Now that there is a chill in the air and the clocks have finally gone back we're thinking about some of our favourite wine choices for autumn and winter..

It's only natural that as temperatures cool many of us will swap our glass of light, fruity, chilled white wine for a glass of smooth, warming red wine; perfect to sip in front of the fire or to pair with an autumnal casserole.

We've chosen a few classic red wine grape varietals which we think partner the changing of the seasons perfectly;

Pinot Noir: Pinot Noir is hugely versatile all year round and a great choice for those who prefer their reds on the lighter side, even in colder weather. Classic French Burgundy such as Louis Latour Beaune Vignes Franches provide refined elegant wines to sip, while slightly weightier, more fruit forward Pinot Noir's from other French wine growing regions, such as the Les Volets Pinot Noir from the Languedoc Roussillon region in the South West of France are fantastic and often more economical alternatives. Pinot Noir's, above all but not exclusively, from Burgundy typically display an array of autumnal aromas from red & black berry fruits to leafy forest floor and notes of mushroom and game. Perfect with a root vegetable casserole, chicken and mushroom red wine casserole or duck with a black cherry sauce.

New World Pinot Noir's offer even more in the way of fruit with fabulous wines from Chile such as the Wild Ferment Pinot Noir produced by Errazuriz or the Panilonco Pinot Noir Reserva from the Aconcagua region. North America and New Zealand also produce some amazing Pinot Noir's, some of our favourites include; the McManis Family Vineyard Pinot Noir and the Byron Santa Barbara Pinot Noir from California and the Matahiwi Estate Pinot Noir to name a few. It is perhaps the Pinot Noir wines of New Zealand that are reputed to be the closest in style to French Burgundy, although often with an extra hit of aromatic spice or peppery notes but each country and region has it's own take on this most sublime of grapes and we enjoy them all!

Malbec: Still very much the red wine of the moment, Malbec continues to grow in popularity! The grape itself is thought to have originated in the Northern Burgundy region of France and is one of the six varietal grapes permitted to be used in the wines of Bordeaux, Malbec is now more predominant in Southern France in areas including Cahors and the Languedoc where wines such as the Les Volets Malbec are produced. Typical Malbec characteristics include it's deep inky purple or black colouring and lively acidity, aromas and flavours of blackberry, blueberry, cherry, plum, damson, mocha, chocolate, black pepper and earthy, woody notes are notable on a medium to full bodied palate.

Malbec has been most successfully adopted by Argentina above all in the Mendoza region, where it's popularity has exploded over recent years, it has effectively become the national red Argentinian grape varietal and for good reason, some fantastic wines are being produced! We heartily recommend the Bodegas Eclipse Aconcagua Malbecas a wonderful winter warmer and as a partner for red meat Malbec is hard to beat..!

Shiraz or Syrah: Same grape different name, and the name interestingly enough comes from Syrah, a city in Iran, several legends exist as to how the Syrah grape travelled from Iran to France but however it arrived, Syrah has been grown in France in the Rhone Valley for hundreds if not thousands of years. Wines such as Cornas, Cote Rotie and Hermitage in the Northern Rhone use Syrah as their principal grape and these wines made the Syrah grape famous, along with wines of the Southern Rhone such as Chateauneuf du Pape and Gigondas who also use Syrah as part of their blend. A classic Rhone wine such as Vincent Paris Cornas Granit 30 or the Philippe Faury Cote Rotie is a perfect choice for colder evenings; rich and fleshy with deep brooding layers of fruit and spiced woody notes. The perfect partner for lamb.

Shiraz is grown the world over from Europe to the USA and South Africa to South America. The name Shiraz was however popularised in Australia where the Syrah grape was to find its spiritual New World home, having been brought back to Australia following a trip to Europe by James Busby in the 1830's. From the 1970's onwards Australia saw a boom in Shiraz sales with the Barossa Valley gaining a reputation as the region for 'Classic Australian Shiraz'. These glorious powerhouse style wines deliver armfuls of jammy dark berry fruits with notable Christmas spice, leather and chocolate notes. Wines such as the Soldiers Block Shiraz and theJim Barry Mcrae Wood Shiraz As with French Syrah, Shiraz is a great match for lamb dishes, smokey chargrilled or barbecued meats are also a great pairing but avoid hot,spicy sauces. Other fine matches are caramelised root winter vegetable stew or a beef casserole.

These are just a few ideas for a glass of satisfying autumnal red; whichever you choose we suggest good quality wine glasses and a swirl of the wine around the glass before inhaling the aromas and finally, of course, taking your time to enjoy the myriad of deep, ripe berry fruit flavours.

Cheers!