Wine

3 B.C. Wines to Drink This Fall, From Big Reds to Sparkling

Three B.C. bottles that bring finesse, dark fruit and autumn-ready flavour to the table, without relying on sheer power.

By Neal McLennan /

It’s reached that time of year when we start thinking about breaking out the Big Reds in honour of autumn. This year, we’re parking the power and going for finesse—all without sacrificing any of those beautiful dark fruit notes that go so well with crunchy leaves and wool sweaters. It’s doable (with a little work).

Maverick Estate Winery Rubeus 2022 $27

I tasted this wine without knowing what grapes were in it; beguiled by an elegant posture that still had some heft to it, I guessed that it was a deft use of cabernet franc. I was 53 percent right (the rest is merlot). What could be a sledgehammer in other hands is really quite pretty here, and the extra age brings a pleasing mellow vibe. At this price, it’s a steal.

Tantalus Blanc de Noir 2023 $36.50

You may be thinking: A sparkling white, you wingnut? Yes, but not only is this wine made with red grapes, it’s then aged on its lees (basically, the organic sediment from the winemaking process) for 22 months. The result is a wine that has proper body and a fresh bread and toasted nut aroma that screams autumn while still having lovely fresh apple and wild strawberry notes.

READ MORE: 5 Incredible New Wineries Have Hit the Okanagan

Black Hills Nota Bene Hiatus 2024 $70

By the time you read this, the Black Hills wine club will have had the opportunity to purchase their allotment of this still-cult wine, which uses Walla Walla cabernet, merlot and cabernet franc. Should there be some left over, I urge you to seek it out. The grapes here are magnificently generous and bursting with fresh red fruits and ripe tannins—the most instantly crowd-pleasing iteration of this wine in recent memory. It’s reached that time of year when we start thinking about breaking out the Big Reds in honour of autumn. This year, we’re parking the power and going for finesse—all without sacrificing any of those beautiful dark fruit notes that go so well with crunchy leaves and wool sweaters. It’s doable (with a little work).

READ MORE: 3 Easy Going Wines to Go With Comfort Food Season

Neal McLennan

Neal McLennan

Neal McLennan is the wine and spirits editor for Vancouver and Western Living magazines, where he susses out the wonderful (and occasionally weird) options for imbibing across Western Canada.