By Holly Bruns Hidden away in the vineyards of Rioja, amidst fields of the popular Tempranillo and Garnacha are ancient, as well as new vines of the hardly known red grape Graciano. Used as a blending grape for its intense colour and aroma, Graciano has historically played a supporting role in the wines of Spain. A difficult grape to grow – it is prone to disease and is low-yielding – it has been pulled up and abandoned by growers over the years particularly as international markets had demanded more Cabernet and Merlot. Thanks to a recent project in Rioja to […]
Best Wines
Recipe: Beef Tenderloin, Root Vegetable Ragout, Porcini Red Wine Sauce Recipe
Beef Tenderloin with Root Vegetable Ragout and Porcini Red Wine Sauce An elegant and easy classic pairing. Rich, roasted beef tenderloin with sweet earthy root vegetable and mushroom ragout make this dish a terrific match with Chateau Pipeau Saint Emilion Grand Cru. This new addition to Vintages Essentials is an impressive Bordeaux, mainly Merlot, and is full of expressive red fruit with a long, structured finish. Serves 6 For the Ragout: 1 cup boiling water 1 cup dried porcini mushrooms 1 tbsp olive oil 2 tsp butter ½ cup chopped shallots 2 cloves garlic, chopped 2 cups chopped parsnips (peeled […]
Mitolo Cabernet Sauvignon, Pietranera Brunello: Best Cellar Wines in LCBO December 8
By Gaby Israel The December releases are known to be the most expensive releases at the LCBO. Out of the very many great wines that are offered in the Dec 8 release, I have chosen the following top 3 wines for the cellar: Australia – MITOLO SERPICO CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009 (659599) – $57.95 I remember seeing a TV show in the late 70s called Serpico. Serpico was a famous New York police officer who wasn’t afraid to ‘work against the grain’ and in doing so exposed immense depth of police corruption in the era. With Mitolo Serpico the winemaker aimed […]
Ravenswood Teldeschi Zinfandel Wine Tasting Paired With Wit
By Mari Kane In late October, I attended a winemaker dinner with Joel Peterson, winemaker and “Godfather of Zinfandel” from Ravenswood Vineyards in Sonoma, California. The event was held at the Flying Pig in Vancouver’s Yaletown, and as we tucked into plates of comfort food, Peterson stood up and began telling stories about the wines he brought to pair. The result was a humorous blend of history lesson and standup comedy that made me homesick for Sonoma. My favorite story was about Teldeschi Vineyards since my friend, Bill Wertzberger, makes his wine at the F. Teldeschi winery which I have […]
Coyote’s Run Winery: Two Soils, Two Styles, Many Fans
By Susan Desjardins Coyote is the trickster in much native American mythology, known for inventiveness and creating mischief. This adaptable creature can still be seen through the vineyards of Coyote’s Run Estate Winery, and is a fine namesake for co-owner Jeff Aubry, who has reinvented himself from a soldier to high-tech engineer and now to winery owner, and admits, “Sometimes I’m serious, sometimes I’m a goof!” A tour of Europe with a group of university buddies introduced Jeff to fine wines and activated the dream of someday opening his own winery. Fast forward . . . the intervention of a […]
Alamos Viognier, Jackson Triggs Delaine Syrah, De Bortoli Noble One: Top LCBO Wines Vintages Release December 8
Here are my top picks from the December 8 Vintages Release. You can also get all 94 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. You can 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. Alamos Viognier 2011, Mendoza, Argentina Lovely and aromatic with rose petal, lily […]
Italian Wine Tasting with Airmiles at Willow Park Wine & Spirits
It was a spectacular evening of Italian wine and food this past weekend at Willow Park Wine & Spirits in Calgary, Canada’s largest wine store. More than 450 Airmiles Gold Members came out for two evenings, the largest wine and food events that Airmiles has ever hosted. Here’s a short clip from the evening. We’ll post the longer version tomorrow. Below are the wines we tasted… Barone Ricasoli Rocca Guicciarda Riserva Chianti Classico 2007, Tuscany, Italy Generous, even and balanced with classic dark fruit, sun-dried tomato and mouth-watering acidity. Medium- to full-bodied with smooth texture. Perfect for […]
Southern Ontario Sommelier Alliance Picks Best Ontario Wines
There are some incredibly fascinating insights about the Ontario wine industry in this new report from the Southern Ontario Sommelier Alliance (SOSA), published exclusively here first. The top sommeliers working in Ontario’s most respected fine dining restaurants provide their opinions on the best wines in Ontario. Is your favourite wine here? If you buy wine, read on to create your insider shopping list. If you make wine, review this report to see what the top influencers are saying about your wines.This expert guide sets the bar high and the provincial wine industry is up to the challenge. Winner of the […]
First Wine Competition: Southern Ontario Sommelier Alliance
Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at the Southern Ontario Sommelier Alliance as well as how the competition was organized and the scoring system. I must say that I was impressed with the level of professionalism and thorough evaluation of the wines involved. Read the results of the wine competition here. I look forward to more great initiatives from this group that will support the Ontario wine industry. What would you like to see this group do? What Is SOSA? SOSA is, the Southern Ontario Sommelier Alliance. We are a group of Certified Sommeliers, educated in Ontario, certified by both the Canadian […]
Okanagan Wineries Offer Great Value and Style
By Susan Desjardins A trip to the Okanagan is always an opportunity to explore familiar and newly established wineries. And that’s exactly what we did in October this year. Tinhorn Creek Vineyards now showcases not only their wonderful wines crafted by winemaker Sandra Oldfield (“She’s been here since the beginning, 16 years ago,” said Jerralynn at the tasting bar) but also the recently ensconced restaurant, Miradoro. The restaurant flies out from the ridge, soaring over the south Okanagan valley like a bird on the wing. And the offerings to be found on the menu don’t disappoint. We enjoyed the rich […]
