Tony Aspler’s Wine Picks

READERS’ PICKS

CAVIT COLLECTION PINOT GRIGIO DELLE VENEZIE IGT

LCBO #99218 • $13.95

Sustainably grown in mountainous northern Italy, this is a best-selling pinot grigio, with flavours of citrus and green apple. It’s lightbodied, very dry and notably food-friendly. Serve well-chilled as an aperitif, or serve with pasta, veal, chicken or seafood.

LUCCARELLI PRIMITIVO PUGLIA IGT

LCBO #253856 • $11.95

Deep ruby colour; fruit forward bouquet of plum, prune, cherry, spice and vanilla; mediumbodied and dry with flavours that follow the nose, raspberry, plum, prune, cherry, spice and light tannins that add balance.

BOTTEGA VINO DEI POETI PROSECCO DOC

LCBO #897702 • $15.95

Fresh and fragrant with delicate apple, pear, citrus and hints of honeysuckle and white fruit on the nose; dry, with barely a hint of sweetness on palate and flavours of green apple and citrus; refreshing finish.

CATENA MALBEC

Vintages #478727 • $19.95

Nicolás Catena helped revolutionize Argentina’s wine industry after visiting California in the 1980s. This, his benchmark Malbec, has rich blackberry, blueberry, dark chocolate, exotic spices and mint. Perfect for grilled sausages, aged steaks or rare roast beef.