Wine trends of 2017: Italian whites, rosé and keeping it natural
On the Coast master of wine Barbara Phillip recommends examples of the top styles and categories
Walk into your local wine shop and you will be inundated by the choices available.
On the Coast's master of wine Barbara Philip also has her expert eye on the shelves and the restaurant lists. This week, she identifies some of the top wine trends of 2017.
"The current trends really reflect the curiosity and excitement of B.C.'s wine-buying public and include rosés, organic wines and exotic white grape varieties from Italy," Phillip said.
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Here are Phillip's examples of some of the styles and categories of wine trending in B.C. right now:
Fontanavecchia Falanghina. Campania. Italy. 2015. $20.99
"Prosecco and Pinot Grigio have opened our eyes to the glories of Italian white wines and now it is time to discover some of the other regional specialties like Falanghina. The Fontanavecchia is an excellent example with notes of sea salt, citrus and white peach. Sip with a margherita pizza."
L'Ostal de Cazes Rosé. Pays d'Oc. France. 2016. $14.99
"There seems to be no stopping the current trend for dry rosé and this beautiful wine from the south of France is one of the leaders. It is a 50/50 blend of Grenache and Syrah with subtle aromas of red cherry, pomegranate and wet stone."
Cousino Macul. Cabernet Sauvignon 'Antiguas Reserva'. Maipo. Chile. 2014. $18.29
"Chile has been a reliable category in B.C. for almost 30 years but is currently having a growth spurt as consumers rediscover the quality of the wines. Cousino Macul makes a style of Cabernet that is strongly influenced by the style of Europe (think Bordeaux) but has the ripe fruit and unique flavours of Chile."
Mathieu and Camille Lapierre. Morgon. Beaujolais. 2015. $39.99
"Producers of quality wine around the world are taking more care with their farming and winemaking techniques to respect the land and to make sure that the finished wine is as natural as possible. Beaujolais is one of the key areas for non-interventionist wine production and the Lapierre family are leaders. Look for wild herbs, violets, dark cherry and blackberry tea notes in this Morgon."
With files from CBC Radio One's On The Coast