Bill Zacharkiw’s Wines of the Week: July 15, 2022

Each week, Bill Zacharkiw identifies his best wine selections available in the SAQ and offers ideas for food pairings.

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Each week, Bill Zacharkiw identifies his best wine selections available in the SAQ and offers ideas for food pairings.

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Less than $17

Les Bretèches 2021, Bekaa Valley, Château Kefraya, Rosé Lebanon, $15.30, SAQ #14030631. It might be the lightest colored rosé on the market this year, but there’s plenty of wine in this bottle, enough to support a roast chicken and Caesar salad. Delicate and nuanced aromas, showing the most floral and fruity side of the grapes. It is the passage through the mouth and the end where the intensity and surprising length are felt. As dry as can be, and shows the pairing qualities of a much more expensive rosé. Grape varieties: syrah, grenache, mourvèdre, cinsault. Residual sugar: 1.2g/l. Serve at: 8-12C Drink now. Food pairing ideas: appetizer, grilled salmon.

$17-$20

Utiel-Requena 2020, Rebel Lia, Bodegas Vegalfaro, Spain red, $18.50, SAQ #13623493. Organic. One of those “serve me on the cooler side” reds. Grenache (or Grenache) loves to make alcohol, so if it gets too hot, the booze can bite. But when served at around 15C, you get some complex dark fruit notes, that classic sultry grenache mid-palate, and a finish with some decent tannins. Great BBQ wine, especially if you’re playing around with spices in your marinade. Grape varieties: tempranillo, red garnacha. Residual sugar: 4g/L. Serve at: 15C Drink now. Pairing idea: Bavette steak with tamari and fresh coriander.

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$20-$25

Vouvray 2020, Spring, Vincent et Tania Carême, White France, $20.25, SAQ No. 13594899. I’m a fan of Careme. From their bubbles to their variety of table wines, I love them all. But this wine, possibly the simplest, is one of my favorites. Without oak, the fruit explodes in the glass. There’s complexity in there if you want to look it up, from green apple to orchard fruit, but I often forget to turn the glass and just repackage it. It’s so refreshing. Interesting, but drinks with phenomenal ease. Variety of grapes: white chenin. Residual sugar: 4.2g/l. Serve at: 8-12C Drink now. Food pairing ideas: appetizer, spicy shrimp.

$25 and up

Régnié 2020, Chamodère, Domaine Les Capréoles, Red France, $25.80, SAQ #14332276. Organic. How big can a Beaujolais get? Well, that big. Les Capréoles make a fabulous Régnié and show why it is possibly the most underrated appellation in all of Beaujolais. Black cherry dominates the fruit, the tannins have some grip and the finish is full, long and fruity. To be honest, I wouldn’t classify it as a Beaujolais if I tasted it blind, as it shows the depth and structure of a Pinot Noir. This is also an excellent candidate for the cellar; it will only get more aromatic and more complex as it gets a few years older. Variety of grapes: gammay. Residual sugar: 1.6g/l. Serve at: 16C. Drink Now-2027. Food pairing ideas: liver and onion, filet mignon with red wine sauce.