Falling in like is pretty much as good as contemporary urban adult life gets. It’s entirely self-indulgent pure pleasure, and generally involves late nights out at glossy places.
Love is home in bed at 10 watching Netflix in your PJs, which is great in its own way. But when in love, there’s always the possibility that the object of your affection will become your worst enemy. There’s so much heart, soul and ego tied up in the outcome. Love equals expectations, and they’re big by the time you’ve grown up enough to have a career and some proper furniture.
Like, on the other hand, is purely about enjoying life right now. Sure, there’s “likes-me/likes-me-not/maybe-likes-some-other-girl-from-Tinder-more” tension, but that frisson is part of the fun. Nothing’s really invested at this point, and everyone can have huge smiles throughout and still walk away unscathed.
Wine helps with every stage of the process; from initial intrigue to seduction to recovering from the one who was close-but-not-quite. Here are a few suitable ones:
Tawse Spark Limestone Ridge Riesling 2012
Vintages 370361
$19.95
This extremely alluring sparkling wine has intense aromas dominated by the fresh fruit end of the spectrum—Meyer lemon, white peach, lime curd and Granny Smith apple rather than the toasty brioche character that come from emphasis on extended bottle ageing. The palate is dry and crisp, but not so intensely that the wine is austere or hard to drink. There’s lots of pretty youthful fruit, and the most important thing is it goes down almost a bit too easily and finishes clean and moreish. This is, respectfully, not a wine for writing long tasting notes as you’re too busy by then already gulping a second glass. Perfectly enjoyable and a case study in the best possible way to be here for a good time, not a long time.
Drink it on its own as the most perfect aperitif or put alongside anything simple and tasty for snacks or an extended late lunch. Just don’t bother too much fussing about food pairing or stemware—worry weakens the heart.
Beauvignac Picpoul de Pinet 2013
Vintages 350124
$13.95
Look, just because you want something quick and easy doesn’t mean you can’t keep it classy as fuck. It’s just a question of appropriately window dressing things so they look respectable. And that is this wine in brief. It’s a crisp, fresh, dry white that could honestly be from pretty much anywhere but appears all French and sophisticated.
It’s got lovely balance and loads of pear, green apple and white flower character with a bit more weight and a lot more interest than, say, standard issue pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc.
Thoroughly enjoyable with no need to overthink things. Or really think at all. Just drink up and enjoy life. The perfect beverage to chill down very cold then hide in a water bottle in Trinity Bellwoods alongside a picnic of Porchetta & Co, or roast chicken sammies from Sanagan’s in Kensington or similar low-key loveliness.
Ascheri Barbera d’Alba DOC
LCBO 219790
$15.80
There is a particular kind of red wine that doesn’t ask too much from you. And that’s what you want when falling in like and what this juicy, easy-to-like bottle delivers.
The wine itself is youthful and moderately lean, with fresh just-ripe red berry character and some dusty savoury licorice, leather and spice notes. On the palate, the medium-bodied wine is dry with enough acidity and just a slight bite of tannic grip to keep it from being cloyingly fruity. The end result is entirely pleasant but not so overwhelming you’re forced to pay undue attention.
It’s fine on its own but shines next to pretty much any food with more oomph than delicate seafood. The kind of thoroughly enjoyable wine that perfectly enhances the occasion when you have better things to think about …