by Susan Desjardins In June 2012, Bill C-311, presented by Dan Albas, MP for Okanagan-Coquihalla, received royal assent just before the House of Commons rose for the summer. Why do we care? Laws governing the transport and sale of alcohol across provincial boundaries dated back to 1928 and the Prohibition Era. Until the passage of Bill C-311 by unanimous vote of the House, it was a criminal offense to take or ship wine across provincial boundaries. Talk to European winemakers about this and they just shake their heads – “How can this be? You are one country, are you not! […]
Month: October 2012
Importing Wine For Pleasure & Profit
Importing Wine for Pleasure & Profit Seminar (9:30 a.m.-4 p.m) Saturday November 10th – Toronto – The Old Mill Inn & Spa, 21 Old Mill Road Saturday November 17th- Ottawa – Novotel Hotel, 24 Nicholas Street Featuring C. Steven Trenholme, a 30-year veteran of the international beverage alcohol industry, with details on how to import wine, spirits and beer into the Ontario marketplace for personal use or as a career. $295.00 Pre-Registration Required Contact — C.S. Trenholme & Associates, [email protected] What Professionals Have Said About My Seminar It is refreshing to see new people excited to get into our industry. […]
Game and Wine Pairings: Ladies Who Shoot Their Lunch Video
Matt Fowles is the man behind the Australian wine called Ladies Who Shoot Their Lunch. In the video chat below, he discussed how to pair wine with game meat, especially those you hunt yourself as he does. When did you develop your passion for hunting? How is the taste of game and wild meat different from commercially raised meat? How does that affect the wine you pair with it? How did you come up with the name Ladies Who Shoot Their Lunch? Ladies Who Shoot Their Lunch Plunkett Fowles Shiraz 2009, Strathbogie Ranges, Victoria, Australia: Smoky […]
Lamb Shepherd’s Pie Paired with Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon
Lamb Shepherd’s Pie A beloved British classic perfect for a comforting Sunday dinner. This shepherd’s pie combines the earthy flavour of lamb with rosemary, thyme and russet potatoes. Look for those tastes in a wine- earthy and herbal with dark cherry and plum flavours. A terrific match would be Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 from Paso Robles, California. Lamb Shepherd’s Pie – Serves 6 to 8 Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil 6 slices bacon, diced 1½ lb. lamb shoulder, trimmed of fat and cut into cubes 1 onion, finely diced 2 stalks celery, finely diced 2 carrots, peeled and finely […]
Ratatouille au Gratin Paired with Chianti or Pinot Blanc
Ratatouille au Gratin How to Cook Two Meals at Once Hosting adults is one thing. Hosting families is another. While children aren’t exactly demanding when it comes to decoration and music, they can be extremely picky with food. This typically leaves you with two options: “dumb down” your entire meal to accommodate everyone or make an entirely different meal for the kids. But here’s a third, far-better alternative: a ratatouille au gratin for the adults, which turns into a delicious spaghetti sauce for the kids. The beauty of this meal is that you are minimizing time and effort spent, while […]
Turkey Cutlets, Canadian Swiss Cheese and Riesling
Turkey Cutlets with Squash, Canadian Swiss and Honey Sauce What’s old is new again. And more delicious than ever. As beautiful and timeless as most of the holiday traditions are, in my humble opinion, there’s one that could use a little updating. That’s right. I’m talking about the Christmas turkey. So this week I’m suggesting a recipe that puts a whole new spin on this holiday classic: turkey cutlets with squash, Canadian Swiss (always a favourite) and honey sauce. I’m also suggesting a couple of wines to help you wash it all down with a flourish. Because the dish is […]
Viognier and Yalumba Wines Australia: Video Chat
In the video chat below, Louisa Rose of Yalumba Wines Australia has some fascinating insights into the lovely floral white wine Viognier, including how it affects the robust red wine Shiraz when even just 5% is added to the blend. This is one of the most aromatic and under-appreciated white wines, perfect for a variety of dishes, including hearty meats when you don’t want to drink red. Yalumba Viognier 2010 Eden Valley, South Australia, Australia: Love it: beautiful and exotic with white floral notes. Drink: 2012-2015. 954644 13% XD 750 mL $24.95 Score: 91/100. Yalumba Shiraz Viognier 2008 Eden Valley, South […]
Canadian Cheese and Wine Tasting: Video Chat
Our second Canadian wine and cheese Google Video tasting below was terrific! We had just as much fun as the first tasting, but this time we incorporated more pairing tips and background on the cheeses. We’re pioneering the use of this hottest new social media tool, so each time is a technical leap forward and we’ll continue to optimize it. If you’d like to taste along with us, you’ll find all the cheeses and wines in this first post, as well as the names and sites for all the great participants. Kick back during an evening at home […]
An Evening of California Wine Tasting with David Mirassou
By Loukia Zigoumis I’ve always been a wine lover… red, white, I wasn’t picky. I went through a phase where I only drank Chianti, and then I made a switch, and decided to only drink Pinot Grigio. Now, I enjoy it all, and will experiment with different flavours and types of wine depending on where I’m going, whom I’m with, and what I’m eating. I’m learning a lot from reading Natalie’s book Unquenchable, too. If I’m just going out for drinks, I’ll choose my wine carefully. I am learning about the different flavours and tastes, and what goes well with what, […]
Root Vegetable Gratin Paired with Chenin Blanc or Pinot Noir
Root Vegetable Gratin It only tastes like you slaved over it. In an ideal world, your refrigerator is always filled to the point of bursting and you have all the time you need to cook a meal that everyone will love. In reality, however, your refrigerator may be pretty barren, especially towards the end of the week. And having lots of time? Let’s not even go there. Fortunately, I have a wonderful recipe that requires only a handful of ingredients and a few minutes of preparation time: Root Vegetable Gratin, featuring Canadian Provolone. What’s especially nice about this recipe, beyond […]
