Graham’s Six Grapes Reserve Ruby Port

Blog January 8, 2016 Leave a comment
101_six_grapes[1]Name of Winery – Graham’s
Name of Wine – Six Grapes Reserve Ruby Port
Over the last two decades Six Grapes has won 7 Gold Medals and 2 trophies at the most prestigious international tasting competitions
Region produced in –Douro Valley Region (Northern part of Portugal)
Types of grapes in wine –variety of red grapes from several different vintages
Characteristics of wine – sweet, full bodied fortified blended wine.
Look –dark red color
Smell –has depth with aromas of ripe plums, cherries, spice and dark chocolate
Taste – complex with a good structure
Finish –long lingering finish with underlying notes of anise, pepper and spice.

Food Pairing – Six Grapes is perfect on its own or as an accompaniment to desserts – chocolate cake, rich cheese or dark chocolate (60 – 70%) also Dark chocolate laced with spicy chilies.

Nutty Solera Medium Oloroso Sherry Takes The Cake

Blog December 8, 2015 Leave a comment

NNutty Soleraame of Winery:                          Gonzalez Byass

Name of Wine:                              Nutty Solera Medium Oloroso Sherry

Region Produced in:                     Jerez Spain

Types of Grapes in Wine:            White grapes:  Predominately Palomino, with Pedro Ximenez and Muscatel used for sweetening

Characteristics of Wine:              medium sweet, full bodied fortified blended wine

Look:                                                Amber, light mahogany colored

Smell:                                               nut, raisin, spice, toffee, coffee, orange zest

Taste:                                               medium sweet, full bodied, rich with raisin, clove, walnut, orange zest and earthy flavours

Finish:                                              long, lingering, warming due to 20% alcohol content

Food Pairing:                                  nuts, dried fruits, cheese, Christmas fruit cake, sweet desserts

Shiraz From Belle Grove Winery Wins Over Finding Vino Toastmasters

Blog, Wine November 23, 2015 Leave a comment

Belle-Groove-Shiraz-2012Name of Winery – Belle Grove

Name of Wine – Shiraz 2012

Region produced in – Spain

Types of grapes in wine –  Red Shiraz grapes grown on the sun drenched Spanish hillside vineyards and has  Fresh blackcurrant aromas with hints of black pepper and a lingering fruity finish

Characteristics of wine –Red wines get their colour from the skins which are included when the wines are fermented. The length of time that wines are in contact with the skins can influence the colour of the wine. The thickness of the grape’s skin can also affect the colour with thicker skinned varieties generally producing deeper coloured wines

 Look –Deep and bright in color

Smell –rich, fruity  on the nose.

Taste – Ripe cherry and blackcurrant and combined with hints of black pepper.

Finish – On the palate, the Shiraz is fruity, jammy and full of flavour, with a good backbone to support the lingering finish.

Food Pairing – Pairs well with richly flavored red meats, beef stew and meat lover’s pizza.

 

Vinosobres By Famille Perrin A Red Wine The French Can Really Be Proud Of

Red Wine, Wine October 8, 2015 Leave a comment
perrin_les_cornuds_2011_jpg_8758_640[1]We really like the terroir of Vinsobres, a beautiful village located 40 kilometres north of Châteauneuf du Pape at an altitude of 300 metres, primarily on terraces. Vinsbores is particularly suitable for Syrah, giving it that great finesse we tend to loose further south.
Name of Winery – Famille Perrin – Les Crus
The “Famille Perrin” way makes each wine unique: using organic and biodynamic approaches, mastering the art of blending and bringing out the freshness of the Southern aromas.
Name of Wine – Famille Perrin Vinsobres ‘Les Cornuds’ 2011
The 2011 vintage is a vintage of contrasts. That is to say an unusually hot, dry spring followed by a wet and rainy beginning of July and then an Indian summer lasting until the end of October. Carefully sorting and destemming the harvest allowed for a great vintage, particularly for the late harvest varieties
Region produced in – Rhone Valley, France
The most northern vineyard of the southern Rhône. The Perrin family owns around 60 hectares in one single plot in Vinsobres. The average altitude is 300 metres on hills and terraces.
Types of grapes in wine – 50% Grenache and 50% Syrah
A blend of 50% Grenache and 50% Syrah with 35% aged in French oak and has a spicy peppery nose and lots of black fruit flavours. While it may be enjoyed now it will improved over the next two years and will keep for five. The impressive, deep, rich Vinsobres Les Cornuds comes from high elevation (400 feet) vineyards. Cellar through to 2022 – perfect for the Wine Collector!
Characteristics of wine –
Several important critics have rated this Vinsobres wine highly: Wine Spectator gave the 2010 vintage a score of 91. This wine has received more awards than any other wine from the region: the Dallas Wine Competition awarded the 2011 vintage Silver and the 2010 vintage Silver.
Look – Juicy, dark pleasure in a glass! This is an even blend of grenache and syrah grapes. This wine opens up with decanting and you will open up with this wine.
Smell – Full-bodied with black fruit, anise, pepper and smoke aromas.
Taste – Terrific concentration, depth and balance from one of the most respected producers in the Rhone.
Finish – Extra Dry
Food Pairing – Pairs well with steaks, beef stew, chicken and aged cheeses.

Kettle Valley White Wine ‘Gewurztraminer’ Twists Tongues While Delighting Toastmasters At Finding Vino

White Wine, Wine October 8, 2015 Leave a comment
595488_Kettle-Valley-Gewurztraminer[1]Meeting Date: October 06, 2015
Name of Winery – Kettle Valley Winery
Name of Wine – Kettle Valley Gewurztraminer
Region produced in – Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley
Types of grapes in wine – Gewurztraminer grapes
Characteristics of wine – Delicate aromas of  pink grapefruit, rose petals, and lychee nuts. Flavourful and aromatic.
Look – Light golden hue.
Smell – Pink grapefruit, rose petals and/or lychee nuts.
Taste – Lychee, apricots and spices combined to a sweet and refreshing aftertaste.
Finish – Quick
Gewürztraminer Food Pairing

Think Exotic. Gewürztraminer best pairings happen when you step outside of traditional French cuisine and experience other foods of the world. Middle Eastern and Moroccan cuisine, both utilizing nuts and dried fruits with roasted meats, are great examples of the types of cuisine to enjoy with Gewürztraminer wine. When pairing Gewürztraminer with food think about how the wine’s floral aromas and notes of ginger will bring out actual ginger and rose water used in a dish.

Meat Pairings

Duck, Chicken, Pork, Bacon, Shrimp and Crab

Spices and Herbs

Highly spiced and aromatic herbs including Cayenne Pepper, Ginger, Clove, Cinnamon, Allspice, Turmeric, Madras Curry, Sichuan Pepper, Shallots, Soy Sauce, Sesame, Almond, Rose Water, Lime Leaf, Bay Leaf, Coriander, Cumin

Cheese Pairings

Try it with less stinky and delicately flavored soft cow’s milk cheese and dried fruit.

Vegetarian Fare

Roasted vegetables and veggies with natural sweetness including Coconut, Red Onion, Bell Pepper, Eggplant, Tempeh, Squash and Carrot. You can also enjoy it with artichokes, which are one of the more challenging wine pairing foods.

Pairing At The Meeting

Dried Mission Figs

Brie on Sweet and Savoury  Date and Walnut Mini Crisps

All natural savoury thins (gluten free) rice crackers with Artichoke and Adiago dip