I will never forget the phone call when I was asked to be the Sommelier for a private luncheon for her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II during her Canada Day visit to Ottawa. The caterers for this special event - Thyme & Again Creative Catering - requested that I handpick a selection of wines to pair with each course. The meal featured locally grown ingredients and produce - naturally, it was a prime opportunity to showcase Ontario wines and wow the guests.  

Below is the royal lunch menu and premium Ontario wine selection - enjoyed by her Majesty the Queen and 100 plus guests during the royal visit of the newly renovated Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa on Wednesday June 30, 2010.

~ Upon Arrival ~

13^th Street Winery Cuvée 13 Rosé VQA 2007, Niagara

A small number of Ontario’s 100+ wineries craft sparkling wine.  13^th Street Winery is a boutique winery situated on the Beamsville Bench (Niagara Escarpment) renown for their sparkling wines. This rare sparkling Rosé made with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and a splash of Syrah is extraordinary - dry, crisp with delicate aromas of wild strawberry, juicy red cherry with an elegant mousse that lingers as it refreshes. A delicious way to begin today’s celebration.

~ First Course ~

Green and White Asparagus Salad with Orange Segments,

Organic Baby Lettuces and Shaved Ontario Fifth Town Artisan Cheese Isabella’s Extreme Sheep’s Milk Cheese

Huff Estates South Bay Chardonnay VQA 2007, Prince Edward County

From Ontario’s fastest growing wine region – Prince Edward County – where over 20 wineries have emerged in the last 5 years and their wines are making a big impression in the wine world. This Chardonnay from Huff Estates won the prestigious White Wine of the Year from the annual Ontario Wine Awards and turned heads as it gained praises by British wine media last month when showcased at the Seriously Cool Chardonnay tasting at Canada House in London, England. This Chardonnay is a complex medium to full bodied wine, delicately threaded with French oak giving delicious tastes of vanilla custard, toasted nuts, warm spices with a hint of smoke.

~ Main Course ~

Roasted Breast of Barbarie Duck with Shredded Confit of Duck Leg
Mashed Potatoes with Wild Blueberry & Thyme Jus

Local Spring Vegetable Bundle

Stratus White VQA 2006, Niagara

Located in the heart of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Stratus Vineyards crafts an ‘assemblage’ using the estate’s best Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Semillon & Viognier grapes.  The blend composition changes with each vintage. The result in the 2006 vintage is a medium bodied wine with aromas of peach & pear with a delicate hint of orange blossom balanced with the acidity & plush mouthfeel that will complement the ingredients in the main course for those who prefer white wine.

Lailey Vineyard Canadian Oak Pinot Noir VQA 2007, Niagara

A truly Canadian wine – this Pinot Noir has been aged in barrels made with native Canadian oak trees – an innovation in the Canadian wine industry.  Lailey Vineyard is one of the original six wineries who were integral to this experiment. They now they craft four wines exclusively aged in Canadian oak barrels to rave reviews.  This elegant medium bodied wine has aromas of cherry, cranberry & earthy tones that grace the glass with a soft texture of red fruit & fresh ground white pepper that lingers on the palate. Selected by the Sommelier as roasted duck & Pinot Noir are a classic food & wine pairing.

~ Dessert Course ~

Fresh Local Strawberry Compote with Lemon Poppyseed Shortcake

Vanilla Mascarpone Mousse
Maple Shortbread

Coffee and Tea Service

Media Coverage

Read the article that appeared in the St Catherine’s Standard on July 2, 2010 ‘Some Niagara wines for the royal palatte’ featuring this luncheon event.

On a recent weekend visit to Prince Edward County, I had the opportunity to experience some of the great accommodations, food and wine.  I was amazed and impressed how vibrantly this region has grown since my last visit.  

Our visit started with our arrival at the historic Merrill Inn.  Located on a county road leading to the Loyalist route, the Merrill Inn is a historic property which was built in 1878 and is notable for its attractive gingerbread-trimmed gables.  Each of the rooms is beautifully appointed with attractive linens, period antiques and updated fittings.

The aroma of fresh-baked cookies led us toward the reception at the rear of the Inn.  We were greeted by owner and innkeeper Edward Shubert, who was a constant presence throughout our short stay.  After visiting some of the local attractions, we headed back to the Inn for a gourmet dinner prepared by chef Michael Sullivan.  The Inn’s restaurant is located in a cosy room with a view to the courtyard and herb garden.  The chef uses local ingredients wherever possible, and the wine list is replete with County wines.  We enjoyed a range of delightful appetizers (beet and orange salad, and delicious crab cakes), followed by main courses (such as fresh Ontario pickerel or shrimp and scallop saffron risotto) which were a feast for the eyes and the palate.  And the desserts we chose (chocolate pudding and apple tarte tatin) were superb.  Edward, the ever-attentive host, orchestrated the excellent service.

Our overnight stay was quiet and restful.  Breakfast the next morning included a wide variety of fresh baked breads and pastries, fruit, yogurt and cereal, as well as French toast and sausages for those who couldn’t resist one more indulgence.  Amy Shubert kindly provided one of Chef Michael’s recipes that appeared in the June’s Savvy eZine (a mini magazine that all subscribers of Savvy Selections recieve with their wine), featuring Black Prince Winery.

Prince Edward County has a long history of settlement, and of various forms of agriculture.  There is evidence of winemaking as far back as the 1850s, with vineyards now growing on former fruit orchards.  And a tradition of cheesemaking, which includes a number of local cooperatives, is being taken up by newcomers such as Petra and Shawn Cooper, owners of Fifth Town Cheese.  We spent an interesting couple of hours visiting Fifth Town’s dairy and tasting their cheese.

Petra led the tour of the dairy, which was opened less than a year ago, in July 2008.  She is rightfully proud of their Platinum LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) status, and of the wide variety of handmade artisanal cheeses they produce.  She indicated that their ‘green’ certification applies not only to the buildings, but to the cheese-making process, which is very energy intensive, and requires the disposal of significant amounts of waste water.

Eighty percent of the building is made with foodgrade recycled or recycleable materials.  An example is the building shell, constructed of “durisol”  blocks which are made with recycled wood fibre and green cement.  They do not harbour moisture, as the insulation is within the block, and they are fireproof.  Other environmental initiatives on the 20-acre site include a geothermal heat pump which preheats all their wash water, solar panels and a small windmill which generate green power, and a 10,000 litre cistern which captures rainwater.  A constructed wetland acts as a natural processing facility for whey and waste water from the cheese making process.  In addition, they grow hay and alfalfa which are used as feed for the goats and sheep raised by their farm partners.

Petra indicated that their facilities are regularly inspected by CFIA (Canada Food Inspection Agency), but that since their cheeses are handmade, they have little risk of listeria infection as this bacteria tends to grow inside machinery.  Their sophisticated pasteurizing room provides for flash pasteurization of all cheeses for exactly 17 seconds.  Petra indicated that their longer term goal is to make raw milk cheeses as well, but this must wait for suitable milk from their producers.

Their aging caves are constructed of cement covered with mounds of earth.  Geothermal tubes were installed within the raw cement walls to allow some heating in the coldest months of winter.  Otherwise, the caves naturally maintain a temperature range of 12-15 degrees to allow aging and the formation of natural rinds.  High humidity (85-95%) and periodic air changes are also required for natural aging of the cheeses.  Soft ripened cheeses spend 7-14 days in the caves, while hard rinds spend a minimum of 3 months, and up to 9-12 months.

After learning about the cheese making process, we were ready for truck bed tasting with Andrew Laliberte (Cheese Somelier) in the milk receiving area.  We tasted 5 cheeses, from the soft creamy bagel chevre to the 7-month aged Fellowship hard rind cheese.  Each was matched with a complementary wine, such as The Grange of Prince Edward County’s Trumpour’s Mill Pinot Gris VQA  with the Lighthall Tome cheese (one of our purchases!).  Andrew discussed the three sources of the distinticve flavors in cheese:  primary, based on the material you use (in this case goat or sheep milk); secondary, created by the processing method (for instance curd cheese, versus feta-like cheese, versus cheddar); tertiary, the aging process (examples such as soft-ripened cheese or hard rind cheese).  He also expressed his opinion that most cheeses are best matched with white wines, although some of the older, harder cheeses will match with red wines like Pinot Noir.

If you’re a lover of cheddar cheese and you’re in the County, don’t miss a visit to the Black River Cheese Co-operative, which offers a wide range of mild, medium, old and extra old cheddar, as well as flavored cheddars and cheeses from other local producers.  We selected a 6-year old cheddar from among the many types of cheese, as well as some delightful thin currant oatmeal biscuits produced by County Crackers.

Thinking of matching our cheese to a suitable wine, we headed out to a relatively new winery in the County, Sugarbush Vineyards, owned and operated by Sally and Robert Peck.  Sally is a wonderfully outgoing woman with a young family and a passion for her new vocation.  Neither she nor husband Rob had any grape growing or wine making experience when they decided to move back to the County from Alberta (Rob is a native son).  They had visited the Okanagan 10 or so years ago, and so the dream of owning their own vineyard began.   Says Sally, “It seemed so romantic, but when you start working in the vineyard, you realize that you’ve become a farmer!”

They have a large property with 8 acres under vine (the vines are now 7 years old), and opened their tasting room about 2 years ago.  They have planted only vinifera varietals, including Gewurtztraminer, Chardonnay, Gamay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc.  This year, they will be receiving their first 2 oak barrels, and plan to age their Pinot Noir in barrel.  The tasting completed, we left with bottles of the aromatic Gewurtz and the fruity, well-extracted Gamay.

If you’re planning a trip to the County, we recommend a stay at the Merrill Inn.  If you need any suggestions of County wineries to visit, contact us and we will provide you our ‘must visit’ list of wineries and restaurants to visit.

Cheers,

Susan

Elevation Cabernet VQA 2007, $25
Another ‘Elevated’ experience, that takes advantage the micro-climate, it benefits from the experience and expertise of Vineland’s esteemed winemaker and friend of Savvy Company – Brian Schmidt. A blend of 70% Cabernet Franc (a very successfully nurtured grape in Niagara) and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, the sweet red bell pepper flavours of Cabernet Franc have been supported by the dark-fruit sweetness of Cabernet Sauvignon in an extremely well crafted and well-balanced wine. You are the first to receive this bottle sporting the new label that celebrates its string of recent awards – Savvy Selections membership has privileges!

With Elevation Cabernet…

Easy to Make Thin-Crust Gourmet Pizza
Serves 1 or 2 per pizza

Ingredients

Olive oil

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

Pinch of sugar

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

2 large flour tortillas (sandwich wraps)

1 cup shredded Asiago cheese

2/3 cup Ricotta cheese

6 to 10 Cremini (aka Button) mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced

3 Portobello mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced

½ cup spinach

½ thinly sliced red pepper

Method

1.   Preheat oven to 450F. If using a stone for baking, allow oven and stone to heat for 15 minutes before cooking. Otherwise, use rimmed baking sheets and parchment paper and place racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven to preheat and cook.

2.   Heat one teaspoon of Olive oil in a sauté pan on medium heat. Add onions and stir until they soften. Add pinch of sugar and the Balsamic vinegar. Stir in mushrooms, spinach and red pepper slowly. Add more Olive oil if required. Cook until onions have softened and spinach is beginning to shrivel.

3.   Sprinkle some corn meal on your pizza wheel (or rimless cooking sheet) and place tortilla on top and brush with Olive oil. If you are using rimmed cookie sheets, put parchment paper on sheets, brush with Olive oil and put tortilla on top then brush tortilla with oil.

4.   Sprinkle each tortilla with ½ cup shredded Asiago cheese. Sprinkle with cooked onions, mushrooms, spinach and peppers then add bits of Ricotta cheese. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Brush lightly with Olive oil if you wish.

5.   Bake until crust is crisp and very brown (5-7 minutes if using a stone. Start with 10 minutes if using cookie sheet and check it for crisp brown texture from there.) Cut with a pizza cutter and serve.  

Cheers to “Elevating” your summer!

Pairing wine to a meal is not a science, rather, I think it is an art.  Like draping a colourful scarf or adding funky necklace, a woman’s outfit turns from “nice” to “WOW!”  Same thing with a man’s suit - goes from “sharp” to “looking like a million bucks” when adding a fashionable tie or crisp shirt.  Taking the time to thoughtfully pair wines to the ingredients of a meal can have impact and makes a memorable impression.

So how to do it?

I offer two ways.  Keep in mind my wine and food pairing fundamentals or use a lifeline that gives you the answer in a few clicks.

Perfecting the fundamentals takes patience and practice – both taking you on a delicious discovery.  Chefs and Sommeliers experiment with a sip of wine here with a nibble of food there all day long (truth be told not ALL DAY – we need time to work out at the gym to keep our waist lines in check).

The fundamentals that I keep in mind:
Toss out the rule that white wine should be served with chicken and fish while red wine goes with red meat. Fish, chicken and meat are a canvas for the chef.  It is the sauce, spices or marinade that you want to enhance by selecting a wine that will complement their flavours to make the meal sing.

Focus on the origin of the food.  Wine has been crafted for centuries to accompany regional food. For example, Italian wine goes well with Italian cuisine. Pairing the country of origin for both the food and wine is simply put: a natural fit.

Make it fun! There is no right or wrong wine to serve. Why not pour a splash of two (or more) wines in different glasses to experiment with your meal.  Need some suggestions of where to start? Email me your menu.

A recipe, a wine list or shopping for wine may not be that straight forward.  Here is where the pros come in with a helpful gadget or as some would say – a lifeline.

The wine world is all a buzz at the moment with wine writer Natalie MacLean’s Wine and Food Matcher.  Every wine enthusiast should have this at their fingertips. Whether you carry a BlackBerry or Iphone, this ‘app’ is like having both a Sommelier and a Chef at your side.

For those non-cell phone wine shoppers, you can download Natalie’s ‘widget’ to access the same information from your desktop.

Simply two clicks away from a verdict.

Whether you start with the food on your plate or your preferred style of wine, click-click-click and the Wine and Food Matcher narrows down your options.  As said earlier, pairing is an art.  Natalie and a team of techies at Ottawa based company bitHeads figured out the science behind this app.

To download:

The app for your Blackberry Curve, Blackberry Bold, iPhone or iPod Touch go to http://www.nataliemaclean.com/mobilematch/

The widget for your computer go to http://www.nataliemaclean.com/matcher/

Within minutes and you have a virtual Sommelier at your fingertips.

Even as a Sommelier, our Savvy Team are often called upon to host wine and food events or develop a wine list for restaurants, Natalie’s Wine and Food Matcher has been a big help validating our choices.

Other wine enthusiasts agree.  “It is incredibly handy”, reports Jay on Natalie’s web site

“It is simple and quick.  Now you have Natalie’s vast wine pairing resource at your fingertips”, reviews Craig.

“…when I am at a restaurant and wondering what to order, I discreetly pull out my phone and in two clicks my decision has been made…by Natalie!”, shares another app enthusiast.

Visit Natalie’s web site www.nataliemaclean.com and follow the simple download instructions.  While you are at it, sign up for her weekly newsletter too.

Cheers!

-Debbie

Follow me on Twitter:  www.twitter.com/savvydebbie

PS – you can follow Natalie on Twitter too! www.twitter.com/nataliemaclean

If I only had $100, I would buy…

For the May 23, 2009 LCBO Vintages release

Fire up the BBQ, the summer weather is here. With so many wines to choose from, which ones to buy? 

Problem solved.  

I am part of a panel that samples the wines several weeks before they arrive on the store shelves at Vintages.  This means, I have made my list of ‘must buy wines’, weeks before the wines are in stock at your local LCBO.  To help you decide which wines to buy & serve with BBQ fare, here is my list if I only had $100, I would buy…

Worth every penny – Palliser Estate Pinot Noir, New Zealand

$28.95    Check Inventory at LCBO Vintages

New Zealand makes outstanding Pinots – this is my hands down favorite.  An elegant, medium bodied wine that with one swirl, smells like a bouquet of red roses. With one sip, tastes of red cherry & warm heat makes for a delicious wine that lingers forever.  Classic match for Pinot Noir is grilled salmon or serve this one with BBQ lamb chops & grilled portabello mushrooms.  Watch out, this wine will sell out fast!

Bring on the burgers – G7 Reserva Carmenère, Chile

$14.95    Check Inventory at LCBO Vintages

Carmenère is a crowd pleaser at a great price too! For the longest time, Chilean winemakers thought this grape variety was Merlot – until they put it under a microscope & discovered that it wasn’t.  Carmenère has become Chile’s signature grape variety. This wine is BIG, full bodied & ready to be paired with anything off the BBQ.  At this price…stock up for the summer!

Sip with sizzling steaks – Spellbound Old Vines Zinfandel, California

$20.95    Check Inventory at LCBO Vintages

This wine is not from Napa or Sonoma, rather from the small town of Lodi (a 40 minute drive from Napa) where vineyards look more like corn fields – rows upon rows that never seem to end.  Many vines are over 100 years old, looking more like little trees with dark bunches of grapes. Wines made with ‘old vines’ are full bodied intense & concentrated tastes of black plums, black cherry, molasses & dark chocolate.  Absolutely delicious!

Ribs are ready!  - Casa Santos Sousão, Portugal

$21.95    Check Inventory at LCBO Vintages

A BIG wine made with Portugal’s up & coming grape variety – Sousão.  The full bodied wine is deep purple in colour & loaded with tastes of black plums, figs, cedar & vanilla with a touch of smoke.  Can’t go wrong with this one!

GRAND TOTAL: $86.80

Can you spare $5?

This delicious white wine is worth adding to your shopping cart – Villa Giada Ceirole Moscato d’Asti, Italy

$18.95   Check Inventory at LCBO Vintages

Chill & sip during a picnic, before a BBQ feast or even with dessert.  The wine may smell sweet – but doesn’t taste sweet. Luscious flavours of honey, lime, mandarin will fill your glass with fine bubbles.  Lay out the cheese platter, or serve with summertime salads or BBQ pineapples & strawberries to enjoy with this wine. One word – DELICIOUS.

NEW GRAND TOTAL: $105.75

What about Rosé wines? 

I am in the midst of compiling a ‘Rosé Report’ of every Rosé wine that I have tried so far (hard work indeed!).  Email me to receive it directly or watch for my blog.

I went wine shopping with CTV Ottawa

Leanne Cusak (host of News at Noon), & I, roamed the aisles at the LCBO looking for wines that I consider ‘good buys’ priced under $15 and $20 bottle. 

Watch the TV segments

See our shopping list

Cheers & Enjoy!     
-Debbie

Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/savvydebbie
Read more of my blogs: www.savvycompany.ca/debbie

Does the menu come first or selecting the wine?  I am often asked this question.  Hard to say as there is no real rule.  My interest in wine stems from my love to cook, so more often than not, for me, the food comes first. In my blog postings, you can count on me to share my favorite recipes and provide suggestions of wine pairings.  At any time, feel free to send me an email with a recipe that you would like a wine suggestion.

Let’s get started!

When the Savvy team got together to chose the wine selection for a wine tasting to feature Natalie MacLean & her new book, Red, White & Drunk All Over, I took one sip of the Katnook Founder’s Block Cabernet Sauvignon from Australia ($18 at LCBO) and I knew that I had the perfect beef recipe to pair with this big bold wine.  Enjoy!

Beef Tenderloin with Port, Mushroom & Stilton Sauce
¼ cup butter
½ tsp. coarsely ground pepper
1 tsp. minced fresh garlic
2-3 lb. beef tenderloin, trimmed and tied

Reduction Sauce
1 tbsp butter
4 oz. crumbled Stilton cheese
1 cup beef broth
¼   cup Maderia wine
1 cup sliced mushrooms
½   cup chopped pecans, toasted
½   cup pine nuts, toasted
1/3 cup green onions

Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a skillet melt ¼ cup butter until sizzling; stir in pepper and garlic. Place tenderloin in skillet. Cook over medium high heat until browned on all sides (7 – 9 minutes). Remove from pan; reserve pan juices and browned particles in skillet. Line a 13 x 9” baking pan with foil; place tenderloin in pan. Bake 35 – 50 minutes or until meat thermometer reaches 160 F (medium). Remove from oven and let rest, tented for 5 – 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt 2 tbsp. butter in same skillet with reserved pan juices and browned particles until sizzling; stir in blue cheese. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until cheese is melted (4 – 5 minutes). Stir in beef broth and wine; add mushrooms. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until mushrooms are tender. Stir in remaining sauce ingredients. Serve over carved tenderloin.

A highlight of the Festival, the Vintners’ Brunch is held on the closing Sunday of the Festival, in the tasting hall that has been transformed, overnight, by the hundreds of volunteers who support Harry and his team.  Last year, the hall had 52 tables accommodating 10 persons each.  Tickets sold out in two weeks . . . yes, that’s 2.  If you would like to attend this year, let us know and we will find out if there are any tickets available.

Upon entry, each guest was served a glass of Segura Viudas Cava Vintage Brut 2004.  On the perimeter of the hall were 18 stations manned by a range of chefs and their teams, preparing such enticing dishes as Oysters Rockefeller (Monk McQueen’s Fresh Seafood & Oyster Bar), Dungeness Crab with Anjou Pear, Hazelnuts and a Parmesan Prosciutto Crisp (Culinary Capers Catering), Sour Cherry Glazed Lamb Ribs with Quince Jam and Shaved Fennel Salad (Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House).  Each sampling of food was paired with a wine, in the three cases above, Summerhill Cipes Brut NV, Tamas Estates Pinot Grigio 2006, and Peter Lehmann Futures Shiraz 2004, respectively.  The chefs certainly felt the pressure.  Not only were they subject to public scrutiny of their preparations and pairing,  four judges put their analysis to the test, assessing how well they had paired their dish with the featured wine.

Let me admit that I have a sweet tooth. In fact, while visiting Granville Island, I came across the Terra Breads Bakery and Café.  I was delighted to see that they were also represented at the Festival Trade tastings, and were serving samples of their very tasty Pecan Fruit Crisps, as well as some tangy green olive bread.  So, it didn’t take me long to discover that Terra Breads was also participating in the Vintners’ Brunch, and was serving a fabulous Rustic Pear, Cranberry and Hazelnut Tart, paired with Warre’s Otima 10-year-old Tawny Port.  In addition, each table at the brunch had a tastefully presented basket of miniature Terra Breads, including a blueberry and white chocolate bread, an apple cardamom coffee cake, mini brioches (a French visitor said they were the best he had every tasted), and mini baguettes.  So, while tasting the other delightful food and wine matches, I kept my eye on the prize!

Terra Breads is a values-based private enterprise, with three bakery/café locations in the Vancouver area.  Their artisan breads and pastries are baked in stone hearth ovens, and use only the purest and finest ingredients.  I spoke with Michael Lansky, one of the owners of Terra Breads, as he took a short break from setting up his station at the Vintners’ Brunch.  After working with a major property developer in the earlier part of his career, in the late 1980s, Michael decided to start Terra Breads.  He hired Mary MacKay, his Head Baker and co-owner as they were renovating their first location in Vancouver.  He says, “Since then, it’s been great”. . . It fits with our values, so we really enjoy it.  We’re really reinforced by making a good product, and having people say great things about our product.”   Michael and Mary are converts to the “slow food” philosophy.  All their breads and pastries are made from scratch in their bakery, and their bread is produced with a sourdough starter, which creates an easily digestible product with a moist flavorful interior and a beautiful crust.  Terra Breads uses organic ingredients where they can source a reliable producer; their goal is to eventually convert to all organic.  And, for the benefit of the producer, the consumer and the environment, they try to purchase from fair trade sources, as in their organic coffee.

While Michael and Mary want to continue to grow the business, their fundamental commitment is to the quality of the product.  “We don’t want to grow too large, so that we can’t keep up our quality.  Quality is is a way of life and a value for us.”  Their products are distributed outside Vancouver, in the Okanagan, on Vancouver Island, and in Whistler.  My favorites, their Pecan Fruit Crisps also come in a nifty little package that can be hung around the neck of a wine bottle.  The regular size and the wine-bottle size are available to be shipped.  Michael indicated that events such as the Festival are a great way to introduce people to his products, because, “you have to taste it”.

And so, I did, along with a glass of Warre’s Ottima port.  The richness of the pastry, combined with the hint of dried fruit, the nuttiness and delicate sweetness of the fruit tart were a wonderful complement to the 10 year old Tawny.  I had the opportunity to speak with Pierre Dumas, Marketing Director for Canada for Symington Family Brands.  Warre’s is a member of the Symington family enterprise, which was founded in the 1800s.  Over time, the Symington family has become one of the largest Port producers in the world.  They produce about 25% of the Port wine produced in the Douro and own 8 brands, including Warre’s.  Warre’s is the oldest British Port producer, established in the 1600s.  Ottima port (meaning outstanding) is a 10-year-old Tawny.  This product is created by blending wines which, on average, have been aged for 10 years.  The characteristics of this port are golden color with ruby reflections, with luscious flavors of slightly dried fruits and caramel.

With all these mouthwatering opportunities, you’ll want to reserve your flight to Vancouver now!  Stay tuned for an upcoming blog that includes Tasting Trails to guide you through the Festival tasting hall.

White or red? I suggest that when you are trying to decide which wine to serve, forget the old rule of thumb that you match to your meat.

Think of the fish, chicken and meat as the canvas to determine the weight of your wine. For example:

·         shrimp, fish filet, steamed mussels = light bodied wine

·         grilled vegetables, veal, tuna steak & chicken = medium bodied wines

·         steak, lamb, stew or roast = medium to full bodied wines

What matters most is the flavour. Make your wine selection based on the spices, marinade or sauce—choose the wine that will complement the flavours to make your meal sing.

Cheers & Enjoy!

Debbie

Stay close to your roots. Or, rather, stay close to your wine’s roots.

Wines are always best matched with foods from the regions where they’re made. I recommend to follow the saying - When in Rome, do as the Romans do - simply uncork a bottle of wine from Italy with a meal of Italian cuisine.

Cheers & Enjoy!

Debbie