2 Reds Under $12

Happy pre-Friday! Let's prematurely segue into the weekend with a couple of super affordable, perfectly delicious wines I've grown to rely on when I want something easy (and boozy) to drink.

 

Lupi Reali (mentioned last week) and Vigneti del Sole have become mainstays in our wine cupboards. (Yes, we have multiple designated areas for bottles. What can I say? The pandemic exacerbated my tendency to hoard.)

Both are unfussy Italian reds that cost under twelve dollars. They also taste great! Sweet flavor, rich color, heavy, but also pleasantly plain-tasting enough to not overshadow your meal. Perfect for low-key moments where opening something fancier would be overkill -- like when you're having leftovers for dinner, or paired with something fast and greasy like pizza.

I like grabbing a bottle of each whenever I'm at the SAQ. After trying them out for yourself, I suspect you might start doing the same -- just let me know if you do, so I can top up my stockpile before they sell out ;)

Artwork credit: Wine Enthusiast

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4 Warm-You-Up Cocktails

Happy Friday, folks! You might have noticed the weather is getting FRIGID AF in Montreal. Not exactly ideal for ice-clinking cocktails. Instead, cheat the system and treat yourself to a heated boozy beverage. (Or several!)

Here are four well-known warm-you-up drinks -- perfect for when it's too cold for Moscow Mules and hot chocolate simply won't do the trick.

For your reference, each cocktail is linked back to several recipes :)

 

HOT TODDY

Made with lemon and honey, Hot Toddies are basically a home remedy for the common cold but... y'know... with whisky lol.

Crucial ingredients: Whisky, honey, lemon, and hot water.

Variations: Steep a tea bag in the drink (the only way I've ever had these). Switch to bourbon. Soak cinnamon and/or star of anise into your cup.

MULLED WINE

Mulled Wine reminds me of Nuit Blanche in Montreal. Specifically: Staving off frost bite by finally acquiring the stuff and fusing my hands to its warm cup. (For the record, regarding Nuit Blanche, it still blows my mind that some cruel person decided to hold a city-wide, overnight, and largely outdoor event IN THE DEAD OF WINTER. What?)

Crucial ingredients: Red wine (something sweet and fruity is ideal), star of anise, orange juice, and a cinnamon stick.

Variations: Add brandy or rum to the wine-based concoction. Maple syrup or honey, too.

 

IRISH COFFEE

Truthfully, I'm not the biggest fan of Irish Coffee. The combo of caffeine and booze makes me gag (how charming). However, I know when to give credit where it's due, and this cocktail is a crowd-pleasing classic.

Crucial ingredients: Irish whisky (Jameson is an easy choice), freshly brewed black coffee (hot obviously), brown sugar, and whipped cream.

Variations: Sub maple syrup for sugar. Try Bailey's instead of whipped cream -- or use both, depending on your sweet tooth.

HOT BUTTERED RUM

Hot Buttered Rum is the only drink on this list that I have yet to try! Which is odd because all its components are right up my alley.

Crucial ingredients: Dark or gold rum, brown sugar, cinnamon, hot water.

Variations: Some recipes call for actual butter. You can also add cream (heavy, whipped, or ice) (pretty much all the cream).

*

So, which one are you making tonight? :)

Image credit (top): The Dyrt

Image credit (drinks): Hot Toddy, Mulled Wine, Irish Coffee, Hot Buttered Rum

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Wine Cheat Sheet: Lolo

The sun might be giving us the cold shoulder, but that doesn't mean the days of sipping chilled white wine are over. Regardless of the season, I personally prefer a glass of cold white over any cocktail -- both serve the same purpose, I just like wine better (big surprise).

So, in the spirit of #whitewineforever, here's a new bottle you can check out.

When my dear friend Ashley suggested I try Lolo, she prefaced it by saying, "I usually don't drink wine with dogs on the label, but this one is actually good."

I second her opinion.

Lolo is a solid goes-with-anything wine to have in your arsenal. Reasonably priced at $15 and available at the SAQ, it's a crisp white from Spain with a mild fruity flavor and subtly sweet taste. In other words, it's extremely easy to drink ;)

Also, for what it's worth, I think the branding is excellent lol.

Santé!

Image credit (top): Good Housekeeping

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Wine Cheat Sheet: Vino A Gogo

Back in the day, I would look forward to eating at Pizzeria Gema, not just for the stellar pizza, but to also get my hands on a really good rosé I could only ever find there. It was a Sicilian wine called Vino a Gogo -- likely one of those private imports for restos only. Bonus: They even served it by the glass!

Eventually, to my disappointment, the bottle was phased off the menu. I was forced to move on.

Fast forward to early-August 2020. I'm winding my socially-distanced way through the Laurier SAQ, amassing my latest liquor haul, when I spot a familiar label...

I had (completely inadvertently) stumbled upon the sister to my cherished, long departed rosé! Vino a Gogo's red is a Syrah, which normally isn't my top choice, but leaving without grabbing a bottle was out of the question. For $16, I was willing to gamble it would be just as good as the one from Gema.

Guess what? It's great! Lovely dark color, full-bodied, a hint of sweetness. It was actually a perfect wine to go with dinner -- that night, we were having (prepare to be shocked) pizza.

Also... I'm going to say it... WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT CUTE LABEL? ;)

Have you ever had the thrill of reuniting with a long-forgotten favorite drink?

Image credit (top): The Spruce Eats
Image credit (product): SAQ

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Do You Ever Have A Drink Solo?

Tuesday night, I had the apartment ALL. TO. MYSELF. Josh was out having a socially distant dinner with friends in the park. Was I already ordering veggie sushi and opening a bottle of rosé before the guy was out the door? You better believe it.

This was only the second time in four months that I was home alone. I'll repeat: Four months!!! My love language might be Quality Time, but I'm also a major introvert, so sometimes that QT needs to be spent with myself. Kicking back on the sofa with a frosty glass of wine, take-out in my stomach and Curb on the television, with zero requirement to socialize (or even stay awake) -- frankly, it's an act of self care. No talking, no self-consciousness, no pressure whatsoever :)

People can get touchy about drinking solo. I totally understand the stigma. Some friends of mine won't even open a beer unless they are hanging out in a group. To each her own! Depending on the day, I look forward to unwinding at home with some wine (and junk food duh). Sometimes, being alone makes things even more relaxing. It's like having a very silent date with myself.

If you're looking forward to imbibing this weekend -- solo or otherwise -- feel free to browse the blog for drink recs. I'm still a big fan of this retooled Paloma, and have recently started trying different craft beer from a nearby shop.

As always, I love getting your input! Do you enjoy a solo drink every now and then? Would you go to a bar on your own? I can do an airport bar alone while waiting for a flight home, but that's the extent of my comfort zone lol.

TGIF pals! xo

Image credit: Glamour

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I Finally Like An Orange Wine!

Orange wine is the cool kid in town.

But does it actually taste good? If you asked me a month ago, my answer would've been a resounding MEH. Things have since changed for the better (and boozier).

In case you're unfamiliar, orange wine is made from the same grapes as white wine, but keeping the skin, which gives the unusual color. According to my trusted sommelier (Google), the stuff has been in production since 1997, but I feel like its surge in popularity is relatively recent -- really ramping up over the last few years.

Personally, I often find it tastes more like beer than actual wine. Almost all the brands I've tried were funky, fizzy, weird. Being unimpressed and moderately grossed out, I (very cynically) concluded that orange wine's growing fame in Montreal had more to do with novelty, and less to do with, well, tasting great.

And then I tried one I really liked lol.

Flamant Orange is a Quebec wine you can pick up at Depanneur Peluso. It's light and bright and really refreshing when chilled. None of that sour funkiness I'd come to expect from an orange wine. Unlike the others I've had, this one reminds me of a good rosé (!!!) so it's obviously right up my alley. 

The label is incredibly cute, too. 

Thanks to Flamant Orange, I'm way more open-minded and optimistic about trying oranges in the future. I'll happily report back when I find another winner. In the meantime, if you're interested in giving orange wine a whirl, consider treating yourself to this one :)

Image credit (top): Vice

Image credit (bottom): Depanneur Peluso

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Wine Cheat Sheet: An Easy Red

It's the weekend. Must be time for another boozy recommendation!

Back in March, I was feverishly adding bottles to my online cart at the SAQ, trying to stockpile enough wine to get us through lockdown (#priorities), when my eyes were drawn to a bottle of red from Spain:

I am totally guilty of judging a wine by its label. This one is so pretty.

Being completely unfamiliar with Espelt, a quick google revealed decent reviews. I decided the brand was a safe bet, added a bottle to my order, then checked out.

Very happy to say the gamble paid off! The wine is full bodied but not heavy, tastes sweet, works chilled or room temp. Basically really versatile and easy to drink. I suspect Espelt will become a trusty everyday red for me, and I can even see it being a solid crowd pleaser.

Plus, I conducted an independent study and can confirm this wine is very delicious with pizza ;)

Espelt isn't available online at the moment, but seems to be very well-stocked in SAQs around the city, and costs under $15. Assuming everything I said sounds good to you lol, if you're shopping for red wine and spot this bottle on the shelf, give it a shot!

Is there a red you swear by and think I should try next? I'm open to suggestions :)

Image credit (top): Wine Enthusiast

Image credit (bottle): SAQ

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Recipe Test Drive: Spaghetti all' Ubriaco (Drunken Spaghetti)

It's been a long while since my last bowl of Elena's drunken spaghetti. I've been craving it SO BAD recently. Turns out, Bon Appetit shared the recipe back in December, and I already had the right red in the cupboard. Coincidence or destiny? I gave the dish a shot.

Had to modify a few things...

-- Didn't have spaghetti, used farfalle instead. Figured they gather a similar sauce-to-noodle ratio, as opposed to something hollow like rigatoni, where sauce collects within.

-- Halved the measurements. It still fed two people VERY comfortably. Like, you could probably stretch to serve four. And even at half-speed, the recipe calls for AN ENTIRE BOTTLE OF WINE. Not to mention one stick of butter. This dish is not for the faint of heart (or stomach).

End result? The pasta turned out *Italian finger kiss* fantastic.

Sooo rich and warm and filling and tangy and creamy and just delicious.

It was seriously easy to prepare, too! The steps were simple to follow, the dish basically does all the work itself and everything comes together in thirty-ish minutes. Finely chopping the garlic was the most challenging part lol.

I'm really glad to have this recipe in my arsenal. If you're a fan of butter and red wine (who isn't?) then I bet you'll also love it.

Just don't be stingy with the parm ;)

Do you ever cook with booze, or have a fave vino-friendly dish? Let me know if you give this one a whirl, I'd love to hear how it goes!

Image credit (top): Bon Appetit

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Wine Cheat Sheet: Kung Fu Girl Riesling

I wouldn't send you off into the weekend without a drink recommendation ;)

My relationship with white wine is evolving. For years, I swore the drink off completely, blindly assuming it was second-rate to red.

I was wrong. Cold, crisp white wine is fabulous! 

Kung Fu Girl is a go-to bottle of mine. Most SAQs keep it well stocked. I like how it tastes sweet-ish and pretty dry, never cloying or overpowering. Basically not too girly (despite the name) and freakin' refreshing straight from the fridge. 

A bottle costs around $17 and gets extra points for the twist-off cap and cool label. It's so good with sushi but also totally wonderful on its own, especially when you're out on a patio somewhere, making the most of summertime in Montreal.

Santé :)

Image credit: Ty Drinks Wine

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Drink Up: Quick Rosé Round-Up

Rosé season* is upon us. Drinking chilled wine outside on a sunny day is so innately pleasurable, I basically look forward to it all winter long. Who doesn't?

*For the record, every season is rosé season.

I'm not a wine expert by any stretch, but I've certainly landed on a handful of favorites over the years. Rest assured, the days of buying Gallo family-sized bottles are behind me.

It's also handy to have a shortlist of dependable labels ready for trips to the SAQ, in case you're in a rush or (more likely for me) feeling intimidated by the staff lol.

These are my trusted go-to rosés, if you're looking for inspiration :)

  

1. Cazal Viel -- Easy and inexpensive and totally tasty. My top pick for casual evenings at home, or to take to byow restaurants.

2. Angels & Cowboys -- Tried this wine a while back at La Grande Dégustation and was fan right away. A drop too fancy for ordinary meals during the work week (for me at least). Instead, it's a nice bottle to have when guests are over, or to bring when you're invited to eat at someone's house.

3. Miraval -- (Not the forty-six-dollar bottle. Although I'm sure that one is lovely and I'd HAPPILY try it.) I like to drink this wine and pretend to be in the south of France. Years ago, Josh bought a bottle for me in Cannes (humble brag alert) and it has since become my "special occasion rosé."

*

All three are blends that taste super light and flavorful, without being very sweet. They are also damn refreshing served really cold.

If that's your jam too, then you're in the right place!

I am ALWAYS on the lookout for new, interesting, affordable wine. Please hit me up if you have something to recommend, or if you think your favorite rosé deserves to be on my list :)

Image credit: Punch
Image credit (bottles): SAQ, Google

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