A Message from Tina Jones

Photo by Thomas Fricke

In The Cellar Door, we have brought you up close and personal to the unfolding places and varieties of the international wine scene. In this issue, we shine a light on one of our favourite wine styles: big, bold reds.

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a self-professed Cabernet Sauvignon lover, and especially a lover of Napa reds. The style of wine that gives velvety tannins, warm and juicy weight, with powerful structure and yet tons of complexity—well, there is something perfectly beautiful about it. At the same time, I have occasionally felt that some wines that lean into that style go a bit far. Why is it that some wines from these places I love can lose their elegant complexity? Why do some full-bodied wines taste so amazingly complex, and some are just … big?

Our wine experts used these questions as the starting point of this issue. Saralyn Mehta catches up with the incredibly talented Philippe Melka, the Napa winemaker behind many of the most beautiful wines I have ever tasted. Mike Muirhead deconstructs structure in his feature on the architecture of big red wines. Sylvia Jansen dips into a few famous regions to show how and why these are sweet spots on the planet for amazing reds.

In this issue, Ricki-Lee Podolecki also explores vegan food and red wine pairings; we celebrate the power of a shared meal (with guest Chef Ben Kramer); and Sylvia makes a pitch to fall in love with Port this winter. We also celebrate some new wines from winemaking families in another of my favourite wine styles: Champagne!

As always, it is our goal to unravel what is happening in the wine world and to invite you into the conversation with us. We hope you will read this issue cover to cover and connect with us on BIG REDS. When you’re in the store next, please engage with our staff, or feel free to text our Sommelier Line at 204.400.0499 if you have a question. We love hearing from you!

Cheers!

Tina Jones