Happy Canada Day! 🇨🇦
July’s sunshine sets the stage for celebration and casual sipping with family and friends. Easygoing wines are perfect for sharing with a crowd, whether you’re enjoying the beach, camping, hosting a backyard BBQ, or watching fireworks.
Good news! Party wines don’t have to be overpriced. For July, I have picked four brands from across the world. All are crowd-friendly and over-deliver for their price.
Ontario
Cave Spring Vineyard is known for its high-scoring and highly praised Riesling wines. Thank goodness the Pennachetti family had the vision to plant Riesling grapes on the Beamsville Bench in Niagara in 1978 – against the advice of experts. The family has operated Cave Spring Vineyard since 1986 and named their winery after the property’s magnesium springs and limestone caves. The winery was awarded Ontario’s first Sustainable Winegrowing Ontario Certificate in 2016. Cave Spring Vineyard has four decades of innovation, sustainability leadership, and critically acclaimed cool-climate wines. Their cellar tasting room in Jordan Village is a must-visit destination!
Hosting guests who prefer something with a kiss of sweetness? Cave Spring Riesling VQA 2022 has a loyal following, and for good reason. It is elegant and off-dry, with honey and ginger aromas, fresh peach flavours and a crisp finish. Enjoy Cave Spring Riesling VQA 2022 with spicy foods, shrimp tacos, and Canadian cheddar cheese.
Cave Spring Rosé VQA 2023 is 100% Cabernet Franc, a cool-climate varietal that grows well in Niagara. This dry pink has a vibrant salmon colour, forward berry aromas, cranberry flavours, and a zesty finish. Pair food-friendly Cave Spring Rosé VQA 2023 with charcuterie boards, turkey burgers, and grilled salmon.
Greece
Ten years ago, the Thalia (meaning to blossom) wine brand from Peloponnese, Greece, launched at LCBO. Since then, Greek wine varietals remain extremely difficult to pronounce and challenging to understand. Thalia wines are interesting because they are blends of indigenous Greek wine varietals and better-known international varietals. For example, white Assyrtiko (ah-SEER-tee-koh) is blended with Sauvignon Blanc. Similarly, red Agiorgitiko (ah-yor-YEE-tee-koh) is mixed with Cabernet Sauvignon. The results are quite delicious! All wines are beautifully packaged and offer great value while giving you a taste of Greece in your glass.
Thalia White is a combination of the native Assyrtiko and Sauvignon Blanc. Although Assyrtiko is famous for being grown on the island of Santorini, it is also in the Peloponnese. Thalia White has citrus aromas, floral flavours, and gentle acidity. Enjoy with grilled vegetables, salads, and light cheeses.
Thalia Rosé combines Agiorgitiko, Greece’s most prominent indigenous red, with Cabernet Sauvignon. This fresh, dry, crisp, and pale rosé has floral aromas, strawberry flavours. Serve Thalia Rosé with Greek dishes, and grilled chicken and seafood.
Similarly, Thalia Red combines Agiorgitiko and Cabernet Sauvignon. It is medium bodied, balanced and fresh, with aromas of cherry, pepper flavours, and smooth tannins. Pair Thalia Red with grilled lamb, moussaka, and lasagne.
Italy
Produced by Casa Vinicola Botter, the Italian wine brand Oggi (meaning today) is on fire! A focussed strategy of combining accessible Italian varietals, bargain prices and approachable flavours made this brand extremely popular.
Oggi Pinot Grigio 2024 is a customer favourite. It has a light body, lime aromas, green apple flavours, and a crisp finish. Serve Oggi Pinot Grigio 2024 as an aperitif, with light cold soups and grilled shrimp.
Highly rated Oggi Sangiovese 2024 is made from the same grape as Chianti and has many similarities—at a fraction of the price. It is medium bodied, with fresh raspberry aromas, black cherry flavours, balanced acidity, and a soft, balanced, lingering herbal finish. Pair easydrinking Oggi Sangiovese 2024 with tomato-based pasta dishes, pizza, and sausages.
Chile
Emiliana Organic Vineyards in the Casablanca Valley of Chile began in 1986. Fast forward to today and this winery is one of the largest organic and biodynamic vineyards in the world with 1,200 hectares certified organic and biodynamic. With their organic brand Adobe (meaning the building material used in the area), they offer Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Rosé at incredible value.
Adobe Reserva Organic Sauvignon Blanc 2024 is fresh and light, with herb aromas and a zesty finish. Pair it with shellfish, goat cheese, and salads.
Adobe Reserva Organic Chardonnay 2024 has aromas of pineapple, mild vanilla flavours of fresh fruit with a refreshing finish. Serve Adobe Reserva Chardonnay Organic 2024 with pasta in cream sauce, scallops and mild fish dishes.
Adobe Reserva Organic Rosé 2024 is dry and pale pink. It has strawberry aromas, citrus flavours and a bright, fresh finish. Enjoy Adobe Reserva Organic Rosé 2024 with sushi, light pasta dishes, and Brie cheese.
While serving wines in the summer, there are a few tips to remember:
Keep it cool: Use wine sleeves, ice buckets, or insulated bags to keep your bottles at the right temperature during outdoor events.
Not all red wines are too heavy for summer: Lighter reds like Gamay (especially Beaujolais) and Pinot Noir can be slightly chilled and enjoyed on warm evenings. They pair beautifully with burgers, grilled sausages, and smoky vegetables.
Experiment with wine cocktails: For a low-alcohol, summer-friendly drink, called a white wine spritzer, mix white wine with sparkling water for a refreshing twist.
Don’t overthink it: Wine is about fun and ease. Try something new, drink what you enjoy, and don’t get hung up on “rules.”
July is full of reasons to raise a glass. Whether hosting a backyard barbecue, lounging on the patio, or heading to a lakeside cottage, the best summer wines are refreshing, food-friendly, and built to please a crowd.
Have a Very Happy Canada Day! 🇨🇦
Cheers,
Shari 🥂
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