There’s no denying it, we are in the middle of the holiday season. Christmas parties, shopping, baking, wrapping and a million other chores that have to be done before Saint Nick makes his appearance on the night of the 24th. It’s no surprise many people get stressed out this time of the year. I try to tackle a ‘Christmas chore’ each evening. That way I feel accomplished. And then I pour myself a glass of wine. Nothing says stress reliever like a bubble bath and a glass of wine……unless you have a cat!
This is Gabriel and I swear he wants to jump in with me sometimes. But I digress. Stress relieving wines for all my friends is what this wine blog is all about. Let’s get started, and what better way than a sparkling bubbly!
This can be an expensive time of the year for many people, so any time you can find a good value, especially in a sparkling wine, you may want to grab it. The Freixenet Cordon Negro Sparkling is on sale right now in Nova Scotia. It’s still a good value at full price, $17.99, but while they are on sale for $15.99 it’s worth picking up a couple. The packaging is beautiful and makes for a great gift that won’t break the bank. It’s a Spanish Cava that is made in the traditional method, and is dry and crisp and a great wine for the first course, or even just for a Christmas toast.
The above wine may look like a red, because of the dark bottle, however it’s a white wine. I have a wine tasting tonight, and when I was in the store picking out the wines, I had a chat with Peter Rockwell, head buyer for the NSLC. He said we love our Pinot Grigio, and here’s another one that is packaged beautifully and won’t break the bank. This Beringer is from California, it’s dry and fruity with gorgeous hints of pear and citrus. And it sells for $12.99 a bottle. This will make you happy happy.
So this was a new wine I tried this week, as it’s fairly new in our liquor stores. The Giro Sangiovese / Merlot blend from Fantini was made to commemorate the ‘Giro d’Italia’ bicycle race. Sangiovese is not usually described as a full-bodied wine, but once blended with the Merlot, it gives it that extra edge. The tannins are prominent, especially when first opened. I also made the comment, ‘I detect smoky flavors’. This would probably come from the Merlot. You can enjoy it now, or it can definitely age for a couple of years.
And now for my wine of the week….
From Chile comes this wonderful Pinot Noir. Climate can really change the way a grape tastes, the same grape from a warm climate compared to a cool climate can really vary. Someone wine critics feel Pinot Noir taste better coming from a cooler climate, and I do love a good Pinot from Canada. However this Montes Pinot Noir really impressed me. It’s medium-bodied, fruity with some great acidity. And its $17 a bottle! Win win!
Have a great weekend
Cheers, Darlene
