I do my alcohol shopping much like I do my book shopping.
Often when I go into the LCBO I am very prepared – I read about a specific wine or beer or spirit and then go and pick up that item and nothing else.
Every once in a while though I like to live dangerously and buy something totally random. I only have two rules for this kind of shopping: it must be $12 or under and the bottle label must be delightful.
Here are some treasures I have uncovered with this excellent method:
Crabbie’s Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer
The label: Shiny gold and white letters proclaim “Crabbies,” overtop a black background. There are gold and pink ginger flowers budding above the letters against a green background. It’s all very old-school British style.
The drink: This is the kind of thing I imagine merry Charles Dickens-esque working class Victorians drinking at their public houses. First brewed in early 18th century Edinburgh, this ginger beer has just the right amount of spice. It’s more interesting than your average cider and sweeter than any beer but most importantly it goes extremely well with gin. Mix it with gin and lime juice and garnish with mint for a killer cocktail.
Bear Flag smooth red wine blend
The label: Such color! So many pleasingly strange shapes! So psychedelic! The label is the work of Spanish artist Eduardo Bertone and it’s totally rad.
The drink: They mean it when they say this is a “smooth,” wine blend. Anyone who likes medium-bodied sweet red wines with a pleasing long finish, step this way. You need not drink this with a meal (though you can if you like!) – it stands fine on it’s own as well.
Peelee Island Monarch Vidal
The label: Exuberant scads of shiny orange monarchs burst forth from the bottle label! It’s lovely!
The drink: This white wine is pleasant as a spring day. It’s unobtrusive, citrus flavored, not too acidic. It’s a bit bland compared to other superior Ontario white wines, but on the upside it’s delightfully inexpensive.
Fazi Battaglia Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi
The label: This one is hard to miss – I bet you’ve seen it in the LCBO before. Picture a tall, green, vaguely bong-shaped bottle with a pompous looking label and a tiny scroll around its neck. It’s terribly distinguished and a little silly looking.
The drink: This is sunlight in a bottle. It’s light-bodied, just a bit tart, and therefore perfect for a spring or summer party. Just be careful – since it’s corked and also delicious you’re probably going to want to drink the whole thing at that party and you might end up asleep on a couch somewhere while everyone looks for you. It could happen.
Inniskillin Dry Riesling
The label: Simple and elegant: leaves and vines and grapes intertwined against a black label.
The drink: Also elegant, though not at all simple. This is a complex medium bodied white wine. It’s dry, crisp and a perfect wake-up for your taste buds after this long numbing winter.
As the flowers start to bloom so too should your adventurous spirit – go to your local liquor store and grab yourself a weird-looking bottle.
