California Wine Fair 2015: Taste Bottled Sunshine

Sponsored Post The 2015 California Wine Fair travels across Canada in April and features tasting events in eight cities from coast to coast. This year, there’ll be more than 400 wines poured representing more than 100 wineries, with lots of winemakers on hand to chat. The Californian Wine Fair is one of the best organized and most comprehensive wine events in Canada, so get your tickets now because they do sell out and there are no tickets at the door: Call the California Wine Fair Hotline 905-336-8932 or 1-800-558-CORK (2675) Visit www.calwine.ca Tastings are held in the evenings, but check […]

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Asparagus and Brie Tartlets Recipe Paired with Riesling or Merlot

Eat Green this St. Patrick’s Day I love the month of March because it is a sign of fresh things to come. The weather is beginning to warm up and green is starting to poke out from under the snowy landscape. And of course that’s not the only green we’re seeing; St. Patrick’s Day will bring a whole new slew of green things. And there’s no better way to incorporate the festive colour into your St. Patty’s day than with a delicious asparagus and Canadian Brie-based appetizer. Impress your guests with these Asparagus and Brie Wonton Tartlets – trust me, […]

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LCBO Wines on Sale: Bargains and Best Buys March 2015

Sponsored Post by Philippe Dandurand Wine Agency You can get the complete shopping list of these wines in your closest liquor stores here.       Villa Maria Private Bin Pinot Noir 2012 Marlborough, New Zealand Regular Price: $21.95   Sale Price: $19.95  March 1 to March 28         Folonari Valpolicella 2012 Vénétie, Italy Regular Price: $14.45   Sale Price: $12.45  March 1 to March 28         Les Jamelles Merlot 2012 Vin de Pays d’Oc, France Regular Price: $12.95   Sale Price: $10.95  March 1 to March 28         Folie À Deux Menage A […]

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Canada’s Best Sommelier Competition: Bruce Wallner Video

In this video chat, Bruce Wallner, recently named Ontario’s Best Sommelier, talks about participating in the Best Canadian Sommelier Competition this month in Halifax. He’s already a certified Master Sommelier and has worked in restaurants around the world, including Australia, Spain and the UK. We also talked about what made him want to become a sommelier originally (some interesting comparisons with the world’s oldest profession), the role of a sommelier and what he enjoys most about the job.       Tell us about the competition: who enters and what do you have to do to compete? This event is […]

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New Wine from Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have just launched their first wine, a lovely, pink petal, bone-dry rose from Provence called Miraval Rosé. The wine is being released in the LCBO Saturday. The couple owns the winery and estate Château Miraval, even though you’ll find no reference to them on the label. This wine doesn’t need to ride on the back of their celebrity: it stands alone as a terrific, refreshing rose with aromas of small field strawberries, orange zest and light spices. Should I add though that there’s a hint of drama on the nose, with a surprise twist finish? […]

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Chocolate and Wine Pairings for Valentine’s Day

  In this short video, we pair wine and chocolate for Valentine’s Day … and every day in the year. Who needs a special occasion? You can find more tips on pairing chocolate and wine here. Explore delicious new matches that will surprise you with their flavour combinations. Here are my favourite wines for chocolate in stores now. This video is part of an ongoing wine series with Canadian Press and is posted with permission.    

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Magic Cream Cheese Macaroons Recipe Paired with Riesling

Magic Cream Cheese Macaroons Fall in Love with these Valentine’s Day Delights Love is in the air, and delicious treats are in the kitchen. If you’re looking for something to make for the one you love, or just some treats to bring into the office, I highly recommend these Magic Cream Cheese Macaroons. They’re a no-bake recipe, made with soft Canadian Cream Cheese and coconut (a delicious combination that go together as well as you and your Valentine… awwww!). Ok, so if you don’t have a Valentine, well these are the next best thing. Whether you’re coupled off or spending […]

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LCBO Wines on Sale: February 2015 Bargains and Best Buys

Sponsored Post by Philippe Dandurand Wine Agency You can get the complete shopping list of these wines in your closest liquor stores here.   Trapiche Reserve Syrah 2013  Argentina Regular Price: $11.95   Sale Price: $10.95  February 1 to February 28       [yellow tail] Shiraz 2013 New South Wales, Australia Regular Price: $23.75   Sale Price: $21.75  February 1 to February 28         HobNob Wine Company George Duboeuf Pinot Noir 2009 Languedoc, France Regular Price: $12.95   Sale Price: $11.95  February 1 to February 28       Yellow Tail Bubbles Sparkling Wine 2010 South Eastern Australia Regular […]

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Finding Your Sole-mate: Pairing Sparkling Wine and Seafood

By Melissa Pulvermacher The Vino Enthusiasts wine club is a gathering for people who appreciate wine and want to learn more about it. The group gets together to taste, pair and learn on a monthly basis. At the most recent wine club, the group drank sparkling wine paired with seafood to discover the array of types and how they all pair differently with food. The goal was to compare and contrast the most popular sparkling styles with local, Ontario options that are made and accessible in our own backyards. The food pairings included crab and goat-cheese crostini, lemon-butter calamari, salted […]

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Best LCBO Wine Reviews and Ratings: Vintages January 24

  You can access the 56 wines that I reviewed for January 24 as a text wine list with my complete tasting notes, scores, food matches. You can also see my wine reviews for January 10. 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 […]

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