A well-priced California Pinot. Deep plum colour with a nose of violets, cherries and pencil lead; medium-bodied, dry, black cherry flavour with toasty oak.

Food match: duck breast; lamb cutlets

Bridlewood Pinot Noir 2012 (Monterey County, California), $19.95 (Vintages # 361824)

Post City Magazines’ wine columnist, Tony Aspler, has written 14 books on wine and food. Tony also created the Ontario Wine Awards and has been inducted into the New York Media Wine Writers’ Hall of Fame. He can be heard on 680News.