What We’re Drinking Now!

Ahhh, autumn is here. While some mourn summer’s passing, we relish it: sunny days, cool nights, and the best produce of the year making for soul-warming dinners that just call for thoughtful and complex wines.  Here’s what we’ve enjoyed to toast the beginning of fall.

Stratus Gamay, VQA Niagara on the Lake, 2009
$29 stratuswines.com
We opened this up at the cottage, when the days were still hot but the nights were cool enough to call for sweatshirts.  It turns out Stratus is sold out of this Gamay, but after some discussion we decided to include it in our reviews for a few reasons: 1) we often read reviews for wines we won’t get to try, just so we can get some education about it and 2) this wine is likely still to be found on wine lists so if you spot it, you may have a better chance of ordering it, and lastly, it may result in you considering another  Stratus’ other wines, which are all worth a look – or two.

Anyway, this Gamay is quite the contender: expecting a light and easy going Beaujolais-styled wine, what we got instead was a dark and powerful: a nose of spice and dark fruits with flavours of plum and blackberry, cedar and spice with a tart cranberry finish.  It actually smoothed out considerably by the next day, which make us wish we had kept it for another year or two before opening, or at least decanted.  As it was, it would have been better suited to ribs or steak instead of the roast chicken dinner we brought it out for.

Château De Galifay Cairanne, Côtes Du Rhône Villages, France 2010
$17 Vintages 290080
Côtes Du Rhône, to us, can be hit or miss and therefore we often proceed with caution. However, the Cairanne appellation is usually a safe bet producing wines of outstanding quality for the price.  And this is a happy little number: ruby red, filled with red barry fruit of cherry and strawberry, wild thyme, crushed black pepper and earth.  Very food friendly and easy going, it’s the kind of wine we buy a case of and enjoy with everything from chacuterie to roast red meat or even on its own.

Domaine Parent Bourgogne, Burgundy, France 2009
$19.95 Vintages 597971
It can be risky to buy cheap Burgundy.  But this is lovely: smooth and elegant with flavours of dried red strawberry and raspberry, light spice and smoke.  A bit of grip and tannic structure take this basic Pinot Noir up a few notches. Could help that this comes from a house that’s been making wine for six generations.  Try with coq au vin or roast beef.

Domaine Ruet ” La Fontenelle” Chiroubles, Beaujolais, France 2010
$16.95 Vintages 282095
We’ve been on a real Beauj kick for the last year or so. Cru Beaujolais is often fresh, juicy and food friendly at a very good price.  Chiroubles is one of the ten Beaujolais crus, and offers up a juicy fragrant wine full of red cherry, cranberry and savoury meat/iron notes. Enjoy with hard cheeses and dry-cured sausage.

Terredora “Loggia della Sera” Greco di Tufo, Campania, Italy 2010
$17.95 Vintages 983197
Be prepared to be blown over, this is hedonism in a bottle.  Aromas of ripe peach, white flowers and  lychee jump from the glass.  The palate is rich and full with a waxy, soft mouthfeel and flavours of over ripe stone fruit, lilly flower, and olive oil. Try with seafood risotto or grilled anchovies.

 Le Fonti Chianti Classico, Tuscany, Italy 2009
$19.95 Vintages 295162
A fine Chianti at an even better price.  Typically Tuscan, this has aromas of red cherry, black licorice, bay leaf and leather, with a palate that follow suit.  Juicy flavours of ripe red berry combine with more savoury elements of black olive, sun dried tomato and wild herb.  A delicious wine to sip while making chicken cacciatore or ratatouille.