Fall for Wines

There’s something about fall that makes us want to open a bottle of wine.

Maybe it’s the cooler evenings. Maybe it’s cooking again—the kind that involves a roasting pan, a Dutch oven or something bubbling away on the stove for a few hours. Or maybe it’s just that wine seems to fit particularly well with this time of year.

As we trade patio sipping for cozy dinners and slow-cooked meals, our wine choices tend to shift, too. This year, we've got a new way to discover what belongs in your fall lineup.

We recently started a Wine Club!

Wine Club Designed for/by You

We started it because choosing wine is fun—and choosing wine for other people to enjoy adds to the enjoyment! (Admittedly, we do love a good reason to open a bottle.)

Our founding members are pretty excited about it and think you will be, too! You can find your Invitation Here). Join now and be included in our November selections and benefits. Read on and you will find this is not just another wine club.

Each month, our sommelier chooses two wines he thinks are special. Two bottles, at least $55 in value (usually more!), and no requirement that you know your tannins from your terroir. Each bottle comes with tasting notes, information about the winery and region, food-pairing ideas and, importantly, the story behind why our sommelier chose it. So, you're not just taking home two mystery bottles and hoping for the best.

You might get a hidden gem. A small-production bottle. An unusual varietal. Something from a producer you've never heard of. Or a wine that makes you wonder how you've somehow managed to miss it all these years.

Great Fun (and Value)

Our Wine Pickup Party

The first Thursday of every month, we get to taste them together. Come pick up your wines, pull up a glass and taste the month's selections with us. We'll have few other bottles open, too, because stopping at two delicious tastings would be a little contrary to the spirit(s) of vomFASS.

It's relaxed. It's social. And it's a whole lot more useful than staring at our racks of 40+ bottles wondering which one to take home. Then when you find something else you love—as an active member, you get 10% off additional wine purchases. (Already-discounted wines are excluded, because apparently, we must have some rules.)

Then there's the DelecTable component

With your membership, you get up to two complimentary quarter-glass wine pairings with every dinner, a $50–$64 value. Want a little more wine with dinner? You can apply that value toward a half-glass pairing instead.

And more...

We'll have more good times along the way: private tastings, educational events and special appearances from winemakers, importers and distributor reps. Some will be complimentary; others will be available to members at a special price.

So yes, there are two bottles of wine every month. But what we're really excited about is everything around those two bottles: the tasting, the conversation, the discovery, the food, and the “Oh my gosh, this is good” moments.

That's the beauty of wine. There is always something else to try. A grape you've never heard of. A producer you've never noticed. A bottle you would have walked right past until someone poured it into your glass.

Keep Tasting—You too can Join the Wine Club

Two bottles a month, a chance to taste them with us, wine pairings at DelecTable, member tastings and a little nudge to try something new now and then.

Fall Wined Up

Speaking of wines worth opening, here are a few we've been enjoying lately...

Boschendal Brut Rosé: Sparkling rosé doesn’t really need a “season.” Boschendal's Brut Rosé is fresh, lively and full of bright red-fruit character, with enough substance to make it work beautifully with food. It's an easy bottle to open before dinner, but don't put it away once the appetizers disappear. Cheese, seafood, salads—or simply whatever you're making for dinner—all work nicely here.

2021 Feudi di San Gregorio Rubrato: Aglianico is one of those grapes that deserves to be better known. Rubrato is a very approachable way to meet it, with dark cherry and berry fruit, a little earthiness and enough acidity to keep it fresh. It's juicy without being simple and structured without feeling serious. Give it pasta with tomato sauce, pizza, roasted vegetables or just about any hearty fall dinner.

2023 Catena Alta Historic Rows Chardonnay: The 2023 Catena Alta from Mendoza is rich and beautifully textured, with ripe fruit, citrus and subtle floral and mineral notes balanced by bright acidity. It’s satisfying for Chardonnay lovers, yet fresh and lively enough to win over those who usually reach for something else. It has the body to pair beautifully with roast chicken, seafood, creamy pasta or roasted squash, while that lively acidity keeps it from feeling heavy.

2023 Ridge Three Valleys: Ridge Three Valleys is a Sonoma red blend built around Zinfandel, and it's exactly the sort of wine we want around when dinner gets more substantial. It's full of ripe berry fruit, with spice and a little peppery character, but it doesn't feel heavy. Burgers, grilled meats, braised dishes, pizza—this is a wine that doesn't need much convincing to come to dinner.

Blandy's 5 Year Bual Madeira: Madeira is one of those wines that people often don't know what to do with until they taste it. Then they get it. Blandy's 5 Year Bual is rich and sweet, with dried fruit, caramel, vanilla and nutty flavors, but its bright acidity keeps it beautifully balanced. It's terrific with dessert or chocolate, but try it with a good piece of cheese, too. And don't be surprised if a small after-dinner pour somehow turns into another small after-dinner pour.

Wines available for in-store purchase at vomFASS Madison—visit store for more details.