If you ask us, all the antipathy towards Pumpkin Spice can be understood. After the famous Starbucks “Pumpkin Spice Latte” exploded onto the scene, things quickly slid downhill (kale chips with pumpkin spice, cereals, and fermented fruit wine are all real things). Blech! That said, we aren’t against the “OG (original gangster) pumpkin spice” flavors, which are—as best as we can tell—the spices our grandma tucked inside every fall pumpkin pie, apple pie, or banana bread recipe since we can remember. Its ingredient list is anything but scary: ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves round out the fall favorite. Not so scary when you look behind the Pumpkin Spice curtain, right? Here’s 5 wines to try this autumn with your pumpkin spiced foods, canine approved.
1. Barr Estate Wines Last Act Port Style Dessert Wine
Port style wine + clove and cinnamon = the official scent of fall. This Ruby Port style dessert wine is an exquisite blend of Touriga, Souzao and Syrah. Sweet and rich, it will stand up against any fall dessert, especially those with lots of heavier clove notes. Smooth and supple, elegant and refined, this one makes a very memorable hostess gift through Christmas. (Dog-friendly winery)
Earthy pumpkin pie (plus zesty cranberry sauce) would work well with this holiday-gathering approved red. This medium bodied Zinfandel opens with delicate rose petals and cranberry on the nose. The cranberry continues into the palate with notes of raspberries, cardamon, and vanilla stick. It finishes strong with a lovely, lingering finish. If that doesn’t make you want to break out the winter sweaters, I don’t know what will. (Dog-friendly winery)
This fall, go for a dry Chenin Blanc with a nose full of ripe, pear yumminess to compliment the sweeter pumpkin-spicy notes found in apple pie filling. Pale straw in color, with aromas of sweet pineapple, white peach, and kaffir lime, this one’s also got a bit of a flinty allure that recalls wet stones after the first fall rain. Flavors of guava, honeydew melon, and a bit of grapefruit pith keep your pairing plush, never “sweet.”
4. Robert Hall Winery Cavern Select Oro d’ Margherita
You’ve hit liquid gold! Sweet, toasted hazelnuts and stewed peach aromas tantalize the nose while notes of dried apricot, orange zest and butterscotch delight the tongue. A limited number of barrels of estate-grown Orange Muscat were selected beginning with the 2001 vintage, making this bottle a fabulously festive gift for the season. Pair with pecan pie loaded with toasty cardamom and brown sugar. (Dog-friendly winery)
A slightly sweet muscat bursting with mango and peach lushness goes well with most fall fruit pie fillings; plus the floral nose brings out the romance of nutmeg and cinnamon in wintery treats galore. You know, those wintery treats you were making for the whole office but have somehow found their way into your tummy? (Dog-friendly winery)
This blog was written by Hayley Thomas Cain, food and wine writer for SLO New Times and PasoRoblesWineries.net. You can reach her at [email protected] or follow her on instagram @flavorslo.
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