Aries (Ram)
March 21-April 19
Aries, you’re easily tired however open to question. And face it, you like shiny things. So the white wine for you is the NV Bottega Pink Gold Prosecco Rosé DOC from the Veneto in Italy (Vintages $29.95). With its metallic pink bottle and glittery capsule, it’s got that instant, captivating appeal you simply love. On the other hand, each gleaming glassful charms the senses with its pale color and understated ideas of berries, violet and pear. Score: 90
Taurus (Bull)
April 20-May 20
Taurus, you are embeded in your ways and you worth tradition. To you, tradition is the mighty, anchoring force in an otherwise flighty world. So when it pertains to wine, you value something that has stood the test of time. Reach for the 2017 Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino DOCG from Tuscany, Italy (Vintages Necessary $56.95). Brunello has actually been made in Italy given that about the 14th century. And this elegant expression streams in and fans out with large flavours of dusty cherry, underbrush, scorched earth, tar, espresso and black olive. A lot going on. And at 15 percent alcohol but beautifully balanced, it’s a quiet giant. Much like you. Score: 93
Gemini (Twins)
Might 21-June 20
Gemini, magnetism is your middle name. You are charismatic, charming and undoubtedly the social butterfly of the zodiac. The red wine to keep in the door of your fridge is the NV Montguéret Brut Rosé Crémant de Loire from France (LCBO $20.95), so you’re always one pop away from entertaining. This jam-on-bread aromatic bottle of gleaming is made in the traditional technique– it goes through a 2nd fermentation in bottle– resulting in the great mousse, beauty and finesse that’s tough to attain any other method. Revitalizing, graceful and charming, similar to you. Rating: 92
Cancer (Crab)
June 21-July 22
Cancer, you’re such a homebody at heart. Absolutely nothing pleases you more than a great, old-fashioned, home-cooked meal. So the wine for you is the wildly food-friendly 2021 Cavit Collection Pinot Grigio Valdadige DOC from Italy ($13.95 LCBO). This dry white takes everything up a notch with its glowy luminescence. Delicate fragrances suggest citrus, chalk and almond echo on the taste buds while tasting intense and sleek. And the finish sticks around. Score: 92
Leo (Lion)
July 23-Aug. 22
Leo, you have a big personality and a penchant for the finer things in life. So there’s no much better wine for you than an Amarone. Made from dried grapes, this powerhouse is pricey to produce and tends to be expensive to buy. But hey, you’re worth it. So the white wine for you is the 2016 Masi Costasera Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG Veneto, Italy (LCBO $52.95). Like you, it’s majestic. Believe strong, rich and advanced with layers of dark berries, Amarena cherries, coffee, fig, olive, slate, nuts and so much more. Gorgeous and much to offer. Rating: 94
Virgo (Virgin)
Aug. 23-Sept. 22
Virgo, you’re a cerebral soul. Information and nuance are never ever lost on you. And, of course, your expectations are where they should be, which is to say rather high. A wine up to your requirement and sure to keep you engaged glass after glass is the complicated 2017 Marqués de Riscal Rioja Reserva DOC from Spain (LCBO $24.55). From the wafting waves of wild berries, orange enthusiasm and leather on the nose to the fleshy yet brawny palate, it is a remarkable put. Find black pepper, mushroom, stone and earth in addition to cherry liqueur, coconut and butterscotch in this dry red. Rating: 95
Libra (Balance)
Sept. 23-Oct. 22
Libra, the world would be a hot mess without you. Thank goodness for your wise sense of style, eye on order and clearness of thought. So the red wine for you is the perfectly balanced 2020 Vignerons de Buxy Buissonnier Montagny from Burgundy, France (Vintages Essential $24.95). Made from fruit grown in the southern part of the Côte Chalonnaise region, this steel-fermented, unwooded Chardonnay bursts with the scent of white peach and lemon nuanced with sweet butter. Then it moves in with lemon, hazelnut, flint, honeysuckle and a touch of grapefruit oil. This white wine has Libra composed all over it. Score: 93
Scorpio (Scorpion)
Oct. 23-Nov. 21
Scorpio, you’re deep, dark and extreme and need a red wine to match. You would not have persistence for it otherwise. The red wine for you that commands attention is the 2019 Michael David Freakshow Cabernet Sauvignon from California (Vintages Vital $29.95). Each saturated sip dives into depths of muddled blackberries, plum puree and black cherry coulis prior to tapering to a long, leisurely chocolate-covered-espresso bean finish. Vibrant. Rating: 92
Sagittarius (Archer)
Nov. 22-Dec. 21
Sagittarius, you’re the tourist of the zodiac. Absolutely nothing pleases you more than zipping off to some distant place. And your adaptability supports that nomadic disposition. For those times you want you were elsewhere, the 2021 Paco & & Lola Albarino from D.O. Rias Baixas, Spain (Vintages Necessary $18.95) takes you away. Anticipate a thrilling lick of brisk lime laced with cool brine, oven-fresh bread and a subtle creaminess that polishes the bracing acidity. It’s a getaway in a bottle. Score: 92
Capricorn (Goat)
Dec. 22-Jan. 19
Capricorn, your critical eye, laser focus and unwavering aspiration guides you directly to the finest things in life. You like to live well and you understand it. So the white wine for you is the 2019 Hidden Bench Tête de Cuvée Chardonnay Terroir Series, VQA Beamsville Bench ($52 winery only). This unfined, unfiltered and licensed natural expression of Beamsville Bench offers luxury, yes, however likewise a certain peaceful confidence with its power and poise. Discover flinty minerality and salinity threading its generous buttered toast and lemon centre. And, like you, this wine is relentless. Score: 94
Aquarius (Water Bearer)
Jan. 20-Feb. 18
Aquarius, you care deeply about Environment and you align your life appropriately. You’re likewise an extrovert, sociable and fun. So the best white wine for you is the sunlit 2022 Beachhouse Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa (LCBO $20.95/ 1.5 L). The magnum-sized format is large enough to pour for all your good friends when they occur and the producer who makes it, DGB, champions sustainability in the vineyards and the winery. Each sip beams with brilliant apples and pineapple on the nose and taste buds, laced with a touch of gooseberry. It’s a well-crafted, feel-good white wine. Score: 91
Pisces
Feb. 19-March 20
Pisces, you are an ethereal animal. You were born sensitive, mindful and have spent your life cultivating those traits. So an allusive, fragile wine with whispering intricacy will never be lost on you. You’ll see it as bottled poetry that speaks to your soul. So the red wine that ignites in that mini dazzle is the NV Laurent Perrier La Cuvee Champagne from France (Vintages Necessary $69.95). With its small bubbles and fluttering flavours of lemon meringue, brioche, nut and stone along with marzipan and cream, this red wine is a love note to your heart. Rating: 92
Carolyn Evans Hammond is a Toronto-based wine writer and a freelance contributing writer for the Star. Wineries periodically sponsor segments on her YouTube series yet they have no function in the selection of the white wines she picks to examine or her viewpoints of those red wines. All prices undergo change. Reach her by means of email: [email protected]!.?.!SHARE:JOIN THE CONVERSATION Anybody can read Discussions, however to contribute, you need to be a registered Torstar account holder.