VINE LINES: Longshot wine a deal at $13.99, but a steal at $11.99

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 10/08/2018 (2820 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As the old saying goes, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. But if you plan ahead and shop accordingly, this bargain is still to be had.

Let me explain.

In last week’s column, I wrote about two of The Ultimate Longshot wines from California — a Pinot Grigio and a Chardonnay. I loved them both and was amazed by the prices. The Pinot Grigio, said I in this space, was $11.99 and the Chardonnay was $13.99. Both were great products, especially for the cost.

But here’s the thing: The regular price on those two wines, as well as the Cabernet Sauvignon from the same line I’m about to discuss, is $13.99.

Rather than checking the Liquor Mart site, which I almost always do, I looked at the sales receipt attached to the brown paper bag that contained the wines, which said the Pinot Grigio and the Cabernet were $11.99 and the Chard was $13.99. Nowhere did it say that $11.99 was a sale price — it simply printed that amount as the cost.

So I was — mistakenly, as it turns out — under the impression that what the receipt registered was the regular price for those wines. I was a bit surprised the Chard wasn’t the same as the other two — and that should have been the tipoff for me. But I just thought, “Whoa — if these are any good, this is an exceptional deal!”

I never imagined the wines were on sale. But they were. And I didn’t double check with the website, which specifically does list items as being discounted for a precise length of time. But I should have. So I apologize for the confusion or the two-dollar-difference surprise anyone might have gotten when they went to buy the Longshot Pinot Grigio.

But here’s the good news. The Chardonnay, regularly $13.99, is on sale for the month of August, for $11.99! While all three wines are still terrific at their regular price, they’re a spectacular bargain at $11.99 And for that price, I can’t recommend them highly enough. If you like your Chard buttery and oaky (although the oak does dissipate with some aeration and an overnight or two recorked in the fridge), then this is a deal that can’t be beat!

So August is the month to stock up on Longshot Chardonnay. And here’s some advance notice I’ve gleaned because I was in touch with the Longshot wine rep after last Friday’s mixup: both the Pinot Grigio and the Cab Sauv will once again be on sale during the month of September for $11.99 per bottle. If price is a consideration, these are the months to buy the Longshot products.

I’ve already mentioned the Chard characteristics, but here’s a bit more — aromas and tastes of baked apple and peach pie, along with caramel with the aforementioned toasted oak make this a mighty wine for $13.99, but even better at $11.99.

And the Pinot Grigio, with its bright notes of Norland apple and lemon, was in my opinion, not your average Pinot Grigio. It was more like a Pinot Gris, in that it had plenty of backbone and intensity — not overpoweringly so, but it certainly had more presence than a typical Pinot Grigio. I usually find Pinot Grigios insipid, but the Longshot is definitely not that. It made me sit up and take notice. It was great!

Both of the Longshot whites are round and smooth — another surprise given their price — and were very good to sip on their own. But, another bonus, they also paired beautifully with chicken and with fish that featured heavy white sauces.

The Longshot Cabernet was also a pleasant surprise — it boasted jammy fragrances and flavours of blackberry, blackcurrant and black cherry, with hints of nutmeg and allspice. Good by itself, it was a great food match with steak and heavily barbecue-sauced pulled pork. Again, a deal for $13.99, but a steal for $11.99.

So buy your Longshot Chard while it’s on sale in August, and your Longshot Pinot Grigio and Cabernet Sauvignon when they’re discounted in September. For the regular price, and especially the sale price, these are truly wines to be reckoned with.

» Diane Nelson is a longtime journalist and former Sun staffer who really likes wine. A lot.

» diane.vinelines@gmail.com

» Twitter: @vinelinesbdn