January evenings are quite cold. You say, time to bring the reds and lock the white wine to the dusty back of your cellar, right?
This way of thinking has never made much sense to me. Look at some of the food we eat at this time of year. Rich, creamy sauces, savoury poultry and even red meat, flavourful cheeses, root vegetables and soups – these often go well with white than red wine. Also you’ll enjoy longer drinking a chilled white wine by the fire than a robust red.
Don’t know where to start?. Explore the wine regions of northern Europe for inspiration. For many moons, northern France, northern Italy, Germany and Austria have been crafting delicious wines intended for all year long. If you are daydreaming about summer temperatures, look into Mediterranean whites as well.
These wines feel right to me with the January temperatures. While they lack the structure and muscular tannins of big reds, they have in common the robustness, whether in the form of sweetness, acidity, spiciness or other aspects of a red wine. Here are five winter whites recommendations for this week:
Here are a few of my favourite examples of perfect white wines for a winter evening:
Diamond Sauvignon Blanc Coppola 2016 – SAQ # 13640154 – $24.80
Ripe aromas of peach in conserves, nougat. Fruit driven with delicate vegetal undertones. Medium to long finale. Pairing well with cream based vegetable soups
Monemvasia Winery Kydonitsa 2017 – SAQ # 13638249 – $19.00
Nuances of ripe green pepper with lime peel and dry oregano. Medium body with a snappy acidity and bitter quinine finale. Pairing well with roasted white fish or seafood.
Bernard Series Chenin blanc vieilles vignes 2017 – SAQ # 11154911 – $26.00
Round with opulent aromas of white peach, nectarines complemented by white liquorice and dried jasmine leaves. Pairing well with seafood cream pastas
Deloach Chardonnay Russian River Valley 2016 – SAQ # 00927061 – $24.65
This Sonoma Chardonnay has a lovely creamy texture with hints of white nectarines, marzipan and hazelnut butter. Lots of quality for under $25.00. Pairing well with roasted chicken
Humo Blanco Sauvignon Blanc Edicion Limitada 2017 – SAQ # 13727903 – $18.70
This is the best Sauvignon Blanc from Chile that I have ever tasted. A cross between a Sancerre and a New Zealand Sauvignon. Beautiful nose displaying tropical fruit nuances of pineapple, passion fruit and fresh lime. Elegant with a wonderful acidity with a persistent long finale. Pairs well with smoked salmon salad with halzenuts and spinach.
Marco Giovanetti – info@mtltimes.ca
