I know it’s more fashionable than it used to be to drink rosé all year round – and I’m not entirely opposed to this – but one time you definitely won’t see me clutching a glass of chilled pink, or even white, is Bonfire Night. Actually, Hallowe’en too. These are occasions that cry out for big, hearty wines. It’s fair to say that late autumn is the season for the blockbuster red.

Even Christmas allows for lighter reds, especially if you’re matching poultry. But the classic dishes of October and November are robust casseroles, slow meat braises, peppery sausages with mash or jacket potatoes, spicy chillies (meat or bean versions)... and all of these need a no-nonsense, foursquare red. There’s wood smoke in the air and chilly-fingered guests who have been outside all evening – give them a glass of something satisfying and rich.

These wines come from hot vineyard regions (more heat means riper grapes for a forthright style) and from red grape varieties that have thick skins, so more extract can be pummelled out of them in the winery. Syrah/shiraz, red zinfandel, cabernet sauvignon, grenache – all are candidates for building a bigger red.

Ideally, get these wines out of the bottle and into a decanter (or a glass jug will do) before pouring (it doesn’t have to be hours ahead; the effect is immediate). In so doing, the aromas of the wine will open up and the textures will soften and mellow a little.

Try these:

Canyon Springs Zinfandel 2020, Lodi, California

13.5%, Aldi, £8.99

This conjures up black wine gums and raspberry jam, though it finishes fairly dry and it isn’t quite as alcoholic as some red zinfandels. Big, but not wood-spicy (in case you avoid oaky wines), it will marry up nicely with chilli con carne or a spicy bean-based version.

Yalumba Galway Vintage Shiraz 2021, Barossa Valley, South Australia

14.5%, Waitrose, £12.99, down to £9.99 until October 31

Appealing offer on a premium Barossa shiraz with plenty of firm structure and rich depth of flavour. Black liquorice joins cassis and brambles and there’s a long, satisfying finish. Demands a red meat casserole.

M&S El Duque de Miralta 2019, Ribera del Duero, Spain

14%, Marks & Spencer, £12.50, Ocado

Made from 100% tempranillo (aka tinto fino) from old vines grown at high altitude and aged in barrel for 12 months, this is a fine Spanish red, packed with peppery blackberries and cherries, and sprinkled with spices like clove and cinnamon. If you like red rioja, give reds from the nearby region of Ribera del Duero a try. Roast lamb spiked with garlic is the best match.

Bonpas Vacqueyras 2020, Rhone, France

14%, Morrisons, £16, down to £13 until November 21

A super Rhone charged with dark fruits like damson and plum, with a generous twist of cracked black pepper and juicy on the mid-palate. It’s 50% grenache with syrah and mourvèdre in the mix, aged in French oak. Appealing offer too.

Helderberg Reserve 2021, Stellenbosch, South Africa

14.5%, Majestic, £19.99 or £14.99 as part of mixed six bottles

This concentrated blend of cabernet sauvignon, cinsault and syrah is made by Marc Kent of Boekenhoutskloof winery, well-known for his Chocolate Box red (another big ’un). Deep garnet coloured, it’s got ripe but fresh blueberry and blackcurrant, a sweet note of cedarwood and a hint of red liquorice. One for a rare steak or a board of hard, full-flavoured cheeses.