LCBO Food and Drink Winter 2016

NewWorld Originals

Australia makes lots of terrific single-varietal Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz; winemakers there have also been blending them together for decades, balancing the Cab’s firm, tannic blackcurrant with Shiraz’s richer, more extracted peppery blackberry character. Penfolds’s much- loved Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet ( LCBO 285544, $16.95) was created in 1976, a dry, full- bodied classic with a cloak of ripe fruit envelop- ing a most elegant structure. Both varieties love oak and you can taste it here, with all sorts of mint and graphite nuances on the nose.   Also from South Australia, Hardys Butcher’s Gold ( LCBO 219139, $14.95) enhances ripe, brood- ing Shiraz with Sangiovese, the great grape of cen- tral Italy. Its contribution involves cherry aromas and flavours, bright acidity and a tannic edge that Hardys accurately describes as “rustic.” Yes, it’s big and muscular, but more like a track-and-field star than a bruiser, and the lingering finish shows a true touch of class.   Shiraz really seems to get on well with an awful lot of different partners! South African Rhône-style expert Goats Do Roam has come up with Goats in Villages ( LCBO 350538, $12.95), a marriage of Shiraz and local star Pinotage. Here’s the familiar peppery blackberry and rich extract

of Shiraz mingled with a spicy espresso note from the Pinotage to create a dry, robust red with plenty of oakiness. It’s an interesting and unusual combination that takes you from pizza to barbecue. Tribunal Red ( LCBO 394817, $18.95) is a bit of a mystery. It’s the creation of a Californian collective and offers no clues on the label—just a whimsical image of a courtroom with animals playing human roles. The blend is a real fruit salad, including Zinfandel, Syrah, Merlot, Petite Syrah, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempra- nillo and Dolcetto! The surprise is the delicious balance the wine achieves—aromas and flavours of raspberry and blackcurrant with just enough oak and acidity to leaven the ripe fruitiness.   Not every red mélange has to be hefty. Ontario’s own, organic Southbrook Connect ( LCBO 249565, $17.95) is a clear, clean, light to middleweight blend of Cabernet Franc, Zweigelt and Gamay. Juicy and with a splash of oaky vanilla and spice, it tastes of morello cherry and straw- berries—one of those reds that really refreshes, especially if you give it 10 minutes in the fridge before opening the bottle. The recent hard win- ters mean there’s none available now, but look for it later this summer: it’s worth waiting for.

Pizza WITH CHORIZO, BROCCOLINI, BLACKENED TOMATOES & MANCHEGO recipe on page 89

58  FOOD & DRI NK WINTER 2016