June 16th is Father’s Day, when we celebrate fathers and the many things they do for us. A meal shared with the family is a popular way to celebrate, whether that’s a barbeque at home, a picnic, a visit to the cottage or maybe brunch on the patio. Here’s a curated list of wines that are sure to make Dad smile, with options for every budget.
Nothing says summer like an Aperol Spritz and this handy 4-pack is ready to take with you to a party or the cottage. Just add ice and an orange slice! Made with the famous bright orange liquor from Italy as the base, it tastes both citrusy and herbal, and slightly bitter. A perennial favourite!
9% • LCBO# 36678 • $ 24.95, on sale til June 23rd for $23.95 4x 200ml
A crisp, refreshing white from the highly-esteemed Michel Chapoutier, made from a blend of mainly Grenache Blanc with Clairette and Bourboulenc grapes. The aromatic nose gives fragrances of apricot, citrus, hawthorn wood and fennel. The flavourful palate shows apricot, pineapple and grapefruit with a slightly herbal note. The mouthfeel is very crisp, light and rich, with a long citrus finish. Outstanding value! One of my go-to whites. Excellent with shellfish, poultry or goat cheese and perfect with salads, smoked oysters, or grilled garlic shrimp.
Extra Dry • LCBO# 245340 • $17.95, on sale for $15.95 til June 23rd
What great value here! A full-bodied, elegant red wine that is silky and aromatic. It’s a tangy blend of Syrah, Grenache and 10% Carignan. You’ll notice lots of dark berries, plums, spice and dried herbs on the nose and palate. Well-structured and sensuous, a flavourful wine from first to last sip. Make a Caesar salad, grill some fennel sausages and sweet potato wedges, then sit back and watch how pleased dad is with his dinner. At this price, you can pick up a couple of bottles for the next barbeque, too!
Extra Dry • 14.5% • LCBO VINTAGES# 168716 • $16.95, currently on sale for $14.95 til June 23rd
Father’s Day is definitely a time to spoil dad with an exceptional wine, and you can’t go wrong with a good Cabernet Sauvignon. Formula 1 legend Daniel Ricciardo collaborated with St. Hugo’s chief winemaker to craft this outstanding wine with the same passion and precision that Ricciardo channels into his racing. This is a big, bold, elegant Cab. It shows an opaque deep purple in the glass, with an aromatic nose of inviting ripe blackcurrant and vanilla notes. The luscious, velvety palate gives concentrated flavours of blackcurrant, dark cherry, mint, dark chocolate, cedar and vanilla. The tannins are still a bit chewy, but will soften with aging. There’s a long dark berry finish with a delicious final note of vanilla. Cabernet Sauvignon is the classic pairing with a rare grilled steak, but will also pair beautifully with rack of lamb. dad can cellar this wine until 2041. This memorable Cab was awarded a Double Gold Medal at the 2023 Global Fine Wine Challenge.
Dry • 14% • LCBO Vintages# 37239 • $69.95
There’s bound to be dessert happening on Father’s Day, so this is a perfect time to try a new dessert wine. Le Ragose is an excellent example of Recioto, a popular dessert wine made in the Veneto region near Verona. It’s made from a blend of three grape varieties that grow in that region: Corvina, Corvinone and Rondinella, the same grapes that are used to make the famous Amarone wine. On the nose, you’ll find concentrated fragrances of ripe dark cherry, black currant and cardamon spice aromas, echoed on the rich palate with a lush finish that gives dark chocolate and coffee. Yum, yum yum! Recioto pairs beautifully with dark chocolate cake, fresh fruit or alternately, blue cheese. This speciality wine gets snatched up quickly, so if you find it, grab it!
Sweet • 14.5% • Vintages# 33454 • $58.95 • 500 ml
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY TO ALL THE WONDERFUL DADS OUT THERE!
For more wine and food discovery from Jane Staples, visit www.bellovinoj.com
PHOTO: iStock
