Wines of the week | Mediterranean flavors

Here are three wines made primarily from Mediterranean grape varieties and climates. This could lead one to believe in fleshy and heady wines… but that is to forget the important role that the terroir, the viticulture and the vinifications also play, as well as the winegrower’s choices. These three wines show substance, certainly, but above all a very good balance that highlights freshness and digestible character.

Veronique Rivest
Sommelier, guest collaborator

The favorite rosé of Quebecers

Nearly 800 cases of this Californian wine found buyers in less than a month when it first arrived last May. It is a favorite rosé of Quebecers. A new shipment, nearly 800 cases, has been distributed in stores since August 8: don’t wait too long! A blend of Cinsault, Grenache and Clairette, it offers a delicate nose, with nuances of herbs, citrus fruits and wild strawberries. Aging on the lees gives it a certain roundness in the mouth, supported by a nourished material. Fresh acidity and a very slight gas residue keep it all dapper and calls for a second drink. A blend of Grenache and Cinsault above all, it is very dry and ideal for the table: crab or shrimp salad, tomato tart, grilled sausages with ratatouille.

Bonny Doon Vineyard Vin Gris de Cigar Central Coast 2021, $19.95 (10262979), 13%

Aging: 1 to 2 years

Friendly and genuine

This wine began to be distributed on 1^er August, but it will leave quickly too! An archetype of good everyday Italian wine, it is a non-vintage blend, aged in concrete vats, of seven grape varieties from different regions: Sangiovese, Malvasia and Canaiolo from Tuscany, Montepulciano from Marche, Frappato, Nerello Mascalese and Nero from ‘Avola from Sicily. All are organically grown and vinified at the magnificent Monte Bernardi estate in Panzano, Tuscany. Very dry, like all good Italian wines made for the table, Fiasco offers notes of cherry, herbs and undergrowth. Light tannins bring just the right amount of roughness. Everything is gourmet and without fuss, friendly and authentic, perfect for simple cuisine: pizza, spaghetti bolognese, charcuterie, grilled vegetable skewers with herbs.

Monte Bernardi Fiasco Wine from Italy, $24.75 for 1L (14989850), 13%, organic ($18.56 for 750ml)

Aging: 1 to 2 years

Powerful, fine and fresh

Certified biodynamic, Olivier Pithon’s vineyard is in Calce, about fifteen kilometers northwest of Perpignan. The great sensitivity of the winegrower to the vine and the cellar is reflected in his wines, which are always full of sparkle and energy. The Laïs cuvée is made with mainly Carignan and Grenache, with a little Mourvèdre. Its deep purplish color surely comes from Carignan. The fragrant nose is rich, ripe and complex, with notes of black fruit, mauve flowers and black earth. Very dry, the wine is rather full-bodied, with moderate tannins and chewiness, but also a lot of freshness, accentuated by a clear mineral, stony impression. Complete and very harmonious, it is powerful, fine and fresh at the same time, and stretches on a long finish. Lamb chops with herbs, duck confit, Catalan chicken.

Domaine Olivier Pithon Cuvée Laïs Côtes du Roussillon 2021, $29.25 (11925720), 13.5%, organic

Aging: 5 to 6 years