Autumnal Reds

A classic wine from a classic Dry Farm Wines grower, the Grand Amour is a consistently excellent Cab Franc from the place that grows it best. Opening with dark fruit notes of plum, red currant, and a bit of milk chocolate, on the palate it reads both serious yet supple, with great tannins, a touch of acidity, and luscious fruit weight.

There's an herbaceous side to Cab Franc that adds intrigue to classical Cabernet pairings. Try the Grand Amour with a grilled steak with a punchy chimichurri, a pork shoulder steak with a fragrant mint salad, or hearty roasted eggplant with a concassé.

A rare Burgundian gamay, the Penlois Coteaux Bourguignons brings all of the rambunctious red fruit that we love in this grape, along with a deep mineral streak that scratches our itch for Burgundy. Opening with ripe red cherry, Italian plum, and a whiff of smoke, the palate is full of the same fruit along with a distinct wet stone element.

Nothing goes better with a burger than a glass of gamay, but the Coteaux Bourguignons has the depth to match game meats, duck, or a hearty mushroom preparation.

A vintage wine from the Rhône, Château Landra's Vallée du Rhône cuvée leads with smoky, blue and red fruit lead by the syrah, moving to a palate with real depth alongside the same stewed and fresh fruit, a streak of smoky minerality, and long, food-friendly tannins.

The perfect complement to seared duck breast or anything smoked, Landra's Vallée du Rhône is a welcome complement beside anything that comes off the grill, from pork sausages, to grilled beef, to charred hen of the woods mushrooms.