A person’s choice in wine can be something so personal — a glass of vino can capture and reflect elements of their personality and reveal a lot about who they are. Is your best friend a natural leader, a social butterfly, or the salt-of-the-earth type? Read on to learn more about what you might discover the next time you see a friend reaching for a glass of their favourite wine!
Tempranillo: The (Hangover) Escape Artist
Red wine drinkers know that a couple of glasses can sometimes leave you with a headache the next day (blame it on the histamines and tannins). The person sipping a Tempranillo is a smart red wine-lover who is probably all too familiar with the dangers of the casual after-work drinks and resulting grogginess the next day.
While native to Spain, the Tempranillo grape also finds its home in some notable Canadian wine regions such as the Okanagan Valley, and produces a medium-bodied wine low in toxins, additives and tannins. Although tannins are an essential flavonoid in red wine, consuming less of them will help you avoid a hangover the next morning.
We can all learn a thing or two from our Tempranillo-loving friends. With their love for the finer things in life, they’ve tried every red wine over the years and have learned that the best way to feel our best the next day is to stick to this varietal. So, take note of their tipple of choice and bank it for your next red wine night (you’ll be thanking them for it later).
For us, a personal fav is the Tempranillo from Okanagan Valley-based Moon Curser Vineyards!
A Locally Produced Natural Wine: The Leader of the Pack
If this friend is reaching for a glass of locally-produced natural wine, you can guarantee they’ll be telling you about it. A trendsetter in every sense of the word, lovers of locally-produced natural wines always know what’s hot.
In line with the recent rise in minimalist winemaking, natural wines have grown in popularity due to the fact that the grapes aren’t sprayed with pesticides or herbicides, and there’s little intervention throughout the winemaking process. And the beauty of a natural wine is that no matter what your wine preference is, you’ll most likely be able to find a natural version of it.
You can bet that the friend sipping on a natural wine will most likely make informed choices when it comes to the brands they buy, their modes of transportation, and, of course, what food and wine they consume. They definitely have a fridge stocked full of organic produce, love a trip to a Saturday farmer’s market, and believe that (mindful) variety is the spice of life.
Take a page out of your natural wine-loving friend’s book — they’ll want you to follow suit by #drinkinglocally and supporting the organic vineyards in your own backyard. Our suggestion is to start with Southbrook’s Skin Fermented Vidal, a zippy orange wine from Niagara that’s perfect for summer.
Pinot Grigio: The Loyal Defaulter
If a friend is sipping on a glass of Pinot Grigio, chances are they’ll be ferociously loyal to both the company they keep and the things that they enjoy. They’ll stick by you forever, just as they’ve stuck by this wine.
Pinot Grigio is the Italian style of making wine from the Pinot Gris grape lighter-bodied, crisp, and fresh. Deemed a default white wine because of its palatable properties and versatility, Pinot Grigio is commonly one of the first white wines people fall in love with. While some move on to other whites, many will remain joined at the hip to a glass of Pinot Grigio for life.
Known for its clean finish and low sugar content, this popular wine style is a great sipper, but also very versatile and easily paired with many foods.
Drinkers of this wine most likely know who their favourite Canadian pinot grigio producers are and receive regular wine deliveries to their door, so that they can sip on a glass of PG any time they like. Try the Pinot Grigio from Casa-Dea Estates Winery, an Italian winery in Prince Edward County.
Merlot: The Well-Rounded One
Much like Merlot, the friend found sipping this wine is well-rounded and always ready for any occasion. Sociable and dependable, the Merlot drinkers among us thrive in all situations and are the friends you can take anywhere.
This red is one of the world’s most well-known and adaptable wines, and its grapes can be found growing abundantly in Ontario and British Columbia. Similar to its drinkers, this wine is popular, pleasant, and easygoing.
Lovers of Merlot never sweat the small stuff, and can always make time for a glass or two with a buddy, so grab a glass and join them. Your wine-sipping pal is likely to be enjoying a delightfully jammy glass of Merlot from BC’s Upper Bench Winery.
Rosé: The Social Butterfly
‘Tis the season for Rosé! This friend, more often than not, can be seen sipping on a gorgeously chilled glass of Rosé and lounging in the warm weather.
For this social butterfly, a weekend boozy brunch is a must, and a midday glass of Rosé is totally acceptable — it’s 5 pm somewhere, right? They take pride in the Rosé they are holding in their hand, and will most definitely research the winery it’s from and what food it pairs best with.
It’s important to note that fantastic Rosé is made throughout Canada with wonderful examples hailing from coast to coast. Try the sparkling Rosé from Nova Scotia’s Benjamin Bridge, the Versant Rosé from Quebec’s Coteau Rougemont, the easy-drinking All Day Rosé from Huff Estates in Prince Edward County, and the ultra small-batch Blind Creek Vineyard Rosé from Little Farm Winery in BC’s Similkameen Valley – they are all produced here in Canada!
Oh, and be sure to keep your schedule free this summer: friends of the Rosé-lover will probably have a virtual Rosé tasting night in the calendar before they know it. This friend HAS to share their amazing new wine-finds for the summer with everyone in their social circle. And, of course, you can trust their recommendations because this is their thing.
By: Jackie McLachlan, Founder of MyWineCanada.com.
To find out more about the best wineries in Canada, all the wines they have to offer, and how you can have them delivered right to your doorstep, head on over to MyWineCanada.com!
