you can wait that long, your palate will be in for a rare treat. Enjoy with your best autumn-themed dinner or an elevated Indian Summer backyard barbecue.
davidarthur.com
APÉRITIFS/DIGESTIFS
Roederer Estate L’Ermitage Brut 2006 LD
This Mendocino County sparkling wine can pass as a beautiful aged French Champagne. This sparkler of estate-grown Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes was left to age on the lees (yeast) for almost 15 years before it was disgorged and bottled. Such lengthy aging (referred to as LD or Late Disgorged) has bestowed mature brioche flavors and aromas of roasted nuts. The net result provides all the wonderful characteristics that are valued in a prized bubbly wine.
roedererestate.com
Ferrand Cognac Selection des Anges
This storied cognac from Ars, France is created with 100% Grande Champagne Ugni-Blanc grapes by the skilled master blender Alexandre Gabriel. Ferrand, a 1er Cru de Cognac, is delightfully fragrant and floral with wisps of honeysuckle and jasmine, and earthy flavors of nutmeg, wood and candied ginger. A super long finish leaves the taste of vanilla and cedar. Serve with fine chocolates or a flourless chocolate tart, and you’ll find heaven on earth with this incomparable selection.
maisonferrand.com
El Negocio Tequila
A Reposado with a clean mineral profile, this tequila pairs beautifully with an after-dinner assortment of fresh fruits and berries. Lovers of great California Cabernet Sauvignon will appreciate that this tequila is aged in the French oak barrels of its sister Napa Valley winery, Memento Mori. These barrels previously held the brand’s pricy wine made from grapes sourced from a variety of Napa’s lofty vineyards. The result is a delicate nuanced tequila.
Elnegociotequila.com
ROSÉ WINE
Simon Family Estate Tigress 2023
More flavorful than many French Provençal rosés, this Simon Family Estate Tigress is a better autumnal choice for an apéritif or for pairing with foods like roasted chicken and pork. Made of Grenache grapes grown in the Rutherford area of Napa Valley, this rosé is bright with citrus flavors.
simonfamilyestate.com
