What We’re Drinking Now!

As we move closer to the holidays, no doubt your celebration quotient will be dialed up a few notches.  From black-tie affairs to casual holiday brunches, we have you covered with something for everyone – and every budget.

Domaine Vacheron Sancerre Blanc Loire, France 2011
$33.95 available to order
Bright, fresh and aromatic with white peach and pear, light floral notes, subtle herbs and seashell minerality.  A very pretty and expressive crowd pleaser — and a refreshing break from the frequently heavy-handed New Zealand Sauv Blancs floating around.

Chateau de Cruzeau Blanc, Pessac-Leognan, Bordeaux, France, 2009
$27.97 Vintages 966010
Made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc grapes, this has aromas of under-ripe pear and peach, basil, raw fennel and mineral with a oily, rich palate of raw green olive, lime, orchard fruit and savoury herb. Refreshing and zippy and pairs well with a myriad of foods including cheese fondue, seafood risotto and roast pork tenderloin.

Township 7 Cabernet Sauvignon, VQA Okanagan Valley, BC 2008
$26.95 Vintages 303735
A big blockbuster of a wine to be sure.  Rich, dense, and a touch sweet with ripe dark berries, plum jam, chocolate, red marker and rosemary/eucalyptus notes.  Enjoy this with grilled rare steaks or braised short ribs.

Castillo de Maluenda Punto y Coma Garnacha Vinas Viejas, Calatayud, Spain, 2009
$14.95 Vintages 292052
Made of 100% Garnacha grapes sourced from 40-year-old vines, this is a great wine to serve a crowd. Savoury & rustic with aromas of dusty red fruit, black licorice, leather and spice that follow through on the palate with the addition of cedar, black pepper, cherry, rosemary/mint herbs, leather, raisin, black berry. A great wine for heart stews and roasted meats, at this price, pick up a case and serve at dinner parties throughout the holidays.

Jonata “Sangre” Santa Ynez Valley, California, 2008 
$150 Vintages 220517
Jonata is a relative new comer on the California wine scene, releasing its first wines in ’04-’05, but is already getting some serious press. Sangre is a classic Rhone style with 98% Syrah and 2% Viognier. Expressive and inviting aromas of earth, meat, plum, roasted nuts, and floral hints.  The palate is soft, rich and inviting with flavours of ripe blackberry, cherry, chocolate and some savoury meaty notes. If you’re looking for a wine to impress this festive season, look no further.

Jonata “Todos” Santa Ynez Valley, California, 2008 
$59.95 Vintages 218941
One of the more modestly priced wines in the Jonata line up, this Syrah-dominated red is still opulent with red cherry, savoury herbs and ripe blackberry on the nose.  Elegant and full bodied on the palate with firm tannin and vibrant acidity look for flavours of sweet red and black berries, spice, and uplifting rosemary/mint/lavender herbs.  Made with 67% Syrah, 15% Cab Sauv and a handful of others in small quantities, this isn’t quite as expressive as the Sangre, but it’s also a third of the price. Try it this season with roast rack of lamb or venison stew.

Casa Dea “Dea’s Rosé” VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, 2011
$19.99 available to order 
What fun, highly drinkable wine. Made with 100% Gamay grapes in the Charmat method (where the wine undergoes second fermentation in large vats rather than individual bottles), this wine has inviting aromas of cranberry cocktail, red apple and fresh raspberry. On the palate the bubbles are a tad aggressive, but good balance of alcohol and acid and refreshing flavours of watermelon, red berries, lime and a touch of minerality make this highly gulpable.  Perfect for a New Year’s crowd.

Brigaldara Amarone della Valpolicella, Veneto Italy, 2008
$49.95  Vintages 300012
A great bottle for Amarone lovers, this wine is brimming with sweet, rich aromas and flavours of Christmas cake, mincemeat, baking spice, brandied cherry, prune and even a bit of bitter marmalade. Full bodied and creamy on the palate with fine but grippy tannin, this is ready to drink with strong cheese plates, osso buco or braised short ribs.

Hecht & Bannier Minervois 2010 Languedoc-Roussillon, France 2010
$19.95 Vintages 17764
A lovely wine at an even better price tag, this Syrah dominated red blend (with Grenache & Carignan), is ripe and dense with loads of dark fruit – cherry, blackberry and raspberry, that are slightly jammy, but not over-ripe or sweet.  Fruit is balanced by black pepper and clove spice as well as black licorice. Perfect for cool weather sipping by the fire.

Palacios Remondo “La Vendimia” Rioja, Spain, 2011
$14.95 Vintages 647564
When we see Alvaro Palacios’ wines hit the shelves we happily snap them up, knowing they won’t be around for long. La Vendimia is his basic, entry level Rioja – not a serious wine, but very quaffable and at a great price.  Fresh and bright, full of ripe fruits, a little wild herb and spice, this is a great option for entertaining a crowd.

Villa Ponciago La Réserve Fleurie, Beaujolais, France, 2011
$21.95 Vintages 299917
To be released in Vintages on November 24, pick this up while you can. A superior example of Beaujolais Cru, with beautiful complexity and aromas and flavours of ripe field berry, violet incense, crushed stone, and a bit of spice and pepper.  Firm tannins and bright acidity give this wine some weight and vibrancy, a very elegant choice that will pair well with everything from turkey and pork to roast beef.

Reif Estate Vidal Icewine, VQA Niagara River, 2011
$25.05 available to order
A beautifully refreshing and zippy Icewine with aromas of lychee and passionfruit and  flavours of tropical fruit, dark honey, roasted nuts, golden raisins and sea salt. A great backbone of acidity makes for a vibrant finish. Give us a hunk of Roquefort and a glass of this and we’re happy girls.

Inniskillin Sparkling Vidal Icewine, VQA Niagara Peninsula, 2011
$69.95 available to order
Now this is a celebration wine. Bubbles, Icewine … does it get more celebratory than this?   Refreshing and dangerously easy to drink, this has aromas of lychee, crunchy white fruit and blonde honey while the palate is uplifting and fresh with lemon curd, passionfruit and lychee. The firm bubbles and vibrant acidity make this a nice pairing for duck confit or pâté.

Ruhlmann Cremant d’Alsace Brut, Alsace, France NV
$19.95 Vintages 297853
Coming to Vintages December 8, this is a highly enjoyable, crowd pleasing sparkling – at a price that will keep you pleased, too. Aromas of tinned apple juice, mineral and a curious spearmint note, the palate has feisty bubbles, with flavours of golden apple, mineral, peppermint and subtle yeasty notes. There’s a great uplift of acidity with a fairly long finish. A nice bubbly for celebrating.