The Covid lockdown has hit wineries particularly hard, with visits to their tasting rooms banned for months and restaurant sales down. How are they coping? What strategies are they using? How can you support these local, grassroots businesses? There’s never been a better time to drink wine and feel great about it. *** Support your local wineries this season! Click here >>> shop local wines for the holidays *** We’re going to be chatting with someone who’s at the heart of this issue in Niagara-on-the-Lake wine country. Andrea Kaiser grew up there admist the winemaking revolution fueled by […]
Risotto with Radicchio and Pecorino Cheese Recipe Paired with Monte Zovo Sa’Solin Valpolicella Ripasso
Monte Zovo Sa’ Solin Valpolicella Ripasso pairs well with this wonderful fall recipe. Risotto with Radicchio and Pecorino Cheese Ingredients for 2 people:160 g of Carnaroli rice1 radicchio1/2 vegetable stock cube1/2 glass of Monte Zovo Sa’ Solin Valpolicella Ripasso1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil2 tablespoons of grated Pecorino cheese Fill a pot with about 400 ml of water. Add the stock cube and keep the broth hot on low heat. Cut the radicchio into strips and stir fry it in a saucepan with a tablespoon of oil for few minutes, then add the rice. Toast it, deglaze with the […]
Tagliatelle with Pumpkin and Sausage Recipe Paired with Monte Zovo Sa’Solin Valpolicella Ripasso
Monte Zovo Sa’ Solin Valpolicella Ripasso pairs well with this wonderful Fall recipe: Tagliatelle with Pumpkin and Sausage Ingredients for 2 people:200 g tagliatelle pasta400 g pumpkin pulp1 onion400 g pork sausage200 ml vegetable broth4 spoons of grated cheeseOlive oilNutmeg to taste Mince the onion, cut pumpkin into cubes and add with 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the saucepan. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the broth and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until it’s creamy. Add cheese and a sprinkle of nutmeg. Meanwhile, crumble the sausage and brown it in a pan. Cook the tagliatelle in salted […]
Family-Run Wineries v Corporate-Owned? Henry of Pelham’s Daniel Speck
Introduction What was it like being part of the budding Niagara wine scene? Why are wineries so well-suited to be family-owned? How does the terroir of the Niagara bench influence what you taste in Henry of Pelham wines? Why is Henry of Pelham so well-known for their Baco Noir? What hidden message can you find on the label of Henry of Pelham Family Tree wine? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Daniel Speck of Niagara’s Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery. You can find the wines we discussed here. Highlights How was Daniel’s […]
Baked Pumpkin Slices Recipe Paired with Monte Zovo Sa’Solin Valpolicella Ripasso
Monte Zovo Sa’ Solin Valpolicella Ripasso well with this wonderful fall recipe for Baked Pumpkin Slices. Baked Pumpkin Slices Ingredients:1.5 kg pumpkin20 g pumpkin seeds1 rosemary sprigSalt to tasteExtra virgin olive oil20 g flaked almondsSmoked paprikaBlack pepper Cut the pumpkin into slices, oil a baking tray and place them on. Sprinkle them with oil and chopped rosemary. Season with salt, pepper, paprika, pumpkin seeds and almonds. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 40-45 minutes. Serve with Monte Zovo Sa’ Solin Valpolicella Ripasso This post is a partnership with the team at Monte Zovo Winery, who provided the recipe. Wine reviews […]
The Shape of Wine Taste with Australia’s Wakefield Wines
Introduction How can you visualize the taste of wine in a chart? How would those charts be different for Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Riesling and Shiraz? What makes the wines from Australia’s Clare Valley unique? What is bâtonnage and what flavours and aromas will result in the wine? How does acidity improve your tasting experience? Why is balance one of the most critical aspects of a great wine? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m chatting with Justin Taylor and Neil Hadley of Australia’s Wakefield Wines. You can find the wines we discussed here. Highlights What was […]
The Best Croatian Wines to Try Now + Wine Regions
On CTV News, we dive into Croatian wines. Let’s first take a look at Croatia on the map and where the wine regions are. Croatia hugs the Adriatic Sea, and is neighbours with Slovenia, Hungary, Serbia and Montenegro. There are four major wine regions, but the best-known vineyards are on the Dalmatian islands planted on steep hillsides and getting lots of sunlight to ripen the grapes. Here’s a wine to help you remember that region, the Dalmatian Dog is from Dalmatia and made from the Babić grape: it’s full-bodied with dark plum flavours. […]
The Best Georgian Wines to Try Now + Wine Regions (Video)
On CTV News, we chat about Georgian wines. So let’s get our bearing first by looking at a map. Georgia, the country, not the state, hugs the Black Sea, with its neighbours being Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia. It was formerly part of the Soviet republic. Almost three-quarters of the country’s wine is produced in Kakheti like this full-bodied, savoury dry red wine from Mukuzani. United Stars Mukuzani Dry 2015 Alazani Valley, Kakheti, Georgia How important is the winemaking tradition to the country? Winemaking is so important to the […]
A Day in the Life of Toro Malbec from Argentina
Our team recently tasted Toro Centenario Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina. We’re sharing our reviews of this terrific, value-priced wine here, plus photos we took with the wine below. Taking our inspiration from photo essays and books that focus on one topic for a day, we’ve assembled our pictorial interpretation of California’s Toro Malbec. We’re also sharing these photos on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr and LinkedIn. The hashtag is Bodega Toro Winery Centenario Malbec 2019Mendoza, Argentina Like tango, soccer or a grilled steak, Argentines love the wines of their beautiful country, but their undisputed favourite is Toro. One out of […]
Taco Bell’s New Jalapeño Noir Wine: Should You Try It?
Introduction Taco Bell just launched its first wine called Jalapeño Noir, a Pinot Noir, get it? Is the wine any good? Should you try it? Does it pair well with tacos? What will surprise you about making the wine, especially the winery that made it? What was the stealth marketing plan behind the launch? What’s next, Big Macs and Bordeaux? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I’m going solo to do a live taste test for you. You can find the Jalapeno Noir wine here. Highlights How well did Taco Bell’s new Jalapeño Noir wine perform […]
