Wine Lineage

 Since taking up my pursuit (aka obsession) with wine, I have been encouraging my daughters to try different wines from regions outside the mainstream selection of wines being offered by the LCBO. My mantra to them has always been, "Explore the world of wine. It's not all Chardonnay and Merlot out there." I think that they have embraced that ideology and selected some really good wines from time to time.
 Over the years my family has been doing blind tastings trying to stump each other with our wine selection. The wine bottle is hidden from view (usually in a paper bag) and a glass is poured. You have to guess the varietal of the grape, the country it came from and if you are really good... the region. Sometimes clues are given to help and we've all become quite good at guessing the type of grape and country.

So without further delay, here are my daughters excellent picks for this week. Well done girls!

Frisky Zebras Sauvignon Blanc - South Africa

An interesting Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa that doesn't have the same acidity or crispness that you would expect. The wine lends itself to a softer version of a Sauvignon Blanc with all the usual pear, stone fruit and citrus flavours associated with this grape. It has a nice citrus and honey flavour with a medium finish.
Price under $10 at the LCBO (237685)
This wine would pair well with seafood tacos or a summer salad while listening to Rock Lobster by the B-52s





2011 Seven Falls Cabernet Sauvignon - Wahluke Slope, Washington State

Wahluke slope is located in the Columbia Valley region of Washington state. Seven Falls is primarily Cabernet Sauvignon (87%) with 10% Syrah and 3% Merlot added and aged half and half in new and old oak for 18 months. It's a bold dark red wine with an almost opaque colour. This Cabernet Sauvignon has firm aromas of cherry, mocha and some menthol. Rich flavours of dark fruit and cherries with some black pepper at the end yield a rich texture and a long dark fruit finish.
Price under $20 at the LCBO Vintages (360222)
This wine would pair nicely with BBQ steak or ribs while listening to the greatest hits of The Band

Wine Pairing with Pumpkin Squash Soup

Did you ever stumble upon a wine and food pairing that seemed unlikely but turned out to be a winner? Sometimes you think a wine should work well with a dish but the wine is either too strong and it over powers the flavours of the meal or maybe the dish is too spicy and the wine tastes like water. Wine and food pairing can be hit and miss at times even when the pairing rules tell you that a wine should work well with certain foods.
 Recently, I was tasting a Zinfandel from Paso Robles California that I planned on writing up in this blog when my son-in-law Ben offered to make us dinner. The main course was a delicious rich pumpkin and squash soup garnished with chopped chili infused pistachios. Sounds good?...It was rich, smooth and delicous. Normally I would pair a hearty or rich vegetable based soup with a Malbec or Sauvignon Blanc but I had already opened the Zin so I decided to try it.

The 2012 Paso Creek Zinfandel paired really well for a couple of reasons.

1. The spiciness of the chili infused pistachios gave the soup a bit of "hotness" which seemed to mellow out the relatively high alcohol content (14.5% ABV) of the Zinfandel. This brought out the dark fruit of the wine.
2. The nuttiness of the pistachio's blended with the dark fruit of zinfandel and the creaminess of the soup blended together to produce a rich smoothy texture.

It was an unplanned wine and food pairing that turned out to be a pleasant surprise.

2012 Paso Creek Zinfandel - Paso Robles California
Aromas of dark fruit, dark chocolate and some spice. The dark fruit continues in the flavour with some mild tannins and a long fruit finish of black cherry and spice.
Price under $20 LCBO Vintages (279810)

Vacation Beers

I was recently on vacation in the southern USA and I had an opportunity to try some different beers while we toured around the beaches of North Carolina. Here's a sample of the suds I tried while slurping oysters and munching on crab cakes.

 Landshark Lager - A favourite of mine when I travel south. It's a lighter lager like Corona but without the bitterness at the end. You can stick a lime in it but I prefer it plain because it's crispness and smooth after taste make this the ideal beach beer.

Website : www.landsharklager.com/default.aspx






Jack O'Traveler Pumpkin Wheat Ale - This wheat ale is a shandy inspired brew which gives the pumpkin flavours a kind of pumpkin pie sweetness. Easy drinking and not overwhelming.

Web site : www.travelerbeer.com/beers/jack-o-traveler/


Magic Hat Scream Pumpkin Ale - Really enjoyed this beer as it had flavours of pumpkin, nutmeg and some cinnamon. There's was a nice crispness to it with a full flavour of pumpkin.

Web site : www.magichat.net/elixirs/wilhelmscream/

Blue Moon Pumpkin Ale - A nice clear golden coloured crisp ale with flavours of pumpkin and spice. Not a heavy pumpkin ale which allows it to pair nicely with a turkey dinner or a burger. 

Website - www.bluemoonbrewingcompany.com/Home

Things I've learned since becoming a Sommelier

Here's some tidbits of wisdom I've picked up while becoming a Sommelier.

• Never try to use plastic food wrap after a bottle of Amarone. It ends with some swearing, a whole bunch of plastic wrap in a ball and food that will probably go stale by morning.
• Being a Sommelier does not mean that you're from an African country whose primary export is pirating oil tankers.
• The more Chianti I drink the more likely that I will do a Hannibal Lecter impersonation
• Decanting that fourth bottle of wine during a dinner party usually ends with a lot of spillage.
• Put a lock on your wine cellar door. Trust me on this one.
• After a few tastings of different Irish whiskeys, my voice begins to sound a lot like the Lucky Charms Leprechaun 
• Gewurztraminer is German for "difficult to pronounce wine"
• Never lick the outside of a tasting glass even if it's really good wine. 
• Getting your Sommelier certification does not mean that you passed the "drinking test"

Here's my wine picks for this week

2008 ValleAndino Syrah Reserva Especial - Colchagua Valley Chile

Great deep purple colour in this wine. Rich aromas of smoke, spice and dark fruit. Flavours of dark currants, pepper and that richness that Syrah / Shiraz has long established. A long full bodied finish of fruit and some tannins.
Price is under $14 (LCBO Vintages - 272682)
BBQ sausages would pair nicely with this wine








2012 d'Arenberg "The Hermit Crab" - McLaren Vale Australia

With 55% Viognier and 45% Marsanne making up this lively little blend it was easy to find the aromatic notes of apricot and honeysuckle. Nice citrus flavours with a little pear and the 14% aged oak on the Viognier side gives it a nice medium long finish with some softness.
Price is under $20 (LCBO Vintages - 662775)

662775

I paired this wine with a BBQ sauce and maple syrup glazed salmon fillet with roasted red potatoes

For a Good Friend

Earlier this year, my brother-in-law and good friend passed away.  He appreciated wine as much as I do and not only loved to discuss wine but the region it came from and it's history. On his last trip to France, he drove many kilometers out of his way to bring me back a bottle of Sauternes from a local vineyard in the Bordeaux region because he and his wife thought I might like it. That's the kind of person he was and will be remembered as. A kind and gentle man who always tried to make everyone's life a little bit better. I will truly miss our long chats about wine and history.

I would like to dedicate this posting to my friend and brother-in-law Doug who is dearly missed by all his family and friends. Here are a couple of his favourite varietals.

Perrin & Fils Les Sinards Chateauneuf du Pape - Chateauneuf du Pape, France

Where else could you find such a distinctive wine produced in the heart of the Rhone valley and cloaked in Papal history. A blend of 70% Grenache with some Syrah, Mourvedre and Counoise. A deep dark rich red wine with a long cherry finish with some pepper. Some noticeable tannins on the finish
Price - under $35 (LCBO Vintages - 926626)
Great with Sunday roast beef dinner

2009  Montecillo Crianza La Rioja - Rioja Spain

100% Tempranillo grapes aged in American oak for 12 months and stored in bottles for further aging. A dark red wine with aromas of ripe red fruit like cherries and some cedar. Lots of cherry flavour with a firm tannic structure that doesn't overpower the long cherry finish. Excellent wine to sip while listening to flamenco guitar music on a warm summer night
Price - under $15 (LCBO - 144493)
Pair this wine with your own little tapas bar of olives, aged cheeses and fresh bread.

Bargain Wines - Part 2

Some people like shopping for electronics, some like a good book or magazine and some people are into shoes. Myself...I enjoy surfing the shelves of my local liquor store. I came across another gem from the LCBO clearance sale that's on till February 2nd 2014. I almost missed it as it was on the bottom shelf in the corner of the Vintages section. A nice Aussie Chardonnay from the Margaret River area of south western Australia.

2011 Brookland Valley Verse 1 Chardonnay - Margaret River, Australia

Everything an Australian chardonnay should be. Sur lie aging for six months, some malolactic fermentation to soften the texture and a little oak to bring out the butterscotch gives you a great straw coloured chardonnay with flavours of pink grapefruit and some pear.
Price - $14.25 (originally $17.95 - save $3.70) - Vintages
This wine paired well with a pork tenderloin prepared in a Greek style sauce with feta.





Cheers !!

Bargain Wines

   It's that time of year at the LCBO when they put the end of bin wines on clearance and there are usually some terrific bargains to be had. You need to do a little research before heading to your local LCBO as not all stores have the same selection of wines. I use the product search tool on the LCBO web site or the Vintages web site (see my home page for a link) to search for some good bargains. The bigger the outlet, the more wines will be available so if you have a Saturday afternoon to kill, you could try one of the bigger stores and look through the Vintages section for some great wines. The price discount can be anywhere from $1.50 to $5 per bottle depending on the original listed price. More expensive wines ($40 and up) will have bigger discounts.

Here's one that my wife found and it's a great buy at $14.25 (save $4.70)

2009 Familia Mayol Malbec - Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza Argentina

Oak aged for 12 months this dark and rich Malbec has aromas of cherry, spice and some menthol. The wine really excels in the flavour end with dark cherry, some spice and a long smooth finish of cherry.
Price - originally $18.95 but on sale for $14.25 (Vintages) 
Pork tenderloin, beef short ribs or most BBQ dishes would work well with this wine.







Cheers !!

A New Year and New Resolutions

It's a brand new year and that means that it's time to make some resolutions. A time to reflect on changes we'd like to make in our lives and maybe new paths to follow. The usual promises to shed some pounds and get in shape. It's either lose weight or figure out a way to work jogging pants into my daily wardrobe.

  I was out for a New Years day dinner at a local restaurant and found myself talking to the waiter about wine. He was very enthusiastic about wine and asked for my recommendation on a good red wine to buy. I pondered for a few seconds before suggesting a nice California Zinfandel which I thought he would like. After the waiter left I started to rethink my suggestion. Here's a guy that obviously enjoys wine so my job as a Sommelier is not necessarily to tell him what to buy as it is to stoke that fire of enthusiasm for wine. So I called him back to the table and said "Forget about the wine that I told you buy. My recommendation is that you try different wines. Go outside your comfort zone. Maybe try a Zweigelt from Austria or a Primitivo from Italy, maybe a Rioja from Spain, a port from Portugal or a Baco Noir from Ontario. Try as many different wines as possible."

So my new year resolution is to suggest to you as reader of my blog to try new wines. Be bold, be daring and try wines that you wouldn't normally buy. Here's a few suggestions to get you started.

Try a ...

• Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough region in New Zealand
• Malbec from the Mendoza region in Argentina
• Chardonnay from the Sonoma County or Central Coast region of California
• Riesling from the Alsace region in France
• Amarone from Veneto region of Italy
• Baco Noir from Ontario
• Gamay Noir from Prince Edward County
• ....keep trying different wines

Cheers !

T'is the Season for Wine

Ho Ho Ho !! It's that time of year again. There's Christmas parties to attend, a gift for the boss (even if he doesn't deserve it) or a special gift for that someone special. Luckily I have an "inside man" at the North Pole who has the list of best wine buys for the Christmas season. I've looked through the list and pulled out all of the best wines with prices that won't make you cringe like Scrooge

 So let's get started with a couple of sparkling wines to start the party season.

Mumm Napa Cuvee Brut Prestige - California

A blend of mostly Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, this California sparkling wine is assembled in the traditional method of making champagne. It's a medium bodied sparkling wine with good effervescence and a nice "biscuity" aroma. Citrus and stone fruit coupled with a creamy mouthfeel make this an above average sparkling white wine. Serve it chilled to your guests as they arrive for the party. Pairs well with most seafood appetizers and dips.
Price - under $26 (LCBO - 217273)




Val D'Oca Presecco Superiore DOCG - Valdobbiaedene Italy

A Bright, clear and crisp sparkling wine from Italy. Nice effervescence with a  fruity refreshing crispness. The wine is made from 100% Glera grapes done in a champagne style.
Price - Under $16 (LCB0 - 340570)

How about some white wines for parties and appetizers.

2012 Fairhall Downs Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc - Marlborough New Zealand

A classic Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough region with aromas of lemon, lime and that distinctive New Zealand vegetal bouquet. Pale yellow colour with a crisp and clear taste of grapefruit pith and lime. Great for turkey dinner or with appetizers.
Price under $19 (LCBO Vintages 990580)







2010 Ghost Pines Chardonnay - Sonoma, Napa and Monterey Counties California

A classic full bodied Chardonnay. The grapes are sourced from vineyards in Sonoma (70%), Napa (20%) and Monterey (10%) and then they get the full treatment of sur lies aging, malolactic fermentation to soften the wine and storage in french and american oak. Golden in colour with aromas of pear, apple and vanilla. Flavours of butterscotch, honey and vanilla and a soft mouthfeel. Makes for a nice gift or for a Christmas party
Price - under $20 (LCBO - 308122)

Some red wines to keep you warm a night.

2010 Chateau de Galifay Cairanne - Cotes du Rhone Villages, France

A nice blend of Grenache and Syrah grapes gives this Cairanne a dark ruby red colour with aroma's of mint, blackberry and some spice. It has a medium to full bodied mouth feel with flavours of cherry and plum. The wine has mild tannins and a medium to long cherry finish. I nice wine to serve with roast beef or Swedish meatballs
Price - $16 (LCBO Vintages 290080)







2010 Seghesio Zinfandel - Sonoma County California

Looking to suck up to your boss for a promotion ? Buy him a bottle of this premium Zinfandel and he'll know that you know how to spot a good buy. This wine is of consistently high quality year after year. Flavours of black licorice, dark fruit and pepper with mild tannins and a long finish of fig and blackberry. A great sipping wine in front of the fire while you decorate the tree.
Price - under $30 (LCBO Vintages - 942151)






2011 The Wolftrap Syrah (blend) -  Swartland South Africa

A big bold South African blend of 65% Syrah, 32% Mourvedre and 3% Viognier yields a dark red wine with aromas of blackberry and some black pepper with rich flavours of dark fruit. The Syrah has a long dark fruit finish with some fairly mild tannins.

Serve this wine with beef ribs or a Sunday roast

Price under $14 (LCBO 292557) 

Good Value Wines

Whether you're having a party with lots of guests or hosting Christmas dinner and don't want to run out before the turkey is served, here's a list of wines at reasonable prices.

Jackson Triggs Chardonnay (750 ml) - $10.05 (LCBO - 328518)
Lindeman's Bin 85 Pinot Grigio (750 ml) - $10.95 (LCBO - 668947)

Cono Sur Bicicelta Pinot Noir (750ml) - $10.95 (LCBO - 341602)
Graffigna Centenario Reserve Malbec (750 ml) - $13.95 (LCBO - 230474)

Enjoy the holidays and please don't drink and drive.

Cheers

Kim Crawford Wine tasting - Oct 2 2013

What a great day! It's a warm sunny October afternoon and Natalie Maclean invites me to Maxwell's Bistro on Elgin Street in Ottawa to sample some great wines from Kim Crawford vineyards including their new sparkling wine "Fizz Methode Traditionelle 2009" which will hopefully make it into LCBO stores in the near future. The chef at Maxwell's Bistro prepared a variety of delicious plates to be paired with the wines while we had a chance to talk to Kim Crawford winemaker Anthony Walkenhorst about their wines.

Here's the lineup of Kim Crawford wines we sampled

Kim Crawford Fizz Methode Traditionelle 2009

2013 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc

2013 Kim Crawford Small Parcels Spitfire Sauvignon Blanc

2012 Kim Crawford Unoaked Chardonnay

2012 Kim Crawford Pinot Noir

2007 Kim Crawford Small Parcels Rise & Shine Pinot Noir




The interesting part of this wine tasting was the contrast between the regional variety wines like Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir and the "Small Parcels" Spitfire Sauvignon Blanc and Rise & Shine Pinot Noir. They're all great wines but the Small Parcels Sauvignon Blanc with it's pronounced minerality and the increased new oak content in the Pinot Noir take the Small Parcels wines to the next level in aroma, taste and finish. The Unoaked Chardonnay was a real treat. I was expecting a crisp citrus type of chardonnay but the 80% malolactic fermentation produced a softer fruit filled and aromatic wine that would work very well with most chicken and seafood dishes. It paired nicely with the shrimp tempura we were served.
I really enjoyed talking to Anthony Walkenhorst in about grape harvesting, the different yeasts that are used in their signature Sauvignon Blanc wine and the selection of new and used oak in the Pinot Noirs. It was a relaxing few hours talking about New Zealand, grape harvests, winemaking and enjoying some great Kim Crawford wines.

Special thanks to Kim Crawford wines, Maxwell's Bistro (great food !) Natalie Maclean and Constellation Wines for hosting the event.

Cheers !!