I + M WINE GUIDE: WINES UNDER $50
‘Tis the season to be VERY MERRY with lots of holiday cocktails, Christmas parties, dinner dates and cozy fireside wine with your favourite person (and dogs, all the dogs!).
We’ve been having a lot of fun bringing you extra Christmas content this year to help you get inspired with what to wear, what to buy and now, what to sip!
If you’re anything like Matt and I, we can’t go to a friend’s or family members house empty handed, and a beautiful bottle of wine or two is always our go to (or a fun set of napkins or candle, those are my other go to items).
We wanted to help you optimize your wine shopping time with a helpful wine guide that includes some great options for every budget AND bonus for including some Love Local wines as well - you know we love our Niagara wineries!
IDEA: Why not make your wine shopping even more fun and plan a cozy wine date with your bestie or your hunny and sip the wines at the winery before you buy! I’m all about quality testing…. so really, you’re doing your loved ones or that hostess with the mostess a favour by confirming how good the wine is!
WINES UNDER $50
DOMAINE QUEYLUS Droite 2019 ($44.99)
First made in 2010, the percentages of the two grapes in this 'assemblage' have changed every year since, so the winemaker decided to do a proprietary blend, inspirationally named Droite.
This wine is gorgeous, luscious, rich, and deep from terroir and from long élevage in the most suitable barrels.
DOMAINE QUEYLUS Chardonnay Réserve Du Domaine 2020 ($48.70)
This delightful Chardonnay is subtly barrel-fermented with wild yeast and subsequently long-aged to enhance local terroir. The winemaker chooses from their most subtle, elegant barrels to assemble a Reserve wine of terroir, class, elegance, power and length!
MARIO SCHIOPETTO Sauvignon Collio DOC 2020 ($43.60)
This white is new to the legendary collection of Mario Schiopetto whites being that this is its first vintage, 2020! Although this Sauv Blanc is soft and elegant, do not be fooled - there is a ton of structure here. Notes of fresh flowers with hints of exotic nuances. The long finish and plush acidity is the stand out with this particular wine. The terroir comes through the wine with green notes on the nose, gravel on the palate and green hues blending with its straw yellow colour.
DOMENICO CLERICO Barbera D’Alba DOC Trevigne 2020 ($44.37)
Barbera is the renowned Queen of Langhe which can sometimes be overlooked by those who are not local to the area. This particular Barbera d'Alba is concocted from three specific plots and blended into symphony to accent each other yet unify at the same time. Notes of tart cherry, dried herbs, red liquorice and dark berries are on both the nose and palate. This wine is aged in oak which gives it its distinctive roundness.
ROSEWOOD WINERY 2019 Shoulders of Giants ($42.00)
This wine is 100% Cabernet Franc made from old vines from Beamsville, ON.
This 2019 Cab Franc represents Rosewood’s 14th consecutive vintage, continuing their longest lived vertical bottling of one single varietal and their oldest vines planted in 2003.
Hand picked and sorted, whole cluster fermented using non-selected ambient yeast, then aged for 28 months in neutral French oak barrels and 2 months stainless steel aged to marry the wine before bottling without fining agents or filtration, bottle with its natural lees. Only 240 cases produced!
WESTCOTT VINEYARDS 2021 Reserve Chardonnay ($44.99)
This delightful wine features notes of golden apple, lemon zest and honeycomb. This chardonnay does not disappoint. Light and fresh on the palate with well balanced acidity and a lengthy finish. Lovely to drink now, but will also age beautifully.
Pairs nicely with oysters, mild cheeses, scallops, chicken with cream sauce.
WESTCOTT VINEYARDS 2019 Reserve Pinot Noir ($44.99)
A lush fruit-forward nose of dark cherry gives way to warm notes of cocoa and baking spices. Medium acidity with grippy yet soft tannins, this wine is great to enjoy now, but will also soften and develop with a few years in bottle.
Pairs nicely with steak tartare, grilled salmon, margherita pizza
