GIO'S SIX WINES FOR AUTUMN - From $6.00-$23.00 US

When the weather turns cool in Chicago each autumn--school resumes; the late afternoon sunlight begins its slow but inexorable retreat; the Cubs prepare for a merciful hibernation following yet another long, hot, and disappointing summer; and the bone-chilling winds off Lake Michigan begin to re-assert themselves, meekly at first, but with greater confidence with each passing week, until the cold rains arrive and embolden them further--well, when fall is in the air, I look forward to being warmed, physically and spiritually, with wine uniquely suited to this change in seasons.

Here are my top six wines for autumn, ranging in price from $6.00 (on sale) to $23.00, all wines that can be purchased right here in Chicagoland:

1. Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (by La Braccesca/Antinori)
Italy: Tuscany (near Montepulciano)
Prugnolo Gentile (Sangiovese) 90%, Merlot 10% (red blend)
2005
$23.00
This is an excellent Tuscan red, possessing a rich ruby color in the glass, and offering aromas of cherries and some very light oak. The mouth feel is smooth and pleasing (with a medium-light weight), while the taste profile includes wonderful cherries, hints of black pepper, and minerals on the back end. The finish is excellent, with the minerality lingering in your mouth long after swallowing. The tannins are near perfect, soft and gentle, but with good pucker-quality. I suspect the small percentage of Merlot in the blend helps lend the tannins their softness. Just learned that this wine--which Dana and I purchased in Monterosso al Mare (Liguria, Italy) in July of 2009--is available at Binny's Beverage Depot for about $23.00. Not inexpensive, but this delicious wine is worth the cost.

2. Zonin Prosecco Special Cuve'e Brut Spumante (by Casa Vinicola Zonin)
Italia: Veneto (Gambellara)
Prosecco (sparkling white)
A non-vintage wine
$14.99 (on sale now at Trader Joe's for $5.99)
This Prosecco is outstanding. The flavor (a hint of lemon, of citrus) is not overpowering; for my tastes, this is the perfect level of sweetness in a Prosecco. It's crisp and refreshing, with a good finish. A medium level of fizz. Zonin is steady as she goes, from start to finish. Had a few glasses with Dana's homemade pesto and rotini for dinner, and it was a perfect compliment. Also great with appetizers or a before dinner drink when entertaining this fall (Thanksgiving?).

3. Ergo Tempranillo (by Bodegas Martin Codax)
Espana: Rioja
Tempranillo 85%, Mazuelo 15% (red)
2006
$12.99
This is an outstanding Spanish red, with good black pepper and tobacco (the tobacco really pops on the bouquet). The red fruit is subtle but rewarding, and the Ergo offers a rock-solid finish and very good length. Dana bought this for me once, and after a quick smell and a single taste, I was hooked. Along with the da Vinci Chianti, this is my cold weather workhorse wine. Affordable, a great example of what the Spaniards from Rioja can do with Tempranillo, and readily available here at home. Not easy to find a $13.00 wine with this kind of integrity and reliability, year after year.

4. Rueda Naia (by Bodegas Naia - Vina Sila)
Espana: Castilla y Leon (Rueda)
Verdejo (white)
2006
$17.99
The BEST verdejo I have ever tasted. Cool, crisp and refreshing up front, with just the right amount of sweetness and citrus fruit (along with hints of freshly-mown grass); on the back end, long and so smooth. One of the best wines I've ever had. Tasted it for the first time at La Sala at La Valencia Hotel, on our spring 2009 trip to La Jolla, CA. This is one of my favorite wines. Available at Whole Foods for a few dollars less than above, too, and at the Cellar Rat on North Avenue in Chicago.

5. Vitiano (by Falesco)
Italia: Umbria (Montecchio, Terni Region)
Cabernet, Merlot, Sangiovese blend (red)
2006
$9.99
A delicious Italian blend (I.G.T. label, indicating it's true to the region, in this case Umbria, but also allowing some greater liberty for the winemaker to get jiggy wit it); full of delicious jammy red fruit, but also some complexity; nice acidity; this wine, at just $10.00 a bottle, is one of the best values I've found. A tremendous wine, especially warming on a winter night. Could go nicely with pizza, pasta or burgers, I think.

6. Da Vinci Chianti (by Cantine Leonardo Da Vinci)
Italia: Tuscano (Chianti) San Giovesese + Merlot (red)
2006
$12.99
A wonderful, high-quality Chianti priced to drink everyday! D.O.C.G. designation. Good paired with pizza, pasta, red meats, appetizers, or all by its lonesome. Ruby red color in the glass, with cherries, plums, and some spice hints on the tongue (especially cherry, and the cherry skin, too). Some old world, earthy undertones, as well. There is so much really terrible Chianti out there, so the da Vinci, still priced under $15.00 a bottle, is worth its weight in gold.