Anthony Gismondi: B.C. wine of the week | Value wine of the week

Article content

The European wine sector is facing new information requirements that must be displayed on wine labels of the wines sold in the E.U.

This new rule, which starts Dec. 8, 2023, covers everything from traditional wine to partly fermented grape must, sparkling and de-alcoholized wines.

Article content

The labels must display the wine category and also make reference to the DOP, PGI, and alcoholic strength.

Article content

It must mention the name of the producer importer, the sugar content in sparkling wines and all the information related to ingredients, allergens, nutrition and energy value of 100ml of wine expressed in kj and kcal. In addition, nutritional information must include the amount of fats, saturated fats, carbohydrates, sugars, proteins and salt, all expressed in 100g or 100ml and appear in the same field of vision with clear typography.

The intention is to provide greater transparency to the wine industry, better informing consumers about what winemaking entails so that they can make healthier consumption decisions with a better understanding of what they consume.

Finding wines in your budget

Remember, a quick way to scan all the wines on sale over the holiday season at B.C. Liquor stores is to click on the “sale” page at bcliquorstores.com, sort the page by price and scroll down to the price level that works for your budget.

B.C. wine of the week

Blasted Church Merlot 2021, Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

$34.00 I 89/100

UPC: 696852061872

Article content

The Blasted Church Merlot is all home estate fruit grown on the Skaha Bench. The vines are 30 years old, the yields are low and the result is a supremely rich red. Look for plenty of black plums, baking chocolate, black cherries and fragrant notes of vanilla. This is stylish red, and it’s only just settling in. Drink or hold this is a good one. The oak is all French, only 30 per cent new, a winning formula.

Value wine of the week

Garzón Cabernet de Corte 2020, Garzon, Maldonado, San José, Uruguay

$22.99 I 89/100

UPC: 7730951081317

Bodega Garzón sits about 20 kilometres inland from what some would call Uruguayan paradise, at Punta del Este, La Barra, and Jose Ignacio. Corte translates to blend. In this case, it is 80 per cent Cabernet Franc, 10 per cent tannat, five per cent Merlot, and five per cent marselan. The secret to this wine is the styling. They preach elegance at Garzon, so expect a tight mix of red and black fruit that opens with violets and wet stone, followed by raspberries, blackberries, and green pepper, kissed with dark chocolate. There is no oak here, just pure terroir. We like this with roasted pork ribs on fennel and leeks or pappardelle with a wild mushroom ragu.

Article content