BUYING GUIDE

ITALY CA DE’ ROCCHI BARDOLINO 2016, VENETO ($24)

Juicy, fresh with sour cherry flavours. A soft silky texture, well-balanced and well-integrated with a lifted finish. Classically light and fresh. Serve slightly chilled. A blend of Corvina, Molinara, Rondinella and Negrara. (GB)

URAGUAY COLINAS DE URUGUAY TANNAT 2015, URUGUAY ($23)

A well-balanced and intriguing wine showing vibrant raspberry, plum, redcurrant and spice with licorice notes and a subtle edginess. Well-integrated juicy tannins, a firm backbone and a bright, savoury finish. If you can get one more BBQ day in, this is your wine. (GB)

OVER $35 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED CANADA CLOS DU SOLEIL CABERNET FRANC WINEMAKER SERIES, ESTATE VINEYARD, SIMILKAMEEN VALLEY, BRITISH COLUMBIA ($36)

The typical fresh notes of pencil shavings, red plums and raspberries that are associated with Cabernet Franc. Medium body with fresh acid and firm tannins. A pleasing salty black licorice nuance on the moderate-to-long finish. Well-integrated oak. Pleasing now but this wine will shine even more in a few years. (MB)

ROAD 13 SYRAH MALBEC 2017, BRITISH COLUMBIA ($37)

Mainly Syrah (28.5%) with 21.5% Malbec, de-stemmed and placed in opentop fermenters in small lots with twice daily punch-down for 8 to 10 days before basket pressing and maturing in French oak barrels. Intense purple in the glass with upfront black fruits and some graphite notes before a generous, well-balanced palate of boysenberry, mulberry and black pepper notes with vanilla and spice hints supported by firm tannins through the lingering finish. (TP)

QUAILS’ GATE PINOT NOIR STEWART FAMILY RESERVE 2017, OKANAGAN VALLEY ($51.99)

Ruby colour. Lightly cedary nose of black raspberries. Medium-bodied, dry, greater concentration of flavour than the QG’s regular Pinot. Rich black raspberry flavour carried on lively acidity to a firm finish of resolved tannins. (TA)

RECOMMENDED CANADA LEANING POST CABERNET FRANC 2016, VQA TWENTY MILE BENCH, ONTARIO ($45)

Medium body with bright acid and chewy tannins with savoury notes of bright plum, graphite and cedar aromas. A bit simple on the moderate finish but honest and well-made. A natural for hanger steak. (MB)

VANESSA VINEYARD CABERNET FRANC, SIMILKAMEEN VALLEY ($49.99)

From another unusual vintage that experienced one of the hottest spring’s on record before a cooler growing season. Made from 100% estate Cabernet Franc, de-stemmed and gently crushed, small batch fermented in French and American oak, aged over 20 months. Upfront black fruit and red fruit with dusty notes and hints of tea and graphite. A superbly balanced palate of herbaceous and spice notes with cassis, pepper and trademark Similkameen minerality wrapped in approachable tannins through the lengthy close. (TP)

VANESSA VINEYARD 2015 SYRAH, SIMILKAMEEN VALLEY ($34.99)

A blend of Syrah (92%) with Viognier, from the hottest vintage on record to date, and from one of the rockiest sites in the Okanagan and Similkameen valleys, made almost entirely with free run juice, with a small amount of viognier blended in. Matured for 20 months in new and second use American and French oak. Aromas of red and black berries with plum and cherry above some meaty gamey hints. The plush, full-bodied palate rewards with blackcurrent, cassis and spicy black pepper notes. This is underpinned by a definite savoury, herbal streak with a distinctive mineral edge and seamless tannins before a lengthy gently savoury and vanilla close. (TP)

SOUTH AFRICA RADFORD DALE BLACK ROCK, 2016, SWARTLAND ($40)

A wine that is both bold and fresh showing black and red fruit, spice, slightly toasty, well-integrated tannins. Good complexity and length with a pleasant lifted quality on the finish. A blend of Syrah, Cinsault, Grenache, Carignan, Mourvedre and Viognier. An all around good food wine. (GB)

BEFORE & AFTER DINNER ALVEAR PEDRO XIMENEZ DE ANADA 2015, MONTILLA MORILLES, SPAIN ($24.95/375 ML)

Deep amber in colour with a raisin, tea leaf, honey and dried apricot nose. Full-bodied, unctuous, very sweet, candied orange marmalade flavours. Well-balanced and a great length. Not just for dessert. (TA)

BRETZ RIESLING EISWEIN 2004 RHEINHESSEN, GERMANY ($25/375 ML)

Clear medium amber. Nose of oloroso sherry and baked apple served alongside an antique violin. Viscous, with the sweet apple, stewed peach and apricot flavours beautifully balanced by acidity. Wonderful now but will last for many more years. The trick to matching sweet wine with food is to never have the dish be more sweet. (RL)*

ELISABETH VSOP AC COGNAC FINS BOIS, FRANCE ($67)

Organically made. Medium-deep old brass colour. Big nose rises out of the snifter with honey, ripe pear, stewed peaches, raw tobacco and caramel — aromas do not get much better than this. On the palate, it offers golden raisins and ripe peaches and pears, but the alcohol is a bit hot and the finish is woody. (RL)*

BEER & CIDER MARSTON’S 61 DEEP PALE ALE, ENGLAND ($2.15/500 ML)

Marston’s in Burton-upon-Trent is best known for Pedigree, but 61 Deep is their segue into a modern context. Referring to the depth of the facility’s well, the matchstruck sulfate of the local water peeks through American and Australian hops that set this modern pale ale up with pine, grapefruit, mango and a lasting bitterness despite the comparatively low (4.1%) alcohol. (JSJ)

MOOSEHEAD SMALL BATCH STRAWBERRY RHUBARB MILKSHAKE IPA, NEW BRUNSWICK ($3.10/473 ML)

Moosehead’s small batch series allows the brewers at the iconic New Brunswick plant a little leeway to play. The key components here should be strawberry, rhubarb and lactose. However, the acidity from the rhubarb is basic, and the strawberries and cream do not quite manage to pop. Bigger in all directions would be the suggestion for the next batch. (JSJ)

NEW BELGIUM FAT TIRE AMBER ALE ($14.95/6-PACK 355 ML)

Colorado’s iconic New Belgium has arranged the production of their Fat Tire at Steam Whistle in Ontario. At just over 5.2% alcohol, the main interest here is the bready, dark fruit malt and a slight strawberry/red licorice character from the Willamette hops. Light and smooth enough for a late summer barbeque. (JSJ)

ABBAYE DES ROCS BLANCHE DES HONNELLES, BELGIUM ($3.20/330 ML)

The combination of orange peel and coriander along with the perception of sweetness mean that the beer noses like Cointreau. The sweetness diminishes across the palate and is eventually overthrown by the tart, wheaty finish. (JSJ)

STEAM WHISTLE PALE ALE, ONTARIO ($3.25/473 ML)

Only the second offering from Toronto’s Steam Whistle in 20 years, this gentle Pale Ale eschews hop bombast for a toasted grain and biscuit body with mild, grassy bitterness. The flavours are clean and well-delineated, but less on trend than bell bottoms. (JSJ)

WAYNE GRETZKY NO. 99 LAGER, ONTARIO ($3.25/473 ML)

Although Gretzky has previously forayed in wine and spirits, this is the first product under his brand in the beer category. Light amber in colour, the rye added to the grist creates a little spicy grain interest to go along with a refreshing citric hop bitterness and a crisp finish. While it cannot claim to be a great one, it is certainly a pretty good one. (JSJ)

COLLECTIVE ARTS HAZY STATE DDH IPA, ONTARIO ($3.45/473 ML)

Replacing the comparatively gentle State of Mind in the brewery’s lineup, Hazy State is an unfiltered double dry hopped IPA with Citra, Amarillo and Centennial hops. A pour resembling mango nectar features tangerine and lemon on the nose with a juicy, dank, resinous palate. (JSJ)

OMER TRADITIONAL BLONDE ALE, BELGIUM ($3.50/330 ML)

Goes through a secondary fermentation in the bottle, resulting in massive carbonation and a light, spritzy body, which features aromatic peach and pear notes before revealing a profound white pepper spice mid-palate. A marvelous refresher that hides its 8.0% ABV so completely that it ought to bear a warning. (JSJ)

ROYAL CANADIAN MEAD INC. FEELS LIKE FRIDAY SESSION MEAD ($3.75/355 ML)

Mead has caught on in a big way in the United States, but Canada is catching up with this hopped Buckwheat Honey Mead. The slightly floral buckwheat honey comes through, but ties into the grassy hop character, suggesting a field of clover in the mind’s eye. A good introduction to the genre for mead novices. (JSJ)

LEFT FIELD BREWERY SQUEEZE PLAY POMEGRANATE, ONTARIO ($3.95/355 ML)

Toronto’s Left Field Brewery’s Squeeze Play series make fruited kettle sours. A zingy kefir-like tang mixes with juicy pomegranate seeds in an easy-drinking refresher that will keep those “last days of summer” vibes going strong. (TL)

NEW LIMBURG GRISETTE, ONTARIO ($4.60/500 ML)

This light refresher has aromatic notes of bright lemon, chrysanthemum and goldenrod above a lightly sour body with a dry finish and a peppery retro-nasal sting. Just the thing after a day down the mines. (JSJ)

BEAU’S ALL NATURAL BREWING CO. TOM GREEN LONDON FOG MILK STOUT, ONTARIO ($5.95/500 ML)

This silky milk stout has a hint of perfumy bergamot that seamlessly weaves into the velvety chocolate and vanilla flavours of this stout. Pour into a teacup and eat with scones, while scrolling the latest @sussexroyal Instagram posts. (TL)