It seems as though summer has finally arrived, giving us no chance to get used to it by easing into it.
No complaints here, we've waited far too long for this sunshine. All three of the wines I am sharing with you today are summer-ready. Whether it be for just sipping on the patio or BBQ burgers, one of these wines is sure to compliment.
The areas where these wines come from also vary - from France to Chile, and then finishing off in B.C. By choosing the white wine from France and the red wine from Chile I am really stepping out of my comfort zone. These aren't my typical fruit-forward choices, but they are all worth trying.
Muscadet Svre Et Maine
Chteau De La Gravelle 2010 (411066)
France
$17.97
When it comes to choosing a French wine it can become a confusing venture. Even for me. It can be a very intimidating country to choose a wine from. Most wines contain nothing on the label to let you know what varietal the wine is made from, or sometimes not even any English on the label.
That in itself can be confusing, and great wines are passed-by simply because the average consumer doesn't have a clue what everything means on the label. Let me help explain the label on this bottle and what it means. Chteau doesn't always mean a grand home or place to live. It can simply mean there is a home or hut on the estate.
Chteau de la Graville Muscadet Svre et Maine, sur lie - basically that means Svre et Maine is actually a small area of the western Loire Valley region. The sur lie on the label simply means the wine stayed in contact with dead yeast after fermentation.
The varietal is the Muscadet which is the only varietal grown in the western end of the Loire Valley. The Muscadet is also known as the Melon de Bourgogne, which is a very light, neutral variety. Therefore, it can be left on the lees, or sur lie, which adds more body in the final product. White wines produced in the Loire are known for their fruity flavours and fresh crisp acidity.
This is the perfect example of a wine from the Pays Nantis region with its bitter lemon and grapefruit rinds followed by a hint of honey. A classic pairing for this white wine is fresh oysters - it doesn't get any better than that. If oysters aren't your thing, try pairing it with any salty seafood dish and enjoy.
$17.97
Koyle Reserva
Syrah 2010 (748228)
Chile
$16.99
Talk about winemaking traditions, the Undurraga family have been producing wines in the Colchagua Valley for more than six generations now. The Koyle winery is considered a premium winery.
Factors that come into play when considering this are its location and terroir in the valley. The vineyards are located in a Mediterranean microclimate on the slopes of the Andes Mountains. The soils there contain lots of clay and large stones with optimal drainage. These two factors really play a big part in the finished product that we can all enjoy. All of the grapes for this Syrah were handpicked, ensuring just the right ones get picked for this Reserva Syrah.
Vina Koyle is very proud of the fact, and they should be, that they follow biodynamic management in their vineyards ensuring they reflect the terroir of Chile and all it has to offer. About sixty per cent of this Syrah was aged in French oak then blended to ensure the characteristics remain. A small amount of Carmenere was also added for extra body. I have to admit this is not a wine I would normally choose, but going out on a limb sometimes is OK.
I would consider this an old-world-style red wine with the leather aromas and chewy tannins. The ripe dark fruits are there in aroma and on the palate. The oak was very strong, along with herbs and loads of spice. You could pair this with a BBQ steak and baked potatoes. This red wine was awarded 90 points from the Wine
Enthusiast.
For this month we are featuring wines from Chile so come in and check them out. Great price for a 90-point wine.
$16.99
Thornhaven
Gewurztraminer 2012 (468850)
Bc Vqa
$17.90
Thornhaven Estate is located in Summerland and owned and operated by the Fraser family. This estate can be considered very young as it was established in 1999. The winery building itself is south-western style which reminded me of something you would see down in the lower States.
The style definitely fits the area with its sagebrush, cacti and ponderosa pines all around. Someone was thinking when they built this winery. Instead of having to pump the fruit juice from a crush pad, the structure was made to gravity-feed it all the way to the cellar where the magic happens.
Thornhaven grows their fruit in six different vineyards located along the Giant's Head Mountain, which includes eighteen acres owned by the estate and sixteen acres of land they do not own, but they purchase grapes from the owners of that land. You may have been one of the lucky few like I was to taste and enjoy last year's vintage.
Once again, this Gewurztraminer won't last too long as we have a limited quantity.
Now, we also have the next vintage, which I believe is even better than last year - if that's possible. You can consider this a great example of what a Gewurztraminer from B.C. has to offer. On the nose, there are lots of floral notes which go into flavours of citrus, smoothed over by orchard peaches and honey. You can easily pair this with a nice teriyaki beef stir fry or almost any other spicy dish you like.
$ 17.90
Kim Cabral is a product consultant at the B.C. Signature Liquor Store, Pine Centre. The bracketed numbers are the product codes for the B.C. liquor stores.
