When you were a kid, did you dream of owning a candy store? Now that you’re a little older perhaps you dream of owning a wine store or a winery or better still, travelling the world looking for great new wines. This is the job of a wine agent. Wine agents represent wine suppliers. Their role in the industry is to convince the Liquor Boards to buy wine from the suppliers they represent. It isn’t always easy; but, it definitely isn’t rocket science either and there are lots of great perks like wine travel and free samples. Thanks to your […]
Month: May 2012
Heredad de Baroja, Bellaria Assunto, Clos de Gat Best Cellar Wines in LCBO Vintages Release May 12
By Gaby Israel The repeating question is what to do with so many wines and a limited budget. Here’s my best cellar wines list for this release as a shopping list that you can print and these are my recommendations in order of preference for an up-to $100 release budget: Spain – 2001 Heredad de Baroja Gran Reserva – $21.95 Bodegas Heredad de Barojas (named after a famous Spanish writer) started to produce wines in 1964. For me, nothing beats an 11 year old Gran Reserva wine from the spectacular 2001 vintage for $22.00. With the given budget, if you […]
More Magazine Celebrates Fifth Anniversary with Four Women Leaders
I’ve been an avid reader of More since it first started publishing its classy, smart magazine five years ago. With the fifth anniversary, they did a complete redesign and I was happy to sign on on the wine columnist. On Thursday, I’ll join four women I admire immensely for a panel discussion that’s part of the celebratory activities: Rosey Edeh, ET Canada Host; Lisa LaFlamme, CTV National News Anchor; Suzanne Timmons, The Hudson’s Bay Company Director; and Bev Thompson, Canada AM Host. (I’ll be chatting with Bev earlier that day on her show about wines for Mother’s Day.)
Tempranillo and Garnacha Red Guitar: Spanish Version of Cotes du Rhone
By Travis Oke I don’t believe that anybody can dispute the fact that France is the King of wines – actually Queen is a better descriptor as it captures the beauty of French wines. Probably the Italians will argue the point, because they like to, but I’m okay with “debating” my Italian friends. However, lost in this is the role that Spain plays in Old World wines. The Spanish lay claim to two great varietals – Garnacha and Monestral – and interestingly, the French lay claim to the same grapes calling them Grenache and Mourvedre. However, it’s the Spanish approach […]
Graffigna Malbec, Hartley Pinot Noir, Seghesio Zinfandel: Best LCBO Wines Vintages Release May 12
Here are my top picks from the May 12 Vintages Release. You can also get all 69 of my Best Value Wines and Top Rated Wines for red, white, rose, sparkling and dessert wines that encompass many price points, styles and regions. I’ve also already posted my picks for May 12 Vintages Release. You can also add my wine picks to your shopping list by clicking on the little shopping cart icon. You can also create a custom list just for this release that will be saved in your account. Print a text-only version of the reviews. Call it your […]
Okanagan Wine Tours with Tastings, Winery Visits, Restaurants
Visit one of the wine capitals of the world and… North America’s only harvest-time wine festival. Discover Canada’s unique desert region and… relax at a true “Desert Oasis” resort spa. Taste select award-winning wines and… explore the Okanagan’s world-class wineries! Tour Price: $1,599.00* Canadian. Yes, wine lovers, this includes wine! Date: October 1st – 7th, 2012. Contact: Joan Simmons at [email protected]. *Land Package Only Includes: 6 nights at Okanagan Resort Entrance to all wineries tastings Tickets to Wine-fest events 2 meals daily (average) Cruise on Lake Okanagan Ground transportation & transfers *per person based on double occupancy Does not include […]
Best Wine Apps in Food & Drink and iPhone Life Magazines
The elegant essayist James Chatto names three of his favourite wine sites in the latest issue of Food & Drink Magazine. We’re thrilled to be one of them and he also mentions our mobile wine app with the bar code scanner that gives real-time inventory stock for the liquor stores closest to you. Meanwhile, the latest issue of iPhone Life Magazine names its top 10 wine apps, and we were honoured to be among them.It notes that there are lots of features packed into the app.
Whole Chicken in a Crock Pot Recipe Paired with Chateau des Charmes Aligote
The “I’ve got too much to do and not enough time to do it” Blues We’ve all had days like that! On a day when you can’t spend a lot of time in the kitchen, can’t be checking on things, can’t be doing multiple steps, a crock pot can be your best friend. Did you know you can cook a whole chicken in a crock pot? Here’s how I do it. Ingredients: 2 heads of garlic 1 purple onion 1 lemon 3 sprigs of thyme 1 tbsp summer savoury 1/2 tsp paprika 1-2 potatoes per person 1 chicken I like […]
Summer Wines for the Cottage or Beach – Air Miles Magazine
The summer issue of Air Miles’ Inspired Living Magazine has just arrived in Gold Members’ mailboxes loaded with travel ideas, recipes and warm weather wines for its 2 million readers. Close your eyes, feel the sun on your shoulders and take another sip …
Cabernet Sauvignon from Romania’s Dealu Mare Winemaking Region
By Holly Bruns It’s not nomenclature for exotic breeds of horses, nor is it an exotic card game, Dealu Mare is a winemaking region in Romania known for producing red wines. When thinking of Romania, rows of grape vines might not be the first thing that comes to mind – Transylvania and Count Dracula maybe, Communist rule, or the Romani people perhaps – but Romania happens to be the world’s ninth largest wine producer. With a winemaking tradition that dates back some four thousand years, Romanians were drinking wine when most of Europe was not. This might have something to […]
