Wine - Gems QPR Wines

Monday, December 31, 2012

"Wine-ding down 2012"

Happy Holidays and now, New Year's. Time flies and suddenly it is the end of the month/year and I am scrambling to make a theme of what I have been drinking and what I think is a particular value and worth sharing...

Two sparklers speak to holiday festivities and the reds are affordable dinner party companions. Tenuous themes but true, so I will stick with it!

Niagara bubbles:

JACKSON-TRIGGS - ENTOURAGE GRAND RESERVE MÉTHODE CLASSIQUE BRUT, 2008 -$22.95
Good complexity for price. Brioche, pear and apple on nose and palate. Creamy mousse.

http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo-ear/lcbo/product/searchResults.do?ITEM_NAME=entourage&ITEM_NUMBER=&language=EN

http://on.jacksontriggswinery.com/product/2007-Silver-Series-ENTOURAGE-Sparkling-Methode-Classique

FLAT ROCK CELLARS - BRUT RESERVE, 2007 -$35.00
Complex layers of citrus and apples, with biscuit to round out nose and palate. Lingering finish.

http://www.flatrockcellars.com/products/category/sparkling-wine

Great value red:

BROTTE - LA FIOLE - COTE DU RHONE (GRENACHE/SYRAH) FRANCE - $13.95

Simple but pleasing wine. Good value for money with spicy and floral nose. Blackcurrant, plum and a slight herbaceous quality.

http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo-ear/lcbo/product/details.do?language=EN&itemNumber=293498

Classic Chianti:

TOMMASO BOJOLA - LA CASTELLINA, CHIANTI CLASSICO, ITALY - $21.95

Fruity and savoury nose - wild herbs and blackcurrant. Lengthy herbal, dried fruit palate with a hint of black tea.

http://www.winealign.com/wines/23520-La-Castellina-Tommaso-Bojola-Chianti-Classico-2007

Friday, November 30, 2012

Beat the early winter blues with a virtual trip to Italy's wine country

Here it is the eve of the end of another month and I am frantically writing my blog. I don't know how I got from once a week to sliding in one post a month. I have mused about too tight a focus; only writing about wines that are great value for money but reflection will be for the new year. Right now I will focus on the lead up to the holidays and crowd pleasing wines that won't break the bank.

Speaking of banks, I have had a lot of expenses and fear I will not be travelling for a while. I decided to armchair travel this winter through wine. This week to Italy; two different regions, styles of wine but both great values.

FRASCOLE CHIANTI RUFINA - 2009 - CHIANTI, ITALY - $16.95
Earthy nose of cherry, balsamic and herbs. Rich, mouthfilling and medium bodied palate, with dried cherry fruit, spice and black tea finish. Food friendly.

http://lcbo.com/lcbo-ear/lcbo/product/details.do?itemNumber=085167
http://www.frascole.it/chianti-rufina-frascole.php

SELLA & MOSCA RISERVA CANNONAU DI SARDEGNA - 2008 - SARDINIA, ITALY - $15.95
Cannonau known to most as Grenache. Medium bodied with baked plum, coffee and spice on the nose. There is cherry fruit and some dry herbs on the palate. Pleasing length.

http://lcbo.com/lcbo-ear/lcbo/product/details.do?language=EN&itemNumber=425488

Monday, October 29, 2012

Canadian Wine & Beer That Looks but Doesn't Taste Scary

As both the Frakenstorm and Halloween approach, I batten down the hatches and hold onto the decorations in the wind; my mind turns to spooky seasonal beverages that warm up the soul.

Mt. Begbie - Nasty Habit - IPA - Revelstoke, B.C. $5.60
Malt, citrus peel and grapefruit, intense fruity & floral hops, hint of resin; pleasant bitterness from hops.

Mt. Begbie Brewing

Dieu du Ciel - Corne Du Diable - IPA - Quebec - 6.5%
Dry hopped red ale with intense bitterness. A blend of American West Coast & British IPA styles.

Coffin Ridge - Back from the Dead Red - Marchal Foch - Owen Sound, ON - $17.00
Lean and juicy; herbal, sour cherry and smoke.

Flat Rock Cellars - Twisted - White Blend - Niagara, ON - $16.95
Mineral, pear & grapefruit on nose & palate. Approachable, off-dry Riesling, Gewurtztraminer & Chardonnay blend. Crowd pleaser!

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Not just the leaves grabbing the attention this fall; September Sparkles

Tyler at North of 9 Fine Wine asked me to do a Wine of the Weekend write up. I was honoured because I really like his website & blog (check it out http://www.northof9finewine.com/ ).
The structure was a bit different for me, but I enjoyed doing it so much, I wanted to share with my readers.

SEGURA VIUDAS BRUT RESERVA CAVA, SPAIN -$14.25

This wine has predominantly apple notes but the 15 months it spends in oak gives it some biscuit and nutty complexity. Then its crisp acid and allows it to stand up to some lovely creamy cheeses like Delice de Bourgogne or St. Andre. It also pairs wonderfully with salty olives, Parmigiano Reggiano and charcuterie. The beauty of sparkling wine is its versatility. When serving hors d'oeuvres, and not certain what to match, the different flavour profiles of the food are effortlessly covered with one beverage.

http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo-ear/lcbo/product/details.do?language=EN&itemNumber=216960

http://www.seguraviudasusa.com/brut-reserva-sparkling-wine.html

BERNARD-MASSARD BRUT CUVÉE DE L'ÉCUSSON, LUXEMBOURG -$16.95

Cremant, often Cava's more elegant cousin, is still approachable in price - under $20.00. The recently released Bernard-Massard Brut Cuvee de L'Ecusson (Luxembourg) is especially impressive for $16.95 The blend of Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot Noir creates a lovely wine of reasonable complexity. Slightly off-dry, this wonderful wine has a lemon-lime, pear bouquet that follows through on the creamy palate. A moderate finish that ends with an enticing hint of nuttiness. This too would go beautifully with cheeses that have some strength, earthiness or nuttiness like Gouda, Brie de Meaux, Munster or Tomme de Savoie. Of course Cremant, Cava, Prosecco and most other sparklers pair nicely with the standard Champagne matches of oysters, shellfish and seafood. Sparkling wine is one of the few choices that will go with eggs and proof is in matching it with tasty cheese soufflés especially when the main ingredient is Emmantal or Gruyere – so think brunch!

http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo-ear/lcbo/product/inventory/searchResults.do?language=EN&itemNumber=970970

http://www.bernard-massard.lu/en/

Saturday, September 15, 2012

My Niagara Escarpment Picks: Go-to QPR Wines

It has been a couple of weeks since I posted anything. Aside from life getting in the way, I just didn't feel I had tasted anything worth talking about. Perhaps that is because of the narrow focus I have given my blog or just bad luck. I always want to share wines that I feel have a price-quality relationship, and whatever the budget, I am recommending value. Sometimes this is a stretch and I go outside of my normal circles to find things the reader may like, but this week it is not about you, it is about me.

Now with that tongue-firmly-planted-in-cheek comment aside, I do want to talk about a wine region I am passionate about - the Niagara Escarpment. With Ontario on the tips of LCBO shoppers tongues this week, it seemed only natural. It is true I have a bias to a region that I can easily drive and bike around, visiting wineries at will, but I also simply feel that many of the wines created there are quite spectacular.

While discussing this same subject last night, it was pointed out to me that you couldn't ask for much better than limestone and clay-loam soil and that if we stick to varieties that our soil and climate favours, like Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Riesling there is a huge opportunity to make our mark in the world of wine.

Below are some of my go-to wines. These not only present a good QPR but are generally quite affordable to the average consumer:

CAVE SPRINGS
Dolomite Riesling $16.95
http://cavespring.ca/wines/wine-details?wine=Riesling+Dolomite&vintage=2010&type=Niagara+Escarpment

Chenin Blanc '09 - $14.95
http://cavespring.ca/wines/wine-details?wine=Chenin+Blanc+Estate&vintage=2009&type=Estate+Bottled
http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo-ear/lcbo/product/details.do?language=EN&itemNumber=627315