the WINE GUY

Even set against all the current pandemicimbued craziness, September seems to have arrived with its usual craziness. Chalk it up to my kids being back in school, the sky continually ensconced in an apocalyptic haze, or simply a change in barometric pressure.

Whatever the excuse, at the moment it feels like there is no real time to punctiliously consider wine-and-food picks.

So this week it's a mad grab trio of bottles, which fortunately all provide a preponderance of pairing options.

THE SWIRL: WINE NIGHT THURSDAYS

Wine Night Thursdays have begun at Coquitlam's C Market Coffee (111-100 Schoolhouse Street, Coquitlam). Every Thursday until the end of the year, from

6 to 9 p.m. C Market Coffee offers a gourmet three-course meal with three wine pairings for $45. The dinner is only available to advance-booked ticket holders (though walk-ins are welcomed for special pricing on wine, tapas and food). For tickets and menu information (which varies each week) head to @cmarket_coffee.

Viña Esmeralda 2019 Coral Edition, Spain ($16.99, #165316)

Sporting a fancy new bottle dubbed the Coral Edition, the self-proclaimed “Mediterranean Classic” continues to delight the senses. This limited edition of the venerable Catalan blend of Moscatel and Gewürztraminer is indeed a classic bottling, still offering up ample floral and tropical fruit aromatics, with an off-dry, easygoing stance that finishes fresh and fruity and will please a crowd. Sure, I wish it cost a few bucks less like it did back in the day, but it is still a fun, vibrant, and aromatic bottle of white that pairs well with an array of dishes, from shrimp scampi to zucchini fritters.

Bottom line: B

Fruity, fun

Don David 2018 Reserve Malbec, Argentina ($14.99 on sale until Oct. 3, #156455)

Burgers. Check. Steak. Double check. Eggplant stew. Yes, please. As long as the meal is hearty, this robust Argentine Malbec is up to the pairing task. Made from grapes grown at high altitude (1,700 metres above sea level) in the Calchaqui Valley,

Don David Reserve brings sumptuous dark fruit and vanilla backed by underlying herbs and a soft, fruity finish. Twelve months aging in new oak brings an evident toastiness — this is a classic, approachable and comforting style of “big red” that sips just as well curled up on the couch.

Bottom line: BBrooding fruit

Le Calvane Quercione 2016 Chianti, Italy ($19.99, #405258)

Perched near Florence in the hills and heart of Tuscany, Villa Le Calvane's Quercione Chianti offers the comforting aromas and flavours of classic Chianti. A 95/5 blend of Sangiovese and Canaiolo, this mid-weight red brings aromas of black cherry, earth, and exotic spice with a juicy entry and smooth, mellow stance before a polished finish. It's an easy pick, whether served mid-week in haste with delivered pizza or jarred pasta sauce, or sipped leisurely on the weekend while kneading homemade dough or simmering a made-from-scratch ragù.

Bottom line: B+

Comforting Chianti