October is the month in Wisconsin when everything changes. The first frost is imminent, the time between sunrise and sunset shrinks with each passing day and the abundance of tomatoes and tender greens is replaced with the richness of root vegetables and hearty kale. It’s the time to seek out wines that were too heavy for the heat of summer. These wines bridge the light, refreshing wines of August and the richer bottles that find their natural place on the coldest, darkest nights. Think of them as the beverage equivalent of the perfect midweight sweater.
When autumn arrives, Nebbiolo-based wines call out with their subtle savory streak and characteristic aroma reminiscent of fallen leaves. This grape — which finds its most famous expressions in Barolo and Barbaresco in Piedmont, the wine region in the north of Italy — is known for being elegant and powerful. You don’t have to spend more than $50 on a bottle of Barolo when there is Ferrando Canavese Rosso La Torrazza 2017 ($23). This wine is 65 percent Nebbiolo, and has a small production, about 8,000 bottles, all sourced from La Torrazza vineyard in Canavese, an appellation found in the northwestern reaches of Piedmont. It is unmistakably Nebbiolo, with its distinctive dried floral nose.This is complemented by an earthy, savory streak of smoke and cedar and an approachable palate of ripe red fruit, making this the perfect wine to accompany a roast chicken with rosemary on a rainy Sunday.
The red wines of France’s Northern Rhône valley, predominantly Syrah-based, are marked by a savory, smoky backbone. The Etienne Becheras Crozes-Hermitage Le Prieuré d’Arras 2018 ($28) comes from a single vineyard about the size of a city block that produces about 1,200 bottles a year. Luckily, a good number of these bottles make it to Madison, because they’re shockingly inexpensive for such a rare wine. Sustainably farmed and hand-harvested from old vines, this wine has ripe raspberry fruit, a smoky nose with subtle black pepper, and a complexity normally found in wines that are much more expensive. There is no better wine to pair with roasted winter squash served with a little too much butter.
Cabernet Franc is often considered a blending partner or also-ran to its more famous offspring Cabernet Sauvignon, but the grape produces compelling varietal wines in thoughtful hands. Ravines Finger Lakes Cabernet Franc 2018 ($19) is a no-brainer to serve with a pot roast or red wine-braised pork shoulder on the first truly cold night of the season. Ravines owners Morten and Lisa Hallgren are pioneers of this upstate New York wine region, having produced one of the first dry Rieslings to justifiably bring fame to the Finger Lakes. The same cool climate that yields these outstanding white wines preserves an acidity in Cabernet Franc that balances the grape’s natural richness and frames a nuanced palate with green pepper, blackberries, and a distinctive umami streak.
All wines are available for purchase or order at area wine shops. Note: Bob Hemauer consults with the Tornado Steak House on its wine selections.
