Well fellow Bon Vivants – I know you’ve been waiting for it: a post all about wine! Since this is a topic we don’t take lightly here, I thought I’d go straight to our expert on the topic – Nick Keukenmeester. Not only does Nick write feature articles about wine for our magazine, Ensemble Vacations, he’s also been in the wine industry for years and has the ultimate Bon Vivant dream job as head of Private Client Sales for Lifford Wine Agency in Toronto.
Old World Wines
By Nick Keukenmeester
I often hear people complain that there are no good value European wines, but you just have to find regions and producers that are overlooked by others to find a bargain and drink like the locals (somewhere far away).
Look for southern Italy (Puglia, Sicilia, Basilicata) and red grapes you don’t know (Negroamaro, Nero d’Avola, Aglianico). You will be amazed at the concentration and it will cost less than your standard Aussie Shiraz. Or rather than drinking Barolo, drink the wines the people of Piemonte keep for themselves. Barbera is a rich, chocolatey red grape that coats the mouth with flavour. It is much less expensive and easier to drink than the average Nebbiolo-based wine from this region. Delicate whites from the Cortese (in Gavi) or Arneis grapes can also make stunning and inexpensive wines. One region that remains terribly neglected is the Douro in Portugal, the home of port. Dry table wines are now being made from port grapes such as Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and many others you can’t pronounce. They are rich with fruit, have deep tannins and a great balancing acidity; worthy of the cellar or a big meal.
Lesser known areas in Spain can offer great value, too. Abadia Retuerta sits just a few miles outside the famed Ribera del Duero. It is about half the price of estates within, but their geographical misfortune is our gain. They make great Tempranillo-based wines (the noble red grape of Spain), with fruit and earthy power not associated with traditional dried-out Rioja. Neglected regions such as Toro, Rueda and Jumilla offer Monastrel (Mourvedre), Garnacha (Grenache), Tempranillo and even crisp white Verdejo wines at a fraction of their worth.
Even in France, there are excellent wines at keen prices. Look for the wines of the Languedoc-Roussillon or consider Beaujolais. This is red Burgundy, but made with the fruity and aromatic Gamay grape rather than its more admired neighbour Pinot Noir. Here grapes from great ‘cru’ such as Morgon or Fleury make wines of excellence. Elegant Beaujolais Villages can be great with or without food.
Beaujolais Villages from producers such as Louis Jadot are available in most provinces for under $20.
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