Just as our bodies gradually crave more calories to keep warm as summer turns to fall and then to winter, so too do our palates change for the accompanying wines we drink. Gone is that instinctive desire for a cold, crisp, high-acid, refreshing wine that is ideal poolside or with salads, fruit and lighter fare.

We now need something that has the flexibility to transition from the heat of summer to the fresh cool nights of autumn—the sort of wines that will also pair perfectly with our changing tastes for something a little heartier.

Here are three wines from the Jackson Family’s California portfolio of equally impressive quality—each of which strikes just that right balance of texture and acidity to match up beautifully with weightier seafood and white meat dishes, as well as snacks and hors d’oeuvres.

It makes them ideal for American Thanksgiving and Canadian autumn meals alike, and should provide good sampling before the Christmas season is upon us.

 

Kendall-Jackson 2020 Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay — California ($22.95)
If you or your guests like Chardonnay either a little or a lot, this wine should work perfectly. Seven months of barrel aging has imparted that traditional creamy toasty richness, while the fruit is a complex blend of cool-climate lemony citrus and tropical pineapple and mango. There’s sufficient weight here to handle the ensemble of a festive turkey dinner, but enough acidity and freshness to also enjoy the next sip or two on its own. I tend not to gravitate toward wines that are this commercially popular—it has been the best-selling Chardonnay in the U.S. for 10 years running—but I really love the balance of flavours, texture and freshness in this wine. Great value. And while I advocate for white wines to usually be given time to lose the cold of the fridge before serving, a fairly fresh chill will help offset an ever-so-subtle sweetness in this case. 13.5% all. 91

La Crema 2021 Monterey Pinot Noir Rosé — California ($27.95)
Garden herbs and wet stones sing in harmony with rich strawberry-watermelon fruit and orange peel notes. Juicy and soft in the mouth, despite just 2 g/L of residual sugar. Very good length. Not inexpensive for a rosé, by any means, but this is quite polished stuff. 13.5% alc. 91

La Crema 2019 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir — California ($34.95)
I needed to decant this Northern California Pinot Noir to shake loose all the aromas from the glass. Once it comes to life, it’s more about the fruit than the florals—lush cherry/pomegranate/cranberry and a dusting of herbs. In the glass there’s a fleshy, medium-bodied concentration of dark red berry fruit with finely grained tannins. A solid, crowd-pleasing pinot. 13.9% alc. Pair it up with pork, chicken or glazed salmon. 90