As summer fades and social and dining habits adapt to the cooling weather, the white wine we drink should change too. The most satisfying autumn whites offer ripeness, body and freshness, with Atlantic-influenced wines from Galicia in northern Spain delivering exactly that.
Choosing wines with more intention
After months of saying yes to rosé, the choice turns to wine with more intention. With less standing and more sitting, less chugging and more swirling, the season calls for fewer sprightly aperitifs and more wine with seasonal food that demands a little more body and complexity.
The ideal whites are like a good cardigan, at once coddling and breathable. Galicia, a place no stranger to wind and rain, delivers on this. Albariño from the Rías Baixas appellation has become ubiquitous in supermarkets and rarely disappoints (try Aldi's Specially Selected one at £8.99), while the fuller-bodied godello from nearby Valdeorras offers another option (the Wine Society's Exhibition range has a good one for £14.95). A blend of both grapes and other local varieties from Galicia's Ribeiro DO is a cool-climate humdinger for the colder months.
Seasonal food and wine pairings
In October, soft greens and nightshades are out, roots and brassicas are in, and barbecues have given way to roasts. Spiced stews and curries increasingly appear on the menu, which invite aromatic central European wines such as a zippy, limey Mosel riesling. These heartier meals also welcome something waxier, richer, warmer, such as South African chenin blanc. Skin-contact whites hold their own with these more robust flavours, including wines made with Georgian grapes rkatsiteli or kisi, or those from Italy's Friuli region. These are not budget wines, but if drinking less in the cooler months, that seems a good reason to spend a bit more per bottle.
Year-round whites and five picks
There is also a small but dependable family of wines that doesn't care about the season, enjoyed year-round no matter the food or mood. Gavi is often considered a summery Italian white, but the Le Marne in today's pick is aged on the lees for three to four months, resulting in a rounded, biscuity wine. But it's personal; if none of these appeal, just drink what you bloody like.
Five whites for the cooler months:
- Tesco Finest Steep Slopes Mosel Riesling £8, 11%. Hits the spot when paired with a spicy takeaway and, at this price, makes for a budget-friendly Friday night in.
- Pazo do Mar Blanco Ribeiro 2025 £9.95 The Wine Society, 13%. Five native grapes work in harmony to make this food-friendly wine that sings of cool-climate Galicia.
- Gavi Marne Bianco Le Marne di Carraro Federica 2023 £19 Sip Wines, 13.5%. Golden, savoury and complex.
- David & Nadia Chenin Blanc Swartland 2024 £29.58 Justerini & Brooks, 12.5%. Eight vineyards, mixed soils, old oak barrels and concrete vats produce this precise, generous Swartland chenin.
- Pheasant's Tears Rkatsiteli Bakurtsikhe 2024 £21 Vinum, 13%. A light amber beauty that brings apricotty, honeyed sunshine to the dimmest of autumn evenings.
