CheapEats Ottawa restaurant guide blog

V V List release Saturday Nov. 22/2008

2008-11-21T11:04:12-05:00

Hello Everyone!

Well you may or may not have noticed that there was an absent Vintages Value List coming at you two weeks ago. Rose & I started out with the best of intentions. But when we started walking over to the tasting room and the weather was so sunny and warm, we pulled a 180 and went down to the lake and gazed into the sunshine marvelling at the mild clime in NOVEMBER!!! That seems like ancient history because we shovelled our way out to get to work this morning …

Unfortunately we missed out on the Bordeaux release and we just tasted the final release for 2008 – the one before Christmas – where values are sparse as Vintages pulls out the big, pricey guns to fire off the holiday season. Don't despair – there is still plenty of great wine to be had!

We also recommend that you ask the Product Consultants in the Vintages section for recommendations in your price range, varietal or occasion. They are always happy to offer up assistance and are often aware of special releases (Rapid Releases) that come into Vintages outside of the traditional release catalogue.

This week's value picks are:

WHITE WINES

77693 Amayna Sauvignon Blanc 2006 (Chile) $20.95

Here is a big-ass Sauvignon Blanc featuring aromas of citrus, nectarine and herbal notes with a smoky grapefruit citrusy palate rounding off with lime zest on the finish. Quite fresh and crisp.

390203 Montes Alpha Chardonnay 2006 (Casablanca Valley, Chile) $21.95

Peach, pear, citrus and toasty oak in harmony on the palate with good acidity to carry it through, making it a well rounded Chard.

SPARKLING WINES

558825 Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Heredad (Spain) $37.95

Big on aromatics of toasty nuts, peach and mineral, replaying on the palate with a nice creamy mouth feel. Excellent priced sparkler for the holiday season!

RED WINES

58685 Van Ruiten Old Vine Zinfandel 2006 (California) $18.95

Wow, big and rounded with loads of character dark ripe fruit cinnamon spice and good tannins.

980334 Gran Lurton Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon (Argentina) $20.95

This wine hails from our fave Lurton frères. It is not a bad offering this time. Lots of black fruit, leather, smoke. Enjoy with a grilled steak or rare beef of some sort.

692343 Oyster Bay Merlot 2007 (New Zealand) $17.95

Extremely well-balanced with baked plum and herbal notes on the nose and palate. I had it a friend's house last week (some store must have released it early) and it matched beautifully with the braised lamb shanks they served up.

82560 Vegnerous D'Estézargues La Granacha Signargues 2006 (Rhône) $21.95

A smooth little sipper with a tinge of zing on the length. It is made from the Grenache grape from a variety of smaller farms vineyards in the Rhone valley.

85207 Campomaggio Chianti Classico 2004 (Tuscany) $21.95

A classic chianti at a good price. Cherry and smoked meat flavours prevail – a dry, Italian.

642421 Torre Del Falasco Valpolicella Ripasso 2006 (Veneto) $18.95

Berries predominate with a lovely oak finish. Good fruit extraction – in fact it is quite fruity for an Italian table wine.

13656 Juan Gil Monastrell 2006 (Spain) $16.95

This superbly priced beauty offers up smoke, earth, blueberry, violets and peppery spice. This one can be put down for the next 2-3 years.

All the best for the holiday season!

Rose & Karen

Reservations 101

2008-11-15T17:22:52-05:00

Reserved by Cafrine

There's a great article by Corey Mintz on the Toronto Star website about the business of reservations.

...the average Toronto restaurant is open for dinner between 5:30 and 10 p.m. Torontonians will not, by nature, eat before 6 unless they are going to a show, or after 10 unless they are Spanish.
With such a small window of operation, a restaurant needs to maximize that time period. Empty seats are holes in their gas tank, draining fuel. If a table is booked for 7:30, it's next to impossible to use that table earlier or later. This is called a single seating.

While the restaurateurs quoted are Toronto-based, on Friday and Saturday nights you know Ottawa's best tables are just as busy. Corey goes on to explain and discuss that "space and time are perishable commodities" and how restaurants do their best to keep tables turning and get people in, fed and out for the next seating.

Interesting, since I just got off the phone confirming my online reservations for tomorrow's 11am brunch which had somehow gotten "lost".

Read the complete article here... and then come back and tell me what you thought.

[Thanks to Paul Lin for pointing me at the article]

National Pupusa Day - almost

2008-11-13T15:38:29-05:00

As I was preparing a detailed and lengthy post for today's National Pupusa Day, I realized that it was not an annual El Salvadorian holiday on November 13th but actually an annual El Salvadorian holiday every second Sunday of November. Ack!

So I wish you all a happy-belated Día Nacional de la Pupusa and encourage you all to go out and find yourself a pupusa to celebrate with.

I'm still fairly new to pupusa, having been introduced to them by Jeff during a food crawl of Toronto's Kensington.

The only place I know of to get them in Ottawa is La Cabana on Merivale near Carling, where they sell them for $2.50 (but you need to get at least 3.) Sometimes they are also available frozen for you to heat up at home. I like to toss them on the BBQ and crack open a beer if I'm going that route.

I'm looking for more places to try this tasty treat, if you know of other spots in the area where they are available. I have to find a couple of places to eat my shame away from missing Día Nacional de la Pupusa.

V V List release Saturday Oct. 25, 2008

2008-10-23T21:13:16-04:00

Hello Everyone!

Winter's coming and the cooler weather is directing our palates toward red wines and social gatherings to ward off the chill in the air. I know we just got through Thanksgiving and all the excess of food, wine and family dysfunction that comes with that holiday; but the cooler weather calls for even more togetherness. Social gatherings with friends and family warm the spirits – a much needed cure for the shorter, colder, darker days that come with the onset of winter. We don't mean to sound so depressive – but a good bottle of wine at a good price shared with chums is bound to buoy you!

This week's value picks are:

WHITE WINES

681247 Flat Rock Cellars Chardonnay 2006 (Ontario) $16.95

Big on tropical fruit, ripe peach and fresh green apple with a subtle hint of oak.

677450 Dog Point Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2007 (New Zealand) $21.95

This is a classic New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. For those of you that adore that varietal from this fine wine producer, pick this up – you will not be disappointed. Lots of guava, fresh cut grass and citrus notes.

SPARKLING WINES

907568 Graham Beck Blanc De Blancs Premier Cuvée Brut 2005 (South Africa) $21.95

Alas South Africa made it on our list! This sparkler is a sure pleaser featuring crusty baked bread, citrus and candied apple on the finish.

RED WINES

984997 Tedeschi Capitel Dei Nicalo Valpolicella Classsico Superior 2006 (Veneto) $18.95

The Ripasso method is in play with this one. That means that the grapes are partially sun-dried prior to pressing and the end result is concentrated fruit in the juice. This is a dry, Old World style wine with big, woodsy flavours and aromas.

084798 Zonin Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso 2006 (Veneto) $19.95

Incredibly elegant with cedar and smoky notes. Chocolate/cherry segues to a hearty Italian red. It is just GREAT!

077883 Two Hands Lucky Country Shiraz 2006 (Barossa Valley, South Australia) $17.95

This Aussie number is jam packed with dark fruits and some spice, high in alcohol and good acidity nicely balancing it out on a finish of good length.

075101 Humberto Canale Gran Reserva Malbec 2006 (Patagonia, Argentina) $19.95

Here is a classic featuring juicy dark berries, toast, lively acidity and spice.

903153 Lurton Reserva Malbec 2006 (Mendoza, Argentina) $13.95

Our beloved displaced Bordeaux Lurton frères aka Argentinean hermanos have given us the best value of the release with this one. It is a big Malbec, bursting with berries and yet smooth and balanced at the same time.

640888 Santa Carolina Barrica Selection Gran Reserva Carmenere 2006 (Chile) $14.95

Incredibly mouth-filling – this is a BIG wine that would be well-paired with a juicy, rare steak.

586081 Sileni The Triangle Merlot 2006 (New Zealand) $18.95

A great balance of raspberry and subtle oak and vanilla flavours make this New Zealand wine go down easy – but not too easy. There is great length with a bit of spice & bite to keep you on your toes.

590521 Colin_Bourisset Côte de Brouilly Les Terres Bleues 2006 (Beaujolais) $17.95

Check out the classy label, nicely balanced featuring plum and cherry. This is a fresh and lively fun wine that is food friendly. Serve slightly chilled.

078725 Château Pineraie 2005 (Cahors) $17.95

The www.decanter.com note is bang on – "Opulent violet damson <a type of plum> aroma. Smooth attach. Vibrant fruit on mid-palate. Tightly knit, well-balanced. Long finish."

085167 Frascole Chianti Rufina 2005 (Tuscany) $18.95

Dark fruit aromas and flavours with a hint of oak and some earth. A nice old world style chianti.

080614 Grand'arte Alicante Bousche 2005 (Portugal) $14.95

Densely coloured with lots of dark fruit, some vanilla and spice and silky tannins creating a velvety mouth feel! Well priced, this one's a sure taker.

ALP

Rose & Karen

Don't forget – the Vintages Value List can always be found on www.CETOBLOG.com!

V V L Release Saturday Sept. 27, 2008

2008-09-26T15:11:48-04:00

Hello Everyone!

It has been a rough ride for the economy in the past little while and it doesn't appear that the situation will ease any time soon. SO, it is now – more than ever – that we need the Vintages Value List. We need it to help ease the pain of shrinking portfolios, the spectre of the slowing economy and shrinking wallets. Sure there are cheaper wines from the "other" side of the LCBO – but where is the discovery, the thrill of finding the Vintages release product that is still available and won't break the bank? You don't have to settle for mediocrity in these hard economic times – Vintages has a many reasonably priced wines. Don't compromise – if you can!

That being said, the focus of this week's release is Burgundy and the pinot noir and Chablis present strains to the pocketbook as most of them are well over $30. Don't despair – there is more to this week's release.

WHITE WINES

88864 Ridgepoint Medium Dry Riesling 2006 (VQA Niagara) $15.00

This Riesling has a nice mineral note, apple and fresh lemony juicy acidity rounding off nicely on the palate.

1578 Flat Rock Cellars Twisted 2007 (VQA Niagara) $17.15

Twisted is quirky, fun and out there, 60% Riesling, 20% Chardonnay and 20% Gewurztraminer featuring aromas and flavors of exotic fruits, peach and apricot and some citrus. This is a sure sipper or paired with light fare.

RED WINES

630616 Santa Barbara Winery Syrah 2005 (California) $20.95

Large, round and mouth-filling. Lots of big, black fruit and a touch of oak. This is from a cooler Cali clime, so it isn't a total fruit bomb – just concentrated.

70573 14 Hands Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 (Washington State) $15.95

This is an easy drinking, well priced Cab. which features black fruit, cherry, spice and velvety tannins all in harmony to produce an enjoyable drinking experience. Pretty & smooth with a good dollop of oak. Good value as most offerings from Washington are well in excess of $25.

398800 Casa Lapostolle Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 (Chile) $15.95

From the house of Lapostolle this gem is a basket full of red berries, spice, licorice and chocolate. Oh so yum, a real palate pleaser!

23226 Apollonio Copertino Rosso 2001 (Puglia, Italy) $17.95

Earthy with leather notes. Soft tannins and great length. Good food wine.

963348 Condado De Haza Crianza 2005 (Spain) $27.95

OK – it's a tad pricey – but well worth it! Bob Parker gave it a "90" so it won't be around for long. Great tannins, concentrated fruit and wee bit of shtank. Sounds perfect!

PORT

87205 Messias 10 Anos Tawny Port Btld. In 2008 (Portugal) $23.95

This charming elixir resounds with the taste of roasted nuts and sweet caramel. Like Flan in a bottle – but so much better! This will go well with "afters" like stilton, or crème brulee or make it the "after" tout seul.

ALP

Rose & Karen

Don't forget – the Vintages Value List can always be found on www.CETOBLOG.com!

VV List Release Saturday August 30, 2008

2008-08-29T12:10:22-04:00

Greetings!

Spain & Portugal are the featured wine regions for this Saturday's release. These regions offer great diversity of styles. Spanish wines have a longer history of winemaking than most wines from Portugal, but both countries have modernized their centuries old winemaking traditions towards the end of the 20^th century. The result of these efforts is finely crafted wines that are much sought after all across the planet. We were quite pleased that the Spanish wines fell within our price range and were pleasantly surprised by the sophistication exhibited by the Portuguese wines. Of course, there are many more wines from around the globe on offer as well. This week's list is quite long – it was a joyous session in the tasting room and we found it quite difficult to come up with a short list.

WHITE WINE

70656 Pacific Rim Dry Riesling 2006 (Washington) $14.95

Petrol nose, a sure sign of a good Riesling with flavours of apricot, peach, some lime and mineral. Well priced for a Washington state wine.

709790 Martin Steimer Gewürztraminer 2006 (Alsace, FR) $18.95

Wow, luscious aromas and flavours of honey, lychee and dried apricot. Full and round with fruit replaying on a lengthy finish. Pair with spicy dishes.

RED WINE

177345 Muga Reserva 2004 (Rioja, SP) $23.95

This is one of our favourite wines – period. It has seen a bit of inflationary pressure over the past few years – strong euro and the fact that it is extremely popular across the globe. It is a fabulous, typically Spanish wine – dry, fairly full-bodied with a great combo of French & American oak. Lay it down for a couple of years to get the best of this offering OR drink it now with roast leg of lamb.

674564 Palacios Remondo La Vendimia 2006 (Rioja, SP) $16.95

Blackberry and cassis with plenty of acid and oak make this a well-balanced number. A solid Spanish wine.

82180 Viña Vilano Crianza 2004 (Ribera del Duero, SP) $20.95

This is no "villain" of the vineyard, but rather a "smooth operator". Everyone loves this bad boy – it has won many gold medals at various wine competitions around the world. BTW – Crianza is a Spanish wine term that means that the wine has been aged for a minimum of 6 months in oak barrels and then it is released to the market 3 years hence.

673707 Jean Leon Terrasola Syrah/Garnacha/ Crianza 2005 (Catalonia, SP) $15.95

A blend of 70% Syrah and 30% Garnacha made in a new world style featuring blackberries, cherry and peppery spice.

81588 Crasto 2006 (Douro, Portugal) $15.00

A traditional blend of touriga nacional, tinto roriz, touriga franca and the hearty tinto barroca featuring flavours of bright red cherry some cedar, leather and fennel. Juicy and good length.

66084 Cline Ancient Vines Mourvèdre 2005 (California) $17.95

A tad sweet initially, big on black cherry jam, chocolate, spice, licorice soft round and velvety mouth feel. This is sure to please!

537597 Ironstone Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 (California) $17.95

This is an interesting little number – tons of dark fruit balanced off with vanilla, cedar and pepper. It offers good acidity – an overall GREAT wine.

66720 La Mascota Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 (Mendoza, Argentina) $15.95

This may sound a bit daft – but this wine actually made us smile. We simultaneously burst out, "This is such a happy wine! We are definitely going to pick this one up." It is interesting and earthy – a good sipper.

79293 Luigi Bosca Reserva Malbec 2005 (Mendoza, Argentina) $15.00

Big, bad and broody, featuring cigar box, coffee, cocoa, licorice and some hefty oak. If you're into broody wines drink now or if you're a tad shy cellar for 2 years.

14332 Pikes The Assemblage Shiraz/Mourvedre/Grenache 2006 (S. Australia) $18.95

A straight ahead Aussie wine with an interesting twist on the traditional GSM (Grenache/Shiraz/Mourvedre) blend. The top-billing Shiraz offers chocolate, shtank and white pepper notes on the palate with a good back bone of fruit.

992800 Mas Janeil Côtes Du Rousillon-Villages 2005 (Midi, FR) $15.95

This is a savoury little number featuring nutmeg layered onto ripe red fruit. Good value here!

59956 Xanadu Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 (W. Australia) $20.95

Pleasant medium bodied Cab. Sauv. exhibiting cassis, green pepper, tobacco and some oak on the finish. This will reward 2 years of cellaring.

673244 Mas Des Aveylans Syrah Cuvée Prestige 2005 (Rhone, FR) $21.95

Ripe round and smooth full of dark and red berry aromas and flavours rounding off on a lingering finish. Drink this delish wine solo or paired with anything off the grill! You may not want to share this bottle!

~$50

928721 Prunotto Barolo 2004 (Piedmont, IT) $49.95

Sexy, sexy, sexy! Great floral nose, super smooth tannins and an elegant style make this a worthwhile addition to your cellar to have in 3+ years.

ALP

Rose & Karen

V V L Release Saturday August 16, 2008

2008-08-15T16:53:04-04:00

(due to a technical hiccup, I'm posting this for Karen & Rose)

WHITE WINE

396986 Casa Lapostolle Chardonnay 2007 (Casablanca Valley, Chile) $14.95

Lush exotic fruit and mineral aromas leads to a mouth filling fresh and fruity palate with crisp acidity.

61895 Natura Chardonnay 2007 (Casablanca Valley, Chile) $15.95

Made with organically grown grapes this number shows refreshing citrus and apple with toasty vanilla, and a full mouth feel. This won't disappoint.

421016 Jekel Vineyards Gravelstone Chardonnay 2006 (Monterey, California) $15.95

A well balanced Chardonnay that is big on aromatics, on the palate offering bright fruit and a touch of oak.

73437 Fattoria Laila Verdicchio Dei Castelli Jesi Classico Superiore 2006 (Marche, Italy) $15.95

Lemony with crisp refreshing acidity and some bitterness on the finish. It may not please all palates, but worth a try. Great patio sipper paired with a refreshing salad.

RED WINE

65458 Santa Rita Reserva Pinot Noir 2006 (Chile) $14.95

New world so totally Pinot, loads of black cherry jam, licorice. Definitely a try for those Pinot worshippers.

67215 Benziger Syrah (California) $18.95

Big black and inky with loads of dark fruit, full bodied and great character!

67801 La Puerta Bonarda Reserva 2005 (Argentina) $13.95

Big black fruit and vanilla notes and rich in flavour.

717959 Leone De Castris Maiana Salice Salentino Rosso 2006 (Puglia, Italy) $13.95

A good pizza wine featuring plum and dark berry and some pepper. Loads of flavour and well priced.

969469 Renzo Masi Chianti Riserva 2004 (Tuscany, Italy) $15.95

A well priced Chianti made in the traditional style featuring a mouth full of fresh berries, good acidity and tannins. Pair with Tuscan dishes.

981613 Finca Antigua Crianza 2004 (Spain) $15.95

A blend of Tempranillo, Cab. Sauv. Merlot and Syrah features intense berry fruit and some good toasty oak. Pair with casual grilled fare.

ALP

Rose & Karen

Vintages Value List for Saturday August 2, 2008

2008-08-02T08:28:38-04:00

Hello Everyone!

Wine from South Africa is the feature of this Saturday's release. We are not huge fans of wine from this part of the world. More often than not the wine is tainted with brett – brettanomyces – a bacteria that gives wine a "band-aid" aroma/flavour or an earthy, creosote, stable type of aroma that we find most unpleasant.

Many of South Africa's wine making facilities are tainted with the bacteria and its proliferation continues despite concerted effort to abate it's spread. The jury is out on the desirability of brett's presence. Some believe that brett is the natural result of simple winemaking and others believe that it is an unattractive wine fault resulting from sloppy winemaking practices. We are in the latter camp and consequently much of what was present in the tasting room from South Africa didn't get past the initial nosing component of the tasting. This is not to say that all wine from South Africa is undesirable. Our favourite producer is Boekenhoutskloof (love the name!) and unfortunately the wines from this house are too dear to make it on the Vintages Value List. OK – enough blather on our dislikes. Here are this week's top picks:

RED WINE

79608 Domaine de L'Hortus Bergerie Classique Pic Saint Loup 2006 (Languedoc, FR) $17.95

Peppery, dry and full of bursting fruit flavour. Old world style. Blend = Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre.

427617 Chateau de Nages Reserve 2005 (Rhone, FR) $14.95

A meaty quaffer with a strong currant nose – full-bodied for sure!

14696 Raimat Tempranillo/Shiraz 2005 (Spain) $14.95

It's quite dark and dry – an interesting blend that calls out for grilled sausages or dark meat.

56267 Remo Farina Vigna Montecorna Valpolicella Classico Superiore Ripasso 2004 (Veneto, Italy) $19.95

A great tasting wine with black cherry, chocolate and coffee notes. It's rather "large" in nature – not a lighter valpolicella at all!

WHITE WINE

82305 Domaine Bellevue Touraine Sauvignon 2006 (Loire, FR) $13.95

A classic herbaceous, asparagus-driven sauv. blanc. Good value here!

ALP

Karen & Rose

V V List Release Saturday July 19, 2008

2008-07-17T11:51:12-04:00

Hello there!

Vintages has uncannily hit the mark once again with the upcoming release focusing on white wine. The sweltering weather of late calls for leisure – be it lounging on your deck, dock or boat or staying cool by the pool. All of the above activities go well with fresh, crisp, chilled white wine, friends/family and scrumptious snacks that completely hit the hunger mark. If extreme leisure isn't in the cards – what better than a chilled bottle of white beckoning from the fridge after a sweaty commute from the office?

Without further adieu, here are our picks:

WHITE WINE

76570 Domaine des Lauriers Picpoul de Pinet (Midi, FR) $14.95

This white is best served with flavourful, rich foods like grilled veggie pasta & chevre or seafood. It is more herbaceous than fruity – an overall good food-wine.

27409 Irony Chardonnay 2005 (Napa, CA) $19.95

We saw the label and looked at each other and simultaneously said, "Napa - $19.95 – NO WAY! Let's give it a whirl. We nosed and caught lees, spice, and hints of new oak – definitely a Chard. The wine is quite elegant with interesting structure. Lots of spice and grapefruit, apple is absent.

948182 La Griffe Bernard Chéreau Muscadet Sèvre et Maine 2006 (Loire, FR) $15.95

This one is fresh and luscious. There's a touch of apple and good fruit in this wine.

43281 Flat Rock Cellars Riesling 2007 (VQA) $16.95

The bottle was empty but we have been loving another Flat Rock white - a relatively new addition to the Essentials portfolio – so we were initially disappointed that we couldn't taste their Riesling. A few of the product consultants said it was great, so there you go! That and the fact that 2007 was a stellar vintage for Ontario make it a safe bet.

996017 Pfaffenheim Gewuzstraminer Cuvée Bacchus 2006 (Alsace, Fr) $19.95

Brimming with lush tropical fruit and spice, excellent as an aperitif or served with dessert.

ROSE

59147 Valdivieso Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé 2007 (Chile) $10.95

This must be well-chilled – but even warm in the tasting room, the flavor belied an excellent value. Full-flavoured.

RED WINE

683110 Lockwood Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 (Monterey, CA) $14.95

Fruit forward but not over the top, very well balanced, dry with loads of dark fruit and toast. This is an excellent value for a Cali Cab.

361782 Firesteed Pinot Noir 2006 (Oregon) $17.95

Wow what an awesome value for a Pinot from Oregon. This number has flavours of black cherry and raspberry, well rounded with a seam of acidity and a hint of oak.

3509 Chakana Malbec 2007 (Mendoza, Argentina) $13.95

Big and inky, with loads of black fruit, cocoa and toasty oak. Quaff this down with casual fare al fresco.

960542 Montgras Reserva Carmenère (Colchagua Valley, Chile) $12.95

A good quaff for your buck, flavours of plum and black cherry and a lingering tobacco finish.

363358 Rodney Strong Knotty Vines Zinfandel 2005 (Sonoma, CA) $24.95

Oh those knotty vines of Rodney Strong produced sheer elegance in this Zin, featuring blackberry a seam of acidity, soft tannins and some spice.

Jean-Luc Baldès Le Petit Clos Cahors 2005 (Southwest, Fr) $17.95

A blend of 80% Malbec and 20% Merlot, featuring aromas and flavours of licorice, dark fruit and cedar. This gem will develop beautifully over the next 3-5 years.

FRUIT WINE

117366 Mariandl Sparkling Apricot (Austria) $9.95

This is a zany wine – fizzy, sweet, fruity, 7% alcohol – FUN! If you're in a silly mood – try it, you'll smile. (This one's for you Punkass!)

ALP

Rose & Karen

NB – We generally do not recommend that you NOT purchase a product on release – but this time we are compelled to do so. DO NOT BUY Megalomaniac Pink Slip Rose fr. Ontario. The bottle sports a very compelling label and the name is catchy, fun & enticing. The wine is absolutely vile – this product was produced by marketers not winemakers.

VV List Release Saturday July 5, 2008

2008-07-04T16:07:02-04:00

Hello Everyone!

We trust this newsletter finds you all doing very well and enjoying the full onslaught of summer. We hit the tasting room the day after Canada Day and found an interesting selection of quaffers. The theme of this week's release is "HITTING THE HEIGHTS" – featuring Malbec from Argentina. Bordeaux is Malbec's birthplace, where this fine grape is used as an auxiliary blender. As a stand-alone grape from Argentina – the result is a full-bodied wine with plentiful fruit and silky tannins. We are recommending two of the Malbecs on offer, but have a plethora of other tasty tipples to recommend.

WHITE WINES

707158 Zenato Lugana San Benedetto 2007 (Lombardy – Italy) $15.95

This is one of our returning faves showing delicate floral aromas with peach, citrus and melon flavours. Delightfully crisp and refreshing, enjoy solo or paired with light summertime dishes.

669531 Michel Gassier Les Piliers Viognier 2007 (Midi – France) $18.95

Half the juice for this Viognier was fermented in new French oak and the other half fermented in stainless steel featuring subtle aromas of candied fruit and hints of vanilla, with apricot, peach and tangerine on the palate and an ample finish.

045138 Anakena Single Vineyard Viognier 2007 (Rapel Valley – Chile) $13.95

Quite full bodied featuring some oak and apple and citrus. A fantastic summer wine. Pair with a variety of dishes.

037127 Alta Vista Premium Torrontés 2007 (Medoza – Argentina) $13.95

Torontés is Argentina's white grape and this number pleases the palate and the pocket book, featuring floral and tropical fruit aromas, citrus and stone fruit flavors, and crisp acidity.

RED WINES

065664 Finca El Origen Reserva Malbec 2006 (Uco Valley, Mendoza – Argentina) $14.95

Well priced medium bodied Malbec featuring dark fruit, leather, cedar and some peppery spice.

686113 Septima Malbec 2006 (Mendoza – Argentina) $15.95

Big and dry featuring plenty of dark fruit and some silky smooth tannins.

14183 Cremaschi Furlotti Family Edition Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah/Carmenère 2004 (Chile) $15.95

Lots of bold, ripe fruit with leather and spice undertones. A wee bit of shtank can be found in this gem. Definitely crowd-pleasing…

63412 Finca Sophenia Reserve Merlot 2006 (Argentina) $17.95

A by-product of the renowned Michel Rolland – global wine consultant from Bordeaux. Rolland was brought in to assist with the crafting of this wine. Subtle dark plum flavours married with chocolate and a smooth elegant finish make this a thoroughly enjoyable wine.

59493 Anakena Ona Cabernet/Merlot/Carmenère 2005 (Chile) $17.95

A great balance of berries, plums and minerals. This is an easy-drinking red.

718932 Château Le Raz Cuvée Grand Chêne 2005 (France) $18.95

A great value for those who love the dry, old world style. This wine is quite elegant and tastes more expensive than it is.

971689 D'Angelo Aglianico Del Vulture 2004 (Italy) $20.95

Aglianico is Italy's unsung heroic grape. Notes of white pepper, black cherry, spice and coffee are present. It is absolutely delicious and fantastically smooth. Well worth the $$!

DESSERT WINE

996181 Bacalhôa Moscatel De Setúbal 2001 (Portugal) $11.95

This is a lovely taste of honey with a nutty finish. A terrific bargain for 750ml of unctuous loveliness. Enjoy it with blue cheeses and roasted almonds.