Wine Box Experience - Alex Salazar

Harvest Picks: Fall in Love with Autumn Wines

When the air turns crisp and the trees start showing their colors, the wine world hits its most sacred stretch of the year—harvest season in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s the culmination of months of sun, stress, and sugar accumulation. Winemakers are elbow-deep in crush bins, bees are buzzing over freshly picked fruit, and the scent of fermenting grapes hangs in the air like the promise of a good vintage. And while those wines will need time to evolve, you, loyal drinker, get to celebrate the season in real time with a glass in hand and a nearby plate of something roasted, stewed, or spiced.

Fall calls for wines that match the mood: earthy, warming, textured, and layered. Think reds like Pinot Noir, Grenache, Dolcetto, or Cabernet Franc. Grapes that play nicely with mushrooms, turkey, root vegetables, and those cozy umami vibes. For whites, go richer and rounder: Chardonnay (especially with a touch of oak), Alsatian Pinot Gris, or aged Riesling. This is also prime time to branch out. Don’t sleep on orange wines, chilled Lambrusco, or dry Sherry styles like Amontillado. These “off-the-beaten-vine” wines speak autumn fluently, with nutty, savory, spiced profiles that basically taste like a bonfire-lit dinner party under the stars.

Just like the summer winds shift to that crisp feeling in the air, time to flip this sheet over to look at the wines in your box this month… each one a perfect companion for fall’s golden glow.

The first wine to be picked off the vine is the Botromagno Primitivo, a choice pick for fall. An unapologetically bold and ripe red that mirrors the richness of harvest season. Hailing from the sunbaked vineyards of Puglia in southern Italy, this wine delivers plush dark fruit, think blackberries and figs, wrapped in warm spice and a touch of earth, like a countryside orchard at dusk. It’s got enough backbone to stand up to hearty autumn fare like roasted meats, root vegetables, and anything drizzled in balsamic glaze. As the leaves turn and the nights grow longer, this Primitivo offers a soul-warming sip that captures the generosity and depth of the season in every glass. It’s fall in a bottle with no flannel required.

Our second hand-picked juice of the vine is the Pepe Mendoza Casa Agrícola Tinto. A rustic yet refined red that feels tailor-made for the cozy, flavor-rich embrace of fall. Sourced from the sun-drenched hills of Alicante, this blend (featuring Monastrell, Garnacha, and Syrah) brings together ripe forest berries, dried herbs, and a savory Mediterranean earthiness that echoes the warm spice of autumn cooking. It’s the kind of wine that plays beautifully with seasonal fare like roasted lamb, mushroom risotto, or even that leftover Thanksgiving stuffing you swear tastes better the next day. With its balance of freshness and depth, this bottle captures the essence of harvest: grounded, generous, and best enjoyed curled up at home with something slow roasted on your plate. 

So as you stash away your beach whites and summer chillables, lean into the deeper hues and fuller textures. Let the season shift your palate from zippy to contemplative, from picnic to harvest table. Autumn isn’t just a vibe, it’s a portal. One glass might remind you of walking through a forest of fallen leaves. Another might taste like the last tomato of the season, roasted and sweet. Welcome to sweater weather, where your wine gets just as cozy. Zum Wohl!