< Previous Autum IspiratiosSweet Potato, Beet and Apple Galette8pairs with Creamy Carrot Alfredo GÉRARD BERTRAND LANGUEDOC CÔTE DES ROSES ROSÉFrance $24.99 664441 Presented in an eye-catching bottle with a rose-shaped base, this rosé offers strawberry, redcurrant and grapefruit notes with great aromatic persistence. Floral and mineral hints mark the long finish.pairs with Sweet Potato, Beet and Apple Galette WILD GOOSE PINOT GRISBC VQA $18.99 536227 Honeycomb, melon, Bartlett pear and peach aromas flow through to a medium-bodied palate with off-dry flavours of orchard fruits that are perfectly balanced by a refreshing splash of acidity.pairs with Sweet Potato, Beet and Apple Galette CEDARCREEK CHARDONNAYBC VQA $18.99 237974 This BC beauty offers notes of sun-kissed Golden Delicious apple, peach, nectarine, citrus and subtle oak on a lush, mid-weight palate with a creamy texture and lingering finish.Creamy Carrot Alfredo9for recipes, see index on page 96bcliquorstores.comLAWREN MONETAChef, food stylist, recipe developer and mommy, Lawren Moneta’s culinary passion has taken her all over the world. Now based in Vancouver, she loves exploring the ever-expanding food and wine culture the West Coast has to offer. 1AUTUMN INSPIRATIONS CONTINUEDpairs with Velvet Parsnip Soup LOUIS LATOUR ARDÈCHE CHARDONNAYFrance $17.99 132498 Soft and gentle, with a buttery texture and notes of apple, peach, almond and hazelnut, this wine from an iconic Burgundy producer is appealing for its elegance and class.pairs with Velvet Parsnip Soup SEGURA VIUDAS RESERVA BRUT CAVASpain $16.99 158493 Aged for a minimum of 15 months in the bottle, this terrific value Cava delivers a creamy, persistent mousse carrying citrus, stone fruit and floral flavours edged with a complex, savoury brioche note.pairs with Creamy Carrot Alfredo VILLA TERESA VENETO PINOT GRIGIOItaly $16.99 549642 Made from organically grown grapes, this lovely Pinot Grigio is fresh and bright, with crisp acidity and notes of lemon, apple, pear and a hint of minerality that lingers.Velvet Parsnip Soup11bcliquorstores.comfor recipes, see index on page 96Discover a NewItalia GemOn the heels of Pinot Grigio’s surging popularity should come a wave of enthusiasm toward Italy’s huge array of exciting wines. However, many Italian charmers remain undersung and undervalued. They are, in many ways, some of the wine world’s best-kept secrets.Many styles of exciting Italian wines fly under the radar for a few reasons. They don’t come with immediately recognizable grape varieties, such as Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc, scrawled on labels. And when the grapes are named, they’re often relatively obscure, indigenous ones such as Aglianico. Even less helpful, many of the wines are named after coin-sized places on the map, such as Bardolino. So, before you reach for another bottle of tried and true Pinot Grigio, Chianti or Amarone, read ahead. It’s your treasure map for some Italian gems.BARBERA D’ALBAThis lively, affable red is an unpretentious, easy-to-drink 12Many Italian charmers remain undersung and undervalued. They are, in many ways, some of the wine world’s best-kept secrets.charmer from Piedmont – the region in northwest Italy. Barbera is the grape variety and Alba is the DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) where the grapes are grown. Together they form a wine that locals love to drink with pizza, veal and red-sauced pastas. The wine’s juicy character and youthful, supremely quaffable appeal stand up well to the high acidity of tomatoes and won’t overpower or upstage a meal. Prego!BARBERA While some Barbera is associated with a specific region – such as Alba’s version noted above – it’s widely grown in both Piedmont and Lombardy. Barbera has been called “the people’s wine” for its versatility and modest nature. It’s a friendly style that’s an easy crowd-pleaser. So, instead of yet another bottle of Chianti for that pizza or pasta night, reach for Barbera. It can offer outstanding value for money and sets a light and lively tone for the evening. BARDOLINO While the Veneto region of Italy is well known for Valpolicella, Amarone and Prosecco, Bardolino is another smart wine made there. It’s a bright, light, welcoming wine that’s similar to Valpolicella because it’s based on the same grape varieties – Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara. But Bardolino is lesser known. Expect a clean, crisp hit of raspberry- and cherry-scented fruit and lifted structure with a hint of earthiness underneath. Bardolino is an easy-to-pair food wine that won’t break the bank. What’s not to love? Bring it to a party and watch the intrigue swell. LAMBRUSCOThe large province of Emilia-Romagna produces lashings of Lambrusco, loved for its sparkling personality. Reddish-purple and bubbly, it ranges from dry to sweet. But the wine is always light-bodied, low in alcohol and fruit-forward, with loads of crushed red and black berries on the nose and palate. It’s a smart cocktail-style wine to pour for celebratory occasions. NERO D’AVOLAThe wine’s name means “the black grape of Avola,” a city in Sicily. It’s an indigenous grape from that region that tastes ripe and fleshy with allusions of black stone fruit threaded with toasty, meaty, earthy nuances such as coffee and grilled beef. The texture is supple and the body, full. And yes, it’s a marvellous wine to know about this time of year because it can cloak the palate beautifully with velvety goodness while standing up to hearty fare. Bring out a bottle with the roasts, the braises and the hearty casseroles!ORVIETOOrvieto is a city in Umbria – smack dab in the middle of Italy. It’s also a white wine you need to know about. Made from three white wine grapes – Trebbiano, Malvasia and Grechetto – the wine tends to be crisp and restrained, elegant and discreet, but reasonably priced. It’s a smart alternative to Pinot Grigio. This wine is a fabulous party pour that works well with canapés and salty snacks. Smart choices include breadsticks wrapped with prosciutto, plates of antipasto, and even salted potato chips. It also works well with roasted fish dishes and creamy sauces. Versatile and delish!13bcliquorstores.comCAROLYN EVANS HAMMONDCarolyn is a qualified sommelier, two-time bestselling wine book author, and acting president of the Wine Writers’ Circle of Canada. Her syndicated wine column appears Saturdays in The Toronto Star and elsewhere; and her video blog appears weekly at GoingGlobalTV.com.Try the unexpected! Taste these less common indigenous grape varietals from the Master of Wine Barb Philip’s annual Flavours of Italy selection of premium Italian wines. They are traditional and very popular in their regions – yet still not fully discovered in British Columbia. Cin cin!Check www.iccbc.com for in-store tasting details.DISCOVER A NEW ITALIAN GEM CONTINUEDDid you know?There are thought to be more than 2,000 grape varieties in Italy. No wonder there is so much selection to choose from! BATASIOLO BARBERA D’ALBAItaly $16.99 311555 This lively expression of fresh red berries with allusions of violet and underbrush is a classic, easy-drinking Italian with a medium- to full-bodied character. A charming red. FONTANAFREDDA BRICCOTONDO PIEMONTE BARBERAItaly $20.99 898718 This is a classic expression of Barbera, with its open-handed flavours of red and black berries edged in a medium-bodied frame with notes of licorice, pepper and earth. MONTE DEL FRÁ BARDOLINOItaly $17.99 283648 This dry, lifted red is brimming with fragrant, crushed red fruit, such as strawberries, cherries and raspberries, and nuanced with black and white pepper and warm baking spices. MEDICI ERMETE CONCERTO REGGIANO FRIZZANTE LAMBRUSCOItaly $19.99 571968 This gently fizzy red wine tastes dry and fruit-forward with generous flavours of black and red forest fruit threaded with mouth-watering acidity. Great purity. CUSUMANO SICILIA NERO D’AVOLAItaly $17.99 143610 This fuller-bodied, fleshy red wine offers a hedonistic hit of blackberry and plummy fruit laced with bright cherry notes and undertones of toasted nut. RUFFINO ORVIETO CLASSICOItaly $13.99 31062 This is a crisp, lively and quietly complex white wine with barely-there aromas of white flowers, lemon blossoms, salted almonds and a racy apple-pear-melon centre. Great value.15bcliquorstores.comSavoury PastriesSpinach and Ricotta Pie16pairs with Spinach and Ricotta Pie POPLAR GROVE PINOT GRISBC VQA $19.99 196264 Delivering plenty of lush Fuji apple, apricot, pear, honeydew and honeysuckle notes with crisp acidity and satiny texture, this Pinot Gris is one of the most popular in BC for good reason.pairs with Braised Beef Vol-au-Vent LOUIS JADOT BOURGOGNE COUVENT DES JACOBINS PINOT NOIRFrance $30.99 341875 Offering up an attractive bouquet of red cherries, strawberries, forest floor and spice, this Pinot Noir is medium-bodied and ripe, with juicy red fruit flavours, tangy acidity and fine tannins.Braised Beef Vol-au-Ventpairs with Spinach and Ricotta Pie BORSAO CAMPO DE BORJA GARNACHASpain $14.99 296426 Captivating aromas of raspberries and cherries, chocolate, vanilla, licorice, baking spices and violets lead to an exuberant and expressive palate.17for recipes, see index on page 96bcliquorstores.comLARA VICTORIALara Victoria, DipWSET, CSW is a WSET Certified Educator. Her training as a chef, along with her extensive qualifications in wines, spirits and sake, make her a credible expert in food pairings. She teaches, judges and writes on these subjects internationally and is a hospitality consultant. See her work on www.laravictoria.com and follow her @laravictoria.cheers.Next >