Ontario Wine Awards

Ontario wines are better than ever and only one competition focuses solely on recognizing them. The Ontario Wine Awards is the brainchild of renowned wine scribe Tony Aspler and will be celebrating its16th anniversary this year. It is judged in March by well known, seasoned wine authorities, including myself, with an awards banquet in June. To coincide with the banquet, the 3^rd week in June is officially Ontario Wine Week, as declared by the provincial government back in 2005. It includes exciting festivals, winemaker dinners, restaurant promotions and more. What a great venue to distinguish, appreciate and celebrate excellence in world-class Ontario wines!

Cabernet Franc

Cabernet Franc is Cabernet Sauvignon’s less famous cousin. Similar to Cab Sauv, with cassis, violets and raspberries, it possesses much more of an herbaceous edge. I call it the Sauvignon Blanc of Cabernets because of its leafiness. Better known as one of the blending grapes in red Bordeaux, it’s at its best in France’s Loire Valley where it is bottled straight up. Great with grilled and roasted red meats, stews, casseroles, medium cheeses and vegetarian dishes, it ages well too. If you haven’t tried Cab Franc from Niagara, you’re missing out on something special.We do a fab job with it here. In fact, I believe it does better in our terroir than Cab Sauv. So check it out for a real treat.

Champagne Sweetness Codes

Last week I addressed Champagne styles. This week…sweetness codes! The extremely driest of all Champers says Brut Nature on the label. Extra Brut is very dry. Up next is Brut, dry. Then it gets confusing. Extra Sec, meaning extra dry in French, really isn’t. It’s off-dry. Sec, meaning dry, is not at all. More like medium-dry. Demi-Sec, meaning semi-dry, is hardly that. It’s medium-sweet. And Doux or Rich is just that…sweet. Again much of this terminology spills over to other bubbly. Don’t fret though. Most of what we see here in Canada is Brut and occasionally Extra Brut or Extra Sec. We really don’t seem to have a palate for sweet Champagne. Uncork a bottle and enjoy!

Champagne Styles

Valentines Day is just around the corner and no vino says “amore” like Champagne. Several styles exist. Non-Vintage has no year on the bottle and is a blend of many years. Vintage is a blend of many wines, all from the same year, wearing that year on the label. Rosé utilizes some skin contact from red grapes for colour. Blanc de Blanc is made from white grapes only while Blanc de Noirs is made only from dark grapes. Single vineyard means the fruit came from one property. Cuvee Prestige or Grand Marques is the best wine a house produces. Grand Cru means the fruit came from the best, highest rated vineyards and Ier Cru, from vineyards 2^nd best. Much of this terminology spills over to other bubbly as well.

Bottega del Vini

Ah Verona, Italy…the ancestral home of Romeo and Juliet. This gorgeous city in northwest Italy is home to arguably the greatest wine bar in the world, Bottega del Vini. This unassuming taverna has one of the best Italian wine cellars on the planet that stretches under the streets of the ancient city. The owner has a special repoire with many of the local producers who bottle wines especially for him in many sizes. Perhaps the best part about it is that there are always 30-40 different wines available by the glass and the list changes regularly. It gets so crowded at times that folks spill out onto the street, wine glasses in hand. So if you find yourself in Verona, simply ask any of the locals where it is. They all know it.

Wine and Herbs

Herbs add so much flavour to food. Here are some great wine/herb matches. For Chardonnay, use chervil, fennel, sage or tarragon! Riesling needs dill, hyssop or parsley while Sauvignon Blanc best meshes with basil, oregano, sage and tarragon. Pinot Gris adores coriander but Pinot Grigio deserves thyme. Chenin Blanc loves dill and Gewurztraminer digs mint, winter savory or coriander. For reds, Cabernet Sauvignon values basil, bay leaf, rosemary and thyme while Cab Franc cuddles up to parsley. For Pinot Noir, check out lavender, thyme and rosemary or meld Gamay with parsley and basil. Merlot, how about fennel and basil? Syrah or Shiraz, you’re all about winter savory, lavender and rosemary.

Eau de Vie

Eau de vie is a French term for a clear, colorless fruit brandy, other than grape, that is produced by means of fermentation and distillation. The finished product is often quickly bottled to preserve the freshness and aroma of the parent fruit. Examples are Poire (pear), Mirabelle (yellow plum), Pomme (apple), Framboise (raspberry), Kirsch (cherry) and Fraise (strawberry). Some producers age them a bit, especially in oak, like Calvados. Variations from other countries include Akvavit, Slovovitz, and Schnapps. Generally, they’re not sweet and the fruit flavor is typically very light. Ideal as a digestif after a meal, you’d best sip sparingly as they’re usually 40+% alcohol and pack quite a punch. Cheers!