Wine is the new black

Sip into something more comfortable

By TYLER BALLIET

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As boutiques begin stocking their fall collections, it's also important to start changing what you put in your glass. Summer is filled with crisp whites, and reds built to hold up to all things grilled. Now that cooler weather is around the corner, let's change up our pours with some slightly heavier vino.

CÔTES DU RHÔNE FROM FRANCE

The massive Côtes du Rhône region covers over 125 miles, from the Alps along the Rhone River all the way down to the Mediterranean in southern France. This region pumps out a wide array of reds that span from light and fruity to big blockbusters that can be aged for decades. Most affordable reds come from the southern Rhône and are usually made from blends of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan and Cinsaut. These bottles are perfect for casual, seasonal sipping because they rest on the lighter side and can be paired with the variant hot-to-cool weather changes we expect from a New England fall.

We suggest the Domaine de la Solitude Côtes du Rhône [Available for $14.99 at Blanchards, 741 Centre St., Jamaica Plain. 617.522.9300. blanchardsliquor.com].

NEW YORK RIESLING

Good wine doesn't have to hail from famous winemaking regions like Bordeaux or Napa Valley. In fact, New York actually had a flourishing winemaking scene around the turn of the century. Although Prohibition threw a major wrench in their operations, there are still a number of great wines to enjoy. The most well-known and overall kickass grape they grow is Riesling. New York implements this typically German grape into all kinds of styles, from sweet and fruity to dry and crisp. The "off-dry" wines, which have just a touch of sweetness, will remind you of making out under the bleachers in middle school. They're soft, lush and you can drink them all night long.

We vote for the Dr. Konstantin Frank Semi Dry Riesling [Available for $16.99 at Cambridge Mall Liquors, 202 Alewife Brook Pkwy., Cambridge. 617.864.7171. mallliquors.com].

OREGON AND ALSACE PINOT GRIS

While both Oregon and Alsace, France, produce the exact same grape as Italy's famous summer wine (Pinot Grigio), their versions are as different as night and day. The Alsatians plant a ton of this stuff and make an almost (but not quite) sweet white with a lot of fruit and decent body. Oregon takes it down a notch, producing a wine with enough body to hold up to salmon, but crisp and refreshing enough to sip on a hot summer's day. These wines work in a variety of situations, and our own experiences prove these to be big-time crowd pleasers as a cocktail wine, or with foods such as turkey or grilled sausage.

We suggest the Oregonian Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Gris [Available for $17.99 at The Wine Emporium, 607 Tremont St., South End, Boston. 617.262.0379. thewineemporiumboston.com]

WINE EVENTS

New Year's Eve in August

August 23rd

Join The Second Glass while enjoying three dinner courses, each paired with sparkling Prosecco from Mionetto. At 10pm, all are welcome, as we pour bubbly-inspired cocktails at the cash bar and count down to midnight. Dinner tickets available online at thesecondglass.com.

[The Savant Project, 1625 Tremont St., Mission Hill, Boston. 617.566.5958. 8pm/$25.09. thesavantproject.com]

DRINK MORE WINE! FOR MORE INFORMATION: THESECONDGLASS.COM