Posting on the cheese thread, reminded me that I was going to buy my son a couple of bottles of wine for Christmas and he apparently likes Pinot Noir.

I know that maybe Saskatchewan isn't going to have the same choice as other places, but can anyone recommend a good Pinot Noir? Something that isn't too too expensive.

I have heard tell that Falling Leaves has a good one that isn't too expensive.

I had a lovely bottle of Chapelle-Chambertin back in September.

Oh. I didn't pay!

If he likes Pinot Noir, expand his palette with a Pinotage from Stellenbosch (SA).

Hey that is a good idea. I am not into red wine myself. I think they tend to give me a headache but I do like them. We used to belong to the German Wine Society years ago and had lots of interesting blind tastings where we often all chose a wine that wasn't the most expensive and sometimes even the cheapest and the outcome often surprised us.

I will take a look at the liquor store tomorrow. I also heard tell that the Sask Party government are going to allow private liquor stores here selling specialty wines and things that are not sold in the regular government liquor store. That's a turn up for the books in Saskatchewan!!

Shame about the not too expensive part, otherwise a bottle of Bollinger would be very nice.

We often indulge in a bottle of Louis Latour Pinot Noir. $18 a bottle and worth it.

Splash out and get the Gamay Noir - escapes me but I know its a Canadian award winning one - that is a bit pricey but holy cow does it go down well (and lucky me has a case coming next week!)

We used to drink Tinhorn Creek pinot noir, from the Okanagan. Not subtle, but we liked it and it wasn't expensive.

Subtle pinot noir is mostly French; most French pinot noir is from Burgundy, and most Burgundy is overpriced, imho.

Ahhh, just go the this liqour store and get whatever is on offer.

I manged to pick up a bottle of white for $4.99 on Friday (cheapest bottle of plonk I've bought since i've been here - have no idea what it's going to be like, if it's crap I'll use it in cooking

I am the only alchohol drinker in my house so I don't indulge very often and then I always go for a cheapy. I will watch this thread though.

I like a nice heavey full bodied red wine - a Rioja goes down quite nicely, long long time since i've had Rioja though. Treated myself to a bottle of Port on Friday too - Stilton will be being bought to go with it too.

Just don't buy this "wine".

Not sure what Regina's booze shops will have to offer (is it provincially controlled like NS/ON?), but the NSLC has a few nice ones under/around $20.

In general, I reckon Chile/NZ pinots have a better price-to-awesomeness ratio. Try Cono Sur (chile); Casillero del Diablo (chile); Sileni (NZ); Kim Crawford (NZ)... or (if you can find it) one from California - McManis.

Yum.

In September we stayed at my sister's place on the Cote Chalonnaise: pinot noir of Burgundy to the north and gamay of Beaujolais to the south. Euro for euro I prefered the gamay.

Well, Sask Liquor has gone all modern (sort of) on us - they now have a website with everything listed!

http://www.saskliquor.com/SaskLiquorWeb/Home.aspx

I wonder when they are going to get real and sell liquor in the grocery stores!

It ain't gonna happen, at least in Ontario. Huge profit making results for Prov.Government. It's an interesting discussion/argument as to whether controlling distribution and retailing of beer/liquor influences the level of street drunkenness. If the stories emanating from the UK (perhaps anecdotal) are anything to go by then I think I'd much rather have the Government controls.

It's a point. I wonder if it's more that drinking in public is allowed vs. being a total no-no here in Canadia.

Then again, France has neither rigid controls (hah!) nor a ban on drinking in public, and it's not like they have the same level alcopop fuelled horror seen in UK town centres on the weekends.

Is there anyone still in London who can report on the difference on public transport now that dear old Boris has banned booze-on-the-bus/tube?

Jackson Triggs do a very good Pinot Noir, and with it being a Canadian wine it isn't that expensive.