A Toast to Fall with Some Perfect Wines

As you’re reading this, it has already happened. The daytime sounds of kids playing in their backyards or poolside are replaced by early morning school buses. Lazy days of August are transitioning into the hustle and bustle of back to work reality and the warm, dewy nights, previously only disturbed by subtle breezes, have an ever so slight crisp in the air. It’s a crisp that, as small as it may be, sets off an involuntary yearning for all things related to fall in New England. You’d be hard pressed to find a single store still touting summer items except for a meager few strewn about some clearance racks. Instead, Halloween candy and pumpkin flavored, well, everything is holding court. As your attention turns to the new season, I’ll focus on a wine that will ease the change from the summer we all waited so long for to our next stop on the seasonal timeline.

I’ve chosen a red wine I believe is perfectly balanced for a month like September: Maison Nicolas Potel Coteaux Bourguignons Rouge. Don’t be intimidated by the name; this red’s roots are in Burgundy, a region known for producing some of the world’s most quaffable wines. This Potel offering is 100% gamay, a grape that lends itself to producing a wine that is perfect for a season with warm days and cool nights. A thoughtfully balanced expression of red-ripe fruit, gentle acidity and minimal tannin is the storyline here with a long-lasting, well-polished finish. Look for notes of ripe Bing cherry and spices on the nose, while the palate unveils a wonderfully uninhibited presence of puckery rhubarb and macerated cherries.

The Potel Coteaux Bourguignons Rouge is a very versatile red wine, lending itself to pair perfectly with many different meals. It’s light enough in body to slightly chill and pair with your go-to summertime fares of grilled meats and simple salads dressed in your favorite vinaigrettes, but also has enough structure to stand up to smoked/cured meats, stews, heartier pasta dishes or half a fluff sandwich your kid didn’t finish at lunchtime. This zippy old world stunner is an incredible find and, given that it falls in the “under $15” category, is sure to help ease both you and your wallet through the end of summer back-to-school/work/reality melee that’s upon us.