Wines of the week

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IF you’ve come to this space seeking Thanksgiving wine recommendations, fret not — I’ve got you covered…

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 07/10/2022 (1424 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

IF you’ve come to this space seeking Thanksgiving wine recommendations, fret not — I’ve got you covered…

Weszeli 2020 “Felix” Grünew Veltliner (Niederosterreich, Austria — $18.99, Liquor Marts and beyond)

Green apple, lime zest, crisp pear and hints of spice and chalk all show well on the nose of this organic, vegan Austrian white wine. It’s light-bodied and bone dry, with fresh green apple, pear and lime coming with those spice and chalk notes that provide focus and zip (the medium acidity helps in that department too). A fresh and fun wine that would work as well with turkey or ham as it would with sushi, spring rolls, oysters and milder hors d’oeuvres. 4/5

Low Life Barrel House “Leaps” (Winnipeg/Ontario — $25, brewery/winery, Liquor Marts and beyond)

A blend of Cabernet Franc with Geisenheim, Riesling and Vidal grapes grown in Ontario, this wine, made at Low Life’s Daly Street facility, sees the white grapes left in contact with the skins for longer than your typical white wine — hence this rosé/orange wine’s salmon colour (it’s also slightly cloudy due to being unfiltered). Orange peel, marmalade, peach and spice notes on the nose show well, with similar flavours coming through on the off-dry, light-plus-bodied palate. There’s a hint of tannin and an almost-spritzy texture here; chill for 20-25 minutes before serving (and stand the bottle up if you want the harmless sediment to drop away to the bottom). 4/5

Bodegas Nodus 2019 Chavalote (Valencia, Spain — around $18, private wine stores)

An organic Tempranillo/Garnacha blend, this Spanish red offers plum, raspberry, herbal, red licorice and cherry aromas. It’s dry and medium-bodied, with juicy red berry flavours coming with plum, red licorice and cherry, light acidity and very modest tannins, while the 13 per cent alcohol stays out of the way. Chill for 10-15 minutes before serving this fun red. Available at Kenaston Wine Market and Ellement Wine + Spirits. 3.5/5

Ben Sigurdson

Ben Sigurdson
Literary editor, drinks writer

Ben Sigurdson is the Free Press‘s literary editor and drinks writer. He graduated with a master of arts degree in English from the University of Manitoba in 2005, the same year he began writing Uncorked, the weekly Free Press drinks column. He joined the Free Press full time in 2013 as a copy editor before being appointed literary editor in 2014. Read more about Ben.

In addition to providing opinions and analysis on wine and drinks, Ben oversees a team of freelance book reviewers and produces content for the arts and life section, all of which is reviewed by the Free Press’s editing team before being posted online or published in print. It’s part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.

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