Summer is short…yet your summer to do list is always sooooo long! With Wines for the Weekend, our team of Savvy Sommeliers have scratched one thing off your list – buy wine at the LCBO. While the sun is out, why spend time aimlessly roaming the store shelves when you can have a personal Savvy Sommelier & have Ontario’s best-of-the-best wines delivered?
You don’t even have to leave your sunny deck! Click & order >>
Just like your weekend plans are always different, so is the assortment in your parcel of Wines for the Weekend. In the coming weeks (and months) we will be sharing stories about each wine, our Sommeliers’ tasting notes and tried & tested recipes to consider serving with the featured wines, just read The Weekender Report every week and you’ll be ‘in the know’. All the makings of a great weekend (or two) – a sparkling, a rosé, white wines & ready-to-drink red wines. These wines don’t need a special occasion…just a corkscrew & a glass.
Let’s get your weekend started!
Cheers!
Debbie
In July’s case of Wines for the Weekend
you will find…
Vieni Bollicine Sparkling
$22.45 (special Savvy price)
Beamsville Bench (Niagara Escarpment)
A special price on this bubbly! We were delighted when the team at Vieni Estates offered us an extra special price (regular $24.95) so we could include their bubbly in this month’s assortment.
Sommeliers Tasting Notes: Crunchy apples & butterscotch came to mind when our Savvy Sommeliers popped the cork on this beautiful sparkling wine. With each sip, the wine showed off its crisp refreshing tastes, “surprisingly, without a tart finish”, one of our Sommeliers noticed. A smooth buttery taste that makes this sparkling wine elegant and OMG delicious. Chill for at least 1 hour in the fridge, or 30 minutes in an ice bucket filled with an ice and water mix.
Food Pairing suggestions: This versatile sparkling wine will sing with food that will emphasize its crisp yet buttery taste. Lobster, seafood or fish would definitely fit the bill. In the TGIF Recipe Box (stay tuned for more blogs coming soon) we offer a Grilled Ginger Salmon recipe. With its unique yogurt coating and fresh ingredients, it will be delicious as an appetizer or main course.
Traynor Sauvignon Blanc VQA 2014
$24.95
Prince Edward County
Savvy Sommelier Tasting Notes: A classic Sauvignon Blanc, this one is made with Niagara grapes, yet crafted in the Traynor’s new winemaking facility in The County. The result? A delicious zippy refreshing white wine with aromas of fresh cut grass, lime, gooseberry and a hint of either pine or lime zest – which do you think describes that aroma best? Each sip is refreshing with a taste that has the zippiness of white grapefruit – another classic characteristic of Sauvignon Blanc.
Suggested Food Pairing: Another wine to pack for a picnic or serve on your dock. Chill & enjoy on its own, with tabbouleh, hummus or quinoa salad. Our Savvy Sommeliers figured that this wine would be delightful with shellfish too – crab legs, shrimp or better yet, freshly shucked oysters! Check out our TGIF Recipe Box (coming soon) for 3 different ways to serve up the classic shrimp cocktail.
Have your own mini wine-tasting – Pinot Gris vs. Pinot Grigio
Have you been to one of our Sommelier led wine tastings? If there’s one thing you might have taken away it’s the ‘eyes, nose, mouth’ trick. As you sample these wines remember to look, smell & taste and you will appreciate these fine wines even more.
Traynor Pinot Gris VQA 2014
$24.95
Prince Edward County
From one of The County’s newest winery, this is a complex Pinot Gris.
Savvy Sommelier Tasting Notes: With one sniff, this wine shows off it’s layered aromas of tropical fruits (think mango & kiwi), minerality (wine lingo: flint) along with a fresh-out-of-the-oven bread smell. All these aromas continue into the taste! A well balanced wine with fruit and acidity, it is amazing that the winemaker got this one so right…in their first year of business.
Food Pairing Suggestions: The warm finish of the wine makes you realize that this wine can stand up to a menu that includes cheese, garden fresh veggies and a flavourful sauce. In the Recipe Box, our Sommelier Debbie shares with you her Mother’s recipe for Linguine with Garden Fresh Tomatoes. A recipe that is easy and delicious for this time of year as the garden is in full bloom.
Riverview Pinot Grigio VQA 2013
$13.95
Niagara-on-the-Lake
At your mini wine-tasting, try the Traynor Pinot Gris & the Riverview Pinot Grigio side by side to see how the same grape variety (Pinot Gris & Pinot Grigio are identical, just one takes on the Italian name) differs between winemakers.
Savvy Sommelier Tasting Notes: Aromas of white flowers, pear, apricot & apples waft from the glass. These delicious aromas carry through into the taste with a touch of something that we had a hard time putting our finger on. “It reminds me of lemon drop candy like my grandmother used to give me when I was a kid.” commented Eva during the tasting. Remember that taste? It’s amazing how wine can activate those wonderful childhood memories!
Suggested Food Pairing: Chicken Satay, Fish Tacos, Spanish Frittata and Pulled Pork were discussed as potential pairings. Have a recipe for one of these? Give it a try…or play with the wine & food pairing by serving this wine along with the Traynor Pinot Gris with the Shrimp Cocktail 3 ways recipe in our TGIF Recipe Box (coming soon). You may find some of the sauces pair better with different wines!
Keint-He Voyageur Riesling VQA 2014
$18.00
Prince Edward County
Savvy Sommelier Tasting Notes: ”Riesling is my little black dress of wine”, explains Savvy Sommelier Debbie Trenholm. “It is delicious on its own and can create WOW factor with all kinds of hors d’oeuvres at a party.” This particular Riesling WOWed our team of Savvy Sommeliers with its aromas of crisp stone fruit (think peaches, apricot, nectarine), zippy lemon peel and minerality that you can find in several Rieslings in The County. These aromas continue into the taste along with a hint of honey to round out the delicious-ness of this easy drinking wine.
Suggested Food Pairing: With so many potential pairings with this wine, we encourage you to be adventurous and try it out with ceviche. If you are not keen on making this dish, then a light white fish would go well or try your hand at the shrimp cocktail recipes in our TGIF Recipe Box.
Vieni Alleria Rosé
$13.95
Beamsville Bench (Niagara Escarpment)
Sommeliers Tasting Notes: A pretty light pink colour, this is a unique blend of Riesling and Pinot Noir grapes. Sun-kissed and fresh, this wine has subtle aromas that resemble white flowers and white pepper. The wine gets more lively with each sip as tastes of rhubarb comes to mind.
Food Pairing suggestions: Serve chilled on its own to unwind, with sushi or chilled gazpacho soup. Our Savvy Team member Amanda makes a to-die-for gazpacho that is synonymous with summertime. She shares her quick & easy recipe with you in our TGIF Recipe Box. Get your food processor ready to whip up a batch. Olé!
Keint-He Voyageur Pinot Noir VQA 2013
$19.00
Prince Edward County
Savvy Sommelier Tasting Notes: Ruby red in colour, this easy drinking Pinot Noir is a beautiful blend of fruit and barrel aging. Aromas of cooked red fruit (think: cherry, raspberry and strawberry) that fills the glass and continues into its taste. Medium bodied with tannins that will soften when food is introduced or as the wine ages in your cellar…but this wine is perfectly good to serve now. The delicious undertone of vanilla (or perhaps it is cola) rounds out the mouthfeel as the taste moderately lingers.
Suggested Food Pairing: A classic food pairing to Pinot Noir is grilled salmon or a dish laden with mushrooms. If you are taking a break from the BBQ, we have something completely different for you… Osso Buco made in the slow cooker…so you can spend more time outside than in the kitchen this summer. Enjoy!
Greenlane Cabernet Franc VQA 2013
$23.95
Beamsville Bench (Niagara Escarpment)
From a small boutique winery, this amazing red wine is turning heads. Cabernet Franc is a grape variety that is often used for blending yet it grows so well in Ontario that winemakers are opting to make wines to showcase the ripe fruit characters of Cabernet Franc rather than blending it with Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot to make a classic Bordeaux style wine.
Savvy Sommelier Tasting Notes: Deep red in colour with complex aromas of blackberry, dark overripe fruit, leather, pencil shavings topped with a hint of dark chocolate. With just one sip, all these delicious dark aromas are found in the taste with a touch of fresh ground pepper and well integrated tannins to make this a well-balanced and well-made red wine.
Suggested Food Pairing: This is a no fuss wine. It would be delicious with anything off the grill – burgers or sausage. Our long time Savvy Selections wine-of-the-month club subscriber Nancy offered her go-to Meat Lovers Pizza recipe. Grill the pizza on your BBQ or pop it in the oven – either way it will be a sure fire hit with this wine.
Greenlane G2 VQA 2013
$15.95
Beamsville Bench (Niagara Escarpment)
This wine is ready to impress you! Made with Gamay grapes G2 (Gav’s Gamay) holds a story that well…you just need to plan a trip to the winery to find out more about it! (or subscribe to our Savvy Selections wine-of-the-month club to get the inside scoop about who Gav is when we feature the winery & their wines in October.)
Savvy Sommelier Tasting Notes: “This wine is all about raspberry & chocolate” remarked Patty when she tasted it for the first time. Do you find this same combination in your glass? Other aromas that come to mind are fresh ground pepper, caramelized sugar and even a faint hint of black licorice. When you take a sip, the medium bodied wine fills out with tastes of black cherry and pomegranate. A delicious juicy wine that impressed our Sommeliers from start to finish.
Suggested Food Pairing: A great summer red wine that would be delicious with sausages with fennel, BBQed vegetables. When wild mushrooms are in abundance, keep this wine & recipe in mind: Creamy Mushrooms on Toast. Easy and delicious as either hors d’oeuvre or appetizer, the full recipe is in the TGIF Recipe Box.
Ridgepoint Merlot Cabernet Aglianco VQA 2010
$20.00
Beamsville Bench (Niagara Escarpment)
This small-batch wine is aged in French and American oak for up to 24 months. It’s predominantly Merlot, with a small portion of Cabernet Franc and fully air dried (almost to the point of raisins) Aglianico grapes added for depth and intensity in aromas and flavours.
Savvy Sommelier Tasting Notes: Our tasting panel loved this unique wine, with its rich, ripe berry and plum notes, hints of dried fruit and spice. It’s full bodied, generous and velvety, the texture warm and spicy, the tannins supple, with a clean acidity that lifts the tasty fruit flavours.
Suggested Food Pairing: Serve this unique blend with classic Italian meat pasta dishes. Be sure to try your hand at our recipe for Potato Cake with Soppressata…not sure what this is? Check out the recipe in the Weekender Report.
Cellaring: Drinking well now or cellar 2-3 years.
Riverview Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon VQA 2012
$29.95
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Savvy Sommelier Tasting Notes: This reserve wine is the BIGGEST one of the bunch. Rich with all of the dark fruits – plum, blueberry, black berry and black cherry laced with a warm spice on the nose. These aromas continue into the taste with the introduction of tobacco, cedar and grippy tannins that are balanced with a long finish of dark fruit. This wine goes to show that deep red wines can be made in Ontario!
Suggested Food Pairing: Uncork for that special long summer evening or tuck away in your cellar for a few years more, this wine shines! “This makes me want to have a dinner party!” vowed Savvy Sommelier Erin. Fire up the BBQ and bring out your favorite cut of steak to enjoy with this wine.
Cellaring: Drinking well now or cellar 3-7 years.
Have your fine wines all summer long…
When you order Wines for the Weekend, you will always have outstanding Ontario wines on hand. To order additional bottles of your new found favorites from this assortment by calling the Savvy Team on 613-SAVVYCO (728-8926). OR, continue to make your weekends even easier with an automatic delivery of Wines for the Weekend in August – a completely new selection of hard-to-find wines will arrive at your home or office.
To order, simply call us on 613-SAVVYCO (728-8926) or visit savvycompany.ca/TGIF
Sneak peak… here’s what’s in store next month
Ready to get your tasting glasses out again in August? Here is a list of the wines that we plan on featuring next month, so stay tuned to The Weekender Report for more updates.
Wines for the Weekend in August
–Casa-Dea Estates Melon de Bourgogne (white), Prince Edward County
–Casa-Dea Estates Pinot Noir, Prince Edward County
–DiProfio Wines The Kitchen Zinc (white blend), 20 Valley (Niagara)
–DiProfio Wines Zinc-tastic (red blend), 20 Valley
–Harwood Estate Vineyards Chardonnay Riesling, Prince Edward County
–Harwood Estate Vineyards Gamay Noir, Prince Edward County
–Kacaba Vineyards Jennifer’s Pinot Grigio VQA 2013, 20 Valley
–Kacaba Vineyards Jennifer’s Pinot Grigio VQA 2014, 20 Valley
–Pondview Estate Winery Cabernet Rosé, Niagara-on-the-Lake
–Pondview Estate Winery Cabernet Merlot Reserve, Niagara-on-the-Lake
–Rosewood Estates Winery & Meadery,Trois Femmes Rosé, 20 Valley (Niagara)
–Rosewood Estates Winery & Meadery, Locked & Loaded (red blend), 20 Valley
Cheers & enjoy your weekend!