By Rebecca Meïr-Liebman of Chef & Somm Photos by Signe Langford Oenophiles have always understood the concept of terroir; food- lovers are grasping this taste of place, too.Ingredients are just as terroir-driven as wine, sometimes the connection to the soil, sun, and air is even more pronounced in a cheese or a cacao bean than in a particular wine! And, what if that taste of place –or terroir– is underwater? Well, until I met with Patrick McMurray, author, oyster expert and shucking champion, I was unaware of how much terroir- or, rather, merroir-driven these beautiful bivalves are. Joining him at his […]
Wine Region
Is Zinfandel the World’s Most Misunderstood Wine?
ZINZEN, ZINZEST, ZINFUL: The licence plates in the parking lot warn me that this is no tweedy wine tasting. Closer to the wharves, a line of three thousand people, thick as an anaconda, snakes its way along San Francisco’s waterfront. Behind them soars the Golden Gate Bridge; Alcatraz Island sits brooding in the distance; and the glinting bay is dotted with tiny tissue sails. But no one’s admiring the postcard view: all eyes are fixed on the warehouse’s paint-peeled doors, waiting for them to open on the Zinfandel Advocates and Producers tasting, the world’s largest single-varietal wine event according to […]
796 Wine Reviews, 113 Wines, 16 Wine Writers and Sommeliers, 1 Terrific Tasting
Canada’s top wine writers and sommeliers gathered in our national’s capital yesterday to taste through an impressive line-up of wines. Twitter, Facebook and Instagram were on fire as they posted their reviews live and shared on social media. You can get the complete list of wines here, along with their reviews and the closest liquor stores that have these wines in stock now. This list is also accessible on the wine mobile apps. Stay tuned: we’re already planning our next big tasting! Jacky Blisson above has just returned from Napa Valley where she wrote her final papers […]
Balderson Cheddar Cheese Tart with Summer Vegetables Recipe Paired with Cabernet Franc
Summer Vegetable and Balderson Cheddar Cheese Tart Pair this delicious recipe with Featherstone Winery Cabernet Franc 2013 Ingredients: 1/3 cup [75 mL] Lactantia Butter melted, divided 1 bunch green onions, chopped 1 cup [250 mL] chopped asparagus 3 plum tomatoes, deseeded and chopped 2 cups [500 mL] chopped spinach 2 tbsp [30 mL] chopped basil 6 sheets thawed phyllo dough 2 tbsp [30 mL] honey mustard 2 cups [500 mL] grated Balderson Heritage Cheddar Cheese 1 cup [250 mL] Lactantia 10% Table Cream 4 eggs, beaten Preparation: In fry pan over medium heat cook green onions in 2 tbsp [30 […]
Why Washington Wines Will Surprise You: Videos + Reviews
Recently, Canada’s top wine writers and sommeliers gathered in the nation’s capital for a spectacular tasting of Washington State wines led by head winemaker at Columbia Crest Winery, Juan Munoz Oca. This also included wines from Chateau St. Michelle, H3 and Two Hands, which are part of the winery’s portfolio. Here are their surprising insights and insider tips on discovering Washington state wines. Heather Wall Wine Columnist, Huffington Post Canada Juan weaves a familiar story of most winemakers I have had the pleasure of meeting. Wine is in his blood and prior generations have taught him a love and respect for […]
Is This the World’s First Crowd-Sourced Wine? You Can Vote!
As a tech geek, I love this story behind the world’s first crowd-sourced wine. Our team member, Lori Kilmartin, does a fabulous job of sharing it from our tasting of Washington wines recently. Lori Kilmartin Sommelier & Blogger I really enjoyed hearing about the “Crowd-Sourced Cabernet” program that Juan launched in 2014. As the location of the winery in Paterson, Washington is a bit off the beaten path, visitors were not as plentiful as at other wineries. Juan wanted a way to share the winery and the experience of making wine with others, so he came up with this unique idea. […]
Best Bottles for Outdoor Dining: Wines for the Wet & Wild
By Rebecca Meïr-Liebman of Chef & Somm A couple of posts ago, I wrote about the best wines for summer entertaining – well, I have a bit more to say about the joys of summer sipping. Here’s Part Two, enjoy! Dip and Sip – The Pool Party Crunchy, oily, salty chips and hot dogs with all the fixin’s are so much fun under the sun, especially poolside! My preference is to wash this super-casual stuff down with an ice cold beer or cider, but there are a few playful wines practically made for chillaxin’ by the pool! Adamo Estate Winery Rosé, Hockley […]
Mozzarella Spring Rolls Recipe Paired with Gabbiano Chianti Classico
Mozzarella Spring Rolls Recipe Serve with Gabbiano Chianti Classico Ingredients Spring roll wrappers Sundried Tomato paste, drained of the oil Pickled Peppers, julienne Prosciutto slices, very thin Galbani Mozzarella cut into 3 ½ inch logs ½ inch thick Basil leaves Black pepper Vegetables Oil for frying Directions: Lay the spring roll wrap and lay a slice of prosciutto in the center and spread some tomato paste on it, place a piece or two of pickled peppers and a log of mozzarella on it, wrap like a spring roll and seal the edges with a brushing of water. Deep fry at […]
Mozzarella with Hot Capicollo, Melon, Tomato, Basil & Black Olives Recipe Paired With Gabbiano Pinot Grigio
Mozzarella with Hot Capicollo, Melon, Tomato, Basil & Black Olives Recipe Serve with Gabbiano Pinot Grigio Ingredients Galbani Mozzarella, sliced Cantaloupe melon, sliced Watermelon, sliced Tomatoes, sliced Red onions, julienne Capicollo, sliced Basil, hand torn Sundried Black Olives Olive oil Balsamic glaze Directions Arrange on a plate all the fruit and vegetables, sprinkle the olives and season with the salt and pepper then a drizzle of olive oil and a few drops of balsamic glaze and the basil leaves, place the sliced Capicollo in the middle and serve. This recipe and wine pairing is provided courtesy of Gabbiano Wines […]
Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Vintages Ratings June 25
You can access the 115 wines that I reviewed for June 25 as a text wine list with my complete tasting notes, scores, food matches. You can also see my wine reviews for June 11. If you are a Paid Member, you can add my wine picks to your custom shopping list with one click and access that list on your smartphone to find the stock for each wine in your closest LCBO store. These are just some of the benefits of supporting out wine community as a Paid Member. Inventory stock numbers are usually posted online a day […]
