LCBO Food and Drink Winter 2016

Braised Oxtail WITH STEWED EGGPLANT, RED PEPPERS & BAY LEAF recipe on page 88

Southern Rho^ne-Style Syrah is the intense, peppery superstar of the northern Rhône; in the south it adds class and longevity to red blends, often used with Grenache and Mourvèdre. That’s the recipe for Kellermeister’s The Funk Wagon GSM ( LCBO 400465, $15.90) from Australia, where Syrah is called Shiraz and Mourvèdre is known as Mataro. Smooth tannins, a sly acidity and peppery spice mitigate the ripe sweetness of black fruit and pomegranate in this full-bodied beauty.   Adding a dash of aromatic white Viognier to Syrah is an old Rhône practice now followed in South Africa in Boekenhootskloof The Wolftrap ( LCBO 292557, $13.95). The Viognier adds perfume to the rich, spicy blackberry notes of this big, warm-hearted smoothy. Unlike so many modern red blends, it stops short of sweetness. Try it with all sorts of hearty, meaty dishes, including our oxtail.   South Africa is also the source of Goats Do RoamRed ( LCBO 718940, $12.95), a name which pokes a little fun at Côtes du Rhône but was not seen as funny in France. Fairview winery’s owner and vintner, Charles Back, may be a joker but the wine itself is a serious blend of southern Rhône varieties, judiciously oaked and very reasonably priced. Look for plum and raspberry aromas with a twist of cinnamon and vanilla.

54  FOOD & DRI NK WINTER 2016