After a great deal of adventure
earlier in the month, we elected to stick close to home last weekend and catch
up on some overdue yard work. At two
cuts per week, I believe the grass is making up for lost time – either that, or
Mother Nature is mocking me. Of course
these tasks are only accomplished between moments of relaxation on the patio
with a glass of wine in hand.
This edition of wine for the
weekend has you sipping a tasty off dry Riesling from New Zealand ’s Nelson region and a red selection from
Spain ’s
Ribera del Duero.
Our WineSpot knocked my socks off
– yet again, and remains what is arguably the best $13 you can spend at the
LCBO.
Enjoy!
White
2009 Trout Valley Riesling – Nelson , New Zealand
This hints at the off dry style
without overstepping the boundary from dry.
Expect scent combinations of spiced fruit and honeyed notes. The taste shows pronounced lemon/lime citrus zest
and just an underlying sweetness with green apple and spice on the finish. Interesting to sip and I love the label: it
gives you fly fishing tips and has little to do with the wine. $11.95 (177790) General list – off dry
Red
2009 Escondido Tempranillo – Ribera Del
Duero, Spain
Aromas of stewed fruit and a hint
of pine sap – interesting. Very dry to
taste and not nearly as jammy as the nose might suggest. The pine reflects a slight greenness on the
palate with dark berries and licorice/molasses on the finish. $14.95 (132597) Vintages – very dry
2009 Domaine Des Bernardins
Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise
Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise
Vintages #129999 | $13.45
375 mL
375 mL
You might recall that one of our white
selections earlier in August was a bottle of Muscat .
The highly floral and delicately perfumed character of that wine
generated some great feedback from the readership. Today’s WineSpot is also a product of the Muscat grape, though in the form of a fortified dessert
wine from Rhône , France
This is Muscat de
Beaumes-de-Venise and there are only a few bottles remaining here in Ontario . In a word – fantastic, and at only $13 this a
total steal in the world of dessert wines.
I’ve included the review that I
wrote for WineAlign.com earlier this year:
‘Pale tawny-orange colour in the glass and incredibly fragrant; aromas
of orange peel and apricot with a slightly solvent scent but in the most
positive way imaginable. There is an initial combination of sweetness and
clarity that quickly fades to a delicious creamy finish that lasts
indefinitely. This is nowhere near as sweet as one would expect which is
certain to appeal to a wider audience. Do not over chill. ‘
In terms of pairing potential,
you can enjoy Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise with fresh berries, pastries, crème brulée,
blue-veined cheese, or just simply on its own. I have requested that a case be
shipped to Newmarket while the other remaining
bottles are currently spread throughout Southern Ontario . See if you can find a bottle near you and
grab it!
Link to Vintages product
availability >> Here
~> I’d love to hear your
thoughts on a food & wine pairing: What
is your favourite dish? And which wine
highlights the flavours of the food? Send me a quick note with your thoughts and I’ll publish it in a future edition of
Wine for the Weekend.
