Tania Schiliro is an ordinary student at Concordia University. Like most 21-year-olds, Tania Schiliro enjoys a glass of wine every once in a while to decompress or to accompany a girl’s night out. But while many of her peers share her love for wine, this Concordia student’s extensive knowledge of the drink sets her apart from everyone else.
Schiliro has been working at SAQ for two years and, as she pours herself a glass of Beringer rosé wine, she explains there is a lot to consider when shopping for the right wine.
“I always ask the customer what they are going to eat,” she says. “Customers that come in looking for a wine to eat with are usually looking for something red because it’s stronger and is generally the type of wine you have with a meal.”
Though people look for that strong flavour, it is important to know when to drink red and when to choose white. Schiliro suggests pairing red wine with red meat, like a meal on the grill or pasta with meat sauce.
According to Schiliro, red wine will taste better if you make it “breathe” before drinking it. “When wine comes into contact with oxygen, that’s when you really experience the flavour,” she explains. She recommends uncorking the wine and letting it breathe before pouring.
Meals for white wine usually include white meat (chicken, turkey, fish), sushi, Asian food, and seafood. If you’re a sushi fiend, grab the Oyster Bay bottle or New Harbor, which are two of the best in their categories.
If you know nothing about wine but are itching for something targeting specific preferences, SAQ’s colour flavour palette is here to help. Each wine is assigned a colour sticker with words like fruity, sweet, acidic, dry and so on, to describe the contents of the bottle.
Unfortunately, you may encounter that bad bottle, where taking a sip from your glass is like drinking red vinegar. To avoid this, smell the wine. If its scent reminds you of the cork used to plug the bottle, it’s time to get rid of it.
Before buying, always know what you’re cooking and keep in mind which spices you will be using because choosing the appropriate wine is all about the flavour it accompanies.
Here are a list of inexpensive, tasty red, white and rosé wines:
Red under $15:
- Laderas De El Seque (aromatic and robust)
- Poggio del Cardinale (fruity and medium bodied)
White under $15:
- Rapitala Sicilia Chardonnay (aromatic and mellow)
- Domaine Le Cep D’Argent (delicate and light)
- Pinot grigio Beringer (medium-dry and fruity)
Rosé under $15:
- White Zinfandel Ernest&Julio Gallo (fruity and sweet)
- White Zinfandel Beringer (fruity and sweet)
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