The Secret “5 S” To Enjoy Oysters at Home SELECT. SHUCK. SERVE. SAVOUR. SAUVIGNON BLANC “Oysters, like wine, have a tendency to bring people together, open up conversation, throw inhibitions to the side and make a party unique.” – John Belknap, owner of John & Sons Oyster House S1: SELECT Ten Tips To Select Oysters 1. Buy oysters from a local fish monger and ask for ‘Select’ or ‘Choice’ grade oysters. 2. Look for oysters that are tightly closed. Avoid oysters that have a soft or spongy shell. 3. Choose oysters that are slightly rounded and evenly shaped, with a […]
Wine Region
Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir Wines from New Zealand
Nobilo Icon Pinot Noir 2013 Marlborough, New Zealand A smooth, supple easy-drink red wine. This New Zealand Pinot Noir features notes of wild field berries on the nose and palate. Lovely balance, very food-friendly. Pair with planked salmon. Alcohol: 14% Sweetness: Extra Dry Price: $19.95 Drink: 2013-2018 Product #: 66803 Nobilo Icon Pinot Noir 2012 Marlborough, New Zealand Very juicy, cherry-berry flavours and roundness in this gloriously happy New Zealand Pinot Noir. This medium-bodied red wine with dance with your senses, and your food, from planked salmon to roast chicken. Top me up! Alcohol: 14% Sweetness: […]
Natural Pacific Rock Oysters with Lemon Recipe Paired with Nobilo Regional Collection Sauvignon Blanc
Natural Pacific Rock Oysters with Lemon Sponsored Post by Nobilo Wines Nobilo Regional Collection Sauvignon Blanc and oysters are one of the true marriages made in heaven! The crisp citrusy flavors found in the Nobilo Regional Collection Sauvignon Blanc work superbly with lightly salty minerality of the oysters. Natural Pacific Rock Oysters with Lemon Ingredients: 12 Rock Oysters Rock Salt Lemon Method: Freshly shuck the oysters and carefully cut the oyster free from the shell. Remove any broken shell, check the oyster is clean. Be careful not to lose any of the natural juices. Serve 12 oysters on a bed […]
The Wine that Came in from the Cold: Icewine
Not a breath of wind caresses the snow-blanketed vineyards. The tar-black sky is pin-pricked with stars, and a full moon sends shadows slithering out between the scarecrow vines. Stooped figures in Arctic gear coax their bare fingers to snap off bunches of frozen grapes. That’s what the annual icewine harvest looks like in Niagara at this time of the year. It results in a wine that combines the sweetness of lusciously ripe fruit with a silver edge of acidity that’s as crisp as the winter wind. Despite its modern association with Canada, icewine was actually discovered in Germany, by accident, […]
Top 20 Canadian Icewines of 2015
It’s always a tough task choosing your favourite wines from any category, but when it comes to icewine, it’s even harder. I find there are few duds in this august group. However, here are my favourites that I tasted in 2015. I’d love to hear which ones you love, and which ones I’m missing. Click on the links below for the full wine reviews, food pairings and stock in your closest liquor store. Henry of Pelham Winery Riesling Icewine 2014 Niagara Escarpment, Ontario V.Q.A., Canada Alcohol: 9.5% Sweetness: Sweet Size: 375 ml Drink: 2014‐2022 LCBO: 430561 Score: 93/100 […]
Surprising Pairings for Villa Maria Wines from Antipasto to Steak
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 […]
5 Dynamite Bubblies for a Sparkling Holiday and How to Find Wonderful Wines to Celebrate
By Melissa Pulvermacher ‘Tis the season for family, food and sparkling wine. Every year I feature my favourite bottle of bubbly before New Year’s Eve. This year, I decided to write about my top 5 picks to make sure everyone can ring in the new year with bubbles. To help you navigate the intimidating selection, all you need to know is the basics. Mostly you need to be able to navigate whether a bottle is traditional method or tank method and the level of dosage (sweetness added to the wine by concentrated grape juice). 1. Traditional Method This is the […]
7 Secrets about Prosecco Sparkling Wine that you don’t know but should
By Rebecca Meïr- Liebman of Chef & Somm As New Year’s Eve approaches our thoughts turn to bubbles, after all, for pure joie de vivre, there’s nothing like a flute of sparkling wine. Invariably, Champagne comes to mind, but good luck finding a decent bottle for under $40. Hey, if you can spring for a Jeroboam of Armand de Brignac Gold at $2,239 a pop, go for it, but for the rest of us, the search for something of decent quality and good value continues. Prosecco to the Rescue Often thought of as merely a cheap and cheerful alternative to Champagne […]
The Makeover Miracle of Israeli Wines: Finding New Life in the Desert
By Rebecca Meïr- Liebman of Chef & Somm Some of the most brilliant minds come from Israel. Their creative thinking often challenges what many see as unchanging truths. The USB flash drive, GPS, WIX, and Solaris Synergy were all invented in Israel. Lucky for us, some of those creative minds are hard at work in Israel’s burgeoning winemaking industry, leading recently to substantial gains in quality and complexity. More and more Israeli wine professionals are traveling to Europe to learn from leading winemakers and educate and expand their palates. And, on a quest for the ultimate expression of Israeli […]
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 […]
