LCBO Vintages Saturday May 28

THE LOW DOWN: Didn’t plan it but I ended up selecting an excellent Variety 6-Pack of white wines. Gruner, Verdejo, Riesling, Chenin, Chardonnay and Muscadet. And a Sparkling ““ so I guess it’s a 7-Pack. Should get you through the weekend. But you’ll also need some Rosé ““ primo local or a Chilean bargain.

Carmenere and Ripasso are the best bets in red but you must have at least one summer supper with Moulin-a-Vent, the queen of Beaujolais.

SPARKLING
wine style: dry sparkling
MUMM NAPA Rosé Sparkling, Napa Valley, California 205641 $29.95
Champagne-style wine and quality at half the price. Elegant and exciting way to start an event. Best sparkling I’ve tasted in a long time.

WHITES
wine style: fresh white
MIKE WEIR 08 Riesling, VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake 229286 $14.95
Mike scores with a classic local Riesling. Fruity, spicy and dancing its feet off. Dry with a sweet kiss. Delicious summer drink.

wine style: rich white
KENNETH VOLK 07 Chardonnay, Santa Maria Cuvée, California 233981 $19.95
Chardonnay doesn’t get much more glamorous and rich. Quite the wow for twenty dollars. BBQ white or late evening sipper.

wine style: nice & easy white
THE WINERY OF GOOD HOPE 09 Chenin Blanc, South Africa 158121 $11.95
Fruity, slightly sweet and very crowd-pleasing. Check out this popular South African party sipper, or BBQ white.

wine style: fresh white
MICHEL DELHOMMEAU 09 Muscadet ‘Harmonie’, Loire, France 164624 $12.95
Not your usual plain Muscadet but an elegant wine with delicate flavours and wonderful freshness. To start the evening with appetizers. Note: this is a previous release.

wine style: fresh white
MEINKLANG 09 Gruner Veltliner, Austria 219014 $15.95
More flavourful and yummy than most Gruners, but zesty and refreshing too. Delicious stuff. And organic too. Would be a lovely treat with an alfresco lunch.

wine style: fresh white
BODEGAS GARCIAREVALO 09 Verdejo ‘Tres Olmos’, Rueda, Spain 218354 $13.95
Verdejo is Spain’s answer to Sauvignon Blanc. But not as brash. I like the mix of earthy and fresh feelings. Very characterful and dying for a food partner.

REDS
wine style: rich red
PAHLMEYER 08 Pinot Noir, Sonoma, California148536 $79.95
I seldom recommend wine over $25 but this would blow some people’s minds. Or other bodily parts! Red wine doesn’t come more charming and seductive. Bear skin rug material for sure.

wine style: rich red
ARESTI 08 Carmenere Reserva, Chile 93773 $12.95
Here’s a big bruiser. Heavy rocker. Rich and manly with an attitude. The Aresti style. Steak wine at pork chop price.

wine style: rich red
LUIGI BOSCA 08 Pinot Noir Reserva, Mendoza, Argentina 143420 $17.95
Pinot with a little macho Argentinian tang. Could be related to Pinotage. Perfect for BBQ’d red meats.

wine style: rustic red
DOMAINE DE SAINT ENNEMOND 09 Moulin-a-Vent, Beaujolais, France 207910 $17.95
Cru-Beaujolais with the more solid personality of Pinot Noir. But at a lower price. Check out this guy with grilled salmon.

wine style: rustic red
ANTICHE TERRE 08 Valpolicella Ripasso, Veneto, Italy 178459 $14.95
A solid Ripasso. Italian gusto along with a hit of nourishment. Classic Ripasso. Italian red wine at its best.

ROSÉ
wine style: dry Rosé
EMILIANA 2010 Rosé Syrah, ‘Adobe’, Chile 229690 $11.95
Drier than most Chilean Rosés. Good mix of freshness and fruitiness. Nice price, and it’s organic too.

wine style: dry Rosé
FEATHERSTONE 2010 Rosé, VQA Niagara 117861 $14.95
Best Rosé yet from Featherstone. A cross between the berry flavours of Rioja and the richer Provence style. And packing a ton of freshness. Sort of perfect!

wine style: dry Rosé
SOUTHBROOK 2010 Organic~  Rosé ‘Connect’, VQA Niagara 168492 $18.95
Another excellent local dry Rosé in the mid-range between refreshment and mealtime nourishment. Very French café-ish, but will work on your patio too. Organic.