In Vino Veritas
While all Canadians of legal drinking age have been given the opportunity to be vaccinated, many of us here at In Vino Veritas refrained from travelling this summer. We instead enjoyed a wine-filled summer in Ontario. Since the desire to travel abroad remains as high as ever, we thought it would be a great time to discuss our summer winederlust and review some wines from places that we wished we could have travelled to.
We chose wines this month from around the world. Angela talks about a wine from Austria which she discovered through Not your Parent’s Wine’s case club. Reya, who wished she could have hiked through Patagonia this summer, reviews a popular red wine from Chile. Tom discusses a great Portuguese wine from the illustrious Iberian peninsula. In lieu of a trip to Italy, Sawyer reviews an excellent wine from Tuscany.
Angela Gu
Claus Preisinger Puszta Libre!
$45 delivered from Not Your Parent’s Wine case club
Had I been able to travel this summer, I would’ve taken a solo Europe trip, adding tally marks to my country count. Instead, I spent the summer accumulating bottles from Not Your Parent’s Wine’s (NYPW) case club. NYPW delivers a bottle from each month’s surprise case to your doorstep and you also get access to exclusive web content about the wine of the month. The content includes tasting notes, details about the grapes and the regions, the winemaker’s story, and of course, a recipe to enjoy with your bottle.
This was NYPW’s August bottle. It’s from Burgenland, Austria, made of Saint Laurent and Zweigelt grapes (comparable to pinot noir and gamay, respectively). I followed NYPW’s instructions to give it a “hard chill,” which seems like an odd treatment for a red, but then again, this is not your typical red. You might even like “Puzta Libre!” if you categorically dislike red wines. If you need any more convincing, the cork is stamped with a winky face emoji.
It’s a beautiful purple colour in the glass, and it’s lightly floral and a little salty on the nose. A sip reveals a zippy acidity. It induces a pucker, and reminds me of the dried salted plums my grandparents always had around. There’s the tiniest tinge of funk, because after all, it’s biodynamic and low intervention.
If you want to hunt down a bottle, it’s currently available for $42 at The Federal at 1438 Dundas St. West. Pair with charcuterie and summer weather.
Reya Manerikar
Santa Carolina Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon
$13.95 from the LCBO
Being stuck inside my Toronto apartment for the last year has made me crave adventure, so I chose the Carolina Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon. Chile is known for producing full-bodied reds, but don’t expect a traditional cab sauv here! Shying away from stereotypes, Carolina boasts a medium body and medium tannin levels. This wine is peppery on the nose and the palate is composed of surprisingly subtle raspberry notes. After a summer of drinking light wines in the Toronto heat, I welcomed a gentle transition into the heavier wines of fall. I paired my glass with a simple cacio e pepe.
Tom Russell
Quinta do Cume White Reserva 2018
$29.95 from the LCBO
If you’re interested in indulging in the illustrious Iberia without interfering with your injurious impulsion to remain indoors, then look no further than this delicious Malvasia blend by Quinta do Cume. Malvasia Fina is a Portuguese variety of the Malvasia wine grape family historically grown around the Mediterranean. Quinta do Cume operates in the Douro Valley, a major wine-producing region in Northern Portugal best known for its port wines. That being said, this Malvasia Fina blend did not disappoint. This is a dry, full-bodied, and acidic wine with a beautiful pale color. I noted flavors of oak, citrus, and vanilla. Pair this wine with shellfish, cured meat, or a cheese platter.
Sawyer Peloso
Frescobaldi Castiglioni Chianti 2018
$15.95 from the LCBO
After having done many wine-crawls in the Niagara and Prince Edward County regions in Ontario, I had a strong desire to do a multi-week wine-tasting adventure in Tuscany, Italy. The Chianti region in Tuscany is known for their Sangiovese grapes so I chose the 2018 Frescobaldi Castiglioni. It is one of many excellent value Chiantis you can find at the LCBO. On the nose it has strong hints of cherry and other berries. On the palate I found it to be very fresh and expressive with notes of cherry and strawberry. It boasts a medium body with a dry but smooth finish, making it a great option for a summer dinner. This wine pairs very well with most foods; however, in the spirit of winederlust, I chose to have the wine with a pasta dish. It did not disappoint. Overall, I highly recommend!
