SYNONYM is a neighborhood wine bar, café & bookshop that celebrates food, art, natural wine, community & culture. The name reflects the shop’s many dimensions.

REGIONAL DINNER KITS FOR PICK-UP & DELIVERY

TAKE-AWAY FOOD & BOTTLE SHOP

Focaccia loaf | rosemary, sea salt

Cheese & Charcuterie Board | 3 cheese, 2 meat, pickled veg & crackers

Cheese Board | 5 different cheese, pickled veg, honey & crackers

BOTTLE SHOP

non-alcoholic

Casamara Leisure Sodas

Inspired by classic Italian bitters and sodas, Detroit-based makers Casamara Club created a line of booze-free, sparkling botanical beverages. Welcome a whole new beverage category: leisure sodas!

Daydream Drinks

Canada’s first hemp-infused, adaptogenic drink. Natural flavours infused with anti-inflammatory, stress-reducing, anti-oxidation agents. Helps with balance, memory and focus. 

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE RYE COOKIE (*please add if purchasing alcohol)

BEER + CIDER

Bellwoods Roman Candle IPA

473ml 6.8% Dry-hopped at the rate of a Double IPA, perfectly balanced, and showcasing bright citrusy aromatics, “Rocan” is a classic. A ightly resinous, balanced IPA that showcases lots of juicy melon and orange peel.

Bellwoods White Picket Fence Boysenberry

500ml 6% This foeder fermented saison is the result of a unique blending regimen, before being gently dry-hopped and bottle conditioned. Labour intensive in process, but rewarding in result. A complex, layered beer with perfect champagne-like carbonation to carry the lemon meringue aromatics, bright hop character, and rich brett notes. Refined and balanced acidity with lots of complimentary citrus.

Burdock ‘Zesté’ Sour

355ml 4.7% This sour little sacrifice to the weather Gods was hopped with Vic Secret and dosed with a pleasant quantity of hand zested + juiced Florida Key Limes and Meyer Lemons. Think a grapefruit fuzzy candy met lemon/lime-onade!

Matron Brewing ‘Deece’ PIPA

Deece has the aroma, mouthfeel and balanced bitterness of an IPA with a more mindful ABV (4%), its here to help keep things decent.

Matron Brewing “Zhuzh”

Fieldbier, 3.5% 100% Ontario Ingredients This beer is brimming with Popham Lane Farm black currants. It will take you to tang town for a nice time.

True History Vermont Honk Pale Ale

355ml 4.5% Beep beep, mother truckers. Vermont Honk is a pale ale absolutely packed with flavour. Dry-hopped with huge notes of stone fruits and pineapple. It has a super balanced bitterness and mouthfeel so over the top you could literally take a bite out of it.

True History 12 Swans 

473ml 5.1% A pale ale brewed and dry-hopped with Mosaic and Columbus. The prominent blue and red berry characteristics of Mosaic are different than other hops, but different in the best possible way. Pouring a little hazy and bright gold colour, this pale ale is super balanced with notes of blueberry, mango and citrus.

Eric Bordelet Sidre Nouvelle Vague

330ml 6.5% A traditional Normandy sidre from one of the best producers in France. Bordelet is a sommelier turned Cider maker. After working in some of France’s best restaurants in the late 80’s early 90’s, Bordelet took over his family farm: 23 hectares of certified organic cider apple, perry orchards. Located in southern Normandy, he works biodynamically with some trees over 300+ years old. Semi-dry, bold flavours with a touch of funk and minerality.

Revel Cider “All Day”

750ml 6.5% a blend of cider with strawberries and lavender, with a cider macerated on whole blue plums for 8 months. “The strawberries and plums together reminded us of something floral we couldn't quite put our finger on. We decided to lean into it and added a small amount of lavender to the barrels.”  Perfect for surreptitious jaunts in the park. Soft and chuggable.

Revel Cider “Soak”

750ml 5% Soak is Perry on Maréchal Foch skins. Soak is basic, in a beautiful way. “We spend so much time pushing ourselves to find innovative ways to make new blends but fruit juice + fruit skins has always been a winning combo.” Maréchal Foch grapes bring high acid with a whisper of blueberries. Bartlett pears provide sweetness and width. We can get more romantic about this bottle but really, it's made for chugging.  Spend time, see friends (at a distance), soak your tastebuds.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE RYE COOKIE
*please add if purchasing alcohol

WINE

BUBBLES

Casa Belfi Frizzante Bianco  

Unlike almost every other sparkling from the same region, Casa Belfi makes this natural frizzante without any additions at all, from healthy vineyards, the same way Prosecco was made in the 1800s and before. In contrast to mass market Proseccos this wine is bone dry, cloudy and yeasty. Soft, ripe pears over a garden of jasmine.

Orsi Vigneto San Vito Pignoletto Frizzante Sui Lieviti

Orsi San Vito is one of our favourite wineries in Emilia-Romagna. Federico works according to biodynamic principles; employs spontaneous fermentation and doesn’t fine or filter his wines. This is an insanely fun and delicious sparkling wine made with the very rare Pignoletto grape.

2017 Alta Alella ‘Bruant’ Sparkling

Xarel-Lo based natural Cava from Spain! Floral, white fruit with some subtle hazelnut & yeasty notes. Perfect for a fancy night in. The Champagne of Spain.

SKIN-CONTACT

2019 Silivio Messana Bianco

WOW! This was not what we were expecting. 100% Trebbiano with 10 days on skins. The clear bottle, crown cap and the white Messana label indicate a departure for Silvio Messana of Montesecondo winery. He’s heading into new territory: smaller projects built around carefully sourced Tuscan fruit vinified in new styles. Aged in concrete tank and bottled under crown cap without fining or filtering. It weighs in at only 10.5% alcohol - we want this every day of the week.

2018 Cirelli Trebbiano d’Abruzzo Anfora

A cult classic in the natural wine world, Cirelli’s white Trebbiano is a wine we really want you to experience. The grapes ferment on their skins for 24hrs before the juice is aged in amphora - vessels made from terracotta similar to Georgian qvevri - for 12 months. The aromas are enchanting: tropical and lush, but subtle and savoury & so, so many flowers! This would gladly age another 5-10 years in your cellar, but it’s also delightful in its youth.  

2019 ‘A Vita Leukò

This is a perfectly balanced skin-contact wine from the coast of Calabria.70% Greco Bianco and 30% Gaglioppo. The Greco Bianco is macerated for a few hours and the Gaglioppo is vinified white after direct pressing. Dance in the moonlight and breathe in the mediterranean sea. 

2019 Mother Rock Brutal! Chenin Blanc

The long awaited new vintage of Johan Meyer's (AKA Mother Rock) collaboration with cult Barcelona natural wine bar Brutal. This is dry-farmed Chenin Blanc with 10 days' skin contact vinified without any fining, filtration or additions. Exquisitely fresh and pungent with aromas of citrus blossom, spicy pear and wild flowers. Lean and zippy on the palate with pithy grapefruit and green apple.

Supernatural Wine Co. “Minus 220”

You’ll never think of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc the same - a little skin contact goes a long way! A little waxy with honeysuckle, lemon, lime and bitters nose with hints of ginger. Rich and textural - delicate in structure, but powerful in flavour. This wine delivers more with every sip! ‘Preservative 220’ is the additive name for sulphur dioxide, hence the ‘minus.’ Naturally delicious.

2019 Rachis & Derma Chardonnay

A hidden gem from Beamsville award-winning winery: Hidden Bench. They release a very small amount of natural wines under the “Rachis & Derma” label. We’re so excited to have their 45-day skin-macerated Chardonnay. This is not for the faint of heart: buckwheat honey, orange blossom and herbal tea.

WHITE

2018 Nikolaihof Grüner Veltliner Terrassen Wachau

There’s an incredible feeling when you’re drinking a wine from Nikolaihof. As the oldest winery in Austria,they manage to imbue a sense of history and terroir into every bottle. This is the perfect introduction to the wines of Nikolaihof. This entry-level gruner leans strongly towards the savoury and mineral spectrum, with an earthy, smoky, and lightly vegetal nose that almost hides muted lemon and apple tones.

2019 Domaine de Montcy Cheverny Tradition Blanc 

One of the most unique areas in the Loire: Cheverny. Here you’ll find producers like Montcy blending Chardonnay (20%) and Sauvignon Blanc (80%) to create a wine of supreme balance and texture. Notes of acacia and citrus. The palate is round and soft. A natural pairing with goat's cheese or grilled fish.

2018 Celler Credo Aloers

A very delicious example of a still Xarel-lo (typically reserved for sparkling Cava production) grown biodynamically on calcareous soils in Penedes. Made by allowing the must to macerate for a few hours with the stems and then leaving the wine on the lees for two months. Primary aromas of citrus fruits mixed with herbal sage/rosemary and a wonderful salinity.

2018 Les Equilibristes Bouillon aux Dame

Classic (natural) Chenin: wooly, textural and creamy. Spends some time with its lees in old oak barrels. But, there’s still lots of vibrant acidity with bright lemony/golden apple notes. The perfect food wine!

2018 Banyan Gewürztraminer

You might think you know Gewurztraminer - you can’t miss its distinctive lychee aroma - but, you probably haven’t met Kenny Likitprakong. He likes to do things a little differently. This is a lower ABV wine from Monterey County, California. Kenny handpicks the grapes and ferments them low and slow. There’s a beautiful acidity here that you don’t normally find with Gewurztraminer (and a lightness), but you’ll still find those impactful aromas and flavours of tropical fruit, sage, and bright, fresh gardenia blossoms. 

RED

2018 Claus Preisinger Zweigelt Kieselstein

Although Claus Preisinger takes biodynamic winemaking very seriously, his wines are incredibly approachable and seriously enjoyable. This 100% Zweigelt is full of blackberry, blueberry and savory herbs. Perfect with a slight chill. 

2019 Rachis & Derma Gamay

A small production, natural wine from Beamsville’s own, Hidden Bench Winery. The first of its kind, this R&D Gamay was hand-picked and left in whole bunches to ferment resulting in a fresh, lively wine. Raspberry coulis, lush berries and lots of black pepper spice! Bright and zippy.

2019 Occhipinti SP68 Rosso

Made by the glorious Arianna Occhipinti - a blend of Nero d'Avola and Frappato from southern Sicily. Over the past ten years, Arianna has really come into her own and makes some of the most elegant and complex wines we’ve tried. Wild cherries, plum and mulberry with hints of flowers and smoke. Elegant and fresh.  

2019 Domaine des Homs L’Amandier Cinsault

The perfect vin de soif wine (made for drinking, not thinking), ready in Spring after fermentation; the same time when the almond trees are blooming at the estate. 100% Cinsault, made organically with no sulphites. It’s rare to find such a light Cinsault, it’s juicy and full of bright raspberry, thyme and floral notes of lilac and violets. 

2017 Francesco Boschis ‘Pianezzo’ Dogliani Dolcetto

The name Dogliani is held to be a mutation of Dolium Jani, meaning ‘the wine jar of Janus’ or ‘the wine of January’ as Dolcetto-based wines were traditionally ready for drinking well before tannic Nebbiolos from neighbouring villages, perhaps even as early as the January after vintage. However, this wine is much bigger than most Dolcettos we’ve tried; and, complex! A very nice Friday night red.

2018 Sori’ Paitin Langhe Freisa

Paitin is one of the oldest wineries in Barbaresco, they consider 1796 their founding but their roots in the area date back even further. Freisa is an ancient grape that fell out of fashion in the 60s. This is the first vintage since 1968 that Paitin has made. Freisa offers plenty of character; sweet floral, spice and red berry notes. Absolutely delightful.

2016 Turner Pageot Le Rouge

Domaine Turner Pageot is a very small wine producer in the Languedoc, in the little town of Gabian owned by the husband and wife team of Emmanuel Pageot and Karen Turner. Their biodynamic wines are some of the best we’ve tried from the region. This Grenache/Syrah is full of sweet spices, black fruits and that smell of wild hillside vegetation off the Mediterranean Coast.

2018 Pablo Claro Cabernet Sauvignon/Graciano 

We keep coming back to this wine - friends and family can’t get enough of it! The quality to price ratio is beyond extraordinary. We’re talking about a hand-picked, biodynamic, full-bodied red with awesome complexity that can be enjoyed for any occasion. Perfectly ripe with flavours of black cherry, cedar, baking spices and rosemary from La Mancha, Spain.

2018 La Stoppa Trebbiolo

COMING SOON - Pre-order for shipping the week of October 20th.

BOOKS/MAGAZINES

Noble Rot: Issue 13

The other Bordeaux: visionaries of France’s largest fine wine region; what it’s like to be a restaurant critic; wines from the ancient ocean (Chablis); and the beauty of the one bottle cocktail (vermouth). 

Noble Rot: Issue 14

Wine on the edge: the slopes of Galicia; Russel Norman’s favourite Venetian restaurants & bars; 30 years of iconic British food; how to drink alone.

Noble Rot: Issue 17

The Monocle Guide to Better Living

For its first-ever book, the editorial team of Monocle Magazine looks at one of their core themes: how to live well. The result is The Monocle Guide to Better living, an original, informative, and entertaining collection of writing, reports, and recommendations.