Originally posted at http://ontariowinediva.blogspot.com
On the second day of the Olympics, we raise a glass, in honour of our athletes, of East Dell Estates 2008 VQA Pinot Grigio. Flavours, and aromas, of honey, pear and green apple, this wine pairs perfectly with seafood dishes and your favourite Olympics sport. Whether that be Women’s Ice Hockey against Slovakia, Ski Jumping, Alpine Skiing, Luge or Speed Skating, raise a glass of this with family and friends on Saturday afternoon or evening and cheer on your favourite athlete or team. An amazing value at $12.95 per bottle, this wine is available at the winery or can be delivered to your home. Contact EastDell Estates at EDretail@eastdell.com or (905) 563-9463.
On a side note, I would like to dedicate this series of blogs to the memory of the Georgian Luger who lost his life yesterday as a result of an accident during a practice run in Whistler. May your spirit and your desire to achieve excellence live on in the souls and memories of your fellow athletes, your family and the children of our future.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
2010 Olympics – Day 2
Originally posted at http://ontariowinediva.blogspot.com
A winery with a political connection – Cedar Creek Estate Winery in Kelowna, BC is the life long dream of Senator Ross Fitzpatrick. Although after university his career took him away from the area he was born and raised in, Ross had always dreamed of returning to “the fertile soil and climate of the valley”. So, in 1988, just as the North American Free Trade Agreement threatened to wipe out the small wine industry in the Okanagan trying to make its name, Ross Fitzpatrick saw it as a challenge to be conquered – and conquered he did. With all of his hard work, along with the hard work of his son – Gordon, who is now heading the winery – Cedar Creek Estate Winery has developed a major wine list encompassing a wide range of palate pleasing options, a seasonal restaurant and a beautiful, Greek inspired in architecture, winery on the banks of the Okanagan.
With a few vineyards to choose from and a wide array of grape varietals planted, after more than 20 years of working with these grapes, Cedar creek Estate Winery has it down to a science. Their white grapes, along with six acres of Pinot Noir are planted in their northern vineyard at Greata Ranch as well as the estate vineyard and their reds, for the most part, are planted at their southern vineyard near Osoyoos where they get the extra heat needed to ripen these grapes properly. The result is a very extensive wine list with all of the grapes represented at several tiers in most cases and many awards to back them up. So, why not drop by Cedar Creek Estate Winery, try a few wines, enjoy a meal in their restaurant (during the summer months) and then let us know what your favourites are.
Tasting room open daily
Tours available May 1st through October 31st
Restaurant open for lunches only – June 12th to September 20th. Special dinner series available on select dates during the summer.
CedarCreek Estate Winery
5445 Lakeshore Road
Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
V1W 4S5
Telephone 250 764 8866
Facsimile 250 764 2603
E-Mail INFO@CEDARCREEK.BC.CA
Http://WWW.CEDARCREEK.BC.CA
A winery with a political connection – Cedar Creek Estate Winery in Kelowna, BC is the life long dream of Senator Ross Fitzpatrick. Although after university his career took him away from the area he was born and raised in, Ross had always dreamed of returning to “the fertile soil and climate of the valley”. So, in 1988, just as the North American Free Trade Agreement threatened to wipe out the small wine industry in the Okanagan trying to make its name, Ross Fitzpatrick saw it as a challenge to be conquered – and conquered he did. With all of his hard work, along with the hard work of his son – Gordon, who is now heading the winery – Cedar Creek Estate Winery has developed a major wine list encompassing a wide range of palate pleasing options, a seasonal restaurant and a beautiful, Greek inspired in architecture, winery on the banks of the Okanagan.
With a few vineyards to choose from and a wide array of grape varietals planted, after more than 20 years of working with these grapes, Cedar creek Estate Winery has it down to a science. Their white grapes, along with six acres of Pinot Noir are planted in their northern vineyard at Greata Ranch as well as the estate vineyard and their reds, for the most part, are planted at their southern vineyard near Osoyoos where they get the extra heat needed to ripen these grapes properly. The result is a very extensive wine list with all of the grapes represented at several tiers in most cases and many awards to back them up. So, why not drop by Cedar Creek Estate Winery, try a few wines, enjoy a meal in their restaurant (during the summer months) and then let us know what your favourites are.
Tasting room open daily
Tours available May 1st through October 31st
Restaurant open for lunches only – June 12th to September 20th. Special dinner series available on select dates during the summer.
CedarCreek Estate Winery
5445 Lakeshore Road
Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
V1W 4S5
Telephone 250 764 8866
Facsimile 250 764 2603
E-Mail INFO@CEDARCREEK.BC.CA
Http://WWW.CEDARCREEK.BC.CA
Friday, February 12, 2010
Seventeen Days
Originally posted at http://ontariowinediva.blogspot.com
The 2010 Olympics are about to start in Vancouver, BC, Canada and what better way to toast our athletes and inspire them on to Gold Medals than to raise a glass of wine – a different one each day – for each of the seventeen days our athletes are competing on the world stage here at home. So, here we go – a new wine for each day of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, BC…
On the first day of the Olympics, we raise a glass, in honour of our athletes and the Gold medals they are about to win, of The Grange of Prince Edward Brut VQA. A fruity, minerally, slightly creamy blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir made entirely of Prince Edward County fruit and the first VQA bubbly to do so. Caroline Granger, President of The Grange of Prince Edward Vineyards and Estate Winery, tells me that this wine is the result of twenty-six months of hard work, with the second fermentation lasting a full fifty-seven weeks. Only $29.75 a bottle, this bubbly was released back in November so it is best to get your hands on this quickly as they are running short on bottles. Call the wine shop at 613.399.1048 or 866.792.7712 to order this winery or visit them at 990 Closson Road, Hillier ON to grab a few bottles.
The 2010 Olympics are about to start in Vancouver, BC, Canada and what better way to toast our athletes and inspire them on to Gold Medals than to raise a glass of wine – a different one each day – for each of the seventeen days our athletes are competing on the world stage here at home. So, here we go – a new wine for each day of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, BC…
On the first day of the Olympics, we raise a glass, in honour of our athletes and the Gold medals they are about to win, of The Grange of Prince Edward Brut VQA. A fruity, minerally, slightly creamy blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir made entirely of Prince Edward County fruit and the first VQA bubbly to do so. Caroline Granger, President of The Grange of Prince Edward Vineyards and Estate Winery, tells me that this wine is the result of twenty-six months of hard work, with the second fermentation lasting a full fifty-seven weeks. Only $29.75 a bottle, this bubbly was released back in November so it is best to get your hands on this quickly as they are running short on bottles. Call the wine shop at 613.399.1048 or 866.792.7712 to order this winery or visit them at 990 Closson Road, Hillier ON to grab a few bottles.
2010 Olympics – Day 1
Originally posted at http://ontariowinediva.blogspot.com.
Welcome to the 2010 Olympic Games…of wine! Starting today – coinciding with the Opening Ceremonies of the real 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver – I will feature one winery each day from the province of British Columbia. All of these wineries have come highly recommended by friends and colleagues and all of them are best described as small, family run or mom and pop type wineries. It’s not that the “big boys” of the BC wine industry aren’t great, it’s just that these little wineries deserve some recognition too. So, who is our first winery? Where is it located and what makes it unique…
Located in Kelowna, BC we find Quails’ Gate Winery – a family run winery where, even if your last name isn’t Stewart, you feel as if you are one. The one thing that truly impressed me about this winery, aside from the very close knit feel it portrays, is the extensive and elaborate wine list. Two tiers of table wines – the Stewart Family Reserve and the Quails’ Gate line – and a selection of dessert wines, some of which are completely unique – like their Non Vintage Tawny made from 100% Gamay Noir grapes or their Fortified Vintage Foch which is a tribute to the family’s Grandfather “Poppa Dick”.
Tasting Room and Restaurant open daily except December 25th, 26th & January 1st.
Tours available April 30th – October 11th.
3303 Boucherie Road
Kelowna British Columbia
V1Z 2H3 Canada
Phone: 250-769-4451
Toll Free: 1-800-420-9463
Fax: 250-769-3451
Email: info@quailsgate.com
http://www.quailsgate.com
Welcome to the 2010 Olympic Games…of wine! Starting today – coinciding with the Opening Ceremonies of the real 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver – I will feature one winery each day from the province of British Columbia. All of these wineries have come highly recommended by friends and colleagues and all of them are best described as small, family run or mom and pop type wineries. It’s not that the “big boys” of the BC wine industry aren’t great, it’s just that these little wineries deserve some recognition too. So, who is our first winery? Where is it located and what makes it unique…
Located in Kelowna, BC we find Quails’ Gate Winery – a family run winery where, even if your last name isn’t Stewart, you feel as if you are one. The one thing that truly impressed me about this winery, aside from the very close knit feel it portrays, is the extensive and elaborate wine list. Two tiers of table wines – the Stewart Family Reserve and the Quails’ Gate line – and a selection of dessert wines, some of which are completely unique – like their Non Vintage Tawny made from 100% Gamay Noir grapes or their Fortified Vintage Foch which is a tribute to the family’s Grandfather “Poppa Dick”.
Tasting Room and Restaurant open daily except December 25th, 26th & January 1st.
Tours available April 30th – October 11th.
3303 Boucherie Road
Kelowna British Columbia
V1Z 2H3 Canada
Phone: 250-769-4451
Toll Free: 1-800-420-9463
Fax: 250-769-3451
Email: info@quailsgate.com
http://www.quailsgate.com
Monday, February 1, 2010
A Winning Spirit…
Originally posted at http://ontariowinediva.blogspot.com
Olympic fever has hit Canada – we’re only eleven days away from the beginning of the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver, BC and you can feel the anticipation of the events to come. Whether you’re one of the lucky ones to be in Vancouver to watch the events, or you’re going to be watching from the comfort of your living room, we all seem to have our favourite sports and, in some cases, favourite athletes that we will be watching closely. In my house, the big name is Steve Omischl – a member of the Men’s Aerials (Freestyle Skiing) team – and a former classmate of my sister back when we lived in North Bay. With all the excitement about the Olympics, it’s almost easy to overlook the fact that British Columbia is one of the most beautiful provinces in Canada to visit. So, in honour of the majestic beauty of British Columbia, and to show off a different side to the province that will be home to the next set of Olympic Games, every day of the Olympics – from Friday, February 12th through to Sunday, February 28th – I will be announcing a new winery each day for people to visit in British Columbia. Also, for those of us who won’t be lucky enough to visit this beautiful province, I’ll also be suggesting one Canadian wine a day for each of us to try.
Now, I want to take a moment and thank everyone who made suggestions on my Facebook wall on great wineries in British Columbia – you’ll have to come back every day during the Olympics to see which one’s made the cut. For anyone who is interested, if you want to suggest a wine of the day for the Olympics, feel free to post a comment below and maybe your suggestion will be featured over the course of the seventeen days of Olympic festivities.
Olympic fever has hit Canada – we’re only eleven days away from the beginning of the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver, BC and you can feel the anticipation of the events to come. Whether you’re one of the lucky ones to be in Vancouver to watch the events, or you’re going to be watching from the comfort of your living room, we all seem to have our favourite sports and, in some cases, favourite athletes that we will be watching closely. In my house, the big name is Steve Omischl – a member of the Men’s Aerials (Freestyle Skiing) team – and a former classmate of my sister back when we lived in North Bay. With all the excitement about the Olympics, it’s almost easy to overlook the fact that British Columbia is one of the most beautiful provinces in Canada to visit. So, in honour of the majestic beauty of British Columbia, and to show off a different side to the province that will be home to the next set of Olympic Games, every day of the Olympics – from Friday, February 12th through to Sunday, February 28th – I will be announcing a new winery each day for people to visit in British Columbia. Also, for those of us who won’t be lucky enough to visit this beautiful province, I’ll also be suggesting one Canadian wine a day for each of us to try.
Now, I want to take a moment and thank everyone who made suggestions on my Facebook wall on great wineries in British Columbia – you’ll have to come back every day during the Olympics to see which one’s made the cut. For anyone who is interested, if you want to suggest a wine of the day for the Olympics, feel free to post a comment below and maybe your suggestion will be featured over the course of the seventeen days of Olympic festivities.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Holiday Gift Giving Guide
Originally posted at http://ontariowinediva.blogspot.com
It’s that time of the year again – here in Canada our Santa Claus Parades are happening, our houses and malls are decorated for Christmas and, in the United States, we are just a mere two days away from Thanksgiving, football, and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Our malls are packed, our thoughts have turned to holiday cards, parties, family dinners and what to buy for whom. For those of us who aren’t quite sure what to buy for the boss, the neighbor, and the person in our family that has “absolutely everything” here are a few suggestions that may spark your imagination…
WINE…
This time of the year is all about celebrating – Christmas, family get togethers, ringing in the New Year – so it isn’t too surprising that this is the time of year that sales of Champagne (or other sparkling wines) go through the roof. For the longest time, I have always been a fan of Moet Chandon and its California version but a friend of mine had me try Piper-Hiedsieck this past weekend at the Gourmet Food and Wine Show in Toronto and I knew it had to be the Champagne of choice for this year’s celebrations.
Piper-Hiedsieck Brut Champagne
CSPC # 462432, Available at a wide range of LCBO stores
http://www.lcbo.ca/lcbo-ear/lcbo/product/details.do?language=EN&itemNumber=462432
$49.95 per bottle
Now, not everyone enjoys Champagne – some of them cause headaches, some are too dry – so I always try to have a sparkling wine from Ontario as a nice alternative. This year’s Ontario Sparkling of choice comes from The Grange of Prince Edward Vineyards and Estate Winery. One of only three sparkling wines that come from Prince Edward County, and the most recent release, this inaugural version of sparkling wine is crisp, clean and truly refreshing. It’s only available at the winery and it is bound to move quickly so get in touch with the winery quickly to order yours or make a trip to their tasting room.
The Grange of Prince Edward 2007 Brut VQA
Available exclusively at the winery, Released on November 21st
http://www.thegrangewines.com
$29.95 per bottle
Normally, when recommending wines at this time of the year, I tend to stick to sparkling wine and Icewine. To me, they fit the celebratory mood of the season best and that is what I like to focus on. However, this year, while at Gourmet Food and Wine Show, I found a 13 year old white wine that just amazed me enough that I feel it needs a mention here. When you see a bottle of wine that is this old, our brains just automatically think that it should be rather pricey. This one is under $15 and is one of the best aged German Rieslings I have ever come across. Amazingly, there is still quite a few available throughout Ontario but I would recommend you pick up a few bottles quickly.
Balthasar Ress Oestricher Riesling QbA Rheingau 1996, Stefan B Ress
CSPC #142299, Available at a wide range of LCBO stores
http://www.lcbo.ca/lcbo-ear/lcbo/product/details.do?language=EN&itemNumber=142299
$14.95 per bottle
It wouldn’t be the holiday season without a little bit of sweet decadence to finish off the evening. If you are not big into the sweet desserts then might I suggest a glass of Icewine. Pillitteri Estates Winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake is the largest estate producer of Icewine in Canada and they do not always make their Chardonnay Icewine. It doesn’t surprise me that they chose the 2007 vintage as the year to “re-introduce” this unique Icewine as the 2007 vintage has been proclaimed to be the best vintage Ontario will have this decade. Be sure to pick up a couple of bottles of this Icewine before it disappears – and it will disappear…
Pillitteri Estates Winery 2007 Chardonnay Icewine
Available exclusively at the winery
http://www.pillitteri.com/shop/
$35.10 per bottle
WINE RELATED READING…
Not everyone likes Icewine – it tends to be a little too sweet for some people – but with this book, there is a nice alternative to that unfinished bottle of Icewine than allowing the wine to oxidize and go bad. Along with an extensive history of Icewine production, there is a large section of recipes that incorporate Icewine in thus allowing you to use up the unfinished bottle and try some new foods.
Icewine: Extreme Winemaking
By Donald Ziraldo & Karl Kaiser
Published by Key Porter Books, Available at Chapters
Online Price: $33.00 per book
http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Icewine-Extreme-Winemaking-Donald-Ziraldo/9781552639269-item.html?ref=Search+Books%3a+%2527Donald+Ziraldo%2527
FOR THOSE NOT INTO WINE…
Why not try out some of these ideas for gifts? I have a couple of people on my list who definitely fit into this category and when I need an alternative, I always seem to find them in the gift pack section of my local LCBO store.
Armagnac de Montal VSOP
CSPC #618496, Available at a wide range of LCBO stores
http://www.lcbo.ca/lcbo-ear/lcbo/product/details.do?language=EN&itemNumber=618496
$49.95 per bottle
Forty Creek Barrel Select Gift Pack
CSPC #603688, Available at a wide range of LCBO stores
http://www.lcbo.ca/lcbo-ear/lcbo/product/details.do?language=EN&itemNumber=603688
$29.95 per gift pack
WINE GADGETS...
I have never been much of a gadget person but over the years, a couple of friends have given me wine gadgets that have been very interesting. If you’re going to drink wine, at least 75% of the time you need a corkscrew. There are many out there and it is definitely an area of wine gadgets that can be rather confusing but one I keep going back to for people who are not comfortable with the type of corkscrews that servers use in restaurants is The Rabbit (or a similar style)…
The Rabbit – Silver
Available at The Wine Establishment
http://www.thewineestablishment.com
$60.00 each
Given the size of most Champagne bottles, and the small amount of champagne that people like to drink, a stopper for a partially filled bottle of bubbly is definitely a good thing to have on hand for those holiday festivities. Traditional wine stoppers WILL NOT work in this case – the amount of pressure still inside the bottle and the amount of bubbles remaining even after a bottle is half emptied is still enough to pop a traditional wine stopper out of the neck of the bottle. Believe me – I speak from experience on this one – when I say that is one mess you DO NOT want to clean up inside your fridge. The type of stopper mentioned below is designed to seal the champagne bottle since there’s no way you are going to be able to put the cork back into the neck.
Trudeau Champagne Stopper
Available at The Wine Establishment
http://www.thewineestablishment.com
$9.95 each
Have you heard the old adage that white wine is served chilled and red wine at room temperature – it’s WRONG! That was set up as a general rule thousands and thousands of years ago when refrigeration did not exist and people lived within a certain area within the world where, basically, extreme temperatures did not exist. The Wine Watch Thermometer takes all the guess work out of serving wine at the proper temperature and even has a set of stickers on the back that shows you the correct serving temperature – in both Celsius and Fahrenheit – for Reds, Rose’s, Whites and Champagnes. In the case of Icewine, my personal preference is to serve it at the White wine temperature but even as low as the Champagne temperature. If I were to say I had a favourite wine gadget – my Wine Watch Thermometer would be it.
Wine Watch Thermometer
Available at The Wine Establishment
http://www.thewineestablishment.com
$19.95 each
STEMWARE & DECANTERS…
If you were to ask me what line of glassware I have in my collection – aside from the leaded crystal stemware I inherited from my grandparents – I would tell you in a heartbeat that it is Spiegelau. The company is a part of Riedel Glass Works which makes the high end stemware designed to enhance specific wines in specific glasses and the premise has been transferred to the Spiegelau division at a more reasonable price. Below is just a sampling of my favourite glasses from Spiegelau but there are many, many more to choose from.
By the way, if you are not able to make it to The Wine Establishment or do not like to order online, Spiegelau is also available at a variety of places that sell china and stemware.
#01 VG Spiegelau Red/White Wine 15 oz.
Available at The Wine Establishment
http://www.thewineestablishment.com
$15.00 each or 6 for $75.00
#00 VG Spiegelau Balloon 25 oz.
Available at The Wine Establishment
http://www.thewineestablishment.com
$15.00 each or 6 for $75.00
#29 VG Spiegelau Champagne Flute 9 ½ oz.
Available at The Wine Establishment
http://www.thewineestablishment.com
$12.50 each
Spiegelau Cremona Burgundy Box of 4
Available at The Wine Establishment
http://www.thewineestablishment.com
$30.00 per box
Spiegelau Cremona Bordeaux Box of 4
Available at The Wine Establishment
http://www.thewineestablishment.com
$30.00 per box
Peugeot Variation Decanter
Available at The Wine Establishment
http://www.thewineestablishment.com
$100.00 per decanter
Nachtmann Decanter with Handle #2887
Available at The Wine Establishment
http://www.thewineestablishment.com
$99.95 per decanter
Happy Holidays everyone...
It’s that time of the year again – here in Canada our Santa Claus Parades are happening, our houses and malls are decorated for Christmas and, in the United States, we are just a mere two days away from Thanksgiving, football, and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Our malls are packed, our thoughts have turned to holiday cards, parties, family dinners and what to buy for whom. For those of us who aren’t quite sure what to buy for the boss, the neighbor, and the person in our family that has “absolutely everything” here are a few suggestions that may spark your imagination…
WINE…
This time of the year is all about celebrating – Christmas, family get togethers, ringing in the New Year – so it isn’t too surprising that this is the time of year that sales of Champagne (or other sparkling wines) go through the roof. For the longest time, I have always been a fan of Moet Chandon and its California version but a friend of mine had me try Piper-Hiedsieck this past weekend at the Gourmet Food and Wine Show in Toronto and I knew it had to be the Champagne of choice for this year’s celebrations.
Piper-Hiedsieck Brut Champagne
CSPC # 462432, Available at a wide range of LCBO stores
http://www.lcbo.ca/lcbo-ear/lcbo/product/details.do?language=EN&itemNumber=462432
$49.95 per bottle
Now, not everyone enjoys Champagne – some of them cause headaches, some are too dry – so I always try to have a sparkling wine from Ontario as a nice alternative. This year’s Ontario Sparkling of choice comes from The Grange of Prince Edward Vineyards and Estate Winery. One of only three sparkling wines that come from Prince Edward County, and the most recent release, this inaugural version of sparkling wine is crisp, clean and truly refreshing. It’s only available at the winery and it is bound to move quickly so get in touch with the winery quickly to order yours or make a trip to their tasting room.
The Grange of Prince Edward 2007 Brut VQA
Available exclusively at the winery, Released on November 21st
http://www.thegrangewines.com
$29.95 per bottle
Normally, when recommending wines at this time of the year, I tend to stick to sparkling wine and Icewine. To me, they fit the celebratory mood of the season best and that is what I like to focus on. However, this year, while at Gourmet Food and Wine Show, I found a 13 year old white wine that just amazed me enough that I feel it needs a mention here. When you see a bottle of wine that is this old, our brains just automatically think that it should be rather pricey. This one is under $15 and is one of the best aged German Rieslings I have ever come across. Amazingly, there is still quite a few available throughout Ontario but I would recommend you pick up a few bottles quickly.
Balthasar Ress Oestricher Riesling QbA Rheingau 1996, Stefan B Ress
CSPC #142299, Available at a wide range of LCBO stores
http://www.lcbo.ca/lcbo-ear/lcbo/product/details.do?language=EN&itemNumber=142299
$14.95 per bottle
It wouldn’t be the holiday season without a little bit of sweet decadence to finish off the evening. If you are not big into the sweet desserts then might I suggest a glass of Icewine. Pillitteri Estates Winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake is the largest estate producer of Icewine in Canada and they do not always make their Chardonnay Icewine. It doesn’t surprise me that they chose the 2007 vintage as the year to “re-introduce” this unique Icewine as the 2007 vintage has been proclaimed to be the best vintage Ontario will have this decade. Be sure to pick up a couple of bottles of this Icewine before it disappears – and it will disappear…
Pillitteri Estates Winery 2007 Chardonnay Icewine
Available exclusively at the winery
http://www.pillitteri.com/shop/
$35.10 per bottle
WINE RELATED READING…
Not everyone likes Icewine – it tends to be a little too sweet for some people – but with this book, there is a nice alternative to that unfinished bottle of Icewine than allowing the wine to oxidize and go bad. Along with an extensive history of Icewine production, there is a large section of recipes that incorporate Icewine in thus allowing you to use up the unfinished bottle and try some new foods.
Icewine: Extreme Winemaking
By Donald Ziraldo & Karl Kaiser
Published by Key Porter Books, Available at Chapters
Online Price: $33.00 per book
http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Icewine-Extreme-Winemaking-Donald-Ziraldo/9781552639269-item.html?ref=Search+Books%3a+%2527Donald+Ziraldo%2527
FOR THOSE NOT INTO WINE…
Why not try out some of these ideas for gifts? I have a couple of people on my list who definitely fit into this category and when I need an alternative, I always seem to find them in the gift pack section of my local LCBO store.
Armagnac de Montal VSOP
CSPC #618496, Available at a wide range of LCBO stores
http://www.lcbo.ca/lcbo-ear/lcbo/product/details.do?language=EN&itemNumber=618496
$49.95 per bottle
Forty Creek Barrel Select Gift Pack
CSPC #603688, Available at a wide range of LCBO stores
http://www.lcbo.ca/lcbo-ear/lcbo/product/details.do?language=EN&itemNumber=603688
$29.95 per gift pack
WINE GADGETS...
I have never been much of a gadget person but over the years, a couple of friends have given me wine gadgets that have been very interesting. If you’re going to drink wine, at least 75% of the time you need a corkscrew. There are many out there and it is definitely an area of wine gadgets that can be rather confusing but one I keep going back to for people who are not comfortable with the type of corkscrews that servers use in restaurants is The Rabbit (or a similar style)…
The Rabbit – Silver
Available at The Wine Establishment
http://www.thewineestablishment.com
$60.00 each
Given the size of most Champagne bottles, and the small amount of champagne that people like to drink, a stopper for a partially filled bottle of bubbly is definitely a good thing to have on hand for those holiday festivities. Traditional wine stoppers WILL NOT work in this case – the amount of pressure still inside the bottle and the amount of bubbles remaining even after a bottle is half emptied is still enough to pop a traditional wine stopper out of the neck of the bottle. Believe me – I speak from experience on this one – when I say that is one mess you DO NOT want to clean up inside your fridge. The type of stopper mentioned below is designed to seal the champagne bottle since there’s no way you are going to be able to put the cork back into the neck.
Trudeau Champagne Stopper
Available at The Wine Establishment
http://www.thewineestablishment.com
$9.95 each
Have you heard the old adage that white wine is served chilled and red wine at room temperature – it’s WRONG! That was set up as a general rule thousands and thousands of years ago when refrigeration did not exist and people lived within a certain area within the world where, basically, extreme temperatures did not exist. The Wine Watch Thermometer takes all the guess work out of serving wine at the proper temperature and even has a set of stickers on the back that shows you the correct serving temperature – in both Celsius and Fahrenheit – for Reds, Rose’s, Whites and Champagnes. In the case of Icewine, my personal preference is to serve it at the White wine temperature but even as low as the Champagne temperature. If I were to say I had a favourite wine gadget – my Wine Watch Thermometer would be it.
Wine Watch Thermometer
Available at The Wine Establishment
http://www.thewineestablishment.com
$19.95 each
STEMWARE & DECANTERS…
If you were to ask me what line of glassware I have in my collection – aside from the leaded crystal stemware I inherited from my grandparents – I would tell you in a heartbeat that it is Spiegelau. The company is a part of Riedel Glass Works which makes the high end stemware designed to enhance specific wines in specific glasses and the premise has been transferred to the Spiegelau division at a more reasonable price. Below is just a sampling of my favourite glasses from Spiegelau but there are many, many more to choose from.
By the way, if you are not able to make it to The Wine Establishment or do not like to order online, Spiegelau is also available at a variety of places that sell china and stemware.
#01 VG Spiegelau Red/White Wine 15 oz.
Available at The Wine Establishment
http://www.thewineestablishment.com
$15.00 each or 6 for $75.00
#00 VG Spiegelau Balloon 25 oz.
Available at The Wine Establishment
http://www.thewineestablishment.com
$15.00 each or 6 for $75.00
#29 VG Spiegelau Champagne Flute 9 ½ oz.
Available at The Wine Establishment
http://www.thewineestablishment.com
$12.50 each
Spiegelau Cremona Burgundy Box of 4
Available at The Wine Establishment
http://www.thewineestablishment.com
$30.00 per box
Spiegelau Cremona Bordeaux Box of 4
Available at The Wine Establishment
http://www.thewineestablishment.com
$30.00 per box
Peugeot Variation Decanter
Available at The Wine Establishment
http://www.thewineestablishment.com
$100.00 per decanter
Nachtmann Decanter with Handle #2887
Available at The Wine Establishment
http://www.thewineestablishment.com
$99.95 per decanter
Happy Holidays everyone...
Friday, November 13, 2009
Torrontes: Argentina’s Unknown White Grape
Originally posted at http://ontariowinediva.blogspot.com
There are many wine writers around the world who have discovered the intricacies of the Torrontes grape. This wine is very far from being a traditional white but it is that uniqueness that draws us to it and, hopefully, will draw you to it as well. In North America, names like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and even Gewurztraminer are common names to see on the shelves of our local wine shops. Despite the number of articles from people like Jancis Robinson, David Lawrason and many, many more, Torrontes is still a largely unheard of grape that the average consumer has heard very little of. Just out of curiosity, I decided to do a search on the LCBO website to see how many different Torrontes wines were available through them since that is the only source for international wines in Ontario. The results: I could count the number of wines on my two hands and still have fingers left over. The thing is that with a selling price of less than $15 a bottle in most cases (one of them was $16.95 a bottle), any of these wines could fit into the great value category but if no one knows that they exist and how interesting the taste is to these wines, they may as well be $100 a bottle.
I don’t normally do this when preparing to write a blog but I decided this time around to ask on my Facebook page “What do you know about Torrontes?” The answers were interesting…
“I know I love it when it’s good, hate it when it’s bad!! Tasted on recently from Emilia Romani which was stellar. A different expression than that in Argentina, but beautiful nonetheless.”
“Torrontes is best when grown in higher altitudes (in Argentina) and fermented and aged in stainless steel. I find that too much oak can actually kill this wine. It is originally from Spain -= Galician variety grown in fairly large quantities in the Alicante and Yecla regions. However it is also considered one of the original in Argentina and I would put it up there with their finest exhibits of their best along with Carmenere and Malbec…my three favourites of the Country. Seriously wish we could bet more Torrontes here ;-)”
Now, both of these people work in the wine industry with me so they have had the opportunity to try a wide variety of wines from around the world so for them to say they like Torrontes and wish there were more available up here in Canada certainly indicates to me that this is a grape that should get some attention in the hopes that the general consumer may fall in love with this very unique and different tasting white wine.
Okay, so I have been going on and on about how this wine is unique and different tasting so I am sure you are wondering why I am saying that. You see, the aromas to all of the Torrontes wines I tasted this week had a slight citrus, tropical fruit component to it but the flavours were very different from the aromas. Initially I thought it was a creamy texture that is normally associated with an oaked Chardonnay but that just did not seem right so, upon further examination, I realized that the mouthfeel of these wines had a more soapy, lanolin, oily texture to it than creaminess. Now, I know that none of those flavours sound appealing to many people but, in these wines, the wineries seem to have found a way to make this taste appealing and balance in with the fruit flavours and smokiness that is still present. Honestly, if it is able to disguise itself as a cross between Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and a lightly oaked Chardonnay, which pairs wonderfully with pasta and chicken and turkey just to name a few, I think Torrontes should be a viable alternative in our market. Here are a few of my picks from the Argentinean tasting this week. Enjoy…
Vinas de Altura Rio Seco Torrontes 2009
$9.95 a bottle
Available through Whitehall Agencies (Stephen.marentette@whitehall.ca)
Pleasant, fruity aroma – mostly grapefruit and pineapple – that follows into the flavours. There is a slightly oily texture to the wine but not overpoweringly so. Overall, a very pleasant drinking wine that could be paired with most of your weekday dinners or enjoyed on its own.
Vinas de Altura Rio Seco Reserva Torrontes 2009
$13.95 a bottle
Available through Whitehall Agencies (Stephen.marentette@whitehall.ca)
Take the previous Torrontes (the non-reserve one) and amplify the aromas and flavours. That’s what you have when you taste and smell this wine. More fruit, more soapy, glycerin mouthfeel, more smoke and more floral on this wine. Just a kicked up version of their entry level wine and just as tasty as the original.
Vinas de Altura Gamela Reserva Torrontes 2009
$26.95 a bottle
Available through Whitehall Agencies (Stephen.marentette@whitehall.ca)
Out of the three from Vinas de Altura, this wine is the one that takes a slightly different direction. The aromas and flavours are basically the same but they vary in comparison to the previous two. This wine has an overabundant fruity, floral aroma to it which is rather distinctive. While there is a slight soapy, glycerin mouthfeel to this wine, the flavours are mostly smoke and tropical fruit. This was probably one of the most interesting Torrontes in the room that day.
Rutini Wines Trumpeter Reserve Torrontes 2008
$16.95 a bottle
Available through Profile Wine Group (aquagliozzi@profilewinegroup.com)
This winery is closer to the ocean and slightly further south than Vinas de Altura which, in South America, actually translates into a cooler climate – it is closer to Antarctica than the Equator. As a result, this wine has more of the smoky flavour to it than the soapy, glycerin mouthfeel that the others have had at this point. The fruity, floral aromas are still ever present and they do continue on to the palate but the smoky flavour is the major player in this wine.
Trivento Tribu Torrontes 2009
$8.95 a bottle
Available through Select Wines (haddleton@selectwines.ca)
This was probably one of my favourite wines of the day. It has a very powerful aroma of floral (roses and violets), stone fruit and slight citrus fruit. The flavours are equally powerful with a slightly oily texture and a major backbone of fruit. This is the only wine I described through this day as YUMMY!
Nieto Senetiner Reserva Torrontes 2009
$12.95 per bottle
Available through Cipelli Wines and Spirits (dpancer.cipelli@bellnet.ca)
The last Torrontes in the room this day and what a way to end a day with! More of tropical fruit and floral aromas I have already experienced this day, this wine has more of the fruity, floral flavours than the oily texture than some of the previous wines had. If the sounds of the soapy, glycerin mouthfeel really turn you off of trying this wine, I recommend trying this one as it is not quite forceful with this one.
So, when you are looking to try a wine that is completely different from your standard Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling, why not pick up a bottle or two of Argentinean Torrontes? The unique flavour profile is one that will keep you coming back over and over for more.
There are many wine writers around the world who have discovered the intricacies of the Torrontes grape. This wine is very far from being a traditional white but it is that uniqueness that draws us to it and, hopefully, will draw you to it as well. In North America, names like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and even Gewurztraminer are common names to see on the shelves of our local wine shops. Despite the number of articles from people like Jancis Robinson, David Lawrason and many, many more, Torrontes is still a largely unheard of grape that the average consumer has heard very little of. Just out of curiosity, I decided to do a search on the LCBO website to see how many different Torrontes wines were available through them since that is the only source for international wines in Ontario. The results: I could count the number of wines on my two hands and still have fingers left over. The thing is that with a selling price of less than $15 a bottle in most cases (one of them was $16.95 a bottle), any of these wines could fit into the great value category but if no one knows that they exist and how interesting the taste is to these wines, they may as well be $100 a bottle.
I don’t normally do this when preparing to write a blog but I decided this time around to ask on my Facebook page “What do you know about Torrontes?” The answers were interesting…
“I know I love it when it’s good, hate it when it’s bad!! Tasted on recently from Emilia Romani which was stellar. A different expression than that in Argentina, but beautiful nonetheless.”
“Torrontes is best when grown in higher altitudes (in Argentina) and fermented and aged in stainless steel. I find that too much oak can actually kill this wine. It is originally from Spain -= Galician variety grown in fairly large quantities in the Alicante and Yecla regions. However it is also considered one of the original in Argentina and I would put it up there with their finest exhibits of their best along with Carmenere and Malbec…my three favourites of the Country. Seriously wish we could bet more Torrontes here ;-)”
Now, both of these people work in the wine industry with me so they have had the opportunity to try a wide variety of wines from around the world so for them to say they like Torrontes and wish there were more available up here in Canada certainly indicates to me that this is a grape that should get some attention in the hopes that the general consumer may fall in love with this very unique and different tasting white wine.
Okay, so I have been going on and on about how this wine is unique and different tasting so I am sure you are wondering why I am saying that. You see, the aromas to all of the Torrontes wines I tasted this week had a slight citrus, tropical fruit component to it but the flavours were very different from the aromas. Initially I thought it was a creamy texture that is normally associated with an oaked Chardonnay but that just did not seem right so, upon further examination, I realized that the mouthfeel of these wines had a more soapy, lanolin, oily texture to it than creaminess. Now, I know that none of those flavours sound appealing to many people but, in these wines, the wineries seem to have found a way to make this taste appealing and balance in with the fruit flavours and smokiness that is still present. Honestly, if it is able to disguise itself as a cross between Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and a lightly oaked Chardonnay, which pairs wonderfully with pasta and chicken and turkey just to name a few, I think Torrontes should be a viable alternative in our market. Here are a few of my picks from the Argentinean tasting this week. Enjoy…
Vinas de Altura Rio Seco Torrontes 2009
$9.95 a bottle
Available through Whitehall Agencies (Stephen.marentette@whitehall.ca)
Pleasant, fruity aroma – mostly grapefruit and pineapple – that follows into the flavours. There is a slightly oily texture to the wine but not overpoweringly so. Overall, a very pleasant drinking wine that could be paired with most of your weekday dinners or enjoyed on its own.
Vinas de Altura Rio Seco Reserva Torrontes 2009
$13.95 a bottle
Available through Whitehall Agencies (Stephen.marentette@whitehall.ca)
Take the previous Torrontes (the non-reserve one) and amplify the aromas and flavours. That’s what you have when you taste and smell this wine. More fruit, more soapy, glycerin mouthfeel, more smoke and more floral on this wine. Just a kicked up version of their entry level wine and just as tasty as the original.
Vinas de Altura Gamela Reserva Torrontes 2009
$26.95 a bottle
Available through Whitehall Agencies (Stephen.marentette@whitehall.ca)
Out of the three from Vinas de Altura, this wine is the one that takes a slightly different direction. The aromas and flavours are basically the same but they vary in comparison to the previous two. This wine has an overabundant fruity, floral aroma to it which is rather distinctive. While there is a slight soapy, glycerin mouthfeel to this wine, the flavours are mostly smoke and tropical fruit. This was probably one of the most interesting Torrontes in the room that day.
Rutini Wines Trumpeter Reserve Torrontes 2008
$16.95 a bottle
Available through Profile Wine Group (aquagliozzi@profilewinegroup.com)
This winery is closer to the ocean and slightly further south than Vinas de Altura which, in South America, actually translates into a cooler climate – it is closer to Antarctica than the Equator. As a result, this wine has more of the smoky flavour to it than the soapy, glycerin mouthfeel that the others have had at this point. The fruity, floral aromas are still ever present and they do continue on to the palate but the smoky flavour is the major player in this wine.
Trivento Tribu Torrontes 2009
$8.95 a bottle
Available through Select Wines (haddleton@selectwines.ca)
This was probably one of my favourite wines of the day. It has a very powerful aroma of floral (roses and violets), stone fruit and slight citrus fruit. The flavours are equally powerful with a slightly oily texture and a major backbone of fruit. This is the only wine I described through this day as YUMMY!
Nieto Senetiner Reserva Torrontes 2009
$12.95 per bottle
Available through Cipelli Wines and Spirits (dpancer.cipelli@bellnet.ca)
The last Torrontes in the room this day and what a way to end a day with! More of tropical fruit and floral aromas I have already experienced this day, this wine has more of the fruity, floral flavours than the oily texture than some of the previous wines had. If the sounds of the soapy, glycerin mouthfeel really turn you off of trying this wine, I recommend trying this one as it is not quite forceful with this one.
So, when you are looking to try a wine that is completely different from your standard Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling, why not pick up a bottle or two of Argentinean Torrontes? The unique flavour profile is one that will keep you coming back over and over for more.
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