The moment of truth

You’ve been invited to a dinner party, or are having some friends over for some fun and you need the right wine (ok, let’s be honest, wineS) to make the event complete.  If this situation causes you to break out in a cold, overwhelmed sweat, have no fear, Amie and her purple teeth are here!

I spend a fair bit of time perusing wine shelves and in my travels I have witnessed many a furrowed brow as a poor unsuspecting person attempts to navigate the many countries, grapes, vintages and regions available.  Trying to decide which bottle to choose seems like an impossible task as all the descriptors swirl together into a complicated vortex of information that, without hours upon hours of study, makes little or no sense to the average beverage consumer. 

How does one select one, two or even a dozen bottles from the hundreds of choices on the shelves?  I have a few tricks up my sleeve to help you along your path to savoury enlightenment.

Let me start by saying that I put zero stock in the cute labels that some marketing masterminds use to lure consumers into a false sense of security.  While it may be nice to look at a brightly coloured label with some catchy pun, I often find these highly commercialized wines to blend into the crowd and offer very little to wow my palate.  I should say though, that I have found a few very entertaining wines in these amusing packages, so I don’t allow a cute label to completely turn me away.  I guess I’m trying to say that just like in books, we shouldn’t judge a wine by its label.  Aside from cute graphics, bright colours or trendy names, labels can offer quite a wealth of information that might help you determine if a particular wine meets your needs.  Many countries list the type of grape, so if you are looking for a dry white wine to serve with delicate fish, you might look for a dry Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc, whereas if you’re serving roast beef, you might be more inclined to reach for a Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot.  Labels often cite vintage, region, alcohol content, sweetness, and more often than not the back label notes flavour characteristics and potential food matches. 

I highly suggest you make use of the expertise of the staff at your local store.  I don’t know what kind of training the staff at smaller retailers undergo, but the LCBO staff are at minimum educated about general wine information and have the opportunity to taste many of the products sold, making them a great resource.  Even as someone who spends more time reading about wine than about anything else, I still enjoy trying a bottle recommended by an LCBO employee as a way of trying to branch out of my comfort zone and I have yet to be disappointed.

There are many resources if you want to read up on wines to decide ahead of walking into a store.  I’d like to think that this blog could serve such a purpose, as does the LCBO website, Vintages magazine, Vines Magazine, Food & Drink Magazine, and any number of wine books and guides available for sale or at your local library.  Always ask around as well... see what your friends are drinking and give it a try!

Onto my review...

This past weekend I needed to grab a bottle of wine to take over to my Mom & Dad’s place to go with my Mom’s homemade pizza, and I happened to be in Metro so I stopped at the wine rack there.  I tend to get a little frustrated with the limited offerings in the little kiosks, but I was short on time, so I went with a bottle of Naked Grape Shiraz Malbec.  This is a highly commercial wine that I would compare more to Welches grape juice than to the wines I usually choose... it was very light and fruity, lacking any real varietal character but was a very easy drinker with a smooth finish.  I guess mediocre wine is better than no wine at all, but next time I’ll pass on the Naked Grape.  For less than the $10 I spent on that bottle, I would prefer a more satisfying beverage, such as my reliable Astica Malbec/Merlot.

House wines part II - Whites

I rambled on for so long in my last post about the reds I drink on a regular basis that I didn’t leave time to talk about whites.  I don’t tend to open whites “just for the heck of it” as often as I do with reds, but that’s not to say I don’t have a few that I go back to.

Pelee Island Monarch Vidal (VQA Niagara)

Vidal is such a versatile hybrid grape, I really love it.  This is less sweet than most, rates a 2 on the scale, and has just the lightest floral aroma.  One wine characteristic that I have a really hard time with is floral... if I can describe a wine as “tasting like flowers”, I’m not likely to enjoy it.  This Vidal does not taste like flowers, thank goodness, but rather like honeyed citrus.  This is a lovely sipper and I also like to serve this with salads topped with fruit, nuts and cheese.

Flat Rock Cellars Chardonnay (VQA Niagara)

Flat Rock is one of the coolest wineries I have had the pleasure of visiting.  They were among the first to use a gravity flow system to limit grape handling and reduce the energy consumption while the grapes take their delicious journey from vine to glass.

Their Chardonnay is smoky and sultry with a nice autumn feel to it.  I don’t subscribe to the snobbery that often surrounds Chardonnay, and this example fits that nicely.  Serve on its own or with chicken and root vegetable stew.

Vineland Estates Dry Riesling (VQA Niagara)

Vineland Estates is my favourite local Riesling maker.  I had the opportunity to taste what’s called a vertical flight at the estate back in 2006.  A vertical flight showcases several different vintages (years) of the same grape from the same winery.  While there were substantial differences across the vintages relating to the growing seasons and winemaking techniques, each one was a very quality beverage and I know that regardless of the vintage, Vineland Riesling doesn’t disappoint.  I particularly enjoy this selection as a pre-dinner drink, or served with spicy chili shrimp.

Well my friends, it appears that I only have 3 commercial white wines to write about today, a situation I will be working hard to remedy over the next few weeks.  I see that true to my usual form, I have stayed rather close to home with my routine selections.  I guess I prefer to patronize the wineries I've had a chance to visit since I feel like I know a little bit more about them, but as I've written previously, I risk missing out on greatness (I almost typed grapeness, but that's to cheesy, even for me) from other regions.  I've been doing a great deal of reading lately about some mouth watering Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand that I believe will be the next to reach my glass, and I must also sample the LCBO Vintages' more popular selection, Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio.

Please stay tuned for some exciting news in the next few weeks as my journey from glass to keyboard continues.

House wine

I'm often asked "what is your favourite wine?"   What a loaded question! 

Everyone has a wine profile: their list of likes and dislikes when it comes to wine.  Some I've heard are either dislikes or strict adherence to particular wine regions ("I hate French wine" or "I only drink Australian Shiraz"), loyalty to only one varietal, etc.  Some poor, misguided souls even think that they don’t like wine at all.  

My suggestion for you if you seek to really learn and enjoy all that the wonderful world of wine has to offer is to open your mind and your wine profile.  Like I said in my last post, I tend to gravitate towards big, chewy reds, but that's not to say I can't enjoy the intricacies of a delicate Riesling or a light, fruity Gamay. 
I started this blog talking about Baco Noir, a relatively unpopular grape among the average drinker.  I suggest never, ever saying things like "I don't like Baco" or "White wine is only for the summer".  If you taste with an open mind, you never know what you might find.  I started my grape loving journey rather certain that I didn't like white wine at all.  Period.  What a crazy statement!  I have tasted so many fabulously crafted, delicious wines that I never would have tried if I stuck with my decision that white wasn't right.  I also temporarily boycotted Merlot following the release of the movie Sideways, agreeing with Paul Giamatti's character that Merlot was perhaps a lower class wine not to be enjoyed by those of us who "know something" about wine.  I cringe to think of what I may have missed out on during that sad, misguided time.

I can't say I have a favourite wine... reality is that I have a new favourite wine every time I taste something that perks up my taste buds and warms my mouth with that juicy, smooth, velvety deliciousness that a great wine provides.  I can, however, give you a few of my go-to wines and when I like to use them.  These are bottles I buy when I need to know what I'm getting myself into and am not particularly interested in a sensory adventure.  Let's start with the reds.

Jackson-Triggs Proprietor's Reserve Cabernet Franc / Cabernet Sauvignon (VQA Niagara Peninsula)

This is a great "house wine".  It has bold flavour without overpowering your senses, and I like the interest the Franc brings to the nose and finish.  I serve this wine in the summer when we have BBQs because it is crowd pleasing and goes incredibly well with smoky BBQ fare.  This bottle typically retails for about $12.95, making it an affordable delight.

D'Arenberg D'Arry's Original Shiraz Grenache (Australia)

 This is a big red that I like to give as a gift to anyone who I know enjoys a spicy, slightly peppery wine with the most delightful ripe fruit flavour.  I also like to pull this wine out when cooking anything in the Greek, Moroccan or Middle Eastern vein.   

Trapiche Astica Merlot / Malbec (Argentina)

Especially considering the rising popularity (and the resulting rise in price) of Malbec, this is a really fantastic wine with a bargain price tag.  A 750ml bottle retails for $7.45, but this beauty is best enjoyed in its 1500ml form.  I like to buy this wine when I'm entertaining or when I know we're going to consume a quantity of wine and want to keep the price in check.  You can expect a fresh summer fruit and chlorophyll on the nose and a blast of jammy dark chocolate in your mouth.   

Pelee Island Gamay Noir / Zweigelt (VQA)

This lovely bottle (last time I purchased it, there was a picture of a flying squirrel on the label) is one of my favourite wines to offer to someone who says they don't like red wine.  The Gamay grape is reliable as a young, fresh fruit that often reminds me more of something I'd give my kids than booze.  It has a light body but the Zweigelt provides a little bit more structure than a standard Gamay.  I find this wine to have a mild smoky character, perfect for pairing with bacon wrapped scallops or herbed pancetta chicken.  It's also amazingly affordable at about $11... that's cheap enough to stagger back for another! 

Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Villages (France)

This is a very reliable Beaujolais (the Gamay grape grown in the Beaujolais region in France) that is vibrant and light, with high notes of strawberry and blueberry.  I would suggest chilling this wine for about 20 minutes, and I love serving this with typical “white wine food” like salmon or tuna steaks. 

Trius Red (Hillebrand Estates, Niagara VQA)

Trius Red is my go-to hostess gift.  At about $22 a bottle it is reasonably affordable, and I just love the long, smooth, sexy shape of the bottle.  But as pretty as it is on the outside, it’s what’s on the inside that counts.  The Trius line was created by a genius winemaker by the name of J. L. Groux, who now runs the show at Stratus (much, much more on this later).  This is a Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot (the percentages of each vary vintage to vintage) and is bold, complex and clean with great smoky cedar, vanilla and cherry notes.  While it pairs wonderfully with grilled meats and veggies, I prefer to enjoy with beauty on its own, or with a variety of sharp cheeses. 

It has become apparent to me that I have a lot of “favourite” wines, so I will follow up with my go-to white wine recommendations in my next post.

Until we drink again, cheers!

Hello and welcome!

Purple teeth, ever had 'em?  If you haven't, this blog may not be your cup of Cabernet.

It is for those of you who have experienced this particular phenomenon, brought on by the delightful consumption of a particular burgundy beverage, that I write this blog.  If your thirst for knowledge is second only to your thirst for Merlot, I encourage you to follow this blog and enjoy the ride.

I believe my first true experience with purple teeth came the weekend of my 25th birthday.  It was at a wine tasting event that I will get more into down the road, but it involved tasting a LOT of wine.  Again, I will go into more detail later, but you may be familiar with proper wine tasting technique and how one slurps, swishes and sucks on wine to get the full experience of the grape.  The result?  Purple teeth.  A temporary, hilarious ending to what I'm sure was a great time.  Or so I'm told.

My goal with this blog is to taste, educate, taste, share, taste and.... well, taste.  I have enjoyed wine for pretty much as long as I can remember.  I come from a long line of winemakers, so my wine loving tendencies come naturally, and really, who doesn't want to carry on family traditions?  It's my cross to bear, and bear it I shall.

Having been pregnant or breastfeeding for the better part of the last 5 years, I haven't been tasting as much as I would like, and that simply has to change.  So I'm turning a corner and making a commitment to taste something new and different at least every 2 weeks.  Much, much more if I have anything to say about it.
I will let everyone know that I am a lover of big, chewy red wines, so that is what I tend to gravitate towards, but I also love to try new and different wines and will write about everything I try.  Please feel free to comment if there is anything in particular you would like reviewed and I will do my best to accommodate.

Let's talk Baco Noir.
Baco Noir is not for everyone.  Baco is a hybrid grape that stands up to the harsher elements of cool climate growing regions, such as those we have here in Ontario, and other similar wine regions, like New York.  Baco is a strong tasting, fruit forward red, that often carries such discriptors as black fruit, tar, earth, even barnyard (think mud, straw).  It does not carry the tannic feel of other big reds like Cabernets or Merlots (tannins are what give that dry mouth sort of feeling) and is often blended with other hybrids, my favourite of which is Marechal Foch.
My dad and I often say that we judge a winemaker by his or her Baco.  It can tell you a lot about what a winemaker is trying to achieve.  If their Baco is light and fruity, they are likely attempting to achieve mass appeal, which for me is a total turn off.  Usually, the more "barnyard" qualities the Baco has, the better it suits me.  In terms of commercial offerings, I will suggest that Henry of Pelham is a good place to start (I suggest you go right now to get some because it's on sale until the 27th of February and I can't promise that I won't clear the shelf).  Their Baco is a little more commercial than others, but is true to the grape.  I enjoy pairing it with high flavour foods such as spicy BBQ steak or salad with blue cheese.  Lakeview Cellars make a stellar Baco, and I will be reviewing a few of their different vintages (same grape made in different years) soon.

My dad gave me a bottle of 2009 Baco Noir from Sandbanks Estate (VQA) in Prince Edward County.  This is a bit of an up-and-coming wine region here in Ontario (the Niagara Region and Lake Erie North Shore being the 2 commonly known regions in the province) and a really great one if you like delicious and affordable wine (you may want to close your browser window now if you don't).  This Baco has a whole lot of life in it, and I am likely going to invest in a number of bottles to taste over the next few years, as I think its best is yet to come.  It is very fruit forward with smoky black cherry notes and is fairly acidic.  I didn't pair this particular wine with food (it was used to combat some feelings of rage, and I must say, it worked quite well for this purpose) but would consider it with beef cooked in an Argentinian style with a chimi chiri sauce.  There is actually half a bottle left (I know, lightweight, I know) that will in all probability be used tonight as relaxation after a long day with the kids.

Until we drink again, cheers!