Beer, wine and whisky all work in toast to dad

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This article was published 15/06/2024 (839 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The dad: a creature who can be found roaming hardware stores or hovering over an outdoor grill, is stirred into a frenzy by raucous sporting events and, when fatigued, is often discovered napping with reckless abandon after imbibing alcoholic beverages.

(That intro works best when read in the voice of Sir David Attenborough or Werner Herzog, by the way.)

Yes, those are wildly stereotypical descriptions of the dads of the world (although this dad will admit to fitting at least a few of said stereotypes). But no matter what kind of dad or dads you have in your life, finding the right Father’s Day gift can be tricky.

Here are a few fun tipples tried in recent days that should make dads of all stripes happy … or you can always get him a tie.

If dad likes beer and wrestling, the Half Pints Pinfall Pilsner (Winnipeg — $4.15/473ml cans, brewery, beer vendors, Liquor Marts) is sure to please. Brewed in conjunction with Winnipeg Professional Wrestling (WPW), it’s medium straw in colour and clear, with up-front fresh malt, red apple and biscuit aromas. It’s dry, crisp and light-bodied, with bright biscuit, malt and apple flavours, a subtle chalky note, virtually no bitterness and, at 4.8 per cent alcohol, a short, clean finish. Delivers an elbow smash of flavour from the top rope that dad will enjoy after mowing the lawn. 4/5

Deep copper and clear in appearance, the Oxus Brewing Company Opus Vienna Lager (Winnipeg — $4.15/473ml cans, brewery, beer vendors, Liquor Marts) brings deeper, more robust malt notes along with subtle caramel, biscuit and toasted oat aromas. It’s medium-bodied and mainly dry, with deep malt and oat notes coming with caramel and biscuit notes, no bitterness to speak of and a modest finish (it’s 5.2 per cent alcohol, and isn’t hoppy/bitter at all). Fifty cents from each can goes to Arcane Horizon Community, a non-profit helping adults with intellectual disabilities — so you can treat dad to a tasty lager while feeling virtuous about helping a good cause. 4/5

Grab dad a killer British Columbia white wine, namely the Sandhill 2021 Chardonnay (Okanagan Valley, B.C. — $24.99, Liquor Marts and beyond). Pale gold in colour, this B.C. Chardonnay is made from fruit sourced from two vineyards, and brings lovely red apple, peach, tropical fruit, ripe lemon and subtle vanilla notes, aromatically. It’s a medium-bodied, dry white, with opulent, ripe fruit flavours, secondary spice and vanilla from oak aging, a splash of acidity and lovely, lingering tropical fruit notes on the finish (it’s 13.2 per cent alcohol). 4/5

The Corte Fiore 2022 Appassimento (Abruzzo, Italy — $19.99, Liquor Marts and beyond) is sure to please dads who like Italian fare. Made from the Montepulciano grape using the appassimento method, which sees some grapes partially dried on the vine, there are lovely black cherry, floral, plum and black licorice at the core of this Italian red. It’s full-bodied, ripe and jammy, driven by dark fruit and raisined flavours, with earth and white pepper notes coming with modest tannins on the medium finish. Try with sharp cheeses, eggplant parm, lasagna or pizza. 3.5/5

If dad’s got an adventurous wine palate, grab him a bottle of the Tyler Winery 2021 Lieu Dit Cabernet Franc (Santa Ynez Valley, Calif. — around $55, private wine stores). From a Loire Valley-inspired winery in Santa Barbara County, this Cabernet Franc offers earth, cassis, bell pepper and black cherry notes on the nose; it’s medium-plus bodied and brings loads of dark fruit with secondary herbal and bell pepper notes, modest tannins and a not-too-boozy finish. Delivers great New World fruit concentration with Old World charm and complexity. Available at Ellement Wine + Spirits, Jones & Company and The Winehouse. 4/5

Does dad enjoy a dram now and again? If so, the gift options can seem overwhelming (depending on how much you want to spend). The Glenfiddich 14 Year Old Bourbon Barrel Reserve (Banffshire, Scotland — $99.95, Liquor Marts) is aged in two types of wood — ex-bourbon casks, as well as new, charred American barrels. It’s deep gold in colour and aromatically there’s plenty of vanilla and spice as well as tropical fruit and brown sugar. There’s a hint of sweetness on the medium-bodied palate of this single-malt scotch whisky, which accentuates the tropical fruit and vanilla flavours and adds a richness that will please both whisky neophytes and more seasoned fans. It’s not peaty at all, although there’s some heat on the finish (it’s 43 per cent alcohol). 4/5

Another single-malt scotch whisky that’s sure to wow dad is the Balvenie 12 Year Old DoubleWood (Dufftown, Scotland — $139.99, Liquor Marts). As the name suggests, like the Glenfiddich, it’s also aged in two types of barrels — in this case whisky casks and used sherry casks. It’s slightly paler gold in colour than the Glenfiddich, and brings a decided toffee/caramel component aromatically, along with lovely vanilla and toasted nut notes. Flavour-wise there’s just a touch of sweetness that comes with the dried fruit, spice, vanilla, stone fruit and toffee notes. The flavours are beautifully balanced, and the more modest 40 per cent alcohol means the DoubleWood is quite approachable. It’s a splurge, but dad’s worth it, no? 4.5/5

uncorked@mts.net

@bensigurdson