Wines | Five bottles for mom

It’s Mother’s Day and, after two years in lockdown, we can finally celebrate in person this year! To mark the event and please mum, here are five bottles to taste for the gathering.

Karyne Duplessis Piche
special collaboration

great white

The azure blue sky, the turquoise sea and, between the two, endless white sand… Take mum on a journey to Greece with this wine from the Gerovassiliou estate. Upon opening, floral notes perfume the glass. As it opens, the bouquet becomes more complex and reveals aromas of chervil, pear and white pepper. The crunchy and saline entry is followed by a richer texture where ripe fruit and spices are present. A great wine! The reputation of winemaker Vangelis Gerovassiliou is second to none. Located south of Thessaloniki, it allowed, among other things, the survival of the Malagousia grape variety which had almost disappeared. Thank God ! Thanks to the know-how of the winemaker, this variety demonstrates here its great potential. With lobster, your mother will be satisfied.

Domaine Gerovassiliou Malagousia Old Vines 2021, $27.35 (11901120)

With class

Impossible to disappoint mum with this sparkling wine from the Loire. Complex, elegant and refined, this sparkling wine is produced in Vouvray by Vincent Carême. The winemaker cultivates 16 hectares of Chenin Blanc and his wines are a reference. This is confirmed again with this cuvée from the 2019 harvest. This warm vintage allowed the grapes to reach great maturity. You can feel it in the glass with aromas of very ripe yellow fruits, flowers and a hint of orange. The winemaker has managed to keep the tension and freshness that bring tone and a lot of length. For less than $30, it’s awe-inspiring.

Domaine Vincent Carême Brut Vouvray sparkling 2019, $26.40 (11633591), organic

Preference red

According to several studies conducted around the world over the past decade, women prefer red wine. For a change from the classics, head for the Bierzo. In this region of northwestern Spain, near the Portuguese border, the mencia is king. This variety of grape sometimes gives austere and quite powerful reds. This is not the case in this cuvée produced by Dominio de Tares. The 60-year-old vines give a red where the aromas of raspberry mingle with a hint of fine herbs and sweet spices. The attack on the palate is juicy, fruity, and aging for a year in the bottle before being marketed has softened its tannins.

Dominio de Tares Baltos 2018, $20.35 (12560099)

Rosé from here

The 2021 harvest has delighted several Quebec winegrowers. Thanks to a hot and dry summer, the grapes have gained in maturity and the wines, in quality. This is immediately noticeable in this Versant rosé from the Coteau Rougemont vineyard. It has never been so good and so dry. In the past, the winemaker had to leave a few grams of sugar to balance his wine, but not this year. The blend of Frontenac Gris, Petite Perle and Vidal opens with very classic flavors of raspberry candies, flowers and exotic fruits. On the palate, the attack is refreshing, the aromas are fruity and the length is satisfactory. It’s all there, at a good price!

Coteau Rougemont Versant 2021, $15.85 (12644153)

To drink or to keep

Grilled lobster and chardonnay, that’s a pairing that’s hard to beat. Especially with this cuvée from Maison Champy, in Burgundy. The Edmé cuvée fills the glass with the complexity of its bouquet. It opens with aromas of vanilla, smoke, and evolves towards cantaloupe and Meyer lemon. Admittedly, the aging in oak barrels is supported, but the wood does not weigh down the wine. Rather, it gives it volume and richness that allow for fabulous pairings at the table. Moms are often known for their patience, so they might wait a few years before opening it.

Maison Champy Chardonnay Cuvee Edme 2019, $27.60 (11293742)