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.

Burgundy on a Budget

When a person thinks of Burgundy (France), dollar signs start dancing in their heads (not enough money to buy the sugar plums!). Every visit I make to my favourite wine shop (for those in Toronto, it's Summerhill), I always find myself in the Burgundy section, never remembering how I got there! I think it's a gravitational force. Looking at the beautiful wall of Volnay, Gevry-Chembertin, Aloxe-Corton, Pommard, Meursault (I'll just stop now because I feel my mouth salivating), my eyes start to glaze over as I think about how yummy these must be. These are all regions that I've read in books or heard people talk about when discussing "fine wines". I suddenly get very depressed because these wines often start at $40 and go up and up...and up. Once in a while I'll splurge and purchase something a tad out of my price range. However, as soon as I bring the bottle home, I don't dare open it because I know how much money was spent! I just stare at the bottle, day-dreaming of the glorious elixir that's inside. Funny, the definition of "elixir" is: a sweetened, aromatic solution of alcohol and water containing, or used as a vehicle for, medicinal substances. Yes! This is totally what I believe in. Using an "elixir" to help oneself get through the work week could be considered medicinal, or a problem. But I digress. =)
Tonight, I got together with a couple of girlfriends and we headed to a small wine bar called Carens Wine and Cheese located in Yorkville, here in Toronto. It was a small, intimate place with a decent wine list that didn't cost a lot of money (a glass of wine cost anywhere between $8-$15). What really impressed me this evening was a glass of the Louis Jadot Bourgogne Chardonnay. It was a fantastic "elixir" to have on a Wednesday evening. Normally, a wine from the "old world" (Europe basically) won't state the grape variety on the label because the wine is supposed to express the region itself. Lately you'll see a lot of old world producers put the varietal names on their wines for the "new world" countries (like the US, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Australia).



Louis Jadot Bourgogne Chardonnay $19.95





This wine was simply delicious! There was a hint of oak, but not too much. There was still a lot of fruit both on the nose and on the palate. The finish was nice and longer than what I expected. A beautiful expression of how oak and Chardonnay work together as a team. I think I have found my new "house" wine. Those that are ABC (Anything-but-Chardonnay) should give this wine a try...it just might pleasantly surprise.

Two things to keep in mind when looking for a Burgundy wine:
1) If it's white, it's Chardonnay
2) If it's red, it's Pinot Noir

Of course, there's Beaujolais which is in Burgundy but considered a separate region when talking about wines from this part of France. The primary grape grown in Beaujolais is Gamay.

Here's another tip:
If looking for a wine from Burgundy but don't want to pay a whole lot, look for a label with the word "Bourgogne" on it. Bourgogne is the French word for Burgundy and it means that the grapes used to make the wine can come from anywhere in the Burgundy region.

If ever in doubt about what to buy, whether it's Burgundy or Beaujolais, keep Louis Jadot on the mind. It's a very reputable producer with lots of different wines to offer. They have a pretty nice website too.

http://www.louisjadot.com

Wines $15 or Less

I've started a small list of wines that doesn't have your bank account screaming "insufficient funds" (well, you'll need at least $15 in your account for this list). These wines can be easily enjoyed every night of the week. Save your crowd-pleasing wines for a more special occasion rather than Tuesday night pizza night (as Steve Thurlow would say). Walking through the liquor store, you can easily find wines that aren't very expensive, but it's a bit harder to uncover the ones that will also give you an enjoyable tasting experience.

This list is just a start and I'll try to update it as I make my way through the ocean of wines to try! These are wines that I've tasted and have enjoyed for the small amount of money that they cost. Some more than others but wine is all about personal taste. I found that the selections below offer a bit more complexity in this price category.

For those in Ontario, some of these may be General List at the LCBO (meaning that they will most likely have them in stock all year) and others may be in Vintages (meaning that they will only be in stock for a short while, but may come back again the next year). If you like a wine, pay attention to the region that it's from. From that, you can start experimenting with other producers from that same region. Personally, I'm a huge fan of Southern France. You can usually find great value and taste in wines labeled "Cotes du Rhone, Cotes du Rhone Villages and Cotes du Roussllion-Villages". Wines from Chile are also great value for the most part. Chile has near-perfect conditions for grape growing and their wine industry is only getting bigger and better.

Red Wine
Caliterra Cabernet Sauvignon (Chile) $10.95
Chateau de Jau (France) $14.95
Chateau Bel Air (France) $11.95
Pey la Tour (France) $14.75
Calvet Medoc (France) $13.95
Sibling Rivalry Red VQA (Canada) $13.95
Paroles De Femme Cotes Du Rhone (France) $15.00

White Wine
Concha Y Toro Winemaker's Lot No.11 Riesling (Chile) $14.95
Lacheteau Les Loges Vouvray (France) $14.95
J. Bouchon Sauvignon Blanc (Chile) $10.95
Chateau De Quincay Sauvignon (France) $13.95
Mouton Cadet Blanc (France) $13.25
Hillebrand Artist Series Unoaked Chardonnay (Ontario) $10.95
Hillebrand Artist Series Sauvignon Blanc (Ontario) $11.95

Wines of Spain Ole!

This week I had the fortune to try some great Spanish wines. These wines, for the most part, really offer a lot to the consumer for the money.

Red Wine
Bodegas Lan Reserva 2004 Rijoa $23.95


Love it! This wine is from a region called Rioja.
Rioja is probably the most famous wine region in Spain (although other regions are now making their mark).

This wine is silky smooth (kind of how the Zohan likes his hair) with flavours of black plum, violet, licorice and a hint of smoke (this is actually just another way of saying that a wine has been aged in wood). This Lan Reserva has a really nice finish on top of all the other nice things going on. A great buy...actually, a must buy! This wine made #52 on Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines (if you pay attention to these types of rating systems). This wine is mostly made of a grape variety called Tempranillo (a native grape of Spain, one that makes full-bodied wines). What does the word Reserva mean on a wine bottle? It depends where it's from. In some countries, it really has no "legal" meaning but for Spanish wines, it means that the wine has been aged for a minimum period of time (by law). The main age labels are Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva. These are just labeling terms given to wines to designate how much aging in wood and bottle they have received. Wines with a "Gran Reserva" label have been aged the longest before being released.

LCBO Vintages #42929
http://www.vibrantrioja.com

White Wine
Pazo Pondal Leira Albarino 2007 $18.95


This wine was recommended to me by a product consultant at the local wine store (LCBO for us in Ontario) and I must say, I'm very happy that he did. I wanted to bring something to a small gathering that was unusual and that would show the diversity of the Spanish wine industry. This wine is from a region in northwest Spain called Rias Biaxas. The Albarino grape can thrive in this part of the country where the climate is cooler. This prevents the grapes from ripening too much and becoming flabby. They maintain their crispness.

This wine has some nice acidity that makes your mouth water. Just don't drool on the linens. It was very crisp and had a flavours of citrus, pear and maybe some other stone fruit like peach. The finish was quite long so I was enjoying it well after it left my mouth (if you're still tasting the wine for a period of time after you've swallowed it, then it's a sign of a good-quality wine). I didn't have anything to eat with this wine since I drank it as an aperitif (does bread count?). I think this wine would go well with scallops or calamari. Serve it chilled but not too cold or you'll lose the aromas and flavours. I kept this one in the fridge all day at the office but took it out over an hour before drinking.

LCBO Vintages #115816
http://www.riasbaixaswines.com/explore/Region.php

Toronto Bring Your Own Wine

Here is a list of some restaurants in Toronto that allow you to bring your own wine:

• Table 17: No corkage fee Sunday and Monday (BYOB Sunday and Monday only). 782 Queen St. E. (at Saulter St.), 416-519-1851.

• Paese: No corkage fee Sunday to Friday for first bottle; regular charge $25. 3827 Bathurst St. (at Wilson), 416-631-6585.

• Cava: No corkage fee Sunday, regular charge $30. 1560 Yonge St. (at Heath St. E.), 416-979-9918

• Centro: No corkage fee Monday to Wednesday; regular charge $35. 2472 Yonge St. (at Castlefield Ave.), 416-483-2211.

• Nota Bene: No corkage fee after 9 p.m.; regular charge $40. 180 Queen St. W. (at Simcoe St.), 416-977-6400.

• Crush Wine Bar: Corkage $1 on Mondays; regular charge $25. 455 King St. W. (at Spadina), 416-977-1234.

• Lee: Corkage $1 Monday to Wednesday; regular charge $30. 603 King St. W. (at Portland St.), 416-504-7867.

• Madeline’s: Corkage $1 Monday to Wednesday; regular charge $30. 601 King St. W. (at Portland St.), 416-603-2205.

• Starfish: Corkage $20. 100 Adelaide St. E. (at Jarvis St.), 416-366-7827.

• Gamelle: Corkage $25. 468 College St. (at Markham St.), 416-923-6254.

• Vertical: Corkage $25. 100 King St. W. (at Bay), First Canadian Place, 416-214-2252.

• Splendido: Corkage $30. 88 Harbord St. (at Spadina), 416-929-7788.

Some of the above are Susur owned restaurants. I still think that for some of these places, $25-$30 to bring your own bottle is a bit expensive. It's not really that much an incentive to bring your own if it won't cost you that much more to just buy a bottle there. Mind you, after knowing the cost of some wines at the store and then seeing them for 3 times the price in the restaurant, maybe it's worth it. The free to $1 corkage sounds great. Call me thrifty but it's a recession!

:)

This list is courtesy of Toronto Life online:
www.torontolife.com

Crush your Mondays! Crush them I said!

Toast to Crappy Mondays!

Who likes Mondays? Probably not a lot of us. What's to like about it? Another week at the daily grind. A great way to toast to a new crappy week is $1 corkage at Crush Wine Bar. You can bring your own bottle of wine for $1 on Mondays. I'm not sure how long this will last but it's a smart idea. Tonight, 12 of us got together over 8 bottles of wine with lots of food thus generating Crush some business on a Monday night.

There's something about having a party on a night like Monday. It makes the week less daunting, annoying and frustrating. The menu is good and currently, Crush has the Summerlicious menu on. For $35 you can eat quite the meal. So, you save on alcohol if you bring your own bottle. The service is always fantastic with the wait staff ready to share in tickles and giggles with you. I always have a great time at Crush. I've become friends with one of the waiters, Akbar. He's just great. Cute English accent. Crush also has a pretty hefty wine list with various flights of wine to try. Next Monday, if you find yourself wondering what to do, why not try Crush Wine Bar!

First Post

Welcome fellow wine lovers! I've started this blog to share with all of you as I swim my way through the delicious berry juice called wine. People often ask me what wines I'm drinking, what wine I've enjoyed and what wines I might recommend so I thought the best thing to do was to put it online! This site will have tasting notes, fun facts, top picks and much more. I'm hoping that it will be informative and educational.

Let's get down to business. I've tried a few wines this week and thought I might share my thoughts on a few of them.

Sparkling Wine
Simonnet-Febvre Crémant de Bourgogne France $18.95



This is a fantastic sparkling wine from the Chablis region in Burgundy. Sparkling wine just means wine with bubbles. How fun! This wine is a blend of grapes: 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir.

This sparkler is made in the traditional method (the method used to make Champagne). It just can't be called "Champagne" because it's not made in Champagne region. Crémant is the term used for fine sparkling wines made outside of the Champagne region using the same wine-making techniques as in Champagne (I'll go through the techniques in another post).

This wine has some toasty notes (from the method of which the wine was made) with delicate mousse (mousse is a term used when describing a sparkling wine; it just refers to the fizziness). It also has great acidity and minerality with some yellow fruit flavours. I overheard a product consultant describe this wine as having lots of finesse as I was drinking it (and enjoying!). I thought it described the wine nicely. It's crisp and very refreshing. The finish is a bit short but for the money, I'm not going to complain because it is enjoyable. The word "Brut" means dry. The producer is Simonnet-Febvre And Fils and is known to produce good-quality wines.

For the money, I would definitely pick up a few bottles. There's no need for a special occasion to drink a sparkling wine. I could drink this by itself on a patio, or as a starting wine to get the evening rolling.

The item number at the LCBO (for those in Ontario) is 126318.