A dozen-plus of the city’s top sommeliers to share their picks with us for some very specific scenarios…including a few bargain bottles to bring to the beach.
The Situation
You and your pals are heading to the beach and are bringing a few contraband bottles because you are civilized people—but there’s always a chance they’ll be seized by some overzealous bylaw officer. What two bottles for $50 do you get?
Sommeliers Say…
Monte del Fra Bardolino ($18) and Paltrinieri Lambrusco di Sorbara ($22). Start with the cheerful Bardolino, preferably with the Freybe cold cuts you got from Safeway. Once that’s done and the afternoon sun is starting to cook, switch to the lambrusco: a dry, fruity, rosé-like sparkling wine that begs to be consumed straight from the bottle.—Matthew Landry, Stable House Bistro
Two bottles of the same Tiberio Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo ($23). In order to avoid getting busted, you can decant wines directly into an Ocean Spray bottle, because it’s the same colour as cranberry juice.—Kelcie Jones, Chambar
Not that I would ever do such a thing, but, hypothetically speaking, if I were ever to go against the laws of British Columbia, I would most certainly have to steer my sights toward aromatic wines with zippy acidity: Laurenz und Sophie Singing Grüner Veltliner ($24) and Schloss Reinhartshausen Rheingau Riesling ($23). Why these two? Because they taste great even out of plastic cups and go swimmingly with most picnic fare.— Mireille Sauvé, Wine Umbrella
