Happy 350th South Africa!

I really can't wait for this upcoming event on Saturday December 5th. Filled with birthday cupcakes, food and music, this will be a really great party. It's not only celebration but an educational tasting as well. With over 20 wines to try, the evening will showcase the talents of the South Africa terroir and the people behind the wine. This is the last iYellow social wine event of 2009 and it will be a good one! Happy 350th of making wine South Africa!

More information on South African wines:
www.wine.co.za
www.southafricanwinesociety.com
www.wineanorak.com/southafricanwine.htm


iYellow Wine Club & Wines of South Africa invite you to...

****************************************************************
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
****************************************************************

Let’s Celebrate South Africa’s 350th Year of Making Wine
with a Bash!

WHEN:
Saturday December 5th
8:00pm - 10:30pm

WHERE:
Reds Wine Bar
77 Adelaide Street West

Birthday Party Includes:
>10 Wine Stations and 20 Wines
> Delicious Birthday Cupcakes
>South African Birthday Sounds
& Much Much More!

RSVP Today $30

http://www.iyellowwineclub.com/2009/11/happy-birthday-south-africa.html

Another glass of Knotty please!

I attended another fun evening hosted by the iYellow Wine Club back in September (I know, this post is really late!). The event was held at the Thrush Holmes Empire gallery on Queen Street West. This night was to showcase the launch of Red Knot wines of the Shingleback winery from Australia. Dj Dinamo was getting the crowd into a festive mood while they went from station to station, sampling different wines.

The winemaker, John Davey, talking about his winery and his wines. Specifically, the Red Knot label. His Australian accent was just charming!





More about John Davey:
http://www.shingleback.com.au/about-us/our-people?id=1245

Here is an interview John Davey with the people at Lifford Wine Agency:
http://www.liffordwine.com

The following is taken directly from the Shingleback website:

http://www.shingleback.com.au

""
The McLaren Vale region is located 45 minutes south of Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia. First planted with vines in the 1830's, McLaren Vale is best known today for its internationally acclaimed rich, flavourful Shiraz.

Red Knot
The Red Knot family of wines are designed for immediate enjoyment, full of ripe, fruit driven flavours. The style is bright, fragrant and varietal with the emphasis on fruit richness, giving the wine lover a delicious wine experience at an affordable price.

Shingleback
The white labelled Shingleback wines are hand-crafted primarily from the Davey's estate Shingleback vineyard and are made in a style that expresses the essence of McLaren Vale. These wines are lush, fruit-forward and food friendly, both appealing on release and worthy of cellaring.
""

There were various wines from the Shingleback portfolio that were sampled, including:
Sparkling Red Knot Shiraz
Pinot Grigio
Red Knot Cabernet Sauvignon
Red Knot Shiraz
Red Knot Shiraz Reserve
Shingleback Cabernet Sauvignon
Shingleback Shiraz

The wines that we can get here at our own LCBO are:

Red Knot Cabernet Sauvignon $17.95
Tasting Note from Shingleback:
"Deep red with purple hues. Blackberry and dark chocolate aromas, with hints of eucalypt and vanillan French and American oak. A medium bodied wine, filled with ripe berry and dark cherry flavours, subtly enhanced with toasty oak. Fresh acidity complements the long, sweet fruit finish, resulting in a wine with immediate appeal and varietal presence."

Shingleback Shiraz $23.95
This was my favourite wine of the night. Was it ever yummy! It's Full-bodied with lots of big fruit flavour with hints of chocolate and vanilla. Aged in French and American oak for 14 months, this wine has a lovely finish. For the money, it's a good wine.

Tasting note from Shingleback:
Deep red. Ripe blackberry and strawberry primary aromas are overlaid with with blueberry, chocolate and hints of vanilla. Fine-grained American and French oak subtly frame the rich berry mid palate. A full-bodied wine that is seamlessly integrated from the first taste to the long, lingering finish."

Tasting Notes - Nov 15, 2009

This week I didn't really do any formal tastings but I did have some enjoyable wines, two of which happen to be wines that I've been meaning to try anyways. Lucky day!

St. Francis Chardonnay 2007 $19.95
I discovered this wine from Sonoma last year which would have been the 2006 vintage release. I loved it...people loved it. The cases were flying off the shelves at my local wine shop. This year, the wine is just as good. However, it does have a heavier oak flavour than last year. If you love that big, buttery, oaky California Chardonnay then you'll enjoy this wine. The grapes were sourced mostly from the Russian River valley and the wine aged in both French and American oak. This wine is full-bodied, creamy and feels like golden butter going down. But don't let the oak scare you. It's not so full of oak that you can't enjoy the fruit.

Pierre Amadieu La Grangeliere Vacqueyras 2007 $21.95
This wine is from the Southern region of France, specifically, the Rhone. I think this is one of my favourite wine regions. Vacqueyras is located not to far from the famous Chateauneuf-du-Pape village. I find that wines from Vacqueyras and Gigondas are nice alternatives to the more expensive Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Although, Gignondas wines can be a bit on the expensive side nowadays. This wine is a blend of Grenache and Syrah. 50% of the wine was aged in new oak and you can really tell by the intense aroma.

Amity Vineyards Pinot Noir $23.95
A friend of mine opened this for us girls during a small house-warming get together. Let it sit for a few minutes just after opening and you'll be delighted. It's a nice Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley in Oregon. Too bad I accidentally knocked over a glass. I hope the floor enjoyed it. This wine is medium-bodied with all those flavours typical of a Pinot Noir such as strawberry, cranberry and cinnamon spice. Oregon is known for their fabulous Pinot Noir. Next time you're in your wine shop, see if you can find something from this region. I don't think that you'll be disappointed.

Organized Crime and the Foreign Affair

On a visit to the Twenty Valley, my favourite wine region of Ontario, I decided to try a new (well, new for me) winery called Organized Crime. I have to admit that I've driven past this winery a few times and have never bothered to go in. Well, that was certainly my loss and I will never make that mistake again. Lesson learned: never make a snap judgment because you could be missing out on something good. Organized Crime is a small boutique winery located what's known as the "Beamsville Bench" of the Niagara Peninsula. The tasting/shop area is small but very cozy, with a nice display of the wines and various pieces of artwork on the wall. It was just my luck that the winemaker himself happened to be there! It was fate. The wine gods wanted me to continue my adventure of fine-wine drinking. It also happens to be that he's Polish, as are the owners, of the winery. What a coincidence...that's a part of my heritage! The wines were smooth, soft and delicious. Each variety of wine was labeled with a part of the Organized Crime story. The winemaker also makes wines for another winery called Foreign Affair. He took us there for some more tastings after our visit at Organized Crime.

The name of the winery is from local history. Sometime in the 1900s, there were two Mennonite churches who were in an argument with eachother over the acquisition of a pipe organ. When the one church acquired the musical instrument, the members of the other church stole it and tossed it down an embankment. Needless to say, the organ was destroyed. The winery has a very diverse portfolio with wines made from varieties such as Pinot Gris, Viognier, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Sryah just to name a few plus two blended reds that are just fantastic. Some of the wines have interesting names such as "The Download" which is their signature red.

http://www.organizedcrimewine.com

The consultant winemaker for Organized Crime, Andrzej Lipinski, also makes the wines at Foreign Affair. The wine labels of Foreign Affair are also like small pieces of artwork. Each label features an animal such as a moose or a polar bear. What's interesting about both winery bottle labels is that the labels are textured and feel neat when running your fingers over them. An interesting fact with the production of these wines is that they are made in the Apassimento method (grapes that air-dried after harvest). This gives the wines body and lots of flavour. Shazam!

http://www.foreignaffairwine.com


Back in September, Andrzej was in Toronto pouring his wines at a tasting event at the Fine Wine Reserve on King Street. I think he brought almost every single wine in the Organized Crime portfolio! After spending some time with him over a couple of dinners and more than a few bottles of his wines, the passion that he has for his craft is inspiring. The way that he describes the wines and the various methods that went into their production, make me appreciate them even more. It's interesting to hear him talk about his past and the path taken to where he is today. Having stumbled into winemaking has proven to be a treat for anyone who drinks his wines! I am a huge fan.


A great article about Andrzej Lipinski:
http://www.snooth.com/articles/commentary/canadian-wine-people-o-andrzej-lipinski

Twenty Valley consists of the areas of Beamsville, Vineland and Jordan. There are some fantastic wineries in this area that are definitely worth visiting. The area is before Niagara-on-the-Lake and only about an hour from Toronto. For more information on the Twenty Valley:
http://www.twentyvalley.ca

I love the NightLife

Last week, I attended a wine event (I know, shocking!) brought to you by the iYellow Wine Club (a free wine social club in Toronto so sign up!). This event featured wines from Napa, California. The night started off with a bang as I acquired a head injury even before entering the event. My head made friends with a large metal door. A perfect way to soothe a head bump is wine of course and I certainly was on my way to the right place. The event took place in the historic Great Hall, on Queen Street West. I love this area of Queen Street. There are so many galleries and interesting stores...not to mention good restaurants.

http://www.thegreathall.ca

I love the way the Great Hall was decorated for the evening. Dj Dinamo and Dj Sam EfSharp Flemming were playing some good tunes (as usual, I busted a move on the dancefloor after a few...um...samples). There were 20 wineries sampling their wines at this event. I have to say that the wines that stood out for me this night were the Syrahs and the Sauvignon Blancs. Of course, there was plenty of Cabernet Sauvignon to go around! No California wine show would be complete without the great King Cabernet Sauvignon.

The setup for the evening was one which had all the wineries along the perimeter of the hall, allowing people to freely mix and mingle. There were tables in the center, along with tasty bites to eat. Angela, the lovely lady behind the iYellow Wine Club was sporting some great boots. I love her sense of style. Great taste in wine and fashion go a long way in my books.

The picture to the left is one of Angela and myself showing off our boots at the end of the event. Below is yours truly taking a break from dancing. This time I had some fellow wine tasters join me!


For myself, the wines that stood out were:

Chimney Rock Elevage Bordeaux Blend
This wine is made in the tradition of wines from the right-bank of the Bordeaux region.
www.chimneyrock.com

Peju Sauvignon Blanc Persephone Vineyard 2008
Interesting fact about this wine is that the grapes are harvested in three stages of ripeness to create a complex blended wine.

Peju Cabernet Sauvignon Persephone Vineyard 2005
www.peju.com

Cuvaison Pinot Noir 2007 Los Carneros
One of the only few Pinot Noirs of the night, but always a pleaser.
www.cuvaison.com

Frias Syrah 2006
I have a bottle of the 2005 in my wine rack. I can't wait to drink it. The 2006 was also super.
www.friasfamilyvineyard.com

John Anthony Syrah 2006
The winemaker himself was pouring the wines and I enjoyed tasting each of them!
www.javwine.com

Toronto is fortunate to have dedicated organizations like the iYellow Wine Club to bring these types of events to the city. I love California wines and the NightLife event provided a way to showcase the region.

For more information on Napa Valley:
www.napavitners.com

Maybe one day I'll be blogging from Napa! I can't wait.

Event Alert!
The Gourmet Food & Wine Expo is coming up in a few weeks here in Toronto. It's always a lot of fun. Sadly, I won't be pouring wines this year. I'll be on the floor tasting! :)
For more information: http://www.foodandwineexpo.ca

Purchase VIP tickets with the iYellow Wine Club and save money on the VIP evening:
http://www.iyellowwineclub.com/2009/10/gfwe-iyellow-vip-green-room.html

This year, the wines of Portugal will be featured. See you there!

Tasting Notes - Nov. 4, 2009

I've finally recovered from Hallowe'en. You know what's not spooky - wine! Well, depends on what kind of wine we're talking about. There have been some wines that made me want to scream in fright. Maybe next year I'll celebrate October 31st dressed up as a grape. Or better yet, a French oak barrel. :)

Here are some nice picks that I've recently had. Hopefully they'll provide you with a ghoulish delight!

Beronia Reserva 2005 $17.95
From Rioja, Spain, this wine will warm you up in these cooler months. This is a great quality wine for the money. It has all those typical flavours and aromas that are associated with Rioja wines like black fruit, vanilla, mocha and spice. Made from the Tempranillo grape (a native grape variety of Spain), this wine has seen some extra aging (the word Reserva indicates that the wine has seen a specific amount of aging).
Enjoy this wine for a few more years! It's got a lot of life and love to give.




Belle Glos Meiomi Pinot Noir 2007 $27.95
Wow! This is my favourite wine of the week. It's just delicious. This is a Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast, California. It's like drinking silk...if silk were a liquid. It has wonderful aromas of red berries and spice. The flavour is full with that great earthy taste that is often associated with fine wines from Burgundy. This wine is simply easy to drink (could be a dangerous thing!) and has a very nice finish. It is a bit on the high side for price, but it's well worth the money. Normally I find a lot of California Pinots to be too fruity. This one is more my style. It's a great balance between earth and fruit.



Domaine De Nerleux Brut Crémant de Loire $18.95
I just love Crémants. They're sparkling wines from France made in the Champagne style (which is also known as the traditional method). Because this wine isn't from Champagne, it can't be called Champagne. This one comes from the Loire region of France. This wine is great as an aperitif. It's quite dry (the word Brut means dry) with good fruit and very bubbly. Champagne taste on a Crémant budget! Great value.


Simi Chardonnay 2008 $19.95
This wine comes from the Sonoma region of California. It's an easy going wine that's ready to drink now. It's a nice California Chardonnay for just under $20.









Event Alert!
The Gourmet Food & Wine Expo is coming up in a few weeks here in Toronto. It's always a lot of fun. Sadly, I won't be pouring wines this year. I'll be on the floor tasting! :)
For more information: http://www.foodandwineexpo.ca

Purchase VIP tickets with the iYellow Wine Club and save money on the VIP evening:
http://www.iyellowwineclub.com/2009/10/gfwe-iyellow-vip-green-room.html

This year, the wines of Portugal will be featured. See you there!

Tasting Notes - Oct.19, 2009

Tenuta Di Capraia Chianti Classico 2006 $19.95
Not too much going in terms of complexity but it is enjoyable. A nice Chianti for just under $20. This wine is simple yet tasty and may be further aged for another 2-4 years. Some earth, cedar and fruit aromas and on the palate it is dry and full-bodied. What is Chianti you ask? Chianti is the classic wine of Tuscany. Chianti Classico is a region of Tuscany, Italy (you'll also find other regions such as Chianti Rufina, Chianti Colli Senesi). Other classic wines of Italy that you may have heard of are Barolo and Amarone. The main grape variety to make a Chianti is Sangiovese although small percentages of other grape varieties may be blended into the wine (Sangiovese must remain the dominant grape variety in the final wine). This wine is 90% Sangiovese, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot. Drink this with roast leg of lamb, steak, beef stews or rich pasta sauces. Mmm! Mama Mia!

Thorn-Clarke Terra Barossa Single Vineyard Riesling 2008 $14.95
This wine is from the Eden Valley located in South-Eastern Australia. The Eden Valley is a cooler region and is known for Riesling. This wine is crisp and refreshing. It has lots of fruit with citrus and lime flavour with some floral aromas. I enjoyed this Riesling and for the money, it's a good value.

Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc 08

Happy Thanksgiving to you all! (gobble gobble)
I am very thankful for all the great wines out there. I'm also thankful to all the hardworking people that work so hard with dedication and passion to make these wines that we enjoy so much. This will be a very short post as I'm working off the effects of tryptophan. I recently tried a delicious Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. Sauvingnon Blanc and New Zealand go together like Shiraz and Australia...or Chardonnay and California...or like turkey and gravy (to keep in the spirit of the holiday).

Dog Point Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2008 $19.95

What a nice wine for $20. It has that aromatic grass smell, typical of a Sauvignon Blanc. This wine has a nice citrus flavour with some hints of tropical fruits. It's fresh and fruity. Good acidity and length on the finish. A wonderful example of how delicious Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand can be. Drink this wine while young (the wine, not you) in order to catch that youthful fruitiness. This wine comes from the Marlborough region in New Zealand where Sauvignon Blanc is king.

http://www.dogpoint.co.nz
http://www.wine-marlborough.co.nz

Tasting Notes - Sept. 24, 2009

It's a quiet Thursday evening. It's nice to have those once in a while. Now, if it were an exciting TV night, I wouldn't be typing this. I've tried some interesting wines this week. The following wines are from Ontario, except for the last, with it being from Spain.

Oak Heights 2007 Chardonnay $14.95
I've never heard of this winery before so I was curious. I was pleasantly surprised! The picture here is of the 2006 vintage. I tried the 2007. This is a small boutique winery called Oak Heights Estate Winery located in Northumberland County in Ontario (approx. 1 hour East of Toronto). This wine had subtle oak flavour and the fruit is actually sourced from the Niagara region. Interestingly enough, this winery uses Canadian oak only for their oak-aged wines. For the money, this is a nice wine.



Malivoire 2007 Gamay $17.95
I always enjoy the Gamay from Malivoire. The winemaker's name is Shiraz (yes, that's his real name). He's a nice guy (with good taste in music, well, likes my kind of music) and his wines are delicious. This Gamay won't disappoint. Serve it slightly chilled for maximum enjoyment. If I'm ever out on the town and see this wine on the menu, I order it.






Hidden Bench 2007 Chardonnay $35.20
A bit on the pricer side of the scale, this Chardonnay packs a big oak y punch. If you like your Chardonnays in a more California style, with big oak flavour, then you'll enjoy this wine.





Mas Estela Quindals 2005 $19.95
Sorry for the small picture! This is one of the "Wines of the Month" at the LCBO. It comes from the Empordà region of Spain. This wine is a blend of 90% Grenache (Garnacha in Spanish), 5% Syrah and 5% Carignan (Carinena in Spanish). Aged in French oak for a year, this wine has good fruit and body with spicy flavours. It says in the tasting notes that the wine will still open up for another 2-3 years and drink well into 2020! Now that $20 will go a long way.

I try not to get hung up on scores because what may be one person's 90, may be another person's 80. I find myself sometimes saying "Wow, 90+...should be great", only to be disapointed because my palate is different than the person who scored the wine. We can all agree upon which wines have fault or which wines may have more fruit or even perhaps complexity but when it comes to something you like or don't like - each person is different. Things would get pretty boring if we all loved and disliked the same wines. Before getting caught up in the hype, try one bottle and see if you like it. If you have the chance to try before you buy (for example, Summerhill LCBO Tasting Tour), even better. That's my little rant for the evening. Time for Seinfeld.

Back to Wine School!

Looking to take a small wine class that's informative and affordable? Check out the iYellow Wine School located at Reds Bistro & Wine Bar (77 Adelaide Street West) in downtown Toronto. I'm going to sign up for some classes myself because they look fun. The classes are taught by Taylor Thompson, one of Toronto's Top Sommeliers. They are about 1.5 hours and the topics are different each class. With our busy schedules, this kind of class structure works perfectly. Learning about wine should be a "hands on" experience don't you think? :)

http://iyellowwineschool.blogspot.com/

Tasting Notes - Sept. 20, 2009

So much for updating on a regular basis. Ok, this week I vow to update more!! I'm still having too much fun. :P I have some posts to upload of some fantastic things I've been doing lately (wine-related of course). I'm sitting at Starbucks in my home town as I write this, thinking about all the interest my family has in the future would-be squatters of my uterus. The thought of giving up wine for so long to have children makes me want to shed a tear. But I'm not there yet so let's begin.

Here are some wines that I've had recently and enjoyed:

Ferraton Père & Fils "La Matinière" Crozes-Hermitage Blanc 2007 $21.95
This wine is made from 100% Marsanne grapes. This wine is from the Northen part of the Rhone, in France. Crozes-Hermitage is a largest region in the Northern Rhone. Most of the wine in this region is red made from the Syrah grape. This is a white wine which is fruity with good minerality and stone fruit on the palate. Serve it just slightly chilled and you have yourself a nice sipper!

Babich Pinot Noir 2007 $19.95
Not my favourite Pinot Noir from New Zealand but this one was enjoyable and the price is good for the quality. This wine is from the Marlborough region of New Zealand which is located on the North-East part of the south island. This Pinot Noir is fruity with some lovely spice both on the nose and on the palate. I did enjoy this wine and isn't that the final verdict that we're all looking for?




If you're looking for a special bottle to pick up that's more on the expensive side (you deserve it right?) :

Delas Haute Pierre Chateauneuf-Du-Pape 2007 $35.95
Loved it. Loved it more and more as I continued to drink it. Of course, this is one of my favourite regions in the world for both beauty and wine production. This wine hails from the Southern Rhone region of France, in a town called Chateauneuf-Du-Pape. This wine is a blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah. In the Southern Rhone, the wines are almost always blends. This wine is very smooth, with a wonderful aftertaste. The tannins are present but not over powering. There's delicious black fruit with licorice and spice on the palate. It's full bodied and jam-packed with flavour. 2007 was a great year because it was so hot. This wine will also keep for over a decade. I bought two bottles - both for me and I'm not sharing. :)

Ironstone Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 $37.95
This is a typical good California Cabernet Sauvignon. Big, bold and beautiful. This Cab is full bodied with dark fruit, cassis and vanilla. It was smooth going down and left a really nice aftertaste. I did indeed help myself to more than one glass of this pleasant wine.

Tasting Notes - Sept. 4, 2009

I've promised myself that I'd make more of an effort to blog. To be honest, I've just been having too much fun to be thinking about writing! But now that summer is drawing to a close, it's time to be serious and focused - at least for an hour. I've decided to also include video blogs in the near future to accompany the written ones. I'll begin posting the videos once I learn to stand myself on camera. =)

Domaine Jean-Pierre Sève Terroir Pouilly-Fuissé 2007 $26.95
What is a Pouilly-Fuissé you may ask? It's a region in Burgundy, France. Specifically in the Mâconnais region. This is in the south of Burgundy. The main grape variety from this region is Chardonnay. This wine may be on the pricier side but worth it. It's delicate and fruity with great minerality and only the faintest touch of oak. You can enjoy this with roasted chicken, fish, quiche or goat cheese. If you cook for me, I'll bring this to the table myself. Don't confuse Pouilly-Fuissé with Pouilly-Fumé. Pouilly-Fumé is in the Loire region of France and it is a white wine made from the Sauvignon Blanc grape variety.

This producer has a website that's worth reading. The winemaking practices are explained in detail, with pictures to match.
http://www.domainejeanpierreseve.com

Tenuta S. Anna Cuvée Rosé Brut $15.95
This tasty rosé sparkling wine is from Italy. It's perfect as a summertime patio sipper or as an aperitif before dinner. It should get the party started. This wine is a blend (cuvée) of Pinot Noir (Pinot Nero in Italy) and Merlot. It's a pale pink colour (fromthe skins of the grapes) with aromas of strawberry, redcurrants and pear. I just love sparkling rosés. It's like an Italian festival in your glass, complete with the kissing and "ciao-ing" (I don't think that's actually a word, but "ciao" is!). Don't expect anything complex like in a Champagne, but for the money, it's delicious. I'll do a full blog soon all about sparkling wines and the methods used to produce them. That should be a fun post!
http://www.tenutasantanna.it

Jackson-Triggs Proprietors' Grand Reserve Gewürztraminer 2007 $18.75
This wine has been the talk of the town. Everyone is raving about this Gewurztraminer. Pronounced Ge - vertz - tra - meener. This is an aromatic white wine and the grape variety thrives in the regions of Alsace, France and Germany. Here in Ontario, we have a pretty cool climate so this grape variety does well here. This wine would go well with chicken, fish or spicier dishes. It's off-dry, with some lychee, peach fruits and floral notes. I always like Gewürztraminer because it reminds me of lychee martinis. :) I met one of the winemakers of Jackson-Triggs of the Niagara location recently at a wine show. His name is Marco Piccoli and he was really fun to talk to. He's from Italy. Viva Italia!
http://jacksontriggs.com/

That's if for now! Check out the new Facebook fan page for The Yummy Grape.

Who wants to get Knotty!

Another great wine event is coming up brought to you by the Toronto-based iYellow Wine Club.

Are you ready to get Knotty?!
I know I am!

This event is ThursdaySseptember 10th, 2009 at the Thrush Holmes Empire gallery on Queen St. West.

The winemaker will also be at the event and as usual, lots of great wine and music to shake your money-shaker to.

www.iyellowwineclub.com

See you there!

Beaujolais - my dirty little secret

Ok, it's not a secret. I'm not afraid to admit it - I love Beaujolais. I even enjoy Beaujolais Nouveau! *gasp*

Beaujolais is a region in France. In most of Europe, wine is identified by the region that it comes from. Beaujolais is at the southern end of the Burgundy region.

It has a complicated history that goes back centuries as the region is on an ancient Roman trade route up from the Rhone Valley. There are records of Roman vineyards and, sometime after, the Benedictine monks cultivated the vines well into Medieval times (not the dinner show!). We are very thankful for our Roman and Benedictine friends!

Beaujolais, in general, is easy drinking and best consumed while young. It's also not very expensive. The main grape variety grown and vinified (made into wine) is Gamay. The Beaujolais region makes mostly red wine but there is a small percentage of white wine made from the Chardonnay grape and this is labeled as Beaujolais Blanc or Beaujolais-Villages Blanc.

There is a type wine made in Beaujolais called Beaujolais Nouveau (“New Beaujolais”). Harvest is usually in late September and Nouveau will be released that November, following harvest. This wine is released and celebrated on the 3rd Thursday of every November so mark your calendar! By releasing the Nouveau so shortly after harvest, it allows the producers to generate some cash-flow as they don't have to wait for the wines to go through the regular aging process as Nouveau doesn't really see any aging. It's also a way for the public to see what's to come with the wines released the next year. Beaujolais Nouveau is like that “fun” friend you have. Great to call up when you want to party and have a good time, but don't expect that friendship to see you through the tougher times. So, with your Nouveau, drink it young and don't expect it to be complex or worth discussing. Nouveau is meant to be drunk. I read somewhere that it's thought of the “lubrication wine”. The taste is very fruity with aromas of ripe cherry and banana. The popularity of Beaujolais Nouveau reached its peak in the bistros of Paris during the 1980's but its popularity has since seen a steady decline. This is probably because there is a lot of Nouveau that's considered to be not very good. It has a bit of a bad reputation and has slowly grew unfashionable. Personally, as long as the wine is from a reliable producer it can be a yummy drink. Not to mention that the bottles are usually colourful and playful. Nouveau is a great reason to throw a party – Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé! (Beaujolais Nouveau has arrived!).

A great deal of Beaujolais wine is made by a method called semi-carbonic maceration (sometimes referred to as the Beaujolais wine making method). Whole bunches of grapes go into a sealed container, uncrushed. The grapes on the bottom get squished and the skins break open. They start to ferment in the regular way (fermentation just turns the sugars of the grapes into alcohol and releases carbon dioxide and heat). The carbon dioxide that gets released from these grapes on the bottom (the squished grapes) goes up inside the container and the grapes on the top begin to ferment but, inside of themselves...doesn't sound fun. So the grapes are trapped in this gas bubble of carbon dioxide. This creates a high-speed fermentation that keeps tannins low (tannin gives that feeling on the inside of your mouth where it feels like the skin is being pulled off) and really brings out the fruit flavour. The lack of tannins is what gives Beaujolais it's fruity character. There is a growing trend by winemakers now to put Beaujolais wines through a more “Burgundian” wine-making process. This means that wines ferment and age much longer, often using oak casks and of course, not to use the semi-carbonic maceration method. Beaujolais Nouveau is also made in this method but for a very short fermentation time - about 4 days.

Some producers add sugar to their wines (this is called Chaptalization) to increase the alcohol content during the fermentation process. More sugar = more alcohol (unless you stop the fermentation and leave some sugar behind, causing the wine to be a bit sweeter). I was just reading an article about some people in Beaujolais who were on trial for adding too much sugar (above the legal limit). Raising alcohol levels by 2 degrees is allowed but, these people raised it by 2.5. The scandal! :)

Quality levels of Beaujolais (this to look for on the bottle):

Beaujolais
Keep for up to one year.
A basic Beaujolais wine that can come from anywhere in the Beaujolais region.

Beaujolais-Villages
Keep for up to 2 years.
Slightly better quality than a regular Beaujolais. Comes from the northern part of the region.

Cru K
Keep for up to 3 years, some can even last up to 10 years.
Considered the best quality. May only come from one of the 10 villages in the upper Beaujolais region.

The soil type divides the region into basically two parts - northern Beaujolais (Haut in French) and lower (Bas in French) Beaujolais. Beaujolais Nouveau comes from the lower part of the region. The Beaujolais-Villages and Cru wines come from the northern part where it's hillier, allowing the grapes to ripen more from the sunlight. Also, the is more suitable to the Gamay grape as it is mostly granite with schist.

The wine labels won't say “Cru” on them to let you know that they are of superb quality. One of the 10 village names will be listed on the label to distinguish from the regular Beaujolais or Beaujolais-Villages. These are the following: St. Amour, Juliénas, Chénas, Moulin-à-Vent, Fleurie, Chiroubles, Morgon, Régnié, Brouilly, Cote de Brouilly.

Some producers to try:
Georges DuBoeuf
Louis Jadot
Bouchard
Drouhin
Mommessin


It's best to serve Beaujolais Nouveau, Beaujolais and Beaujolais-Villages slightly chilled (you can also do this for other Gamay wines from other regions as well). This brings out the acidity and fruitiness of the wine. Beaujolais Crus can be served at room temperature as they have more tannins compared to the other wines of the region.

Get your buckets ready and let's all meet on the 3rd Thursday this November to celebrate Beaujolais Nouveau!

A SantaRitalicious evening

I recently attended another wonderful wine evening hosted by iYellow Wine Club. This evening was to celebrate the re-launch of the Chilean 120 Label of Santa Rita wines. The event took place at Thrush Holmes Empire, a small gallery on Queen St. West in Toronto, Ontario. Putting on my heels on the way out the door, I knew that I was in store for a fun night. iYellow Wine Club is the hippest social wine club that Toronto has to offer. The people behind the club are Angela Aiello and Paxton Allewell. These two have a great energy and enthusiasm for their event hosting, tours to wine country (which I've done!) and a devoted passion for wine. It's great because the snobbery that's sometimes associated with wine is absent. They turn wine into something that's approachable and fun. The members that come to the events are enthusiastic and friendly. It's a diverse club with people of all ages and different professions. But, they all have one thing in common - they love wine. I always find myself having interesting conversations throughout the night and making new friends (always easy to make friends over wine don't you think?). It's a free club to join and for all those singles out there, a great way to meet and mingle.

Check out the website for iYellow Wine Club:
http://www.iyellowwineclub.com

There's also an online wine store that you can purchase from. I'd like to order 5 of everything please! =)


There were 4 wine stations throughout the gallery, each serving various wines from the Santa Rita winery. There were also 2 food stations (yummy!). One station was devoted to desserts and the other at the back of the gallery had delicious finger foods by Alex Tso (a chef at Chez Victor Restaurant & Bar | Hotel Le Germain, Toronto, Ontario). The dj's kept the music playing (thank you!) and the art work hanging in the gallery started some interesting conversations. It was a nice location for this type of event. We were even given Santa Rita winery loot bags at the end of the night (one of the items was a bottle opener - perfect since I broke mine).

"In honor of 120 patriots who helped lead Chile to independence in 1814. 120 wines are young, elegant and fruity—perfectly balanced with soft tannins and acidity. Their exceptional value makes the 120 range ideal for everyday enjoyment." - www.santaritawine.com

There were 8 wines to sample during the evening:

120 Sauvignon Blanc $10.45
120 Cabernet Sauvignon $10.45

Reserva Sauvignon Blanc $13.95
Reserva Chardonnay $13.95

Floresta Leyda Sauvignon Blanc $19.95

Premium lines of Santa Rita sampled:

Pehuen Carmenere $54.95
Triple C $49.95
Casa Real Cabernet Sauvignon $59.95

Chile is one of the most perfect countries to grow wine...err...grapes for wine. Located between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean, the climate is excellent for viticulture (growing of grapes). The winds off of the ocean cool down the region. There is a long ripening season to allow the grapes to reach proper maturity (this is important for developing the sugars and flavours). The melting snow from the Andes is used to irrigate the vineyards when there is lack of rain (but not too much because vines like a bit of stress - it makes for better quality wines). I think Chilean wines offer really nice wine with great value. To learn more about Chilean wine, watch one of the LCBO "Discover" podcasts. See the Links section of this blog.

http://www.winesofchile.org

The winemaker of Santa Rita wines is Carlos Gatica Llop (what a cool name!). He gave a short speech about his wines and about the 120 Label. I had an opportunity to speak with him towards the end of the evening. Maybe a trip to Chile for harvest? I always enjoy meeting the people behind the wines. It's a tough job so it's nice to thank them in person for the wonderful work that they do.

www.santaritawine.com


To sign up for your free membership for the iYellow Wine Club:
http://www.iyellowwineclub.com/2009/01/iyellow-membership.html

The membership offers you discounts, monthly news letters and of course, invitations to join in on the wine tours and events.

To see pictures (photos courtesy of Wendi Marchioni) of the SantaRitalicious evening:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/iyellowwineclub/sets/72157621824461240/

Thank goodness the photos of me dancing up a storm on the mini-dancefloor didn't make the gallery! whew!

Is wine making me fat?

I had a nice reality check at the gym about a week ago. Sure, I work out - sometimes. I try to watch what I eat - sometimes. The big debate of the decade - does wine make you gain weight. I'm sure that eating a tub of Haagen Daz daily makes you gain weight. I think I ate two tubs after I had my measurements, weight and BMI taken at the gym. I'm sure a glass a day is fine is it not? Can my glass be 750 ml? A nice super-size-me glass, for me to drown the sorrows of the day away. Ok, I'm just being melodramatic.

If I want to fit back into my "skinny" jeans, I should probably cut out the wine...but is it really worth it? I'll be skinny and miserable! I think that's how those supermodels feel...skinny and miserable. At least, I hope so. (apologies to any skinny, miserable feeling supermodels reading this post). I should probably cut the wine and increase the intake of veggies. Who wants broccoli? I sure don't. I should really read that book "French Women Don't Get Fat" to see what the tricks are.

http://www.shapefit.com/alcohol-calories.html

Drinking wine is a very social activity (at least for me). It's so much fun to go out with some friends and share stories and laughs over a nice bottle of wine. I'd be willing to keep a few "extra" pounds if it means keeping wine as part of my lifestyle. I'm sure that like anything, moderation is key. Maybe I'll reduce my 750ml glass to just a regular-sized wine glass. In the end, it's probably total calories in and out that really make the difference. Stay away from scales. They're cruel. Now where did I put those cheesies...

Value Wines

I was in the bookstore a few days ago and wandered into my favourite section - wine! I was looking for something new and shiny, something that would go well with my ever increasing collection of wine-related books. I picked up a copy of Billy's Best Bottles. I've heard about this book around other "winos" (aka. wine lovers) and how valuable it is to have around. It's updated yearly and is written mainly for those of us who live here in Ontario. This book is packed with information. It has nice pictures of the bottles and describes the regions that these wines are from. This book isn't inexpensive at about $20 a copy. But it does have a lot to offer and it is a kind of "investment". There are over 200 wines listed and most are under $20 and many are under $12. Whether you agree with his picks or not, there is something for everyone. It's super friendly to read and doesn't use fancy wine jargon so it won't scare some people away. It's well-organized and full of useful information. I purchased a copy myself! I think it'll be a great resource when navigating my way through the wine store and for doing investigative research into value wines.

http://www.billysbestbottles.com/billys-best-bottles-book/

I love this quote on the book cover: "A terribly useful and friendly wine book for the 'ordinary Joe'.

or an 'ordinary Mary' - added by me. =)

Through Rosé Coloured Glasses

Ah summer. It's a time for sitting on patios, sipping on refreshing restorative beverages. A lot of us enjoy a crisp white wine during the warmer months but why not try a rosé wine next time when looking for something "restorative".

On several past trips to the south of France I stayed in a restored Abby in a small village just outside of Avignon named Villeneuve-les-Avignon. Every morning I'd take a small stroll on the cobble-stoned roads, taking in all the sights and sounds of this small village. On one side of the street, a shopkeeper sweeping the outside of her store, saying hello to passers by. On the other side, a beautiful smell coming out of the small bakery where a man is putting freshly baked croissants out for the morning. As I continue my walk, I walk past a series of brasseries that are open for morning coffee. It always amazed me that at 10am, many locals were sitting on patios drinking rosé. In North America, if a person were to drink before noon, I think they'd be passed an AA meeting card! The south of France has a special place in my heart. Not only is the south home to the wonderful red wines of Gigondas, Rasteau, Vacquereas and the famed Chateuneuf-du-Pape but it is also home to the famous rosé wine-making regions of Tavel and Lirac. Perhaps this is why I have a soft spot for the pink-coloured wine. It's a kind of staple in the south of France. That's just what you drink on a hot summer day. For those who dislike rosé wines, why not try a wine that's more full-bodied from the list below. You just might be surprised!

Rosé wines are made from red grapes (whether one variety or a blend of several varieties). They are left for a short time with skins during the wine-making process. This is why rosé wines are much lighter in colour than red wines. They vary from salmon pink to darker pink which can sometimes look almost red. Red wine is made from letting the grapejuice sit in contact with the skins, so the longer you let the skins have contact with the juice, the more colour will be extracted. A Rosé wine is nice if you want a wine that has characteristics of both red and white wines. It's a nice compromise. They have the cripness of white wine and the fruit flavours of red wine. Grenache is one of the most popular grapes to make rosé wine with. Rosé wines are best when served slightly chilled.

Stratus Wildass Rosé 2007 $19.95
Ontario, Canada
Wow! This is my favourite rosé of the summer. It's the Wine of the Month at the LCBO. It has a lot of beautiful aroma with the taste to match. It's quite full-bodied and juicey for a rosé wine...almost reminds me of my favourite Tavel wines. WildAss is a label by Stratus.



Muga Rosé 2008$12.95
Rioja, Spain
This wine is quite dry and enjoyable. It is a blended rosé from Rioja in Spain, a mix of Tempranillo and Grenache and Viura (white).



Malivoire LadyBug $15.95
Ontario, Canada
80% Cabernet Franc, 12% Gamay, and the remaining 8% other vinifera
I tried this wine a few months back and thought it was lovely. Cute label!




Peller Estates Rosé 2007 VQA$16.95
Ontario, Canada
This wine is not really this colour that you see in the picture! The wine in the picture looks like bubblegum pink. I assure you that this wine is deeper in colour and lovely on the palate. http://vineyardsestatewines.com






Chateau D'Aqueria Tavel Rosé 2008 $19.95
Tavel, France
This was just delicious. Quite full bodied with lots of fruit and a long finish. yummy!
Also, this wine is from the Tavel region in France. You might want to drink this wine with some food because it is fuller bodied than a lot of the wines on this list.






I didn't want the page to go on forever so I eliminated the photos for the next few...you get the idea-pinkish juice in a bottle. :)

Perrin & Fils Tavel Rosé $19.95
Tavel,France
Perrin & Fils is a well-known producer of good, inexpensive wines. They always maintain a consistent level of quality. I found this wine not a full-bodied and complex as the d'Aqueria (the wine above) but it was still quite nice.

Mas des Bressades Cuvee Tradition Rosé 2008 $13.95
Southern France
I haven't tried this one yet but it is on my list of wines to try. It's from the Costieres de Nimes region in southern France. It's a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault grape varieties. Traditional southern French grapes.

Cave de Turchkehim Pinot Noir Rosé 2008 $16.95
Alsace, France
This wine has a lovely aroma. It's soft on the nose and in the mouth. Made of the pinot noir grape, it has a lot of juicy strawberry on the finish. mmm...

Rabl Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé 2008 $16.95
Austria
Nice aroma on this wine. I can't say that I enjoyed it as much as some of the others on the list. It's a light, salmon-coloured wine from Austria and made from the Cabernet Sauvignon grape.

Tawse Sketches of Niagara Rosé 2008 $12.50
Ontario, Canada
I really wanted to try this wine and now I can't seem to find it anywhere. Too bad! It looked pretty good.