By Gaby Israel 2002 Schloss Reinhartshausen Riesling Spätlese, Prädikatswein, Erbacher Schlossberg, Rheingau, Germany – $19.95. 2002 was a great vintage for Riesling in Germany. Experiencing a 10 year old Riesling for only $20 is a no brainer when it comes to buying decision. I would buy 3 bottles, try one now and try the other two after 3 and 5 years later. Try it with a good slow cooked smoked pork… and call me in the morning :) 2007 Elderton Shiraz Command Single Vineyard vs. 2006 Barossa Valley Estate Shiraz Ebenezer. Here’s a tricky one. Two outstanding-giants Shiraz wines […]
Taste Wine
How to Taste Wine, describe it and understand what’s going on in the glass
“Now ladies and gentlemen, if you will each raise your wine glass to your nose I’m sure that you will agree that the scent of black cherry, cinnamon, truffle and the slightest hint of wet stone quite typically displays the varietal character of this wine.” What the hell! Am I the only person in the room that has a problem with this? Judging by the expression on the lady’s face sitting across from me, apparently not – in fact, I think the cork just flew over her head. “Is it wrong that all I smell is red wine?” she […]
How to Host Your Own Wine Tasting
I find myself slightly envious of those who live downtown, surrounded by an endless supply of restaurants, patios, and other potential dining opportunities. Need a glass of wine? Just text a friend and hook-up in, say 20 minutes at the bistro around the corner. On occasion though, even these folks ask themselves: What would it take to host a wine tasting in my own home? I’ll let you in on a little secret; it’s not that difficult. Let me give you a few pointers, but first, some background: I don’t live downtown. In fact, I’m so far removed from the […]
Sommelier Programs
Whether you are looking to impress your next date, to be the wine expert in the family or for a serious career change, Ottawa’s Algonquin College has you covered. The college’s reputable Sommelier Certificate Program was initially developed in response to an increased demand for properly trained wine professionals. Enrico DeFrancesco, the academic co-ordinator of the Algonquin sommelier program, says that studying wine is no longer the pretentious act it once was. “It is wine education done in a fun learning environment, not done in an aggressive manner,” he said. “We make leaning about wine fun and interactive — half […]
Learning about Wine 1
A small child was being admonished by his piano teacher, who asked, “Why is it you always forget your homework? I never forget to correct it and bring it to class.” The boy looked the teacher straight in the eye and with a certain amount of awe in his voice replied,”You must have a mind like Santa Claus.” When I tell people that I’m a professional wine taster they often have similar reactions. They assume that I—like Santa is somehow able to determine who’s been naughty and who’s been nice— am blessed with an extraordinary palate, enabling me to detect […]
Learning about Wine
In the new decade, we’ll know much more about what we eat The 10 years just past could have been dubbed the “foodie decade” – when “artisan” was attached to everything from bread to chocolates, when cupcakes went gourmet and food blogs gained big fan bases. It also was a decade of peanut butter recalls, contaminated spinach and “Super Size Me.” If anything, we head into 2010 much more aware of the origins and handling of the food we consume. Here are some trends to watch as the decade unfolds: More information, please As consumers hunger to know more about […]
Wine Writers 3
How did you become such an authority on wine? It must truly be your passion. Lots of drinking! You learn over time … As they say, there’s no substitute for pulling corks. I let my curiosity guide me. I will always be an enthusiastic amateur, never an “expert.” :) I love your purple prose – especially your view on wine writing: “…when I read about wine, I often get the odd impression that it has no alcohol in it”. Did you have any worries on telling it ‘like it is’ in your book? None whatsoever. This is my point of […]
Wine Writers 2
Many wine writers also have a day job. If wine isn’t your job, what is and for whom? [Natalie] Before I started writing about wine, I was in high tech marketing for a California-based supercomputer company. I’d probably be doing that or anything to do with writing. When did you start writing about wine? [Natalie] Although I had taken a sommelier course for fun, the thought of writing about my hobby didn’t occur to me until I hadn’t slept soundly for three weeks. Shortly after our son Rian was born in November 1998, my life took on a biological beat: […]
Wine Writers
Natalie MacLean first had the idea to write about wine on a seemingly innocuous trip to the grocery store back in 1999. Groggy and sleep-deprived — she was on maternity leave at the time — she picked up a local food magazine and started flipping through it. That’s when it hit her. “They had all this beautiful food photography, recipes and so on, but no wine,” MacLean told CityLine.ca in a recent phone interview from her home in Ottawa. “I thought, well, I’ve taken a sommelier course. I know about the Internet, so I pitched them a story about wine […]
Internet & Wine 4
Excerpted from The Oregonian Uncork these wine Web sites for fun, useful info I recently received a press release extolling the new wine-matching function at Epicurious.com, the culinary Web portal for magazines such as Bon Appétit and Gourmet. Intrigued, I checked out the site. Lo and behold, there they were: long lists of specific wine recommendations, powered by the new wine site snooth.com. I found this function fascinating. And pretty much useless. Click on one of the suggested recipes — Grilled Fish Tostadas With Pineapple-Jícama Salsa, for example — and you’ll pull up wine suggestions such as: “Peter Brum Liebfraumilch […]
