While I love a cold glass of white wine pretty much year round, as a hostess it is important to have seasonal beverages available for guests. So come Fall as it cools down and we rotate our menus to include heartier foods like meats and heavy sauces, the appropriate fall wine pairing option should be a room temperature red wine to compliment. Personally I find Merlots to be very heavy, so I like serving Santa Margherita Chianti Classico as a happy middle ground.

If you are hosting guests but not planning to serve a full sit down dinner, a recommended fall wine pairing for this wine is with a sharp cheddar, dark chocolate {the Cherry Roibos Bar by Vosges is a fab choice!}, and a bowl of blackberries. To merchandise, a cool wooden cheese board is the perfect finishing touch! Happy Fall!