Best buys at the LCBO right now

Some wines suggest springtime with their whispering strokes of green. Others call to mind summer afternoons in strawberry fields, a slice of blueberry pie or a scoop of lime sorbet. Wines trigger memories.

Those memories aren’t always about food. Scents such as wet stones, underbrush and sea spray might evoke a walk by the river, a hike through the forest or a trip to the beach.

Appreciating wine’s allusions is at the very heart of wine appreciation. It’s why connoisseurs spend so much time swirling and sniffing before taking a sip. They know that coaxing the aromatics up into the bowl of the glass by swirling the liquid within, then taking a whiff, can yield great pleasure in and of itself.

In fact, a wine may say one thing on the nose, something similar but nuanced on the palate, then something entirely different on the finish. In fact, once a nuance is detected on the finish, it can often be found underpinning the fruit in subsequent sips, drawing the attention into greater depth and focus.

While the most kaleidoscopically complex wines tend to be more premium and mature, even relatively inexpensive, youthful bottles can offer enough complexity to engage the senses. It’s simply the nature of wine.

With that in mind, here are some exciting, evocative bottles available now at the LCBO that don’t cost an arm and a leg, starting with a few April 17 Vintages releases.

The 2018 Rosewood Riesling AF, VQA Twenty Mile Bench, from the Niagara Escarpment in Ontario (Vintages 11947 $15.95) starts with scents of poached pears, candied lemon peel and a touch of kerosene. The attack is bright yet rich with an almost oily mouth feel. It streams in with suggestions of fresh poached pears, sugared grapefruit and a touch of honey that lingers on the finish. Though this wine has some sweetness, the mouth-watering acidity lends balance, so each sip finishes clean and dry. Score: 92

From the south of France comes the expressive 2018 Gérard Bertrand Grenache Syrah Mourvèdre (Vintages 394288 $17.95). This deep purple-ruby wine exudes aromas of plump plums and ripe blackberries with a touch of grilled meat. The entry is bright, lifted and fans out with flavours of black forest fruit as well as damson, crushed violet and black olive. Then, that black olive note becomes more pronounced on the finish and merges with a crank of crushed black peppercorn, leaving the palate nicely seasoned. Superb food wine. Score: 89

Those with a penchant for sweet-centred Californian Cabernet will like the 2017 Parker Station Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles (Vintages 17684 $24.95). With oodles of sweet jam jar goodness on the nose, this sunshine in a glass style is immediately compelling. The attack is full and fleshy with muddled blueberries, black cherries and ripe raspberries that taper to cedar, bittersweet chocolate and pastry notes. This is a dry red that tastes fruit forward and is super-easy to enjoy. Score: 90

Since it’s always handy to have a few go-to wines that are always available at the LCBO, here is a red, white and rosé worth your attention.

The 2018 Carmen Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon Single Vineyard, DO Maipo, from Chile (LCBO 358308 $16.95) is just gorgeous and undervalued. It starts with heady aromas of cassis, toasted tobacco and dark chocolate that draw toward a mouth-filling, intense entry that erupts with black fruit —roasted plum and blackcurrant — laced with dark earth, tobacco as well as a dusting of baking spices that persists on the finish. Score: 93

For an easy thrill, the 2019 Aveleda Fonte Vinho Verde from Portugal (LCBO 5322 $10.95 till April 25, reg. $11.95) delivers full-throttle refreshment. Aromas and flavours suggest a lick of lime sorbet with a hint of chin-drip peach and whisper of salted lime zest. That subtle salinity lingers on the finish. With the perfect balance of succulent fruit and zippy acidity, combined with a low 9.5 per cent alcohol by volume, this wine is an easy quencher to keep in mind for when the temperatures start to rise. Score: 90

And the 2019 Ogier Ventoux Rosé from the Rhone Valley (LCBO 134916 $14.50) offers reliability at a reasonable price. This blend of Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault gleams a pretty shade of bright coral. It emits the quiet fragrance of sliced apricot, redcurrant and nougat. And it rushes in with refreshing flavours of the same. This seamless, shiny-tasting wine tastes juicy yet restrained, and puts you squarely in a springtime state of mind. Score: 92

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Carolyn Evans Hammond is a Toronto-based wine writer and a freelance contributing columnist for the Star. Wineries occasionally sponsor segments on her YouTube series yet they have no role in the selection of the wines she chooses to review or her opinions of those wines. Reach her via email: carolyn@carolynevanshammond.com