October is a gateway month, spanning from warm, early fall to chilly mid-autumn. We started the month sitting under green leaves in socially distant outdoor settings, maybe sipping a crisp white or even a rosé. But by now, at least at Wine365 headquarters, our Instagram feeds are filling up with #autumnleaves and we’ve begun to wonder when dining spots will put out their space heaters. We also started to break out the reds, from light Pinot Noir to deeper Cabernet Sauvignon.
Below are a few of our favorite articles we read in October. They cover the spectrum from early fall to winter recommendations. We hope you’ll find something interesting, inspiring, or delectable enough that makes you say, “I want to taste that wine!”
Lambrusco Is Anything but a One-Dimensional Wine by Lana Bortolot with notes from John Foy. Here’s why you should be drinking more Lambrusco, and pairing it with everything. It is truly the food pairing wine extraordinaire.
The Best of Italy’s Wines – Highly-Recommended New Releases by Tom Hyland. The latest and greatest vintages from up and down Italy’s boot are something you can feel good about spending money on. Read for some recommendations, especially if a little autumn self-gifting is in order.
Organic Winemaking Is a Zoo with Armadillos, Falcons, and Pigs by Elin McCoy. Did you know that armadillos feast on aggressive ants, and snakes help curb the destructive rodents that damage vineyards? Neither did we! And more examples of how our feathered, furred, and scaled friends help make wines great, sustainably.
What We’re Drinking No. 204, by the World Wine Guys, Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen. Your Wine Wednesday just got better when you taste one of their favorite wines, Pinot Noir, along with them. It’s an excellent choice for the fall, as they note! Short and sweet but informative and—bonus!—with a Sideways reference.
Truly exceptional wines deserve four stars, so we’re adding one to our rating system by Dave McIntyre. When Dave McIntyre, The Washington Post’s wine columnist for over 12 years and 3,000 wines, ups his 3-star rating scale to 4 in order to accommodate these exceptional wines, you’ll want to check out which ones he recommends.
Bolgheri: Reports of Its Death Are Greatly Exaggerated by Doug Frost. If you want to transport yourself to Italy and take a deep dive into some of its most famous wines—and who wouldn’t?—pour yourself a glass of Tuscan wine (Super Tuscan, if you want!) and kick back.
How Long Does that Open Bottle of Wine Last, Really? by Valerie Stivers and Hank Zona. Maybe you live alone, maybe you’re the only one drinking tonight, or maybe you’re just not finishing that bottle for any number of reasons. We’re drinking wine at home a lot more nowadays, so here are practical tips on how long to store your unfinished wine.
Caught the Wine Bug? Here’s a List of Different Wine Certifications and Programs to Further Your Knowledge by Raquel. From beginning to advanced, here’s a run-down on some of the best certifications out there, with good descriptions on what you can except from each.
Couple at NYC eatery served $2,000 Bordeaux in error after ordering cheap wine by Yaron Steinbuch and Natalie O’Neill. It’s the restaurant version of being bumped up to first class. Read it and dream that this will happen to you, one day.
15 High-Octane Wines to Sip this Winter by Brian Freedman. We’re not saying to put away lighter reds, or whites, or even rosés if you go above and beyond “rosé all day.” We are saying to get ready to bring out the bigger, bolder reds! Some recommendations for the cold days ahead.
