Forget Father’s Day presents like dull ties and cheap aftershaves. Both will die of boredom in a drawer ! If you want to celebrate your father, then reward him with some liquid happiness.  But again, forget the Baby Duck, Black Tower and Blue Nun and even the infamous “crème de menthe”… Tell him I love you with a corkscrew. Who knows, maybe he will share his present with you.

By Frédéric Arnould (lefred@toutsurlevin.ca)

The clichés that dads drink only big muscular red or dark beer are long gone. It’s as far from the truth as those platitudes stating that ladies who apparently only would drink Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay are unable to consume anything more red than Pinot Noir. Palates are continually refined and diversified. So here are my recommendations to please the celebrated fathers. And it goes from Riesling to Scotch…

Léon Beyer Riesling Reserve, Alsace

Vintage after vintage, I never get tired of this Riesling (a grape unfortunately not popular enough to my taste). This Alsatian house established in 1580 offers us a fruity and lively wine full of lemon and lime. A touch of mineral aromas and white flowers complete this delicious Riesling with a vibrant. ($ 20)

Pfaffenheim, Gewurztraminer, Alsace

If you surprise your father with a Thaï meal, feel free to offer him another wine of Alsace. An unpronounceable but oh so interesting variety. Gewrztraminer that is. It’s fat in the mouth and it’s full of delicious aromas of rose and lychee (textbook  Gewurztraminer).  $ 19,95

Pinot noir, Joseph Drouhin, Bourgogne, 2013, France

Let us go up a notch both in color and in price level with a Burgundy house that needs no introduction among insiders. Let us not be cheap ! After all, we only have one dad. Yes, this bottle costs about sixty dollars, but it is velvet with a muscle tad anyway. This top Pinot Noir offers aromas of a mix of red and black fruits with some spices. A beautiful smoothness in the mouth, unlike some acid and somewhat flat Pinots. Whisper to Dad that the 2009 is ready to drink now, so he might share it with you.

Château Lafon Rochet, St-Estèphe, Bordeaux

Okay, I admit, as a dad, I make this suggestion with my full bias. For quality Bordeaux fans who would not necessarily want to refinance the mortgage on the house, this Grand Cru classé from the St-Estèphe (mostly Cabernet-Sauvignon based as in all St-Estèphe appellation) is magnificent. I recently opened the 2004 and it was perfectly ready. You will probably find the 2009 vintage in store at about 75 dollars. Buy I and tell your Dad to cellar it for a couple of years. For the impatient, there are other products from the same estate : Les Pélerins ($ 40) and La Chapelle de Lafon-Rochet ($ 47). More affordable, more ready to drink with a nice complexity and length. Cassis, cigar box, leather and spices will be in your glass.

Kenwood Jack London Cabernet Sauvignon, California 

A few years ago, I discovered this Cabernet Sauvignon during a visit in a wine store in California. It’s solid, full bodied and it’s great.  Kenwood produces this tribute series to Jack London in the heart of Sonoma. Blackberries, blackcurrants, spices and smoky aromas. Surely a beautiful gift for lovers of muscular Californians. I mean wine of course. (+/- $ 39)

Porto Tawny, Graham, 10, Portugal

Dad has a sweet tooth and prefers a Port? No problem, here is a worthy representative of this fortified wine category. This port has spent at least 10 years in oak barrels before being bottled. Brown sugar, caramel, orange peel, this wine is very nice to drink while contemplating a brazier. Once opened, the bottle can be stored for 2-3 months. Afterwards, the wine will lose its freshness. SO share it before it’s too late…($ 30-35)

Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Kentucky

So for Dads who prefer some spirits, why not embark on the worldwide trend to throw a few buckets of Bourbon behind the « dull » tie ? Bourbon is mistakenly viewed as a low-end whiskey by purists who swear only by Scotch. Nonsense! It is not because the Bourbon is made up of at least 51 percent of corn that it is not entitled to complexity. The Woodford Reserve is fresh, floral, spicy and oaky with a finale  on vanilla (+/- $ 48). Great value !

Highland Park Scotch whiskey, 12 years old, Scotland

Finally, a smooth and subtle Scotch not too peaty for a great Scotch. Fruity with a touch of honey and vanilla. A great one to sip without ice of course without sipping ice in front of a brazier. By the way, in Canada, Japan and the UK (mostly Scotland), it is spelled whisky while in the United States and Ireland, we write whiskey. So cheers and happy Father’s day, Dad !