Stay at home and buy local for under $20

Many of us want to support local wineries struggling through the pandemic. But Ontario wine can be pricey compared to similar bottles from elsewhere. A variety of reasons contribute to this reality. But delicious Ontario wines under $20 are out there. You just need to know which bottles to buy.

A brilliant buy is the

2019 Featherstone Sauvignon Blanc, VQA Niagara Peninsula (Vintages 89011 $17.95)

with its bright scents of ripe yellow plum and juicy kiwi fruit. This wine is dry and refreshing. It rushes over the palate with lemon-lime-gooseberry flavour that persists on the finish making it an ideal partner for many dishes, from fried chicken to stir-fries, pesto pastas to crumbled cheese and nut topped salads. Score:

Also wonderfully quenching, but with a kiss of sweetness, is the

91

2018 Featherstone Black Sheep Riesling, VQA Niagara Peninsula (Vintages Essential 80234 $18.95).

This racy wine tastes like a scoop of gourmet lime sorbet laced with a touch of grapefruit zest, green mango and sea salt. The 21 grams of residual sugar in this wine simply balances and polishes the tart. Terrific wine to pour as an aperitif on its own or with a nibble of gouda or goat cheese and crackers. Charming. Score: 91

With rosé season just around the corner, do snap up a bottle of the undervalued

2018 Tawse Sketches of Niagara Rosé, VQA Niagara Peninsula (Vintages 172643 $17.95).

It’s a gorgeous local expression of Cabernet Franc, Gamay and Pinot Noir that shines deep coral in the glass and brims with aromas of violet and wild strawberry before slipping over the palate like sheer silk, opening with smooth, dry flavours of muddled berries, baked apples and ruby grapefruit with a touch of crushed stone on the finish. Gorgeous wine that offers outstanding value and is a perfect choice for a snacky-style meal of meats, cheeses and really good bread. Score: 94

Another brilliant rosé is the NV Pelee

Right now, wines are selling out quickly at the LCBO. Which is not surprising. Every wine agent I speak with tells me sales are soaring, and each time I walk by my local liquor store, there’s a lineup down the block to get in.

The LCBO recently launched a new service that lets you choose bottles from home and minimize time spent at the store. Here’s how to use it to buy wine: á Go to LCBO.com á Find “Try Same Day Pick Up” at the top of the screen, which appears with the address of your local store. Make sure

Island Bella Sparkling Pinot Noir, VQA Ontario (LCBO 11597 $18.95).

This delicate, dry rosé with pretty packaging is uber-pale, threaded with fine bubbles, and is bottled under a handy screwcap. The nose is coy and restrained with barely there suggestions of red berries. Then, the attack is brisk but balanced, rather sophisticated tasting actually. Each elegant sip suggests fresh bread, strawberry, lemon curd and a touch of cool minerality. Total steal for less than $20. And delicious with smoked salmon and cream that’s the store you want, or change it where indicated.

á Click on “Try Same Day Pick Up”

á The new screen offers beverage options. Click the word “WINE”

á Locate the search icon at the top of the page, which looks like a magnifying glass. Click that icon.

á Type the wine’s name or product number in the search bar that appears at the top of the screen.

á If that wine is available at your preferred store, the product will appear on the new screen with the words “Same cheese on toast points, sushi or Niçoise salad. Score: 94

Snap up what’s on shelves of the NV Pelee Island Bella Sparkling Pinot Noir. But if it sells out, rest assured more stock is on the way. Pelee Island Winery says the LCBO bought 800 cases of the wine and plans to distribute it in more than 300 stores in the coming months as part of the liquor giant’s seasonal rosé roll-out.

And a bottle I’ve recommended before that deserves another mention here is the

2018 Megalomaniac Sparkling

Day Pick Up” underneath. Click those words to see how many bottles are available there.

á Select the number of bottles you’d like and hit, “Add to Cart.”

á When you’re ready to check out, hit the cart icon in the top right corner of the screen.

á The hours of your local store and when you can pick up your order will appear; note those details.

á Follow the checkout process.

When I tried this out, there was a minimum $50 spend to use the service.

Personality, VQA Ontario (LCBO 469007 and at the winery, $19.95).

This pure Riesling with a low 9.5 per cent alcohol offers a sweet-and-sour hit of joy. Think intense flavours of lime laced with apricot, green apple and white flowers. And the flavours linger on the finish. I love this wine with spicy noodle dishes and Mexican fare. Score: 92