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A New Year

Christmas has come and gone and now we are entering a whole new year. I probably don’t
need to remind you all, but it never hurts being repeated, if you are hosting a party,
make sure you have driving arrangements made for your guests…Don’t Drink and Drive!

This is the time when we are all making resolutions; be it to quit smoking, go on a
diet or improve our health, we look to the new year as a new start and a new opportunity
to try new things and this year is no different! So, here are my resolutions for this
new year and years to come.

1. Drink more wine. I know this sounds a little silly coming from a sommelier, but I
really don’t drink that much wine. So this resolution includes attending more wine
tastings in the Ottawa area and doing more tastings here at home.

2. Get out of my comfort zone. If there is one thing that I will constantly harp on
is getting people to move out of their comfort zones with wine and alcohol in general.
This entails buying more wine from regions other than Australia, Argentina and Chile as
well as buying different varietals that I’m normally not particularly fond of.

3. Write tasting notes! I know this sounds silly too, but I tend to get a little lax
in this department, especially when it’s a wine I’ve had before. If I’m asking you
to take notes, then I should take notes. ‘Nuff said.

4. Include a wine review with each of my articles. While I do recommend a great deal
of wine, ones I have tried and ones I would like to try, by including my tasting notes
each week it will help me and you to take better tasting notes.

5. Try more white wines. It used to be all I drank was white wine and no red and things
have definitely changed. In this vein I will also endeavor to include more chardonnay
in my wine cellar. I have, in the past, been a member of the ABC club, “Anything But
Chardonnay”. That having been said, this really comes down to moving out of my
comfort zone, but, because it is such a big part of it, I am giving it a place of
it’s own.

So, to finish this article, the last of 2009 and the first of 2010, let me tell you
the 5 wines I plan to buy from Vintages at the LCBO in their next release on
Saturday, January 9th, 2010.

1. Cabeco da Pedra 2007 This red from Portugal is a blend of Castelao and Tinto Roriz
(Tempranillo) is an inexpensive $11.95 and is recommended to go with pizza and spicy
foods.

2. D’Arenberg The Stump Jump Lightly Wooded Chardonnay 2008 Australia Again this is
another inexpensive wine and at just $14.95 I don’t mind taking this one for a spin.

3. La Fee Violine Malbec Cahors 2005 The Malbec grape originated in the Cahors region
of France and this should be an excellent example of how well the French treat this grape.
At just $12.95, here’s another reason not to pass on Vintages wines.

4. L.A. Cetto Petite Sirah 2007 Anytime that Vintages gets this wine in I always grab a
bottle or two! This $11.95 Mexican wine not only goes well with Mexican cuisine, but
also goes well with a nice rare steak.

5. Stoney Ridgte Dim Vineyard Riesling 2008 Canada This medium dry Riesling is only
$14.00 and while I tend to prefer a slightly sweeter Riesling, I suspect that this one
should be crisp and delicious.

Well, there you have it…good bye to 2009 and hello to 2010. May all your resolutions
be easy and all your wines perfect!

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Grape Varieties 101

There are many different grape varieties out there and it can be pretty confusing at times to pick out just what you want. Here are the 3 most popular white and red varieties and their descriptions. Use these as a starting point for your choices keeping in mind that there are many different climates for growing grapes and many different ways to make wine. Hopefully this will help you to step out of your comfort zone and try something different. I will cover lesser known varieties and blends at a later date.

WHITE

Chardonnay
Perhaps the most versatile of all the grapes, Chardonnay can be made into a variety of different styles from crisp, fruity and light, to rich, buttery and full. Because of this, it can be very difficult to give a simple definition, but, here are some basic aromas and tastes:

Unoaked Chardonnay – apples, pears, citrus, nuts and some minerality depending on the soil it is grown in.
Oaked Chardonnay – tropical fruit, toast, butter, spice and caramel.

That having been said, unoaked chardonnay will often be described as medium-bodied, with good acidity and oaked chardonnay is full-bodied with a buttery richness to it.

Riesling
I believe this grape has to be the best example of terroir. Terroir basically means the soil and climate that the grapes are grown in. The most common aromas and tastes are: apples, peaches and occasionally tropical fruit like pineapple. The aromas of minerality include slate, steel and aged Riesling will often have petrol on the nose. One of the best characteristics of this grape is that it can be made from bone dry to the sweetest of icewines. It is generally considered light-bodied and very crisp.

Sauvignon Blanc
The most popular description of this grape is, “cat’s pee on a gooseberry bush”, and there’s even a New Zealand wine with that name (LCBO #606384). What is now considered the benchmark style comes from New Zealand. The most common aromas and tastes are: citrus, peach, melon and tropical fruit. Also very common to this grape are aromas of bell pepper, canned peas and even grass. This wine is generally described as medium-bodied.

RED

Cabernet Sauvignon
Cab Sauv is the perfect example of a full-bodied wine. If the grapes are picked under ripe, you get vegetal aromas of green bell pepper on the nose, but the chances of this happening are very rare these days. Generally, the aromas and tastes are: black current, black cherry, plum, cedar and tobacco.

Merlot
This grape got a bad rap recently from the movie, “Sideways”. This medium-bodied wine is used often in blends, but shines quite nicely on its own. The aromas and tastes are: lots of red and black berries, plums and with oak aging there is spice, cedar and tobacco. Merlot is the go-to wine when you want something red but are unsure what to get. It is soft and easy drinking, so go ahead and order the “fraken” merlot!

Pinot Noir
While Pinot Noir is one of the hardest grapes to grow and ripen it is also one of the best to taste and enjoy. The aromas and tastes are: plum, raspberry, strawberry, leather, smoky and mushrooms. It can also have a barnyard aroma to it, but this isn’t a bad thing! This wine is usually described as light-bodied and velvety. The best descriptor I have ever heard for this wine is the one I always use for the best ones I’ve had…sexy!

If you have questions for me or wines you would like reviewed, please e-mail me at:
sommeliers at rogers.com

or tweet me at:
@Nancyztaste
– photo by Jenny Downing

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