Well over a decade ago, my husband and I moved next door to a Calgary fixture, Mark Bata. Mark knocked on our door and welcomed us to the neighbourhood with a bottle of vintage Champagne. What happened next proves that no good deed goes unpunished.

I invited him in and poured him a glass of what I was drinking, Apothic. Just before he took a sip, I saw him swirling his glass furiously, the red swill going round and round. I’d never seen anyone twirl their wine. My stomach dropped, and I did something I never do. I asked him what he did for a living.

He said he was a wine importer. In my head, in slow motion of course, I wanted to shout “nooo” and slap that offensive wine out of his hand. Too late. He drained that glass like a champ, while I shuddered internally for serving this man such a terrible wine. He moved away shortly thereafter.

Fifteen years later, I found myself in Mark’s company again, as he hosted Piedmont and Beyond at the Eau Claire Athletic Club ($65 per person). Let’s listen to Somebody That I Used to Know for this post.

From his company’s portfolio, Bonvida Wines, we tasted eight Italian wines, six from Piedmont and two from Lombardy.

Valfaccenda Roero Arneis 2023, Piedmont ($47.50)

Mark explained that this white wine was made like a red, with time on the skins, showing up in the texture, minerality, and fruit. “Time on skins” means the juice sat with the grape skins, and the skins give it extra flavour and texture. Most white wines are pressed right after picking, so the skins are removed. He compared the process to how concentrated tea gets when you leave the bag to steep.  I noticed a little tang at the finish. Delicious, and very easy to drink.

Massolino Langhe Chardonnay 2022, Piedmont ($45.50)
The Massolino winery is owned and operated by brothers, Franco Massolino and Roberto Massolino. Winemakers get only one chance a year to make their wine, Mark pointed out, unlike brewers, who can brew multiple times.

Mark asked Franco about the first Chardonnay he ever made in 1993. Franco said he made it like a carpenter, woody and oaky. I’d say he perfected it now. I found it heavier than the first wine, with a lot of personality for a white wine.

Mazzolino ‘Terrazze’ Pinot Noir 2024, Pavia, Lombardy ($44)
We learned from Mark that where Pinot grows, so does Chardonnay, as the soil works for both grapes. Chew Steel thought it was an interesting red wine, light and bright. I noticed how this wine made the Italian charcuterie and cheese pop.

Castello di Verduno Barbera d’Alba 2025, Piedmont ($52)
The Barbera grape requires a lot of sun, Mark shared. No oak was used in this wine, which resulted in a fresher, brighter wine that pairs exceptionally well with food. This wine tasted ripe, like Okanagan cherries in August. He suggested pork tenderloin or pasta as a food pairing.

Castello di Verduno ‘Basadone’ Pelaverga 2024, Piedmont ($52)
Mark called it the most interesting wine on the table: a rare indigenous grape, with only 29 vineyard hectares planted. ‘Basadone’ translates to “lady kisser”.

He likened this wine to a Pinot’s weight with a Syrah’s spice. Chew Steel noted its peppery notes. We were told to chill this wine and serve it with fatty foods, like charcuterie. This was Chew Steel’s favourite wine of the night, so I bought a bottle.

Sandro Fay Valtellina Superiore Valgella 2022, Lombardy ($45)
This Lombardy wine was my second favourite wine of the night; it was fragrant with delicate fruity notes. The Nebbiolo grape is grown organically in a valley so steep, Mark pointed out, pickers have to lean against their toes as they hand-harvest. I took a bottle home too.

Massolino Barolo 2021, Piedmont ($85)
Now for the king of wines, Barolo! Mark emphasized that 2021 was a great year for this Barolo. I found it so good, gentle and floral. He added that all wines from the region go so well with food, like braised beef or stew. A bottle of this one is going to my neighbours, who always bring wines that outshine my selection.

Castello di Verduno Massara 2018 ($143)
Mark described this wine as piney and elegant. I preferred the 2021 Barolo, but Chew Steel preferred this one, so we disagreed. This one was also a crowd favourite.

None of the wines we tried tasted generic. That makes sense, since Mark told us he knows every producer he imports and can see each winemaker’s personality in each bottle. Thank you, Mark, for introducing this ex-neighbour to excellent wines she wouldn’t have found on her own.

You can find the wines from Mark’s tasting at ZYN The Wine Market

For a regularly updated list of  tastings and special events, visit my Calgary Wine Tastings & Events Guide.

To celebrate its 30 years in business, Metrovino hosted an All-Stars series showcasing its longtime wine heroes. France ($78.75) kicked off the series. I went alone to this one, without my usual crew. For this post, let’s listen to Comfort Eagle.

Metrovino, I learned, used to be a warehouse and dates back to 1914. With exposed wood posts and beams from floor to ceiling, it’s a cozy spot for some wine education.

This evening showcased the stars and friends of Richard Harvey, Metrovino’s co-founder. Richard mentioned that, in many cases, his friends’ children have taken over the business, or are in the process of doing so. He told us the work isn’t cushy, and it’s far easier to go into the city and push paper for a living than to do the hard work of farming. That resonated with me, as I remember watching how hard my mother worked as a small business owner. It is certainly not for the faint of heart. 

1. Terres Falmet

The first wine hero of the evening is Yves Falmet from Creissan, Languedoc, a hands-on producer. Richard noted that Terres doesn’t make many rosés, and this particular type is quite popular right now. I bought a bottle of 2025 Saint-Chinian Sibylline Rosé ($28, discounted 15% to $23.80) for my girlfriends, and they all enjoyed the crisp, clean flavour.

2. Domaine Vincent Carême

Vincent and Tania Carême are from Vernou-sur-Brenne in the Loire Valley. I enjoyed the 2023 Vouvray Le Peu Morier ($66, discounted 15% to $56.10), as I found it fresh and weighty. Vouvray is made from Chenin Blanc, a grape that’s sensitive to the growing season. One year the wine can be bone dry, and the next, sweet. Richard called 2023 a dry year for the Vouvray. I bought a bottle, and, as Richard suggested, I’ll pair it with poultry, mushrooms, salmon or white fish.

3. Château de Beauregard

I’m familiar with the Burrier family: Frederic, Sylvie, Julien, Baptiste, and Berenger, as Metrovino has hosted a tasting in their honour in the past summer. This wine is from the famous village of Fuissé, in Burgundy. Made from pure Chardonnay, the 2024 Pouilly-Fuissé 1er Cru La Maréchaude ($81) was described by Richard as bright, energetic and peppery, and one worth aging. I found this wine unusual as I’ve never tasted anything like this before. 

Around this time, Eva Hudson, a Metrovino partner, made us jambon-beurre, using baguettes from Mari Bakery and Terroir Artisan butter. What a scrumptious sandwich! Biting into the crusty bread, filled with cold, rich butter, and cool layers of finely sliced ham with the sharp, acidic bite from the cornichons had me salivating. Gluttonous and without shame, I took a second helping. 

4. Château Thivin

Richard introduced us to the Geoffray family: Claude Vincent, Evelyne, Claude Edouard, and Sonja from Odenas, Beaujolais. Sara Boucher, partner at Metrovino, mentioned she found the 2023 Brouilly Reverdon ($43) perfect, not too thin or thick, and very fresh. Again, I found this wine interesting as I couldn’t describe it myself. I confirmed with Sara that I should serve wines cellar-cool: red at 16–18°C and whites at 14–16°C.

5. Famille Pierre Gaillard

The 2024 Saint-Joseph Syrah ($55) received the most vocal reaction from the crowd. I could hear oohs and aahs from what seemed like the regulars in the room. The family behind the wine includes Pierre, Pascale, Jeanne, Pierre-Antoine, and Elise, from Malleval, Rhône Valley. Richard also happily pointed out that the next generation in the Gaillard family is stepping in. I could taste spice in the wine, which was exciting, since detecting notes doesn’t come often to me. I was tempted to buy a bottle for my wine club, but I tend to pick wines that are easy to talk about, like the Vouvray. Richard described this wine as energetic, juicy and complex.

6. Clos du Gravillas

The 2023 Lo Vielh Carignan de 100 ans ($47) from Saint-Jean-de-Minervois, Languedoc, was truly gulpable. I found this wine silky and juicy. The Bojanowski family includes Nicole, John, and Sacha, with their son taking over the business. Richard adores this Carignan but says it has to be grown in the right place. These vines are over a century old, which is why this one really works. He likes this wine so much he bought a barrel, which holds 300 bottles. 

I already bought tickets to Metrovino’s three remaining series: Germany, Spain and Italy. There are still a few spots, and I’d recommend going for the stories, wines and the food. For a regularly updated list of tastings and special events, visit my Calgary Wine Tastings & Events Guide.

Last Tuesday, Divine Offering, Québécoise, and I attended Aperitivo at Metrovino ($15), a casual tasting featuring Alessio Altariva of Fattoria Moretto. The event sold out quickly, which came as no surprise. Let’s listen to “Come On-a My House” for this post.

The tasting offered a very different picture of Lambrusco from the sweet, fizzy, mass-produced wine many people know. Alessio’s family makes small-batch Lambrusco from organically farmed grapes grown on just under 11 hectares, with a focus on Grasparossa, a variety native to Castelvetro in Emilia-Romagna.

Divine Offering and I arrived five minutes early and spotted Richard Harvey, one of Metrovino’s founders. He recognized us, too, and warmly welcomed us in. After lurking in the aisles trying to spot wines from the previous tasting we attended, we moseyed over to Eva Hudson’s station, where she was carving three different ages of Parmigiano-Reggiano and serving them with fresh, crusty bread. Nearby, plates of cheese and charcuterie were laid out.

Over the course of the tasting, we moved between Eva and Richard to sample and repeatedly revisit the winery’s flagship Lambruscos, Tasso ($35) and Semprebon ($35).

As Richard poured, he called Lambrusco “the most Italian wine”, soulful, friendly and distinctive, with countless regional foods to pair with it. The wine’s soft bubbles refresh the palate between rich, salty bites. The region where Lambrusco is made, Emilia-Romagna, also gives us Parmigiano-Reggiano and Prosciutto di Parma as natural companions for the wine.

The Lambruscos I had tried before this tasting reminded me more of sangria. Fattoria Moretto’s versions were different. They had the character of red wine but with a bright, juicy freshness. The gentle bubbles made each sip refreshing without stealing the show.

Tasso was the drier of the two, with a little more structure, while Semprebon was softer, fruitier, and a bit sweeter. Eva told us customers are almost evenly divided between them.

I was particularly interested in Québécoise’s verdict. Earlier this month, she had taken a sip of Cirelli’s “Orange,” pointed to the grapes we were eating and declared, matter-of-factly, “It tastes just like these.”

She preferred Tasso, while Divine Offering leaned toward Semprebon. I changed my mind with nearly every taste before eventually settling on four bottles of Tasso and two of Semprebon. Whether that was my own decision or Québécoise’s influence is still up for debate.

Throughout the evening, I noticed people stopping to chat with Alessio. Meanwhile, the three of us stood off to the side asking one another, ‘Do you think that’s the winemaker?’ then quickly looking in the opposite direction. We were fairly certain it was. However, agreeing that it must be Alessio seemed much easier than walking over and saying hello. It was like high school all over again.

I’m leading a member-led wine tasting at Eau Claire Athletic Club this month, and these Lambruscos will be among the bottles I bring. They’re an excellent conversation wine, easy to share and pair with cheese and charcuterie, yet different enough to challenge what guests think they know about Lambrusco. If their reactions are anything like mine, I suspect a few will be bringing a bottle from Fattoria Moretto to their next party. Hitting the Sauce gives Metrovino’s Aperitivo tasting two phat thumbs up. 

For a regularly updated list of  tastings and special events, visit my Calgary Wine Tastings & Events Guide.