VINE LINES: A bevy of beauties to try before you buy

Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 26/04/2019 (2327 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

“Wine Station.”

It sounds like a great name for a wine bar or a restaurant that boasts a superb wine list, doesn’t it?

And while establishments may exist that bear that moniker, the Wine Station I’m familiar with is a dispenser that’s used by some Liquor Marts to offer free samples to customers.

I love it because rather than experiment and purchase something I’ve never had before and risk disappointment, I get to try before I buy. And that makes me very happy.

It’s a great promotional tool, too, because on several occasions, after sampling something from the Wine Station, I’ve bought one or more bottles of what I’ve tasted. And I know I’m not the only patron who has done that, because I’ve witnessed several people who’ve tasted alongside me do exactly the same thing.

I wrote about the Wine Station a few years back when it was new to Brandon’s South End Liquor Mart, but I continue to be impressed by the offerings that are available. So I’m writing today about some of the wines I sampled a couple of weeks ago.

(Incidentally, the cool thing about the Wine Station is that it stores the wine at exactly the right temperature — whites are chilled and reds are offered at what would be cellar temperature. And it dispenses them by pressure, so what’s left in the bottle doesn’t go off if it happens to sit there for three or four days. Consequently, the wine is presented as it would be if it came from a just-opened bottle.)

Anyway, I very much liked the Ruffino Il Ducale Pinot Grigio from Italy. Fresh with nicely balanced acidity, there was a flinty mineral quality I really enjoyed. At $18.02, it seemed the perfect beverage to drink outdoors on a sunny spring day.

I was also reminded how much I love the Sables D’Azur Rosé from France, and that there was a bottle of that very wine in my fridge I’d forgotten all about! This is a beautiful product — truly one of the nicest rosés I’ve ever had. In an elegantly curved bottle reminiscent of the human form, the wine is a gorgeous salmon colour and boasts strawberry, nectarine and peach notes with a hint of spice and a whiff of pepper. It’s regularly $18.10, but it’s on sale until this Sunday for $16.29, so it’s a perfect opportunity to stock up for superb summer sipping.

I enjoyed all four reds in the Wine Station, and would recommend them all. The J. Lohr Falcon’s Perch Pinot Noir from California ($29.05) has aromas and flavours of black cherry and strawberry with hints of vanilla and dusty rhubarb. I love Pinot Noir with salmon, and the J. Lohr Pinot, with just a bit of chill on it, is a lovely match for my spiced and grilled fillet. (And just a food tip here — I don’t know what possessed me a few years back, and I’m pretty sure there’s a special product for fish and chicken, but I got it in my head that since I loved Montreal Steak Spice on steak, I might like it on salmon as well. I tried it, loved it, and have been using it on my pink fish ever since!)

I was really impressed by the Antano Reserve from Spain. With aromas and flavours of all sorts of black fruit, vanilla and spice, this Rioja is, in my opinion, a bargain at $18.99. As I said in an earlier column, Spanish wines are taking up increasing space in my wine larder because they’re so good and are often really great value.

The Senatore Primitivo from Italy ($31.46) is getting up there in price, but it boasts a robust aroma and solid flavours of black fruit and spice. Tannic and tasty, this is a wine that begs for food, and it would pair well with any red meat, particularly game, I think, and zesty Italian fare.

Finally, the 1865 Carmenere ($19.99) from Chile. Redolent with blackberry, black cherry and plum, along with the expected hint of green pepper, this is a full-on Carmenere that’s smoother than some others I’ve had, and would pair well with burgers, stews, grilled red meat and more.

For a chance to sample some super stuff you might not often get the chance to, head on over to the South End Liquor Mart and see what’s “on tap.” I’m willing to bet you’ll find something that pleases your palate and perhaps even your pocketbook!