Seasons are the harbingers of change in more ways than one. The turn of climate is the most obvious while other natural shifts are more subtle but essential. Us humans have perceived and wrangled seasons into the predictability of months on a papered calendar. And yet, our habits and hankering change not by the decree of the calendar but the announcement of nature itself. So when winter arrives as it just about did this month, we needn’t inquire about the month. Winter is here and so is the time to uncork some unapologetically full bodied red wines to warm the cockles of the heart and fortify the senses against the raging cold. ‘Big bold reds’ as the refrain goes are the ideal choice of tipple for the winter, given the sheer weight of the wine buoyed by ripe fruit and backbone of high alcohol and robust tannins. Bordeaux is renowned for sublime structure and panoply of flavours while Rioja delivers elegance accompanied by barrel aged sinew and Aussie Shiraz is no holes-barred jammy red ferment. So while you relish the joy of shorter work days and a wardrobe of warm clothes is finally put to good use, add the cherry on the cake that is our handpicked bunch of heartwarming red wines to romp with through the chilling winter. Cheers!