To help boost restaurant revenues amid the pandemic, a temporary change to the Liquor Licence Act is permitting licensed Ontario establishments to sell beer, wine, and spirits as part of their takeout and delivery food orders until December 30.
Not only does this make it more convenient to order a bottle of wine with your dinner, but it’s opening up the opportunity for us to get our hands on some interesting and unusual bottles that aren’t available at our local LCBO. Here are a few spots to order from when you’re in the mood for that just-right bottle to pair with your meal.
Midfield Wine Bar
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Little Portugal’s popular wine bar is offering a limited menu of white, red, rose, sparkling, and skin contact white wines for takeout. It’s a prime opportunity to try some exceptional wines for a reduced price, with all bottles currently marked down by 20 to 40 per cent. The selection changes every Monday, with this week’s offerings ranging from a juicy Georgian saperavi for $33 to a splurge-worthy 2018 pinot gris from Two Shepherds in the Sonoma Valley, available exclusively at Midfield, for $95. Orders can be placed Monday to Wednesday, with pick-up available Friday and Saturday.
Il Covo
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The takeout menu at Il Covo includes a sampling of its excellent wine selection, which focuses on organic Italian bottles. The most affordable vinos are around the $40 mark, including a floral pecorino from Abruzzo and a chianti from Pisa. If you’re going all-out, there’s the Taurasi Riserva 2000 Struzziero for $120, a medium-bodied red with notes of dried blackberry and chocolate.
Little Sito
This cute restaurant at Bloor and Ossington specializing in homestyle Lebanese fare is offering a chance to sample bottles from a lesser-known wine region. Little Sito‘s small but interesting wine selection currently includes three organic wines from Chateau Musar in Lebanon, which range in price from $40 to $50. They also have some more economical $30 options, including an Italian pinot gris and a Spanish rioja.
Coppi
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Coppi has an extensive selection of Italian wines, including lengthy lists devoted to varietals from the Tuscany, Veneto, and Piedmont regions. They’re offering a decanting and re-corking solution for bottles that need to breathe before being served. Many of their wines are on the pricier side (think upwards of $100), making this restaurant a good bet if you’re after a bottle for a special occasion. But there are also a few good options for under $50, including a 2018 Chilean sauvignon blanc for $34. Keep an eye out for possible discounts in the coming weeks.
Paradise Grapevine
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Once a casual wine and beer bar in Bloorcourt, Paradise Grapevine is now providing Ontario-wide delivery of its natural wines, beers, and ciders. Their stock includes over 200 bottles, with customers able to browse by flavour experiences like “big and bold” or by wine type. Shipping times are around one to three days, and the most budget-friendly bottles are priced around $30-40. Next week, Paradise is also gearing up to launch its own 2019 vintage of wines from the Niagara region.
