The Victoria Day long weekend is just around the corner. Whether you’re firing up the grill or lounging on a dock, we’ve got drinks to match the mood and the food.
Here to help us is Natalie MacLean, editor of Canada’s largest wine review site at nataliemaclean.com.
Welcome, Natalie.
Great to be back with you! I love Victoria Day. We get to celebrate a queen and the official start of patio season. So I’m here for both the crowns and the corks.
Let’s start on a refreshing note. What’s a great white wine to serve this weekend?
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Sauvignon Blanc
Marlborough, New Zealand
The Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc is sunshine in a glass: zesty lemon-lime, juicy mango and a whisper of green herbs. It’s made from sustainably grown grapes in the Marlborough region of New Zealand, where the wind from the Pacific keeps everything cool and crisp, just like this wine.
If this wine had a dating profile, it would be “easygoing, gets along with everyone, no drama.”
I’d pair this with dockside ceviche tossed with lime and cilantro, sizzling grilled shrimp skewers with garlic butter, a crunchy arugula salad topped with goat cheese and mango, fresh oysters on crushed ice with a squeeze of lemon, and a citrus-marinated chicken that’s grilled until golden and smoky.
That sounds delicious. What’s next?
Next, we have this delightful Villa Sparina Gavi di Gavi that’s clean and fresh.
Feel free to smell or taste.
Villa Sparina Gavi di Gavi
Piedmont, Italy
This wine has lovely notes of lime and lemon zest. The iconic, curvy bottle is based on a bottle they found in their historic cellar. Today this wine is still a blend of personality and history. It’s only $22.95 at the LCBO.
I’d pair this with fresh seafood or field greens.
Anselmi San Vincenzo
Veneto, Italy
This gorgeous white wine is a blend of Garganica, which brings richness and complexity, freshness from Chardonnay and fruity and floral aromatic notes from Sauvignon Blanc. The wine comes from the Soave region of northeast Italy and is family-owned. The family is involved in all aspects of winemaking.
This would be a terrific match for grilled seafood.
That sounds perfect for a sunny afternoon! Let’s move on to reds – what are you recommending?
I have a your ultimate bold BBQ red, the Trapiche Malbec!
Trapiche Malbec
Mendoza, Argentina
The grapes for this full-bodied wine are grown at high altitudes in the mountainous region of Mendoza, Argentina, creating a wine of incredible depth, energy and vibrancy. You’ll taste rich black cherry, blackberry, and hints of mocha with a touch of spice.
I’d pair this with flame-kissed ribeye with a peppercorn crust, chipotle pulled pork sliders, grilled portobello mushrooms with balsamic glaze, smoky BBQ ribs dripping with sauce, and a juicy blue cheeseburger with caramelized onions.
I’d also pair this with a Victoria Day fireworks feast featuring slow-smoked beef brisket with a peppery crust and melt-in-your-mouth interior, charred corn on the cob slathered with chili lime butter that drips down your fingers, and mushroom caps stuffed with blue cheese and herbs grilled until bubbly and golden.
Sounds like the perfect wine for our long weekend barbecues! Now I see you’ve brought something with a bit more fire to it as well.
Yes, for those who want something with a kick!
Fireball Cinnamon Whisky
Montreal, Quebec
Fireball Apple Cinnamon
Montreal, Quebec
Fireball Cinnamon Whisky was originally developed in Canada in the mid-1980s and has become one of the country’s most popular whisky brands. It’s still made in their Old Montreal Distillery, a blend of Canadian whisky with natural cinnamon flavour to give it a fiery kick.
The brand-new Fireball Apple Cinnamon ready-to-drink format brings together ripe, juicy sparkling apple juice with the cinnamon spice of Fireball.
Fireball is like that fun friend who shows up and suddenly everyone’s doing cannonballs off the dock into the water.
I’d pair them with a patio platter featuring sticky maple-glazed chicken wings with crispy edges and tender meat that falls off the bone, spicy cheese straws twisted into crunchy golden spirals with a hint of cayenne, and warm apple turnovers with flaky pastry and cinnamon-spiced filling that steams when you break them open.
That sounds perfect for cooler May evenings! I see you’re also getting ready to make us a cocktail.
Indeed! We need to celebrate a Canadian creation: Caesar with a twist.
Prince Igor Extreme Pickle Flavoured Vodka
Ontario
Although National Caesar Day was yesterday, we’re celebrating it right through the long weekend because it was invented by a Canadian in 1969, and parliament made it Canada’s official national cocktail in 2009 which was probably the last time all parties agreed on something.
It differs from a Bloody Mary because it’s made from Clamato juice, a blend of tomato juice and clam broth, rather than just tomato juice, which gives it more depth with a more briny, savoury taste.
It’s the kind of cocktail that makes your Instagram followers think you have your life together. “Look at me with my garnished drink while the reality of my unfolded laundry remains conveniently out of frame.”
I’m making this Caesar from Prince Igor Extreme Pickle Flavoured Vodka, pure briny brilliance distilled right here in Ontario, which brings the shine of brine to a spicy Caesar with its peppery, pickled notes. What better way to toast the queen than with the prince?
I’m garnishing it with these M’Lord Spicy Gherkins, to provide some heat and crunch to the cocktail.
M’Lord Spicy Gherkins
ID Foods, Quebec
M’Lord Sweet & Sour Gherkins
ID Foods, Quebec
I also have them in a side bowl for nibbling along with M’Lord Sweet & Sour Gherkins. They’re also terrific for your cheese or charcuterie boards and are from ID Foods in Quebec.
This reminds me of that tongue-twister: Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers – try saying that 10 times quickly after a Caesar or two! It packs a pickle-powered punch!
I’d pair this with a Canadian cottage weekend brunch featuring eggs benedict with back bacon on toasted English muffins smothered in rich hollandaise sauce that slowly cascades down the sides, crispy potato rosti with caramelized edges and a soft center seasoned with fresh chives, and warm maple baked beans with smoky bacon bits throughout.
That’s a fantastic Canadian creation! What’s your final recommendation for our long weekend celebrations?
Last but certainly not least, I have something that’s all about easy entertaining.
Mastronardi Sangria
Ontario, Canada
We’re finishing with a Canadian sangria from the Ontario winery Mastronardi. This sangria is a shortcut to the good life. It’s already premixed for you so all you have to do is pour and add ice. You can also garnish with fruit if you like – simple, breezy, summer easy!
It’s for when you want to impress your friends but also acknowledge that you have the mixology skills of a golden retriever. Just pour and suddenly you’re the “fancy friend” without having to Google anything.
This refreshing sangria has lovely notes of citrus, berry and a touch of sweetness that makes it so crushable. I’d pair this with a Victoria Day sunset tapas spread featuring sizzling garlic shrimp still hot from the pan with a sprinkle of smoked paprika and fresh parsley, crispy patatas bravas drizzled with spicy tomato sauce and creamy aioli that you can’t help but dip into again and again, and thin slices of serrano ham arranged in delicate folds alongside olives marinated in orange zest and herbs.
Natalie, these suggestions are fantastic! Any final words of wisdom for our viewers?
“Here’s to good friends, great wines, and long weekends that linger like a fine finish!”
Thank you, Natalie! Where can we find you and these wines and cocktails online?
On Instagram, you can find me posting wine reviews and tips at:
Online, my website is nataliemaclean.com.
PS Here’s a bonus pick that we didn’t feature on the show, but I’m including here as it’s a terrific wine.
The delightful Lavis Pinot Grigio that’s as clean and fresh as a mountain breeze which makes sense, since it comes from the foothills of the Italian Alps.
Lavis Pinot Grigio
Trentino, Italy
Eight-hundred families contribute grapes to this winery, each owning only one hectare of land. It’s like a collection of micro gardens that are carefully tended, resulting in extremely high-quality wine.
The cool alpine climate gives it beautiful acidity and notes of crisp pear and white flowers.
I’d pair this with a May long weekend picnic board featuring delicate cucumber sandwiches with cream cheese and fresh dill on crustless white bread, marinated artichoke hearts drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and lemon, and little golden pastry cups filled with whipped goat cheese and topped with honey and cracked black pepper.
Posted with permission of CTV.
