REDS WITHIN REACH
Feeling the pinch after the holidays? These bottles are under $15 but worthy
I regularly get email from readers asking for a list of my favourite inexpensive wines. So as the holiday season is over, I figured this is a great time to bring out this list of reds.
I have great respect for wineries that can produce a solid wine for under $15. In many ways, this category is what wine is all about, since only a small percentage of people can afford to drink expensive bottles on a weekly basis.
What do I look for in a wine in this category? I don’t expect it to taste like one that is much more expensive. Such wines for under $15 are unicorns, and if they do taste like more expensive bottles, it’s often because of winemaking trickery.
For under $15, I still want a wine that expresses a place, the grape varieties, and shows a certain humility. I also don’t like much residual sugar in my reds.
Almost all of these wines are regularly listed, so they can be found easily in SAQ stores across the province.
FRUIT-DRIVEN WINES
Good for apéritifs and lighter meals.
Innovacion 2016, Mendoza, Zuccardi, Argentina red, $9, SAQ # 12518819: Shows a touch more texture than the previous vintage. The same black fruit notes one would expect from malbec, but with a much finer tannic structure. Hint of wood spice on the finish, but this remains a straightforward, fruit-driven and nicely dry wine. Grape varieties: tempranillo, malbec. Residual sugar: 3.6 g/L. Serve at: 15 C. Drink now. Food pairing idea: apéritif, quesadillas, vegetarian burritos. Rioja 2015, Rioja Vega, Spain red, $11.40, SAQ # 12699197: Classic table wine that will pair nicely with most dishes. So fresh, with crunchy ripe fruit and a refreshing minty finish. Just enough tannin to hold it together. Grape varieties: tempranillo, grenache. Residual sugar: 1.6 g/L. Serve at: 15 C. Drink now. Food pairing idea: apéritif, vegetarian dishes, lamb kebabs. Puglia 2014, Scià, Podere Castorani, Italy red, $13.30, SAQ # 10966765: Lots of fruit, but with classic sangiovese acidity and a peppery finish. Tannins are there, but this is all fruit. Keep this cool. Because of the acidity, this is ideal for tomato sauces. Grape variety: sangiovese. Residual sugar: 5 g/L. Serve at: 14 C. Drink now. Food pairing idea: apéritif, vegetarian pizza with tomato/basil sauce, spaghetti with tomato sauce. Saint-Chinian 2015, Clos Bagatelle, France red, $13.45, SAQ # 12824998: One of my favourite appellations of the Languedoc, where fruit and garrigue, or wild aromatic herbs, share the stage. A mix of fresh red fruits with a lingering rosemary finish. That meaty edge of the carignan is nuanced, but it’s there. Grape varieties: grenache, syrah, carignan. Residual sugar: 1.7 g/L. Serve at: 16 C. Drink now. Food pairing idea: falafel, lamb kebabs with yogurt and mint sauce. Cahors 2014, Chatons du Cèdre, France red, $14.20, SAQ # 560722: Malbec’s feminine side. It’s still Cahors: dark-fruited, with licorice and other earthier notes. So fear not, Cahors lovers — it still has torque. But the tannins are soft, almost silky, the fruit so juicy, and the subtle floral notes give this normally rustic wine a touch more elegance. Grape varieties: malbec, merlot. Residual sugar: n/a. Serve at: 16 C. Drink now. Food pairing idea: beef brochettes with tarragon.
MEDIUM-BODIED WINES WITH MODERATE TANNINS
Can work as apéritifs, but also with white meats and lighter red-meat dishes.
Cariñena 2010, Crianza, Monasterio de Las Vinas, Spain red, $12.25, SAQ # 539528: At seven years of age, this is hitting its peak, which is a nice option to have rather than buying a “young” wine. Has all the attributes one expects from older Spanish wines, from the leathery and tobacco notes to the mix of fresh and dried fruits. Tannins are soft but still grip. Grape varieties: cabernet sauvignon, tempranillo, cariñena, garnacha. Residual sugar: 2.1 g/L. Serve at: 16 C. Drink now. Food pairing idea: pork or chicken roast with mushrooms. Yecla 2014, Monastrell, Old Vines, Bodega Castano, Spain red, $12.40, SAQ # 10946334 (SAQ Dépôt only): Easy drinking. Good fruit here without being smothered by oak. The wood is there, but acts as a spicy, smoky backbeat to the central sunbaked, dark fruit. Tannins are easy. Perfect for a braised piece of meat because of its silky texture. Grape variety: monastrell. Residual sugar: 3.9 g/L. Serve at: 16 C. Drink now-2018. Food pairing idea: grilled chicken or beef brochettes. Côtes du Ventoux 2014, Grande Réserve des Challières, France red, $12.85, SAQ # 331090: Pure southern Rhône goodness, with bright red fruits tinged with black olive and dried herbs. The tannins are ripe with a nice midpalate silkiness. Grape varieties: grenache, syrah. Residual sugar: 2.3 g/L. Serve at: 16 C. Drink now. Food pairing idea: vegetarian pizza with black olives. Corbières 2014, Château du Grand Caumont, France red, $13.55, SAQ # 316620: I find the 2014 fruitier than the earthier, meatier 2013. Great complexity, soft tannins, with a finish of peppery spice and cedar. But beyond the complexity, this just drinks so easily. Grape varieties: carignan, syrah, grenache. Residual sugar: n/a. Serve at: 16 C. Drink now. Food pairing idea: beef brochettes with tarragon. Vin de Pays d'Oc 2015, Marius, Chapoutier, France red, $14.45, SAQ # 11975196: Classic southern France expression, with its complex mix of fruit and garrigue. Very Chapoutier in its elegance and finesse. Grape varieties: grenache, syrah. Residual sugar: 2.1 g/L. Serve at: 16 C. Drink now2018. Food pairing idea: pork or chicken roast with mushrooms.
FULL-BODIED WINES
Ideal for red meats and powerfully flavoured recipes.
Sicilia Igt 2015, Nari, Nero d'Avola/Petit Verdot, Firriato, Italy red, $10.45, SAQ # 11905809: The 2015 is a touch more tannic, so be ready for it. Shows lots of dark but fresh fruit, with cassis leading the way, and a peppery finish. Let this breathe for an hour before drinking. Grape varieties: nero d’avola, petit verdot. Residual sugar: 2.8 g/L. Serve at: 18 C. Drink now-2018. Food pairing idea: rib roast, pepper steak. Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, Douglas Green, Western Cape, DGB, South Africa red, $11.05, SAQ # 12383248: Getting better and better with each vintage. There is a touch of sweetness on the attack, but the finish is rich and with tannins that actually grip. There is a hint of smoke, which adds some complexity. A very solid wine. Grape variety: cabernet sauvignon. Residual sugar: 2.8 g/L. Serve at: 16 C. Drink now. Food pairing idea: smoked ribs, grilled steak. Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2015, Riparosso, Illuminati, Italy red, $14.30, SAQ # 10669787: Very well done, and with lots going on considering the price. Has a solid tannic finish, so be aware. But if you are chomping on some meat, it will help reveal loads of red fruit, spice and some dried herbs and licorice on the finish. While powerful, the wine stays remarkably fresh. Grape variety: montepulciano. Residual sugar: n/a. Serve at: 16 C. Drink now2019. Food pairing idea: pepper steak, magret de canard with wild berry sauce. Shiraz 2015, Reserva, Luis Felipe Edwards, Chile red, $13.80, SAQ # 10754181: Shiraz? Syrah? While the folks at Edwards call it shiraz, this has a decidedly northern Rhône syrah feel. Blackberry, fine and layered tannin, fresh acidity and herb and mineral finish. Grape variety: shiraz. Residual sugar: 3.4 g/L. Serve at: 16 C. Drink now-2018. Food pairing idea: steak with spice on the grill. Dão 2014, Duque de Viseu, Portugal red, $14.45, SAQ # 546309: Classic Dão with its rich tannic structure and dark fruits. Truly representative of the appellation — a more finessed Douro, if you like. Slight herbal note and spice on the finish add some extra depth. Grape varieties: touriga nacional, tinta roriz, alfrocheiro, tinta barroca. Residual sugar: 1.7 g/L. Serve at: 16 C. Drink now2019. Food pairing idea: most red meats, meat lasagna, oily fish like mackerel.