WINES OF THE WEEK

Every week, Bill Zacharkiw identifies his top wine picks available at the SAQ and offers ideas for food pairings.

UNDER $17

Toscana IGT 2020, Citto, Volpaia, Italy red, $16.70, SAQ #14044653. Organic.

From one of my favourite Chianti producers, a solid and very affordable cabernet and sangiovese blend. No oak, so the fruit explodes from the glass, full of darker berries and boozy cherry. This is classic table wine: really easy drinking, and will pair well with most meals, from pasta to meat. I drank this with a spaghetti Bolognese, and the comfort wine matched up perfectly with the comfort food.

Grape varieties: sangiovese, cabernet sauvignon. Residual sugar: 2.2 g/l. Serve at: 16 C. Drink now. Food pairing idea: spaghetti or lasagna with meat sauce.

$17-$22

Riviera 2021, Secateurs, Swartland, AA Badenhorst, South Africa orange, $21, SAQ #13995027.

Delicious orange wine, and maybe my first with chenin blanc as the main grape. This is actually a great place to start if you are new to skin-macerated white wines, as the focus stays mostly on the fruit. You still get a touch of tannin as well as that steeped tea note I find in many orange wines. But they are secondary to the apricot, peach and grapefruit notes. This is so good, it didn't even get the two of us through our sushi dinner.

Grape varieties: chenin blanc, grenache blanc.

Residual sugar: 1.2 g/l.

Serve at: 8-14 C. Drink now. Food pairing ideas: apéritif, steak tartare, sushi.

$22-$27

Riesling 2019, Calcaires Jaunes, Domaine Muré, France white, $25.75, SAQ #13806142. Organic.

Muré's rieslings have always been near the top of my list when I think about Alsace's take on this great grape. This entry-level riesling is spectacular. For those of you who fear sweetness, this is as dry as dry can be. It even makes you thirsty due to the mineral, almost salty finish. The aromatics are floral and citrusy; the mouth textured, yet lean; the finish mineral, yet with fruit. Great wine.

Grape variety: riesling. Residual sugar: 3.7 g/l.

Serve at: 8-12 C. Drink now2026.

Food pairing idea: apéritif.

$27 AND UP

Toscana IGT 2020, Le Difese, Tenuta San Guido, Italy red, $41.50, SAQ #14549248.

It's almost time for the Super Tuscans to be released, but most of us will just watch as these incredible expensive wines get bought by others. This wine is more my style and price. Made with younger vines from Tenuta San Guido's Sassicaia vineyards, it offers up delicious fruit and concentration, super refined tannins and a refreshing acidity. No new oak here, so the spice is nicely layered behind the fruit. I would give it a few hours in a carafe, as it is still pretty tight, but this is pretty classy stuff once it opens up.

Grape varieties: cabernet sauvignon, sangiovese.

Residual sugar: 2.2 g/l.

Serve at: 18 C. Drink now-2026. Food pairing idea: veal chops with mushrooms and thyme.