HELLO!
The Vintages release catalogue provides a bevy of wine factoids and beautiful photography for each release. This one is particularly delish because its focus is food-wine pairing. Here are the highlights of their counsel:
- If you are planning to serve a wide variety of appetizers, you’ll want to choose a wine that is light enough to enjoy on its own and versatile enough to match with a variety of foods: wines with “zippy” acidity (Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Italian Pinot Grigio, Sparklers)
- Match textures of the dishes to textures of the wine: tomato sauce = Chianti/sangiovese, olive oil = pinot grigio, cream sauce = chardonnay, pesto = Riesling
- Seasoning – to elevate the flavours, match the unique character of the wine to the strongest seasoning element
- Eat local – drink local
- Strong flavours call for medium to full-bodied wines
Bon Appetit!
WHITE WINES
68882 Black Prince Chardonnay 2006 (VQA, Prince Edward County) $14.95
Green apple, hints of honey and a subtle nuttiness are featured in this well-balanced chard with ample length. Good value!
62240 Villa Maria Private Bin Riesling 2007 (New Zealand) $17.95
This is not an “over-the-top” Riesling. It is dry and fairly light-bodied. It is mouth-watering, delicious with lemon/lime zestiness.
734921 Maculan Pinot Grigio 2007 (Veneto, Italy) $13.95
If you like pinot grigio, you will like this wine. It is quite dry with distinct citrus notes.
RED WINE
467944 Alamos Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 (Mendoza, Argentina) $13.95
Bold blackberry, coffee and oak and a long finish offered here.
16089 Viu Manent Reserva Malbec 2006(Chile) $13.95
Cedar, dark fruits and spice. It has a bit of a zip – we really liked this one.
24950 Fifth Leg Red 2005 (Western Australia) $19.95
We REALLY liked this one. Tons of dark fruit (cherries, berries) along with chocolate/oak notes.
682492 Chateau L’Hospitalet La Reserve Rouge 2005 (Languedoc, France) $18.95
Minimal fruit and a strong oak backbone characterize this old world wine. There are far more floral notes than fruit.
27979 Domaine de Berlande Merlot 2006 (Midi, France) $12.95
Smooth with a bit of zing. A great French buy.
68635 Burchino Chianti Superiore 2004 (Tuscany) $14.95
Fairly fruit forward for a Tuscan wine. Would go well with tomato-based pastas or pizza.
57844 Shingleback Shiraz 2004 (S. Australia) $22.95
A fine shiraz featuring plums, blackberries and a hint of spice. There is an exotic undertone to this wine. It’s lovely!
059311 7 Deadly Zins 2005 (Lodi, Old Vine, California) $24.95
A big, bold and brambly zin featuring loads of berries, earth, leather, cocoa and vanilla. This is yum!
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