Hello Prince Albert! When the weather gets hot and the days get long during these summer months, many people turn to a crisp, refreshing beverage to relax with company or to cool down in the shade. Not sure what to try while lounging about? I’ve got a couple of delicious sparkling wines to introduce you to as well as a delicious summery cocktail from a Canadian company (Paloma anyone?). As if that isn’t enough refreshment, I’ve got a smooth Radler from Germany to save the day. Let’s take a look at some summertime sippers!
If you take a walk through the sparkling wine section, you’ll notice an abundance of Prosecco options. I counted at least 20 to 30 wines to try, and I’ll admit that I’ve only tried about 6 or 7 of them in total. The reason for my avoidance is because I have it in my head that they all taste the same. Prosecco fanatics would know that this isn’t exactly true and even though Prosecco is made by a simple method (single tank fermentation which is then transferred to bottle), it can be a delightful addition to any gathering, meal or visit. One of the reasons I taste wines with my wife is to get her honest opinion on the flavors of the wines and how they interact with foods. At first, the Alberini Prosecco tasted a bit too bitter for her, but once we had a bite of the spinach dip and crusty bread, the wine took on a new dimension. Suddenly it was delicious, fruity and tangy, a great example for how flavors change.
Since I know that Prosecco is almost always a great choice for foods and company, I tend to look for other wines to add complexity to my tasting experience and this led me to a fantastic Canadian option from the Gray Monk winery in the Okanagan. Certified VQA from the Okanagan Valley in BC, this sparkler is a blend of 3 grapes (Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot Blanc), made in the “Methode Classique”, aka Traditional Method, the wine is refermented in the bottle and then aged 18 months on the lees (dead yeast) to give it a toasty character. There is some complexity in this wine, and I found that it satisfied my Champagne itch (not an easy thing to do for under $40!). I found myself marveling at the quality and texture of the foamy mousse, and what great value the wine was.
It can’t be all wine, all the time at the Winsor residence so to get the refreshment I need, I turn to Radlers (citrus mixed with beer) or Shandies (usually lemonade mixed with beer) in the summertime heat. The Schofferhofer brand is from Germany, and they make deliciously smooth beers with just the right amount of sweetness and beer flavor (made from Hefeweizen wheat beer). This beer is silky-smooth and made using grapefruit juice with a very approachable style (carbonation is low). The brand produces beers in a variety of flavors, but I am partial to the lime and grapefruit options.
Looking for a classy cocktail to show off and entice others with on the deck? With tequila-mixed drinks becoming extremely trendy again, I was impressed with how many options there are for Paloma drinkers (tequila, grapefruit, agave nectar and a pinch of sea salt) and this led me to Ole, a Canadian, pre-made cocktail which can be drank from the can or poured into a rocks glass with a sea-salt rim. Savory, sweet, tangy and balanced, this drink will cool you off with style. Have you tried something incredible that I should know about? Email me at awinsorpa@hotmail.com and let me know! Here are my wine picks of the week!
Alberini Extra-Dry Prosecco: (DOC Prosecco, Italy). Off-dry sparkling wine, pale lemon color with medium-sized active bubbles. The nose is simple and refreshing with fresh lime zest/citrus peels, limestone rock, melon and bread dough. To the taste, the wine has a touch of sweetness which blends nicely with the quick, sharp zip of the foamy bubbles. There is some creamy texture which dissipates quickly, leaving flavors of citrus peel and mineral bitterness. Crisp flavors of lemon/lime, peach and mineral are all lifted by the medium-plus acidity while the wine stays decently airy at medium body. The mid-palate is medium-length meaning citrus fruit and peach impact with medium-plus intensity then fade into slight bitter flavors on the medium-length finish. This wine tastes great with a spot of food and becomes much friendlier on the tastebuds but if you don’t mind a bit of bitterness in the finish, the wine is still a worthwhile sipper on its own. Good! $23, 11% ABV
Gray Monk Odyssey White Brut 2019: (VQA Okanagan Valley, BC). Dry to off-dry sparkling wine with small, active bubbles and a pure white lace which coats the top as the bubbles rise. The bouquet is complex and captivating with notes of buttery crackers, lemon cream, soft cheese, tangy mineral and citrus. From the first sip, this wine tastes full-bodied and luxurious as flavors of crackers (Ritz), toast, citrus foam and slightly bitter mineral rock quickly envelop the tongue. The mousse of the wine is very impressive as it provides a rush of foamy bubbles that tingle and pop, invigorating the senses (reminds me of the Aero chocolate commercial with the tiny, melting bubbles). Medium-plus acidity washes the creamy citrus from the long mid-palate and the medium-plus length finish seems to seesaw between flavors of biscuit, citrus, hints of residual sugar and mineral rock bitterness. This wine is extremely food friendly, and I highly recommend trying out a variety of appetizers to discover new pairings. The wine was exceptional when paired with spinach dip and toasted baguettes, lemon and herb chicken skewers and most of all with the crab and cream cheese-stuffed mushrooms, cooked under the broiler. Very good! $32, 11.8% ABV
Cheers and thanks for reading!
