by Mary Bailey
Did you know Petit Chablis is a thing?
A region, a classic wine at an accessible price, Chardonnay in all its purity. July is Petit Chablis month. Several wine shops (Bin 104, Boudreau Wines in St Albert, Color de Vino, deVine Wines and Prestige Wine) are offering a three pack of Petit Chablis. Color is featuring Garnier & Fils, Alain Geoffroy and William Fèvre. As well, there are draws to win a charcuterie board from The Butchery along with Petit Chablis to enjoy during a Zoom tasting with Master of Wine Barb Phillips and Gurvinder Bhatia, August 26. Guru, The Marc, Partake and RGE RD are also featuring Petit Chablis on their menus.
No/low may be your next drink
Mark Kuspira, a wine and spirits importer based in Calgary (Crush Imports) has started a new company entirely devoted to no/low alcohol beverages. It’s called soft crush and we’ll tell you more next issue. In the meantime, get your hands on Noughty, a Spanish chardonnay vinified in stainless steel, de-alcoholised by vacuum distillation with aroma recovery, then lightly carbonated. Low sugar, 2.9 g/l, 14 calories per glass, certified organic, vegan and halal. Low or no alcohol wine has come a long way. Check it out!
Picnic in the park
Bijou Le Chic Pays D’oc IGT (1.5 l) The white is a crisp New Zealand-style Sauvignon Blanc, and the rosé is pale, Provence-style Grenache—bone dry, fragrant with strawberries and very appealing. Le Chic comes in a handy pouch wine and stays fresh in the fridge for up to 30 days. It goes everywhere (backpack, picnic basket, bike handle) and has a low carbon footprint due to its light weight. We are starting to see more credible wines like this one in alternative packaging like pouches and cans.
RDT (ready to drink canned cocktails) have become ubiquitous, so easy to pop in the fridge, then into the picnic basket. We love Collective Arts for their delicious flavours and support of artists. New in its RDT lineup are the Pink Gin Soda and Raspberry Bitter Orange. The Sparkling Hard Teas come in three flavours—mango pineapple, blueberry elderberry and peach orange. Expect premium tea with a fresh fruit infusion and no added sugar. Design by Brazilian artist Thiago Thipan, five per cent ABV.
New this year—Dashfire Canned Cocktails. Starting with bitters in 2013, this family company now makes tasty and innovative cocktails, spirits and coffee. They taste like the real thing, with high quality base ingredients, unique flavour blends and balanced flavours. Try the White Russian, Old Fashioned (cherry, chicory and vanilla) and the Manhattan (rye, bitter, black mission fig, vanilla, rhubarb and Cascara cherries). Be careful though. Don’t let those little cans fool you—the Old Fashioned and the Manhattan pack a punch at 38 per cent ABV, $6/can. Dashfire also makes a café series—Cold Brew Bourbon, Café Mocha and a Golden Latte (turmeric) made with rum, 200ml, $7/can.
Glou Glou wines from the Loire
Pithon-Paillé is one of the Loire’s biodynamic heroes—we are thrilled to see their wines in shops here. The Grololo red, made from Grolleau (indigenous to the Loire) is fresh, deliciously earthy, smoky and fruity with low tannin, balanced acidity and lowish alcohol. It will become your go-to summer red. Chill down and drink on the deck with friends. The white is a blend of the Loire’s trio of white grapes—Sauvignon Blanc from Touraine, Melon de Bourgogne from Muscadet, Chenin Blanc from Anjou. We loved its freshness, its clarity, the long finish and complete and utter drinkability, delicious! The cheeky labels? A play on Grolleau and French slang—wine being mother’s milk and all that.
Walter Gregor’s Tonic Waters from Scotland
Claire Rennie started Walter Gregor’s (named after a Victorian minister famous for his love of botany) to make tonic waters equal in flavour and quality to the burgeoning number of craft Scottish gins. The unique in-bottle pasturization process creates a soft bubble and Walter Gregor’s tonics come in several flavours—apple and cinnamon, Scottish raspberry, mint and cucumber, spiced and original, $2.75/bottle. The Original comes in a four pack/$10 too. Find at Color de Vino, Freson Brothers Rabbit Hill, Italian Centre South and the new Sherwood Park location (when open). Delicious with gin of course, but also lovely over ice with a sprig of mint or rosemary.
Pretty in Pink
We are finding that Croft Pink Port makes a very good cocktail. Try in a Paloma Rosa, in Sangria and especially in a Spritz. That’s 3 oz. Croft Pink, 4 oz. Cune Cava, a few dashes orange bitters, top with sparkling water. Refreshing!
Marotti Campi Brut Rosé is made from Lacrima, the rare indigenous grape of Morro d’Alba. Marotti Campi has made a specialty of this grape and we love it in this bubbly style. Intense aromas of rose and geranium, with a beautiful texture, earthiness and red fruit similar to Pinot Noir. Drink it as an aperitivo, with grilled salmon, or as you would a Lambrusco with a charcuterie board. Worth seeking out, what a treat.
Romeo’s Gin X is a new gin from Montreal made for summer sipping. The notes of watermelon, cucumber, lavender, dill, lemon, almond and juniper are enhanced by Fever Tree’s Mediterranean Tonic and two dashes grapefruit butters on the rocks. Special edition bottle art by Montreal-based artist MissMe.
Capezzana Vin Ruspo Rosato di Carmignano DOC, is not just for summer but, during the season, it’s a regular in the fridge door. This mostly Sangiovese blend from Carmigiano (near Florence) is so delicious—sprightly freshness, savoury, with the most wonderful tension on the palate. We get thirsty just thinking about it. Drink with pork, Arctic char, hummus and pita.
Grilling Season
Navarro Lopez is a third-generation family winery in the Valdepeñas. They practise minimal winemaking with old vines—old school—which we like immensely. Their wines? Always reliable and great value. The 2020 Navarro Lopez Rojo Garnacha VDT Tierra de Castilla, $16, is an easy-going, juicy grenache. On hot days plunk in the fridge for 20 minutes then drink with ribs or lechon take out from Filistix. The Para Celsus, $20, is the big brother. Certified organic Tempranillo, well-balanced with beautiful acidity and lots of flavour and complexity. Decant before dinner to let the flavours develop. Your best New York cut deserves this wine.
2019 Madonna delle Grazie SAGARIS Rosato Basilicata IGT. This full-bodied rosado (Aglianico del Vulture) may convince those who dismiss rosé as inconsequential. Expect full-on flavour, with intriguing pepper and stone fruit notes, a hint of tannin and spice, savoury and fresh. Drink with Korean barbecue, Greek lamb or pork tenderloin with herbs.
Viña Chocalán wines from the Maipo Valley, Chile are well-made wines of outstanding value. The 2020 Gran Reserva Chardonnay possesses beautiful stone fruit and white flower aromas with well-integrated oak and a long finish. We loved the slightly salty mineral notes on the fresh palate. Drink this chilled with salmon on the grill, steamed lobster or shrimp salad rolls. The 2018 Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon has 15 per cent Cabernet Franc and five per cent Petit Verdot, lending beautiful violet notes to the aromas, along with black berry fruit notes, sweet oak, warm baking spice and beautifully ripe, elegant tannins. Concentrated and structured, a classic with rib eye, drink now to 2026. The 2018 Gran Reserva Carmenere also has 15 per cent Cab Franc and five per cent PV, luscious, ideal with a juicy burger. All, $20ish.
Gnarly Head has teamed up with Napoleon Grills to launch Summer Just Got Lit. Enter to win a Napoleon Phantom Rogue Grill at gnarlyhead.modisclub.com or with a QR code found in store until August 31. Or, post a pic of your fav recipe pairing until July 31 with Gnarly Head Old Vine Zin or Cab Sauv. Use the hashtag #GnarlyHeadCanada and you will be entered to win a Napoleon Phantom TravelQ Pro Grill.