LCBO Food & Drink Autumn 2017

WINE  BIG TIME

BEST PAIRED WITH AN autumn bbq

With the sizzle and smoke in the air there may also be a slight chill, so choose rich and warming wines to complement grilled foods and hearty sides.

MAGNUM OPUS Pro tips and information

SAFE AND SOUND  “Larger bottles have thicker glass and keep wine safer from light, temperature fluctuation and transportation,” says Zoltan Szabo, som­ melier and wine consultant. WHITE FLAGS  Since there is less oxi­ dation in a large bottle, “magnums tend to age a lot more slowly and certainly keep whites and Champagnes fresher,” says Lorie O’Sullivan, sommelier at The Ritz-Carlton Toronto. PREP SCHOOL  Set bottles of red up­ right the day before, so sediment settles. Allow several hours to fridge-chill large whites or up to an hour in an ice bath. “Use a sink or tub,” says Sheila Flaherty of importer Halpern Wine. POUR TECHNIQUE  Magnums are heavy, so open on a low surface. “A table, not a countertop,” says Serguei Kourokhtine, maitre d’ at Toronto’s Le Notre Bistro. Pour with one hand at the bottom, thumb in the punt (dent), and one under the neck.

our picks

MASI CAMPOFIORIN IGT LCBO 616276, 1.5 L, $40.00

MASI MASIANCO PINOT GRIGIO & VERDUZZO LCBO 372185, 1.5 L, $27.95 Considered a sister wine of the Campofio- rin, this citrusy, slightly nutty white is also made in the appassimento method, making it an ideal component of the same meal. It tastes glorious alongside cooked or raw bit- ter greens and also holds up well to grilled pork, chicken and fish.

OPEN SMOOTH RED VQA LCBO 492249, 3L, $39.95

Made in the appassimento or two-fermentation method that’s a signature of the Veneto region, this smoky, black-cherry ripasso complements grilled meat or mushrooms and sings with any- thing tomato-based (barbecue sauce, salads). It’s excellent with cheese; crumble goat cheese into a salad, or stuff pork tenderloin or chicken breasts with cheese and herbs before grilling.

This juicy spicy blend works well with any grilled meat, but even non-meat-eaters will savour it with grilled veggies. Tap the wine from the box into decanters or rustic jugs for easy service at the table.

108  FOOD & DRI NK AUTUMN 2017