What We’re Drinking Now!
We don’t care to bemoan what can’t helped, but isn’t it time winter took a hike?
This past weekend in Toronto, while still arguably nippy, teased us with the promise of what’s to come: as the bright and warming sun’s rays chipped away at greying snow mounds, runners, dog walkers, and baby-stroller pushers took to the city streets in thick waves of winter-weary spring hopefuls.
The cold vs. warm, winter vs. spring, dull vs. bright theme has propelled this month’s reviews of wines we’ve been drinking. From hearty reds to warm the cockles of our frostbitten hearts, to lively rosés curling a tantalizing finger towards our desperate-for-spring hearts, these wines have marked the highs and lows of the past month’s temperatures.
Keith Tulloch “The Kester” Shiraz, Hunter Valley, Australia 2007
$37 Vintages 267229
A beautifully restrained and elegant Shiraz with earthy, floral aromas mixing with spice box and dark cherry. Medium bodied with grippy, but well integrated tannins this shows incredible balance. A sophisticated wine that would pair well with roast lamb or steak au poivre.
Abbona Rinaldi Barbera d’Alba, Piedmont, Italy 2010
$19.95 Vintages 216416
Barbera is a go-to for us for it’s easy drinking, food friendly charisma at (usually) a good price. The Rinaldi pours bright purple-ruby with slightly bloody, red berry, red licorice aromas followed by a mid weight palate with bright red cherry and spice notes. Terrific value with vibrant acidity, and mild but present tannin, enjoy with everything from spicy charcuterie plates to gnocchi with pork ragu.
Domaine Bouchard Père & Fils Beaune “Grèves Vigne De L’enfant Jésus” 1er Cru, Burgundy, France 2009
$115 Vintages 43257
Wonderfully perfumed with wild flowers, ripe red and black cherry, dark soil and spice notes, followed by a powerful and focused mid-weight palate with flavours of toasted spice, forest, red and dark berry fruit and rich earth. Still youthful and taut, so tuck away for a special occasion sometime after 2019.
Antinori “Badia a Passignano” Chianti Classico Riserva, Tuscany, Italy 2007
$44.95 Vintages 384552
Made of 100% Sangiovese, this is powerful and masculine wine with intense aromas of soy sauce, dried shitake mushroom, savoury herbs and black cherry. The palate is full with firm tannin and balancing, taut acidity with exceptional length. Decant for at least an hour and then enjoy with port and soy sauce marinaded flank steak with grilled mushrooms.
Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, Napa Valley, California 2010
$57.95 Vintages 701748
Ever since visiting this illustrious estate a few years ago, Montelena’s been on our radar as one of our top California picks. Hailing from the cooler Calistoga region, in a cooler-than-normal vintage, this shows balance and focus with complex mineral and grapefruit aromas mixing with creamy butterscotch and baked apple. Mid-weight and creamy on the palate with peach/pear/apricot flavours and tidy mineral finish. Careful not to over chill, and serve with crab and avocado salad or California sushi rolls.
Stratus Gamay, VQA Niagara on the Lake, ON 2010
$29 stratuswines.com
Bright ruby red with slightly garnet tinges, with an alluring nose of dusty herbs, bright red cherry and black licorice. The palate is light-to-midweight with vibrant acidity and low but firm tannin and flavours of bright red fruit, wild herbs and faint spiciness. Drink now with cioppino, braised beef or burgers.
Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California 2010
$31.95 Vintages 255513
A classic California cabernet, coming from the Patron Saint of the California wine industry. Likely, reputation alone has cab lovers stocking their cellars with this ripe, beefy red, and luckily, this isn’t a lunch bag let down: brimming with cassis and dark berry fruit, along mocha and vanilla notes, the full palate is smooth and supple, a tad sweet, with decent tannic grip. We’re not totally convinced this is worth $32, but than again, it’s good value compared to similar styles that push $100. But if you want to take advantage of the price, you better hurry: on April 1st, this goes back up to $34.95.
Thirty Bench Riesling, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara 2011
$18.95 Vintages 24133
Clean, light and focused with aromas of mineral, orange citrus, lemon zest and peach/nectarine. Light and citrusy on the palate with zippy acidity to balance a slightly off-dry style, this is delicious paired with salty cheeses or spicy, fried seafood.
Malivoire “Lady Bug” Rosé, VQA Niagara Peninsula 2012
$15.95 Vintages 559088
A Vintages Essential product, this is one of the iconic blush wines of Niagara. Made of a blend of Gamay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc, this pretty, perky wine boast aromas and flavours of strawberry, red cherry and key lime with a mineral backbone. Uplifting acidity and medium bodied, this is pool-side sipper on its own, or can be enjoyed with baked ham, roast turkey, or, as our picture would suggest, mussels with chorizo and herbs.
Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava, Spain NV
$14.25 LCBO 216960
Did you know to legally be called Cava, Spanish winemakers must make these sparklings in the Champagne Method? And that, our friends, makes it a spectacular deal, as you could be forgiven for thinking it was the real-deal. Made from local grapes, this is fresh, bright and lively with aromas and flavours of lime, stone and white grapefruit. Tangy acidity and exuberant bubbles make for a delightful pairing with fresh oysters, mushroom and goat cheese pastries, or asparagus quiche.