Tidings April 2011

WWW.TIDINGSMAG.COM $5.95 (PM40063855)

APRIL 2011

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//features

32

20// Just numbers by michael pinkus

Grape clones do make a difference.

22// what a shock by brenda macmillan

Is Spain the worst place to order a sangria?

25// distinctions by evan saviolidis

Germany is where it’s at for Pinots.

28// Beau

38

by Tod stewart Due for a comeback, Beaujolias is making waves.

32// @Pinot Gris

by Rick VanSickle

Organizing a Twitter tasting.

38// secreto

by carolyn evans-hammond Describing Italy’s classic whites.

44// modern by gilles bois

Italia’s unknown grapes.

48// just add milk by robert hausner

There is an art to making chai.

20

//Ă la carte 7// Contributors 8// from the editors 11// Conversations Letters to the editor.

13// Simple Living Michael Volpatt

51

14// Umami Joanne Will

17// Anything but

martinis

sheila swerling-puritt

18// Bon Vivant Peter Rockwell

43// Pours

rosemary mantini

51// must try lynda dowling

52// Da vine

17

Gurvinder Bhatia

//notes 54// the food notes

55// Bouquet Garni

An appetizing selection of food-friendly faves.

Nancy Johnson

65// extreme cuisine

58// The Buying Guide

rosemary mantini

Top wines from around the world scored.

66// final word

Argentina // p. 59

Tony Aspler

Australia // p. 59 Brazil // p. 59 Canada // p. 59-61

52

CHILE // p. 61 France // p. 61 Germany // p. 61 Italy // p. 62 New Zealand // p. 62-63 South Africa // p. 63 spain // p. 63-64 United States // p. 64 Spirits // p. 64-65

4 // April 2011

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//online

//contributors

+ more on tidingsmag.com

Wine tasting club Try a sip or two of refreshing eau de vie — the essence of fruit.

easter extravaganza Rick VanSickle is an avid wine collector and freelance wine writer.

He writes a weekly column on Niagara wines in the St. Catharines Standard and has a website (winesinniagara.com). You can also follow him on Twitter @rickwine.

Create new traditions this year by switching up old favourites. Put these recipes on the menu: Creole crab cupcakes, roast rabbit, easy vegetable soufflé, and more.

Cooking Challenge Find out how to create an impressive caramelized sugar crystal bowl.

Features Nancy Johnson shows you how to serve up Pulled Pork, Barbecue Sauce, French Dip and more using only a Crock Pot.

blogs Chained to an idyll life on the French Cote D’Azur, Robert focuses his days (and nights) on culinary pursuits writing about interesting food and where to find it ‘off the beaten track’.

Get your food and wine fix, updated weekly, at Best You Never Had and Kitchen Mama.

Plus! More original recipes; a daily serving of food and drink news and views; culinary tips, tricks and techniques.

Michael Pinkus is the head-writer and Grape Guy behind OntarioWineReview.com, publishing a bi-weekly newsletter full of informative reviews and articles about the Ontario wine scene. He is known for giving fun interactive seminars at a variety of events.

Most recent Michael placed 4th in the 2008 Wine Tasting Challenge (Professional Category) held annually in Toronto; received the prestigious Promoting the Promoters — Media Award at Cuvee 2010, and is currently the President of the Wine Writers’ Circle of Canada.

Next Month In Tidings What makes great wines great?

The women of wine Brut force of prosecco Halifax-based Peter Rockwell has written about wine, spirits and beer since graduating from the School of Journalism at the University of King’s College in the mid-80s. He has been a weekly on-air wine feature columnist for both CBC-TV and Global Television. When not drinking at home and at work Peter travels the globe looking for something to fill his glass and put into words.

A sliver of irish whiskey What is Mouthfeel?

A culinary celebration of may ... And So Much More

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\\ 7

//from the editors

\\

april Issue # 294

7th annual next big thing issue

anything worth doing is worth doing slowly by carolyn evans-hammond Mae West was probably not thinking of wine when she said that.

But she might as well have been. The slow sip is the hallmark of the discriminating palate. And on the whole, our palates are growing up.

Pure power is passé; we want finesse. We want to be challenged with complexity, teased with a tight seam of acidity, and seduced with a slowly unveiled sense of place. Like noticing the drape of a woman’s scarf or the fit of a perfectly-tailored trouser, subtlety matters. We’re coming of age, and are harder to please.

Our insistence on excellence in a fiercely competitive wine market pushes quality up and prices down. Just to stay in the game, producers have to over-deliver at every price point. If they don’t, there’s always another bottle flashing its attractive label at savvy shoppers who know better than to settle for mediocrity. Frankly, it has never been a better time to be a knowledgeable wine drinker.

This issue charts a cool and steady course through what is now a much more sophisticated wine world, illuminating areas of enthusiasm among opinion leaders, and pinpointing the hottest up-and-coming trends. Spotlights on Beaujolais, Canadian Pinot Gris, and German and Italian whites show a move toward more food-friendly wines with moderate alcohol, palate-cleansing crispness, and restrained fruit.

They also show a clear interest in white wine, which suggests a certain palate maturity as well. Afterall, the more we drink, the more we drink — or at least appreciate — white.

If you’re anything like me, you find this all rather intriguing. Here’s to the slow sip.

Editor-in-chief

Aldo Parise editor@tidingsmag.com Contributing Editors

Gurvinder Bhatia, Tod Stewart Contributing food Editor

Nancy Johnson Contributing Lifestyle Editor

Rosemary Mantini Columnists

Tony Aspler, Peter Rockwell, Michael Volpatt, Joanne Will, Sheila Swerling-Puritt, Michael Pinkus, Gilles Bois Contributors

Michael Pinkus, Carolyn Evans-Hammond, Sean Wood, Harry Hertscheg, Rick Vansickle, Evan Saviolidis, Gilles Bois, Robert Hausner, Brenda MacMillan Tasters

Tony Aspler, Evan Saviolidis, Gilles Bois, Harry Hertscheg, Sean Wood, Jonathan Smithe and Gurvinder Bhatia COPY DESK

Lee Springer, Jennifer Croll web editor

Rosemary Mantini Creative by Paris Associates Art Direction

Aldo Parise Production

Jack Boyd, ww+Labs, cmyk design, studio karibü Illustrations & Photography

Matt Delay, Francesco Gallé, Push/Stop Studio, august photography Cover Design

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Audited by

8 // April 2011

Everybody’s

talking about it

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Now it’s your turn, raise a glass!

Watch for our Pinot Gris in the LCBO this May. Available online and in-store beginning April 17th.

Call 1.888.778.7758 or visit us online to order today.

Cheers!

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conversations\\

Kylix Media CFO

Lucy Rodrigues Circulation

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National Account Executive Jacquie Rankin: jrankin@dvtail.com 9 05-886-6640 ext 304 Account Manager Dave Chauvin: dchauvin@dvtail.com 905-886-6640 ext. 323 www.tidingsmag.com www.tidingseats.com Now in our 38 th year Kylix Media, 5165 Sherbrooke St. West, Suite 414, Montreal, Quebec, H4A 1T6, Tel: 514.481.6606, Fax: 514.481.9699.

Re: Gurvinder Bhatia’s “Tuscan Table”.

As much as I love cuisines from other cultures, I can’t help but be totally taken by the simplicity and clean flavours of Italian cuisine. Maybe it’s the fact that, being of Italian heritage, I grew up immersed in that style of cooking, and it’s just something I’m used to. But, this is what comfort food is all about for me.

R. Enright, Toronto

Although trying to figure out Cognac designations can still make my head spin, Matthew Sullivan’s article, V.S.O.G., did make me laugh out loud. I will definitely have to keep an eye out for Ice-T’s Original Gangster Cognac. That’s just too much fun to miss!

M. Barteaux, email

Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher.

Like Duncan Holmes, I, too, have a very soft spot in my heart for cookbooks.

Sometimes I give them away only to regret it later. Even if I have never made use of a particular cookbook, I still love flipping through it and thinking that maybe one day I’ll try one of its recipes.

© 2011 Kylix Media Inc. Printed in Canada.

R. Anderson, email

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... As much as I love cuisines from other cultures, I can’t help but be totally taken by the simplicity and clean flavours of Italian cuisine ...

I’ve really been enjoying the winemaker interviews on your website. It’s a great way to learn about what inspires each one to embark on a career in the wine industry.

Michael Carson, Montreal

I loved Tod Stewart’s take on modern winemaking.

Sheila Martineau, Victoria

Material chosen for publication may be edited for clarity and fit. Please e-mail your comments and questions to editor@tidingsmag.com.

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\\ 11

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simple living

by michael volpatt

//torta freedom

Olive oil is often one of the leading ingredients in many of the meals that I prepare and serve.

From the beginnings of a marinara sauce at the bottom of a saucepan to the finishing off of a soup with just a drizzle before serving, the earthiness of a fine olive oil has the power to magically alter a dish in so many flavourful ways.

McEvoy Ranch is known for their oils. So when I spotted a bottle of Olio Nuovo while shopping in Sonoma it called to me and I had to give it a try. As is the case with many products grown, harvested and produced in this region from orchard to bottle McEvoy oils are certified organic by California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF). Their olives are grown, harvested, milled, blended and bottled entirely on the ranch.

Olio Nuovo (“New Oil”) is available for only a few short months following autumn’s harvest. The oil is bottled immediately, without filtration, and has a vibrant green colour, rich fruit flavour and a peppery finish. Although it was supposed to be past its prime (I just tested the oil the other day) it held up to what I know of nuovo oils. It has a peppery and grassy taste that blended well with the cauliflower, leek and parsnip soup we prepared as well as with the sautéed kale with lemon and garlic.

The star of the evening, however, was the Torta Fritta that my good friend Bob and I prepared. My grandmother used to make this when I stayed with her for the weekends while my parents, sister and brother would haul off to go skiing. This is one of the dishes that we shared together that always brings back fond memories. This went wonderfully with the Olio Nuovo and I definitely think you should give

it a try. Just about any pizza dough recipe will work with this, but here is what we used.

Torta Fritta

1 package of active dry yeast or 1/3 cake of fresh yeast 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt Grated Parmigiano Reggiano Canola oil for frying Olio Nuovo

1. In a large mixing bowl dissolve the yeast in 1/2

cup of the lukewarm water. Let it proof for 10 minutes. Add the flour, salt, 1 tbsp olive oil, and rosemary and remaining water. Mix well and knead until the dough is smooth, about 10 minutes.

2. Let rise until the dough has doubled in size (about one hour), punch down the dough and let it rest for another 10 minutes. Roll out the dough with a wine bottle (this is how my Grandma did it) or rolling pin until it is pretty thin and cut into 3 or 4-inch squares.

3. Heat about 2 cups of Canola oil in a sauté pan over medium heat and fry up the pieces of dough until golden brown. It is best to turn and remove the puffy dough pieces with tongs and make sure you salt and sprinkle them with a little bit of the grated cheese as they come out of pan. …… Place on a paper towel to help absorb the grease, let cool and serve with a bowl of McEvoy Ranch Olive Oil for dipping and a bottle of Red Car Tomorrowland Syrah.

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\\ 13

Umami

by Joanne Will

//herbes de vancouver island

“When people think of lavender, they usually think soap, candles and aromatherapy,” says Lynda Dowling, who along with her husband Michael has been growing culinary lavender since 1987 at Happy Valley Lavender and Herb Farm on Vancouver Island.

You may know the flower as part of the Herbes de Provence mixture — but it’s also great on its own, in dishes from cheesecake to quiche and even martinis.

“Lavender goes well with chocolate and lemon, with fresh mint on strawberries, and it’s also great as a savoury, with cheese or meat. You don’t want the flavour to leap out; you want it to entice you, to be subtle, so start with a small amount. You can grind it if you want the flavour of the buds but not the texture. And remember, dried is always stronger than fresh,” says Lynda.

“I didn’t choose lavender; it chose me,” she goes on to say. Her elderly neighbour was moving, so she dug up her large lavender plant and brought it to Lynda. “It was January, and even though the books tell you to make cuttings in the fall, I made 500 from that one block. It was just contagious from there.”

On land that was once her grandmother’s goat farm, the Dowlings grow Munstead and Hidcote, two lavender varieties often used for culinary purposes. “Back when we started, no one was crazy enough to farm lavender outside Provence or Tasmania.”

14 // April 2011

In 1993, around the time the edible flower and herb craze began, Lynda was taking her produce, including lavender, to hotels and restaurants. “Like Alice in Wonderland, I felt like placing a sign that said, ‘Try Me!’ on the products in my basket.”

Lavender typically blooms in mid-June. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it for the three weeks of bloom each year, when you really do get to wear a long white dress and wander romantically through the fields,” says Lynda. During a day or two in July, as many as 75 people help the Dowlings with the harvest.

“When we open the nursery in the spring we also have a selection of organic vegetable starts.

We wanted to give people vegetables in addition to lavender and herbs, to feed the growing interest in producing your own food.”

The Dowlings encourage people to get playful with their gardens. “We’re trying to make it easy for people — I’ll say ‘you’ve got lettuce, so now put some nasturtiums and calendula and pansies in your garden.’ It’s a really easy introduction on how to make gourmet meals with what they’re growing.”

Chef David Feys, owner of Feys and Hobbs Catered Arts in Victoria, utilizes lavender from Happy Valley with lamb, for curing halibut, to pickle cherries, and in sugar cookies and jams. He adds that lavender, lime and pepper go well together; the lime (or lemon) balances the perfume. “Don’t use so much that it tastes like Grandma’s sock drawer. When you just smell it, and it’s pleasant, that’s the right amount.”

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anything but Martinis

by sheila swerling-puritt

//new buzzwords The National Restaurant Association recently published the top 20 restaurant menu trends for 2011. Artisanal liquor, local wine and beer, and culinary cocktails made with fresh ingredients top the list. Increasingly sophisticated consumers expect to see new and exciting mixed drinks, which entertain and surprise at their favourite restaurant or bar.

Fortunately for those sophisticated bibbers, new trends are sweeping the cocktail world. You may have to wait a while to find the new spirits you’ll need to ride the wave (at least until our provincial liquor boards list or reorder these new products), but it’s never too early to learn what to do with them when they finally arrive.

According to New Jersey Monthly, the cocktail buzzwords for the year are “coconut water, Bourbon, lavender and hibiscus,” with new Sangrias and retro-cocktails based on gin or Bourbon.

Mixological maven Alison Wellner votes for cocktails made from rum, Kentucky Bourbon, and pisco. She notes that, “spirits are being consumed on the rocks,” not just brown spirits but all colours. She’s also a fan of “cocktail popsicles.” (I’ll tell you more about these adult chilly treats in a future issue of Tidings.)

Beer cocktails are also making a comeback, including old favourites such as the Boilermaker, the Black Velvet and the Snakebite.

St Germain Elderflower Liqueur is one spirit causing a sensation in the US and Europe. It’s made by macerating elderflower blossoms handpicked in the French Alps during the late spring.

Natural cane sugar and a hint of citrus are added to bring out the subtle elderflower flavour. It offers fresh floral aromas with nuanced pear, apricot and grapefruit zest characters.

Try its signature cocktail: 1 1/4 shots of Elderflower Liqueur, 2 shots of Champagne, and 2 shots of sparkling water. Frankly, when I first tried it neat, I thought this would be a great summer drink by adding it to tonic water or cranberry juice.

These recipes will help you keep up with the hot new international trends in mixed drinks:

Chilean Elder-Sour 1/2 oz St Germain Elderflower 2

oz Pisco ABA oz fresh lime juice Pour into an ice-filled shaker. Shake well. Strain into cocktail glass.

Garnish with lime wheel.

1/2

Coney Island Strongman

1 oz yellow Chartreuse 1 oz green Chartreuse 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice 7 oz lager beer (chilled) Fill cocktail shaker with ice. Add yellow and green Chartreuse and lemon juice. Shake well and strain into a tall glass. Top up glass with beer.

+ Visit tidingsmag.com/drinks/ for more drink recipes

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\\ 17

by peter rockwell

//sexy & underrated

I never know what to bring when I’m invited over to a friend’s house for dinner. Is there an all-purpose wine that goes with everything?

Yes, it’s called beer. Okay, so while beer really and truly is the most food-friendly bevvy when it comes to good grub (especially exotic dishes that are the foundation of Thai, Chinese, Indian and Mexican cuisine) there are some wines that do have enough personality to charm just about anything eatable (not to mention obnoxious hosts).

First on my list are bubblies. Sparkling wines have a bright, crisp, usually dry vibe that cleanses the palate and helps wash down everything from the bland to the hot and somewhat spicy.

Bubblies are only for New Year’s Eve you say? You are so wrong, my friend. Their lively effervescence makes for a celebration in the mouth that loves food (even those previously mentioned exotics). If you want to take things to an even more accommodating level go for a sparkling rosé. Their touch of ripe berry fruit massages into submission everything from Coq au vin to a grilled cheese sandwich.

Pick two is a white made with Riesling. One preferably from Germany where the grape is king and the output is typically sweeter. Who cares if they’re red wine fans, a nice German Riesling (look for a one with the Kabinett designation on the label) is a balanced drop that brings harmony to most plates and offers more than enough oomph for any vin rouge loving fellow guest.

If you’re determined to bring a red go with a bottle that offers up-front fruit like a French Beaujolais or Aussie GSM (Grenache/Shiraz/Mourvèdre). Typically berry-infused and oh-so easy drinking; they’re great with just about everything as long as it’s not too sharp or eclectic.

Here’s one last thought: If you’re coming to my place bring a decent bottle of something you like (I prefer a red). I’ll already

18 // April 2011

have the appropriate wines on hand (as any good host would) and will be putting your offering in my cellar to enjoy after you’re long, long gone.

How do reviewers (like those at Tidings) determine the scores they give the wines they taste?

Wine scores are a lot like Kim Kardashian: they both have great figures, but in the end you’ve got to wonder if that’s all there is to them. Truth be told (and I’m all about the truth), I give everything that I taste a score of some kind. How do I do it? I use my big brain that’s soaked in the years of juice that has passed over my palate.

When you drink for a living you have a habit of tasting a lot of different things (over 2000 for me last year). You take all of those memories of the good, the bad and the tasty and roll them into an overall barometer for stylistic correctness. What that means is that after a while you get to know what’s right about a wine and how a number can represent a wine’s place on the way to 100.

I’ve always said that there actually aren’t any bad wines out there; some are just better than others. To me, that means using a numerical scale makes perfect sense even if many of the biggest sellers at your local liquor store wouldn’t necessarily score that highly.

Of course we all understand numbers. If I got a 75 on a test when I was at school (all those decades ago) I’d know I was just average. Give me an 85 and I’d be clicking my heels. Score me 95 and my mother would have thought I’d been kidnapped and replaced with another kid.

In my not-so-humble opinion, numerical accolades have humanized the wine reviewing business. And if you don’t believe me I’ll score you 45/100.

+ Ask your questions at bonvivant@tidingsmag.com

Illustration: Matt Delay/Shinypliers.com

bon vivant

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Just Num-

bers

By Michael Pinkus

Cloning,

while a contentious issue for humans, has been the norm for grapes for many years. According to Thomas Pennachetti of Cave Spring Cellars, whose father-in-law, Hermann Weis, introduced Riesling clone 21B (the Weis clone, Niagara’s most predominant clone) to Ontario back in the 1970s, “Clones are sub-varieties that are genetic mutations of the mother grape variety. Clones began being selected and developed after WWII in Europe in an effort to select strains of given grapes that were more resistant to disease and produced more yield.” Tom cites both Jancis Robinson’s Oxford Companion to Wine and Lloyd Schmidt of International Viticultural Services in Grimsby, Ontario as good resources if you want more information.

“Clones are not to be confused with root stocks,” Tom cautions. “The latter are only the conduit for moving nutrients from the soil to the plant. While they influence how a plant ripens its fruit, they are not fundamental to the specific growing characteristics or flavours that clones might exhibit. Clones are important because they allow viticulturalists and winemakers to adapt their plantings to their soil and climate.”

20 // April 2011

“It did produce other varia no two pe I would think that anyone who would embark on a cloning project would talk about the intense curiosity “to see what happens.” And I think you would be inclined to try if you had 100 acres of grapes at your disposal, as is the case at Cattail Creek Family Estate Winery, a five-year-old, family-run winery located in Niagara-on-the-Lake. (Mom and dad started the farm in 1971; now it’s run by their son Warren, who’s head viticulturalist, and daughter Roselyn, the winery manager.)

“Since the very beginning, Cattail Creek kept the clones and ages of the Riesling grapes separate, because we realized that each clone achieved the winemaker’s desired ripeness levels at different times,” says Roselyn. “It was during the first year when

-

we were experimenting with which clone of Riesling to use in our wines that we discovered the differences between them. We didn’t know whether it was because of winemaking process, age, clone or some other factor. So when Colin came on board, he really took a far more experimental approach.” “Colin” is Colin Ferguson, their current winemaker.

So, what is all this talk of clones really about? For starters, there are 96 Riesling clones registered in the National Variety List (Bundessortenamt 2000); Cattail’s project deals with three.

“I think that Riesling is one of Ontario’s great wine grapes, and by doing this we will hopefully bring more recognition to the vast diversity of this grape throughout the province. If one grape variety could produce such vast differences in wines when produced within a quarter mile of each other, think about the differences between Beamsville Bench, Four Mile Creek, etc. For us, Riesling is a major component of our production (20 per cent) and we are using more unique clones in some of our Rieslings than other wineries. Customers notice a difference in our style,” says Roselyn.

flavours (4.5 stars). The blend is layered with smells and flavours: apple skin, lemon notes, Bartlett pear and a lingering finish (4+ stars).

In the end, what did Cattail learn from these clonal wines?

“It did confirm that clones and ages do produce very different wines when all the other variables are held constant ... However, no two people can agree on their favourite.” I guess that proves the old adage: if everyone liked the same thing, they’d only make one kind of wine.

As for the need to repeat, Roselyn ponders the future: “I have thought about it, and part of me thinks that we have accomplished what we have set out to accomplish and this will be the first and last time Cattail Creek [attempts this] project ...

For the Cattail project, three clones were used: Clone 21B (Weis clone), Clone 239 (a Mosel clone) and Clone 49 (the only clone allowed in Alsace, France). Each variety was grown within a quarter mile of each other. They were given the exact same treatment with yeast and time to mature, and they were all bottled on the same day. The project consists of five wines: two from 21B (young vines, planted in 1999, and old vines, planted in 1976), one from 239 (planted in 1993), and one from Clone 49 (also planted in 1993) and finally a blend, made up of 25 per cent of each.

d confirm that clones and ages do ce very different wines when all the ables are held constant ... However, eople can agree on their favourite.”

The Young Vines Clone 21B has a Country Time lemonade nose with big acidity, lots of green apple and lime — very racy (3.5 stars); while the same clone in its older form shows a sophistication and complexity, with lots of mineral in its makeup. Here acidity is held in check by just the right amount of sweetness — well-balanced, delicate and delicious (4.5+ stars). The clone 239 wine has an interesting spiciness on the nose and palate; sweetness hits the mid-palate while acidity takes over on the finish. Mineral and Mac apple co-mingle for added enjoyment (4 stars). Finally, the Clone 49 shows a lot of tropical notes: pineapple, papaya, mango and guava. Its short finish just begs you to take another sip to confirm those

Colin Ferguson

But then a part of me would love to do this again in a completely contrasting vintage from 2009. The 2009 vintage was a great year for Rieslings — they loved the cooler temperatures. Maybe the next time should be in a hot, dry year — something like 2007. How will each clone perform then? What styles of wine will they make and how will those age? The farm may kill me for making last minute changes to the harvest plan if that happens, but thankfully we can just discuss it over the dinner table. Whatever we decide, I see us using this information for quite some time.” •

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On my visit to Spain last fall, sangria tasting was high on my agenda. I’d been making my own blend for years, but wanted to taste more authentic examples. So in Jerez, I ordered a pitcher with my first postplane meal.

What a shock.

By Brenda Macmillan

Sangria, for those of you who have not succumbed to its lure, is a wine punch.

Although we (correctly) associate it with Spain, there is evidence that it originated long before Iberia welcomed cultivated grapes and winemakers made decent wine. Early vinos were harsh and sour, so honey, herbs and fruits were added to make them more palatable. As spices like ginger and cinnamon became available, they too were tossed in to disguise the oft-unpleasant taste.

Moving along to the 18th and 19th centuries, Bordeaux (or Claret, as it was called by the Brits) was used as the basis for a wine punch that was very popular in Europe. Brandy and fruit were added to Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc/Merlot blends to make Claret Cup Punch, a perennial party favourite. This punch enjoyed by Jane Austen’s contemporaries and her books’ characters (I just finished reading Persuasion) was similar to our modern-day sangria.

So back to Spain and my first taste of real sangria. After a long plane, train and automobile journey I had just arrived in Jerez (pronounced “haireth”), the home of sherry, and was ready to be wined and dined. I quickly found a large plaza

22 // April 2011

skirted with restaurants with beckoning tables in the deep shade of colourful umbrellas, and ordered some tapas and a litre of sangria. I felt like I was in heaven as I watched people criss-cross the plaza awash in golden sunlight. Finally – I was parched by this time – the sangria arrived. There were slices of orange floating in it, and its colour was deep red. I took a deep draught and ... it was dreadful. I swear they used a combination of bar-rag juice, the tannic dregs from the bottom of the barrel, cream soda and an equal part water. The orange slices were tossed in for show at the end.

When I could speak again, I asked my waiter about the restaurant’s sangria recipe. He shrugged, pointed to the pitcher and just said, “vino, jugo y naranja.” Wine, juice and orange. Sure.

I did try other restaurants’ sangria, and thankfully, none were as bad as the first, but neither were they as tasty as I make at home. The same can be said for many Canadian bars and restaurants, but things are quickly changing as punches gain in popularity alongside cocktails – and as bartenders with panache, awards and new recipes elevate the bar scene. I

visited one of the aforementioned, mixologist Jordan Bushell, at Brassaii restaurant on a snowy winter day to talk about the trend towards better quality sangria — and to taste his concoctions.

Jordan says that the push by consumers to know what is in their food has expanded to include bar beverages, and that fresh, more natural products are now in demand. Consumers are becoming more discriminating, and can taste the difference between lime juice squeezed from real fruit and the water-and-lime-powder bar mix. Like chefs, mixologists have followers who appreciate their quality ingredients, innovative recipes and charm behind the bar. Jordan Bushell made me a fan with his complex, delicious (and pretty) white and red sangrias that reflect the flavours of Barcelona.

The secret to Sangria is to use goodtasting fruity wine — one you would like to drink, but not one that is obviously oaky or very expensive. Recipes from the south of Spain (where I was) focus on citrus fruit flavours, while more northern versions are all about peaches. Citrus pith (the white under the peel) is bitter, so don’t leave citrus fruit in contact with the wine for more than a few hours.

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DECANTUS Wine aeration at its best!

1 1/2 oz clove syrup (simple syrup: simmer sugar, water, cloves and a cinnamon stick together for a few minutes, cool then strain) or substitute 1 tbsp sugar

2 oz pineapple juice 6 oz white cranberry juice Sliced fresh peaches Pour cold wine, and all other liquids into a pitcher. Stir well. Serve cold over lots of ice, adding peach slices as a pretty garnish on the top.

my house red sangria

Decants wine in seconds Allows wine to react with air to reveal its fullest flavour Available at many fine wineries and specialty wine stores, contact us for a location near you.

For additional information, please visit www.decantus.ca Distributed in Western Canada by Valentinos International Wholesaling Inc. www.valentinosintl.com and in Ontario by Stems Canada Inc. www.stemscanada.com

24 // April 2011

Untitled-10 1

2/23/11 8:35 AM

Using blue curaçao with red wine gives the sangria a purple hue that is very attractive. Don’t, however, use the blue product in white sangria, as you get a green result that tastes great but looks like it originated in the Love Canal. Store sangria in a non-reactive container like glass, and use a pitcher with folds at the beak to prevent the fruit from jumping into the glass (and splashing you and your guest).

Serve this refreshing beverage in any glassware you like. Jordan shows off the punch’s rich colours in big Bordeaux wine glasses. For Cava sangria, give your guests spoons so that they can eat the inebriated fruit when the pitcher is finally empty of its liquid gold.

jordan bushell’s white sangria

1 bottle fruity white wine (Jordan used a Sauvignon Blanc) 2 oz Lillet 3/4 oz peach liqueur 3/4 oz apple Sourz liqueur 3/4 oz melon liqueur 2 oz apricot brandy 2 oz mango purée/lemon juice mixture

1 bottle dry, fruity red wine 5 oz apricot brandy 4 oz blue curaçao (white can be used) 3 oz orange liqueur 2 tbsp sugar 2 small oranges, plus one lime and one lemon sliced and halved Combine all ingredients in the morning and let marinate, covered, in the refrigerator. Cut with cold lemon-lime soda to taste (maximum 50/50) and serve over ice with a slice or two of the fruit. Use on the same day, or to keep longer (not that there are ever any leftovers), remove the fruit.

cava sangria Excellent with brunch or lunch

4 cups sliced fresh fruit (such as strawberries and/or peaches) 2 small oranges (Valencia are ideal), thinly sliced, cut into quarters and seeded 4 oz apricot brandy 4 oz peach liqueur 4 oz white grape or white cranberry juice 2 bottles chilled Cava (Spanish sparkling wine) or other sparkling white Small fresh mint sprigs (they look stunning in a clear glass pitcher) Combine fruit, brandy, liqueur and grape juice in a large pitcher. Chill at least 1 hour but no more than 3 hours ahead. At serving time, pour cold Cava over fruit mixture and add mint sprigs. Stir to blend.

Ladle (or pour) sangria into glasses and consume immediately. •

Distinctions

By Evan Saviolidis

Imagine my surprise when I recently found out that Germany is the world’s third largest producer of Pinot Noir.

With all the demand for red wine these days, especially the heartbreak grape (given its insane support by that film a few years back — you know, the one about the two guys vineyard trotting, the bachelor party weekend and the gorgeous Virginia Madsen) I should not have been.

Known as Spätburgunder in Deutschland, Pinot Noir has a long history. The grape arrived from Burgundy (via a pit stop in Switzerland) with a Cistercian monk in the 13th (some say 11th) century. The original incarnations were sweet and pale, often tasting of rot. Today, thankfully, the wines are darker, drier and show depth. Many are supported by subtle oak, creating complexity. The philosophy behind its selection among winegrowers is simple — it is a cool climate/early ripening varietal, making it well suited for Germany’s northern climate. Personally, I have been standoffish about the German incarnations. The few good versions have been overshadowed by their many lesser counterparts. But on a recent trip to Germany, I experienced somewhat of an eye (and palate) opener.

There are four regions that lay claim to making the best Spätburgunder.

The first is the Ahr, named for the river that runs through it. Straddling the 51st parallel, it is the country’s most northerly wine region and the second smallest, with 1,300 acres. One might think it is crazy that such a cool region grows 80 per cent red grapes. The factor that allows dark varietals to flourish here is the terrain. The region is a deep valley protected by the Hohe Eifel hills. Coupled with rocky/slate soils, heat accumulates. The top producers here are Meyer-Näkel and Kreuzberg.

Until the 1980s, the Rheingau (along with the Ahr) were the pre-eminent Pinot areas. Rheingau may be the spiritual home to Riesling, but two towns, on opposite ends of the Rhine river, claim status for the best Pinot — Hoccheim, and Assmannhausen (insert chuckle here.) Seek out the wines from Domdechant Werner from the prior, and Weingut August Kesseler from the latter.

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The first inkling of revolt occurred in 1983 when the late Bernhard Breuer organized a small group of like-minded growers from the Rheingau and formed the now-famous CHARTA group.

Across the Rhine, from warm and dry Alsace, is Germany’s most southern and one of its most temperate regions; Baden.

It is also the country’s Pinot Mecca. Fiftyfive per cent of all plantings are of the Pinot family, with 36 per cent (15,000 acres) belonging to Noir. German consumer demand has elevated the stature of its red wines. Personally, I found that most of the Spätburgunders had a hard edge. The best versions were good, but expensive. That being said, the real gems were the whites: Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc) and Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris). Both Blancs were sublime with a Thai lunch. Producers Weingut Bernhard Huber and Freiherr von Gleichenstein deserve their fame.

Even though they account for a small (but increasing) proportion of plantings, in my view the best wines from the Pinot family come from the Pfalz. Germany’s second largest wine region is a privileged one. Sheltered by the Haart mountain range to the west, this area is sundrenched and dry. Some vineyards even hit 50 degrees Celsius. This allows citrus fruit and figs to ripen perfectly, not to mention grapes. If any of the modestly priced wines of August Ziegler or Wilhemshof cross your path, do not hesitate to purchase them. Of note is Ziegler’s entry level Spätburgunder and Grauburgunder. They are both steals. Other quality weinguts (wineries) include Okonomierat Rebholz and Klostergut St Lamprecht.

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früburgunder

This mysterious grape, known in France as Pinot Noir Précoce, was the discovery of my trip. It is a small-berried/early ripening mutation of Pinot Noir that has seen a minor revival, mostly in southern Germany. Currently, there are 600-plus acres planted. With low yields, it serves up a pleasant dark fruit-tinged wine.

erste lage (grand cru)

In 1971, when the current German laws were created, they placed an emphasis on the ripeness of grapes at harvest, rather than on the quality of the place of origin. Before the law, there were 30,000 Einzellage (single vineyards). After, they were pared down to 2,700, grouping together and/or dividing the many under the names of the more famous few. Or if you will, high quality sites were diluted with lesser ones. Even worse was the creation of the Grosslage (large site), which is a group of inferior vineyards, usually from flat lands. The average size of a Grosslage is 1,500 acres (versus 75 acres for an Einzellage.)

When presented on the label, both the Einzellage and Grosslage must have a village preceding the name. Imagine the horror, when a consumer, who in the past has enjoyed a fabulous bottle of Piesporter (village) Goldtröpfchen (single vineyard), from a top end producer

such as St. Urbans-Hof opens a bottle of Piesporter (village) Michelsberg (Grosslage) from a co-op.

Needless to say, the quality producers were not happy. The first inkling of revolt occurred in 1983 when the late Bernhard Breuer organized a small group of like-minded growers from the Rheingau and formed the now-famous CHARTA group. It was dedicated to making traditional styles of dry and off-dry Riesling according to a much stricter set of rules than the 1971 laws. The new rules included using grapes sourced from the original single vineyards (before amalgamation), lower yields, multiple hand pickings, higher minimum sugar levels, and a basic alcohol content of 12 per cent.

These bottles were identified by a trio of Roman arches on the label.

Since this classification was only based in the Rheingau, Charta looked for a way to expand outwards. Their answer was to merge with the VDP (Verband Deutscher Qualitäts- und Prädikatsweingüter, literally means: The Association of German Quality and Prädikat Wine Estates) and Prädikat Wine Estates in 1999. Created over a century ago, the VDP is a group of 200 or so wineries with self-imposed higher regulations.

Their cumulative holdings account for only four per cent of the vineyard area, but they produce a remarkable proportion of Germany’s finest wines.

In 2002, Charta’s tenants were transformed into Erste Lage, or if you will, Grand Cru. It is an umbrella term for all wine regions for this top category. To qualify, the wines must be made from the very best: narrowly demarcated single vineyard parcels, from low yields, from permitted varietals, and using traditional viti/vini techniques. Also, at the time of harvest, the minimum sugar amount in the grapes must be at a Spätlese (late harvest) level of ripeness.

If the wines are sweet, they still carry their Prädikat designations (Spätlese to Trockenbeerenauslese.) If dry, Erste Lage wines are labelled as Grosses Gewachs, or in the case of the Rheingau, Erstes Gewachs.

But because Erste Lage is a VDP designation, and does not comply with the 1971 German Wine Law, these terms are not allowed on a label. Instead, a logo with the number “1” and a grape cluster are used after the vineyard name to denote the classification.

So what is the future for Grosses Gewachs? According to Melanie Stumpf of the VDP, “We hope that our efforts — and we see this already among our peers — will bring all ambitious wine growers together to work in one direction, putting more stress on the origin and not on the sugar content at harvest time. Our goal is that in the future, vineyard sites are only used when they have an individual character and terroir, which are reflected

in the wine. Many producers, even from outside the VDP, are adopting our classification system, which underlines that we are on the right path.”

I had the opportunity to participate in the annual Erste Lage tasting while in Germany. Having tasted through a catalogue of some 300 wines, most being dry, I was impressed with the quality. My only skip was the lack of residual sugar. According to Nic Weis of St Urbans-Hof, “Most Riesling producers of the VDP, outside the Mosel, think that their wines have to be dry. Otherwise the consumer wouldn’t buy them. I don’t think that is necessarily correct. Sweetness does not only belong to Mosel wines, much like bubbles don’t only belong to Champagne. Rieslings from other northern German wine regions can use some sweetness to balance the elevated acidities. It makes them more balanced, and they do not taste too sweet. Rather, they are fruity with the great advantage of lower alcohol content. All this is good, but knowledge of it hasn’t reached the majority of the consumers, and unfortunately, not even the majority of the producers.

That’s my personal opinion.”

It is an opinion I tend to agree with. But with the desire for dry wines with food, this trend will continue. Mind you, there is no right or wrong in this matter. Everyone has the right to choose their own style. It is quality that is paramount, and quality has never been better, or as diverse. •

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“The bottom line is that Beaujolais is struggling,” Fred Lockwood tells me.

“Beaujolais Nouveau was a huge success, but the fad has largely passed, hastened by falling quality.

“During the Nouveau craze, people became increasingly ignorant about the traditional Beaujolais wines. And with the world now awash in wine, a comeback seems hard to imagine. At least the name ‘Beaujolais’ is well known.”

Lockwood, along with his wife, Helen, own the Maison des Bulliats winery in the village of Régnié, the most recently designated (in 1988) Beaujolais Cru. He occupies a rather unique position in that he is a winery owner in France but was actually born in Ontario, Canada. He and his wife, both having retired from careers as university professors, purchased the property with its 7.75 hectares of vines in 2005.

Today, the Lockwoods are presented with the same dilemma facing many a Beaujolais producer: namely, how to get this famous wine back into the limelight.

It’s going to be a tough go, as Lockwood freely acknowledges, but it’s not all doom and gloom. The 2009 harvest was one of the most glorious the region has seen (“the best since the last ice age,” Lockwood jokes), and 2010 is shaping up to be exceptional as well. A new wave of young, quality-minded winemakers is focusing on the region, and investment is starting to flow as well. With Nouveau madness largely expunged, eyes are now shifting to the top end Cru wines. Who knows, the stars and planets may be aligning in just such a way as to usher in a new Beaujolais renaissance.

28 // April 2011

more than nouveau

As many readers no doubt already know, the Beaujolais region occupies the southernmost part of the Burgundy region proper. However, its geographical connection is one of the few things it shares with Burgundy. While there is a small amount of Chardonnay and Aligoté planted in Beaujolais (used for the increasingly seen Beaujolais Blanc and Beaujolais-Villages Blanc), this is the land of the black Gamay grape, which yields purple-tinged red wines (and a small amount of rosé). And where the Pinot Noir-based Burgundies to the north are serious, expensive and often in need of a primer to comprehend (see “Burgundy From The Beginning,” Tidings December 2010/January 2011), the wines of Beaujolais are easy to enjoy, easy to pay for and relatively easy to understand.

Basic Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) Beaujolais can be made throughout the region.

AOC Beaujolais-Villages represents a step up in character and are made in and around 39 villages in the northern part of the area.

The top tier is occupied by the 10 AOC Beaujolais Crus, which, from north to south, are Saint-Amour, Juliénas, Chénas, Moulin-à-Vent, Fleurie, Chiroubles, Morgon, Régnié, Brouilly and Côte de

Brouilly (the latter two being vineyard areas rather than actual villages). All these wines are referred to as vins de garde to distinguish them from … … Beaujolais Nouveau. The fast-fermented, pink/purple stuff released to the world on the third Thursday in November is more significant as a particularly successful marketing initiative than as a serious wine. The original idea was to vinify a simple, fruity wine to celebrate the harvest and quench the thirst of the pickers.

By the 1970s, the Nouveau release had morphed into a national craze that went global through the 1980s and into the 2000s. Asia, in particular, went loony for the stuff. Japan imported almost 13 million bottles in 2004. Demand began to outstrip supply, and often when this happens quality takes it on the chin, as it did with Beaujolais. The thirst for Nouveau began to quickly subside (Japan imported a paltry five million bottles of 2009 Nouveau, despite the quality of the vintage). Growers began to panic, and the region’s vineyard area has shrunk by close to 20 per cent since 2005 when the French government subsidized uprooting programs.

back to the future

Getting the region back on course with quality wines presents a major challenge.

But there are many who feel that the time

Beau

by Tod stewart

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is right for a comeback, including Mark Allen, Area Export Manager for Maison Louis Latour. A venerable name in Burgundy, Maison Louis Latour purchased the long-standing Beaujolais house of Henry Fessy, a family-operated, Brouillybased establishment that has specialized in the production of Beaujolais Cru wines since 1888. Since the purchase, the vineyard area of Henry Fessy has, in fact, increased from 11 hectares to 70.

“Over the years there have been many efforts to restructure the vineyards,” Allen explains, “and, sadly, many wine growers have thrown in the towel. Production is no longer the same; it is now only 800,000 hectolitres compared to the 1.4 million hectolitres in the past. However, we believe that this beautiful region has emerged from the ‘Nouveau days’ and is committed to restoring its noble origins by promoting the excellence and premium quality of the Cru Beaujolais.”

While vignerons hope for a change of heart and mind among consumers (and among themselves), production techniques at the wineries have also been changing. Part of what gives Beaujolais wines their juicy, in-your-face fruitiness

30 // April 2011

is the fermentation process known as carbonic maceration. The process (Coles Notes version for brevity) involves allowing for a pre-crush, intercellular fermentation of the grapes under a blanket of carbon dioxide. The resulting wines are vivid in colour, low in tannins and very fruitforward. “Carbonic maceration seems to have diminished somewhat, although it is still seen by many consumers as the Beaujolais method,” Allen admits, adding that Henry Fessy has remained true to this method, which Allen claims results in the best overall balance. So what has been replacing carbonic maceration?

thermo woe?

“Well, recent years have seen a rush towards ‘la thermo-vinification,’ formally known as ‘la maceration préfermentation à chaud’ or MPC,” Lockwood reveals. “In MPC you superheat the grapes to about 60-plus degrees Celsius followed by a quick cooling and an early pressing. The idea is, as we understand it, to extract the fruit and colour by the ‘excessive’ heating, and capture it by the ‘quenching.’” Sounds intriguing, but what are the results like?

“Helen and I think MPC is a bad idea,” Lockwood affirms. “Generally we don’t appreciate this style, which for us has a further downside of a banana taste, hardly something native to the Beaujolais region.”

However, the technique does practically guarantee a certain consistency, which is something the big négociants (wholesalers) are looking for. In Lockwood’s eyes, this sort of “security” leads to a trade-off in character. “MPC may be suited to the modern world, where McDonalds hamburgers must be consistent worldwide — a guaranteed taste which you are used to, no surprises, but no thrill of adventure. For us, the last is what wine is all about. Having said all this, in the past couple of years we have sensed a return to the traditional vinification (which we do) and the goût du terroir-selling argument prevalent among great wines.

This is what we believe in.”

towards the light

If production methods have been in something of a state of flux, it seems logical to wonder if there have been changes in the style of Beaujolais wines. I asked Lockwood if Beaujolais was taking on a more “serious” style and he felt, quite rightly given his perspective, that the question itself put a negative spin on Beaujolais.

“Yes, [the wines] are ‘light and fruity’ — the grape variety is Gamay.”

Indeed, the majestic Rieslings of the Mosel are also “light and fruity,” but no wine aficionado would claim they aren’t “serious.” But my (perhaps unconscious) bias against “light and fruity” may point to a real bias shared among both consumers and critics. Look at recent red wine trends. Big, bold and liberally oaked Aussie Shiraz and Argentine Malbec was/is (respectively) hot stuff.

And influential critics seem to be all over reds that are “massively structured, powerfully extracted and ultra-saturated” with “gobs” of this and “lashings” of that. It would appear that “charming and elegant” doesn’t carry much weight (sorry) in the land of “big and brawny.”

However, Beaujolais’ charm and elegance may well be the slingshot that takes down Goliath. There’s a growing trend worldwide for a return to wines that harmonize with food, that don’t leave your head spinning after two glasses and that seduce the palate rather than blow the mind. A wine that complements rather than commands.

Add to this the ever-toughening drinking and driving laws coupled with a greater concern for health, and Beaujolais’ “deficiencies” (and I use that word with the utmost caution) now become selling points. And when you consider the stratospheric prices of some other fine French wines, the price point for even the best Beaujolais is peanuts.

What goes around comes around, or so the saying goes. So keep your eyes on Beaujolais — specifically, Beaujolais Crus.

I hear she’s coming ’round again. •

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@ P inot G ris

09 Thirty Bench P. Gris: Pear, peach, floral notes & interesting use of oak but it still hasn’t managed to turn me on to PG #30dayslocal

by Rick VanSickle

32 // April 2011

ed wine Everyone lov r to and used Twiritte owlfurther theshakn edge and re thoughts.

There it was. A simple tweet typed out and sent in seconds to no one in particular, just one among the hundreds of thousands that appear on the infinite timeline of the social media network.

Michael Di Caro, @mikedicaro on Twitter, was lamenting that he hadn’t met a Pinot Gris from Niagara (or anywhere, for that matter) that he totally fell in love with.

It just wasn’t his kind of wine. The response from the “Twitterverse” was instantaneous.

There was @Wine_Discovery and @spotlightcity along with @RichieWine and @writersblanc and dozens of others who bombarded Twitter with incredulous banter to @mikedicaro. He was assailed from all the corners of the globe, and it wasn’t long before a challenge was issued. Let’s find some Pinot Gris that will change the mind and taste buds of @ mikedicaro and, not only that, let’s taste them side by side, together with like-minded “Tweeps” in a “Twasting” of some of the finest examples we could find from Niagara.

For those of you out there not familiar with Twitter, the language revolves around the brand name. People (peeps) become Tweeps. Tasting becomes Twasting.

Universe becomes Twitterverse. A meeting becomes a Tweetup. And so on. When in doubt, add a “tw”.

Mike’s simple tweet had become a lightning rod for others to join in the conversation. For days following the original musing, ideas were tossed about in the Twitter timeline and a cyber-plan was put in place. We would round up the best of the best Pinot Gris in Niagara for a tasting. @wineguy2005, aka Mark Moffatt, general manager of a trendy downtown Toronto hot spot, offered up Crush for the tasting.

It didn’t end in Niagara. Sandra Oldfield, @sandraoldfield on Twitter and winemaker at Tinhorn Creek in the Okanagan Valley, BC, had been following the banter and wanted in. She quickly put together a package of BC Pinot Gris and sent it east to be part of the tasting.

A date was set, invites sent out and the wines — which were either donated, brought from the cellars of the tasters or purchased for the event — were collected and sorted. There were no limits placed on what to bring. When we finally gathered, about 14 of us, there were 12 wines from Niagara, three from the Okanagan and two from Alsace.

The idea was to taste through the wines and tweet about it using a “hashtag” (#TasteGris) designed to help people follow the tasting on Twitter. We had posted on Twitter our exact time for the tasting and what we were drinking so those who were interested could taste along and post their own comments.

The tasters were a varied lot with only one thing in common — everyone loved wine and used Twitter to further their knowledge and share thoughts. Our tasting started off with a short debate on the difference between the more popular Pinot Grigio and what we were tasting, Pinot Gris.

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Rich, textured, bold and interesting wines that go beyond your average bottle of white.

The whole notion of one Pinot vs another is merely stylistic. Pinot Gris, a style popularized in Alsace, France, is generally a more interesting wine with weight, often a touch of residual sugar and varying degrees of oak fermentation and aging. (The oak aging is not part of Alsace wine making, more a New World style).

Pinot Grigio is lighter and fruitier, made for backyard sipping on a hot summer’s day, popularized by Italian wine makers.

But it is exactly the same grape, so it can be confusing for consumers who just don’t know what they’re getting into when they go shopping for one or the other. Pinot Gris is not exactly a widespread product in Niagara — only 900 tonnes of it was picked in 2009, down from 1,200 tonnes the year before. Compare that to Chardonnay, 6,300 tonnes, and Riesling, 5,400 tonnes, and you get the picture — it’s a niche market where only a few dare to go.

But those who have taken the challenge are making some pretty stellar wines. Rich, textured, bold and interesting wines that go beyond your average bottle of white. Richie Roberts, winemaker at Fielding Estate Winery in Niagara, makes one of the finest Canadian examples of this grape, the Fielding Rock Pile, and has a soft spot for Pinot Gris. Roberts explained at the tasting that the grape grows quite well in Niagara but can be difficult if you don’t pay attention to it.

“It’s a lot like Pinot Noir. It’s very finicky. It starts to break down fairly early so it’s difficult to hang it late,” he said. But getting it right has paid off for Fielding, which makes both the amazing Rock Pile and a regular cuvée.

Our Twitter tasting took us through all the styles — from dry and zesty to lush and sweet, from the benchmark style of Alsace to the super rich late harvest Creekside Pinot Gris. The tweets generated by the tasting gave a broad view of what was generally liked by the group — Fielding Estate Rock Pile, Thirty Bench Small Lot, Five Rows Craft Wine, Stoney Ridge Excellence from Niagara, with a nod to the Okanagan examples and, of course, the thrilling Zind Humbrecht from Alsace.

34 // April 2011

But the big question, and the reason we had gone to all this bother, was this: What did @mikedicaro think? Was he a new believer in this wonderful grape?

We’ll let Mike have the final word. In a followup post on his blog, trillyum.blogspot.com, he wrote: “I’m glad I wrote the initial tweet which inspired the whole #TasteGris event, if for no other reason than it brought friends beyond the virtual community of Twitter into one room where we could share, discuss and taste together. There were some very good wines, but more importantly there was a breadth of flavours and styles that prove it would be foolish to outright dismiss the grape entirely.”

90 Stoney Ridge Excellence Pinot Gris 2009 ($23)

Such a gorgeous nose of melon, sweet citrus and apple crisp in a ripe and full-bodied style. More acid than some others we tried.

the notes 93 Fielding Estate Rock Pile

All wines are from Niagara unless stated otherwise

Pinot Gris 2009 ($26)

Ripe Bosc pear, apple and creamy-spicy notes on the nose. It’s a big and delicious, slightly off-dry Gris that invigorates the palate with apple, melon, pear and cream notes all supported by juicy acidity.

AGENCE DE VOYAGES W. H. HENRY INC.

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Creekside Select Late Harvest Pinot Gris 2007 ($24 for 375 ml) Super fine nose of sweet peach, apple and apricot with wild honey, and a wonderful oily-viscous feel on the palate.

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quick how-to for throwing a twitter wine twasting: Nice to try a slightly aged Pinot Gris beside the fresher version. I scored the 07 slightly higher than 09; it just had such perfect weight and balance. Both wines have lovely pear, apple, melon, toast and vanilla notes with wonderful mouthfeel and texture. Pure elegance.

88 Fielding Estate

Pinot Gris 2009 ($19) Melon, pear, lime and honey aromas. Honey sweet on the palate with a mélange of fleshy fruit flavours and juicy acidity.

87

Generate interest on Twitter for a specific variety, vintage or style of wine. Try to find something that is accessible for as many people as possible, such as Niagara Chardonnay, or 2007 Niagara reds, or BC Riesling vs Ontario Riesling, or 2006 Bordeaux.

Once you have a theme, generate a hashtag as soon as possible and start using it. For example, #NiaChard for Niagara Chardonnays. Use this hashtag so others can click on it and follow the conversation from beginning to end.

Pick a date, a time (make sure to add EST for those in different time zones) and a location if some of your tasters want to gather in one spot. Establish a time limit (an hour is about right).

Prior to the Twasting, list a selection of wines (on a blog or website) your core group will be tasting so those tasting at home can join in.

Choose a moderator who can open discussion, introduce new wines being tasted and encourage discussion.

Twitter Tastings are extremely intense, with comments coming fast and furious. An application such as TweetDeck allows tasters to concentrate solely on the Twasting by creating a column using the hashtag. It’s highly recommended.

Wrap it up. The moderator should make it clear when the formal part of the event is over. Follow up with comments about more detailed notes being posted to blogs or websites.

Inniskillin Winemaker’s Series Pinot Gris 2009 ($19)

Partially barrel fermented with notes of apple, pineapple, vanilla and spice. It’s fleshy in the mouth with lush fruit flavours and a touch of minerality.

36 // April 2011

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A weighty Gris with apple-custard notes to go with melon, moderate acidity and a honey-kissed finish.

8th Generation Vineyard Pinot Gris 2009, Okanagan ($20)

An interesting PG that is partially barrelfermented and finished with a touch of sweetness. The nose shows fresh-cut apple, peach and tropical fruits to go with subtle spice. In the mouth the fruit gets a lift from a touch of honey and spice.

Wild Goose Vineyards Pinot Gris 2009, Okanagan ($26) Done in an off-dry style with sweet McIntosh apple, peach, citrus and honey notes on the nose. It’s quite sweet in the mouth with the lush fruit flavours balanced by racy acidity.

91 Five Rows

Craft Wine Pinot Gris 2008 ($25)

Small production wine and typical of the best Gris being made in Niagara — tropical, apple, pear and honey notes that show some structure on the palate, and a promise of aging beautifully.

Zind Humbrecht Clos Saint Urbain Rangen de Thann Grand Cru Tokay Pinot Gris 1992, Alsace (from magnum, $100 plus) This is where Niagara could be headed, but Alsace has about a 400-year head start in growing this variety in France. Such amazing poached pear, lanolin, caramel and integrated wild honey and spice. A blockbuster!

86 Hillebrand Artist Series Limited Edition Pinot Gris 2008 ($19) Another PG finished with a healthy dose of residual sugar. Rich aromas of apple and peach fruits and a whiff of vanilla and spice. It’s packed with flavour in the mouth in a round, fleshy style.

88 Tinhorn Creek Pinot Gris 2009, Okanagan ($17) A pretty and floral nose with apple and melon notes.

It’s clean and fresh on the palate with crisp apple and lovely citrus zest on the finish.

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Riverview Pinot Grigio 2009 ($15)

Lovely melon, pear, apple and honey notes on the nose. Almost mead-like in the mouth with apple pie, pear, spice and floral flavours. •

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Secr 38 // April 2011

reto by carolyn evans-hammond

On the heels of Pinot Grigio’s surging popularity should come a wave of enthusiasm toward Italy’s huge array of other light, refreshing whites. But that’s not happening. Instead, many Italian charmers remain undersung and undervalued. They are, in many ways, some of the wine world’s best-kept secrets.

Classic Italian whites fly under the radar for a few reasons.

They don’t come with immediately recognizable grape varieties, such as Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc, scrawled on labels. And when the grapes are named, they’re often obscure, indigenous ones; think Arneis, Grillo and Greco. Even less helpful, many of the wines are named after coin-sized places on the map, such as Orvieto or Gavi, with no mention of grape varieties at all.

Of course, naming a wine by its place of origin didn’t stop Montrachet and Condrieu from gaining stature. But unlike those celebrated French wines, most Italian whites aren’t high-priced, highbrow, or fancy. They’re not bejewelled with mindboggling complexity. Frankly, they aren’t even capable of upstaging a good meal much of the time. So they’re not well positioned to take the world by storm. Instead, they’re designed to be accompaniments, to season meals and moments — and take both up a notch.

And in this role, they excel.

Let’s take a look at a few of these under-priced little gems, starting with an Italian white that’s improved dramatically in the last decade: Soave.

soave

So, here’s the dirt. Soave suffers from an image problem based on years of producing dilute, sweetish, mediocre plonk. But recently, it has improved considerably, and today is one of Italy’s most compelling pours. At best, it is incredibly mineral and similar to good quality Chablis at a snip of the price.

Soave, made in Veneto, blends at least 70 per cent Garganega with up to 30 per cent Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc or Trebbiano di Soave. The Garganega imparts an attractive mineral-white pep-

per complexity to the other more neutral varieties. And because the wine is usually vinified in stainless steel, the results can be very fetching — a pure kiss of refreshment.

recommendations

Pieropan Soave Classico 2009 ($20)

This entry-level wine from Pieropan, the leading Soave producer, blends 85% Garganega with 15% Trebbiano. It teems with stony minerality, smoky-spicy nuances and taut acidity. Great light bodied wonder with a lean 12% alcohol.

Food pairing: mushroom salad.

Pieropan Soave La Rocca DOC 2009 ($42)

This pure Garganega is a cult favourite among wine professionals. Optimal site selection and meticulous attention to detail in the vineyard and winery — including aging on the lees and in barrel — produces a wine that tastes of fruit, nuts, spice and vanilla without compromising elegance. Medium-bodied with 13% alcohol.

Food pairing: ricotta cannelloni.

gavi

Like Soave, Gavi suffers from a bit of a tarnished reputation from a few decades of flooding the market with bland wines. But recent years have seen significant quality improvement.

This crisp, clean wine is named after the town in the centre of its production zone, Gavi, in Piedmont. It’s made from the Cortese grape which, like Pinot Grigio, produces a wine that’s light and versatile, not often oaked, and quite crisp. But unlike neutral lemony-fresh Pinot Grigio, well-made Gavi tends toward pear and grapefruit, with some mineral depth and often a bitter tug of green olive on the finish.

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verdicchio

Verdicchio has been produced for eons on the eastern seaboard of Italy, poured locally with the fish and seafood caught off the coast of Marches. It’s a restrained, delicate wine that ranges from super-lean when grown inland — and labelled Verdicchio di Matelica — to a bit rounder when grown near the coast and labelled Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi. Both wine styles share a characteristic lemony crispness and a final note of palate-cleansing bitter almond. And for trivia’s sake, the name, Verdicchio, comes from the word “verde,” which means green and refers to the wine’s slight greenish hue.

recommendations Mattia Vezzola, Winemaker at bellavista

recommendation

Beni di Batasiolo Granée Gavi Del Commune di Gavi 2008 ($18) This wine starts with subdued lime aromas before racing across the palate with zesty lemon-lime flavours edged with pink grapefruit zest and sun-warmed stone. Light-bodied.

Food pairing: grilled calamari.

orvieto

Orvieto is a delicate wine style from the region of the same name in Umbria. It blends Trebbiano and Grechetto grapes, seasoned with Verdello, Drupeggio and/or Malvasia. The better wines tend to have higher proportions of Grechetto, which is a more characterful variety than the relatively bland Trebbiano. Frankly, Orvieto has all the freshness and lightness of a Pinot Grigio, but boasts a bit more flair.

recommendation

Ruffino Orvieto Classico 2009 ($11)

This light-bodied, affable wine starts with fresh flavours of apple, lemon and white flowers before revealing a faint sprinkle of white pepper followed by a fresh Bartlett pear finish.

Food pairing: smoked salmon.

40 // April 2011

Macrina Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore 2008 ($17)

Clean, attractive wine with aromas and flavours of smoked almond, minerals and sea spray. Perfect match with fried, or even grilled, fish and seafood. Impressively, drinks well even with three years of bottle age. Medium-bodied.

Food pairing: anchovy fritters.

Fazi Battaglia Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico 2009 ($10)

Lemon sorbet aromas lead to a bright zip of lemon-lime sherbet followed by a final note of bitter almond. Well balanced, good value quaff.

Food pairing: sautéed prawns.

arneis

Unlike Soave, Gavi, Orvieto, Verdicchio, and of course, Pinot Grigio, Arneis — from Piedmont — is a bit less restrained. Named after the grape from which it’s made, the wine can be intriguingly flavourful with a firm core of peachy-pear fruit laced with herbaciousness. The only drawback is that Arneis can tend to be flabby — or lack acidity — when the grapes are plucked too ripe.

In fact, the name Arneis actually translates to “little rascal” because it’s a challenging variety to grow. It does attract loyal followers, though, with some fans calling the variety Barolo Bianco, linking it to the famous noble red of the region.

recommendations

Gigi Rosso Roero Arneis 2009 ($19) One big lick of grapefruit and dried herbs. Well-balanced, light-bodied, and versatile.

Food pairing: grilled halibut.

Cordero di Montezemolo Arneis 2009 ($20)

This savoury wine would set off many Italian dishes. Aromas of mixed citrus and herbs lead to flavours of grapefruit laced with white pepper and bitter greens. Killer wine. Medium-bodied with 13% alcohol.

Food pairing: spaghetti with parsley and mussels.

fiano

Like Arneis, Fiano is a relatively flavourful wine. And the Fiano grape from which it’s made tends to taste of toasted hazelnut, citrus, damp herbs and often a certain salty-savouriness. From Campagnia, Fiano’s best expressions come from a little area called Avellino, and can actually develop for years in bottle, taking on layers of honeyed, nutty goodness.

recommendation

Terredora Campore Fiano di Avellino 2008 ($29) An excellent example of the richness this style can deliver.

Scoring 91 points in Wine Spectator, this wine teems with robust flavours of citrus, nuts and melon shot through with bright lemon-lime.

Food pairing: roast chicken.

grillo

Grillo is a Sicilian grape variety that, like Chardonnay, tends to taste of mixed citrus fruit and responds well to oak. Its tight seam of acidity makes for a refreshing sipper when vinified dry.

But Grillo also forms the base wine for Marsala, the well-known sweet fortified wine.

recommendation

Eres Favula Grillo Sicilia 2009 ($13)

Tantalizing aromas of warm roasted nuts sprinkled with clove and nutmeg. Then, on the palate, a quick whip of lemony freshness lashes the palate before the nutty-spiciness shows through toward the elongated finish. Medium-bodied with 13% alcohol.

Food pairing: butternut squash soup or ravioli.

Leonildo Pieropan and his wife Teresita with his sons dario (back) and Andrea (front)

greco di tufo

To me, this story wouldn’t be complete without mention of Greco di Tufo — a favourite Italian white of mine. Greco is the grape, which is grown around the village of Tufo in Campagnia. The wine ranges from light- to full-bodied while retaining a certain restraint, silky texture and taut acidity. Flavours range from citrus and peach to aniseed, nuts and minerals. But sadly, it’s not easy to find on shelves due to low production volumes, low profile and the fact that it’s mostly consumed locally rather than broadly exported. But if you come across it, taste it.

recommendation

Cantine Manimuci Impeto Greco di Tufo 2009 ($14)

Invigorating lemon purée on the nose. Lovely white peach fruit with a tight citric zing, and satisfying steeliness on the finish.

Silky smooth with great poise and purity of fruit. Light- to medium-bodied.

Food pairing: sole in a cream sauce.

vermentino

Named for the grape from which it’s made, Vermentino is a fruity, aromatic and lively wine. It’s often quite concentrated and intense with typical notes of citrus, herbs and almond. In Italy, Vermentino hails from Sardinia, Liguria and Corsica.

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recommendations

Val D’Oca Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Extra Dry NV ($14)

Alberto, Giovanni, Enrico and Elena Cordero di Montezemolo

recommendation

Vermentino di Sardegna Tyrsos Contini 2009 ($14)

Orange and lemon oil on the nose lead to a broad but bracing palate of mixed citrus, white peach and pear. Gloriously juicy fruit anchored by piercing, plunging acidity. Tinglingly fresh with a slight bitter twist on the finish.

Food pairing: antipasti.

prosecco

Prosecco, that pear-scented bubbly from the Veneto, is no longer simply cheap and cheerful fizz. It can actually be quite elegant, dry, and serious due to a huge milestone that took place last April.

Conegliano Valdobbiadene — the centre of the Prosecco region — has just been elevated to DOCG status, meaning Prosecco made in this zone is held to the highest possible quality standards. This change had a domino effect, too. Prosecco previously sold as IGT from surrounding areas were raised to DOC status from this development, requiring the wines to meet tighter quality regulations such as lower yields of fruit per vine.

And you’ll be pleased to know Prosecco is trending toward less residual sugar. How do you know if the Prosecco will be dry?

It’s on the label. Brut is driest (0-15 g/l of sugar), followed by Extra Dry (12-20g/l), and Dry (17-35g/l) — so dry is actually quite sweet. That said, a well-made Extra Dry should always be balanced with enough acidity to actually finish clean and dry.

42 // April 2011

Attractive flavours of pear and peach with a hint of wet stone. Round with a hint of sweetness but finishes dry.

Light-bodied with 11.5% alcohol.

Food pairing: prosciutto.

Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore Brut Valdobbiadene ($18) A powdery, talc-like character underpinning flavours and aromas of lemon zest, Bosc pear and cashew. Bracing acidity.

Finishes dry. Quite restrained and elegant.

Food pairing: roasted, salted nuts.

franciacorta

Franciacorta, a wine very similar to Champagne, only made in Lombardi, is probably Italy’s most “undervalued wine.” Think of it as Champagne’s sassy Italian cousin. Like its French relative, it blends Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, but instead of seasoning the mix with Pinot Meurnier, it blends in Pinot Bianco and Pinot Gris. Both Champagne and Franciacorta undergo their second fermentation in bottle, which makes for optimal complexity, elegance and finesse — as well as the finest bubbles.

recommendation

Bellavista Brut Cuvée Franciacorta NV ($36)

Hailing from one of the most prestigious estates of the region, this wine blends 90% Chardonnay with 10% Pinot Bianco and Pinot Nero. The result is an inviting, seductive wine with focused, finely tuned flavours of cooked apple, white flowers, warm pastry and a hint of creamy vanilla.

Food pairing: oysters. •

pours

by rosemary mantini

//small vines, big dreams

Paul Sloan and his wife, Kathryn, started Small Vines Viticulture in 1998 (and his own label shortly thereafter) with little more than a dream. He wanted to see biodynamic practices take root in California. Having started his career in the wine industry as a sommelier, Paul knew that Europe held the key to his education as a winemaker. “Great wines are made in the vineyard,” he says. So off he went to France, pruning shears in hand, to learn about winemaking from the perspective of the land. Many of Paul’s grape growing contemporaries insisted that his theories wouldn’t work in California. Turns out, he’s proving them wrong.

You plant vines much closer together compared to other vineyards. Why do this?

My inspiration came from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti which was the most profound wine I had ever tasted; so, I started paying a lot more attention to the Burgundy region. A lot of Old World grape growers space rows of vines about a meter apart.

It’s only been 13 years for us, but there are a couple of things that we see happening by planting this way. One is that the root system of the vine develops in a dramatically different way. Roots don’t want to share space with one another. When they start interacting they emit enzymes, and the root system branches off from there. You end up with a vine that has a denser root and is more efficient at pulling up nutrients and moisture.

The other thing is that winemakers are choosing to harvest these grapes when they’re a degree and half lower in brix (sugar content). They’re picking on flavour. Stylistically, that means that the alcohol is going to be lower. You’re getting the concentration in the fruit and in the wine, and natural acidity.

How many cases do you produce per year?

Currently, we bring in enough fruit to produce approximately 1000 cases. After selling off most of the pressed wine, we end up with about 650 cases. If we were to use all of the fruit from every vineyard under lease, we could go to approximately 4000 cases. That would be about 1200 cases of Chardonnay and the balance being Pinot Noir. Will we go to that level? Our 10-year plan is probably in the 3000 case range. As we continue to grow I’m trying to put the right people in the right places and treat them well so that they stick around for a long time and learn and grow with us.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

My favourite thing to do is spend time with my wife and my children. We love the great outdoors. Surfing is probably at the top, just getting out and having fun, snow skiing, rock climbing, mountain biking, the list goes on. I’m an avid outdoors sportsman. Hunting and fishing are the way we like to feed our family, living off the land as much as we can. •

+ Read the rest of this interview at www.tidingsmag.com/mavericks

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by Gilles Bois

If you love wine, you’re bound to love discovering new things. With so much diversity from all over the world, and a new crop every year. No two vintages are ever exactly the same, plus the results of constant innovation. But we never get quite enough. “I can’t get no satisfaction” is our motto.

A few decades ago, we discovered the wines from the New World. Affordable Chile, quality California, and Australia each saw their market share increase dramatically. But those wines were made using the same grapes as the traditional French wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah (called Shiraz Down under), Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Later on came Pinot Noir, Riesling and a few others. These cépages are now rightly labelled “international.” Although the style is different in the New World — less acid, sweeter and more fruity — we have witnessed a standardization of smell and taste. “Modern” wines, no

44 // April 2011

matter where they come from, appeal to the most common denominator of consumers’ preferences.

But the serious wine aficionados want something truly original. So again we find ourselves looking for something different.

A new trend is presently taking on momentum. Neglected or abandoned grapes are making a comeback. Although many interesting ones disappeared when they were uprooted to make room for the international varieties, there are still pockets in many vineyards that were kept around, if only for tradition’s sake. As of today, there are an estimated 5,000 to 8,000 unique grape varieties be-

ing grown around the globe, bearing over 20,000 different names.

Not all would make a complete wine by themselves, but most can add a beneficial dimension when blended with other complementary grapes, resulting in a very satisfying wine. There is a lot of room for experimentation and discovery. Already some nice surprises have surfaced. If the trend lasts, maybe we’ll get some “satisfaction,” at least for a while!

So where should we start?

The most prolific country is Italy, especially the southern part, where a handful of producers have been actively promoting local varieties for some time. Of the

on the palate, mildly rough tannic structure, firm finish and a minimum of 5 to 7 years’ aging potential. Quite impressive.

many thousands of grapes that still exist today, more than 2,000 are of Italian origin.

This exploration is not about Italian grapes whose fame is surpassed by the blends they produce: Nebbiolo (which is behind Barolo and Barbaresco), Sangiovese (Chianti), or Corvina (Valpolicella), just to name a few. Nor is it about Primitivo, the brother of Zinfandel — itself a descendent of Plavac Mali from Croatia.

clear what its original name was, assuming it still exists across the Adriatic. Generous and chewy, these wines have weight and can be age-worthy, often exhibiting notes of plum, chocolate and smoke. Folks that grow and believe in it have nicknamed it the “Nebbiolo of the South,” a fact revealed during a tasting held by the firm Rivera, whose large range is filled with wines made from indigenous grapes.

Now, back to the subject at hand: neglected Italian varietals now on the rise. Of these, Aglianico is a must try. The name betrays its Greek origin (it is a variation of ellenico), but it is not

½ Tormaresca *** Bocca di Lupo 2006 Castel del Monte, Puglia ($33)

100% Aglianico. Deep, rich nose of berries and smoke with a touch of anise that adds freshness. Thick

From the same region of Apulia, Uva di Troia (also called Nero di Troia) is still neglected by many growers because of its low yield, but for those who prioritize quality over quantity, it can bring power and aging potential to a blend.

½ Rivera Il Falcone *** Riserva 2005 Castel del Monte, Puglia ($22)

The Nero di Troia is assembled with 30% Montepulciano (another Italian native grape, better known for its expression in the Abruzzi region, under the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC). Very dark colour, intense, ripe and rich nose of red and black berries, almost jammy, plus complex oak notes. Full and juicy, sappy, the fine tannins lead to a dry finish. Will take up to 10 years of cellaring. A great wine and a great buy.

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Again from Apulia, Negroamaro is the distinctive red grape from the Salento area, which makes up the heel of the Italian “boot.”

Literally meaning black-bitter, the wine is indeed very dark and its flavour can show a bitter side.

It is usually blended with Malvasia Nera, a black form of the large Malvasia family of grapes, found in many parts of the country. The blend results in a wine that is more velvety and quite interesting.

**

Tormaresca Masseria Maime 2005 IGT Salento ($30)

This is a 100% Negroamaro, a purple, almost black wine featuring fruit stones, black cherry and spices with a farmyard, animallike scent. Still quite firm and tannic at 4 years old, it should wait a few more years in the cellar.

Nero d’Avola is the new flagship red grape of Sicily. Definitely indigenous (it means “black from Avola,” which is a small village on the south-east coast), it makes sumptuous wines that have plenty of fruit and structure. They often stand out at tastings.

½ Tasca d’Almerita Lamùri d’Almerita 2007

***

IGT Sicily ($21)

Medium ruby. This pure Nero d’Avola has a nose of red fruits and tea notes, with noticeable finesse.

Very soft, almost silky, but the underlying structure is felt in the firm finish. Lighter if you compare it to the other red southern wines mentioned above, but delicious in its own way.

Sicily is not without noteworthy white varieties as well. Insolia (or Inzolia, or Ansonica in Tuscany where it is also grown), is often blended with Catarratto, an-

46 // April 2011

other native grape quite common in blends of the island. Grillo is also worth a sip. Traditionally, these grapes were key ingredients of the blend to make Marsala, but maybe because the demand for Marsala is in decline these cépages are increasingly vinified as dry white wines.

½ Rondo Antico Grillo Parlante 2008, IGT Sicily ($16)

**

Grillo also means “cricket,” as the label reminds us. And the wine makes you think of a hot, dry summer day with its fine herbal notes (thyme, rosemary) and citrus, over a mineral hot stone background.

Balanced, its middle palate has good volume, leading to a small peak of acidity in the medium length finish.

Moving north, Grechetto from Umbria is a white variety that deserves some attention. It may be hard to find as a monocépage, but it plays an important role in any good Orvieto or Torgiano. On the red side from the same region, the word is Sagrantino for age-worthy, fruit-packed wines that are not as austere as they used to be, another proof that modern viticultural practices can reveal a grape’s true potential. In particular, Sagrantinos from the Montefalco DOCG are great, at a slightly higher cost.

Trebbiano may be dismissed by demanding drinkers, but it is certainly not abandoned by growers. Found in many regions of Italy, it represents about a third of the country’s white wine production, often in blends. It can also be found in a dozen other countries in Europe and South America. But it lacks character, and even though exceptions do exist (those coming from the Lugana DOC being generally better), it is seldom memorable when on its own.

Garganega is not as well known as the wine it makes: Soave, named after the area that bears the same name in Verona. There are three categories or DOCs of Soave with correspondingly increasing quality: (regular) Soave, Soave Classico and Soave Superiore, which is a DOCG. A good Soave should be delicate, yet structured, with good weight and aromas of citrus and almonds.

Prosecco is not just the name of a sparkling wine, it’s also the grape that is behind it for at least 85 per cent of the blend, but often it is 100 per cent. This is changing though, as the grape was renamed Glera in 2009 to avoid confusion and to protect the new DOCGs (Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco, Colli Asolani Prosecco and Asolo Prosecco), which represent the heart of the Prosecco-growing area in Veneto. Made using the “Martinotti” method, which is the familiar pressure tank process, the wines can be of truly excellent quality if you choose the right producer.

Most of them are of the Brut or extra dry variety. Interestingly, Italians claim that the pressure tank process was invented by compatriot Federico Martinotti in the late 19th century, a few years before the French Eugène Charmat created an industrial process to make spar-

Count lucio tasca

kling wine in large quantities at low cost. That story was related during a recent seminar on Prosecco held in Montréal by Giuseppe Martelli, president of the Italian National Wine Committee.

***

Bortolomiol Prosecco di Valdobbiadene DOCG 2009

Carlo and Sebastiano de Corato from Rivera

($20)

Bright yellow colour, green reflections. Light fruity nose lifted by a fresh bread crust note. The vivid acidity is tamed by a touch of sweetness, resulting in a feeling of roundness. Overall light, fresh and clean taste.

Teroldego is grown primarily in the northeastern Trentino area and comes in two styles. High yielding vines give a pleasant, somewhat earthy red that is best drunk young. With more attention and a reduced yield, it can become very interesting, with layers of complexity and depth.

Foradori *** Teroldego 2007, Teroldego Rotaliano DOC, Trentino ($28)

Deep purple. Intense nose of red and black fruits, an earthy note and moderate oak. Nice and vel-

vety with good acidity, chewy fruit, full body and mild tannins.

Dry finish. Ready to drink or keep up to 3 years, it will be perfect with pasta in tomato sauce or veal parmigiana.

tract. This is better with food; red meat comes to mind, especially if it’s cooked rare.

Further east in the Friuli region grows Refosco, a late-ripening red grape that may come as a surprise in this rather cool area close to Austria. Although its tannins can be harsh and the acidity high, the fruit is delicious enough to compensate.

Arneis is a white grape originating from the Piemonte. Traditionally blended with Nebbiolo to soften it up, Arneis has become a wine on its own, thanks to better viticultural practices that overcame the difficulties of successfully growing it in substantial quantities. Its wine is perfumed and sometimes exotic, featuring notes of peach and almonds.

½ Dorigo Refosco 2006

**

½ Bruno *** Giacosa Arneis 2007

Colli Orientali del Friuli DOC ($22)

Roero DOC ($29)

Deep purple colour, attractive nose of cherry and other red fruits, a hint of vegetal greenness. Acidity is mild, a sign of maturity of the grapes, but the tannins have grip behind the dense core of fruit ex-

Golden yellow with a nose of peach/apricot, honey and clover, slightly nutty and mineral, a hint of smoke. Fleshy and somewhat fatty, it coats the palate, and the finish is clean and lively. Ready to drink. •

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Milk Just add

by Robert Hausner

Why chai? Why try chai, indeed? In the constant Western quest to stay at the vanguard of the latest fad, there has been an amusing (if startlingly large) cross-Canada throng trading in its ubiquitous morning espresso for a cup of chai tea.

48 // April 2011

What is amusing, in part, is that this throng is learning to enjoy and appreciate a drink with thousands of years of history. And unlike so many things we consume, this amazing beverage is both satisfying and healthy.

Across much of south Asia, the word for tea is “chai,” and “chai tea” is an anglicized version of the name for milk and spiced tea, “masala chai.” Of course, coffee is now an omnipresent drink in much of India, but throughout southeast Asia, a common sight in the rabbit warren of streets are vendors called “chai wallahs.” Even in today’s movie culture, “chai wallahs” were common walk-ons in many scenes of the Academy Awardwinning Slumdog Millionaire. And no, Starbucks may not have reached Delhi, but Irani Cafés or Chai Khanas are to be found everywhere.

So who won’t warm up to chai? It’s probably not for that (effete) ultra coffee aficionado: you know, the guy in front of you at Starbucks who only has his latte from mountain coffee, grown at an altitude of between 350-450 metres, roasted within 36 hours and ground within 17.

No, this is a wholly satisfying drink with an almost infinite combination of spices, tea and milk. Precise measurements are irrelevant; only your taste buds count.

So just what is chai? It is a milky, spiced tea beverage, and it is likely that you’ve been wanting to try it, perhaps sitting in a Second Cup, and smelling the captivating aroma coming from the cup resting on the next table. This old Indian brew typically consists of a black tea such as Assam, Darjeeling or Gunpowder to which has been added a range of spices including cardamom, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg, often with a few more ephemeral additions including ginger, invariably some star anise, and always some milk. For a sweetener, either sugar or honey is fine.

The result is always a highly aromatic drink that is “timely” throughout the day and evening [unlike coffee]. Whether you subscribe to homeopathic helpers or pass it all off as placebo effect, chai is a deli-

cious drink whose benefits include that it’s a powerful natural anti-oxidant, circulatory system stimulant, and both a stress reliever and mood elevator. Just the last two are enough to make it worth drinking.

You can write off these health benefits, but this combination of spices and black tea have been used in Eastern medicine for 10 centuries or more. Fairly convincing! But what seems astonishing is that I have yet to encounter anyone who’s tried it and not become a convert to the chai tea craze. Huh! A craze with value-added.

It first appeared in the coffeehouses across Canada, but authentic masala chai is now found in many supermarkets and food specialty stores. Of course, the best way to enjoy it – that is, a bona fide cup of masala chai – is to make it from scratch. While there are instant chai tea mixes in powder form, authentic homemade masala chai has a much richer

flavour and fuller aroma. This is not to denigrate the boxed varieties found in the tea/coffee section of your favourite supermarket. They provide a quicker chai fix that’s still heartwarming. But there’s something gratifying about taking 10 or 15 minutes (while multitasking) and making it yourself.

The ultimate cup of chai tea is an open pursuit, because the choice of spices and combinations are infinite. It’s easy to make, and there are virtually no recipe rules. (Well, maybe just one).

The traditional method of preparing plain chai involves brewing and simmering tea leaves over sustained heat, rather than slipping the tea leaves in preheated boiling water and leaving it to cool. Oh yes, and to that rule: limit the time that the tea leaves sit in the boiling water. While the combination of spices

NEW ZEALAND IN A GLASS NEW ZEALAND WINE FAIRS Vancouver Tuesday May 2 Calgary Wednesday May 4 Montreal Tuesday May 10 Toronto Thursday May 12

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Masala martini 4 tsp Masala Chai 2 tbsp boiling water 50 ml Baileys 25 ml vodka 100 ml milk a handful of ice cubes Create a Chai paste by combining the Spiced Chai with the boiling water. stirring until dissolved and smooth. Transfer the Chai mixture to a cocktail shaker, add the Baileys, vodka, milk and a few ice cubes and shake until well mixed. Strain the mixture into an ice filled highball glass then dust with cinnamon before serving.

you choose will tend to give a deeper, more complex taste over time, the tea leaves can become bitter if boiled for more than 15 minutes, when tannins are released. So if you want to extract the max, put the spices in first and add the tea leaves a few minutes later.

It’s as simple as simmering or boiling the mixture of loose tea leaves, sweeteners (sugar or sugar substitutes), and whole spices, and when “done to your taste,” straining into a cup. The milk that is added not only brings the flavours together, but adds richness to the drink.

Traditionally, milk composes a quarter to half a serving of masala chai.

So there really is no fixed recipe for this delicious and increasingly popular drink. You can do your own house blend and keep refining it — forever! The typical mix involves so-called “warm” spices like cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, fennel seeds, black peppercorns, and cloves.

50 // April 2011

Although cardamom normally plays a dominant role, it’s not uncommon to use a touch of saffron or a pinch of salt, even a bit of nutmeg, or for style, to add a couple of rose petals.

A particularly inviting variation is the chai latte, often found in coffee houses and easily made at home. Just steam some milk using your espresso machine and ladle some across the top of the tea, and there it is! An authentic chai latte.

There is no rule saying that the drink has to be hot. Another inviting alternative is to make a slushy milkshake-style beverage, another coffee house favourite.

It’s a summertime delight — fulfilling and cool.

If pressed for time, the supermarkets that sell masala chai concentrate or syrup also offer pre-mixed tea-based syrups with sweeteners and spices, which certainly work well. The only consumer effort required is to dilute with milk, or

water, or indeed both, to create a highly flavourful hot or cold beverage. So at home, you can use either instant mixes or liquid concentrates which you brew (not steep) into a pot of highly concentrated spiced tea.

Other variations? There’s virtually no end to the diversity of recipes. Like making vegetable soup, every recipe is different, but always delicious. Try putting the simple spiced tea in a blender, add a bit of ice, and top the combination with some whipped cream, and voilà, a chai frappuccino! Really time-stressed?

You can microwave chai too. Alternatives? One commercial producer adds a bit of vanilla or chocolate, which relegates the traditional masala spices to a relatively minor role. In my not-so-humble opinion, a disappointment. But enfin, there are no rules. Only the pleasure of making variations of variations. The result is invariably rewarding. •

Must try

by lynda Dowling

//leave it to lav

Lavender Shortbread Makes approx. 30 cookies

3 tbsp fresh organic Lavender flowers OR 1 Lavender flowers 1 cup butter 1/4 cup (scant) cornstarch 1/2 cup icing sugar 1 1/2 cups flour 1 tbsp Lavender “Tea” (recipe below) (extra Lavender or substitute*: see footnote)

1/2 tbsp dried organic

1. Set oven to 325°F. 2. Use food processor to blend chilled butter (not room temperature) plus lavender flowers, icing sugar & cornstarch. Add half the flour and lavender tea*.

3. Pulse gently until roughly cut into a “crumbly” texture. Blend in remainder of flour until it “balls” into smooth dough.

4. Roll into a wax paper log like frozen cookie dough. Chill 30 minutes.

5. Cut into 1/2 inch rings, bake on an ungreased cookie sheet until just golden on the

bottom (approx. 20 minutes). Cool before handling. Store in airtight tin. …… Can substitute 1 Tbsp. Lemon juice or 1 tsp. vanilla extract. Dough can be frozen.

Thaw before slicing so dough does not crack.

Lavender Tea

Use 4 tsp of fresh Lavender or 1 tbsp dried. Place in a mug and pour 1/4 cup of boiling water over the Lavender. Use a saucer as a lid & steep 5 minutes. Strain and measure tea as a flavour booster, drink remainder as you wait for cookies! •

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davine

by gurvinder Bhatia

//rocky dining

The Alberta Rockies have fascinated and inspired artists for decades. Painters and sculptors have made capturing the majestic beauty of the snow-capped alpine ranges their life’s ambition. Even Hollywood filmmakers have used the stunning mountain landscapes as a cinematic backdrop in such films as Dances with Wolves, Legends of the Fall, and Brokeback Mountain. Paul Newman, Marilyn Monroe, Anthony Hopkins, Clint Eastwood, and Brad Pitt are just a few of the famous names that have shared a starring role in numerous films with the magnificent Alberta Rocky Mountains.

Over the past two decades, culinary artists have emerged, transforming the towns of Canmore, Banff, and Lake Louise into more than just destinations for nature lovers, skiers, golfers, and hikers. World-class restaurants, award-winning wine lists, and international wine festivals have attracted wine and food lovers from around the globe.

52 // April 2011

Canmore

Historically a mining town nestled amidst the front ranges of the Rockies, Canmore has evolved into an outdoor recreational playground. Less than an hour west of Calgary, the town’s property values have skyrocketed as droves of western Canadian city-dwellers and international investors have built and purchased luxurious vacation homes. The demand for great food and wine followed and the town has delivered with quality and variety.

Quarry Dining Lounge’s (www.quarrydininglounge.com) team of Casey and Andrew Tutt focuses on fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients for its European-with-hints-of-Asian influenced menu. The charcuterie plate with its house-made terrine, pâté, cured meats, cheese and accompaniments is a great opener to share with friends over a glass of Torrontes or Barbera. For mains, the poached steelhead trout and the panko-crusted pickerel were both perfectly cooked with each preparation allowing

the freshness of the fish to show through. Completing the dining experience is their small but thoughtfully chosen wine list composed of unique, food friendly selections. If your timing is right, check out Quarry’s popular international dinner series.

The TroUgh (I love the name) (www.thetrough.ca) boasts “exuberant” flavours using local ingredients influenced by international cuisine. Dishes such as the refreshing summer salad with pink grapefruit, watermelon, crystallized ginger, arugula, mint, and baby basil tossed with honey lime dressing; pan seared, sesame-crusted Nova Scotia scallops with sweet chili lemon glaze and carrot ginger purée, jerk spiced Alberta baby back ribs, and Lebanese “rack o’ lamb” with warm hummus butter, quinoa tabbouleh, mint yogurt, and pomegranate reduction all not only showcase the chefs’ talents, but their knowledge of global flavours as well.

Feel like staying in? Pick up some ready-to-eat crab cakes, elk and buffalo tourtière, and wild boar pâté from the Railway Deli (www.railwaydeli.com) and, if you have access to a barbeque, a selection of the gorgeous cuts of beef, venison, buffalo, elk or lamb from Valbella Gourmet Foods (www.valbellagourmetfoods. ca). Stop at Canmore Wine Merchants (www.canmorewine.com) for a great bottle on your way back to the hotel or condo and have an in-room dining experience superior to any room service.

Banff

Another 20 minutes west on the TransCanada Highway is the stunningly scenic town of Banff, home to a multitude of eateries that will both satisfy your hunger for exceptional food and quench your thirst for that extraordinary glass of wine. For wine lovers, the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel (www.fairmont. com/banffsprings) has hosted the globally respected Food and Wine Festival for years, attracting top wine producers from around the world. The hotel also boasts an award-winning wine list and elegant dining experience in its Banffshire Club.

There is no questioning the talents of the chef at The Eden in the Rimrock Hotel (www.rimrockresort.com/eden.html).

The veal sweetbreads were perfectly prepared, the bison strip loin melted in my mouth, and the desserts were among the finest I’ve tasted in recent memory. The wine list is extensive, albeit somewhat boring, filled with the requisite big names but

devoid of many interesting, off-the-beaten-track offerings. But we couldn’t help feeling that we had been assaulted by a used car salesman, as our server spent most of the evening trying to upsell us and “add on” to each course. The aggressiveness detracted from the elegant room and delicious food, and at $250plus per head, this attitude seemed quite out of place.

Bison Mountain Bistro’s (www.thebison.ca) rustic and simple room is the perfect setting for its wonderfully flavourful, fresh ingredient based mountain cuisine. This is robust food with character. Sip on a glass of Prosecco at brunch while contemplating the braised bison short rib skillet or duck confit and chèvre Benedict. Or treat yourself at dinner to the venison corndogs, shrimp and crab mini tacos (great Thai curry dressing), or Broek Acres pork chop with bourbon fig jus. Multiple visits are necessary to navigate the plethora of mouth-watering items on this menu.

The always bustling, southwestern-influenced Coyotes (www.coyotesbanff.com) is a mandatory breakfast stop for its outstanding Huevos Rancheros — over easy eggs on blue corn tortillas with cheese, avocado, tomato, salsa and black beans; wild berry buttermilk pancakes; and French toast stuffed with cream cheese and berries. Sit up at the counter and watch the speedy line cooks crank out the plates.

Lake Louise

A further 45-minute scenic drive west on the Trans Canada, featuring unparalleled vistas of soaring mountains and abundant wildlife, leads to the impossibly beautiful Lake Louise. The majestic Château Lake Louise (www.fairmont.com/lakelouise), located within a UNESCO World Heritage Site, sits amidst the mountains on the bank of the pristine lake. The hotel offers numerous dining options, but our favourite was the Swissinspired Walliser Stube. In addition to the assortment of delicious fondues and raclette, the menu is filled with traditional European dishes with new world twists. Particularly outstanding were the tender rabbit confit in creamy parsnip velouté, the classic Wiener schnitzel, and the gut-filling mixed grill featuring seared Alberta beef, bison and veal tenderloin, venison sausage, and Tyroler bacon.

Perhaps the finest dining experience in the Rockies belongs to Swiss-born brothers George and Andre Schwarz’s Post Hotel (www.posthotel.com), a member of the prestigious Relais & Châteaux. Beyond the simply prepared but incredibly delicious food, professional and knowledgeable yet comfortably friendly service, and maybe the best wine list in Western Canada, there is an air about this place that attracts wine and food lovers from around the world. They know they are good, but they do it without the pretense and without appearing to try too hard. The Eden, and most other fine dining establishments, should take note.

Canmore, Banff and Lake Louise’s awe-inspiring sceneries have always been a draw for visitors. Their food and wine scene is now as big an attraction as the towns’ alpinepeaked surroundings. •

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//the food notes 90 Ironstone Symphony 2009, California, United States ($14.95)

A UC Davis cross of Grenache Gris and Muscat of Alexandria. Light straw in colour, it offers a fragrant nose of orange blossom. Dry on the palate with exotic orange and honeysuckle flavours. Great with Asian food. (TA)

86 Nederburg The Winemaster’s Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2010, Western Cape, South Africa ($10.99) Greets with grassy, lemon-y aromas and hint of spiciness. The round mouthfeel delivers passion fruit and gooseberry flavours and a subtle oiliness. Vanilla spiciness accompanies the short, clean finish.

Fish ‘n’ chips would hit the spot. (HH)

88 Creekside Undercurrent Malbec 2007, St David’s Bench, Ontario ($32.95)

91 Villa Maria Clifford Bay Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2009, Awatere Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand ($33) Sourced from scenic Awatere Valley, this Savvy demonstrates the region’s classic characteristics: pea shell and tomato leaf aromas; intense grapefruit flavour and vibrant finish. Quite in contrast to the rounder, more tropical style of Wairau Valley. Its nervy acidity begs for shellfish. (HH)

In the Cahors region of France, where Malbec is grown, the moniker used to describe those wines is ‘Les Vins Noirs de Cahors.’ Back home, Creekside has indeed produced a black wine, which releases raspberries, roses, cassis, spice and chocolate-coated coffee bean. Medium-to-full-bodied, the tannins arrive with authority on the finale allowing it to be enjoyed over the next 2 to 3 years, with the heartiest fare possible. (ES)

89 Otuwhero Estates Sauvignon Blanc 2009, Awatere Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand ($19)

Fresh herbal, lemony aromas join whiffs of lime zest. Succulent acidity sets up the rich gooseberry mid-palate, accompanied by hints of ripe peach and guava. Clean, citrus finish clears the path for refreshing minerality. Very elegantly structured, so pairs well with a wide range of fish fillets. (HH)

90 Navarro Lopez Old Vines Tempranillo Crianza Pergolas 2007, Valdepeñas, Spain ($13.99)

Ruby red, fruit-driven wine highlighting fresh and elegant fruit, spiciness, bright acidity, light tannins and a lingering finish. A great example of the great value coming out of Spain. Very food-versatile so try it with just about anything. (GB)

87 Sokol Blosser Meditrina Red Blend, Nevada, United States ($19.95)

Here is a unique blend that encompasses grapes from the three famous wine states on the West Coast of the Unites States. The Zinfandel comes from California, the Pinot Noir from Oregon, and the Syrah from Washington. So what does the sum of the parts equate to? It is a dark coloured offering with a smooth texture and a personality of berry fruit, spice and flowers. This is your quintessential pizza and pasta wine. (ES)

54 // April 2011

Bouquet Garni by nancy johnson

//something completely different

I am so immature. This thought occurred to me as I watched the magnificent series The Tudors. Mind you, I really try to pursue scholarly subjects with a somewhat sophisticated attitude. But my brain resists, taking an unprovoked right turn at the crossroads of mature intellectual pursuits and Monty Python. The fact is I was born laughing. Let’s look at my puerile sense of humour.

Katherine Howard was the doomed fifth wife of Henry the VIII. If we are to believe The Tudors (and why wouldn’t we believe Hollywood?), Katherine Howard was a bright-eyed Lolita with a dash of Hannah Montana and a soupÇon of Disney princess sprinkled in. Today, she would snag a starring role in a TV series. Back then, she earned a one-way trip to the chopping block. Now, let’s face it: I should be overcome with empathy for milady. But every time the poor queen discusses the loftiness of the Howard name, I can’t help but summon the Three Stooges into the fray by shouting, “but what about your brothers Moe, Curly and Shemp, Miss Howard?”

In the first season of The Tudors, Lord Buckingham’s woes bring to mind the pop group of the late 1960s who rode the British Wave via Chicago. When Buckingham complains he is the rightful heir to the throne I blurt out, “Kind of a Drag, eh Buckingham?” And then the poor fool is sent to his death

by King Henry (a prettily pouting Jonny Rhys Meyers — yes, I have a teenybopper crush — but as I said, I’m immature).

Anyhow, when the poor fool is just about to get the old melon chopped off, instead of gasping in horror, I’m driven to yell

another of The Buckinghams’ erstwhile hits: “Mercy! Mercy!

Mercy!” (Which, by the way, was composed by a desperate Lord Cromwell in a letter he penned to the King just before his own pumpkin hit the deck).

I love the scene where Henry lays eyes on Anne of Cleves, ‘The Flanders Mare’ (Joss Stone’s ravishing beauty not being fully appreciated in the 16th century). Henry runs from the room shouting, “I like her not!” Am I wrong to think the scene would have worked more effectively had King Henry delivered the line à la Wayne’s World? (I like her … NOT!) In that same scene, despite Henry’s obvious agitation, he is clear-headed enough to grab back the gift he’d intended for his bride. Apparently the furs he’d planned to drape on the Mare were not needed, since after all, she had her own coat of fur.

But enough of the 16th century, let’s dish about 18th century France! I am fascinated by the era, and most particularly

by Madame Vigée-Lebrun, an artist who painted her way through Europe while back home, the fishmongers’ wives were filching her masterpieces from Versailles. Madame writes a most delicious memoir that dissolves me into gales of laughter and frankly, makes me kind of hungry. Really, what am I to make of this: “I spent the day with my dear friend Chateaubriand. Later that evening, I enjoyed a delightful dinner with Count Stroganov. Afterwards, we attended the opera where Tetrazzini was at her finest. Tomorrow I daresay I shall paint Count Chocula.” Yes … pray tell … what am I to make of this?

How about these recipes …

+ Search through a wide range of wine-friendly recipes on tidingsmag.com

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Beef Stroganoff Makes 4 servings

You can make this dish with top sirloin, but it’s sublime when made with beef tenderloin. Some chefs will cook the meat just until medium rare and while I like my steaks that way, in this dish I cook the meat until it’s no longer pink. It’s your choice.

1 1/2 lb beef tenderloin, sliced into strips 3 tbsp butter, divided 2 tbsp flour 1 cup beef stock 1 tbsp olive oil 2 cups sliced mushrooms 1 small onion, minced 1 clove garlic, minced 250 g sour cream Broad egg noodles, cooked & buttered

1. In a saucepan, melt 2 tbsp butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour

Salisbury Steaks with Mashed Potatoes & Gravy Makes 4 servings

You can’t throw a stick at British history without hitting a Salisbury in the head. Although the Salisbury steak was created by a 19th century doctor, during Henry VIII’s reign the Salisbury family became a thorn in the Tudor Rose’s side. My grandkids (aka the Prince & Princess) love my Salisbury steaks, which I keep very simple for their young palates. This recipe also makes delicious meatballs that can be browned on a baking sheet in the oven and then transferred to a baking dish and baked, covered, with gravy or tomato sauce for 40 minutes.

1 lb meat loaf mixture (or a combination of ground beef, pork and veal) 1/3 cup dry Italian seasoned bread crumbs 1 large egg 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/8 tsp pepper 1 tbsp olive oil 1 jar good quality brown gravy (I sometimes use gravy made with water & Bisto)

1. Heat oven to 350˚F. 2. In a large bowl, gently mix meat, bread crumbs,

egg, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Shape into 4 oval patties, each about an inch thick.

3. In a large skillet, heat olive oil. Add patties and brown on each side over medium heat.

4. Arrange patties in baking dish. Pour gravy over patties. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes or until patties are cooked through. Serve with mashed potatoes.

56 // April 2011

and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the beef stock and simmer, stirring, until thickened. Set aside.

2. In a large skillet, over medium heat, melt 1 tbsp butter with 1 tbsp olive oil. Add mushrooms, onion and garlic. Cook until tender. Remove from skillet and set aside.

3. Add beef to skillet. Cook over high heat until just cooked through.

Return mushroom mixture to skillet.

4. Meanwhile, whisk the sour cream into the beef stock mixture and add to skillet. Heat gently over low heat. Do not boil. Add more broth if sauce is too thick. Serve over buttered egg noodles. …… I love Châteauneuf-du-Pape with this dish, or you could open a Grenache.

Mmmmm Mashed Potatoes Makes 6 servings

To me, mashed potatoes are the Holy Grail, and the restaurant that serves real mashed potatoes is worth its weight in gold. Therefore I’m always surprised by home cooks who say they never make mashed potatoes at home. I am going to give you a few culinary secrets that will put mashed potatoes on your table once and for all: * Always use baking potatoes! I don’t care what they say about red or yellow potatoes — starchy baking potatoes turn out the best mash. * Do not use a vegetable peeler — it takes forever! Instead, place newspaper in your sink, pare away the skin with a small knife and let the peels drop onto the paper. Gather up the paper and throw it away. * Give each potato a quick rinse before chopping into quarters. * Don’t cut potatoes smaller than quarters or overcook, as they will turn to mush in the pot. * For mashing, many recipes call for heated milk – I use cold milk because it’s just too much trouble otherwise.

5 lb russet or baking potatoes, peeled and quartered 1 tsp salt Milk, butter, salt & pepper

1. Partially fill a large Dutch oven with cold water. Add peeled and

chopped potatoes. Water should cover potatoes. Place over high heat and bring to a boil.

2. Add salt and turn down the heat to simmer.

Cook until potatoes are tender, uncovered, about 25 to 30 minutes. Use a fork to test the potatoes. There should be no resistance and they should be tender all the way through. Drain in colander. Do not rinse!

3. Place potatoes back in Dutch oven. Add about 1/4 cup milk and a tbsp of butter. With hand mixer, whip potatoes until creamy. Texture is a matter of preference, so leave some lumps if you like lumps.

Add more milk or butter if you like your potatoes creamier. Season with salt and pepper and a dollop of butter. …… Serve Salisbury Steaks and Mashed Potatoes with a Zinfandel or Beaujolais unless of course the grandchildren are involved and then it’s grape juice all around.

Turkey Tetrazzini Makes 4 to 6 servings

This is one of the first recipes I learned to make when I was a young blushing bride, much like Katherine Howard. For the record, Luisa Tetrazzini was not a contemporary of Vigée-Lebrun; I made that up. But she was a great opera singer, and this is her dish. You can substitute chicken for the turkey.

250 g chopped mushrooms, sautéed until tender 250 g spaghetti, cooked and drained 2 1/2 cups cooked turkey or chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces 1/4 cup butter 1/4 cup flour 1 3/4 cups turkey or chicken broth 1 1/2 cups milk 1 cup heavy cream 2 tbsp dry sherry 1 tsp salt 1/8 tsp white pepper 1/8 tsp nutmeg Fresh or dry bread crumbs tossed with grated Parmesan cheese and minced fresh parsley

1. Heat oven to 350˚F. 2. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

3. Add broth, milk and cream. Cook, stirring, until thick and bubbly.

4. Add mushrooms, turkey or chicken, sherry, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add spaghetti, stirring gently to coat.

5. Transfer mixture to a buttered baking dish.

Sprinkle with the bread crumb mixture and bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until bubbly. …… This creamy, classic dish calls out for a crisp California Chardonnay.

German Pancake with Cinnamon Apples Makes 6 to 8 servings

Three cheers for the Flanders Mare who kept her head just by being herself. You gotta admire a gurrrrl for that! This pancake is yummy for breakfast, brunch or dessert. Suggested music: The Soul Sessions by Joss Stone.

1 2 3

tsp Canola oil large eggs large egg whites 2/3 cup flour 2/3 cup milk 1 tsp butter Cinnamon apples (see below) 1 tbsp butter 6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into thick slices 3 tbsp brown sugar 1/4 cup apple juice or water 1 tsp cinnamon Icing sugar Vanilla yogurt or ice cream

1. Heat oven to 450˚F. 2. Pour oil into a 9-inch pie pan. Heat in oven 5 minutes.

3. In food processor, process eggs, egg whites, flour, milk and butter until well blended.

4. Pour batter into hot pan and bake 20 minutes. Do not open door.

Reduce oven temperature to 350˚F and bake 10 minutes longer or until pancake is puffed.

5. Prepare apples: In large skillet, melt butter. Add apples, sugar, apple juice or water and cinnamon. Cook over medium heat, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes or until apples are tender.

6. Cut pancake into 6 to 8 wedges. Top with apples. Dust with icing sugar.

Serve with vanilla yogurt or ice cream. …… Great with a German Riesling. •

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//the notes

87 SKN Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Napa Valley, United States ($16.95)

Here is a solid all-purpose Napa Cab that won’t break the bank. Scents of blackberries, cassis, violets, earth, cocoa and tobacco smoke are built on a medium-bodied frame. There is very good length, with tannins present, but they are not obtrusive. Buy a couple of bottles for the BBQ season. (ES)

88 Wayne Gretzky Estate Series Riesling 2009, Lincoln Lakeshore, Ontario ($18.95)

Peach, minerals, flowers, lime and applesauce are layered on a light-bodied frame full of fresh acid and some noticeable sweetness. It is reminiscent of a Rheingau Kabinett. It has a lengthy finish and is ready to drink. (ES)

Fresh raspberry and strawberry scents with pleasantly rounded berry flavours, gentle tannins and a clean fresh finish. Exceptional value and a more than affordable party wine. (SW)

Aged in French oak barriques, this powerful wine shows a developed bouquet with fragrantly perfumed fruit, fine spice and fleshy, gamey overtones. Thick black plum and berry fruit comes in a solidly structured, full-bodied, velvety package, finishing with smooth chocolate and contrasting tannic grip. (SW)

Gorgeous and well crafted, with berry, cherry and mint aromas and flavours, medium-bodied, with fine silky tannins and a fruit-driven finish. The perfect Tuesday night pizza wine. A great value. (GB)

58 // April 2011

Good, solid value from the getgo. Generous plum, black cherry and rich blackberry character.

Juicy texture and soft tannins go down easy, with a lingering chocolate spice finish. Suited for grilled fare. (HH)

85 Trapiche Pinot Noir 2010, Mendoza, Argentina ($10.79)

90 Miolo Cuvée Giuseppe Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2006, Val dos Vinhedos, Brazil ($29.99)

89 Fabiano Valpolicella Classico Superiore Nicola Fabiano DOC 2008, Veneto, Italy ($16.99)

86 Obikwa Shiraz 2009, Western Cape, South Africa ($9.99)

90 Domaine Gavélan Paroles de Femme 2007, Côtes du Rhône, France ($15) A blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre. Ruby-purple in colour, it offers a nose of black raspberries, cassis, and violets; it’s medium-to-full-bodied, well structured and elegant with a long finish. And it’s got a velvety mouthfeel. Great value. (TA)

Tidings uses the 100-point scale 95-100 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

90-94. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

85-89 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

80-84. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

75-79. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

70 & under. . . . . . . . . . .

exceptional excellent

very good good acceptable

below average

* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . available through

wine clubs green. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . white & rosé wines red. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . red wines

Our Scoring

System

the commentaries in order to get an idea of whether the wine might appeal to your taste. The prices listed are suggested retail prices and may vary from province to province. Since a large number of these wines can be purchased across Canada, check with your local liquor board, or its website, for availability.

Our tasters are Tony Aspler (ON), Sean Wood (NS, NB), Gilles Bois (QC), Evan Saviolidis (ON), Harry Hertscheg (BC), Gurvinder Bhatia (AB) and Jonathan Smithe (ON).

Argentina // p. 59; Australia // p. 59; Brazil // p. 59; Canada // p. 59-61; CHILE // p. 61; France // p. 61;

Each wine is judged on its own merits, in its respective category.

Readers should open their palates to compare the relationship between quality and price. We’d also ask you to carefully study

Germany // p. 61; Italy // p. 62; New Zealand // p. 62-63; South Africa // p. 63; spain // p. 63-64;

the notes\\ /Argentina / 88 Graffigna Centenario Pinot Grigio Reserve 2010, San Juan ($12.95)

I’m usually not a great fan of Pinot Grigio; there are too many insipid examples on the market, but this one has real flavour. Peachy on the nose, it has a mouth-filling taste of pear and peach with lively acidity. And the price is right. Summer is coming, so stock up. (TA)

86 Bodega Privada Malbec 2009, Maipu, Mendoza ($9.99)

Aromatic redcurrant, ripe berry and a distinctive herbal

scent yield to darker fruit flavours in a full-bodied, well structured package. This is a solid, satisfying wine, true to the style of Argentine Malbec and a steal at the price. (SW)

/Australia / 90 Penfolds Pinot Noir Cellar Reserve 2006, Adelaide Hills ($70)

Beautifully crafted, ripe, rich, supple, elegant and balanced, showing fleshy plum, blueberry and blackberry flavours that are pure and focused, with firm tannins and a touch of earth, ending with a nice minerally edge that offers

+ A searchable listing of our tasting notes is at tidingsmag.com/notes/

United States // p. 64; Spirits // p. 64-65

even greater depth. Will continue to develop over the next five years. (GB)

/Brazil / 88 Miolo Reserva Tannat 2009, Campanha ($15.99)

Tannat tends to be heavily tannic, needing time to soften.

This version presents inviting scents of ripe blackberry and concentrated dark fruit flavours. Tannins are surprisingly supple, and the wine is quite smooth with a splash of milk chocolate on the finish.

You may want to try with an 80 percent cocoa dessert. (SW)

87 Miolo Reserva Pinot Noir 2009, Campanha ($15.99)

Fleshy fruit with gamey and earthy tones suggest Old World style. On the palate, sound varietal dark cherry flavours kick in, with moderate tannins, good acid balance and a very dry finish. A characterful wine, well worth tasting. (SW)

/Canada / 92 Hidden Bench Chardonnay Estate 2007, Niagara ($32.50) One of the best Ontario Chardonnays I’ve come

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//the notes 89 Jackson Triggs Gold Label Fumé Blanc 2009, Niagara ($23.95) Even though the label states Fumé, it is the fruit of the Sauvignon Blanc that overshadows the oak. Pungent green pineapple, ammonia, passion fruit, grapefruit and honey inundate the senses.

There are loads of crisp acidity with a slight creaminess and spice due to the barrel aging. (ES)

across in a long time. It’s straw coloured with a nose of apple, pear, minerals, and a smoky note, medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced with well-extracted savoury fruit, creamy oak and mineral flavours and a long finish. (TA)

89 Peninsula Ridge Barrel Aged Chardonnay 2009, Niagara ($14.95)

91 Coyote’s Run Riesling Icewine 2008, Niagara ($39.95)

89 Inniskillin Legacy Riesling 2008, Niagara ($30)

Deep old gold colour, intense peach and honey nose with a botrytis note, medium-to-fullbodied with great balance of sweet peachy-orange fruit with lively citrus acidity. (TA)

90 Inniskillin Vidal Icewine 2007, Niagara Peninsula ($50)

Golden yellow. Sweet apple peel, candied/cooked apples, spices, caramel. Sweet, syrupy core surrounded by vivid acidity. Refreshing yet very sweet. Long finish. Ready to drink. Your dessert shouldn’t oversweeten the wine. (GBQc)

60 // April 2011

Pale straw colour with a bouquet of caramel, citrus and minerals, rich mouthfeel with flavours of apple, pear and well integrated vanilla oak.

Great value. (TA)

For the Legacy series, winemaker Bruce Nicholson has chosen the Riesling variety from the 2008 vintage. Medium straw in colour, the wine offers a nose of honey and grapefruit with a note of minerality. On the palate it has a light spritz; medium-bodied, peachycitrus flavour, off-dry with great tension between sweetness and tartness propelled by lively acidity.

Great as an apéritif or with some grilled seafood. A lightly veined blue will balance the sweeteness. (TA)

90 Anne Boecklin Réserve Gewürztraminer 2008, Alsace, France ($17.95) Quintessential Alsace Gewürz. Straw colour with a lime tint, concentrated nose of lychees and rose petals, richly extracted exotic flavours of Turkish Delight. Finishes dry with good length. (TA)

87 Creekside Sauvignon Blanc 2009, Niagara ($13.95)

At this price, this Blanc offers solid bang for the buck. In the glass, the wine is light yet flavourful, singing of banana, fruit salad, lime, grass and grapefruit. There is very good length and crisp acid, making it a perfect foil for hors d’oeuvres. (ES)

86 Pondview Riesling 2009, Niagara ($16)

An intense bouquet of lime, peach, minerals and flowers is followed by fresh acid on the palate and flavours of grapefruit and lime. This wine is bright, with just a hint of sweetness and is medium in length. (ES)

85 Pondview Gewürztraminer/Riesling, Niagara ($14)

This blend is 65% Gewürztraminer and 35% Riesling, making for a persona of flowers, peach, honey and

lime. The palate is spicy and there is a lingering finish. (ES)

91 Creekside Undercurrent Shiraz Icewine 2008, Niagara ($45.95/200ml)

This Icewine is a different creature! The best way to describe it is a creative blend between a Rutherglen stickie and an Icewine, having spent almost two-and-a-half years in a new barrel before being bottled. The colour is a medium rust/orange and the nose smells of liquorice, plum, orange and sponge toffee. The palate is defined by spice, cocoa, pepper and crème caramel. There is excellent length with sound acid. Forget dessert, and just revel in the uniqueness of this treasure. (ES)

89 Creekside Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2007, St David’s Bench ($37) No doubt about it, this is a serious Niagara red. Black

colour. The bouquet of cassis, cherries, vanilla, violets and mint meet up with flavours of smoke and spice. Full-bodied, the wine is extremely youthful and will require a couple of years before it starts to strut its stuff. Hold it until 2012 and delight in it until 2020. (ES)

89 Pondview Cabernet Franc Icewine 2009, Niagara ($35/200ml)

Pale ruby in colour, the aromas are of raspberries, strawberries, cassis, herbs and cocoa while built on a medium-bodied frame. The acid is fresh, giving balance to the sweetness. Paired with chocolate fondue, this baby will pleasure the senses. (ES)

88 Calamus Red Reserve 2007, Niagara ($18)

Calamus continues to offer solid value. Here is a delicious Bordeaux blend that offers good concentration and a personality of cassis, raspberries, spice, flowers and smoke.

Tannins are present, offering midterm aging. Drink it until 2014 in order to take advantage of the fruit. (ES)

87 Burrowing Owl Athene 2008, Okanagan ($35)

Named after the owl’s “athene” genus, this inaugural release launches complex floral, blueberry and leafy black currant aromas. Spicy cassis and black fruits preside over the full-bodied palate.

White pepper finish captivates. 2 to 4 years cellaring will integrate this Syrah/Cab Sauv blend. (HH)

/Chile / 88 Chilensis Reserva Carmenère 2008, Maule Valley ($12.95)

Chile’s flagship grape at a bargain price. Dense purple in colour with a nose of blackcurrants and vanilla oak; loads of fruit expression here, full-bodied, ripe and juicy but firmly structured. (TA)

/France / 92 Remoissenet Père et Fils Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeot 2008, Burgundy ($79.95)

Straw colour with a lovely bouquet of smoky, toasty apple with a mineral note, full-bodied, great balance and style, very elegant but concentrated with mouthwatering acidity. (TA)

92 Duval Leroy “Femme” Brut Champagne 1996, Champagne ($144)

A fine Champagne from a celebrated vintage, showing classic breed and bottle age complexity. Bouquet reveals opulent toasted and brioche character and plenty of subtle fruit. Rich complexity comes through even more emphatically on the palate, with fine persistent mousse and soft creamy texture contrasted with vibrant acidity and firm minerality. (SW)

90 Delamotte Brut Champagne, Champagne ($47.95)

A terrific champagne for the price. Straw coloured with a

bready, apple nose, mediumbodied, dry with lively citrus acidity and good length.

Very satisfying. (TA)

90 Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Réserve particulière, Champagne ($48.75)

This entry-level cuvée shows a pleasantly light fruity and floral nose with a hint of butter. Very light, aerial and quite elegant, the absence of any bitterness or rancio notes will appeal to the crowds. (GBQc)

91 Château de Nages JT 2005, Costières-deNîmes, Rhone Valley ($20.05)

Deep ruby. Ripe nose of black fruits, earthy notes, spices, smoky oak and leather. Sweet fruity taste, quite tannic, warm and firm on the tongue. Tight finish. Will benefit from 4 to 5 years in the cellar. Some hearty dishes are in order. (GBQc)

89 Doudet Naudin Pinot Noir Bourgogne 2008, Hautes-Côtes de Beaune, Burgundy ($24.95) Ruby colour, spicy nose of raspberry jam, medium-bodied, dry, firmly structured with a fine spine of acidity, great with stews. (TA)

88 Domaine de Seuil 2006, Premières Côtes de Bordeaux AC ($20)

A stylish old vine Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend displaying characteristic Bordeaux breed with plum, piquant blackcurrant and

earthy and green herbal notes on the nose. Juicy ripe plum and black cherry flavours follow though on the palate, with firm tannic grip and background earthy minerality. (SW)

88 Nicolas Potel Pinot Noir Vieilles vignes 2009, Burgundy ($21.70) Pale ruby. Red fruits (mostly cherry), cinnamon and other spices. Lively acidity, the core of crisp fruit wraps the firm backbone of fine tannins.

Finishes dry. Drink over the next 2 years or so. (GBQc)

85 Domaine Tour Boisée 2009, Minervois AC ($12.99)

Characteristic dark berry and plum with a whiff of mint and light earthiness on the nose. Rather fruit-forward flavours contrast with firm tannins on the dry finish. Straightforward, well made wine. (SW)

/Germany / 90 J.J.Prum Bernkasteler Badstube Kabinett 2007, Mosel ($45)

Beautifully integrated mix of lime, peach and slate marks this delicate, firmly structured Riesling with intense minerality, sleek, beautifully defined and a lively crisp acidity. The sweetness is perfectly balanced by the fresh acidity and nuances of wet rocks.

The perfect match with roasted butternut squash and lentil salad. (GB)

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//the notes Laphroaig 10-Year-Old Islay Single Malt Whisky, Scotland ($77.33)

Iodine, peaty smoke, seaweed saltiness with subdued notes of malt and dried, spicy fruit fill the nostrils. Powerful and aggressive on the palate, unleashing flavours of malt, bitter Scottish marmalade, fiery alcohol and the charry, smoky stale ashtray finish so beloved by true Islay aficionados. (SW)

/Italy / 90 Castello Di Querceto Chianti Classico Riserva 2006, Tuscany ($28.95)

A delicious Chianti. Ruby-red colour with a nose of blackberries, spice, leather and new oak, medium-to-fullbodied and elegant with a modern flair, oak yet to be fully integrated. Well made and soft enough for drinking now (TA)

89 De Angelis Chardonnay Prato Grande IGT 2009, Marche ($18.99)

Fresh and creamy with flavours of tropical fruit, apple, pineapple, banana and mineral character, with a medium body and a flavourful finish. Consistently great, year after year. (GB)

89 Marchese Antinori Montenisa Brut Franciacorta, Lombardy ($33.75) Made using the traditional method, Franciacorta is a

62 // April 2011

valuable alternative to Champagne. This fine example has a delicate nose of white fruits, brioche and a buttery note. Finely balanced, its clean taste is very satisfying. Drink now. (GBQc)

92 Donatella Cinelli Colombini Leone Rosso Orcia DOC 2007, Tuscany ($32)

Dark with aromas of crushed berries, meat, and freshly picked roses. Racy, full-bodied but incredibly fresh, with firm yet elegant tannins and beautiful currant and blackberry character. Very long, silky and caressing with an amazing texture, loads of character and a compelling finish. Possesses a huge “wow” factor. A bargain and easily in the same class as many Tuscans costing double the price. With BBQ season around the corner this may be a no-brainer, but you might want to adventure into a spiced Thai dish. (GB)

91 Paritua Syrah 2007, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand ($36) Bright blueberry and Five-spice infuse the gamey, savoury aromas. The dense, rich palate showcases well the concentrated raspberry and black cherry flavours. French oak barriques (50% new) imbue structure and fine-grained tannins. Long, complex finish satisfies. Serve with game meat in fruit sauce. (HH)

90 De Angelis Rosso Piceno DOC 2008, Marche ($16.99)

Very tasty blend of Montepulciano and Sangiovese showing ripe, fresh cherry and plum fruit with a lovely smokiness and a touch of meatiness. Great richness and depth and a refreshing finish. Loads of character for a wine of this price. A great wine with pizza, pasta and grilled meats. (GB)

88 Tormaresca Paiara 2008, Puglia IGT ($9.99)

This southern Italian blend of Negroamaro and Cab Sauv delivers exceptional value.

Complex aromas of earthy prune and sun-warmed wild berries. Juicy red fruit core and dry, integrated tannins precede a long finish of liquorice and vanilla notes. Delightful as a midweek sipper. (HH)

88 Tormaresca Torcicoda Primitivo 2007, IGT

Salento ($19.95)

Oaky nose with lots of ripe red fruits, vanillin. Generous, very supple and a bit warm in the mouth, this is best drunk for its fleshy fruit. At its best right now. (GBQc)

85 Umani Ronchi Medoro Sangiovese 2009, Marche IGT ($12.86)

Ripe dark cherry and plum character is modified by more typical savoury and dry earthy notes. Has firm tannic backbone and appetizing black cherry on the finish.

Solid value. (SW)

/New / Zealand 90 Eradus Sauvignon Blanc 2009, Marlborough ($17.95)

This listing is a new one at Vintages. It is a textbook Kiwi Sauv Blanc at an excellent price. Huge tropical fruit, honey, lime zest, herbs

and grapefruit are all present creating a refreshing ambiance. It finishes long with mineral undertones combining with the fruit. It also gives Kim Crawford a run for the money. (ES)

90 Villa Maria Cellar Selection Pinot Gris 2008, Awatere Valley, Marlborough ($30)

acidity, fatty and some bitterness in the finish.

Well done if you like the exuberant style. (GBQc)

88 Wither Hills Pinot Gris 2009, Wairau Valley, Marlborough ($19)

The Awatere Valley-sourced fruit means a more focused, delicate style than other kiwi Gris, so look for apple aromas and intense flavours with a long finish. A tremendously food-friendly wine, and very palate-cleansing with a cheese course. (HH)

Partial French oak fermentation imparts a round mouthfeel flecked with spicy notes.

Fragrant aromas highlight orange blossom and honeysuckle. Sweet peach upfront and candied pear/ginger on the finish bookend the intense quince and melon mid-palate flavours.

Accompany with the cheese course. (HH)

89 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2009, Marlborough ($29.15)

87 Spy Valley Riesling 2009, Marlborough ($20.65)

Fine nose of white fruits and citrus notes. Noticeably good balance between the acidity, the mineral side and the fruit. Long finish and obvious quality. (GBQc)

88 Trout Valley Riesling 2008, Marlborough, Nelson ($14.95)

A great value Riesling. Pale straw colour with a nose of lime, petrol and white honey, light-to-medium-bodied, crisply dry, elegant with lively citrus acidity and good length. (TA)

88 Stoneleigh Chardonnay 2009, Marlborough ($16.95)

Straw yellow with green reflections. Quite oaky, menthol and citrus complete the complex nose. Lively

Mineral nose with floral accents. Acidity is on the low side; it appears even more discreet due to the residual sugar. Overall nice fruity taste. Drink now. (GBQc)

91 Schubert Pinot Noir 2008 Marion’s Vineyard, Wairarapa ($33) Medium ruby. The spicy nose is fresh, a floral touch adds complexity. Beautiful fruity taste with the right amount of oak. Silky yet tight middle palate with good freshness.

Nice finish too. (GBQc)

90 Spy Valley Pinot Noir 2009, Marlborough ($22.40) Medium ruby. Nose of strawberry and raspberry, fruit stones. Very nicely balanced, just enough oak

and a good deal of fruit.

Ready to drink. (GBQc)

89 Oyster Bay Pinot Noir 2009, Marlborough ($19.95)

Light ruby colour. Beautiful nose of small red fruits, slightly perfumed. Light taste, fruity and very nice, it goes down easy. Drink now. (GBQc)

/South / Africa 86 Obikwa Sauvignon Blanc 2009, Western Cape ($9.99)

This very good value wine, with its iconic ostrich label, delivers quick-off-the-mark aromas and flavours: fragrant citrus and tangy guava.

Light and juicy with a crisp, simple finish, but refreshing nevertheless.

Ready and willing to accompany a salad. (HH)

85 Obikwa Chardonnay 2009, Western Cape ($9.99)

This value wine delivers varietal character with straightforward definition and a balanced palate. Ripe pear, baked peach and caramel notes from start to finish.

Finishes with an appetizing spiciness. Made me crave a chicken sandwich. (HH)

84 Nederburg The Winemaster’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Western Cape ($10.99)

Abundant red berries, chocolate, mocha and vanilla gush forth. But sharp acidity,

astringent tannins and medicinal notes need some taming, so decant to aerate the wine. Suited for grilled fare. (HH)

83 Obikwa Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, Western Cape ($9.99)

Simple and straightforward with a core of red berry fruit surrounded by bell pepper and dried herbs. Balanced palate, but with vegetal notes. Short, sharp finish.

Weekday tumbler wine. A steak with a light red wine, blue cheese reduction . (HH)

/Spain / 87 Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava, Catalonia ($13.85)

The fruity nose has good intensity and a mineral touch.

On the palate, everything is in order, clean taste and perfectly dry. The finish has a good length. What more can you ask for at this price?

Simply amazing to open any meal. (GBQc)

89 Castillo de Monséran Garnacha 2008, Cariñena ($9.99)

Although more commonly known as Grenache, this grape expresses its origins in Spain’s Aragon region. Look for lush, fragrant floral and ripe strawberry bursting on both nose and palate.

Intense, yet lighter-bodied, with a clean, goes-downeasy finish. Imminently drinkable on its own.

Gob-smacking value. (HH)

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//the notes 89 Navarro Lopez Granrojo Tempranillo Rojo 2008, Valdepenas ($15.99)

Focused and fresh, offering plum, raspberry, mineral and vanilla flavours, with firm but well-integrated tannins.

Harmonious and lively with great balance that has become expected and the norm for this very consistent producer. A great match with grilled meats. (GB)

89 Bodegas Lopez Cristobal Crianza 2006, Ribera del Duero ($22.55)

vanilla, toast, honey, apple, fig and peach. In the mouth, there is a creamy texture and flavours of spice, apple, tropical fruit and fresh cream. The finale is lengthy. (ES)

89 Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut Sparkling Wine, California ($23.95)

A very satisfying bubbly at a great price. Deeply coloured, a note of cinnamon and fresh-baked bread on the nose, dry pear flavour with zesty citrus acidity and a mineral note. (TA)

Dark ruby. Red and black fruits, some oak notes. Tight and full on the palate, generous fruit and elegant tannins. Finish is clean and pleasant. Quite beautiful right now. (GBQc)

85 Pacific Rim Riesling 2007, Washington State ($18.05)

/United / States

95 Jarvis Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, 2001, Napa ($225)

89 Irony Chardonnay 2009, Napa Valley ($19.95)

Light golden yellow. Citrus, melon, discreet chalk and petrol notes. Light and fruity, a tad sweet. Slightly metallic in the finish. Drink now. (GBQc)

I have always been impressed with the quality of this bottling, year in year out. The current vintage offers up a nose of

Delightfully complex, elegant, rich and subtle, with a core of ripe, spicy currant, black cherry and plum that’s pure and focused, supple and juicy, with an amazing finish that

reverberates with flavour.

Shows great balance, concentration and persistence. A decade old and still just a baby. Exceptional. (GB)

87 Sebastiani Merlot 2006, Sonoma County ($18.95)

From the cool Pacific-influenced Sonoma Coast AVA, comes this easy-drinking Merlot. A mixture of chocolate fudge, damson plum, sweet cherries and smoke is present. On the finale, a touch of barnyard makes an appearance. Drink it now. (ES)

87 Belle Glos Pinot Noir Meiomi 2008, California ($35)

Dark and delicious, with ripe, rich plum, blackberry and raspberry jam flavours that are deep and plush. Sharply focused, complex and concentrated, with spice and floral notes, but a touch high in alcohol. (GB)

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VSOP ($73.98)

Ever-reliable example of fine Cognac with a distinctive House style, the VSOP has a highly aromatic, spirity nose revealing a panoply of dried fruits and plenty of fine oak.

Initial sweetness on the palate is balanced by bold, typically fiery spirit with a long, harmoniously integrated finish. (SW)

Bacardi 8-Year-Old Rum ($26.99)

Now a blend of exclusively Puerto Rican rums, this well-priced spirit reveals brandy-like aromatics with just a note of sugar cane, spice and dry oak. Very smooth on the palate with complex flavours of ripe banana, dried fruit, vanilla with an agreeable touch of fiery alcohol and dry oak on the finish. (SW)

Forty Creek Confederation Oak Reserve Canadian Whisky 40% ($69.99)

This remarkable whisky is so named because it is aged in rare new White Canadian Oak dating back to the time of Confederation. A whiff of rye

(think dark rye bread) hits the nostrils together with spirity, fine oaky notes and a pinch of spice, vaguely reminiscent of Cognac. That slight resemblance is picked up again on the palate with rich, slightly sweet dried orange fruit and warming spirit that carries through on the finish, together with an unexpected splash of chocolate. A distinctive, refined and uniquely Canadian spirit. (SW)

Bowmore 12-Year-Old Islay Single Malt Whisky 40% ($39.99) Smoky and lightly fruity, with strong dry woody overtones on the nose. Initial impression of sweet citrus fruit and rich malt on the palate, followed by dry, peaty and oaky tones on the finish.

This one exhibits a lot of the strong Islay character but in a mellower, middle-of-theroad style. (SW)

Laphroaig 18-Year-Old Islay Single Malt Whisky 48% ($168.93) Definitely needs the addition of a splash or two of pure water to bring out the

immense aromatic complexity and to dilute the high level of alcohol. On the nose, signature Laphroaig peaty, smoky and salty notes, with mellower spicy dried fruits, especially raisins. In the mouth, rich, creamy malt and dried fruit sweetness gradually evolves to austere, almost harsh smoky peaty dryness. End notes linger on the palate forever! A truly great malt, one to sip carefully and to contemplate. (SW)

Laphroaig Quarter Cask, Double Cask Matured Islay Single Malt Whisky 48% ($72.98) Aged first in oak barrels, then in specially commissioned quarter casks used some 200 years ago. Like the 18-yearold, it needs a little water to release the complex aromatic peat smoke, iodine, salty seaweed and rich, raisiny and citrus fruit. Surprisingly mellow, with almost caramel creaminess on the palate and attractive fruity sweetness.

Another splendid example of the Laphroaig style, finishing with typical ashy and dry oaky notes. (SW)

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Extreme Cuisine Teff

by Rosemary Mantini

Bake it into bread, cook it like porridge, brew it into a tasty drink. It’s the food world’s version of the swiss army knife.

Teff is reputed to be the smallest grain in the world. Rumour has it that its name is derived from an ancient Ethiopian word meaning “lost” because the grains are so tiny, about the size of a pinhead, actually. It is super healthy, and tastes like chocolate and hazelnuts. What more could you possibly want out of life?

Teff doesn’t ring a bell for you? You’re not alone. From a western perspective where most people’s idea of whole grains is limited to corn, wheat, brown rice and oats, teff is the forgotten sister. Its origins lie in Ethiopia, but nowadays it can be found growing in North America.

Nutritionists consider teff to be the Rolls-Royce of whole grain foods. Since the grain is so small, both the germ and the bran remain intact. High in every good thing – protein, iron, fibre, vitamins, calcium, you name it. A little bit is all you need to get you going in the morning. In my quest to go dairy-free, gluten-free (see www.tidingsmag.com/kitchenmama to find out why), I discovered teff in the organics section of my local supermarket. Here’s my favourite method of preparing it.

Breakfast at Teffany’s Serves 2

2 cups water Pinch salt 1/2 cup teff 1 to 2 tbsp brown sugar 1/4 cup soy milk (optional) Bring water to a boil; add salt and allow to dissolve. Add teff and immediately reduce heat to low. Cover, and let simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. When all the water has been absorbed, stir in brown sugar. I like to add soy milk because it gives the cereal a creamy texture. …… Enjoy with a mug of robust java.

For more recipes as well as a database of Tidings tasting notes visit www.tidingsmag.com.

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final Word

by tony aspler

//women or wine?

The American Association of Wine Economists is a “non-profit, educational organization dedicated to encouraging and communicating economic research and analyses and exchanging ideas in wine economics.” Twice a year they publish a journal with papers on such learned and sleep-inducing subjects as “Identification of Stochastic Processes for an Estimated Icewine Temperature Hedging Variable” and “Unobserved Heterogeneity in the Wine Market: An Analysis of Sardinian Wine using Mixed Logit.”

But there is nothing like introducing sex into wine to capture this writer’s attention. Recently posted on AAWE’s Web site was a working paper by Mara Squicciarini and Jo Swinnen, two economists at the University of Leuven, entitled “Women or Wine? Monogamy and Alcohol.”

The abstract reads: “Intriguingly, across the world the main social groups

66 // April 2011

which practice polygyny do not consume alcohol. (Editor’s note: polygyny is not a spelling error but the correct term for men with multiple wives.) We investigate whether there is a correlation between alcohol consumption and polygynous/ monogamous arrangements, both over time and across cultures. Historically, we find a correlation between the shift from polygyny to monogamy and the growth of alcohol consumption. Cross-culturally we also find that monogamous societies consume more alcohol than polygynous societies in the preindustrial world.”

The authors look at the major religions of antiquity and those societies that sanctioned a plurality of wives. (There has to be a better collective noun for this — a reluctance of wives? But I digress.) The two economists point out that, according to the Bible, Solomon had 700 wives, but that would not have earned him a place in

the Guinness Book of Records. According to the Bhagavata Purana, a Sanskrit devotional text, the Hindu deity Lord Krisha had 16,108 wives. You do the math.

Polygyny is practiced today by some followers of the Islamic faith and the fundamentalist Mormons of Utah. Under Sharia law a man is allowed to take up to four wives (Koran 4.3: “And if you fear you cannot act equitably towards orphans, then marry such women as seem good to you, two and three and four; but if you fear you will not do justice [between them] then [marry] only one …”) And the Koran has an injunction against the consumption of alcohol by the faithful. The Mormons do not drink alcohol either.

The Greeks and the Romans, in their times, were the only societies that drank wine, and it was those enlightened societies that introduced the concept of monogamous relationships. After the fall of Rome, the early Christian Church reinforced the notion of monogamy while at the same time spreading the gospel of wine by planting vineyards throughout Europe and refining winemaking techniques in the monasteries. The Industrial Revolution further entrenched the social imperative of one man, one wife.

So, no alcohol for polygynists and alcohol for monogamists. This leads to the question which the New York journalist and Freakonomics blogger Stephen J. Dubner asked rhetorically in a recent post: “Does our society drink wine because we’re monogamous or are we monogamous because we drink wine?” My friend Barry Brown is a marriage counsellor who advises his clients to work out their differences over a bottle of wine. I don’t think this solution would cut the mustard in a polygynous situation. On a purely practical level I would imagine a husband with a harem would have little time to sit back and enjoy a bottle of wine. On the other hand, it is not hard to understand why a couple in a long-term monogamous relationship might feel the need for a bottle of wine as a social lubricant. As for the polygynist, if he had an argument with one of his wives he could always seek comfort in the arms of another of his wives. •

illustration: FRancesco Gallé, www.francescogalle.com

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ANOTHER FIRST. ONLY FROM ROGERS. VISIT ROGERS.COM/DATASHARE FOR MORE INFORMATION. Offer subject to change without notice. ±The Government Regulatory Recovery Fee ranges from $1.96 – $3.45/line/month (varies by province and plan selected). It is applied to help fund fees, costs and other amounts related to federal, provincial and/or municipal mandates, programs and requirements. It is not a tax or charge the government requires Rogers to collect and is subject to change. See rogers. com/regulatoryfee for details. A one-time Activation Fee of up to $35 (varies by province) also applies. Where applicable, additional airtime, data, long distance, roaming, options and taxes are extra and billed monthly. *Available to new and existing customers with eligible Data Share plan (e.g., existing 6 GB $30 plan not eligible for $10/device/mo offer but is eligible for a $30/device/mo offer). 3-yr. term required. Early cancellation fees apply. Full details at rogers.com/datashare. Max. 5 shared devices. Primary device must be a smartphone; each added device must be a mobile internet device (excluding Rocket Hub). Not all devices available at all locations. © 2011

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OLD WORLD WINERIES

Alex Gambal (FR) Champagne Fleury (FR) Chateau de la Maltroye (FR) Château de Meursault – (Patriarche) (FR) Domaine de la Pinte (FR) Domaine de la Vougeraie (FR) Domaine des Deux Roches (FR) Domaine Jean Fery & Fils (FR) Domaine Laroche (FR) Jermann (IT) Maison Roche de Bellene by Nicholas Potel (FR) Sattlerhof (AT) Tenuta Mosole Sergio Di Mosole Lucio (IT) Vie di Romans (IT) Weingut Fred Loimer (AT) Weingut Wieninger (AT)

vincor on cd

The International Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration July 22-24, 2011 • Niagara Peninsula

Visit coolchardonnay.org for full program details.

NEW WORLD WINERIES

Adelsheim (OR) Argyle Winery (OR) Ataraxia Wines (ZA) Bouchard Finlayson (ZA) Cooper Mountain Vineyards (OR) Dr. Konstantin Frank (NY) Evening Land Vineyards (OR) Hamacher Wines (OR ) Josef Chromy Wines (Tasmania) Mount Difficulty (NZ) Ponzi Vineyards (OR) Pyramid Valley Vineyards (NZ) The Millton Vineyard (NZ) Vina Aquitania (Chile)

CANADIAN WINERIES 13th Street Winery (ON) Angels Gate Winery (ON) Blue Mountain Vineyards & Cellars (BC) Closson Chase (ON) Coyote’s Run Estate Winery (ON) Flat Rock Cellars (ON) Hillebrand (ON) Inniskillin Wines (ON) Lailey Vineyard (ON) Le Clos Jordanne (ON) Mission Hill Winery (BC) Norman Hardie Winery and Vineyard (ON) Pillitteri Estates Winery (ON) Southbrook Vineyards (ON) Tawse Winery (ON) Vineland Estates (ON)

Join keynote speaker and emcee Matt Kramer, noted wine author and columnist, for a memorable celebration. Taste over 100 cool climate chardonnays from 8 countries set against the breathtaking backdrop of Niagara’s wine country.

Savour “Claws and Curds” pairings and gourmet vineyard luncheons; enjoy exceptional dining at Friday’s Gala Dinner and Saturday’s “Cochon and Chardonnay” spit-roasted pig event.

Mingle with winemakers from Burgundy, Oregon, New Zealand and beyond at this three-day celebration of the coolest grape on earth.

Visit coolchardonnay.org for program details and to book tickets for this exclusive event. Be cool.

APPLIED DREAMS.