The light/lively red wine category has a new star. I’ve just finished off the bottle of Folonari Valpol in record quick time. So refreshing and such tasty fruitiness. So simple and so gulpable. So Summery. A hero of the season for sure. Lightly chill and decant into a clear glass bottle so you can enjoy [...]
Posted in Wine Picks | Also tagged Folonari, red wine |
THE LOW DOWN: South and central Italy is the feature and I’m recommending four wines which deliver something different – along with great value. Beaujolais, Chianti, Pinot and a blockbuster Syrah are my red picks. A buy of the year is Graham Beck sparkling Rosé and Mike Weir sparkling is worth checking out. Malivoire Ladybug [...]
I went to a tasting by the Santome Winery, from the Treviso region just north of Venice, and fell in love with two expensive reds. A Rosso (Bordeaux blend) that tasted like the best Niagara Meritage wines. The other wine was Rabosa, a regional speciality, that had the woodsy, wild character of Baco. A portion [...]
Posted in Wine Picks | Also tagged red wine, Santome |
THE LOW DOWN: I love my picks from this release. Four very different whites at an average price of less than $15. Best Muscadet ever and the Verdejo would be perfect with your World Cup Paella party. I’ll be wearing orange but probably cheering for Spain.
Wildass Rosé is almost serious and perfect for any Summer [...]
Lesson #11: The Fun of a Good Café Red
Our culture is still relatively new to wine, so we tend to go for the big show – especially in reds. We entertain light/refreshing whites as long as we know there’s a blockbuster red to follow. But what about the idea of a red that will refresh, [...]
THE LOW DOWN: Jazz up your white wine repetoire with Soave, Viognier, Torrontes, Macon and an Aussie Pinot Grigio. Locals are the stars in the Rosé feature. (Unfortunately I didn’t get to taste the MALIVOIRE 09 ‘Ladybug Rosé’, VQA Niagara 559088 $15.95. I’ll report on it later) I only found three reds [...]
Posted in Vintages Picks, Wine Picks | Also tagged Argentina, Australia, Burgundy, Chile, Cono Sur, Irish Whiskey, Port, Rosé, Spain, VQA |
Chianti is on a revival, thanks to improved quality and winemakers with a passion for the Tuscan style. Which translates to great vitality. Gabbiano Chianti has a bright fruit character and lively expression and may remind you of Pinot Noir. It’s made from a traditional blend of primarily Sangiovese grapes and is lively, [...]
Lesson #9 ITALY’S RICH RED
Italian families seldom drinks rich red wines. They keep the big hitters for weddings and other celebrations. We, however, drink rich reds all the time. It’s our default wine. But what about a compromise wine – the muscle without the brawn?
Ripasso is a brilliant Italian invention. Enriched Valpolicella. A red wine [...]
LCBO Vintages Saturday April 17th Release
THE LOW DOWN: A few years ago I met the folks from Monte Del Ffra winery in Italy’s Veneto region and fell in love with their wines. Imagine my delight to see their Custoza, Bardolino and Valpolicello in this release. An opportunity to experience modern German Riesling and yet another [...]
THE LOW DOWN: What a great selection of wines! Everything from white to red to rosé to sparkling. A full bar! Whites cover the spectrum from delicate Riesling to exotic Muscat to rich Chardonnay. And a few styles in between. Don’t miss the opportunity to experience two of Italy’s great everyday reds – Barbera and [...]
