Father’s Day is this Sunday, so we’re pairing great gift wines and spirits with something we all secretly love: dad jokes. Even though the drinks are seriously good, we can still have fun dad-style.
Who better to help us than our favourite drinks expert Natalie MacLean, editor of Canada’s largest drinks site at nataliemaclean.com.
Welcome, Natalie.
Great to be back with you! You know, I just heard that the dad who invented autocorrect has died. May he restaurant in peace. I’m here all week, folks 😉
Let’s start with the first pairing. Tell us about the drink for dry humour.
Rotari Arte Italiana Brut
Trentodoc, Italy
Dry humour is all about understatement, until it lands and delights. There’s no better match for that than Rotari Arte Italiana Brut from Trentodoc in northern Italy.
Rotari is named after the Lombard King Rotari, who ruled northern Italy back in the 7th century. Strength, clarity, and a distinctive identity. The brand embodies all of that.
The Trentodoc appellation was the first DOC in Italy dedicated entirely to traditional method sparkling wine, which is the same labour-intensive process used in Champagne.
So, you’re getting Champagne-calibre craft at a much better price.
It’s made primarily from Chardonnay grown on estate-owned vineyards in the Adige Valley, at elevations between roughly 350 and 600 metres above sea level.
That altitude gives the wine its signature crispness and minerality.
Feel free to try the Rotari Brut.
It opens with delicate aromas of ripe yellow fruit, citrus zest, lemon, and freshly baked bread.
On the palate there’s a soft, creamy mousse with real texture and a long, persistent finish.
Dry Humour
This wine is perfect for toasting the dad who loves dry humour as in:
What do you call fake spaghetti? An impasta. (Ba-dump-pa!)
This wine would be great with real pasta!
More Pairings
- Lemon-Kissed Dolomite Crudo: Translucent slices of chilled scallop and sea bass fanned over crushed ice, dressed with a drizzle of grassy olive oil, a whisper of sea salt, and a squeeze of fresh bergamot. The cool, briny sweetness of the fish plays beautifully against the wine’s citrus brightness and fine bubbles.
- Alpine Tempura Fritto: A golden, shatteringly crisp cloud of fried calamari and zucchini blossoms, scattered with lemon zest and a dusting of sea salt, served piping hot in a paper cone. The wine’s persistent sparkle cuts right through the richness while its almond and bread crust notes echo the golden batter.
What’s next?
Megalomaniac Narcissist Riesling
VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Now here’s a wine that’s seriously good but doesn’t take itself too seriously. I mean, how could you with a name like Megalomaniac Narcissist?
This gorgeous riesling is an estate wine, so the grapes grow right next to the winery on the Niagara Escarpment. The limestone soil gives this wine its brilliant minerality and racy acidity.
That’s why this riesling has won many medals in national and international competitions. This is the last wine available from the 2024 vintage, so when it’s gone, it’s gone. So get it now!
Feel free to try the Megalomaniac Narcissist Riesling.
The offers lemon-lime citrus, white flowers and stone fruit. On the palate, bright citrus and green apple with fresh acidity and a smooth texture.
There’s just a touch of fruit sweetness balanced by that racy acidity that makes it so food friendly. Think spicy Thai or cream sauces.
Dramatic Joke
We’re pairing this wine with a dramatic joke from the dad who doesn’t lack confidence as in:
My wife accused me of being a flamingo. So, I had to put my foot down!
Love it. Now let’s talk bold punchlines. What’s the pairing there?
Volcanic Hills Magma Red
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Bold punchlines are striking in their character. That’s exactly what the Volcanic Hills Magma Red is.
Volcanic Hills is a family winery in West Kelowna, on the slopes of Mt. Boucherie, an extinct volcano that has shaped the region for millions of years. Three generations have honed their expertise on this vineyard to create a wine that expresses both the land and their perseverance.
The Magma Red is a blend where each grape is fermented and aged separately before being brought together, which gives it real complexity. It just arrived in the LCBO, so we’re celebrating that too.
Feel free to try the Magma Red.
The nose gives you dark plum, cherry, spice, and mint. On the palate, juicy black fruit, clove, and then deeper notes of leather and cigar box on the finish.
Silky tannins. Bright acidity. It’s the wine that brings people back for a second glass. Wouldn’t this be perfect with a thick grilled ribeye?
Dad’s bold punchline for this wine:
Did you hear about the terrific restaurant that just opened on the moon? Great food… but no atmosphere!
More Pairings
- Volcanic Ribs with Ember Char: Slow-braised beef short ribs, lacquered in a dark, glossy reduction of red wine and molasses, falling off the bone over silky mashed potatoes flecked with roasted garlic. The smell of caramelized drippings fills the room as they come to the table. The Magma Red’s plum depth and fine tannins wrap around every bite.
- Mt. Boucherie Wood-Fired Pizza: A blistered, chewy crust charred just enough at the edges, loaded with scattered pepperoni, earthy sauteed mushrooms, and a generous pull of molten mozzarella. The wine’s spice and black fruit lift the richness of the meat while balancing the umami of the mushrooms.
Perfect. Now what about those crowd-pleaser jokes everyone loves?
Tanduay Especia Spiced Rum
Philippines
Crowd-pleasers are warm, inviting, and work for everyone at the table. Tanduay Especia Spiced Rum from the Philippines is exactly that. And the timing is perfect because June is Philippine Heritage Month.
Tanduay was founded in 1854, making it one of the oldest rum producers in the world. It’s also consistently one of the top-selling rum brands globally.
The Especia is crafted from a blend of rums aged up to seven years in former bourbon barrels.
Its aromas of warm baking spices, honey, and caramel come from Asian spice tradition, which gives it a completely different personality from Caribbean spiced rums.
That’s the heritage of the Philippines in a glass.
Feel free to try the Tanduay Especia.
It opens with inviting aromas of vanilla, caramel, and cinnamon. On the palate, layers of honey, gentle spice, and tropical fruit lead into a warm, lingering finish with soft oak.
Smooth, balanced, and not overly sweet. Try it over ice, which opens all that spice beautifully.
Wouldn’t this rum be gorgeous with barbecue ribs or chicken skewers to complement the rum’s warm spice and caramel tones? Or even grilled pineapple or mango to enhances the tropical fruit notes in the rum!
Crowd Pleaser
And for your crowd-pleaser dad who says:
Why did the pro golfer bring two pairs of pants? In case he got a hole in one.
More Pairings
- Filipino Cinnamon Butter Tart: A flaky, golden pastry shell cradling a glossy, just-set filling of dark cane sugar, butter, and a hint of cinnamon, warm from the oven and faintly sticky to the touch. The rum’s vanilla and caramel notes are practically made for this.
- Especia Barbecue Skewers: Juicy chicken thighs threaded onto skewers and grilled until the edges char and the glaze of tamarind, brown sugar, and ginger caramelizes in the heat. A little smoke, a little sweet, a little fire. The rum’s warm spice ties every element together beautifully.
And the last one, those sharp one-liners. What’s the match?
Clos du Soleil Winemaker’s Series Syrah
Similkameen Valley, British Columbia
Sharp one-liners are precise and leave a lasting impression. Clos du Soleil Winemaker’s Series Syrah from the Similkameen Valley in BC is that kind of wine.
This is the 20th anniversary year for Clos du Soleil, which means vineyard of the sun.
They’re considered one of BC’s leading Syrah producers and nestled in the Similkameen Valley, one of Canada’s most dramatic wine regions with steep desert cliffs and wild sagebrush.
Clos du Soleil’s vineyards are certified organic and biodynamic.
What makes this wine unusual is that it’s co-fermented with Viognier grapes, which the winery grows specifically for this wine, and then it’s fermented in concrete tanks imported from France.
Winemaker Mike Clark calls it “hauntingly beautiful,” and you’ll see why in a moment. It’s unfined and unfiltered.
Feel free to try the Clos du Soleil Syrah.
The nose offers wild raspberries, plums, violets and forest floor.
On the palate, black currant, pomegranate, pepper, and spice. Full, fine-grained tannins. This wine picked up a Silver Medal at the Decanter magazine awards.
It’s available at the LCBO for a limited time or directly from the winery. Wouldn’t this Syrah be stunning with a blackened steak?
Your sharp one-liner:
I’m reading a book about anti-gravity and I can’t put it down!
More Pairings
- Similkameen Carne Asada Tacos: Thin-sliced, flame-grilled skirt steak with a deep char on its edges, folded into warm corn tortillas and piled with bright pickled red onion, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of charred lime. The wine’s black pepper and wild herb character is a natural companion to that smoke and citrus.
- Wild Herb Braised Short Rib: A thick, wine-braised beef short rib, slow-cooked until the collagen melts into the sauce, served in a pool of dark, herb-flecked jus with roasted sunchoke alongside. The richness meets its match in the Syrah’s structured tannins and deep fruit.
Natalie, these suggestions are fantastic! Any final words of wisdom for our viewers?
Here’s to dad on his special day. I had hoped to compose a better toast than this, but I only know 25 letters of the alphabet. I don’t know Y.
Thank you, Natalie! Where can we find you and these wines and whiskies online?
On Instagram, you can find me posting wine reviews and tips at:
My website is nataliemaclean.com where the punchbowl is better than the punchline.
Posted with permission of CityTV’s Breakfast Television. Please drink responsibly.
