What We’re Drinking Now!
Here’s the latest round of what’s made it on to our dinner tables, patios and poolsides. Please excuse the photo quality of some of the pictures – they were taken after the bottle was consumed.
Casa do Valle Grande Escolha, DOC Vinho Verde, Portugal 2011
$14.95 Vintages 276220
This is a serious Vinho Verde, with a nose of honey, ripe mango, paraffin, keffir lime leaves and lemon balm, on the palate it’s rich and unctuous with flavours of ripe tropical fruit, honey and a bitter lemon pith finish. The slight effervescence and elevated acidity expected with Vinho Verdes offers some refreshing lift to this surprisingly weighty wine. Try with king crab legs and garlic butter, spicy pecorino cheese or fennel crostini.
Blue Mountain Chardonnay, VQA Okanagan Valley, 2010
$23.95 Vintages 350108
A sophisticated and elegant Chardonnay that’s just perfect for backyard dining on warm summer nights. Mineral-driven with a nose of seaside, fresh fennel, citrus and melon, the palate shows great focus with apple, peach and orchard fruit, lemon and mineral notes. A food friendly wine that’s lovely with seared scallops, spicy shrimp and caesar salad with spicy lardon.
Robert Biale Vineyards “The Southern Trail,” Napa Valley, California
$57.95 Vintages 279679
A powerful and weighty Zin coming from the prestigious Robert Biale Vineyards. We first took note of this a few years ago when Erin had it on the wine list at the B&R, and we were pleased to see it included at this year’s ZAP tasting seminar in Toronto, just before its LCBO release. Deep purple, this has aromas of dark chocolate, purple flowers, spice and field berry fruits and follow through on the fleshy palate. Decant and enjoy with grilled sirloin, cheeseburgers or BBQ ribs.
Torres “Celeste” Crianza, DO Ribera del Duero, Spain 2009
$21.95 Vintages 210872
This 100% Tempranillo has a slightly tight nose with meat, humidor, clay/earth, dark raspberry and blackberry fruit. Full bodied on the palate with grippy tannins this requires a bit of decanting. Flavours of black licorice, black cherry, milk chocolate, tobacco leaf and spice. Slightly hot on the finish. Truthfully, Torres has some better wines, but this offers up nice complexity for the price and is great with roast meats or even charcuterie.
Sonoma Cutrer “Russian River Ranches” Chardonnay, Sonoma, California 2010
$24.95 Vintages 608653
Russian River is a cooler area of California wine country that produces leaner, more focused Chards than Cali’s hotter regions. This Chardonnay is elegant and fresh, perfect for warm weather sipping. Mineral, fresh fruit cup, roast nuts and citrus on the nose, rich and buttery on the palate, with orchard fruit, hazelnut, lemon citrus and mineral. Nice length and great value for the price. Try with lemon and spring pea risotto or scallops with leek and mushroom sautee.
Monte Del Frá Bardolino 2008, DOC Veneto, Italy 2010
$12.95 Vintages 134544
Bardonlino is a very light red coming from the Veneto region of Italy. A blend of mostly Corvina and Rondinella (the grapes that go into Amarone & Valpolicella), with a bit of Sangiovese, this is one of the lightest and easiest drinking reds you could possibly get. Flavours and aromas of leafy red raspberry, tart rhubarb and sour cherry, this is a delicious (and cheap!) wine that’s perfect for picnics and dockside dining. A nice option too when you’re looking for a red wine suitable for 40 degree heat waves. Serve slightly chilled with ham sandwiches, simple burgers, or lemon-herb pasta salads with sausage.
Sella & Mosca Monteoro Vermentino di Gallura Superiore, DOCG Sardinia, Italy 2011
$15.95 Vintages 203422
One of the best things about so-called summertime wines, is the price. But don’t mistake affordability for a mediocre wine. This Vermentino over delivers for the price offering a supple, round, rich palate filled with ripe peach, white floral notes, a touch of ginger spice and fresh green herbs. Enjoy with a wide range of foods including goat cheese, grilled seafood, or barbequed vegetable kabobs with pesto.