For those of you who have followed my partnership with Diamond Estates, you know how much I have come to love them and bringing their wines to your laptop and smart phone screens. Alongside the ever growing DoTheDaniel.com audience, Diamond Estates has joined on board for yet another year of seasonal posts to feature, review and critique their latest & greatest. This season I bring you my Sipping in the Sun post with wines for those spring nights with a light sweater and summer days with SPF 50 needed. Although the seasons seems to be melting into one, these wines are sure to please any wine lover’s taste for any occasion, spring or summer.
Not all wine is created equal, and not all occasions call for the same type of wine. I offer you some quick tips and tricks in hopes that the next time you head to the LCBO or are in search of something unique to wow your taste buds that you take my advise.
Classic Whites with a Twist
Moving into the hotter weather, white wine is bound the be the primary choice for most wine drinkers in the market. But for those of us who are intimidated by the ample choices available online via Canadian distributors who deliver to your door or the LCBO in Ontario, where do we even start? I like to always go for the classics but with a subtle twist. There is something quite adventurous in trying something new. This season, Diamond Estates has got some great options for you to please your white wine loving palette and entertain your guests.
The Unoaked Chardonnay from EastDell Estates is a great option for those of you looking for a classic white with an Ontario twist. Classic Chardonnays from California are known to be power houses in the wine world with aggressive butter flavours and hearty oak finishes. The Ontario cousin to these power players is going to offer a lighter, more subtle version of the varietal. With mild flavours of apple and pear, and a light smell of lemon zest on the nose, this wine is a great option for those of us who don’t like heavily oaked white wines. Fermentation in stainless steel allows for 100% of the grape to come through in the flavour as opposed to the subtleties that come along with wood aging. Fresh & crips, this wine screams Spring / Summer (look at me, I’m starting to speak Fashion like Julio!) gatherings with friends. Pair this bottle of white with seasonal seafood or fruit desserts for the most interesting combination of acidity and sweetness. I love to contrast flavours and I recommend that you try the same when hosting your friends and family to truly see the power that wine has to enhance a gathering with those you love.
For those of you looking for something a little fruitier in the white wine world, Fresh Wines‘ Moscato is just the right choice for you. I’ve spoken to the adventurous nature of this varietal in past Diamond Wine posts (see my previous review of it here). But a good choice always deserves double the amount of praise when it embodies the Spring joy de vivre that we are all experiencing. On the nose, this wine is going to be quite aromatic and floral. Combining sweet honey and acidic citrus notes of lemon and lime, this wine is more on the acidic side of the white wine world. Its almost lilac driven scents remind me of blooming flowers and life born anew alongside the spring season. Pairing this with rich red meats or white fish will allow you to experience the playfulness of this young wine and boldness of its flavours. Moscato is meant to embody light hearted and lovely sentiments and this is one that is sure to bring just that to your table.
Fun & Flirtatious Options
There is always something to be said about the adventurous nature of the Spring and Summer months. People seem livelier and more apt to try something new for the sake of enjoying the season and sunshine. For the next two wines, imagine the classics yet again for their respective varietals but with a playful side that you might not expect from wine.
Cotton Candy Rosé embodies one thing when I read the name of this summer rosé. The label itself is youthful playfulness and it becomes exactly what you would expect from a name like this. Predominantly sweet, this wine is what I would deem a perfect introduction to the Rosé world for those of you who haven’t enjoyed them in the past. It’s not the magnum size of sugary wine that we all started out drinking in our youth (without naming names, you know exactly what brands I am talking about) and it isn’t the classic dry French Rosés I have come to love either. It is a blend of both world and screams sunshine in a glass. Flavours of candied cherries and mild acidity help to make this the perfect glass to sip over a light lunch or after work with the girls. I wish I had a photo to share with you but since Julio & I enjoyed it so much this bottle didn’t stand a chance! Sweet and sinfully playful, this bottle of wine is perfect for those looking for a little bit of everything all at once.
Finally, the Candy Apple Red is the sister wine to the above mentioned rosé and is just as playful. Can you tell that I had a theme in mind for the sunshine of the quasi spring-summer weather? Playful is the perfect word for this bottle of red. Best described as bold with hints of chocolate and dark fruit, this wine is a wonderful blend for the wine lover in us all. I immediately thought of dusk after dinner with strong cheese and friends after my first sip. I’m sure that this is one of the best moments to bring out this bottle of wine for you as well and encourage you to do just that after a momentous dinner or romantic night in.
All in all this season’s Diamond Estate Wines make me feel young at heart and ready to play into the wee hours of the night. Why not go and pick up a bottle or two for yourself and see what I mean when I say that sipping in the sun is best done with a bottle of Diamond Estates wine.
Make sure to always check the Diamond Estates website for new releases. Stay tuned for my seasonal posts and recommendations to keep you in the loop for the latest and greatest from Diamond Estates with #DoTheDaniel. And obviously, make sure to tweet us both to tell us what you thought of these wines with @DiamondEstates & @DoTheDaniel!
Photos: Diamond Estates Wines & Spirits Ltd.
Please remember to enjoy responsibly and never drink and drive.
Cheers!