California wines hit the spotlight in the March 15 LCBO Vintages release, including heavy-hitter Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Zinfandel wines, along with classic Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Collectors will take note that I’ve awarded one wine in this release a perfect score of 100 — it’s been 10 years since I gave out that score. (Yes, I am tough when it comes to top scores: a wine really has to earn it.) This is just a sampling of wine ratings, the most quoted Canadian source of reviews in the Vintages Magazine. I’ll be posting the rest soon. In the meantime, […]
Author: Natalie MacLean
Drinkin’ the Green: Matching Vegetables with Wine
Matching Green Food & Wine Green food and green wine go well together: vegetables dance with wines that have herbal, grassy aromas, such as New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. In fact, if there were an award for Veggie Wine of the Century, it would go to this one. Not only does it have complementary aromas of asparagus and canned peas, but it also has bright citrus notes that complement most vegetables. While white wines often work better than red wines with vegetables, light reds like Pinot Noir and Gamay also work because they have soft tannins, juicy berry flavors and good […]
10 Tips to Make The Best out of any Wine Fest
By Tania Thomas Have you ever found yourself standing in the middle of the tasting floor at a wine show or festival and felt confused and overwhelmed, wanting to taste as many wines as possible but did not know where to begin? Attending a wine event of any kind can certainly be a confusing and overwhelming experience that leaves you bouncing from table to table without a direction, other than circular. On the other hand, attending a wine festival is an excellent opportunity to learn, taste new varietals and have fun with just a little bit of preparation. Apart from […]
Cabernet Sauvignon, King of Red Wines: Best of the LCBO Bunch
Cabernet Sauvignon hits the spotlight in the March 1 LCBO Vintages Release. This robust red wine is one of the most recognized wine styles and grapes universally, and is grown in many wine producing regions around the world. The LCBO is featuring Cabernet Sauvignon wines from a wide array of regions, including Ontario (both as a stand-alone varietal and in blends with Merlot), California (both reasonably priced Cabernets as well as those in the collector’s pricey range), Chile (always a source of great value), Australia (re-tooling its Cabernets to be less oaky, and often blended with shiraz), and France […]
Director James Cameron Buys BC Winery
Director James Cameron recently bought Beaufort Winery in Comox Valley on Vancouver Island, British Columbia for an undisclosed price. (Wouldn’t we like to know.) Cameron joins a growing roster of movie celebrity winemakers. Husband-and-wife team, Susan and Jeff Vandermolen, founded the winery in 2006, and will consult for at least a year. James, the director of blockbuster movies such as Avatar ($2.7 billion), Titanic, Aliens and The Terminator, wanted to buy agricultural land in the region as a way of spending more time with his family in Canada; he was born in Chippewa, Ontario. Even though winemaking wasn’t his first […]
Benchmark Red Wines France, Spain, California: LCBO Vintages Feb 15
A terrific collection of both red and white wines from most regions of France is featured in this release. There are also terrific, full-bodied reds from several New World regions, such as Australia, California and Ontario. This is just a sampling of wine ratings, the most quoted Canadian source of reviews in the Vintages Magazine. I’ll be posting the rest soon. In the meantime, you can access the 65 wines that I reviewed for February 15 as a text wine list with my complete tasting notes, scores, food matches and the stock for each bottle in their closest LCBO stores. […]
Wine Bottle and Label Images
Why do I need a bottle image for my wine review? A picture of the bottle for the wine you’re reviewing makes a big difference to how polished and professional your review looks. Compare a review with no image (the default generic bottle — please don’t update it ;) and one that has both the bottle shot and label image (click on the magnifying glass under the bottle to see the label). As well, a bottle shot makes it far easier for readers to find the wine you’ve reviewed when they’re in the liquor store and to remember it afterwards. […]
Australia’s Red Wines: Food Pairings and Styles in LCBO Vintages Feb 1
Australian wines hit the spotlight in the LCBO Vintages Release February 1. We may think of red wines from Australia as being full-bodied, but there’s a wide range of styles now emerging from the various winemaking regions in the country. Try cool, crisp whites and balanced, medium-bodied reds from Australia’s cooler regions. You’ll be surprised at how well these wines pair with various dishes, not just a big steak or hamburger. This just a sampling of wine ratings, the most quoted Canadian source of reviews in the Vintages Magazine. VIP Members can access all 50 wines that I reviewed as […]
Australian Wine Icon Digs into Regional Styles
By Matt Steeves Recently on a cold January afternoon in Ottawa a small group of sommeliers and wine writers had the fortune of spending an afternoon with the legendary Chris Hancock, MW (Hon.), of Robert Oatley Vineyards at the Empire Grill in the Byward Market. Chris led us through a tasting of nine of his wines in the Robert Oatley portfolio of wines. First of all, a bit of background about Chris Hancock. After graduating from his studies in Oneology, and long before joining efforts with Robert Oatley in 1975, Chris worked at Penfolds where he produced six vintages of […]
Lunch with “Mr. Chardonnay” aka Robert Oatley Wines
By: Jane Staples, Certified Sommelier I love wine because it brings people together. Wine offers something for everybody…whether you’re interested in the viticulture, or the facts and numbers, New Oak VS Old Oak treatments, or the timeless harmony between food and wine. Then of course there’s the concept of “terroir” if you like a good argument. Yesterday’s lunch at the Empire Grill in Ottawa combined all of the above, plus wine economics, changing markets and considerations for the future, especially when it comes to Australian wine. Chris Hancock, Deputy Executive Chairman of Australia’s Robert Oatley Vineyards, introduced us to several […]
