Which Wine Matches Your Mom's Personality? A Mother's Day Tasting Guide

Mother’s Day is this Sunday, and what better way to toast these important women than with wines to match their unique personalities?

And who better to help us than our favourite drinks expert Natalie MacLean, editor Canada’s largest wine review site at nataliemaclean.com.

Welcome, Natalie.

Great to be back with you, Dina and Tim! Picking the right wine for your mom is like finding the perfect Mother’s Day card — personal, heartfelt, but not homemade – at least when it comes to wine. If you truly love your mother, please don’t do that!

Ha! So Natalie, how do we match a wine to mom’s personality?

I’ve selected five wines today, each representing a different type of mom. We’re going to play a little game. I’ll describe the wine, and you guess which personality it matches, whether your mom is a foodie, adventurous, social, crafty or sporty. It’s like the grown-up version of The Spice Girls without Scary Mom ;)

I’m excited! Let’s start get started. What are we tasting first?

Feel free to smell or taste La Vieille Ferme Réserve Brut Sparkling from southern France.

La Vieille Ferme Réserve Brut Sparkling Wine
France

This crisp, charming French bubbly punches well above its price point at only $14.50. It’s made mostly from Chardonnay, it has mouth-watering aromas of white peach, green apple, and a whisper of brioche. It’s lively with bubbles that tickle your nose.

The palate is lively and refreshing, offering notes of lemon zest and pear, all wrapped in fine, persistent bubbles. A subtle minerality from the limestone soils adds depth and elegance.

I’d pair this with golden-crusted fried chicken, where the satisfying crunch of the coating gives way to juicy, tender meat within, creating a delightful contrast with the wine’s effervescence. Or perhaps a creamy wild mushroom risotto, slowly stirred to silky perfection, with earthy funghi releasing their woodsy aromas that complement the subtle brioche notes in the wine.

Dina and Tim, based on my description, do you think this bubbly would be best for the mom who is a foodie, adventurous, social, crafty or sporty?

I’m thinking this sparkling wine would be perfect for…

Yes! This sparkling wine would be perfect for the Savvy Social Mom! She’s the one who knows everyone in the neighborhood and throws the best parties. Like this bubbly, she’s effervescent and brings joy to every gathering and remembers everyone’s birthdays!

Did you know that women were pivotal in Champagne’s development? The famous widow (veuve) Clicquot revolutionized champagne production in the early 1800s by inventing the riddling process we still use today!

That makes perfect sense! Let’s move on to our second wine. What’s in our glasses now?

Feel free to smell or taste the Casillero Del Diablo Belight Sauvignon Blanc from Chile.

Casillero Del Diablo Belight Sauvignon Blanc
Casablanca Valley, Chile

This zesty, feather-light wine bursts open with notes of ripe peach and juicy pear. It’s dry, light-bodied, and refreshingly crisp with a modest 8.5% alcohol. The grapes are harvested early to naturally limit the amount of alcohol.

I’d pair this with lemon-kissed grilled sea bass, the delicate flesh flaking apart at the touch of your fork while the citrus notes amplify the wine’s bright character. Or perhaps a summer herb salad tossed with tangy goat cheese crumbles, toasted pine nuts, and a light vinaigrette that dances across your palate just like the wine.

Dina and Tim, based on my description, do you think this wine would be best for the mom who is a foodie, adventurous, social, crafty or sporty?

I’m thinking this lighter, refreshing wine would be perfect for… the Health-Conscious Mom who’s always counting steps?

Exactly right! This is indeed Sporty Mom’s wine! She’s fit and fabulous up at 5 AM for spin class, tracks her macros, and gets a little competitive on family game night.

This lower-alcohol Sauvignon Blanc with its crisp, clean character fits perfectly into her active lifestyle. At 8.5% alcohol rather than the usual 13%, she can enjoy a glass without derailing her morning run.

Here’s something fascinating – lower alcohol wines are actually one of the fastest growing categories in the wine world, with sales increasing by over 30% in the last three years as more consumers seek balance in their drinking habits.

I need to tell my running buddy about this one! What’s our third wine today?

Feel free to smell or taste Trapiche Reserve Pinot Grigio from Argentina.

Trapiche Reserve Pinot Grigio
South Okanagan, British Columbia

This Pinot Grigio is zesty and refreshing because the grapes are grown in a high-altitude mountainous region of the Mendoza in Argentina, which gives the wine exceptional brightness and energy.

I’d pair this with butter-poached lobster tail, the sweet, tender flesh bathed in a gentle herb butter that brings out the wine’s subtle fruit notes. Or perhaps a handmade spring vegetable tempura, where paper-thin slices of zucchini, carrot, and sweet onion are dipped in an airy batter and flash-fried to ethereal crispness that complements the wine’s clean finish.

Dina and Tim, based on my description, do you think this wine would be best for the mom who is a foodie, adventurous, social, crafty or sporty?

I’m guessing this might be for the mom who always knows exactly what to do?

You’re getting good at this! This Pinot Grigio represents Adventure Mom! She’s had the kids hiking since they were three, has camping gear permanently packed in the car, and believes “off the beaten path” is the only way to travel. This New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, with its vivid, assertive character and surprising elements, captures her spirit perfectly.

Did you know that Mendoza’s vineyards are some of the highest in the world? Many sit at over 3,000 feet above sea level, where intense sunlight develops flavor while cool mountain nights preserve acidity.

My sister is definitely an Adventure Mom – I know what I’m getting her now! What’s our fourth wine?

Feel free to smell or taste the Villa Maria Cellar Selection Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand.

Villa Maria Cellar Selection Sauvignon Blanc
Marlborough, New Zealand

This Sauvignon Blanc is produced from sustainably grown grapes in Marlborough. It’s incredibly versatile, colourful and intensely perfumed with passionfruit, mango, lemon-lime zest and herbal notes that are mouth-wateringly long on the palate. This wine is drinking beautifully now but will continue to develop through 2030.

I’d pair this with citrus-cured salmon gravlax, thinly sliced and arranged like rose petals on the plate, the delicate flesh infused with bright lemon and dill that mirror the wine’s vibrant profile. Or perhaps coconut-lemongrass steamed mussels, where plump shellfish open to release their sweet juices into a fragrant broth that harmonizes beautifully with the wine’s tropical notes.

Dina and Tim, based on my description, do you think this wine would be best for the mom who is a foodie, adventurous, social, crafty or sporty?

Those intense flavors and vibrant character… I’m thinking this must be for the Crafty Mom?

Perfect match! This wine represents the Crafty Mom! She can transform a Pinterest post into a masterpiece, macrame her way out of a corner and is the queen of homemade gifts that people actually want to keep. This wine, like her projects, is detailed, beautifully balanced, and shows elegant restraint.

A fun fact about New Zealand wine: Before the 1970s, barely any Sauvignon Blanc was planted in New Zealand. Now it represents over 70% of the country’s wine production and has single-handedly changed how the world thinks about this grape variety – much like how Crafty Mom redefines scrapbooking!

Last but not least, wine number five! What’s our final mom-matching wine?

Feel free to smell or taste On Seven Estate Winery’s The Pursuit on Seven Chardonnay from Niagara.

On Seven Estate Winery The Pursuit on Seven Chardonnay
Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario V.Q.A., Canada

This elegant white wine offers hedonistic aromas of ripe golden apple, toasty vanilla and a hint of fresh baked brioche. The palate is rich yet balanced with a creamy texture and vibrant acidity.

I’d pair this with a caramelized onion and aged cheddar tart, where the flaky buttery pastry melts on your tongue while the sweet onions and sharp cheese zing across your palate. Or perhaps butter-basted roast chicken with tarragon and lemon, the skin crisped to golden perfection while the meat remains succulent and tender, complementing the wine’s rich yet balanced character.

Dina and Tim, based on my description, do you think this wine would be best for the mom who is a foodie, adventurous, social, crafty or sporty?

This sounds absolutely delicious … perhaps it’s for the foodie mom?

You’ve got it! This Canadian Chardonnay perfectly represents the Gourmet Goddess. Like this beautifully balanced wine, she creates sumptuous meals and is always experimenting with new flavours in pursuit of the perfect dish.

Many people don’t realize that Canada produces world-class cool-climate wines, with Niagara being approximately the same latitude as Burgundy, France – the spiritual home of Chardonnay. Like a Nurturing Mom, Canadian wines often fly under the radar while quietly excelling!

Who ya gonna call? Dan Aykroyd, comedian and actor (Ghostbusters, Blues Brothers, Trading Places, SNL) was also on Breakfast Television that day. We got to chatting about wine, Ottawa (where he was born and I now live) and movies. What fun!

Natalie, these suggestions are fantastic! Any final words of wisdom for our viewers?

Here’s to our moms who fill our glasses and our hearts – may we celebrate their unique personality every day, not just on Mother’s Day.