This is a tricky time of year for a wine writer. By the time you read this, we could either be basking in the warm glow of an Indian summer, the evening sun glinting prettily through a nearly-finished magnum of Provençal rosé; or, more probably, the first blustery winds of autumn will be blowing flurries of leaves across the lawn, and our thoughts will be turning to reds to drink by the flickering light of a bonfire. Assuming the latter is the case, which reds best complement the cooler months? It is one of the great paradoxes of winemaking that the most obliging parts of the world to ripen grapes for rich, robust red wines are those with hot summers and mild winters. During my annual fortnight’s holiday in the Minervois, for instance, I drink more whites and rosés than reds, often gazing over vineyards planted with Grenache, Carignan, Syrah...
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