After you’ve checked out the wineries, I highly recommend taking my day-long circular tour of the south eastern portion of the County – the most scenic area of the region. It includes Waupoos Cider, the stunning Fifth Town Cheese, Lake on the Mountain, the beautiful hollyhocks of Waupoos, a pub, Vicki’s famous veggie stand and the stylish Mad Dog gallery. Just in case you haven’t been, Long Dog winery is enroute. Pack a picnic or not – there are lots of refreshment stops. On a sunny day, this outing is as good as it gets. Continue reading →
Archive for May, 2009
The Original Zin
The sweetish pink wine called White Zinfandel will soon be doing the rounds at summer parties, so let’s gets the facts straight about Zinfandel. It’s a red grape and its purpose in life is the be a red wine, not some frivolous candy sweet pinko.
The Italian immigrant farmers that lugged this grape the whole way to California would not be too happy to see it commercialized into pop wine. And if all this wasn’t distressing enough, Zinfandel is not even the wine’s proper name – it’s Primitivo. But those Italian immigrants had more pressing things on their minds than remembering the name of the grape vines hidden in their luggage. Someone in California – no one knows who – came up with the Zinfandel name.
What we do know is that Zinfandel is a fantastic red for the beefy BBQ season coming up. It feels somewhat like Merlot but is wilder and livelier. It can be a little rustic too.
Fetzer’s Zin is all of the above, and there’s no mistaking its Italian heritage. Lots of spunk and vigour here – get some food on the table, and open another bottle.
Ravenswood is more Californian – or Latino. The flavours radiate like a brilliant sunset, but it’s not heavy or dense. This guy’s more into play and charm, and just wants to have fun. Equally at home with red or white meat.
I was going to recommend an excellent Primitivo wine from the heel of Italy but the LCBO just delisted it. Rats. But at least you know it’s the original Zin.
FETZER 07 Zinfandel ‘Valley Oaks’, California 234617 $14.95
RAVENSWOOD 07 Zinfandel ‘Vintners Blend’, California 359257 $17.95 (Vintages section, continuously available)
Why I Don’t Use Wine Scores
The February 2nd Vintages release features an article on the 100 point scoring system along with several selections to try. Most of you will know that I find wine scoring to be terribly misleading and a bit of an ego trip for the critic. Its greatest flaw is it assumes that pleasure comes soley from the wine with no thought for context or mood. Just about all high scoring wines are super rich, a bit serious and totally inappropriate for most of life’s drinking and social occasions. Scoring places ‘bigness’ above delicacy. Monster wines get monster scores. All other styles are scored less and are therefore considered less good.
Wine, or anything for that matter, can only be good at, or for something – it can’t just be good in itself. Wine scoring fosters the belief that the higher the score the ‘better’ the wine. More pleasure to be had. But Beethoven and you’ll be happy!
Wine scoring is an American invention and the writers who use it seem to have very strong American sensibilities. They love comfort, softness, richness and sweetness, and all things obvious. They dislike any form of challenge, adventure or mystery. If you would like to sample a couple of 90 point wines by America’s most celebrate wine critic, Robert Parker Jr, try the following: Maxwell Four Roads Shiraz (57000 $21.90 page 10 in the catalogue) and Pillar Box Red (685941 $17.40 page 9). Both drinks seem to be modeled on Port, and are more closely related to chocolate than wine.
My pet boring/hate wine in this release is Bodega Cyan ’12 Messes’ Toro, Spain (66936 $16.75 page 17) a 90 pointer by Jay Miller (an associate of Parker). It’s a big, chunky, awkward brute. Shades of a really bad monster home.
What do YOU think? Would love to hear from you.
Hey Barman, Give Me a Carmen
My recent Recession Red tasting event seems to have opened peoples eyes and minds to the great buys to be had in the land of ten dollar wines. I’m seeing more acceptance, even respect, for ‘cheap’ wine. In the past low prices usually signified low quality – but not anymore.
Today some good wine producers are deliberately selling low. Large wineries from countries short on prestige have no option but to sell at everyday prices. For them, their small margin per bottle ends being worthwhile because of volume sales. Owners of small wineries often admit to me that the competition’s ten dollar Chardonnay is as good as their fifteen dollar wine, but they “can’t match that price”.
The best example of selling low is Chile. Almost every Chilean wine on our shelves is under priced. The really good stuff is way under-priced, for example, the following pair from Carmen. Carmen 08 Chardonnay not only feels rich and luxurious but is also full of vitality. Glamour combined with a pure, fresh feeling. The Nicole Kidman of Chardonnay, and a great date for ten bucks. Pair it with a roast chicken from the Chalet and you’re all set.
Carmen’s Cab is also star quality. Immediately you’ll sense its rich and warmhearted nature, and as you engage it, a dry, French styling unfolds. Cabernet is, after all, a French grape variety. An air of formality makes it feel classier than most everyday priced reds from warm climates. I suggest steak frites, or le hamburger. Complete the Bistro feeling with a checkered tablecloth. Santé.
CARMEN 08 Chardonnay, Chile 235663 $9.90
CARMEN 06 Cabernet Sauvignon, Chile 78980 $10.75
Great Food on Harbord Street
BEST KEPT SECRET FOR FOODIES
Harbord Street is semi-famous for its restaurants such as the elegant Splendido and Loire, modern bistros Messis and Harbord Room and gastropub Harbord House. But the best kept secret is a café/patisserie called Dessert Trends, or DT Bistro.
Located in a handsome building on the corner of Brunswick, it is an oasis of calmness and serenity with an Eastern aesthetic that is as joyful as the face of owner/Olympic chef, Don Doung. Go and enjoy very good espresso and croissants, perhaps the best almond croissant in the city. Soups, salads and sandwiches are tasty works of art, as are the desserts, homemade ice cream, wedding cakes and food products to go. Fantastic! Service can be slow – part of the experience. Closed Mondays. Open for dinner Wednesday to Saturday too!
Dessert Trends, 154 Harbord Street, Toronto
www.desserttrends.ca
Billy: Yikes! Clearly I didn't drink ENOUGH.
Thanks....
Stu: Oops. Product name next to the photo notes: France. Last time I checke...
Kato: Loved Spain's Gran Feudo we had a few nights ago...great food wine....