LCBO Sale Pick of the Week: May 8
| We want you to drink only good wine. And to never overpay. Since our kwäf Taste Buds are drinking all the time anyway—we mean, tasting all the time—we’re happy to pick out the super star values and pass them on to you. One good wine at a time, just because we care. Find these wines on sale at the LCBO, and enjoy! Sign up to receive weekly picks. |
Santa Rita 2012 “120” Cabernet Franc Carmanere Cabernet Sauvignon (Central Valley, Chile)
Sale $8.95, Regular $9.95
Discount (until May 25): $1.00
LCBO #308247 | 750 mL bottle
Tastes like: Plum, strawberries and blackcurrant—fruity and soft.
Pairs with: Straight-up steaks and other meats from the (charcoal) grill.
Good for: Having on hand at all times—just in case.
Drink this: Now. It’ll keep a year or two, but it’s at peak now.
Alcohol: 14%
Why we're drinking this
Good wine abounds in Chile. And Santa Rita is a consistent and massive winery that creates products at a variety of price points, from cheap and cheerful to ultra-premium. This wine is cheap, cheerful and very, very good. They call this wine CCC, for its blend of Cabernet Franc, Carmanere and Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s like a baby Bordeaux, without the tannins.
Tasting note
This is an honest and forthright wine. It was made to be easy drinking and fruity—fermented in stainless steel and bottled early to capture its youthful verve. For Chilean Cab-based wines, which can be huge, opulent and tannic monsters, this is a kitten of a wine. It’s soft, irresistible and fun to play with. Expect bright fruit, smooth tannins and a supple texture. There’s a hint of oak, but it’s barely there—just some subtle sweet spice. For less than a tenner, it would be tough to do much better than this.
Find it at your LCBO
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This week's selection by kwäf Taste Bud Dick Snyder