WINES OF THE WEEK
UNDER $18: EVERYDAY DRINKING Tannat 2015, Paso Cuello, Toscanini, Uruguay red, $13.85, SAQ #10294866: Got steak on the grill? Uruguay does the Tannat grape so well, and this is a great example. Like in Madiran, it’s got dark fruit and a meaty element, but here the tannins are much more forgiving. Still grippy as heck, but they structure without drying. Touch of smoke on the finish, arguably a bit much, but will work wonders with a BBQ. Residual sugar: 2.2 g/l. Grape variety: tannat. Serve at 16C. Drink now-2018. Food-pairing idea: T-bone with steak spice.
$18-$23: MID-PRICED MARVEL Sicilia Igt 2015, Nero d’Avola, Tami, Italy red, $22.30, SAQ #12473534: For you lovers of more “natural” wines, this is a Nero d’Avola like no other I have tasted. It still shows those rustic tannins, but there is a vibrant fruitiness alongside a black olive note one doesn’t often encounter with the grape. Yes, it’s a bit “dirty,” but that just adds to the interest. Residual sugar: 2.6 g/l. Grape variety: Nero d’Avola. Serve at 16C. Drink now. Food-pairing idea: Chicken with olives, richer fish with tapenade.
$23 AND UP: FOR A TREAT Sancerre 2016, La Moussière, Alphonse Mellot, France white, $28.85,
SAQ #33480: After last year’s riper version, this is back to a lean and meaner incarnation of Sancerre. Such beautiful tension between texture and minerality, delicious citrus notes, a touch of grassy green. Complex and driven. If you are a fan of Sauvignon Blanc, then you should be a fan of great Sancerre, and this is one. Residual sugar: 1.5 g/l. Grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc. Serve at 10-12C. Drink now-2021. Food pairing idea: Apéritif, smoked salmon, asparagus with hollandaise.
ROSÉ OF THE WEEK
Côtes de Provence 2016, Pétale de Rose, Régine Sumeire, France, $19.10,
SAQ #425496: It gets kind of repetitive, but Petale remains one of the best rosés on the market. So fine and elegant, with complex aromatics of fruit and flowers. Let this warm, and the texture is so comforting, yet stays fresh, fresh, fresh. Just buy it. Residual sugar: 1.6 g/l. Grape varieties: Cinsault, Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Rolle, Ugni Blanc, Sémillon, Cabernet Sauvignon. Serve at 10-14C. Drink now-2018. Food-pairing idea: Apéritif, salmon tartare, shiitake mushrooms.