By Michael Fagin What does Michael Fagin have in common with both Queen Elizabeth II and President Barack Obama? We all like British Columbia white wines. President Obama sipped the Quails’ Gate Okanagan Valley Chenin Blanc in Ottawa and my wife and I sipped Quails’ Gate Estate wine in Kelowna. And Queen Elizabeth II? She also sipped Okanagan wine in the 1980’s. This was, incidentally, about the same time that a Michael Fagan broke into the Queen’s bedroom at Buckingham Palace and stole a half bottle of wine (type unknown). It needs to be clarified here that that Michael Fagan […]
Wine Picks
Vintages Release June 25: Malbec and Chardonnay from Argentina + Barbecue Wines
Here are some of my top picks and best value wines from the June 25 Vintages Release. You’ll find all 75 wines here that I’ve recommended from a wide range of price points, styles, scores and food pairings. (Make sure you have some back-up choices in case some of these are sold out.) You can also put my best value and top rated wines into your custom shopping list by clicking on the little shopping cart icon. Then follow your wine bliss! Natalie [table id=8 /] You get all of my recommendations when you subscribe to my wine reviews […]
LCBO Vintages Release June 11: Father’s Day wines, big Australian and Italian red wines, zesty white wines
The LCBO Vintages June 11 Release features some terrific wines for Father’s Day, full-bodied, fleshy red wines from Italy, zippy whites for summer salads and seafood, and robust Australian shiraz and cabernet for your barbecue. I’ve highlighted some of my best value and top rated picks here. You can find all 49 wines that I’ve reviewed here as well as here on the site. I’d love to know what your favs are! White Wine 2010 Arboleda Sauvignon Blanc, Acongagua Valley, Chile: VC: Founded by Chilean superstar Eduardo Chadwick of Viña Errazuriz fame and California’s Robert Mondavi (Chadwick now owns solely […]
Touring the Eastside Kelowna Wine Trail
By Michael Fagin Winemaker Anthony (Tony) Lewis told us that all you need to enjoy his wine is some music, art and good chemistry. The music came first with the rock band called Storytyme. Tony and his two brothers played in the band and had a fun seven year run that ended in 2008. The brothers kept the good times flowing as Tony became the winemaker perfecting his skill in chemistry and the art of winemaking. Tony’s brother Phil gives the artistic touch to the wine bottles. My wife and I are slowly decorating our house with these wonderfully crafted […]
April 2 New Wine Reviews: Vintages Release
Number of Wines Recommended: 62 Review date: April 2, 2011 The highlights in this Vintages release include… 2009 Inniskillin Riesling Winemaker’s Series Two Vineyards, V.Q.A., Niagara Peninsula, Ontario Bring-you-to-your-knees mouth-watering aromas and flavours of lime, white peach, and green apple. Juicy and vibrant: this wine cries out for food. Although it’s medium dry, it tastes bone-dry to me. Drink: 2011-2016. 105387 12% MD 750 mL $17.95 Score: 89/100. 2009 Domaine Roux Père & Fils Chardonnay Les Chaumes Chassagne-Montrachet 1Er Cru, A.C., Burgundy, France VC : This is a simply gorgeous wine. The complex nose carries tones of vanilla, apple, citrus, […]
March 19, 2011 Vintages Wine Reviews
Number of Wines Recommended: 67 Review date: March 19, 2011 There are some amazing reds from Spain and Portugal in this release, plus Californian cult wines and more bargains to stock for parties … White Wine 2009 Colmello Di Grotta Pinot Grigio, D.O.C., Isonzo Del Friuli, Italy: VC: Pinot Grigio from the tiny region of Friuli has rightly become renowned, and Colmello di Grotta’s version features many of this variety’s great strengths. Light straw in colour, this is crisp and light with melon and apple tones. Traces of candied fruit, accented by mushroom and nut, add complexity and depth. […]
March 5, 2011 Vintages Wine Reviews
Number of Wines Recommended: 74 Review date: March 5, 2011 In this release, we have many wines under $15 from Chile and Argentina that I’ve scored 89-90 points, robust reds from northern Italy that are perfect for pasta and lots of mouth-watering, zippy whites for St. Patrick’s Day … White Wine 2008 Charles Baker Riesling Picone Vineyard, V.Q.A., Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada: I love this wine: it’s an elevation of what Niagara does best among white wines: Riesling! Deep minerality with lime and green apple. Superbly made by one of Canada’s superstar winemakers. Drink: 2011-2018. 126433 […]
Wine Cellar Tips to Build and Stock Them
Here’s a terrific story from the Ottawa Citizen on building and stocking your wine cellar. You can find more stories on this right here. Forget meaningless one-night stands. An increasing number of North Americans are having a hot and heavy love affair with wine — a passion that rages on, long after the red roses have wilted and the Valentine chocolates are gone. According to government statistics, "the intake of wine has continued to increase over the last 10 years reaching 13.9 litres (per person)." Ottawa wine writer Natalie MacLean says in the last two years alone, wine consumption has […]
Pairing books and wine
In a recent column for the Globe & Mail, I paired some of my favourite books with wine … I can’t think of a better book to read on January 1 than Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis. It has one of literature’s finest descriptions of a hangover: “Consciousness was upon him before he could get out of the way; not for him the slow, gracious wandering from the halls of sleep, but a summary, forcible ejection … His mouth had been used as a latrine by some small creature of the night, and then as its mausoleum.” On the […]
Sparkling Wines that Won’t Blow Your Holiday Budget
Champagne can only be produced in the French region that bears its name, but the joy that comes from hearing a cork pop can come from any number of other sparkling wines – at a fraction of the cost. "The central problem is that wine pricing is almost completely arbitrary … the price of a wine does not significantly correlate to the pleasure it brings," said Robin Goldstein, editor of "The Wine Trials," an annual guide to wines under $15 a bottle that beat wines costing $50-plus a bottle in blind tastings. Dom Perignon producer Moet & […]
