2 clear glass mugs filled with hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings sitting on a white linen table cloth.

An Ultra-Easy Fuss-Free Guide to Wine

Today’s approach to enjoying wine welcomes rule-breaking and experimentation. Rosé year-round? Red wine in hot chocolate? Absolutely. Take an open-minded approach to choosing wine with this ultra-easy, fuss-free guide.

Red Wine Hot Chocolate
Move over Pumpkin Spice Lattes because this offbeat combo is autumn’s true “it” drink! Blending the creaminess of hot chocolate with complex flavours of spiced mulled wine, this sweater weather– ready after-dinner drink can double as dessert. These Cinnamon Sugar Doughnut Bites are perfect for dunking in it.

Dependable Drinks

Whether you’re in the market for a bargain bottle that exceeds expectations or a satisfying seasonal sipper for cooler autumn evenings, we’ve got you covered with these go-to picks.

Viewing from above 2 bottles of red wine and 2 bottles of white wine laying across a table covered with a cream linen table cloth. A glass of white wine sits in the bottom right corner and a stack of 3 grey pottery plates is partially seen sitting in the top left corner.

Fireside Wines

Silk & Spice Red

Brimming with plum and mocha flavours, this red is supremely enjoyable to sip while snuggled up under every blanket in the house.

Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc Viognier

This luxurious wine, which unfolds with layers of lemon curd and honey, goes well with a big bowl of pasta—think spaghetti carbonara—on a chilly evening.

Canyon Road Chardonnay

Full-bodied and complex, this Chardonnay’s vanilla and cinnamon spice notes are a natural match for the warm flavours of fall foods.

Copper Moon Shiraz

It doesn’t get much more autumnal than this wine’s juicy palate of cherry and plum. Try it with a comforting winter stew or a spicy chili.

Wines That Over-Deliver

Henry of Pelham Baco Noir VQA

Bring out this full-bodied red to serve with your next charcuterie platter. One sip and you’ll understand why Henry of Pelham is known for its mastery of this hybrid grape variety.

Julia Florista White

Pop open a bottle of this fresh and fruity white as an aperitif, then bring it to the dinner table to serve with mains like crab cakes or veggie pizza.

Toro Bravo Tempranillo Merlot DO, Valencia

This easy-drinking red wine punches above its weight with inviting notes of cherry and dark chocolate. Drink it solo or alongside grilled or roasted dishes.

Oggi Sangiovese IGT Puglia

Keep this food-friendly red on hand for impromptu hosting. With silky tannins and delicious red fruit flavours on the palate, it drinks like something double the price.

Fruit and Fun

If you think rosé and fruit-flavoured wines are limited to summer sipping, think again.

A top down view of 3 bottles of rosé laying on a white table. A white octagonal plate of green jalapeno peppers is seen in the top right corner

Rosés All Year

These food-friendly and cheers-worthy wines can (and should) be enjoyed year-round.

Jalapeño Rosé
A Margarita isn’t the only tipple that can benefit from a spicy twist. Ride the wave of another viral online trend and try adding a few slices of jalapeño to your next glass of rosé. Its peppery notes add a playful dimension to the wine’s natural sweetness.

Ogier Cotes du Ventoux Rosé AOC

For a bright and juicy sip, this French rosé is full of melon and orchard fruit tones. Enjoy it with chicken finished with a squeeze of lemon.

Juliet Prosecco Rosé DOC

Sparkling rosé is a welcome wine for any kind of gathering. This bubbly shows red cherry notes with passion fruit undertones.

Gérard Bertrand Côte des Roses Rosé Vintages Essentials

With its strawberry and rosewater notes, this rosé is a winner served alongside a Mediterranean mezes platter. And when you’re finished, the bottle makes a fabulous serving vessel for water.

Fruit-Flavoured Wines

Fruit-flavoured wines are transcending their reputation for excessive sweetness and finding fans who appreciate their distinctively juicy flavour profile.

A pitcher of sangria with orange round slices sits on a table covered with a white tablecloth. Beside the pitcher is 3 bottles of premixed coctails and a glass of mimosa.

Yellow Tail Sangria

Serve this citrusy red blend with orange and lemon slices to fuel the fiesta spirit of your next tapas night.

Muskoka Lakes Cranberry Blueberry Wine

This local gem scores top marks with a balanced sweet-tart cranberry profile and a hint of spice to keep things interesting.

Romeo Mimosa

Kick off brunch with this delightful, ready-to-pour Mimosa that delivers satisfying fruity flavours and effervescence minus the mixing.

Pairing Wine with Food

Find easy wine matches for everything from your go-to takeout dishes to a mash-up making the rounds on social media.

Pho with Riesling

A floral Riesling with high acidity is a nice match for this Vietnamese soup’s herbal notes.

Burgers With Burgundy

A tannic red will cut through all that delicious decadence.

Tacos al Pastor With Malbec

Smoky Mexican spices play well with a fruity Malbec.

Thai-Style Butternut Squash Soup With Gewürztraminer

The wine’s slight sweetness works well with this creamy soup.

Butter Chicken With Prosecco

Bubbles balance the richness of this Indian favourite.

Lasagna Soup With Lambrusco

Sparkling and slightly sweet, the Italian red complements this trendy recipe twist.