LCBO Food and Drink Autumn 2016

WINE ONTARIO WINE STARS

Château des Charmes St. David’s Bench Vineyard Gamay Noir This really is a fascinat- ing homegrown ingenue, a distinct new clone of Gamay Noir discovered by Paul Bosc in his Château des Charmes vineyard in the early 1980s and now recognized as Canada’s first indigenous vinifera vine! It grows straighter and stron- ger than regular Gamay Noir and is a tad more com- plex, with a spicy warmth and hint of smokiness under the classic cherry flavours. Bosc propagated it and the winery vinifies it as a separate varietal, without any oak to mask its natural personality. Try it with any kind of barbecued meats. Droit VQA VINTAGES 346742, $16.95

Thirty Bench Riesling VQA VINTAGES ESSENTIALS 24133, $19.95

A flawless beauty, this wine gives a disarmingly lovely interpreta- tion of one of Niagara’s oldest and best Riesling vineyards. There’s a touch of floral and a hint of apple in the basket of citrus fruits, then a murmur of Benchland minerality as a kiss goodbye. Medium- dry, it’s remarkably versatile at table.

Flat Rock Pinot Noir VQA VINTAGES ESSENTIALS 1545, $20.20 Red berry, black cherry, a line of spice and a wet-stone top-of-the-escarpment minerality—some things can be relied upon. Flat Rock Pinot changes with the vintage, but like any star it’s always recognizable, consistent and impeccably balanced. Fans love its approachability, its value and that long, sophisticated finish.

FOOD & DRI NK AUTUMN