Happy Valentine's Day from me to all of you! May your day be filled with wine-y goodness! I thought I'd take this moment to post some delicious finds for you this week. This recent Vintages release featured some yummy wines for the money. I think there's something for every taste here.
This Vintages LCBO release featured California Cabs. This wine is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot with some Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. This wine showed ripe blueberry, chocolate, plum and violet. It's dry with soft, integrated tannins. It's a bit hot on the finish but other than that, it's well-balanced. At this price point, there is a lot to savour!
I wanted to try something different and I found it with this one. I'm a huge fan of Greek wines. This grape variety is called Moschofilero. Not too high in alcohol, it's dry, very aromatic with lively lemon zest. It's tart with a good finish. I liked it!
This lovely Shiraz had a great deep purple colour. It was spicy with lots of berry and licorice with slight vegetative flavours. It had great structure with nothing really jumping out to overpower along with a long delicious finish. I'm not one to normally drink Australian Shiraz but I would drink this one. I trust the wines from Plunkett Fowles. Not only is the quality there but it comes at an affordable price.
I'm in love! This Tempranillo will surely lure you into the boudoir this Valentine's Day. With it's silky sultry smoothness, it's a typical Rioja. Wonderful nose with vanilla, chocolate and sweet ripe fruit. It's medium bodied so don't expect a macho-macho wine.
I came in 3rd place in the Amateur division! How about that. I didn't think I did well at all. It was a tough competition. Time to practice for next year! The award ceremony will be April 17th at the oh-so- cool 99 Sudbury. Looking forward to it!
Last month I attended a small tasting event hosted by WineAlign and RKW Wine Imports. Located at the trendy Spice Route on King Steet, this intimate tasting featured the wines of Charles Back, a pioneer of the South African wine industry.
On a cold day in the middle of winter, I couldn't think of a better way to spend an otherwise drab Tuesday evening. The evening highlighted five wines from the three properties of Charles Back: Goats Do Roam, Spice Route and Fairview.
Table is set for a great night
I was excited to try the wines and to meet the recognized winemaker. I was also looking forward to listening to that South African accent! South Africa looks like such a picturesque place to visit. Located on the trading route with the East, the region has been colonized by many throughout history. Ships would stop in South Africa to replenish supplies which often included fortified wines. With the influence of the Dutch, English and French, it is rich with history, culture and of course, wine. The wines are often a good value but sadly, overlooked by many. I should feature more of them on the blog. One thing that was very apparent throughout the evening was that South Africans have both pride and passion when it comes to their wines.
Charles Back and
myself
Charles told us some funny stories about his goats at Goats Do Roam and how they chose what grape varieties would be in the final blends by what grapes they preferred to eat. Those super tasters! He also told us how he with many others protested at the French Embassy when the French government was trying to sue him over the titles of the wines. One example being "Goats do Roam". Get it? Cote du Rhone - Goats du Roam? I wonder if goats were included in the protest. Needless to say, his stories had us laughing the entire evening.
Goats are awesome
Other funny wine labels that are a bit close to their French counterparts:
Bord Doe (as in Bordeaux)
Goat Door (like in Cote d'Or Burgundy)
Goat-Roti (similar to the famous Rhone appellation of Cote Rotie)
Ok, I can see how the French would be a bit perturbed but really, I think it's playful and ultimately a sign of flattery to these classic regions. I love the hommage to the Godfather with ...wait for it...The Goatfather. Classic!
Lovely Sauvignon Blanc. I don't know why I was expecting a Sauvignon Blanc with grassy notes, much like a typical one we've come to associate with New Zealand. This wine had citrus flavours such as grapefruit along with wonderful acidity. Good body and length. Another bang for your buck!
Crisp Tempura Calamari
"Spice Route Sauvignon Blanc is grown on the cool rolling hills outside Darling, on the Cape west coast. These trellised Atlantic vineyards are on deep red oakleaf soils, and are amongst the finest Sauvignon Blanc vineyards in South Africa. " - www.spiceroutewines.co.za
"Darling is increasingly regarded as a prime Sauvignon Blanc growing area in the Western Cape. Spice Route’s vineyards on the rolling hills outside this sleepy town are less than 8km from the Atlantic Ocean and its cooling breezes are instantly apparent if one visits the site." - www.spiceroutewines.co.za
Made with classic Rhone varietals which include Syrah, Cinsault, Mourvedre. Lots of ripe juicy fruit. A hint of spice with smooth tannins. A good burger wine.
What is Pinotage?
This is a grape that is unique to South Africa. It's a cross (having two different parent varietals) between the warmer-climate Cinsault grape and the cooler-climate Pinot Noir. I sometimes find this grape variety to be a hit or miss. The Fairview was enjoyable. With ripe black fruit, spice and hints of coffee (I'd like a slim mocha frap please!), it paired well with the Kobe Beef burger.
Spice Route Shiraz
Sorry, no picture of the food! No room left on my phone. Oops.
Note to self, clean up my phone once in a while.
This was my favourite red of the night. It had such enjoyable fruit, spice and above all, good acidity that helped tie everything together into a well balanced wine.
Charles Back talking about his goats at Goats do Roam
In the current Vintages release (January 21) you can find the Spice Route Chenin Blanc. Give it a try. The highlights from this tasting, for me, were the Sauvignon Blanc and the Shiraz. I think these two varietals express themselves very nicely in the cooler areas of South Africa. Thanks to WineAlign and RKW Imports for holding such a fun tasting. Looking forward to the next one. I've included a promotional video on South African wine for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!
This Vintages LCBO release featured California Cabs. This wine is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot with some Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. This wine showed ripe blueberry, chocolate, plum and violet. It's dry with soft, integrated tannins. It's a bit hot on the finish but other than that, it's well-balanced. At this price point, there is a lot to savour!
