World of wine worth exploring during busy fall festival season

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This article was published 21/09/2024 (746 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There’s nothing quite like autumn festival season — from hearty fall suppers to Oktoberfest celebrations to Thin Air 2024 (Winnipeg’s annual literary love-in), to the Winnipeg Wine Festival, which returns to its fall slot this weekend, there’s a bumper crop of things going on.

But as the guy who wears both the literary editor and drinks writer hats for the Free Press, it can all seem a bit overwhelming and prove to be a bit overwhelming.

The plan for this week was to write about the Winnipeg Wine Festival’s theme region, but said theme is “Wines of Europe,” which would be akin to asking me to write an article (with my literary editor hat on) about “books in English.”

Whole books have been written about specific wine countries, regions and even single producers — there’s no way I could do such a wide-ranging and important part of the winemaking world justice.

Instead, here are reviews of a half-dozen wines I’ve recently tasted and enjoyed — some falling under the “Wines of Europe” umbrella (Italy in particular), others coming from new world wine-producing countries…

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Kris 2021 Pinot Grigio (Venezie, Italy — around $22, private wine store)

Pale gold in colour, there’s a lovely floral, lanolin and honeycomb note aromatically that comes with ripe red apple, peach and lemon candy notes.

It’s dry, light-plus bodied and viscous — offering much more texture than most wines labelled Pinot Grigio — with a ripe fruit salad of red apple, pear, peach as well as modest acidity and a short finish.

Elegant and with good concentration of flavours, far beyond many Pinot Grigios in our market. Available at Jones & Co. and Kenaston Wine Market. 4/5

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Michele Chiarlo 2021 Palás Gavi (Gavi, Italy — $25.99, Liquor Marts and beyond)

Made from the indigenous Cortese grape, this Italian white from Piedmont’s Gavi region brings lovely white peach and pear aromas as well as secondary red apple, floral and chalky notes.

It’s light-plus bodied and dry, with a hint of viscosity that delivers the peach and pear flavours, some secondary chalky and saline notes that bring verve, modest acidity and a medium-length finish (it’s 13 per cent alcohol).

Decidedly food friendly with a range of milder cheeses and salads, but delicious and slyly complex on its own as well. 4/5

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Road 13 2020 Viognier (Okanagan Valley, B.C. — $27.99, Liquor Marts and beyond)

Road 13 has long been making killer wines around Oliver in the Okanagan Valley; this is among the first of its wines to land in our market for some time (or maybe ever).

It’s deep-ish gold in colour, with ripe nectarine and tropical fruit aromas coming with some floral and spice notes that are typical of this grape variety.

It’s dry, medium-bodied and viscous, with big papaya, peach, nectarine and pear flavours, secondary spice and honey notes, modest acidity and, at 13 per cent alcohol, a medium-length finish.

A rich and lovely example of this grape from a winery that rarely misses. 4.5/5

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Fourth Wave Wine 2022 Take it to the Grave Shiraz (Barrosa, Australia — $18.99, Liquor Marts and beyond)

Inky blackcurrant reddish-purple in colour, this Barossa Shiraz brings ripe cherry, iron, earth, plum and white pepper notes aromatically.

It’s a dry, full-bodied red, with plush red and black fruit notes as well as tarry, earthy and peppery components, medium tannins that come with a grippy black tea note and a relatively long finish (it’s 14.5 per cent alcohol).

Drink this bruiser now or in the next 2-3 years. 3.5/5

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Tenuta Sassoregale 2021 Sangiovese (Toscana Maremma, Italy — $22.99, Liquor Marts and beyond

Deep garnet in colour, this Tuscan red offers ripe plum and raspberry aromas along with violet and spice notes.

It’s dry and medium-plus bodied, with raspberry and cherry flavours front and centre followed by plum, black tea, white pepper and hints of spice, medium tannins and a moderate finish.

A solid food wine for osso bucco, pizza or pasta in a red sauce — drink now. 3.5/5

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Tinazzi 2022 Eròdoto Aglianico (Puglia, Italy — $25.99, The Pourium)

This Italian red, made from the indigenous Aglianico grape, shows lovely plum, voilet, ripe cherry, earth and raspberry notes aromatically.

It’s dry and full-bodied, with chewy red berry and plum flavours coming with white pepper and black tea notes, lean but grippy tannins, moderate acidity and a medium finish.

Aged in stainless steel this red brings rustic Italian character with a gutsy punch of fruit. Available at The Pourium. 4 / 5

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