Show me the Monastrell: Big bold reds without the big price

 If there’s one thing we learned from the film Jerry McGuire, it’s that even the lesser-known player can pack a big punch. When referencing wines, the same rules apply. There’s a common misconception that to enjoy a big bold wine, you need to spend the big bucks, when in truth,

Cheery wines for a Covid Christmas

 It’s beginning to look a lot like Covid this Christmas, and that may require an extra pour or two of holiday “cheer” in your wine glass. While slurping a box of the cheap stuff is a bad idea, a nice glass of vino will boost the “feel good” chemicals in

Mencía is a real mensch

 Of all the lesser-known wines that should get more attention, Mencía from Northwestern Spain is a standout. But on Spain’s dancefloor of excellent reds, such as Rioja, Garnacha, and Carinena, Mencía often becomes relegated to the role of wallflower and gets lost in the shuffle. That said, keep a look

My big fat glass of Greek wine.

 Not many drinkers feel comfortable bringing a Greek wine to a dinner party, and that’s a shame because the more you know about Greek wine, the more you’ll want to drink it! In a country it’s common to find tables spread with wildly different-tasting mezes, it should be no surprise

For a great Fall red, go with Gamay

 We Canadians are so used to the changing of seasons – the quick shift from Indian Summer to crisp Fall, yet it’s that nosedive into Winter that seems to get every Canadian I know riled up. Lucky for Canucks, Winter isn’t here yet, and so as we begrudgingly tip-toe towards

What the heck is a Pét-nat

 Wine trends come and go, but one trend seems to be sticking around with the cool kids — Pét-nat! So what is Pét-nat? In a nutshell, Pét-nat, aka pétillant naturel, is an unfined and unfiltered sparkling wine, and despite being a trendy tipple, Pét-nat has been around for thousands of

Languedoc-Roussillon Reds are no Ruse

 You see it all the time with French wine – wine bottles that are labelled, not with the name of a grape, but with the name some town in France. This air of mystery is easy enough when it comes to a well-known region like Burgundy, (most bon vivants will

Spice up your take-out dinner with Carmenère

 It’s a common dilemma — you love spicy food, but you only like red wine, and traditionally, wine pairing options for spicy food are traditionally limited to off-dry and aromatic white wines. For folks who want to properly match wine with their food, this is quite the pickle. And with

For a full sensory experience try an aromatic white wine

 White wines can often get a bad rep, as something to just drink and forget about, while red wine gets all the swirling, sniffing and swishing clout. But reds aren’t the only fine wine to be savoured — aromatic whites offer a similar sensory experience. Yalumba Y Series Viognier, $13.95

The hunt for great value wine is easy in Portugal

 Above: The historic terraced vineyards along the Douro River in Portugal. (PHOTO: RIU CUNHA) Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock (yet let’s face it, the Ontario Lockdown is akin to a rock), you probably know that Portugal doesn’t only produce Port, a sweet and fortified wine typically enjoyed for dessert, Portugal also

Look to the Southern Hemisphere for top-notch pinot noir

 If you like California pinot noir but aren’t thrilled that a decent one costs over $25, you are not alone. Affordable pinot noir is notoriously hard to find, and especially if your search is limited to the Northern Hemisphere. Instead, thrifty drinkers should turn their gaze south to Chile and

Valentine’s Day wines for the lady in your life

 Valentines Day is coming up and you know what that means: it’s time to go to the LCBO and buy some love juice, a.k.a. a nice bottle of wine for the lady in your life. If you’re planning to only spend $15 on wine for Valentine’s Day, don’t expect much