Wine Guy: Summer swirl and sip

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Just like many of summer’s best experiences, this week’s column came together more or less in happenstance. There’s no theme to this week’s picks, just a trio of bottles that may have been previously missed or just recently appeared — yet all worked their way seamlessly into summer gatherings and meals. So fire up the grill, hit play on that suggested streaming music playlist, lose yourself in the moment, and crack open one of these crowd-pleasing bottles.

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Tommasi 2023 Le Rosse Pinot Grigio, Italy

($23.99, #326488)

This bright white has been a favourite at dinner parties and on restaurant wine lists for years, and it’s easy to appreciate why. The elegant label looks sophisticated, and the clear, straw-coloured wine inside offers textbook northern Italian Pinot Grigio stylings. This means evident citrus and pear aromas leading to a fruity, dry palate complemented by more orchard fruit and nutty nuances. The finish is fresh and balanced, and overall this is a versatile food pairing partner ready to saddle up to everything from shellfish to fried chicken, mushroom risotto to spring rolls.

Bottom line: B, Classic PG.

Mission Hill Family Estate 2024 Reserve Rosé, B.C.

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($26, available through the winery)

Another Crafted in B.C. offering from the frost-devastated 2024 vintage, for their most recent Reserve Rosé Mission Hill headed to California. Or as explained on the wine label: When 57 hours of extreme cold devastated our harvest in 2024, our proprietor called on our extended family of vintners with a shared commitment to exceptional vineyards to collaborate on an extremely limited series of exciting wines.” This resulted in 100 per cent Pinot Noir grapes sourced from the Petaluma Gap AVA in Sonoma County. Outsized aromatics of red berries, flowers, and candied fruit lead to a smooth mid-palate and fresh, fruity finish with a lick of spice.

Bottom line: B, Serve with pizza or roast chicken.

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Trapiche 2023 Reserve Malbec, Argentina

($14.99 on sale until July 26, #343327)

This is burger wine. Or delivery pizza wine. Or simply hang out on the back patio with crackers, salami, and a hunk of aged cheddar wine. In other words, it’s an easygoing and robust Malbec that is ready to please. It features dark fruit aromas along with a lashing of evident oak and mocha, it’s robust yet supple, and also maintains enough freshness on a ripe finish to encourage the next sip. In other words while not the most complicated red around, it certainly hits the sweet spots — including a nice mid-week serving price point.

Bottom line: B-, Great grilling partner.

The Swirl: Women’s E-Bike Wine Tour in Kelowna

Working for your wine makes it taste better, and when the work involved is ebiking from winery to winery well that sounds even better. Such is the plan on July 22, when Wandering Wellness Getaway hosts a women-only, e-bike powered winery tour and tasting from 5-9:30 p.m. Participants meet at Lakeside Eco-Sports before pedalling their way to Meadow Vista Honey Wines and Hidden Vines Family Estate Winery for tastings and a charcuterie picnic. Tickets are $120, or $100 per person if you sign up with a friend (plus fees), with complete details at eventbrite.ca/e/womens-e-bike-wine-tour-tickets-1450630297269.

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