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Autumn means go simply red

Richer flavours that can stand up to heartier fall fare
food_gismondi1

Shorter days and longer nights, and a dusting of snow are sure signs that fall is here, and for most wine drinkers that means a switch in wine styles as you prepare for cooler weather. That means out with the light whites and fruity reds and in with the richer, more intense flavours that can stand up to heartier fall recipes and cold nights.

Menu items of roasted birds, venison, risottos, braised beef brisket, pumpkin ravioli, mushrooms and all manner of squash come quickly to mind. You can add to that stews, pork belly, grilled meats and classic cassoulet from southern France and, well, you get the idea — richer, beefy, spicier wines will be required to keep up with much bigger flavours.

In terms of wine styles and grapes that means less un-oaked whites and a little less of the aromatic grapes such as sauvignon blanc, riesling, ehrenfelser and friends. In their place think zinfandel, shiraz, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, garnacha, mourvèdre, petit sirah and most any boisterous red blend. Styles differ between countries and blends but the texture and tannins for the most part are soft and round although, more and more, with better acid to balance off the fruit.

To get you ready for the season, I've put together a list of full-bodied reds built to tame rich foods and the cool, rainy, snowy days to come. I've chosen the $20 mark as an upper barrier to keep the selections affordable. My advice is get a some friends together for dinner and have everyone bring a bottle or two to allow for maximum food and wine pairing experiments throughout the evening.

We begin in Argentina where malbec, cabernet and, thankfully, more and more red blends are coming to market. Argentina is red hot with consumers and it all starts with malbec. The Renacer Punto Final Malbec ($15) has a savoury, black cherry demeanour laced with bay leaf and liquorice. Any grilled beef would be a perfect match, especially if you add some homemade chimichurri sauce. The Cobos Felino Malbec ($18) will have wide appeal with its glossy, smooth black fruit with a dash of stone and mineral. Black cherries and poultry spice layer over excellent acidity. My blend choice, from some of the highest vineyards in the world, is the Amalaya ($20), a mix of malbec, cabernet sauvignon and tannat. Expect more wild red fruits and earth that bring plenty of power to the table.

Spanish reds, blends included, are crazy good these days, and the price even more attractive. We start with Castaño C Monastrell ($12.50) from the master, Daniel Castaño. This wine is so juicy and supple, with earthy plummy fruit that begs for oven-roasted foods. Garnacha, tempranillo and cabernet are the story behind Borsão Garnacha Selección ($15). Look for smoky, meaty, black raspberry jam and orange peel flavours throughout. Braised beef will be a winner.

California is on a bit of an upswing as the post–Mondavi era of next-generation winemakers get underway in earnest. Last week I tasted over 350 labels in the Golden State and came away with new respect for the latest in zinfandel. Just over the $20 mark but well worth the reach is the Edmeads Zinfandel ($23). Mendocino is the place, and the methods are decidedly low tech. Simplicity yields lush black fruit, soft tannins with a dash of coffee and caramel plus some petite sirah and syrah. Chili would be a great match.

In France, the Rhone Valley provides ready-made winter reds. There's a ton of value in the southern parts of the region, where recent vintages have been more or less off the charts. Up first is Boutinot Chat-en-Oeuf Côtes du Ventoux ($13). Look for the cheeky little grenache/syrah blend with juicy, black cherry and plum flavours, flecked with pepper, liquorice and smoky garrigue notes. Baked ribs in the oven are the ticket here. A step up is the Louis Bernard Côtes du Rhône Villages Rouge 2011 ($16), a blend of grenache and syrah with a warm, peppery fruit style and a soft finish. A perfect stew or cassoulet red. Bigger richer and more serious is the M. Chapoutier Belleruche Côtes du Rhône ($15). More black cherry, plums, dried herbs and flecks of orange permeate this rich red. Definitely suited to a leg of lamb.

Whistler has always had a love affair with Californian and Italian reds despite their disparate characters but it's the latter that are the most food friendly. Drier and firmer Italian reds need food, from spaghetti Bolognese to steak Florentine. If raw beef is on the menu think barbera and the incredible Fontanafredda Briccotondo Barbera ($18) from Piedmont. Pepper, liquorice and juicy black cherry fruit will slay most dishes.

If a rich meaty pizza is your thing, the match is Paiara Puglia Rosso ($9) from southern Italy. Paiara treads the floral raspberry side of red wine with rich, earthy dry, tannins to tame the pizza.

Chile has slipped off the map of late, a victim of its value tag that may suggest it's not quite good enough for guests. Don't believe it. Santa Rita Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva ($15) was made for a rainy night and a grilled flank steak. Fresh with light tannins, its blackcurrant, tobacco, cedar, coffee, smoky notes will mesh perfectly with smoked meat.

Australia is finally back on the upswing, at least at home, and with a little help from Whistler's oversized Down Under population perhaps sales of Oz wine can start its resurgence in the mountains. If you are environmentally sensitive, reach for Yalumba Organic Shiraz ($17). Expect a fresh, juicy, red wine with black cherry jam and savoury blueberry flavours. Lamb chops, sausages, mushroom risotto — it all works. Blends are really where it's at in Oz as exemplified by the Wirra Wirra Scrubby Rise Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon Petit Verdot 2010 ($18). Boysenberry and black cherries sit atop this leathery, tobacco-scented red with just enough acidity poking through to keep it fresh and vital. When a big meal isn't in the cards, hamburgers are the ultimate match.

Now get out on those mountains because all of these wines taste better after an even better day on the slopes.

Anthony Gismondi is a globetrotting wine writer who makes his home in West Vancouver, British Columbia. For more of his thoughts on wine log onto www.gismondionwine.com.