#3. NATIONAL GALLERY OF VICTORIA (NGV)

Didn’t see this featured in guides nor was it recommended by the many folks we met bars. Just came across it between a stroll of Melbourne’s wonderful Botanic Gardens and downtown. Most good finds happen that way. At least for me.

Must admit I’m not a big gallery goer as it can get in the way of lunch, or dinner, or worse still – afternoon drinks, but the contemporary look of the NGV spoke to me as did the absence of crowds, heavily armed guards looking for cameras, and the free admission. An hour or two later I was one of the happiest gallery goers on the planet. I had seen an exciting mix of contemporary paintings, home furnishings by the Austria’s and Germany’s finest and very moving primitive sculptures/figures from the island countries north of Australia.

But what really excited me was the gallery itself. Each space was perfect for the work on show. Every time you turned a corner you experienced a new mood and new work. It was as if the gallery was put together by a great movie direction – so you were spellbound from start to finish. I mentioned that it was a contemporary building, and the play of natural light on the walls and floor surfaces in the halls and ramps connecting the spaces created the feeling of traveling through space. The architect had put as much thought into the corridors and escalators as the exhibition halls. One hall had a ceiling of multi-coloured glass which was the perfect complement the vibrant feeling of the huge abstract works on the walls.

Visual art and music (and wine) are emotional experiences and pleasures that are enhanced by how well they are staged and connected to the moment. The better the staging, the better the experience. NGV gave me a five star experience of its art. When I get a minute, I look forward to learning something about the brilliant architect/designer. NGV, St. Kilda Road, Melbourne

P.S. More on Melbourne in a few days.

Expect a gutsy, earthy, woodsy wine with a tangy refreshment. It’s not unlike the very dry reds of the North of Italy. A wonderful food partner. Good anytime, with anything. Surely the red wine buy of the year. Lightly chill in the warm weather.

I have been touting a lot of Pinots this year – mainly in the yummy, New World style, but now Cono Sur gives us the drier, Old-World edition. For sure, it’s happy days for Pinot fans.

CONO SUR 2011 Pinot Noir, Chile 341602 $10.95 ($9.95 till May 27)

Late Harvest Vidal is one of Ontario’s most delightful wines

A good time to have your first glass of Late Harvest (LH for short) is mid- afternoon on a summer’s day. Or with a weekend brunch, or with chicken or pork dishes. Non drinkers love it when offered a ‘little
glass’ of LH.
20 BEES 09 Late Harvest Vidal, VQA Ontario 274704 Vintages 375ml/$9.95
COLIO ESTATES ‘CEV’ 08 Late Harvest Vidal, VQA Ontario 470369 375ml/$9.95

P.S. Look for my early-summer Rosé list next week.
HENKELL ROSE PICCOLO, Germany 269720 3x200ml/$10.95

TODAY! I’m off to it. Sorry for the short notice. Love this event.

Date: May 8th, 2012
Time: 1:00 to 4:00 pm
Venue: MARS, 101 College Street, Toronto

www.somewhereness.com

You have all seen Australia’s icon image – the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. Like Brad and Angelina they are an eye-catching pair. But how are they up close? Even better. I can only vouch for the Opera and Bridge which are stunningly beautiful, especially from one of the waterside cafés of the Overseas Passenger Terminal.

The best way to get a feeling for the Sydney’s harbour district is to tune into a local artist who paints the place as brilliantly as Van Gogh painted Provence. Ken Done’s paintings capture the fun of living by the ocean, in a warm climate. “I love the patterns of the boats, the little hidden bays and the amazing spectacle of Sydney Harbour dressed in full sail”.

The best views of Opera & Bridge are from the Rocks. This characterful, heritage district is right under the bridge – and home to the Ken Done Gallery, of course. And the Museum of Modern Art, which has a patio café overlooking said attractions. And I counted at least twenty taverns on George and Argyle Streets, with more hidden in the alleyways. The Rocks is also home to Circular Quay – the tram and ferry hub that gets you to all the wonderful ‘city villages’ that make Sydney such a desirable place to live. I’d have a hell of a time deciding if I should be in Potts Point, Kings Cross, Paddington or maybe over in Manly – so my daily commute would be by ferry. After my evening ride I’d stop off at the 4 Pines Brewing Company tavern which has a second floor patio overlooking Manly Cove. Life would be perfect. But it might be even more perfect if I lived in the next place I’ll tell you about. Bondi Beach.

I’m delighted with the Moscato craze because unlike previous fads such as Blush, or Blue Nun which were wines manipulated for crowd appeal, this is about a wine that is naturally nice. The personality is genuine. Sure some will be less genuine than others, but overall people are discovering one of the most overlooked treats in wine. How good is that!

Italy is home to Moscato with a tradition of fermenting it in a sparkling, low alcohol style.

Check out BOTTEGA Moscato, Italy 588780 $12.35
But the current wave is about still wines, mainly from California and Australia. I’ve previously recommended the Aussie Moscato by McWILLIAM’S (212696 $14.95) and today’s pick is another hit from down under by the masters of value, JACOB’S CREEK. It feels drier than most due to the tangy freshness, slight spritz and low flavour. Could be the best spritzer in the world. Perfect for patio/party sipping, or to ease your way into Sunday morn. Or buy a few bottles for Mother’s Day… I bet she’ll love it.

JACOB’S CREEK 2011 Moscato, Australia 265157 $10.95

Time to get out of town, go to Niagara and live the good life!

I have some passes to give away for Niagara’s Wine & Herb event, sponsored by Niagara on the Lake wineries.  During the month of May you can spend the weekend sampling wines and enjoying different herb-themed food pairing from 28 participating wineries. Fun and yum!

Other Wine & Herb touring passes can be purchased for $43 per person, plus applicable taxes at wineriesofniagaraonthelake.com/wine-and-herb or by calling Tourism Niagara-on-the-Lake at 905.468.1950.

How can you win?
Reply to this post and tell me and the world what the hell you’ve learned from reading my blog, book or wine app!

I’ll email you back and get your contact info, then pop your pass in the mail. One per person.

Cheers.

Prince Edward County

The LCBO system for wines is geared to high volume, and most of the producers down here don’t fit that category. The Grange winery is an exception. You can find their very good Dry Riesling and Pinot Gris at most LCBO’s. The Riesling is zingy and loaded with wonderful citrus refreshment. Adult lemonade! Great for Summer thirsts. Mild flavours, and a pretty blush colour will be your first impressions of the Pinot Gris. But there’s also lots of refreshment from the whack of County minerality. Patio sipper or lunch wine.

The Grange, located in a huge, renovated barn, is one of the County’s must-visit wineries. Head for the patio overlooking the mill pond – a lovely spot to ‘hang-out’ on a summer’s afternoon.

THE GRANGE ‘TRUMPOUR’S MILL’ 2009 Riesling, VQA Prince Edward County 282528 $14.95
THE GRANGE ‘TRUMPOUR’S MILL’ 2010 Pinot Gris, VQA Prince Edward County 69336 $14.95

Importing Wine for Pleasure & Profit Seminar (9:30 a.m.-4 p.m)
Saturday June 16th
The Old Mill Inn & Spa, 21 Old Mill Road, Toronto

Featuring C. Steven Trenholme, a 30-year veteran of the international beverage alcohol industry, with details on how to import wine, spirits
and beer into the Ontario marketplace for personal use or as a career.

$295.00 Pre-Registration Required

Contact C.S. Trenholme & Associates at  cstrenholme@sympatico.ca

Put Woolfy’s on your list for where to eat if you’re heading to Stratford this summer. You won’t be disappointed. (And check out their new take-away shop – ‘LITTLE RED’ CAFÉ!)

Few red wines have a better track record than Roodeberg from South Africa. A retro star for sure. It pulls together the peppery/spicy feeling of the Rhone, the manly heft of Malbec, a dash of Italian tang – and of course the smoky/earthy quality found in most South African reds. Roodeberg may be the ultimate global wine! And it has a realness that’s missing in so many wines today. I can never understand why I don’t buy it more often. Best with any hearty meal, and outstanding with BBQ’d red meats. Now in a handy screw cap, so get cracking.

KWV ROODEBERG 09, South Africa

Every time I think I have the Rhone figured out another style comes along. More to enjoy and to increase my love of this region. A recent Rhone fling had me puzzled till I recognised its personality – it tasted and felt like a Pinot from Burgundy. Low-keyed, lightish in colour and full of suggestions. Sleek, charming and very seductive. Boy, was it ever a fast bottle.
I cannot wait to get into more of my stash of DE BORD. Mr Parker’s notes mention some crushed rocks but I prefer the back label’s promise of a ‘smart feeling on the end’. You will feel smart drinking, pouring and for buying this wine. As with most Rhones, I cannot imagine a food or situation it would not improve. BUY THIS.

CHATEAU DE BORD 09 Laudun, Cotes du Rhone-Villages, France 264218 $16.95

Visiting the land of killer snakes, sharks and crocodiles had never interested me. Excessive heat, bush land and endless glasses of Shirazes are not my idea of a good holiday. Nor is a 30 hour plane ride. But I went – cashed-in the air miles, and now I’m a convert. Australia is fantastic. At least the bars and beaches in and around Sydney and Melbourne.

Over the next few weeks I’ll list my ten most memorable experiences – stuff that was different. Which is the whole point of traveling, and collecting  those air miles. My first mention is a bar, of course.

#1. KITCHEN PARTY on CHAPEL STREET in MELBOURNE
Imagine this. You wander into what looks like a small, neighbourhood liquor store, but something tells you it’s not. There are people sitting at tables – DRINKING. You play it cool and browse the shelves, thinking you might have crashed one of those private parties? Four people at a table shout at me, “Look after the drinks, we’re out for a smoke”. I spot a long haired guy who looks like he could be the owner and I ask, “How does it work? Is this a store or a bar?” “It’s both.”

If you’d like to drink here, it’s a dollar mark-up on the beers, and five on the wines. Need glasses?” “YES, please, I think I’m in heaven”.

Because not only can I taste (drink) everything on the shelves, the selection is amazing. “We seek out the weird and wonderful from all over the globe – beers, wines and booze that the big stores don’t carry”. And he’s not kidding.  I saw row after row of stuff I’d never hear of. Labels that said “I dare you to try me!”. It was like visiting the underworld of drinks. Or the private stash of an old rocker. Where was my friend The Deacon when I needed him. He would surely have spotted connections between twisted labels and twisted songs. I drank a few whacky beers, and thanked the Lord for this owner, and for Melbourne. And asked myself why not? Why not let people drink in a liquor store? Not on your life in Ontario, but maybe someone could pull this off in Buffalo!

CHAPEL STREET LIQUORS, South Yarra, Melbourne chapelstreet.com.au

P.S. Chapel Street is a shoppers/drinkers paradise located in the Melbourne suburb of South Yarra. More on South Yarra in another post.

Gourgazaud is a bottom shelf, a LCBO sleeper. A French red with a weird name and a price that suggests ordinary – so hardly anyone buys it. However, if you lived in a place with independent shops, Gourgazaud would be front ’n centre as a great example of what France offers in red wine. A delicious mouthful of warmth, spice and the feeling of the south of France. Rich, smooth but also down to earth. Wine for beef, or anything hearty. Best in small pours from a huge glass.

CHATEAU de GOURGAZAUD 10 Minervois, France 22384 $12.95

Pinot Grigio is the generic Italian white but have you tried some of the wonderful regional whites, such as Arneis from Piedmont? The one I’m recommending delivers freshness, subtle flavours and an elegant, poised feeling. Wonderful aperitif for a fancy meal in how it sets the tone without attracting attention to itself – the wine equivalent of fine linen. There is some body to partner the freshness, so it’s ideal for fish, meat or savoury/pastry dishes.

ELIO FILIPPINO 10 Arneis, Langhe, Piedmont 60848 Vintages $15.95

D’OH 10 Dolcetto, Cantina Clavesana, Piedmont, Italy

For those of you coming to Italy with Kato and I this October – this is your spring training wine!