$20 Favourites

I love to cook and wine is just another element of the meal plan. Having a wine cellar allows me to be creative about cooking without having to worry if I have a wine that will go with the food. You don't need a five hundred bottle wine cellar to make sure you have a wine that will go with any meal; the six to seven types of wines I'm going to show you will give the range you need to pair with most meals.

All of these wines are around a $20 (CDN) price point and are our usual Saturday night favourites... except recently we have been trying a number of new wines but normally these wines are our staples.

"The Whites"

"The Reds"

I'll start with the 'whites'. I generally like to start a meal with a white wine and finish with a red wine. Now white wines are harder to pair with food than red wines... you miss a pairing with a red it will generally be OK, you miss with a white and it will be awful - think toothpaste and orange juice.

Our first white on the list is Robert Mondavi's Fume Blanc, which is just another name for Sauvignon Blanc. It is a straight forward crisp and refreshing wine that goes with a number of foods. I like this wine with Spicy Shrimp, Gorgonzola Dip, and Crab Dip. This will also work with powerful salads like Caesar and Greek.

LCBO Information -

ROBERT MONDAVI FUMÉ BLANC
VINTAGES 221887
750 mL bottle
Price: $ 24.95
12.7% Alcohol
Sugar Content : D
Made in: California, United States
By: Robert Mondavi Winery
Release Date: Oct 13, 2007

Description - In 1966, Robert Mondavi originated his lightly-oaked Sauvignon Blanc and dubbed it Fumé Blanc. The aromas on stage here include apple, sweet grass, mineral and light toast notes. It has a crisp, refreshing, fruity core and a soft, yet spicy finish, that makes it a perfect partner for baked snapper or smoked salmon.

The description mentions it pairs well with smoked salmon; personally I think it is OK with smoked salmon. Go with Chardonnay instead, it is a much better pairing. At $24.99 it is the most pricey of all the wines. If $25 is out of your range, New Zealand is known for their Sauvignon Blancs and you can find a number of them for less than the $25. I prefer the Robert Mondavi as the light exposure to oak softens the acidity in the wine. South Africa does some very nice Sauvignon Blancs at very reasonable prices.

Our second white on the list is a Robert Mondavi Riesling - no I'm not getting paid to move Mondavi wines :), this is the last Mondavi on the list. Their Riesling is a semi-sweet riesling and it pairs very well with Curries, Chinese Food and spicy dishes. Riesling is a very diverse grape and this wine is very food friendly, especially for people who don't drink alot of wine. If in doubt on something that you think should pair with a white wine go Riesling.

LCBO Information -

03 RIESLING COASTAL PRIVATE SELECTION JOHANNISBERG - MONDAVI
VINTAGES 529685
750 mL bottle
Price: $ 14.95
10.5% Alcohol
Sugar Content : 3
Made in: California, United States
By: ROBERT MONDAVI WINERY
Release Date: N/A

Tasting Note - Light gold colour. Peach, bees wax & petrol aroma off- dry with peachy, citrusy flavours. Good balancing acidity

Serving Suggestion - Serve chilled with thai spring rolls, fruit-stuffed pork,etc.

This listing is funny as there is 1 bottle in stock in the whole province of Ontario and it doesn't exist, the LCBO can be very slow at times in removing dead items from inventory. The current release of the riesling is probably 2006. This is widely available in the US, if you are down there pick up a case (price is about $5.99-$7.99 US), you won't be disappointed.

Our last white is the grape that is the King of the Whites - Chardonnay. The Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay is one of my favourites - it and smoked salmon are to die for! Chardonnay will pair with most fish dishes, chicken, and and shell fish. It also goes very well with pasta and an Alfredo sauce. The only thing to watch for with fish or chicken is if there is a heavy sauce on them - if it is tomato based go with a red wine or if it is spicy lean towards the riesling.

LCBO information -

KENDALL-JACKSON VINTNER'S RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2005
VINTAGES 369686
750 mL bottle
Price: $ 19.95
12.5% Alcohol
Sugar Content : D
Made in: California, United States
By: Kendall-Jackson
Release Date: Nov 24, 2007

Tasting Note... 2005 continues their streak of top-notch wines. Loads of tropical fruit, surprisingly deep texture, medium body, and wonderful purity results in a crisp, elegant, dry Chardonnay. It is ideal for drinking over the next 1-2 years. Score - 89. (Robert Parker Jr., www.erobertparker.com, Dec. 2006)

A $20 wine and a 89 rating by Robert Parker not too bad! A smoke buddy in my building at work told me a story about his mother - every event like wedding receptions, office parties, or any other place where price is the main factor in choosing the wines, she smuggles in a bottle of KJ Chardonnay to drink with the food 'So she has something nice to drink with food'. Go Mom!



On to the Red wines - Merlot is one of the most diverse wines out there and if you are ever in doubt with what to serve with a meal go Merlot. It is a medium bodied red that is very food friendly. I really like it with most pasta and sauce (except for Alfredo as mention earlier). It is great with mixed grill and very good with BBQ'd sausage. Hearty soups and stews are also a wonderful match for this wine. The Beringer Merlot has been consistantly good year after year, though I have found that this is one wine that about 3 years of aging does make it even better.

LCBO Information -

BERINGER FOUNDER'S ESTATE MERLOT

LCBO 534255

750 mL bottle

Price: $ 19.95

13.5% Alcohol

Sugar Content : 1

Made in: California, United States

By: BERINGER VINEYARDS

Tasting Note - Ruby garnet colour; red berry aromas with light oak notes; dry, medium-bodied palate with fine tannins on the finish

Serving Suggestion -Beef stroganoff

The Beringer's Merlot is very good but if you have a few more dollars to spend the Rutherford Hill Merlot at about $29 a bottle is stunning which is how I found out about aging the Beringer's Merlot - a few years back I picked a case of the Beringer's 2000 Merlot as I thought it was really good, then a month later I found the Rutherford Hill Merlot and the Beringer's Merlot sat for a couple of years almost forgotten in the wine cellar. I re-discovered the Beringer's Merlot one night and was very surprised how good it was after sitting for that time. I almost shed a tear when we killed the last bottle of the 2000 Beringer's Merlot earlier this year!

Zinfandel is California's grape, only a few places outside of California grow Zinfandel and not in any great quantity. When most people hear Zinfandel they think of the pink Kool Aid stuff - that my friends is white Zinfandel. It's big brother Red Zindandel doesn't have much in common with it, other than lots of fruit. Red Zins are big bold ass wines that range in alcohol between 14% and 16% ... this puppy will get you drunk and shit! On a more serious note, Red Zinfandel goes great with BBQ's foods that are coated in BBQ sauce. Wings and Ribs are this wine's best friend, spicy foods are also killer with wine. When I think of Red Zinfandel to me one name comes to mind - Rosenblum. The Rosenblum Zinfandel is a giant alcoholic fruit bomb and I love it just the way it is - if I want smooth and subtle I'll call a Cab (ernet Sauvignon)!

LCBO Information -

ROSENBLUM ZINFANDEL

VINTAGES 284653

750 mL bottle

Price: $ 17.95

14.1% Alcohol/Vol.Sugar Content : D

Made in: California, United States

By: Rosenblum Cellars

Release Date: Oct 13, 2007

Description - Rosenblum is THE Zinfandel specialist serving up lively aromas of blackberry, raspberry, and mocha. Ripe berry fruit flavours are balanced by cedar tones and ripe tannin. Very nice berry spice finish. We prescribe it with roasted duck, venison, or spareribs.

I think the 14.1% alcohol is a misprint by the LCBO, Rosenblum's Zinfandel has consistantly been 15.7% alcohol for the last few years but I haven't picked up this year's vintage so I might be wrong.

For the two last ones, I'm doing them together as most things that a Cabernet Sauvignon will pair with Shiraz works as well. I prefer Cab. over Shiraz but as everyone these days seems to be having a lovefest with Austrailian wines I'll toss in a Shiraz. The Beringer's Cabernet is a replacement for a wine that started my love for wines - Robert Mondavi's Coastal Cabernet Sauvignon 1998, the 1999 was good as well and then it was like Robert Mondavi changed the style completely. We found the Beringer 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon was the closest replacement we could find, and for the last four to five years the Beringer's Cabernet Sauvignon has been the standard.

Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz are the wines you want to grab with Beef - NY Strips, Tenderloin, Prime Rib, Beef roasts all are great with either. I have found that Cabernet Sauvignon's edge over Shiraz is with dessert - more to the point chocolate-based desserts. The other edge that a California Cab has over an Austrailian Shiraz is with non-wine drinkers, it is much more fruit forward and easier to drink than a peppery Shiraz is.

LCBO Information -

BERINGER FOUNDERS ESTATE CAB SAUVIGNON

LCBO 534263

750 mL bottle

Price: $ 19.95

13.5% Alcohol

Sugar Content : 1

Made in: California, United States

By: BERINGER VINEYARDS

Tasting Note - Ruby red colour; forward cassis and spice in the nose that follows through to the palate; dry and medium-bodied with ripe fruit mid-palate and fruity, oaky vanillin notes in finish.

Serving Suggestion - Grilled or roasted red meats, spicy chicken dishes and medium cheese.

YALUMBA Y SERIES SHIRAZ

LCBO 624494

750 mL bottle

Price: $ 14.15

13.5% Alcohol

Made in: South Australia, Australia

By: NEGOCIANTS INTERNATIONAL

Tasting Note - Deep violet colour; blueberry, plum and currant aromas with a hint of anise; fresh, juicy palate with chocolate notes.Serving SuggestionGrilled bison burgers, lamb or firm cheese.

At $14 a bottle the Yalumba Shiraz is a heck of a deal so if you went Shiraz instead of Cab and saved the $6, I could agree with that. Note - the Beringer's Cab. is also better after a few years of aging.

So there are the six wines you need for a good range and a great start to a basic wine cellar. I'd suggest picking up 3 bottle of each as it is nice to have extra on hand on those nights when the wine is going down easy. This will also cover you if you are having a larger dinner party and one bottle isn't going to cut it.

Cheers!

Mark

Saturday Night - "4 Bottles" = "2 Drunk"

It was our turn to host again for the Saturday dinner for our weekly dinner with our friends Mick and Amy. This week I decided to go back to some favourites - Smoked Salmon to start, Beef Tenderloin and Grilled Veggies for dinner, and Chocolate Cake for dessert.

Tonight's Wines

First Course - Battle of the Chardonnays!

Smoked Salmon and Chardonnay is one of my absolute favourite food and wine pairings. The Smoked Salmon is served with Bagel Crisps, Cream Cheese, Capers, Thinly Sliced Red Onion and Cucumber and Lemon Wedges. Kendall Jackson Chardonnay is one of the best Chardonnays to go with Smoked Salmon.

The Challenger -

LCBO Information -

LOUIS JADOT BOURGOGNE CHARDONNAY

VINTAGES Number 933077

750 mL bottle

Price: $ 18.95

13.0% Alcohol

Sugar Content : D

Made in: Burgundy, France

By: Maison Louis Jadot

Release Date: Oct 13, 2007

Description: From the geographical headquarters of the Chardonnay grape comes this wonderfully versatile wine. Expect aromas of baked apple, citrus, cinnamon and a hint of vanilla. It's creamy, ripe and balanced. Medium-bodied with a lingering finish. Tantalizing with freshwater fish or a vegetable stir-fry.

The Reigning Champ -

LCBO Information -

KENDALL-JACKSON VINTNER'S RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2005

VINTAGES Number 369686

750 mL bottle

Price: $ 19.95

13.5% Alcohol

Sugar Content : D

Made in: California, United States

By: Kendall-Jackson

Release Date: Nov 24, 2007

Tasting Note... 2005 continues their streak of top-notch wines. Loads of tropical fruit, surprisingly deep texture, medium body, and wonderful purity results in a crisp, elegant, dry Chardonnay. It is ideal for drinking over the next 1-2 years. Score - 89. (Robert Parker Jr., www.erobertparker.com, Dec. 2006)

I was looking forward to this match up - both wines are close in price $19 vs. $20, both are from well known producers, both are similiar in alcohol and dryness and both were 2005's.

And the winner is ... Kendall Jackson Chardonnay.

Both wines were really good but also really different. The Kendall was big, buttery and with tons of fruit. The Jadot was crisp and refreshing with a much thinner and more precise mouth feel than KJ.

I usually divide Chardonnays into to two types ... ones that go with Smoked Salmon and ones that go with Caesar Salad. The Kendall Jackson is awesome with Smoked Salmon, but not so good with Caesar. The Louis Jadot was ok with the Salmon but I have no doubt that it would be stunning with a Caesar Salad. Mick was thinking the same thing as he asked if I had any more of it as it would be great with Caesar Salad.

I would happily recommend either of these two wines.

The Main Event

I'd picked this wine up on my last trip to Prime Wines in NY. Chateau Latour is one the five "First Growths" of Bordeaux. This wine is not there premier wine but their second level. The top level Latour ranges from about $499 to $2600 depending on year. This wine was $59.99 US (so after duty and exchange about $98 CDN). This was my first chance to try any wine from the five top Bordeaux producers. This was from the Pauillac region of Bordeaux and of the five "First Growths" three are located here.

On opening this bottle, the aroma was very powerful - floral, earthy and some fruit. It the smells reminded me of something I'd had before but I couldn't place it. On the initial tasting we were all surprised at how smooth this wine was. It paired nicely with the Beef Tenderloin and was OK with the grilled veggies. The wine reminded me of Robert Mondavi Napa Cabernet Sauvignon by how smooth it was.

For dessert was a simple store bought Chocolate cake and this cake goes so well with Cabernet Sauvignon that we call it "Cab Cake". Here is where the wine shined, first sip after a mouthful of cake and I was in heaven!

I'd highly recommend this wine.

Wine Spectators comments about this wine -

Les Forts de Latour Pauillac 1998

Solid second wine for Latour, although a bit elegant in style. Wonderful licorice and currant character. Medium-bodied, with ripe and fine tannins and a long, fruity finish. Tempting now. Score range: 85-89 –JS

Score: Barrel Tasting

The only downside to this wine was it has me very curious on the top Latour ...

Once we all finish our wine, we were longingly looking at the empty glasses and the remaining Cab Cake. I decided in my already very drunken state to go get another bottle...

The "What was I thinking 4th bottle of the evening"

Here is another 1998 Bordeaux from another one of the five First Growths - this time Haut-Brion. This one was also purchased from Prime Wines and was $39.99 US (about $64 CDN after duty and exchange). This one is also not the top wine but a second level wine from Haut-Brion.

This wine was completely different from the Latour, much bigger and much more tannic. It was OK with the Cab Cake. We discussed this wine and decided that something with some good fat on it - Lamb, Prime Rib, etc. would be probably be a great pairing for this wine. I'd give you more detail but the night at this point is a little fuzzy :). This wine is not one that I'd probably buy again.

Here is the Wine Spectator's write-up on it...

Chateau Bahans Haut-Brion Pessac-Léognan 1998

Subtle aromas of raspberry, vanilla and mineral. Full-bodied, with a solid core of ripe fruit, ultrafine tannins and a long, long finish. Amazing for a second wine. Best after 2008. 10,000 cases made. –JS

Score: 92

Funny, it got a higher rating than the Latour but I'd recommend the Latour but not the Haut-Brion.

Cheers!

Mark

Wiener Chowder

Today was a shitty, rainy and cold day that was just above the freezing mark here in Southern Ontario and tomorrow they are calling for the first snowfall of the year. I'm so not ready for winter. To try and get in the mood for snow, I decided it was time for a hearty family recipe... Wiener Chowder. Don't laugh, it tastes much better than it sounds.

Wiener Chowder was my father's creation as both my mother and sister do not like clams, yet my father and I loved New England style Clam Chowder. So Dad made Clam Chowdar with thinly sliced hot dogs instead. It is a great meal for cold rainy days as it warms and sticks to your insides... comfort food.

It was also a good time for me to try another Pomerol based wine...


Here is the LCBO information on the wine

CHÂTEAU ROUGET 2002

VINTAGES 51425
375 mL bottle
Price: $ 34.95
13.0% Alcohol
Vol.Sugar Content : XD
Made in: Bordeaux, France
By: Maison Sichel
Release Date: Oct 27, 2007

Description: Here's an attractive, very expressive Bordeaux that can be a delight tonight or enjoyed over the next 5 years. Flavours of dark plum, coffee and mocha fill out the palate in this round, lush and full-bodied Pomerol. Delicious with lamb, game or Camembert cheese

Here is the Wine Spectator's write up on the wine...

Earthy aromas with tobacco and plum character. Black licorice. But it?s round and soft on the palate with a smoky finish. I like it. Best after 2006. 2,250 cases made. –JS

Score: 87
Release Price: $35
Country: France Region: Bordeaux
Issue: Mar 31, 2005

My thoughts on the wine... as it a Pomerol based Bordeaux we are talking mainly Merlot with possibly some Cabernet Franc and or Cabernet Sauvignon blended in. It was definitely a Merlot, and this would have fooled me into thinking it was a California Merlot as it was very similar to a Rutherford Hill Merlot.

It was a OK pairing with the Chowder, and it would be an awesome match for the Lemon Cream and Prosciutto pasta recipe I mentioned in a earlier port. I enjoyed the wine, but at $35 for a half sized bottle, I wouldn't buy it again when the Rutherford Hill Merlot goes for $29 for a full sized bottle.

Keep warm and Cheers!

Mark.

Saturday Night - Pizza D'oh!

Mick was getting busy in the kitchen again this Saturday and had two new items on the menu - Lobster Chowder and Pizza Margherita. The wine pairings for the evening were a 2005 Foxglove Chardonnay which Mick had picked up down in the US on our last wine run @ $12.99 US ($21.30 CDN after duty) and a Joseph Phelps 2001 Le Mistral which he got for $15.oo US a bottle ($26.22 CDN after duty). The Foxglove Chardonnay isn't available at the LCBO and the Le Mistral is @ $58.00 but it is the 2004 not the 2001.

When we arrived Mick was struggling to roll out the Pizza dough. He'd rolled it, thrown it, tried just about everything he could to get to stay flat but it kept shrinking back to its original form. The only thing he did manage to do with the dough it to get extremely pissed off about. I tried helping but no luck, in the end we decided to hit the supermarket and picked up a store bought pre-made Pizza crust.

After our quick trip out to the market, the first course was Lobster Chowder and the Foxglove Chardonnay. The Lobster Chowder's main ingredients were Lobster, bacon, potato, cilantro, cream and fish stock. The soup had a good flavour to it but after my first couple of spoonfuls, I thought to myself 'this would be awesome with some corn in it'. Mick's wife, Amy piped up about two minutes after this and suggested that corn would be great in the Chowder.

The wine was a good pairing but not great, I have had Lobster Chowder before with a Cabernet Sauvignon and it was an amazing match. The Foxglove was kind of funny as it was buttery but not overly so and it had a bit of mineral to it as well. I'd describe it as a California Chardonnay with some Burgundy influence to it. It was a great value at $12.99 but I'd go with a Kendall Jackson Chardonnay if you are a fan of a California style Chardonnay or a Bouchard Pere & Fils 'Bourgogne' if you like French style Chardonnay. This one was trying to please both of those crowds and didn't do it.

The main course was a Pizza Margherita which was made up of Tomato, Olive Oil, Garlic, Prosciutto, Mozzarella di Bufala and Basil. Mick did a great job on the Pizza and it was enjoyed by all (even with the store bought crust!).

Mick had called me in the afternoon to discuss which wine to go with the pizza as he was torn between a Merlot and the Le Mistral by Joseph Phelps which is a Rhone style wine. The Merlot didn't surprise me as it is a nice safe choice to go with if you are not sure, but the Le Mistral did. It is a blend of mainly Syrah (Shiraz) and Grenache and a tiny percent of other grapes mixed in, it is the style that Chateauneuf-Du-Pape is made in. I was concerned it would be lost against the garlic, prosciutto and cheese flavour and suggested that maybe a big bold Zinfandel would be a better choice. Mick said he thought of a Zinfandel too but was afraid it would overpower the pizza. He decided to stick to his guns and go with the Le Mistral.

Mick was right - the wine was an excellent pairing, it was nice and smooth and didn't create a strange taste with the pizza. I'm still curious to see how a Zinfandel would go with the pizza but it would be hard pressed to be better than the Le Mistral.

For dessert I picked up a Pecan Pie and a Maple/Apple coffee cake as Mick had some 1995 Late Harvest Vidal as the dessert wine of the evening. I also grabbed some Danish Blue cheese and crackers as I still had half a bottle of the 1989 French Sauternes in the fridge from last week. The Sauternes didn't go with the baked Apple Tart I had made. We found the Sauternes closer to a port then a dessert wine, so I wanted to see how it went with a Blue Cheese which is an ideal pairing for port.

Both wines when poured were a deep amber in colour and were almost impossible to distinguish by colour. The aromas on both were similar but the Late Harvest had a much more powerful aroma. The Henry of Pelham Late Harvest Vidal was great with both of the desserts. It truly is a wine that I'm proud to say is Canadian. The Sauternes was very good with the Blue Cheese, much better than it was with the Apple Tart last week, but I'd take an aged Tawny Port over it any day of the week.

The 1995 Henry of Pelham Late Harvest Vidal was the best year that they ever made and a few years back Amy managed to buy the last case of it directly from winery. This was the second to last bottle left.

I'm not sure what the current year of the Late Harvest is as the LCBO stock information doesn't list year (I'm going to guess and say 2004) but the Late Harvest is a great little dessert wine and you really should pick some up as you won't be disappointed.

LCBO Info.

HENRY OF PELHAM LATE HARVEST VIDAL V.Q.A.

LCBO 395228

375 mL bottle

Price: $ 19.95

Wine, Fortified Wine, Dessert/Fruit/Miscellaneous Wine

10.8% Alcohol/Vol.

Sugar Content : 16

Made in: Ontario, Canada By: HENRY OF PELHAM FAMILY EST. WINERY

Tasting Note: Bright yellow gold colour; aromas of honey, ripe peach, fig and apricot; sweet with ripe fruit flavour; well-balanced by crisp lemon acidity; rich and luscious without being too cloying.

Serving Suggestion: Serve chilled, a good introduction to dessert wines; fruit flan.

Cheers!

Mark.

Merlot Tuesday!

Ended up with a surprise day off from work on Tuesday and decided to do a little cooking (and drinking). For dinner I made a pasta with Lemon cream and Prosciutto -

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/107652

This recipe is a favourite of ours and it pairs very well with a Merlot. The wine for the evening was a 2000 Château La Mission from Lalande-de-Pomerol.

This was another wine I picked up from my wine run down to the US. I was looking forward to trying this as this would be my first Merlot from Bordeaux. I had read about Petrus and how good Merlots from Pomerol were but Petrus is $700-$1300 a bottle or more so I don't think I will be trying it any time soon. This would let me get a flavour for the region on a budget.

I uncorked the bottle and the first aroma I got from the bottle was prune and a woody-earthy scent that I couldn't identify.

I poured out two glasses to go with dinner and noticed the deep purplish-red colour as I poured that is common with Merlot.

The first sip caught me a little off guard as I'm used to California Merlots and was expecting much more fruit on the tongue. The second sip was was better as I cleared my expectations, very rich and deep and yet subtle.

I served up the pasta and tried the wine again - yum! The wine went great with the pasta and my wife and I manged to put a pretty good dent in the bottle.

After enojying this bottle, we will be keeping an eye out for more Pomerol based wines.

Here is the details and write up from Prime Wines -

2000 Château La Mission, Lalande-de-Pomerol 750 ml.

-->This estate’s vineyards are planted to 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 60% Merlot and 10% Malbec. This wine comes from clay-on-limestone soil and is traditionally fermented in cement vats. It then spends 18 months in oak barrels with 1/3 of the barrel renewed each year. This wine is best consumed with red or white meats and all cheeses.

Our price $19.99… Only $18.00 when you buy a solid or mixed case.

Note - I did buy a mixed case so I got it at $18.00 so with duty $29.52

Staff- Deep and plummy Merlot flavors and textures predominate in this terrific red from the satellite region at the northern edge of Pomerol. While clearly not as well known as its famous neighbor, Lalande-de-Pomerol offers the kind of solid value wines to look for if you want to taste great 2000s without refinancing your house (have you seen what 2000 Pétrus is going for?).

Cheers!

Mark

Viva La Saturday Night!

Mick and Amy were coming over for dinner as this was my Saturday cook. I was excited as I had two French wines that I wanted to try - an 1989 La Tour Blanche Sauternes and a 2005 White Burgundy. The Sauternes was one I picked up on my last trip to NY and the 2005 White Burgundy was a recommendation from Melissa of the Oakville LCBO (Dundas and Trafalgar location). I also tossed in a California Chardonnay to go head to head with the Burgundy. I'd been planning out the menu in my head since Tuesday.

The Saturday Night Line Up!

The menu for the evening was - Homemade Caesar Salad, Pine Nut and Basil Salmon and Baked Apple Tart with an Almond Custard. The Caesar and Salmon both match up with a Chardonnay and the Baked Apple Tart loves Canadian Dessert wines so I thought it would be a good match for the Sauternes.

Let's get to the main event... In this corner weighing in at 14.3% alcohol is a 2004 Grgich Hills Chardonnay (LCBO vintages number 43901, Price $60.95).
.

And in the opposite corner weighing in at a lean 13.5% alcohol is the Joseph Drouhin 'Puligny-Montrachet' from Burgundy (Chardonnay) (LCBO Vintages Number 51383, Price $64.95).

First Round - Caesar Salad

The Grgich Hills Chardonnay got off to an early lead as it paired much better than the Joseph Drouhin Burgundy. The Grgich Hills was much more buttery than the Joseph Drouhin and worked with the Caesar. Caesar salad is a funny pairing for Chardonnay - some Chardonnay's love it and others are destroyed by it.

Side note - What to make a huge difference when making a Caesar? Easy - make your own Croutons, store bought Croutons are like bricks and taste like shit, get a baguette and cut it into small 1/2 inch pieces, melt a stick of butter in the microwave and mix in two tablespoons of parmesan cheese and teaspoon of garlic powder (not garlic salt). Now mix the bread and the garlic butter in a large bowl until the the bread is coated. Pour out the bread on a cookie sheet and broil in the oven until golden brown. Now you have lovely soft Croutons and your guests will notice the difference.

Final Round - Pine Nut and Basil Salmon

After getting sucker punched in the first round, the Joseph Drouhin Burgundy lands a solid right hook on the Grgich Hills Chardonnay and evens up the match. The Burgundy really stood out against the Salmon. The Salmon is served with a lemon, butter and basil sauce and the crispness of the Burgundy really worked with it. The Burgundy had a great mouth feel and a perfect finish after each bite of Salmon. The Grgich Hills Chardonnay with its buttery taste got lost against the butter in the sauce, it seemed almost sloppy and clumsy when paired with the Salmon.

And the Winner is...

Out of the two, the Grgich Hills around the table was the winner. Everyone preferred it on its own over the Burgundy, it won the Caesar round but lost Salmon round. Since it took 2 out of 3 it was the winner.

Unfortunately, both were losers in my mind. I had really high hopes of being blown away by one of them and ended up being mildly impressed at best. Maybe I'm too used to Cabernet Sauvignon... there is huge difference between a $20 Cab and $65 Cab, I didn't think the difference was that big. The Bouchard, Pere and Fils for $18.95 that sent me to Oakville in the first place was almost as good as the Joseph Drouhin and a bottle of Kendall Jackson Vintner's Reserve at $21.95 was close to the Grgich Hills (though there was more of difference between the KJ and Grgich then the two Burgundys). My wife wants us to grab another bottle of the Grgich Hills as she really liked it. Don't get me wrong - Both were very good, they just weren't as good as I was hoping they'd be!

Dessert!

This was a wine I was itching to try. I love Canadian made Botrytis affected dessert wines and in my reading Frence Sauternes and Hungrian made Tokai are the standard that all Botrytis affected dessert wines are judge by. Sauternes are meant to be aged and are supposed to become more complex as they age. So I can't tell you how excited I was about trying an 1989 Sauternes....

Here is the Prime Wines information on the wine -

1989 Château La Tour Blanche, Sauternes 750 ml.
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Compare at $99.99… Premier Card price $79.99

The Premier card was free from the last time we went, you just had to fill out a few details and then you got the card so I got it for the Premier Card price of $79.99, then was hit for 64% duty at the border so the wine ended up cost me $131.18 CDN. Not a bad price as it was 750mL where as most CDN dessert wines are 350mL and range from $35 to $100 or more.

Here are the professional reviews -

92 pts. Spectator - Intense and exotic. Ripe and rich botrytis flavors explode on the palate to a long finish. Very sweet and full in body, it packs in the spice, white pepper, cream, coffee, quince and dried apricot notes.

92 pts. Parker, From Robert Parker’s Bordeaux - The 1989 stood out in my tastings as one of the best Sauternes of the vintage. Explosive, with a fabulous bouquet of oranges, mangoes, and coconut, this decadently rich, full-bodied, monstrous-sized Sauternes has enough acidity for balance. It is one of the greatest wines of the 1989 Barsac/Sauternes vintage. Anticipated maturity: 1996–2030.

A 92 from both the Wine Spectator and Robert Parker this wine should be nothing to sneeze at.

The first thing I notice about the Sauternes upon uncorking it was the bouquet - dessert wines have some of the most amazing bouquets in terms of complexion and intensity and this one was no except. The colour of the Sauternes is a lovely amber.

I served up the dessert and then sat down and tried my first sip - Doh! Not what I was expecting... it was much stronger and heavier than I'd anticipated. I began to worry that this Apple Tart wouldn't be a great match for the Sauternes. I tried the Baked Apple Tart and then sipped the Sauternes again... as the line from the movie "Major League" says "Oh! Just a bit outside" - this is what Bob Euchre's announces as Charlie Sheen's character throws a ball about 25 feet outside the strike zone...

The Sauternes was at most OK with the Apple Tart. The best way I can describe it is half way between a Canadian Late Harvest Vidal and a 20 year old Tawny port. I have no doubt that this wine paired with a nice aged Blue Cheese would be to die for, but against a sweet dessert it didn't work.

The four of us only killed half the bottle so I'll probably pick up some Blue Cheese and try it in the next couple of days.

Even though all three wines didn't 'blow me away', it was still great to try three new wines and I can't beat the the company and at the end of the day, is it the getting together with friends that makes an evening great?

Cheers!

Mark

The "Groovy" Wine Club

This past Thursday was the fifth meeting of wine club and this time the grape of choice was Austria's national grape - Grüner Veltliner (pronounced - groo-nur felt-leen-er). It is also called "Groovy" probably because you have to be half in the bag to say Grüner Veltliner.

Here are the two wines we tried (the first one being the bottle everyone took home with them)

“FEDERSPIEL” GRÜNER VELTLINER by DOMAINE WACHAU

LCBO Information

Stock Number – 47902
Volume - 750mL
Price: $ 16.95 (+ $.20 deposit)
Made in: Austria, Austria
By: Freie Weingartner Wachau
Release Date: Sep 1, 2007

Description: Under Austrian rules, a wine labelled Federspiel must have an alcohol content between 11 and 12.5% by volume and the grapes cannot be chaptalized (that is, sweetened with sugar so the finished wine has a higher alcohol content and fuller mouth-feel). This version is classic Grüner with aromas of pear, citrus and pepper. It is fairly full-bodied with a good balance between the fruit, pepper and citrus. Enjoy with grilled duck breast or even lobster or sushi.

Wine Spectator – 2005 rated 89, 2006 Not yet rated. This is filled with loads of mineral and grapefruit flavors and some creamy notes. The finish is savory, with touches of celery and parsnip. Drink now through 2009. 1,216 cases made. –KM

“SANDGRUBE” GRÜNER VELTLINER by STADT KREMS

LCBO Information

Stock Number – 687913

Volume - 750mL

Price: $ 14.95 (+ $.20 deposit)

Made in: Austria, Austria

By: Lamotrading Laurenz Moser Keg

Release Date: Jul 21, 2007

Description: The Sandgrube vineyard is planted entirely to Grüner Veltliner and benefits from southern exposure and a sandy loess soil. The 2006 is a fresh medium-bodied wine with flavours of citrus and white pepper. A perfect pairing for Austrian food like pork schnitzel, it also works very well with Asian dishes and sushi.

Wine Spectator – 2005 Rated 86, 2006 Not yet rated. This is filled with ripe peach and ripe apple flavors, which are flanked by savory spice and mineral notes. The finish is broad and smoky. Drink now. 2,525 cases made. –KM

I was caught off-guard by the enclosure on the Stadt Krems, once I took of the covering and the metal cap this is what I was greeted by -

I looked at it puzzled for a second and then tried pulling on the clear glass part and tada -

- a Glass cork. The glass has rubber around the top of it to keep the seal. I had never seen this before and neither had anyone else at Wine Club. Once I got over my shock and confusion, I thought this type of enclosure was pretty cool.

The food for the day was a Gorgonzola Dip with crackers that I'd prepared. Tracey (a co-worker) brought in Prosciutto, Cream Cheese and fresh Baguettes.

This was my first exposure to Grüner Veltliner. I had done some reading before hand and they tended to be compared to Rieslings. On the initial tasting of the Domaine Wachau, it reminded me of a Sauvignon Blanc. The Stadt Krems did remind me of a Riesling. Both though were easy drinking and I could easily see someone sitting outside at a cafe, snacking and killing a bottle with no problem at all.

I enjoyed both of the wines with the food. Grüner Veltliner has a reputation of being a very food friendly wine and after our tasting I can see why.

At $17 and $15 price points these wines are a great deal for the money. I will be on the lookout in the future for more "Groovy" wines as both of these were very good.

Cheers!

Mark.

Wine Club recap

About four months ago Adam (a co-worker) and I formed a Wine Club at work. Wine Club consists of 11 people (including myself) who each pay $25 per month for six months. Each month we get in a case of wine, split a bottle eleven ways in a tasting and then everyone takes a bottle home with them. We take turns bringing in food to go with the wine. Depending on the cost of the wine we may also pick-up a single bottle or two to try at the tasting as well.

We have also set a goal to never repeat a grape or a region in the six months.

This past Thursday was the fifth meeting of Wine Club which I'll cover in my next post. Here is a write up of the wines and food we have had so far.

1st Meeting -

“The Hermit Crab” 2005 VIOGNIER/MARSANNE by D’Arenbreg

LCBO Information

Stock Number – 662775
Volume - 750mL
Price: $ 16.95 ($16.75 + $.20 deposit)
Made in: South Australia, Australia
By: D'Arenberg Wines
Release Date: Apr 14, 2007

Tasting Note: A blend of 70% Viognier and 30% Marsanne, the lovely 2005 The Hermit Crab exhibits notes of honeysuckle, apple blossom, and litchi nuts in its medium-bodied, dry, exuberant, even flamboyant style. It also displays some restraint and elegance. Drink it over the next 1-2 years. Score - 90 (Robert Parker Jr., www.erobertparker.com, Oct. 2006)

This was paired with Hummus and Pita and Wendy(another co-worker) brought in Fried Wontons and Guacamole. The Viognier on first taste was smooth and easy drinking, but the wine was amazing with the food, the fruit in the wine just came alive. The 2005 is sold out at the LCBO as of a couple of months ago but the 2006 has just been released recently. I have picked up two bottles of it and can't wait to try it.

2nd Meeting

“Casillero Del Diablo” CARMENERE by Concha Y Toro

LCBO Information

Stock Number – 620666
Volume - 750mL
Price: $ 12.65 (+ $.20 deposit)
Made in: Chile
By: Concha Toro S.A.
Release Date: N/A

Tasting NoteDeep ruby coloured; aromas of ripe red berry, toasted wood, smoke and capsicum; medium-bodied, silky and ripe, it offers flavours of ripe fruit and hints of tobacco, smoke and wood.

Serving Suggestion: Beef roast with red wine reduction, barbecued ribs

I had a bottle of Carmenere on the rack from Concha Y Toro and donated it to Wine Club so we could see what the difference between them were.

LCBO Information

CONCHA Y TORO WINEMAKER'S LOT CARMENÈRE 2005
VINTAGES 30957
750 mL bottle
Price: $ 18.95
14.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Wendy brought in some BBQ ribs and chicken to go with the Carmenere and I brought in some aged cheddar and St. Agur Blue Cheese. The biggest difference between the two wines was smell... the Wine Maker's Lot had a good bouquet great straight from the bottle where as the Diablo's was flat. The Diablo after about 20 minutes 'opened up' and at that point it was difficult to tell the two apart. The wines were ok with the Chicken and the Cheddar, good with the Ribs and really good with the St. Agur Blue Cheese. The St. Agur cheese was the hit of the meeting.

3rd Meeting

FLAT ROCK CELLARS CHARDONNAY 2004
LCBO Information

Stock Number – 681247
Volume - 750mL
Price: $ 16.95 ($16.95 + $.20 deposit)
Made in: Ontario, Canada
By: Flat Rock Cellars
Release Date: Sept. 15, 2007

Description: Flavours of fresh herbs and green apple are balanced by a rich mouth-feel and a hint of mild oak. These elements, coupled with mouth-watering acidity make this classic, cool-climate Chardonnay an ideal food wine. Try pairing it with rich fish dishes like poached salmon with a creamy herb aioli. It is also an excellent example of Ontario's ability to produce good-value-for-the- money Chardonnays.

FLAT ROCK CELLARS CHARDONNAY 2006 (NON-OAKED)

Is not available via the LCBO, and it only available from Flat Rock directly. See website for directions: - http://www.flatrockcellars.com/index.html

CATHEDRAL CELLAR CHARDONNAY 2004

LCBO Information

Stock Number – 328559
Volume - 750mL
Price: $ 14.95 ($14.95 + $.20 deposit)
Made in: South Africa, South Africa
By: KWV Wines
Release Date: Dec 9, 2006

Tasting Note: To date, all showy, powerful. 04 has wealth of flavours, from intense ripe fruit, generous oaking: toffee, dried peach, bread & butter pudding; with house-style silky texture, making for irresistible drinkability. 8 months new French [oak]. Score - **** (out of 5) (Christine Rudman, John Platter South African Wines 2006)

I brought in Smoked Salmon, with Cream Cheese, Bagel Crisps, Red Onion, Cucumber, Capers and Lemon wedges as this is one of my favourite food and wine pairings on the planet. This wine was chosen by Adam. He and his family went to Flat Rock Cellars and tried the Oaked and Unoaked Chardonnay. He picked up a case of the Unoaked as that was the preferred and 1 bottle of the Oaked. The Cathedral Cellar was a bottle I picked up as it was the favourite white in a recent Calgary wine tasting competition. All three wines were very different but all were great with the Smoked Salmon. The Flat Rock Unoaked was crisp and had a nice hit of citrus while the Flat Rock Oaked was filled with green apple and pear and a touch of oak. The Cathedral Cellar was a big buttery Chardonnay. Everyone's opinions on the wines were all over the place and there wasn't a clear winner.

4th Meeting -

“Gimblett Road” MERLOT by C. J Pask
LCBO Information

Stock Number – 9134
Volume - 750mL
Price: $ 14.85 (+ $.20 deposit)
Made in: New Zealand
By: C.J. Pask Winery Limited
Release Date: N/A

“OKANAGAN” MERLOT V.Q.A. by JACKSON-TRIGGS

LCBO Information

Stock Number – 543876
Volume - 750mL
Price: $ 14.50 (+ $.20 deposit)
Made in: British Columbia, Canada
By: VINCOR INTERNATIONAL INC. - B.C.
Release Date: N/A

Tasting Note: Deep red violet; rich vanilla, cooked cherry, peppercorn and spice aromas; dry, medium-full bodied, lush, with fine balancing tannins and flavours of ripe berry, vanilla and toast; long finish.

Serving SuggestionRare beef, grilled steak or lamb.

“FOUNDER’S ESTATE” MERLOT by Beringer

LCBO Information

Stock Number – 534255
Volume - 750mL
Price: $ 19.95 (+ $.20 deposit)
Made in: California, United States
By: BERINGER VINEYARDS
Release Date: N/A

Tasting Note: Ruby garnet colour; red berry aromas with light oak notes; dry, medium-bodied palate with fine tannins on the finish

Serving Suggestion: Beef stroganoff

The CJ Pask Merlot was the winner in the Merlot catergory at the Calgary tasting that recommended the Cathedral Cellar Chardonnay, so we picked up a case of it. I also purchased a bottle of Jackson Triggs Merlot from BC as I'd been reading good things about the Okanagan region. The Founders Estate Merlot is a personal favourite so I added it to the tasting. Merlot is such a diverse grape and I was hoping to show that with the 3 different bottles. Monica (another co-worker) prepared a Tomato-based Pasta and I brought in some store bought Chocolate Fudge cookies that my wife and I tried earlier with a bottle of the CJ Pask Merlot that went really well with them. None of the Merlots were amazing with the Pasta which is funny as usually I've found Merlot and Pasta to be a pretty good pairing. The only Merlot that worked with the cookies was the CJ Pask. The Jackson Triggs Merlot from BC was crap.

Wine club has been a ton of fun and it has been exciting to try a number of value priced wines from many different countries. I'm finding even if I'm not blown away by the wine, it is still been a great experience at each meeting.

Cheers!

Mark

Montfort Restaurants

Monday night, Kathy and I decided to get some takeout from Montfort. Montfort is a small chain in the area with restaurants in Hamilton, Burlington and Oakville - http://www.montfortrestaurants.com/ (note the website is for the Oakville location and the one I'm describing is on Upper James and Rymal in Hamilton). Montfort's specializes in Mediterranean cuisine.

We usually dine at the restaurant but tonight I had a bottle of French Chablis that I wanted to try so we decided to try the takeout instead.

Here is the LCBO description of the Chablis-

SIMMONET-FEBVRE CHABLIS 1ER CRU VAILLONS 2005
Vintages Number -41160
750 mL bottle
Price: $ 29.95
13.5% Alcohol
Vol.Sugar Content : XD
Made in: Burgundy, France
By: Simonnet-Febvre And Fils
Release Date: Jul 21, 2007

Description: Domaine Simmonet-Febvre was bought by Maison Louis Latour in 2003 and Burgundian Jean-Philippe Archambaud was quickly installed as winemaker. This fresh, crisp Chardonnay is perfect to sip on its own or match it to a barbecued whole salmon wrapped in foil with a rice and citrus stuffing.

At Montforts' the menu is extensive, the food quality is excellent and both the food and wine are very reasonably priced. They do not have a large wine list and most of their bottles are under $20. The wine we usually have when we are there for dinner is a South African Sauvignon Blanc. Here is the LCBO description - OBIKWA SAUVIGNON BLANC
LCBO number 527465
750 mL bottle
Price: $ 9.15
12.0% Alcohol
Vol.Sugar Content : 1
Made in: South Africa
By: DISTILLERS CORPORATION LIMITED

Tasting Note: Pale straw colour; lightly tropical aromas of green pineapple, guava and pear fruit with pleasant herbal notes; light to medium bodied with crisp, green apple flavours.

Serving Suggestion: Grilled shrimp, vegetable stir fry, or pasta with sun-dried tomatoes. These are the two wines I'm going to compare.

We ordered Hummos, a Tomato and Feta plate and two Montfort Chicken in a Pita. The Monfort Chicken is chunks of grilled and spiced chicken, onion, pineapple and lettuce served in a pita. It is served with three different sauces. Our favourite sauce is the creamy garlic.

The Chablis was minerally, with a good hit of acidity and citrus. It paired very well with Hummos and was good with the Tomato and Feta. The Sauvignon Blanc tends to have good acidity and is light and easy drinking. It also goes very well with the Hummos and the Tomato and Feta.

Where the Chablis gained the edge was with the Montfort Chicken, it paired very well where the Sauvignon Blanc is just OK. I think the garlic sauce is too much for the Obikwa.

If both wines were equally priced this contest would be a no-brainer; the Chablis would win hands down, but as the Chablis is three times the price... I'd recommend staying with the Obikwa and spending your wine money on better things.

If you haven't tried any South African wines in awhile, make the effort, as they are truly excellent values for the quality.

Cheers!

Mark.

Saturday Night - Return of the Spice Weasel!

It was Mick's turn to cook again and my wife was under the weather so I headed over to Mick and Amy's solo.

The plan for the evening was Mick was making Diablo Burgers from the same recipe he made the Diablo Meatballs two weeks ago.

He kicked off the evening with Prosciutto wrapped Curried Shrimp. This recipe is an old favourite. They are time consuming to wrap and skewer but are well worth it.

The Robert Mondavi Riesling works very versus the spice and saltiness of the dish. I'd be surprised if there were that many wines that would work with this dish.

The Mondavi Riesling is another example of what is wrong with the LCBO. I found one lone bottle of it in an LCBO Vintages four years ago on sale for $13.99. We tried it and we really enjoyed it. After that dinner I did a search and there wasn't another bottle left in the whole province. I spent the next couple of years searching for it at the LCBO and not finding it. I did find it in the US and now always pickup a case of it most times when I'm down in the US.

The Mondavi Riesling sells for $7.99 in NY. It is inexpensive and I'm sure that Robert Mondavi makes a shit load of it, so why can't the LCBO carry it?

On to the feature - Diablo Burgers with aged cheddar and grilled back bacon.

I added lettuce and Zippy Sauce to mine. The burgers were very good, with lots of flavour and spice. If anything the patties had too much flavour and spice as I could barely taste the cheddar or the back bacon on them.

The Dashe Cellars 2001 Zinfandel was a wine Mick picked up on our last NY wine run and he was very excited about trying it.

Mick loved it, me not so much - Mick likes subtle Zins, I like big alcohol based 'fruit bombs' in a Zinfandel - if I wanted subtle I'd by a Cabernet Sauvignon.

This big vs. subtle argument is a favourite between Mick and I.

The wine was 15% alcohol so it did have the alcohol but it didn't have the wide 'mouth feel' that I like in a Zinfandel. On the upside, it did pair well with the burgers.

I had talked to Amy earlier in the day and ask her to pickup a non-chocolate based dessert as I had a wine I wanted to try. Amy picked up a Spiced Walnut and Apple cake. The cake was very good, it had a maple cream cheese icing that was to die for.

This dessert was perfect for the wine - D'Arenberg 2006 The Noble (Vintages number 25056, 375mL, $24.95). This is one of the wines I picked up at the Oakville LCBO last Friday. The wine is a Botrytis affected Riesling.

The wine was nice but didn't impress me, the Henry of Pelham Botrytis affected Riesling is $10 more but is the better deal of the two. It lacked the complexity that a Botrytis affected Riesling should have. 'the Noble' did have good acidity and sugar and both Mick and I thought that this would be a good wine to age for five years and see how it develops, but that will have to stay as a theory as I don't think I'm picking another bottle of this up.

The D'Arenberg was fun to try and did go well with the Apple spiced caked so I'm not unhappy with the purchase.

We all missed Kathy at the dinner for her company but more importantly for her being there to take her share of the wine... the three of us were definitely feeling the wine by the end of dinner, but that is what Saturday night is for... to give us Sunday to recover!

Cheers!

Mark.

You can't always get want you want...

Wanted : A hard to find White Burgundy, which was really good but doesn't exist in our harsh Ontario wine climate...

Friday night I drove out to Oakville which is about 40 KM from Hamilton to pick up a wine that I was looking for.

Here is the LCBO details on it -

BOUCHARD PÈRE ET FILS LES COTEAUX DES MOINES BOURGOGNE 2005
VINTAGES 29769
750 mL bottle
Price: $ 18.95
13.5% Alcohol
Vol.Sugar Content : XD
Made in: Burgundy, France
By: Bouchard Pere & Fils
Release Date: May 12, 2007

Description: In 2005, the conditions in Burgundy were ideal for properly ripening Chardonnay. This resulted in wines, displaying wonderfully intense apple, mineral, pear and smoky notes. Enjoy this fruit-forward wine with roasted stuffed chicken.

As I mentioned in my 1010 article, I had tried this wine at Thanksgiving and really enjoyed it. According to the LCBO's database there were 8 bottles in stock at the Dundas & Trafalgar (Oak Park) location in Oakville. This was closest location to me with stock. After a forty minute drive I reached the store. I was impressed at the size of the LCBO, about the same size as the Ancaster location I usually shop at (though small compared to Prime wines in Kenmore).

I browsed through the Burgundy section and found three different Bouchard Pere & Fils (including the Petit-Chabis I had the 1010 last night and grabbed a bottle) but not the Bourgogne I was looking for. I hit the Vintages section a did some browsing but couldn't find it.

I did find that they had The Henry of Pelham 2005 Botrytis Affected Riesling (Vintages #534628 $34.95 for 375mL) in stock and grabbed a bottle to replace the one I tried about a month ago. Do yourself a favour and pick up one of these up, it is truly excellent - pair with a fruit based dessert (Apple is really good), cheese cake or any other non-chocolate based dessert, this will also go well with a Blue Cheese.

I noticed that the Riesling had a little sign that said "Melissa's pick" and thought to myself that Melissa has great taste. I also found a bottle of The Noble by D'Arenberg, it too is a Botrytis Affect Riesling, and picked it up. I ended up grabbing two bottles of D'Arenberg 2006 'Hermit Crab' Viognier (Vintages 662775, 750 mL bottle, Price: $ 16.95). I had the 2005 Hermit Crab three months ago and liked it.

I decided to find some help and grabbed a cashier who looked it up and then we went looking for it, no luck. She called another staff member over who happened to be 'the Melissa' who had a number of picks in the Vintages section. Melissa told me she was aware of the wine I was looking for, knew that the system had listed 8 bottles but had looked for them earlier and had no luck. I told her I drove in from Hamilton especially for this, she replied that I should have called first. I replied that I know the LCBO database can be out and if there were less than 6 bottles listed I would have called but figured with eight listed that I should have been safe. I wasn't happy.

To give Melissa credit, she handled this wonderfully - "Maybe I can recommend something similiar?"

As I had agreed with her pick on the Riesling earlier, I decided to see what she had to offer. We ended up back in the Vintages section and chatted, she said that 2005 was an excellent year for White Burgundy and then offered a Louis Jadot 2005 Bourgogne (Vintages 933077, 750 mL bottle, Price: $ 18.95) as replacement for what I was looking for. It was the same price as the Bouchard Pere & Fils and Louis Jadot is a large, well known producer so I grabbed 3 bottles.

We chatted some more and she also recommended a Joseph Drouhin Puligny-Montrachet 2005 (Vintages 51383, 750 mL bottle, Price: $ 64.95, 13.5% Alcohol, Vol.Sugar Content : XD, Made in: Burgundy, France). She said it was pricier than what I was looking for but if I liked California Chardonnay then I would love this. So I picked up a bottle, I have a couple of higher end California Chardonnays on the rack and thought that a dinner with two of them facing off might be fun. There was another wine by Joseph Drouhin beside this one called St. Romain Blanc 2005 (Vintages 590174, 750 mL bottle, Price: $ 28.95, 12.5% Alcohol, Vol.Sugar Content : XD, Made in: Burgundy, France) so on a whim picked one up.

I thanked Melissa for her help, paid for the wine and left. I didn't get what I wanted, but left feeling very excited about the wines I'd picked up.

Cheers!

Mark

The 1010 Bistro

The 1010 Bistro is located at 1010 King Street in Westdale in Hamilton, hence the name. My wife, Kathy and I enjoy this restaurant immensely. The food is first rate, good wine list, and the owners (David and Daniela) and staff (Lee) are the best.

http://www.1010bistro.ca/

Kathy and I took some time off of work (end of last week and the beginning of this week) and decided to kick our vacation off with dinner at the 1010.

We started with Crab Cakes and Grilled Calamari as our appetizers and I decided to try a bottle of Bouchard Pere & Fils Petit-Chabis to go with the appetizers. The Petit-Chabis is an unoaked Chardonnay from Burgundy. It was crisp with a nice touch of citrus and paired extremely well with the Crab Cakes, which was surprising as the Crab Cakes are served with a spicy sauce and spicy is usually a good way to fuck up a California Chardonnay. It was good with the Calamari as well. The Petit-Chabis was $40 at the 1010 and runs about $20 at the LCBO.

I tried a Bouchard Pere & Fils Bourgogne (also about $20 at the LCBO) about a month ago with a Pine Nut Salmon recipe I did for my in-laws at Thanksgiving and it was really good, so this is why I went with the Petit-Chablis as I wanted to see if it was as good as the Bourgogne.

For our main course I had the aged Beef Tenderloin and Kathy had the special which was a NY Strip and a very large grilled Prawn. Both were served with grilled fall harvest vegetables. We decided to stay on the French wine and ordered a 1989 Château Petit-Figeac from the St.-Emilion region of Bordeaux.

Here is the Wine Spectator's write up on the 1989 Château Petit-Figeac (88 rating)

Slightly one-dimensional but shows lovely chocolate and berry character throughout. Medium- to full-bodied, with velvety tannins.--1989 Bordeaux horizontal. Drink now. –JS

I do not have tons of experience with French Wines and have made it a mission to become more familiar with them, so I was excited about the opportunity to have an aged Bordeaux. The initial smells I got from the wine were subtle fruit and lots of earthy smells. The wine was very smooth and exceptionally easy to drink, the tannins were very soft but the fruit was barely there. The wine paired very well with food. I enjoyed it but wasn't blown away, there are other wines I have had in the wine's price point that I have enjoyed more. The wine was $310 at the 1010 and was listed in a 2005 newsletter from the Lifford Wine Agency for $160 a bottle.

Kathy had a flourless chocolate cake topped with white and dark mousse and a glass of Taylor Fladgate 20 year old port and we were the last in the Restaurant and sat and chatted with Lee and Daniela. Eventually we called a cab and got our drunken butts home.

All in all, a great evening at one of Hamilton's finest restaurants.

Cheers,

Mark