![]() ![]() From there, once you find the grape variety that makes your palate sing, start to experiment with that grape variety from different regions. Don't yet focus on the region focus first on finding the grape variety that suits your taste. Look for wines that have those grapes on the label. Chris Oggenfuss, CEO of Napa Valley Wine Academy, says: “ start with the basics and easily identifiable grape varieties like cabernet sauvignon, merlot, pinot noir and syrah. The folks who kept it in the ground care so much for it.” And that’s exactly the point I want to drive home: The more you care, the more you’ll learn-and the better the world of wine will be.īut to be a thoughtful wine lover, a bit of education goes a long way. He says, "We have the highest-quality merlot on the market than we’ve ever had. Chris Sawyer is a sommelier based in Sonoma, Calif., a renowned wine judge, and author of The Sommelier Files, a weekly digest. I refuse to name the movie (although merlot is on the up and up again). Merlot did that for the Baby Boomer generation of wine lovers before one guy-an actor in a movie-ruined merlot for every Generation X consumer. Though the journey is treacherous, there are great rewards to be had when you stumble upon the perfect wine that gives you that invigorating heady kiss that stays with you forever. Any time you think you’ve learned the names of every grape variety in existence, you haven’t (Master of Wine Jancis Robinson even co-authored a book devoted to over 1,300 grape varieties). There are so many wines out there: amazing wines, confounding wines, perplexing wines wines from many countries, many regions. In-person: You can also pick up a bottle at Yonge Street Winery in Aurora, Ontario (just north of Toronto).So you think you want to get into wine? It’s not for the faint of heart. You can find Lautus Savvy Red in-person at stockists throughout western Canada via SoftCrush, or online in Ontario and East Coast through Dry Variety Drinks ($23.99), in Western Canada through The Sobr Market ($25.99) and AFBev.ca ($26) and in Quebec through Apero A Zero ($25). There is just enough tannin to help wash down a juicy steak, and a balanced juiciness that pairs well with side dishes….or even dark chocolate. With the elegant structure, dryness and not overly grapey flavour, this non-alcoholic wine is probably the best pick of all the non-alcoholic red wines for a romantic dinner for two. Totally sippable and enjoyable without feeling like something is missing. It’s so close to the real wine experience, you might be second guessing whether this is actually non-alcoholic. The notes that come through on the palette are delicious and mouthwatering, with blackberry, oak and a hint of tart cherry. Experience dictates that most, if not all, non-alcoholic red wines are generally fruit forward and lack the balance of regular wine, but this blend is perfectly balanced. Without being too overly dry, Lautus Savvy Red has a perfect balance of dryness and fruit making this an extremely well composed wine. It’s actually a dry red wine, which is extremely hard to do with non-alcoholic red wine. On the palette, this non-alcoholic wine is absolutely incredible. The mouthfeel is perfect, with the right amount of weight for a dry red wine made from these varietals. Lautus introduces itself to you in an understated and elegant way. It doesn’t overpower, which some non-alcoholic wines do in an attempt to recreate the experience of wine. On the nose, Lautus Savvy Red has delicious notes of ripe cherry, with a very faint leathery aroma. Pinotage is very high in tannins and flavour and an inky black colour, which makes it a perfect grape to use in a non-alcoholic wine blend. The hybrid was so successful, vineyards haven’t stopped planting it since. Pinotage is actually South Africa’s signature varietal, as it was first developed there in the 1920s from a blend of pinot noir and cinsaut grapes. The Lautus Savvy Red is a blend of shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and pinotage. They make a range of four products, three of which are now being imported into Canada. Lautus is created at Holder Vineyards in Stellenbosch, South Africa. It was with some trepidation we decided to review their red blend, and were blown away by how incredible it is.Īs mentioned in our Sauvignon Blanc review, South Africa is doing great things producing non alcoholic wines from their delightful, crowd pleasing varietals. Lautus non-alcoholic wines are new to Canada and we’ve reviewed their Sauvignon Blanc but are not fans of their Rose. This is hands down the best non-alcoholic red wine we’ve reviewed to date. Now that the weather is getting cooler, more people are looking for a good (dry) non-alcoholic red wine and they wouldn’t be disappointed with the Lautus Savvy Red. ![]()
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