WINES OF THE WEEK
Every week, Bill Zacharkiw identifies his top wine picks available at the SAQ and offers ideas for food pairings.
UNDER $16 Barbera d’Asti 2016, Costalunga, Bersano, Italy red, $13.75, SAQ # 506824: The classics are back in vogue, and few wineries have stayed true to traditional barbera like Bersano. True barbera expression of cherry fruit, bright acidity and a faint herbal note. This rules any tomato sauce. Keep it cool. Grape variety: barbera. Residual sugar: 2 g/L. Serve at: 15 C. Drink now. Food pairing ideas: apéritif, spaghetti with tomato sauce.
$16-$20 Chardonnay 2016, Legado Reserve, Limari, De Martino, Chile white, $19.30, SAQ # 11948649: Another excellent Chardonnay from one of Chile’s top producers. Grown in the limestone soils of Limari, this is a more classic Burgundian expression of the grape, with apple and melon notes, and a crisp, mineral finish. A hint of oak adds a spicy and nutty note, but is hardly noticeable. Grape variety: Chardonnay. Residual sugar: 2.3 g/L. Serve at: 10-12 C. Drink now2020. Food pairing ideas: apéritif, lobster with butter sauce.
$20-$25 Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, Reserva, Mendoza, Terrazas de los Andes, Argentina red, $21.35, SAQ # 13551371: A new age of restraint is happening in Argentina, and you can taste it here. This remains fruitforward, but there is an underlying freshness, finely layered yet grippy tannins, and an aromatic complexity that shows that these are well-grown and not overly ripened grapes. Won’t satisfy those who want pure torque, but a great compromise between power and finesse. Grape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon. Residual sugar: 2.6 g/L. Serve at: 18 C. Drink now2019. Food pairing idea: lamb chops.
$25 AND UP Champagne Brut, Ruinart, France sparkling, $81, SAQ # 10326004: It had been years since I drank Ruinart, and what a surprise. Luscious, Pinot-driven Champagne that stays lip-smacking fresh on the finish, even with its seductive mid-palate. Great balance, and so easy to drink. While expensive, it’s one of those wines that you wish you had 100 mL more of when the bottle is done. Grape varieties: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay. Residual sugar: 10 g/L. Serve at:
10 C. Drink now. Food pairing ideas: apéritif, trout or salmon in garlic butter and herbs, steak tartare.