Bill Zacharkiw’s Wines of the Week: April 29, 2022

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

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Under $17

Douro 2019, Tavedo, Burmester, Portugal red, $12.15, SAQ # 14510642. I have loads of respect for this wine. Not showy in the least, rather it delivers everything you would expect from an inexpensive Douro. A mix of fresh berries with a hint of raisin and fig notes and that classic Douro spicy finish. The tannins actually have some grip, so if you need to put this up against some red meat, don’t worry, it has the structure to do the job. This is wonderfully fresh, dry and gulps back with ease—exactly what I look for in a solid table wine. Grape varieties: Baroque ink, roriz ink, touriga franca, touriga nacional. Residual sugar: 2.1g/L. Serve at: 16C Drink now. Food pairing ideas: Pulled pork, roast chicken with herbs.

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$17-$20

Mantinia 2020, Moschofilero, Domaine Tselepos, Greece white, $18.60, SAQ # 11097485. If you want to take a break from pinot grigio as your go-to aperitif, this is an excellent alternative. Aromatic with tropical fruits on the nose, but dry and mineral on the finish. This shows a touch more texture than a classic pinot grigio as well. Tselepos’s take on the grape is a touch more elegant and interesting than the norm. A really versatile wine that can take you from aperitif through most seafood meals with ease. Grapevariety: Moschophilero. Residual sugar: 1.4g/L. Serve at: 8-10C Drink now. Food pairing ideas: Aperitif, grilled squid, white fish with fruit sauce.

$20-$25

Vittoria 2020, Frappato, Planeta, Italy red, $22.35, SAQ # 12640611. I had a taste. Then another. Then one more, and before I wrote even a single word, a third of the bottle was gone. I have always loved these lighter, fruitier reds, and the frappato grape has such a wonderful mix of boisterous aromatics while maintaining a certain finesse when you drink it. Fresh fruit, crunchy acids and a clove note in the background to add some complexity on the finish. This is one of those “ice bucket” reds where you pack it back in the sun but you want to keep the temperature down. I must admit, I stuck my bottle in the snow. Grapevariety: Frappato. Residual sugar: 2.6g/L. Serve at: 15 C Drink now-2023. Food pairing ideas: Aperitif, quinoa with mixed vegetables and coriander.

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$25 and up

St-Joseph 2019, Les Vins de Vienne, France red, $33.75, SAQ # 14861979. Pure silk in the mouth. St-Joseph is a rather large appellation with a number of different terroirs, so it’s hard to judge just by the label. The boys at Vins de Vienne have some great granite-grown syrah here, which translates into bright and floral aromatics, redder fruit notes, and a mineral and bright finish. It’s the ballerina of northern Rhône syrah. The tannins are soft and cuddly, so at a stretch, this quaffs quite nicely as a powerful aperitif as well. Grapevariety: Syrah. Residual sugar: 2.7g/L. Serve at: 18 C Drink now-2025. Food pairing ideas: Filet mignon with fried onions, more powerful fowl like pigeon.