DINR’S WINE CLUB
Every month we feature a delicious new bundle of wines from our winery and importer partners. Discover great wines, delivered right to your door.
DINR’s Subscription Wine Club is brought to you in partnership with Louise Wilson Cormier, Owner of Wilco Fine Beverage and one of only ten Masters of Wine in Canada.
DINR Wine Club Benefits
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Henry's Restaurant & Wine Bar
Select an off-menu bottle from the wine shop to enjoy with your meal
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Enoteca Sociale
Secret menu for Members! Enjoy a special off-menu dish at the Chef’s choice with an optional wine pairing. Prices vary by dish
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GIA
Focaccia & warm olives on the house
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Buyers + Cellars Tasting Room, Ottawa
Complimentary pour at the tasting bar
May/June 2025
For a grapevine to produce high-quality fruit, the surrounding environment (terroir) must be just right. This includes factors such as climate, soil composition, the altitude and the aspect of a vineyard. The ideal combination of these inputs is unique for each variety. Over time, growers learn which vines are most successful in their conditions. As a result, many wine regions specialize in one or more signature wines.
The May DINR Wine Club showcases wines from grape varieties that thrive in their respective regions. Falanghina and Aglianico from Campania, Gamay from Beaujolais, Cabernet Franc from Niagara and blends of Grenache/Syrah and Vermentino/Roussanne/Viognier from Luberon in the Rhône Valley.
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Miss Vicky O Joie Fleurie
Reds Bundle
Year: 2022
Region: Fleurie, Beaujolais, France
Winery: Château des Moriers
Grape(s): 100% Gamay
Type: Red, Still
Style: A medium to full-bodied fruit forward red wine with moderate tannins.
Notes and Pairings: This generous wine from the lieu-dit Les Moriers, in France’s Beaujolais region, is made from 70-year-old Gamay vines. Waves of aromas arrive as its bouquet opens revealing notes of violet, plum, strawberry and freshly turned earth. While the ripe red fruit of the palate is housed in firmer tannins than expected from Fleurie, winemaker Anne-Victoire Monrozier, “Miss Vicky,” achieves balance and harmony. Enjoy now through 2027.
A delicious match for a shepherd’s pie or brown lentil loaf with mushroom gravy.
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Good Earth Big Fork Red
Selects & Reds Bundle
Year: 2020
Region: Niagara Peninsula VQA, Ontario, Canada
Winery: Good Earth WInery
Grape(s): 92% Cabernet Franc 8% Merlot
Type: Red, Still
Style: A medium to full-bodied fruity red wine with approachable tannin and light oak.
Notes and Pairings: Cabernet Franc, the lead variety in the Good Earth’s Big Fork Red, is thought to be one of the best grapes to grow in the Niagara region, with 2020 being an exceptionally good vintage. Its bouquet is perfumed with the aromas of ripe raspberry, cherries jubilee, baking spice and fresh green herbs. Notes of red berry fruit and mint continue on the palate, where they are complemented by flavours of mocha. It’s at its peak from 2025 – 2027.
An ideal match for lamb chops with mint sauce or chicken drumsticks with mole poblano.
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Elena Catalano Sannio Aglianico
Selects & Reds Bundle
Year: 2021
Region: Sannio, Campania, Italy
Winery: Elena Catalano
Grape(s): 100% Aglianico
Type: Red, Still
Style: A full-bodied, well-structured developing red wine.
Notes and Pairings: The 2021 Elena Catalano Sannio Aglianico is an elegant, full-bodied wine with firm, well-integrated tannins and satisfying layers of complexity. Similar in structure and aromatic profile to Nebbiolo, its distinct bouquet marries nuances of rose petal, leather and plum. More red fruit comes forth on the palate with flavours of fresh and dried cherry, while the notes of plum and leather carry forward from the nose. An appealing thread of dried herb lingers on the finish, adding interest. Positioned perfectly in its prime drinking window, continue to enjoy this wine through 2027.
A choice match for a dry-aged striploin or a sausage Bolognese.
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Elena Catalano Taburno Falanghina
Selects & Lights Bundle
Year: 2023
Region: Taburno, Campania, Italy
Winery: Elena Catalano
Grape(s): 100% Falanghina
Type: White, Still
Style: A medium bodied unoaked white wine with a dry finish.
Notes and Pairings: If you like Pinot Gris or Pinot Grigio, Falanghina is a delicious discovery. This juicy example from the family vineyards of Elena Catalano in Southern Italy’s Campania region is bursting with notes of sun-kissed peach, nectarine, pink grapefruit and mandarin orange. Ready to serve through 2026.
Play off this wine’s fruity appeal by pairing it with chicken a l'orange, fish tacos with peach salsa or Hawaiian pizza.
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Château Louis Turcan Luberon Blanc
Lights Bundle
Year: 2023
Region: Luberon, France
Winery: Château Turcan
Grape(s): 90% Roussanne, 10% Rolle (Vermentino) and Viognier
Type: White, Still
Style: A full-bodied oak aged white wine with a dry finish.
Notes and Pairings: The 2023 Louis Turcan Blanc is a luxurious wine that will appeal to white Burgundy drinkers. Made from a blend of Vermentino, Roussanne and Viognier, this full-bodied wine offers layers of complexity and a generous length. Its bouquet is a marriage of apple, peach and white flowers. Orchard and stone fruit flavours continue through the palate, with hints of baking spice on the finish. This well-balanced wine will remain in its peak drinking window through 2028.
A decadent match for pan-seared scallops, chicken cordon blue or sweet potato manicotti with bechamel sauce.
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Château Louis Turcan Luberon Rosé
Lights Bundle
Year: 2022
Region: Luberon, France
Winery: Château Turcan
Grape(s): 60% Grenache, 40% Syrah
Type: Rosé, Still
Style: A medium-bodied lightly oak rosé wine with a dry finish.
Notes and Pairings: The 2022 Louis Turcan Rosé, a blend of Grenache and Syrah from the Rhône appellation of Luberon, offers a bouquet of violet, raspberry and cherry notes. The palate reveals fresh and dried red berry flavours complemented by notes of lees and mature cheese, while a hint of oak spice weaves through the long finish. Enjoy throughout the Summer of 2025.
This savoury rosé is ideal for food pairing. Match with balsamic-glazed salmon or pancetta-wrapped pork loin.
June/July 2025
In last month’s editorial, we discussed how ‘terroir’ or a vine’s surrounding environment impacts the taste of a wine. Highlighting the wines that I have selected for the June DINR Wine Club bundles, let’s consider how winemaking techniques can influence the wine in your glass.
Let’s start with colour. When squeezed, the juice of most wine grapes is largely clear. The hues of red and rosé (or rosato) wines result from varying lengths of contact with black or red grape skins. For example, two wines made by Tuscany’s Tenuta di Monte Chiaro. The juice of the 2023 ‘345 Rosato’ (available in this month’s Somm Selects bundle) macerated on its skins for a mere 12 hours, resulting in a vibrant blush-coloured hue. In comparison, the deep ruby hue of the 2021 Chianti Colli Senesi Riserva (featuring in this month’s Somm Select and Reds bundles) is a result of 18 days of skin contact. Time on skins not only affects a wine’s colour but also its tannin level and flavour profile.
Another significant winemaking decision is whether to mature a wine in oak barrels. Time in oak imparts flavours of baking spice, vanilla or toast, which intermingle with the grape’s fruit flavours. Since a wine barrel is not airtight, tiny amounts of oxygen also interact with the wine as it ages, allowing for new flavour compounds to develop.
The 2021 Tenuta di Monte Chiaro Chianti Colli Senesi Riserva is a beautiful example of an oak-aged wine with aromas of vanilla and sandalwood, followed by hints of spice on its lengthy finish. Alternatively, if a winemaker wants to highlight the fruitiness in the wine, they will often forgo the barrel, instead opting for a neutral vessel such as one made from stainless steel. The 2022 Sguardi di Terra Valtènesi Groppello (available in the Somm Selects bundle) and the 2023 Domaine de Chevalier Bernard Jongieux Gamay (which can be discovered in the Red bundle) are made without the use of oak, resulting in their fruit-driven style. An intermediary technique is used by Winemaker Matt Ridgeway for his 2022 La Despensa Boutique País (found in the Red bundle), in which half of the wine spends 10 months in neutral oak barrels, enhancing the wine’s mouthfeel and taste profile without the addition of oaky flavours.
These are just two of the many choices made by a winemaker as they craft the wine they envision. As you are enjoying the wines from the DINR Wine Club bundles, it’s fun to try to link the taste and style that you are experiencing in the glass back to the winemaking that created it. Cheers to you!
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Monte Chiaro Chianti Colli Senesi Riserva
Reds & Selects Bundle
Year: 2021
Region: Tuscany, France
Winery: Tenuta di Monte Chiaro
Grape(s): 100% Sangiovese
Type: Red, Still
Style: A full-bodied well-structured organic red wine.
Notes and Pairings: This well-structured expression of Sangiovese offers a generous length and fine balance indicating that it will continue to mature in cellar through 2035. At this point in its evolution, its expressive aromas reference sandalwood, cherry, plum and dried sage. Firm, fine-grained tannins house a fruit led mid-palate with flavours of strawberry tea, cranberry and cherry, while notes of oak spice and cured meat weave throughout the finish.
An elegant choice to serve with prime rib au jus.
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Monte Chiaro 345 Rosato
Selects Bundle
Year: 2023
Region: Tuscany, Italy
Winery: Tenuta di Monte Chiaro
Grape(s): 50% Sangiovese, 50%, Malvasia Nera (Tempranillo)
Type: Rosé, Still
Style: A generous and fruit-forward rosé with a dry finish.
Notes and Pairings: Made from Sangiovese and Malvasia Nera, this sunny rosé charms with a coral hue and aromas of strawberry, cherry and orange. A sip reveals its generous weight and layers of flavours. Look for notes of raspberry tea, watermelon and orange zest which trail into a notable length. Enjoy through 2026.
A delightful pairing for bacon-wrapped scallops, BBQ salmon, or pan-fried pork gyoza.
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Sguardi di Terra Valtènesi Groppello
Selects Bundle
Year: 2022
Region: Valtènesi Riviera del Garda Classico DOC, Italy
Winery: Elena Catalano
Grape(s): 100% Aglianico
Type: Red, Still
Style: Light-bodied organic red wine.
Notes and Pairings: If you haven’t had a chance to taste Lake Garda’s Gropello grape variety yet, think Pinot Noir with savoury red fruit and lighter tannins. The 2022 Sguardi di Terra Valtènesi Gropello is a light-bodied and refreshing organic red wine – the perfect way to welcome Summer weather. Its fragrant aroma is reminiscent of raspberry, strawberry and violet. Bright red berry notes continue through the palate, where they are met with an appealing hint of earthiness and a touch of herb.
This is a perfect wine to serve slightly chilled alongside sesame-crusted ahi tuna, coq a vin or cioppino.
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La Despensa Boutique Pais
Reds Bundle
Year: 2022
Region: Pumanque, Colchagua, Chile
Winery: La Despensa Boutique
Grape(s): 90% Pais (also known as Criolla Chica or Mission), 10% Cinsault
Type: Red, Still
Style: A light to medium-bodied, fruity red wine with low to moderate tannin.
Notes and Pairings: The 2022 La Despensa Pais is made from 150 vines grown in Pumanque in Chile’s Colchagua Valley. This fresh and fruity wine presents aromas of bright red and blue berries, violet and mint. Its body is equally fruit-forward with juicy flavours of strawberry, cherry, and raspberry. With lower tannins, this refreshing wine is ideal to serve slightly chilled. Enjoy over the next two years.
This approachable wine is an ideal match for mid-weight meals with lots of flavour. Try with ginger pork or honey garlic chicken.
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Domaine de Chevalier Bernard Jongieux Gamay
Reds Bundle
Year: 2023
Region: Savoie, France
Winery: Domaine de Chevalier Bernard
Grape(s): 100% Gamay
Type: Red, Still
Style: Medium-bodied, fruit-forward, unoaked red wine.
Notes and Pairings: From the French wine region of Savoie, this is a stellar example of Gamay, with expressive aromas of cherry, violet and plum. The palate is loaded with layers of juicy fruit flavour—raspberry, cranberry and blueberry—kissed by a hint of fresh herb and a touch of black pepper. It is one to try for those who enjoy Cru Beaujolais. Drinking beautifully through 2026.
An excellent choice for roast turkey and trimmings, or try with creamy mushroom rigatoni.
July/August 2025
The DINR Wine Club offer members an opportunity to discover delicious new wines through bundles curated by me, Louise Wilson Cormier, one of only nine Masters of Wine living in Canada.
Have you ever wondered what it takes to become a Master of Wine? To join the Institute of Masters of Wine, candidates must pass a four-day exam that is held once a year in three locations around the world. The exam consists of three timed wine tastings where the writer is asked to identify attributes of twelve wines, such as grape variety, region, vintage, quality and winemaking techniques. The second part of the exam tests the writer’s theoretical knowledge, with essay questions from all aspects of the wine business, including grape growing, winemaking, quality control, marketing, distribution and current topics. Once an individual has passed both parts of the exam, they are required to complete a paper based on their original research. If you are interested in reading some of the research papers, they can be found here. In the seventy years that the exam has been written, only 516 people have ever become Masters of Wine. In my journey, it took me ten years to pass the exam and complete my research, becoming a Master of Wine in 2020. Currently, there are 419 Masters of Wine located across 28 countries.
For the July DINR bundles, I’ve selected wines that are perfect for Summer entertaining - including a classic right bank Bordeaux Supérieur and an organic Super Tuscan made from Malvasia Nera, the “Tuscan Tempranillo.” The Somm Selects bundle is completed by a unique white wine from Campania, made from the indigenous grape variety Coda di Volpe. Its fruity style will appeal to those who like Pinot Gris or unoaked Chardonnay. Rounding out the Reds bundle is another rare find, a Sangiovese from Chile’s Colchagua Valley. I hope you enjoy the wines. Cheers to you!
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Château des Romains Bordeaux Supérieur
Reds & Selects Bundle
Year: 2021
Region: Bordeaux Supérieur AOP, France
Winery: Château des Romains
Grape(s): 60 % Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvigon. 20% Cabernet Franc
Type: Red, Still
Style: A medium-bodied, fruit-forward red wine.
Notes and Pairings: With a deep ruby/purple hue and a liberal bouquet of black cherry, blackberry, mint and mocha, the 2021 Château des Romians is instantly likeable. The generous red and black fruit carries forth on the palate, balanced by just the right amount of supple tannin. This Bordeaux Supérieur offers excellent value and will remain in its peak drinking window through 2027.
Serve with spaghetti Bolognese or black bean burgers.
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Tenuta di Monte Chiaro Arteliquida Rosso
Reds & Selects Bundle
Year: 2019
Region: Rosso Toscana IGT, Italy
Winery: Tenuta di Monte Chiaro
Grape(s): 100% Malvasia Nera
Type: Red, Still
Style: Mid-weight organic red wine with generous flavour and smooth tannins.
Notes and Pairings: Super Tuscan wines are the flagships of a winery’s portfolio and are often made with grape varieties that are outside of the traditional recipe for Chianti. Monte Chiaro’s 2019 Arteliquida is a fine example, made from 100% Malvasia Nera, also known as the Tuscan Tempranillo. The bouquet is fruity, floral and savoury with hints of plum, violet, leather and anise. Its mid-weight body is framed by smooth, supportive tannins and balanced acidity. Plum and black cherry flavours take center stage, supported by hints of dried herb and cured meat. This developing wine will continue to shine through 2028.
A memorable wine for special occasions. A delightful accompaniment for filet mignon with red wine sauce.
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Elena Catalano Coda Di Volpe
Selects Bundle
Year: 2023
Region: Coda Di Volpe Taburno DOC, Italy
Winery: Elena Catalano
Grape(s): 100% Coda Di Volpe
Type: White, Still
Style: A medium to full bodied unoaked wine with a dry finish.
Notes and Pairings: Coda di Volpe, an ancient variety, indigenous to Italy’s Campania region, is also known as the fox’s tail for its long, curved bunches. Elena Catalano’s expression will appeal to those who like generous wines with a fruit-forward style and a dry finish. This delicious summer sipper offers aromas of peach, red apple, Meyer lemon and mineral. Citrus and orchard fruit flavours are echoed throughout its body, leading to a kiss of pink grapefruit on the finish. For peak freshness, serve through 2026.
A perfect match for lobster rolls, a savoury soufflé or a chicken and chow mein noodle salad.
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La Despensa Boutique Sangiovese
Reds Bundle
Year: 2023
Region: Colchagua Valley D.O., Chile
Winery: La Despensa Boutique
Grape(s): 100% Sangiovese
Type: Red, Still
Style: A medium bodied, fruity forward wine with approachable tannin.
Notes and Pairings: Sangiovese, a grape variety most closely associated with the wines of Tuscany, is a rare find in Chile’s Colchagua Valley. The 2022 La Despensa example arrives with a smoky, earth bouquet, which transforms into aromas of plum, raspberry, mint and spice. Red berry fruit flavours come to the fore, supported by hints of basil and mint, while pliable tannin and fresh acidity provide a balanced palate. A wine to enjoy through 2028.
A treat with braised pork belly or grilled lamb chops.
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