We’re now into autumn, which brings heartier fare to our dinner tables and a slew of new releases from B.C. wineries. The following are a mere handful of recommended reds for the season, most of them presented with winery-direct prices; expect them to be a couple bucks more when they hit local shelves. All are available in private liquor stores, with a couple of exceptions in government stores where noted. As the days get shorter and the nights longer, all of these will fit the chill, the rain, and our evenings quite well.

Sumac Ridge 2014 Private Reserve Pinot Noir
$13.79, B.C. Liquor Stores
I don’t hold much hope when I see local Pinot Noir around this price point, but I’m definitely encouraged by this offering from B.C.’s first operating estate winery. Not overly complex but entirely quaffable and balanced—soft red-berry fruit is the main player here, supported by a pinch of nutmeg and fine, dusty tannins. A dollop each of Gamay and Merlot in the mix provides just enough character to lift it to considerable quality. Arguably the best local Pinot under $20.

JoieFarm 2013 Pinot Noir
$24, joiefarm.com/
A delicate wonder with a delightful rose-petal hue, this Pinot composed of Summerland and Naramata fruit is handled with kid gloves, and the restraint is admirable. Bright and juicy, with floral notes on the nose; expect fresh cherries, blackberries, and blueberries on the palate, plus the tiniest kiss of lingonberry sweetness on the finish. Full disclosure: I’ve never had an actual lingonberry, but you know that drink you get at IKEA? It’s totally like that!

Hillside 2012 Old Vines Gamay Noir
$21.73, hillsidewinery.ca/
From some of the Okanagan’s oldest Gamay vines, planted in 1984, comes this charismatic Naramata Gamay. Aromatics of wet earth and smashed raspberries are alive with freshness, followed by strawberries, black pepper, cedar, and a red-apple-skin note on the palate. Multilayered but still fairly lightweight; think poultry, wild game, and mushroom-driven dishes.

Haywire 2014 Free Form Red
$55, haywirewinery.com/
This one’s for the natural-wine geeks: 100 percent Pinot Noir, naturally fermented, aged in amphorae, unfiltered, no added sulphites, and the grapes were handpicked by virgins. Okay, I may have made up that last part. The production was so limited that it’s only available winery-direct, yet it’s not even on their website. I do have Haywire’s word that if you email or call the winery, there are indeed a few bottles you can get your hands on. A fascinating wine: equal parts truffle, cherry, bourbon, graphite, and sage with wonderfully polished tannins and bright acidity. Cool stuff.

Corcelettes 2013 Menhir
$32, corceletteswine.ca/
A hearty and proper Similkameen Valley Cabernet Sauvignon–Syrah blend exuding the region’s gravelly, limestone-rich soils from start to finish. Spicy black fruit with dark chocolate and espresso notes makes it rather decadent, but its natural acidity ensures it drinks awfully bright and juicy at the same time.

Clos du Soleil 2012 Signature Red
$44.99, closdusoleil.ca/
Another heavy hitter from the mighty Similkameen, composed of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, all of which are well woven together after a comfortable 18-month stay in French oak. There’s dark chocolate, roasted hazelnuts, vanilla bean, black fruit, licorice, dried fig, and a touch of mint. The fruit and tannins are ripe and polished; between the flavour profile and the lush character, I’m thinking this bottle will easily be a holiday hit.

Road 13 2012 Seventy-Four K
$21.79, B.C. Liquor Stores
A somewhat quirky blend of Merlot and Syrah, with generous splashes of Viognier and Malbec in there too.There’s some rather showy toasted-oak character on both the nose and the palate, but once you give your glass a swirl and, ideally, tuck into some grilled meat or a juicy burger, a good dose of peppery red fruits such as cherries, raspberries, and plums rises to the surface, culminating in a wave of easygoing deliciousness.

Laughing Stock Vineyards 2013 Portfolio
$45, laughingstock.ca/
There are more expensive Bordeaux-style blends coming out of B.C., a handful of which are tagged over the $100 mark. Vintage after vintage (and yes—even in the tough ones), with the Portfolio label, Laughing Stock Vineyards delivers incredible value and quality at a fraction of what others are asking. All five classic Bordeaux varieties are in here—Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot—and they’re all handled with much care via double sorting (first cluster, then berry), a fancy-pants French-oak program, and a little bit of age-in-bottle. It’s got currants, mulberries, blackberries, autumnal forest-floor notes, sage, spearmint, and a dusting of white pepper. Tannins on point and just a touch of heat; everything’s in its right place.