Robert Moyes
Monday Magazine wine columnist
Christmas is coming early for budget wine shoppers – especially those who enjoy the wines of Argentina’s Finca Los Primos.
Let’s start with their Chardonnay, which has lush fruit with a bit of oak and a touch of residual sugar. This tasty and reliable wine would be a good pairing with turkey. Red fans can savour their always-popular Malbec, which offers an array of plummy dark fruits and a pleasingly soft mouthfeel. Both of these wines are on sale at $2 off this December, representing fantastic value at $12.65. Thank you, LDB Santa!
Also on sale is Spain’s Borsao Garnacha 2016 ($16.10), which is a juicy, fruit-driven delight redolent of cherry, blackberry and raspberry that is complemented by chocolate notes and a hint of vanilla. Full-bodied, spicy and complex, this Spanish version of Grenache would make a very welcome house guest over the holidays. As wine maven Robert Parker said of Borsao: “It’s my favourite value winery, not just in Spain but in the whole world.”
If you want to go a big step above entry-level Prosecco try the Santa Margherita Valdobbiadene ($25). Earning 92 points from Wine Spectator, this luscious throat charmer comes from the heartland of Prosecco Superiore and has the DOCG status to prove it. Full of frothy charm, the Santa Margherita is a fine-bubbled sparkler offering peachy floral aromas and flavours of tropical fruits enlivened with lemon hints. Definitely a wine to be put on anyone’s Christmas list!
Founded 25 years ago in Oliver, Tinhorn Creek is well known for quality. Its medal-winning 2017 Pinot Gris ($22) is an appealing fruit salad of a wine, with aromas and flavours of banana, pear, apple and some tropical fruit as well. Ensuring its balance is a splash of citrusy acidity that keeps the wine crisp and refreshing. After a surfeit of turkey over the holidays, maybe plan a shellfish dinner and serve it with this beauty.
(All prices include tax.)