Rewarding Reds + A Great Bubbly

High end bubbles

Beautiful dry wines for beautiful dry summer weather -- one of Portugal's best reds and three of Canada's finest, a white, a bubbly and a red.

Esporao Reserva Red 2017 is rich, distinctive, elegant and fabulous value at $26.95 made from handpicked Cabernet Sauvignon grapes carefully aged for a year in American and French oak barrels for smoky-toasty dark chocolate, vanilla, black fruit and new leather nuances.

From Alentejo, the breadbasket of south-central Portugal, with its rolling hills of wheat, olive trees and the famous cork oaks. One mature tree provides sufficient bark for 4,000 wine corks. 

The Esporao also includes native grapes like Bouschet, Aragonez and Trincadeira that contribute deep blue-black color and smooth notes of blueberry, mocha and crushed black pepper.  It's artfully made and artistically illustrated with an original label by Portuguese painter Antonio Poppe.

Since its launch in 1985 this wine has been adorned by a different artist each year. Serve it confidently with BBQ ribs, roast lamb, smoked meats or spicy chicken.

The Canadian trio are from our friends at Chateau des Charmes in Niagara: the 2016  Blancs de Blanc Sparkling made in the manner of Champagne; the Beaujolais-like Gamay Noir Droit 2018; and the Chardonnay 2017 from the Paul Bosc Estate Vineyard. All available from the winery online now and the first two also at Vintages stores as of June 12. Prices are, respectively, $34.95, $19.95 and $24.95.

The sparkler, just like the still white, is 100% Chardonnay grapes and the Gamay is Canada's first native Vinifera (European) grape variety, born in the St David's Bench vineyard and it's a red wine of easy, fruity unoaked pleasure with nuances of raspberry and cherry, hints of black tea and banana, wet earth and violets.

Fruity unoaked pleasure

The sparkler is handcrafted with its second fermentation to create the bubbles in the bottle, just like Dom Perignon. The bead or stream of bubbles in the glass is as fine as a top Champagne, sign of a high-class wine. On the palate, it's pure elegance with delicate apple, pear, limestone profile and a crisp, satisfying clarity of tree fruit flavors. 

On a sad note, we mourn the loss of Alejandro Fernandez, Spain's pioneer of great red Tempranillo, especially his signature Pesquera from the Ribera del Duero region of his homeland. RIP

 

 

 

California Pinot That Thinks It's A Burgundy

And that's a good thing! Let me introduce you to Coastal Vines California Pinot Noir, definitely not the fruit bomb you might expect from the sunny Golden State. Not that there aren't many majestic Pinots from thereabouts, of course! But many tend to be great for the first sips and not so great with food.

This little Coastal guy, meanwhile, is a real crowd-pleaser.

By that, I mean it's food friendly and refreshing, even after the first couple of elegant gulps. Only snag is you have to call The Small Winemakers Collection in T.O. at 416 463 7178 and it will cost you $18.10 a bottle X 12 for a case. Delivery is free, though. I quote the LCBO here because they are dead on: blackberry, cherry, cola and leather. Soft vanilla tones from the oak blend perfectly with the intense fruit core and soft tannins, providing complexity and balance and leading to a lingering finish.
I would simply add that tasted blind you would think this was a village Burgundy.

Meanwhile, there's a great little beauty from Argentina by the name of Toro Centenario, not to be confused with the giant-killer from Spain called Toro Bravo! That's good, too, especially for the price. The South American star is from Argentina's signature red grape, the magnificent Malbec. They're both in the same phenomenal low price range, though. 

The Toro Bravo Tempranillo Merlot, from Valencia in southern Spain is $8.15 and the South American gem, from Mendoza, is full-bodied and smooth for $8.60. Both at the LCBO and moving fast!

But, back to the Malbec, the LCBO describes this as showing "black fruit, plum and smoke with notes of herb and spice. Rich and smooth with balanced acidity and notes of dark berry, smoke and earth. Great with grilled or BBQ lamb, beef or ribs." Couldn't have said it better myself! Hard to go wrong with any of these bargains!

Green light for three great reds

It's great to have a wine named after you and it's even better when it's a terrific vintage: such is the case for Pinot Noir Cuvee Michele 2018 by Chateau des Charmes.
Honoring the memory of the dearly loved wife of Paul-Andre Bosc, it's a collectible. Selected by the CdC patriarch, Burgundy-trained Paul Sr., it was one of Michele's personal favorites.
Deep colored and brimming with black plum fruit and dark chocolate, this Pinot has a freshness and vibrancy, combined with silky tannins, that's a joy now and will be a pleasure for another five years. $16.95
It joins the newly released superb white Aligote Cuvee Michele 2018 on the shelves, $15.95, and $1 from the sale of every bottle of both these wines is donated to the Camp Kerry Society.  Aligote, crisp, citrusy and refreshing, is my wife's favorite and one of mine, too.
Paul Sr., of course, is a much revered ground-breaker for today's superb Ontario wines, through his skill and determination in fostering the cultivation of Europe's finest wine grapes in our own challenging terroir. Canada's first native vinifera vine was born in his St David's Bench Vineyard. It's called Gamay Noir Droit, a clone Paul selected for the vine's unique upright (droit) posture and the wine's lovely spicy/smoky black cherry flavor intensity, unoaked, silky, alluring. $19.95.
Our third super red comes from further afield: from the steep, rugged slopes of the Douro Valley in Portugal. It's called Cabral Reserva, $13.95, and it's a crowd-pleaser.
Made from the same grapes as traditional Port but by normal red wine methods and no fortification: it's a top-notch dry red you'll be happy to serve a crowd or hoard for yourself!
The back story is the fabulous grapes: Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Sousao, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca and Tinta Cao. Quite a mouthful there! The result is super-dark color, deeply rich aromas and flavors of black olive, ripe black plum and smooth tannins. There's 15 months of aging in French barrels that helps add complex aromas of eucalyptus, mint and vanilla. Tailormade for duck confit or any wild game.
It'll soon be spring. Honest!

Last gasp for you late Valentiners!

The ruby red color of love, silky smoothness of skin and the heady sweetness of passion! It's all there in this gorgeous supple beauty from Verona, home of star-crossed Romeo and Juliet.

Apassionante 2016 is a Rosso Veneto IGT, a just off-dry fruity red blend of Merlot and Cabernet to set your pulse racing. Made from late-harvest, partially dried grapes for maximum intensity and rich in cherry, berry, cocoa, fig, chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon, hazel and dark plum pleasures.

All of this is yours for $19.95 from the ancient Ca' Del Sette Vini winery, five generations old, yet modern in its thinking..

Hold hands together by moonlight over ravioli or tortelli with ragu, tender balsamic pork loin, Gorgonzola gnocchi or lamb or duck magret with a glass of this in hand. Gotta love it!

Fall: When Leaves And Wine Change Color

“The first duty of wine is to be red. The second is to be a Burgundy” wrote English author Alec Waugh in In Praise of Wine, in 1959. He must have been writing specifically about the wine of Autumn.
If it's a Burgundy, though, it might as well be a really good one, like any 2017 vintage from top producer Bouchard Pere et Fils. A wonderful, generous vintage that made everyone happy. Even grumpy old farmers, known for their "four kinds of weather" -- too hot, too cold, too wet or too dry!
One of the top tipples being offered here is the Grand Cru Le Corton, named for the most famous wine hill in the Golden Slope.  A mere $199 a bottle, from Woodman Wines and Spirits, who invited the elegant and knowledgeable Luc Bouchard to town to very modestly explain why he's so proud of this vintage.
It's a fact that average temperatures in Burgundy, like many wine regions, have been rising for centuries and he was asked how that might affect the delicate finesse of his wines. "We have ways of countering the hotter summers," he said. "We can harvest earlier, for example, and prune the vines differently for more shade. So, no need to worry about the traditional profile of present and future wines." That would be an ethereal, super food-friendly style with haunting notes of cassis, raspberries, strawberries, forest floor and violets. It's by far the best Pinot Noir wine in the world.
Closer to the realm of affordability, I really like the Beaune du Chateau, $66, a wine the firm has been offering since 1907, made from the grapes of 17 of the finest plots in Beaune. It's carefully barrel-aged in the ancient Chateau, a medieval fortress with cool stone walls so thick they contain an intimate salon where I had dinner in good company some years ago.
The legend about how it costs $250 to find a really great Burgundy is that you spend $50 each on the first four OK bottles of this hallowed Pinot Noir and the fifth one really blows your mind! The trick is always to follow a great and reliable name, like Bouchard.
Other affordable Premier Cru reds from Bouchard include Clos de la Mousse, Beaune Greves Vigne de l'Enfant Jesus, Pommard, Savigny-les-Beaune and Volnay Caillerets.
Last but not least, the village wines include Aloxe, Chambolle, Cote de Nuits, Monthelie, Santenay, and Vosne. For more info, call Jason Woodman at 416.767.5114.

Wine, Wit, and Summer -- May They All Be Dry!

Most people (quite proudly) talk dry but drink off-dry. The acid test ('scuse the pun) is their shocked facial expression after a palate-cleansing sip of, say, Muscadet, Chablis, Gruner Veltliner, or Spain's lovely Albariño. 

No cloaking oak or cleverly included residual sugar. Just really dry wines here. 

Let's start with thirst-quenchingly delicious Pazo San Mauro 2018 Albariño from Galicia, the lush top-left corner of Spain that looks more like the Emerald Isle. It's a tiny 16th Century winery that housed the family of King Sancho I.

The original building still overlooks the vines, the Miño River and Portugal in the hazy middle-distance. 

The salty Atlantic air calls for fresh seafood and crisp, aromatic Albariño like this, the local specialty, wines bursting with lemon, pineapple, minerality, and floral aromatics. This Pazo San Mauro is bone-dry and irresistible, $26.99. Call Michelle at Lifford Wines & Spirits, 416 779 4101.

You can hold the lime zest with your next drink, it comes with its own, built in! Winzer Krems Gruner Veltliner 2017 white wine from the beautiful region of Kremstal, famed for this, the most elegant signature grape variety of Austria. Think chalk and white pepper with a notion of Bosc pear peel, lime zest and seafood-friendly acidity. Delicious as apero or with light end-of-summer dishes. It's in Vintages now at a more than fair $15.95 (Austrian wines tend to be a little pricy!) 

Vinified totally in stainless steel (zero oak barrels!) and reflecting its region's ancient limestone seabed deposits (packed with stone-age fossils), here's a truly crisp and ultra-elegant Chardonnay naked as the day it was born. Very unusual in that so many Chards are raised in new and smoky, charry barrels! That's a different breed, altogether. Instead, this little darling from Jean Bouchard is a Petit-Chablis 2017 from northern Burgundy for $23.95, citric, mineral, incredibly pure and refreshing, at Vintages.

Many people still (incorrectly) think that all Rieslings are sweet. Back to the early days of wine awareness. Meanwhile, there are some absolutely fabulous dry versions, there for the asking; such as the Chateau des Charmes Estate Bottled 2015 Riesling Old Vines, an absolute stunner, and dry, too! Flinty dry and full of aromatic lime-citrus, persimmon, saline, mineral notes. It's just amazingly well balanced, unoaked and dry, like a perfect piano etude. Really well done. $18.95 at Vintages.

                                     Stay dry!

La Bella Sedàra, The Beautiful Sicilian

La Bella Sedàra was originally the irresistible, ambitious Angelica Sedàra, the belle of Il Gattopardo (The Leopard) directed by Luchino Visconti, played in the movie by the divine Claudia Cardinale. 

It's also a beautiful Sicilian red wine made by Donnafugata -- and a great way to put a smile in your day!

The label also shows the lovely Contessa Entellina winery in the heart of western Sicily, where vines and olives are an integral part of the landscape.

The outstanding Donnafugata family winery owned by brother and sister Antonio and Jose Rallo literally grows a whole treasure house of vines on its 667 acres here: native Sicilian varieties like Ansonica, Catarratto, Grecanico, Grillo and Nero d’Avola – and Italian and international vines such as Fiano, Chardonnay, Viognier, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah as well as Sauvignon Blanc, Petit Manseng, Alicante Bouchet, Tannat, Petit Verdot and Pinot Nero.

The lovely fresh, fruity Sedàra 2016, $18.95 at the LCBO, made from Nero d'Avola, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah, is cherry and plum-scented with subtle notes of baking spices, mocha, berries and black pepper -- the result of oak-free wine-making to achieve a perfect lightness and charm.

Just to the north of Sicily, on mainland Italy, in Puglia, you'll find a refreshingly aromatic bone-dry white wine with the most confusing name: Zìn! 

Except that this Zìn, unlike Zinfandel, is made from the Fiano grape, a native of Campania and actually a rarity in Puglia.

It's $13.95 at the LCBO and quite delicious with floral and orchard fruit notes, pleasant herbal notes and a touch of minerality -- perfect apero wine or to accompany seafood and shellfish or pasta with white sauces.

Full name is Produttori Vini Manduria Zin Fiano 2017 IGT Salento, quite a mouthful and, by the way, Zìn is the local dialect for sea urchin as you'll see on the label. PVM also produces Primitivo red wine, the ancestor of California's fruity signature Zinfandel.

Everything's Coming Up Rosy!

Named for the doyenne of the Bosc family, the charming matriarch Madame Andree Bosc, this elegant and totally delicious 100% Pinot Noir pinky is a real palate-pleaser.

None of that horrid confected kids' candy stuff here: Cuvee d'Andree is close to what the good folks of 17th-Century Bordeaux used to call "clairet" when their own reds were pale and under-appreciated (except by the Brits - claret). Sure, they were using Cabernet, Merlot and other red grapes rather than Pinot, the lordly grape of Burgundy, but Bordeaux reds were light-colored and still are super food-friendly.

Today, too many winemakers misguidedly strive to darken the color of their reds believing that wine drinkers equate deep, dense color with high quality. Not so! Sorry California!

Pinot Noir and also Tempranillo, the great red grape of Rioja, Spain, always tend towards "clairet" in color and their finesse and magic on the palate are above reproach. I've always believed that Tempranillo was taken from Burgundy to Spain by the pilgrim monks traversing the Camino de Santiago and is closely related today.

The Bosc family recommends beef satay and grilled burgers or seared sea scallops with this crisp, dry 2018 VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake release, $16.95 LCBO 333260. The cran-strawberry and white pepper notes bring out the best from BBQ and grilling. Salmon, tuna and rice-based dishes like paella Valenciana would also be my choices.

There's only 500 cases, so get a wiggle on!

Going in circles: Get a perfect slice of Py

What's the value of Py? Well, at the LCBO Vintages, it's $23.95. Good value for a fine Cru Beaujolais.

This is the Morgon Cote du Py from Stephane Aviron, an exciting red made from Gamay grapes: still mildly tannic and fine with that, elegant and powerful with smoky red fruit depths. A wine for now and tomorrow, scoring 92, available at Vintages.

What's the perfect food with this fine Beaujolais? No question, roasted red meats and hard cheeses.

We should ideally have enjoyed it on March 14, the day the world (of math nerds anyway) celebrates the mathematical constant Pi (π) by eating, well, pie! March 14 falls on 3/14 the first three digits of Pi, which represents the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter.

We missed that but we can still circle back on this wine's subtle and delicious pencil lead/black cherry core.

To most of us, Pi is 3.14 but, like wine, it's not a simple fraction. A Google nerd -- Emma Haruka Iwao — has just worked out its value to 31.4 trillion digits.(Irony intended!)

That would be like: 3.141592653589793238462643383279502884197169399375105820974944592307816406286 ....

Corny jokes:

How many chefs does it take to make a pie? 3.14.

Worst thing about getting hit in the face with Pi is it never ends.

What is 1.57? Half a Pi.

What do you get when you cut a jack o’lantern? Pumpkin Pi.

Of course, if you use a French accent you could always say you're going for a Py!

 
For something leaner and more svelte, there's also the lovely Vasse Felix Filius Cabernet Sauvignon from Margaret River in the deep southwest of Australia on the corner of two oceans.

At $24.95 (v), it's terrific value  and includes a tranche of Merlot to mellow out the already lissome Cab, aged in barrique and elegant as all get out (92). I like the cassis thread through the black plum, cherry, vanillla and toasty (but not too toasty) oak.

Twenty five years ago a young Chilean winemaker was helping the fledgling Ontario wine industry find its feet. Today, Hernan Gras, back in his native land, is helping his own country excel as a New World wine producer. 
With a focus on high mountain terroirs he has pioneered the potential of the fabulous new wines coming from his homeland. 

The latest is a 25th Anniversary Limited Edition called Montgras Red 2015. It's a steal at $17.95 (v) as a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere and Syrah, Drinkable now with its silky tannins and smooth red fruit flavors, it's cellarable, but why would you want to?

Gorgeous "Guy Chicken" and what to drink with it!

In exactly one hour -- with a nod to Jamie Oliver -- even a guy can nail this delicious, simple roast and look like a star chef!

In a roasting dish, stuff the bird with chunks of fresh lemon, smashed garlic and diced red onion. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over top. Season well with salt, crushed black pepper and herbes de Provence. Place in the middle of the preheated oven at 450F. 

And DON'T touch it for exactly one hour.

The result --  perfectly crispy golden skin and moist, delicious tender meat. Voila!

Now, what to serve with it?

You could start the juices flowing with a fresh, light, fruity Prosecco from Duca Catemario, $19.95.

Then, proceed to a trusty grapefruity, crisp Riesling from New York State's l'Amoreaux Landing, $27.95, or perhaps an elegant Ontario Pinot Noir from Flat Rock Cellars, very Burgundian for your $$34.95. Staying with reds, you might go for the big, rich, ripe Tempranillo/Cabernet star from La Legua in Spain called El Transformador, $18.95!  There's also a silky, ripe Chianti, L'Oca Ciuca (crazy Goose!), for a mere $14.95, that could nicely dance with your crazy good chicken.

They're all in this weekend's Vintages release.

Pure Pleasure from the northern Rhone

Rhone wine star Francois Villard

Northern Rhone winemakers are far closer to their Burgundy confreres spiritually and in style and elegance than they are to their famous colleagues downriver in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. 

It's like night and day.

Lordly Chateauneuf is a delicious smorgasbord of different grapes while, by contrast, single-variety Syrah (almost alone) rules the north's reds, just as Pinot Noir rules Burgundy. The most famous Rhone white is single-variety Viognier (almost extinct not too long ago) while Burgundy boasts the world's most sublime 100% Chardonnay.

François Villard is one of the stars of the northern Rhône. He caught the wine bug as a chef then became a sommelier then full-time winegrower in 1991, starting in the tiny appellation of Condrieu. He now owns 37 hectares of vines across five crus. His wines are vibrant, high-energy, fresh and never too oak-heavy.

Good example red would be his St Joseph Poivre et Sol, a 100% Syrah, vibrant and elegant with a delicate spiciness, finesse and depth. Like all Francois' wines, it's on small allocations and is sometimes available in Ontario, like his other offerings, via Woodman Wines and Spirits, 416 767 5144 or at the LCBO. Villard's Certitude Croze-Hermitage 2015, also 100% Syrah, is available in a few LCBO stores at a very reasonable $40. WineSpec calls it "fresh, pure with a beam of cassis and cherry paste flavors backed by light-handed toast, a bright iron edge and a flash of violet." I call it finesse. His white Les Terrasses du Palat from Condrieu is 100% Viognier, wonderfully aromatic with minerality, amazing freshness and a hint of salinity on the finish.

Francois achieves this magic light touch by not over-extracting the red grapes by too much punching down the skins into the tanks and careful control of the "whole bunch"  fermentation -- including only perfectly ripe grape stems to give soft tannins and fine balance.

For maturation, as you might expect, it's only by careful aging in Burgundy oak barrels. Naturally!

As Old As You Feel?

Today I feel about 900 years old. Well, over 700, anyway.
If we really are what we eat (and drink), then I'm at least 657 years more ancient today!

That's 'cos I just drank four Madeiras, a Margaret River Chardonnay from Oz and a lovely Vina Tondonia Rioja totalling 657 years from their vintage dates.

And they were all wonderful and full of life

The Verdelho Madeira 1918, for example, was the best wine/food match I've ever tasted -- with foie gras, espresso and date puree, chicken vanilla jus and brioche. Beyond exquisite, at Piano Piano, Toronto, home base restaurant of the Estufarians, Madeira wine fans par excellence. 

The 1843 Verdelho, predating my own birth by exactly 100 years, was, like myself, alive and well, fading slightly, but still on great form, with caramel/toffee on the palate and honeycomb on the finish.

The 1863 Bual was a happy camper, too. Showing caramel, mocha and toffee in ethereal balance.

The "old" wine was the 1808 Malmsey, all floral, toffee and citrus, lighter, perhaps, but with a long aftertaste.

These are (were) all wines in the 94-97 point range and completely irreplaceable. Gone forever, now.

Grown long ago on the tiny Portuguese island off the coast of North Africa, these rarities were all obtained via auctions, usually from private cellars and estate sales. Ancient barrels and 5-gallon glass demijohns of the finest vintages were handed down generation to generation as family treasures on the island. 

Prices of these rarities are soaring and a single bottle that was imported from Madeira to Philadelphia in 1796 just sold for $15,925 at a Christie’s auction in New York.

The reason for the incredible lifespan of Madeira wines is the "Estufagem" method in its production. It's a 3-month heating process keeping the cellar temperature at 122°F or 4 months at 113°F. The Estufa is a stove -- hence the Estufarians. As a result, the young, high-acid wine takes on very complex reductive and oxidative qualities, a little like a well-aged Sherry, and is also fortified with grape brandy.

Then it's good to go for future generations!

Sherry, no risk, high reward

When I ordered a dry fino Sherry in a Hilton Double Tree recently in England, they offered me a Harvey's Bristol Cream! Furthest thing from delicate and dry that you can imagine!

OK, that was in the burbs, but you can't actually go wrong buying a Sherry anywhere.

It's the world's most underrated, under-priced wine. Fortified, from Spain, a serious bargain.

Too complicated to explain in less than a doctoral thesis but here's a guide:

Dry (fino and its saltier cousin manzanilla); medium (nutty amontillado and richer oloroso); and sweet (cream and pedro ximenez, like liquid raisins).
 
As The Guardian's wine critic wrote, "there's isn't much bad Sherry out there and it's reasonably priced, too."

You could start with a well-chilled Tio Pepe fino or La Gitana manzanilla -- with olives, nuts or tapas.

You can dilute them with lemonade to make a a rebujito. 

Medium Sherries can take bigger food: cheeses, mushrooms, meat, while the sweeties are all great with desserts.

Baristas are having fun using versatile Sherries as ingredients in every combo. 

The greatest name in the Sherry biz aside from Tio Pepe is Lustau, creator of a whole range of fabulous artisan versions.

Boaring, Boaring, Boaring!

You'd think winemakers would have

enough to contend with without wild boars charging down electric perimeter fences to scarf down their precious grapes!

Apparently not in Tuscany this summer, where drought made acorns and truffles scarce and put the foraging tuskers on serious hunger alert.

The temperatures approached 38 C and electric fences were no obstacle to the hungry porkers: 70% of the grape harvest became nibbles. The good news is what's left made a great, if small 2018 vintage.

All this came to my ears as I was enjoying 2013 Villa Le Torri, just 1,200 bottles made from my friend Elvio Del Sorbo's vines beside his villa in Tuscany, a Chianti farmhouse that dates back to the 1300s.

Not just any vines, you understand, but delightful Cabernet Franc, underrated parent of the lordly Cabernet Sauvignon.

You can't buy Le Torri, so I'll explain how it tastes and also share the name of something you can buy! Chateau Gourgazaud, a $14 red gem from the Minervois in sunny southern France.

Lighter, less tannic than Cab Sauv, Le Torri is elegant with a peacock's tail of ultra-ripe black berry fruit, like cassis, blackberry and blueberry. There's a kiss of new oak with a lick of vanilla, finishing with a touch of cedar and dry summer grass. James Suckling snagged a bottle and gave it a 93.

Gourgazaud, meanwhile, is mysteriously the only French wine among all the Ontario VQAs in my local Metro supermarket. Lucky for me, since I visited the property some years ago and am still impressed by its value for money.
 
A blend of syrah and mourvèdre showing blackberry, blueberry and plum with hints of black licorice, Provençal herbs and funky barnyard. Massively quaffable, smooth and affordable.

Abruzzo Worth Second Look -- And Taste!

"Best place to dine in Italy," according to many -- famed for its saffron, olive oil, lamb and truffles, and one of the great undiscovered fine wine regions, too.

Scrunched between the Apennine mountains and the Adriatic coast, just 30 minutes away, it has everything a winegrower could ask for -- except fame and fortune. And that's coming.

Known best in Canada for its $8-and-change everyday vino, Abruzzo is just now starting to show its true potential as a source of exceptional wine values.

Consistent co-ops are still thriving alongside emerging tiny boutique family ops that are outperforming famous names in other regions. 

The main Abruzzo red grape variety is Montepulciano, a probable sibling of Sangiovese, pride of Tuscany. In Abruzzo, it yields reds ranging from serviceable to stupendous. And we only now beginning to see the stupendous.

Great value starts with Bosco Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Eclipse, $8.35: deep ruby color; berry fruit with a touch of chocolate, smoke and barnyard; medium-bodied with plum and berry flavors and a touch of spice.

More upscale, Il Feoduccio Fonte Venna, $17, is ruby-red. cherry, raspberry, menthol and licorice. Fresh, juicy and approachable, with black cherry and spices, dusty tannins 
 

On the lighter side, there's a whole host of crisp, lemony Abruzzo dry whites by the name Pecorino: Like Citra Ferzo, $18, mildly tropical with apple and dried herbs. 

 

The good news is that a group of the top young Abruzzo producers were in town recently to show their terrific wines and hopefully find wine agents in Canada. May they connect and supply us sooner than later!

Names to watch for are Tilli, Ulisse, Ortona, Martello, Fontefico, and Di Sipio.

Bottega's The Gold Standard For Prosecco

The eyes feast first -- whether it's veal or vino! And, thanks to one of the world's great entrepreneurs, Sandro Bottega, we can all feast affordably on fine Prosecco, Italy's gift of great bubbly.

He almost single-handedly put Prosecco, made from Glera grapes in the northeastern province of Treviso, gateway to Venice, on the world wine map. A riot of dry, fruity, floral apple, white peach and citrus bubbles with notes of acacia and wisteria, it's a mouthful of soft, creamy fizz.

Grown sustainably from the chestnut forests of the Dolomites to the turquoise Adriatic, some 430 million bottles of Prosecco, slightly less than Moet Champagne, grace the world's tables. Sandro is pictured here with his Bottega Gold, launched in Ontario 13 years ago and still the industry leader. It took 4 years to perfect the brilliant bottle. Perfecting the wine began long before that.

When Sandro took over from Papa in 1983, Prosecco was a lowly, low priced and under-appreciated regional product. His high energy and promotional vision have transformed quality and image globally. He laughs about needing three phones: one to break, one for the media and one to make phone calls!

This is a man who slept and shaved in his car for the first two years to promote and sell his wines. All are single vintages and he swears by a best-by date of before five years old.

Best known in Ontario are Il Vino Dei Poeti Prosecco DOC Brut, $15, white and rose and Petalo, a Moscato, $14, Gold, $28, Club Grappa, $31, and even a Gin, Bottega Bacur, $31. Prosecco goes well with pasta, risotto, fish or meat dishes and vegetables, as well as pizza. Buon appetito!

Oh, You Big Brut!

From casual country weddings to noisy Formula One triumphs, there's no wrong place to splash out for bubbly wines, and that includes summer picnics, impromptu parties and romantic trysts. One version of fizz that can fill the bill anywhere is Chateau des Charmes' Brut Methode Traditionelle n/v and their "baby brut". ($25.95 and 15.95 respectively). A classic blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes combined in the traditional French (i.e. Champagne) style, it's carefully aged on the lees (the spent yeasts) for two to three years then filtered just before corking and shipping, (RD or recently disgorged) for freshness. The result, a creamy mini-explosion on your palate of Meyer lemon, lime zest and freshly toasted bread. All backgrounded by a steady stream of fine, persistent bubbles.

If you want to get all spicy, there's Chateau des Charmes Gewurztraminer 2016: This hand-harvested spicy grape, with its origins in Alsace, France, planted in Canada by the Bosc family in 1996, is hitting its peak now in Niagara with its bouquet of ultra-ripe tropical fruits and lychee, smooth, rich and complex. There’s a hint of residual sugar that gives a luscious mouthfeel without extra sweetness.

Riesling Forever!

There’s no place like home – when it comes to growing Riesling. That would be Germany (which welcomed the migrant grape from Austria, 300 years ago, actually). 

The world’s largest and arguably the best Riesling grower by a mile, Germany’s still #1 and its red wines are getting better, too, thanks to global warming!

From parts of the Mosel Valley that resemble the mountains of Machu Picchu (it’s not farming, it’s climbing), to the rolling southern hills of the Pfalz, Germany’s Tuscany, there’s every style of elegant Riesling.There's no grape that more truly expresses the terroir of its origins while maintaining fruit, finesse and minerality. Its crispy acidity lends the wine a racy freshness and aging potential.

Wine consumption on the rise in Germany and a new generation of motivated young winemakers is re-energizing centuries-old Teutonic quality.

Take Graacher Domprobst, for example, the off-dry star from the Selbach Oster family in the Mosel: ancient vines, rich, spicy-smoky flavors of apricot-pear and dried fruits, ageable and delicious now, $35.

Or Scharzhofberger Kabinett from Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt, a symphony of pear-apple, mango and honeyed notes (HHD Imports).

White wine accounts for 2/3 of production today in Germany, which is also the world’s biggest consumer of sparkling wines: 400 million bottles a year!

Remember, everything happens for a Riesling! A German Riesling, this case. 31 days of German Riesling is back July 1, with an amazing prize - a long weekend getaway for two to Berlin!  #31DaysofGermanRiesling #Germanwine #Germany #Riesling

Meanwhile, there’s more to New Zealand than Hobbits and Middle Earth. If you want to be a trendsetter, buy some New Zealand Riesling! Stunningly good, unheralded, almost unobtainable except through private wine agencies.

The range starts with exquisite peach/apricot-scented, tropical, bone-dry Marlborough versions like Staete Landt, $28, (Lifford), and lean, stony Mount Riley (sbswwineimports.com), or steely, elegant Felton Road from Central Otago (Lifford).

Very gradually we move upwards in sweetness to mineral-grapefruit Craggy Range Te Muna Road in Martinborough, $28, (Select Wines), and the sweeter, more lush Waimea Classic from Nelson (Churchill Cellars) $19, and the honey-citrus Waipara Hills North Canterbury, $22, (sgws.com).