Canada’s top wine writers and sommeliers gathered in the nation’s capital for a comprehensive tasting of Villa Maria wines from New Zealand. Terry Jeans Wine Writer, Ottawa Wine Guide What an elaborate tasting! We had the chance to have an amazing tasting with one of the viticulturists from Villa Maria– Ollie Powrie, who presented us with an insightful session of tasting over a dozen wines from one of the only New Zealand owned and family operated wineries. Founded and owned by the venerated Sir George Fistonich, a real icon of the wine industry, who has been part of […]
White Wine
Wine Tasting Hackathon: New Way of Social Wine Discovery
Our second team wine tasting yesterday felt like a family reunion. Sommeliers and wine bloggers from Toronto and Montreal flew or drove in to join those from the east to west ends of Ottawa. There was an instant camaraderie among those gathered here who recognized each other as fellow contributors to our online community. What I admire most about these reviewers is that although they have sterling wine credentials and training, they keep it real and conversational — with an effort to connect, not to impress. The tasting also struck me as the wine version of a hackathon. In the […]
Win $500 Wine Pack with Casas del Bosque Wines on Instagram
Enter the #hotandcool Photo Contest to Win a $500 Wine Pack Featuring the wines of Casas del Bosque, Chile Some like their wines from cool regions and others like them hot. From the vibrant tropical and citrus notes of Casas del Bosque Sauvignon Blanc (Cool Casablanca Valley) to the dark fruit, chocolate and cooking spice flavours of the Casas del Bosque Reserva Carmenère (Hot Rapel Valley), these wines suit your every mood. What do I win? The grand prize winner of this contest will receive a $250 gift certificate to the LCBO and matching his and her Casas del Bosque […]
Holiday Gift for Wine Lovers: Give the Gift of Great Wines Year Round
Wondering what to give the wine lovers in your life? How about a guarantee that they’ll enjoy every bottle they open? With a gift subscription to my wine reviews, they get exclusive access to my best value and top rated wines: red, white, rose, sparkling and dessert wines from around the world at all price points. They’ll discover wines they’ve never heard of that go amazingly well with a wide variety of dishes: bottles they would never have pulled off the shelf based on the label alone. No more disappointing bottles, no more paying too much for too little taste […]
Wine Tripping and Sipping in Prince Edward County
By Alex and Priya, A Vine Romance Move over Niagara, Prince Edward County is coming of age as a wine country area in Ontario! Whether it’s the big names like Norm Hardie, Closson Chase and Karlo Estates, or the smaller ones like Domaine Darius or Trail Estates, we’ve spent many a weekend exploring the wineries of this region and wanted to share some of our favourite spots with you. Priya: First things first is finding a great home base for all your County experiences. We were lucky to get a spot at The Ferg, a beautiful boutique property co-owned by our very good […]
Pairing Balderson Vintners Cheddars and Wine
Tips for Serving Wine As a rule of thumb, plan on a half bottle of wine per person. White wines should be chilled for two hours (no longer) before being served. Red wines should be opened and allowed to breathe at room temperature for two hours before serving. If you’re serving several wines, start with the lighter whites, move through more robust reds and end with a port or sherry. If possible, use the correct stemware for each of the wines. The right glass does make a difference. You could win one of three Balderson Gift Baskets valued at […]
Recipe: Balderson Double Smoked Cheddar Fondue and Wine Pairings
This recipe for Balderson Double Smoked Cheddar Fondue is a delicious holiday treat, especially when you pair it with a buttery British Columbia Chardonnay or Ontario Cabernet Franc. The smooth, wood smoke flavour of the Cheddar marries beautifully with oak-aged toastiness of the Chardonnay or Cabernet Franc. The Double Smoked Cheddar is cold smoked twice using a mixture of natural hard woods and aged for twelve months, which makes it ideal for the robust weight and texture of these wines. Balderson Double Smoked Cheddar Fondue Makes 2 Servings Ingredients: 1 garlic clove, cut in half 75 ml dark sweet beer 125 ml […]
Tale of Two Niagara Wineries: Reif Winery Makes Big Impression
As a photographer, I capture many wonderful moments in life, with no two moments ever being quite the same. This weekend, I found out in my travels to the Niagara Region, the same can be said for its wonderful abundance of world-class wineries. This is my story about visiting two wineries in the Niagara region at opposite ends of the spectrum, one small and one large, to see just how different they really were with respect to service style, approachability, ambiance and overall experience. In Part One of Tale of Two Wineries, I wrote about my experience visiting Ravine, considered to most as […]
Facebook Live Video Posts October 23, 2016
In this Facebook Live Video chat, we discuss the rising levels of alcohol in wines. You can click on the arrow above to play the video. If you’d like to read the comments, or make a comment yourself, visit: https://www.facebook.com/natdecants/videos/10154411500734845/ You’ll find the most recent live video wine tasting at the top of the timeline here: www.facebook.com/natdecants We taste every Sunday evening at 6 pm eastern so add us to your calendar and grab a glass of wine. Click on Follow, Like and Signup on the page above to get notified when we go live. […]
Trump versus Clinton Wine Debate: Vote for Your Favorite!
Last Sunday, we hosted a live video taste-off between three wines from Trump Winery in Virginia and Clinton Vineyards in New York. It was so much fun! You can watch the video replay below by clicking on the arrow for this first (and final) Great Whine Debate … and read the 60+ comments on Facebook … you can still comment and vote ;) This “debate” was focused on the wines (not the candidates), though there was room to wonder if a wine lacks aromas and is going through a dumb stage, to another one having a long, bitter finish. I forgot to mention though that we […]
