Alanna McIntyre
Product Specialist
This Vermentino from the sunny Italian isle of Sardegna is a wine for those who are curious and appreciate raw and natural winemaking. Vermentino is Sardegna’s signature white grape and in the hands of Alessandro Dettori, who farms according to organic and biodynamic principles, the grape shows its unique and complex side. The grapes are de-stemmed but not crushed and fermented in concrete tanks with wild yeast and minimal sulfur. The result is a wine with aromatic intensity and a unique bouquet of ripe stone fruit, fresh herbs and a salty tang. The palate has a rich and viscous texture and a saline minerality. This wine is at once interesting and delicious and will keep calling you back for another sniff and a contemplative sip. Enjoy with creamy ripe cheeses, seared scallops with fresh lemon and seafood pasta dishes.
Jason MacLeod
Assistant Retail Manager
The kind of Chardonnay I love to drink! It has a generous palate without any heavy oak influence. A honeyed – ripe pear nose, this wine has a freshness to the finish that is quite appealing. I don’t drink wines this dry on their own too often, but with it’s broad mouthfeel, it is quite enjoyable on it’s own. It would also be a great pairing with a creamy seafood dish.
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Jason MacPhee
Wine Category Manager
Frappato is not a grape you hear about everyday. Grown mainly in Sicily, Frappato is a light fresh style of red wine some may consider a dark rose.
Fuedo di Santa Tresa created a nod to the old style of winemaking in Sicily. It has all the characteristics of Frappato yet is elegant and refreshing.
Such a rare find that you will be surprised when the aromas jump out of the glass. Violet, strawberry, spice, and sage. The acidity brings out the fruit on the lively well balanced palate. If your not ready to give up on rose season yet but need a little more from your wine this time of year this is for you.
SERVE CHILLED
Jenny Gammon
Brand, Communications & Event Manager
Named for the road leading to the winery in Sicily’s Vittoria region, this bright, elegant red wine always leaves me wanting another glass.
Somehow both juicy and complex- this wine is perfect for shorter days and cooler nights. Fresh and fun fruit character made in Arianna Occhipinti’s signature and honest winemaking style.
Kathryn Harding
Sommelier and Retail Manager
Just a few weeks ago I had the pleasure of travelling through Tuscany with Jason and a group of customers. This wine is made from grapes on the property where we stayed and the cellar is under the main archway to the town. After spending a week gazing at these vines while enjoying our breakfast I feel a strong connection to the vines. Luckily, the wines is also easy to love. This Chianti made predominantly of Sangiovese has bright cherry notes which are balanced with soft earthy undertones. I enjoyed it on its own but know that it was also a great companion to beef, Italian or legume based dishes. The perfect wine for a cool fall night!
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Lucas Mader
Retail Staff
This Mild Ale is anything but mild! An old English style of malty ale that’s been making a comeback in the craft scene. Very low alcohol, light drinkability and great roasty toasty malt tones – think of it like a light brown ale. Mild Ales go with a wide variety of foods like pub fare and roasted dishes, and at only 3.6% abv you can enjoy a couple without feeling super bogged down by higher alcohol levels. A perfect lunchtime pairing!
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Martha Kelly
Retail Staff
Classic Upper Loire in style, bone dry acidity, citrus, gooseberry and fresh herbal character and a slight smokiness. Lovely concentrated expression of Sauvignon Blanc grown on the other side of the Loire river from Sancerre. Long argued which style and region produces the finest Sauvignon Blanc in Loire; there is no doubt that this particular wine lends well to this debate.
If you are a lover of Sancerre and enjoy that dry, mineral and flinty nature, no doubt you will enjoy this beautiful Pouilly Fume made by 6th generation winemaker Laurent Lebrun.
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Ryan Almeida
Retail Staff
Nestled between famous St. Joseph to the north and lesser known St. Peray (all white wine, mostly sparkling) to the south sits Cornas; a small appellation within the Northern Rhone that only produces red wine from Syrah. Despite the reputation of big, meaty, tannic wines needing nearly a decade to be fully realized, this biodynamic expression from winemaker Matthieu Barrett proves to be everything Cornas usually isn’t: fresh and ready-to-drink, with slightly firm tannins. A traditional pairing like lamb shoulder comes to mind as well as duck cassoulet but a wide variety of stews would also pair quite nicely.
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Tristan Gray
Retail Staff
This 100% malbec from Cahors showcases the lighter side of the grape eschewing the heavy extraction and oak use common among the Argentinian malbecs available in Canada. The grapes are grown without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides on a mixture of limestone and clay soils. The wine is fermented in whole clusters and undergoes a short carbonic maceration before being aged in a combination of stainless steel and concrete tanks. The resulting wine is delightfully fruit-driven and drinkable with aromas of black raspberry, violets, and dark cocoa and also boasts an elegant silky texture and soft tannins. This is a wine that’s as comfortable on the coffee table as the dinner table and you owe it to yourself to see the other side of this well-known grape.
