LCBO Food and Drink Holiday 2015

SEASONAL  BEST OF 2015

Lagaria Chardonnay Vigneti delle Dolomiti LCBO 404483, $13.55 The foothills of the Dolomites in Italy’s north- eastern Trentino region are amazingly beauti- ful. Rivers purl through deep glacial valleys; the breezy, sunlit hills above are swathed in apple orchards and vineyards. That’s where the Chardon- nay grows that goes into this thoroughly appeal- ing vino—most of it fer- mented and aged in steel, but some in French oak. I think it’s the spiciness of the oak that lends a floral note—more like spring violets than white flowers— to the more predictable aromas of ripe pears and apples. Delightful on its own, this elegant Char- donnay is also great with white pizza or fish dishes.

DEEP, RIPE,

tangy A N D

RICH

Nugan Estate Alfredo Second Pass Shiraz LCBO 368811, $15.90

Australia’s Nugan Estate makes an Amarone-style wine from dried Shiraz grapes; then they use the pressed skins to enrich this Second Pass ripasso, followed by two years’ aging in oak. The result calls for every adjective you ever heard for a big Aussie red—deep, ripe, tangy, rich—not to mention the seductive flavours of black cherry and raspberry shot through with spicy dark chocolate. Try it with roast lamb or venison stew.

Raimat Tempranillo LCBO 372177, $14.95

The quest for food-friendly reds that won’t break the bank often leads me to Spain. It’s the sleek infrastructure of acids and tannins that make these wines so useful at the table. In the case of this Catalan Tempranillo, they are richly cloaked in the flavours of cherry and redcurrant, mocha and black pepper. Perfect for pasta with meat sauce.

BOTTLE SHOTS BY MICHAEL MAHOVLICH

82  FOOD & DRI NK HOLIDAY 2015