Why Cooler Weather Calls for Fuller Wines

As we welcome in Autumn, we automatically begin getting ready for the cooler months ahead. Buying new sweaters, pulling out our heaviest doonas, and getting all our favourite cozy shows ready to rewatch. While we’re busy getting comfortable, we can’t forget about the ultimate cool weather accessory, the perfect bottle of seasonal wine. Moving into Autumn, we leave the fresh crisp whites, dry savoury roses, and chillable wines of Summer behind, focusing on those with more weight, structure and complexity.

What is a “Fuller Wine”?

Fuller, or fuller-bodied wines as they are known are most common in the cooler months. Typically winemakers use their skill with these varieties to add complexity and structure to create a smoother mouthfeel through additional fermentation processes and the use of natural tannins. Winemakers use more skin contact on for both whites and reds suited to the cooler months, meaning Fuller Wines, which together with barrel and increased amphora aging add the extra depth of flavour and richness.

Why Are Seasonal Wines Important?

The change of seasons is the perfect time to make some changes to your wine choices, just as we do with our food selection. We promise these changes will soon have you reaching for your new favourites. It is also a great time to take some aged wines from your cellar to enjoy, softened and mellowed by time Autumn is the perfect opportunity to unlock their elevated flavours.

Fuller bodied wines such as Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Grenache, Gamay, and Sangiovese find their place here, on their own, and as a perfect companion to our seasonal dishes. While a light, crisp white wine are great with the seafood and salads of Summer, it makes sense to lean towards fuller, textured wines to match with our heavier meals such as pastas, roasts, or soups of the season.

What Should I Choose?

Autumn is the perfect opportunity to expand your wine range, to explore new local and international producers and focus on finding fuller flavours to match the season. If you lean towards hearty, comfort dishes, you should explore the cool climate Shiraz/Syrah being produced locally or look into Italian varieties such as Nebbiolo and Barbera.

Our best advice? Be adventurous! 

It is not about perfectly matching flavours of your wine and food every time, so much as it is about being playful and curious. Try to balance the weight and intensity of flavours at similar levels, taste and trial to see what flavours complement one another best.

Hot Tip: One simple way to make these wines even more enjoyable? Decant them. Even young wines benefit from being decanted, allowing them to “open up” and release their aromas and flavours. Always use good, larger glassware with fuller wines for the same reason. Want to learn more about decanting? Stay tuned for our next article where we discuss the practical points of all things decanting.

Our Recommendations for Fuller Wines

Chardonnay

Giant Steps Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2023 — $39
95pts, Quality full flavoured Chardy with balance of richness & freshness.

Nocturne Single Vineyard Margaret River 2022 — $55
Outstanding Margaret River Chardy with great regional character, super value for this quality.

Chenin Blanc

Corymbia Swan Valley Chenin Blanc 2024 — $33
Old vine, high quality Chenin, classic quince & ginger nose and palate, textural with great length.

Domaine Pichot ‘Clos Coutard’ Loire Valley Vouvray 2022 —  $44
Single vineyard, Loire Chenin with layers of flavour & richness. Fruit flavour balanced with great crunch & acidity.

Soave

Suavia Soave Classico Italy 2022 —  $39
Classic Italian white, great producer, nice weight, with peach, herb and saline characters.

Grenache

Other Wine Co. McLarenVale Grenache 2022 — $25
Medium bodied, juicy style, easy drinking with class. Great with grilled veggies, casseroles.

MMAD McLaren Vale Grenache 2022 — $69
Very serious, old vine wine. Subtle power, great length. Pair with grilled meats, such as roast beef & lamb.

Vinoque Terra Sancta Heathcote Sangiovese 2022 — $20
Incredible value here, lovely savoury aspects, nice grip. Ideal for red sauce pastas & pizzas.

Tenuta San Guido Tuscany Le Difese IGT 2022 — $65
A baby Sassicaia, blend of Cabernet & Sangiovese, great red fruit flavours and soft tannins. Perfect with red meat.

Domenica Beechworth Gamay 2022 — $40
Exciting wine from very talented winemaker. Bright red/purple fruit with real mineral edge. Goes well with charcuterie and most soft cheese.

Daniel Bouland Brouilly Cuvee Melanie 2023 — $55
Cult Beaujolais producer, concentrated and textured wine, lovely fruit weight and a ferrous aspect on the finish. As above, a very versatile wine to be paired with many foods.

Still not sure? Visit us at The Vincent Wine Shop to discuss our favourites, and explore our range of premium wines and glassware.