Sip Through the Season

We naturally gravitate toward different flavors and switch up our food ingredients with the seasons, largely based on what’s growing at the time. Wine, too, can be thought about as seasonal. We asked Assistant Beverage Director Kelly Schmidt to break down the seasonality of wine and what she might recommend as we welcome Fall.

Outside of pairing wine with food, if you’re just thinking about a glass to enjoy, do you find yourself, or guests, gravitating toward different wines as the season changes?

Kelly: Wine, to me, is so very seasonal, suited to the climate, cuisine or custom of a given season. As a quick example: For climate, think cold rose in the hot summertime; for cuisine, imagine bright spring veggies with crisp Sancerre; for the custom of the season, think drinking Champagne during the holidays!

I, personally, am a very seasonal and situational drinker, and not every moment calls for wine. I drink inexpensive, light beer after a day of yard work. I drink seltzers when I’m spending time at the pool. I like rum and cokes when I’m playing dominos, and I default to martinis after Labor Day. (For all other possible situations and the ones previously mentioned, Champagne is also correct!)

At home, I’ve been drinking a lot of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnays, etc. for the last few months. I haven’t had red wine at home since March. The Tennessee heat just doesn’t get me in the mood for red wine. But then, just the other day, we had a crisp morning, and I couldn’t stop thinking about what Pinot Noir I was going to open that night.

A lot of our guests, I find, have preferences towards a certain variety and might only be interested in flexing slightly within the confines of what they like – they drink Cabernet year-round, for example, no matter what the temperature is or what season it is. And that’s also okay! Everyone should enjoy what they like.

There is another genre of guests who are truly interested in what wines will pair with the cuisine, and, in general, our dishes in the Spring and Summer tend to call for lighter styles of wine than our dishes in the Fall and Winter.

Exactly! I think we might naturally associate Rose or some white varieties with Summer if we were really trying to attribute seasons to varieties. If you were thinking about a Fall wine, what wine comes to mind?

Kelly: Late Summer/early Fall (when the days are still hot but it cools off in the evening) is perfect for Pinot Noir, and then very, very shortly after that, Grenache season starts. Grenache is ideal for all of the holiday feasts because it complements a variety of cuisine styles and proteins. Syrah and Zinfandel are also great reds in the Fall. In whites, I find white Rhone Varietals (Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne) and spicy grapes, like Gewurztraminer, fit well.

Since you do think about wines seasonally, what flavor notes are you looking for when you consider some go-to’s to recommend to guests in the Fall?

Kelly: Fall wine flavors, to me, are warm, spicy and vibrant.

Do you have any favorite pairings for the season? Like a certain wine you recommend with seasonal sweet staples like apple or pumpkin pie?

Kelly: Apple and pumpkin pies being served are a great time to pull out whites from Alsace – whites with a honeyed or fruit quality but still with good acidity.

Sometimes people enjoy making spiced wine as the weather cools. Any tips for someone who may be warming their wine?

Kelly: I’ve made mulled wine only a handful of times, so I am no expert, but I would say: 1. Keep it low and slow when heating. 2. Be careful to not over-do your spices. The flavors will concentrate quickly. 3. It’s okay to use value-driven wine.