What do we drink during Lent when we have decided to give up “hard liquor”?

1. Wine, of course!

2. Did you remember that turning water into wine was Jesus’ first miracle?

3. So who would argue with a nectar from God?

4. Fortuitously, wine is good for you too – red wine in particular as red grape skins contain the antioxidant resveratrol, which has been proven to aid heart health. NB, however, one must drink wine under the advisement of their physician.

5. Whether you prefer sparkling, rosé, white or red wine, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

So this Easter, try something new and remember to sip responsibly.

Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio

Santa Margherita’s iconic Alto Adige Pinot Grigio revolutionised the way producers view the grape and styles of wine it produced. Previously, they were made in the traditional Pinot Gris style which were pale pink, fuller-bodied, spicier and with a richer mouthfeel. Deciding to use minimal skin contact and longer fermentation, winemakers are able to produce a lighter, more crisp and refreshing, easy-to-drink style that continues to be popular in Italy and around the world.

ABV: 12.5%

Tasting Notes: Dry. Straw-yellow hue, clean intense aroma, and crisp, well-balanced taste. For those who love a dry white wine with the delightful aroma of golden delicious apples, this Pinot Grigio is unparalleled. It will impress even the most astute with its flavourful personality.

Food Pairing: A clean, lovely aperitif to start any food occasion. Our Pinot Grigio goes wonderfully with fresh cheeses and chicken dishes. Pair it with seafood for an extraordinary experience, including shellfish and seafood-based pastas and rice dishes. Its varietal typicity makes it extremely versatile and food-friendly.

Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc

Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc is fresh and juicy with ripe, tropical flavours of passion fruit, melon, and stone fruit. Each sip of wine reveals classic Marlborough sauvignon blanc aromas of lifted citrus, tropical fruit, and crushed herbs, along with vibrant acidity and plenty of weight and length on the palate.

This New Zealand sauvignon blanc is made with grapes specially selected from vineyards in Marlborough’s Wairau Valley and the neighboring Awatere Valley. The climate and fast-draining soil in this region offer winemakers a selection of grapes that deliver the consistently flavourful wine for which Kim Crawford is known.

ABV: 12.5%

Tasting Notes: On the nose, a bouquet of citrus and tropical fruits backed by characteristic herbaceous notes. An exuberant wine brimming with flavours of pineapple and stone fruit with a hint of herbaceousness on the palate. The finish is fresh and zesty.

Food Pairing: Pairs brilliantly with fresh oysters, asparagus, lobster, or summer salads, fried fish.

Love Noir Pinot Noir

Every wine has a darker side.

Love Noir is a luxurious, fruit-forward take on Pinot Noir. We’ve sourced some of California’s finest grapes to deliver a rich, aromatic wine with dark fruit aromas, concentrated bold flavours and a velvety texture. In this unique style, richness and decadence are balanced with supple structure to form layers of luxurious flavour from the first alluring sip to the last.

Alcohol Content: 13.5%

Tasting Notes: Robust, jammy flavours of dark cherry and rich espresso spark intensity and intrigue and lead to a smooth, balanced finish with soft hints of vanilla and toasted oak. Succumb to your urges and experience Love Noir.

Food Pairing: Pairs well with garlic and herb-roasted pork tenderloin or chicken artichoke flatbread, duck breast, as well as most seafood.

Robert Mondavi Private Selection Heritage Blend

Robert Mondavi Private Selection was founded in 1994 by Robert Mondavi to capture the delicious flavours from California’s best coastal vineyards.

Our Private Selection Heritage Blend is blended primarily from Syrah and Merlot. The coastal climate is ideal for slow ripening, which yields optimal flavour development and complexity.

ABV: 13.5%

Tasting Notes: This wine opens with decadent aromas of chocolate-covered cherry, strawberry shortcake and vanilla bean. On the palate, flavours of strawberry preserves, raspberry tart, cherry cola and milk chocolate give way to a sweet, lingering finish. Ripe and fruit-forward with soft tannins, this wine undergoes malolactic fermentation to enhance roundness and depth.

Food Pairing: Steak, oxtail, curried goat, spaghetti & meatballs, corned beef & rice, jerk meats

Cavicchioli Prosecco

Cavicchioli 1928 Prosecco DOC Spumante Extra Dry should be drunk young.

“Bright and balanced, this is a textbook Prosecco, with a lively bead carrying the flavours of white peach, sliced almond and candied lemon zest. Floral. Drink now.” — Wine Spectator

ABV: 11%

Country: Veneto, Italy

Varietal: Glera

Tasting Notes: Pale straw yellow colour, an intense aroma of candied fruits and sweet flowers. Lively, fine and persistent perlage with a fresh and delicate taste and an aromatic finish.

Food Pairing: An excellent as an aperitif or as an accompaniment to whole meal; particularly suitable for appetizers, delicate first courses and fish-based dishes.

Ruffino Prosecco Rosé

Region: Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy

ABV: 11%

Varietal: Glera & Pinot Nero

Tasting Notes: Ruffino Sparkling Rosé is fresh and fragrant with notes of strawberry and slight hints of rose petals. This bubbly wine has flavors of red berries and white fruits that linger through the finish.

Food Pairing: Excellent as an aperitif together with cold dishes and fried food. It goes perfectly with risotto and lightly spiced dishes.

OP Blue Moscato

Many of us would rather not talk about Moscato but it is extremely popular and has brought many new drinkers to the world of wine.

OP Blue Moscato is titillating palates islandwide.

Alcohol: 7%

Tasting Notes: Attractive blue colour, bright and slowly releasing fine bubbles. Intense and lovely aromas of apricot, melon and rose petals. Fresh, slightly sweet with yummy lychee flavours.

Perfect for celebrations, cocktails, desserts.

Serve very cold.

­— Debra