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Sparkling Wine

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Summer Favourites

August 11, 2018

While life is crazy and busy right now, I’m doing my best to keep up with things related to the blog. That’s been made a little easier because there are so many fantastic things that are making me happy in this realm. Below is a bit of a round-up of things I wanted to share with you.

In the French Kitchen with Kids by Mardi Michels

I have long loved Mardi Michel’s blog, eat.live.travel.write, so I was very excited to learn about her new book, In the French Kitchen with Kids. I immediately bought a copy, despite the fact that I don’t have any kids of my own (and am admittedly completely uninterested in the actual act of cooking – thankfully, Shawn loves it), and this is a great addition to our cookbook collection. Mardi’s recipes are easy-to-follow and super fun and I have recommended it to so many of my friends who *do* have kids. Mardi has embraced the importance of teaching children, in particular young boys, to cook and all the ways that this skill can help them make better health choices as they grow up. I love that philosophy and how in imbues this book.

Campo Viejo – Rosé

When I was in Spain visiting Campo Viejo last fall, I spent some time on the winery patio with a glass of this lovely, fruit-forward rosé. It is a memory I was happy to relive just a little bit when I discovered a bottle of this wine at my local LCBO. Typically only available for a short time in the summer, I suggest picking one up if you see it. Dark pink, full of summer fruit flavours and just dry enough to ensure it will still pair well with whatever you throw on your barbecue, this is well worth trying.

Chateau des Charmes Methode Traditionnelle Brut Sparkling

I recently had some of my girlfriends over for an evening of pizza and wine while Shawn was in Germany. This was our intro wine and we all agreed it was a winner. Crisp and tart with great bubbles, it’s a fantastic alternative to Champagne when that’s out of budget or just not appropriate. I love a glass of bubbles to kick off an evening and this one definitely did not disappoint.

Tasting the Past by Kevin Begos

I have taken a bit of a break from reading wine books of late after reading almost nothing else for several years. I needed time to catch up on the many thrillers, biographies and science books sitting neglected on my bookshelf and to cleanse my palate before diving back in. Given the mix of science and viticulture promised in Begos’ book, I’m looking forward to taking that plunge. I have been doing a lot more science writing of late and I love seeing a few of my passions come together.

 

Port Cocktails

Following our trip to Prague (an amazing and much-needed getaway), I was so excited to be invited to a port tasting with Taylor Fladgate and iYellow Wine Club. And then I got sick. Really sick. That meant missing out on a fantastic evening, but I was so happy when the iYellow team sent me some of the recipes developed for the event. I always enjoy Taylor Fladgate port (their 20 year old is divine) and this is a fantastic way to enjoy their younger port in the summer months.

Tawny Fizz

1.5 oz of Tawny 10

.5oz part Cognac

Splash of real lemon juice

Shake over ice and pour into glass

Top with sparkling wine, we used Veuve Ambal Cremant de Bourgogne

Garnish with a lemon zest

Late Bottle Vintage Portoni 

2 oz Taylor Fladgate Late Bottle Vintage Port

.5 oz Gin – we used Bloom Gin, (we highly recommend you use this gin as other gins have different flavour profiles such as pine needle or cucumber aromas)

.5 oz Campari

Stirred over ice

Pour into glass

Garnish with an orange peel

Credit to bartender https://www.instagram.com/thegeorgejetson/ for developing these!

Patio Sippers

You’ve no doubt heard me go on about Pommies and SoCial Lite in the past, so it should be no surprise that they are making my summer just a little better. SoCial Lite has two great new flavours of their no sugar, all natural cocktails, which make for a much less stressful cooler situation. The lemon cucumber mint and grapefruit flavours are fun new additions to their line and the grapefruit, with just a hint of flavour is my new favourite. If you love a vodka soda or can’t stop drinking La Croix (guilty), you will enjoy these.

Pommies new sangria does have sugar, but it’s a tasty alternative to cider from this Canadian company. Pommies is my go-to cider, so I’m always thrilled to see it on a menu and I’ll be recommending this to my friends who like their drinks a little sweeter. I enjoyed it at a recent get-together with friends and it was a fun alternative to beer.

Whew! That was a little more of a wrap-up than I had planned, but it’s great to be back and to share some of these fabulous finds with you guys.

What have you been enjoying this summer? Share your thoughts in the comments or on social.

Holiday Cheer

Holiday Wine Time

December 10, 2017

So you need a wine for that holiday event – from entry-level to totally unexpected, these four are options worth considering.

Chateau des Charmes 2016 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay
Chateau des Charmes is a favourite of ours and I often recommend their wines to friends who are new to Ontario wine – they consistently deliver at a reasonable price point. This Chardonnay has notes of pineapple, peach and mango on the nose and creamy pineapple and apricot notes on the palate. Such an enjoyable wine with or without food.

Donna Paula 2015 Estate Malbec
Trying to find a food-friendly red that everyone can agree on? This Donna Paula 2015 Estate Malbec is a great choice for an earthy meal featuring mushrooms or black olives. It’s got damp earth, fig and black olive on the nose and a savouriness on the palate that’s cut through with notes of plum and dark cherry. Shawn and I both gave this one the nod of approval.

Sperling Vineyards Brut Sparkling
Tart and pretty with loads of green apple, this B.C. sipper is a great option for your holiday party guests—especially if they include wine nerds like me. Made with great care by this family-run operation, Sperling wines are very terroir driven and drinking this lovely sparkler reminds you of beautiful Okanagan Valley vistas.

Ferox 2016 Sauvignon Blanc
I love this wine. It’s expensive, but it’s unique and fantastic – there’s tropical fruit, mango and melon on the nose and it’s much creamier than I expected. It’s an elegant wine with pineapple, mango and peach on the palate – very different than any other Sauvignon Blanc I’ve tasted (even from Ontario) and I can’t wait to have it again.

 

 

Food & Wine

Bubbles Make Everything Better

October 9, 2017

I was recently asked if I had to choose one type of wine to drink exclusively for the rest of my life—my desert island wine—what it would be. It was a tough question, but my head and my heart kept going back to one thing—Champagne. Not sparkling wine or Prosecco or Cava (although I enjoy all of them in the right circumstances), but the beautiful bubbles that only one region in France can truly perfect. Champagne has always tugged at my heart and on a desert island it would pair well with a diet of fish and mango, wouldn’t it?

Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut ChampagneOn my recent trip to Spain I drank quite a lot of Champagne. Starting an evening with a glass of Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut Champagne or their delicious Rosé Champagne was a decadent treat and a perfect way to kick off an evening of Spanish tapas and the bold Tempranillos of Campo Viejo (our hosts for the trip). Sitting in my hotel lobby chatting with new friends and enjoying the nuanced flavours and aromas and the delightful fizziness of well-made bubbles, it’s hard to imagine anything more perfect.

That may be why I found the sparkling wine tasting I attended a few days after my return from Spain a bit anti-climactic. Not that I expected bubbles on the level of the PJ I enjoyed on my trip, but so much of what was on hand was underwhelming. When done well, sparkling wines can be transformative—and they can transform food into an exciting and unique experience. But so many I tasted that evening were overly sweet or dry but lacklustre or overly acidic. Some were, frankly, just unpleasant.

But I hate being *that* wine writer, the one that complains about the cheap sparkling wine after spending a week drinking wines that retail for $70+ at the LCBO (and for good reason, since Champagne is painstaking to make) and there were some standouts at the tasting, so let’s talk about those:

Four sparkling winesPiper-Heidsieck Champagne Cuvée Brut – OK, so I just talked about reasonably-priced wines and I’m starting with one that retails for $50+, but hear me out – it’s delicious. There’s tart fruit on the nose, the wine is balanced and flavourful and for a celebration (or a night when you just want Champagne), this is a good option.

Henry of Pelham Cuvée Catherine Rosé Brut – This long-time favourite of mine continues to stand up. It’s well-made and so drinkable. I love the hints of raspberry and apple on the palate and how balanced it is. This is a go-to in our house for celebrations and movie nights when you just want something perfect to pair with popcorn or potato chips (yes, we’re those people).

Labouré-Gontard Cremant de Bourgogne Brut – If you’re looking for a less-expensive, but still dependable sparkling wine, Cremant do Bourgogne often works well and this is a great example of that. With citrus and brioche on the nose, this pleasant, dry sipper had a nice balance of fruit and acidity on the palate.

Jackson Triggs Entourage – This was an unexpected find for me, as I’m not always drawn to JT wines. But the Entourage surprised me with its ripe summer fruit notes and hints of sweetness that were refreshing. Reasonably priced, this is a good option for patios or parties.

Ulysse Collin Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Les Pierrieres Another stand-out I tried in Spain was the Ulysse Collin Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Les Pierrieres Champagne, which we discovered at a lovely little boutique wine shop and enjoyed on the last evening of our trip as we wound down from a decadent and somewhat overwhelming meal. It was a wonderful experience to try such a unique Champagne from one of the region’s more avant garde producers and I wish I’d been more awake (in my defense, it was 2 a.m.). Any chance to try a wine from one of the more experimental winemakers in the region is quite intriguing. I know I enjoyed my glass immensely and it gave me much to ponder, as it held so many of the characteristics I love about Champagne, but had an almost earthy quality counterbalanced with pronounced acidity that was delightful and unique. I hope to have the opportunity to taste more of this producer in the future.

What are your favourite bubbles? Are you all about Champagne too or do you prefer something sweeter? Maybe you love dry Ontario sparklers or go crazy for a good Cava? Share your thoughts in the comments below or on social!

 

Holiday Cheer

Last Minute Holiday Gift Ideas

December 21, 2016
Pommies Cider Gift Pack

So we’re furiously getting ready for the holidays at our house and most of our gifts have been purchased, but I know there will be one or two last minute things that pop up (they always do). So if you have to brave the long pre-holiday lines at the LCBO or a liquor store near you, here are some great gift ideas for that one you forgot was on the list!

Pommies Cider Holiday Gift Pack – When I grab a cider, it’s usually from Pommies. This Ontario cider company won my heart years ago and I still gravitate to them when it’s on the menu at restaurants. We have more than enough glassware, but for a new-to-cider drinker, this is a really fun option. Shawn and I both swear that drinks taste better with the right glass and this is a jam-packed gift set with four ciders and two glasses.

Thornbury Spiced Apple Cider is a great last minute holiday giftThornbury Cider – Need something smaller, but still want to go with cider? Create a DIY gift with Ontario’s Thornbury Cider. One festive Spiced Apple Cider and one glass, plus some cinnamon sticks to add to the holiday feel and ‘voila’ you have the perfect hostess gift to head off to that holiday party.

Otazu Premium CuveeOtazu 2012 Premium Cuvee – If you show up at my house with a good bottle of wine, you won’t be turned away this season. Otazu Premium Cuvee has great earthy notes and lots of spicy bramble on the nose. A food-friendly Spanish wine that would pair well with red meat, this is great for winter sipping and a pretty fantastic hostess gift when you’re heading to a party.

 

 

last-minute-3Mercat Brut Nature Cava – Bubbles are my go to for pretty much everything, especially when I need a last minute gift I know people will enjoy. This Spanish Cava was a favourite at a recent sparkling tasting I attended and is a nice, dry option that won’t break the bank. It will definitely be appreciated as a hostess gift or at your holiday brunches. I have a bottle set aside for holiday sipping and will gladly welcome anyone who shows up with more.

What are your go-to options for gifts when you’re racing against the clock? Share them in the comments or on social!

* The ciders featured were samples I received and the wines were tasted at events where I was a guest. All opinions are my own. Seriously, bring me some more Mercat.