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 […]
Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Vintages Ratings February 4
You can access the 149 wines that I reviewed for as a text wine list with my complete tasting notes, scores, food matches. You can also see my wine reviews for January 21 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 or two […]
Recipe: Vanilla Coeur a la Creme with Blueberry Maple Compote Paired with Southbrook Vineyards Framboise
Vanilla Coeur à la Crème with Blueberry Maple Compote By Signe Langford I’m not sure what came first historically—the mould or the recipe — but I know what came first for me and that was the mould. I saw these pretty little heart-shaped dishes from Quebec craftswoman Edith Bourgault, and I wanted to know what they were for. In the Anjou region of France, where this recipe was created, it’s made with a fresh soft farmer’s cheese called fromage blanc, hard to find outside of Europe or possibly Quebec. In the rest of North America, mascarpone, quark or cream cheese […]
Best LCBO Wine Reviews: Vintages Ratings January 21
You can access the 98 wines that I reviewed for as a text wine list with my complete tasting notes, scores, food matches. You can also see my wine reviews for January 7. 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 or […]
Icewine: The Complete Story
Icewine: The Complete Story by John Schreiner Icewine: The Complete Story written by John Schreiner, one of Canada’s most talented writers, gives an in-depth history of one of the country’s most coveted wines. Buy it from Amazon Canada: CDN $21.21 Buy it from Chapters/Indigo Canada: CDN $19.95 Buy it from Amazon U.S.: US $13.27 Buy it from Barnes & Noble: US $18.95
Top 10 Icewines from Ontario and BC: Inniskillin Chardonnay Icewine, Megalomaniac Riesling Icewine, Ganton & Larsen Propect Vidal Icewine, Jackson-Triggs Gewurztraminer Icewine
What could be more festive than icewine in the winter. Here are some of my favourites. It always helps to have some back-up choices in case those below are already sold out. You can also add my Top Wine Picks to your custom shopping list by clicking on the little shopping cart icon. Stock up for the chilly weather ahead, then enjoy! Natalie [table id=25 /]
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 […]
Top 20 Wines Under $20: Beat the Heat with Bargain Bottles
In last night’s Facebook Live Video chat, we talk about how to get out of your wine rut with some ‘go to’ bargain wines. Continuing my tipsy quest for the world’s best bargain wines that I started in Unquenchable, here’s the July edition of my top 20 wines under $20. I love finding those bargain-priced bottles that taste twice as expensive as they cost. Here’s the full list of 20 wines. You can see the full wine reviews, ratings and food pairings if you are a Paid Member of our community. As well, you will see the liquor stores […]
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 […]
