PORTLAND, Maine — Autumn is in full swing! It’s such a wonderful time of year in Maine…cool days and chilly nights, apple picking, pumpkin carving, and leaves changing. As the weather shifts so too do our tastes in food and wine. Maia Gosselin from Sip Wine Education has her selection of wines for everything from hearty autumn fare, sipping by the firepit, and of course, what to indulge in when sampling all that Halloween candy!
A list of stores carrying the wines can be found at Maia’s website
Monte del Fra Custoza DOC
- A delicious blend of primarily Garganaga and Trebbiano from a small region in Veneto. Crisp and dry with notes of apple, lemon, and apricot. A great antipasto wine. Lovely with risotto, clams and linguini, calamari or just as an aperitif. $16
Saracina Unoaked Chardonnay, Mendocino
- Fresh and lively with notes of Anjou pear, peach, and nectarine alongside a hint of honey. No heavy oakiness or creaminess. Great with a roast chicken or an apple and pear tart. $15.
Valravn Pinot Noir, Sonoma
- A lush Pinot from Sonoma, fruit-forward with loads of cherry and raspberry flavors, almost compote like and a hint of cedar. Pair with roast duck, salmon, pot roast, beef stew. Candy: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. $23-$25.
Ancient Peaks Merlot, Paso Robles
- If you aren’t drinking Merlot, you are missing out! This offering from Ancient Peaks is sublime, velvety with black plum, blackberry, and vanilla notes. Pair it with roast beef, spaghetti and meatballs, pork tenderloin with a fruit sauce. Candy: Hershey’s Mr. Goodbar. $17.
Almareda Malbec
From the Uco Valley where some of the finest Malbecs hail from! Rich and regal, hints of smoke and tobacco with black plum, cranberry, and chocolate. Lovely with a bacon cheddar burger, grilled Italian sausage, baked stuffed Ziti, and eggplant Parm. Candy: Hershey’s Dark Chocolate. $12.
A list of stores carrying the wines can be found at Maia’s website