Many know me as a spirits and cocktail guy in San Diego, and there is certainly no denying I have a hard time resisting a good single malt or a Manhattan as soon as the weather shifts. But what I actually look forward to the most as we creep toward winter is wine. I am privileged enough to oversee the wine list here at The US Grant, and I have a few favorites I’m leaning toward this fall. Red, full-bodied wine in particular is pleasing to the palate at this time of year. For some reason, heavy-hitting reds always seem not only to taste better, but to feel better, too, when the weather turns a little colder outside. My favorite November grape? Syrah. And with the economy in the state it is, syrah is a great value grape that will pack a lot of punch into your wine purchase this holiday season. The varietal finds its traditional self in the northern Rhône Valley in Southern France — a mecca for syrah drinkers, if you will. This is where I learned to appreciate syrah, and anyone who splurges on a $30 or more bottle of wine should not pass on an opportunity to try a good Cornas, Hermitage, or Côte-Rôtie. These wines tend to be peppery and dark, perfect with braised meats, sausages, and heavier food often associated with the oncoming of winter. For Thanksgiving this year, why not skip the traditional zinfandel and try a Washington syrah? Washington is producing some of the best value wines in the nation right now, and syrah from this state is said to most resemble the Rhône outside of France, but with more fruit. For those prime rib dinners, venture to pair a Santa Barbara syrah or a shiraz from the Mclaren Vale in Australia. The math on these wines is really simple in a value-to-quality ratio: you are simply getting twice the wine as you would for your traditional Napa cabernet sauvignon. My advice this holiday season: skip Napa and head for syrah. — Jeff Josenhans is a sommelier and director of outlets for the US Grant. He won the Gold Key Award for Best Food and Beverage Hotel Manager.