Cabernet Sauvignon

The weather has started to get cooler lately, and we are almost at Christmas! With the cooler weather it always brings a desire to stay inside' watch holiday films and curl up with a great glass of red wine. Last week, when I was at the LCBO I was going through the vintages section looking for some Christmas gifts. When I was browsing, like any shopping adventure, I was obviously looking for myself as well! I was in the mood for a nice red, not too heavy and not too light. I decided to go with a Cabernet Sauvignon and went with one from Paso Robles California.

The wine is a a 2008 Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon and comes with a price tag of $18.95. The wine is very typical and Has lots of red berry notes on the nose and the palette. It has silky tannins and a long finish. This is a great choice for a cold, rainy night before the holiday festivities this weekend.

Happy Holidays!

HM

December 8th: Torrontes ... A Hidden Gem

It seems that this year, and especially this December, has been relatively mild in Toronto. Normally, at this time of year, I would be running towards a moderate to heavy red after a cold wintry day. At the moment, that does not seem to be the case. The weather has been mild, and fairly rainy while lacking in the snow and negative temperatures. I am not complaining about this at all, but it has made my wine choices differ somewhat from previous winters.

As you can tell from the previous December posts, the choices have been more focused on white wines and light-bodied reds (i.e. Pinot Noirs have been a hit this year!). So, following suit, I am going with the 2010 Alamos Torrentes. I noticed this wine when I was picking some up for our family Christmas this upcoming weekend and decided to grab some. It had literally just been released (they were stocking it when I arrived) and I had remembered loving last year’s release as well. Torrontes is a specialty and unique white grape from Argentina. We have been seeing more of this grape in the past couple of years, and it is delicious and a great value. The wine itself has lovely aromas of peach, apricot and some floral notes. On the palette, it is a dry wine with a crisp acidity to it. It is a lovely white wine that one can drink on its own, or pair with a seafood dish or even some thai food. The wine retails for $13.95 and is a steal at this price.

The other advantage with the Torrontes grape is that not many people know about it. When shopping for wine, or even when at a restaurant, there is always the tendency to go for Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc as they are familiar names. These are, for the most part, wise choices, but they are also safe choices too. I urge everyone to go out and pick up a bottle of this wine. If you like it, fantastic, you have found a new grape and wine at a reasonable price; and as a side bonus, I have noticed more restaurants carrying Torrontes at great prices! If you don’t (which I doubt!), then you have not broken the bank trying out something new.

HM

December 6th: An Inviting Cab

There are nights when a wine just feels right-- An elegant (but easy to drink, of course!) pinot on a casual weeknight with friends, a fun gewurztraminer with thai and a night out, and tonight, a lovely, dusty, full cabernet sauvignon with candles, the new Florence and the Machine album, and a restful evening ahead. This is the perfect antidote to what was a crazy but wonderful weekend in Manhattan for me.

2008 Ring Bolt Cabernet Sauvignon

The wine in question is the 2008 Ring Bolt Cabernet Sauvignon from Margaret River, Australia. I love Margaret River--There are so many great wines that come out of this West Australia region. The grapes pressed here account for only 3% of total Australian wine production, but capture over 20% of the country's premium wine market. 

This wine just hits our $20.00 limit: It's $19.99 at the LCBO. Yes, it is close to our ceiling, but I think it is absolutely worth it. In typical Australian cab sauv style, it is full of ripe currants, eucalyptus, cedar, and some underlying gravel. I love that you can smell the eucalyptus in this wine-- It's so indicative of place. The wine is balanced and the finish is long, meaning you can taste the flavours persisting in your mouth for at least 5-6 seconds after you've swallowed the wine. I would certainly be happy if someone brought this wine over to my place, be it for a night like I'm having tonight, or for a very lovely dinner with lamb (note the pairing with the eucalyptus!) on a Saturday night.

AK 

December 4th - Crazy for Cava!

Well ‘tis the season for celebrating, and what better way to do that then with some bubbly??? Not all of us have deep enough pockets to let us drink Veuve and French champagne all the time, but there are definitely some great options at a fraction of the price. We already posted about some lovely French Sparkling Wine from Burgundy under $20 (Champagne), but today I thought we would move to a different country.

Spain, in general, has lovely wines at great prices. One of my favourite categories of Spanish wines is Cava. It is their version of Champagne, and they do a great job at making this. All of wines that are labeled Cava are made in the ‘traditional Champagne method’. If they are not made this way, then they are unable to use the name. By knowing this, it ensures that you are getting quality wines instead of just picking up any Spanish sparkling and crossing your fingers that it is good! One of my particular favourites is the Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava. It is a straw coloured sparkling wine and is delicious. You can smell apples and ripe fruit on the nose, and the wine has a crisp acidity that just quenches your thirst. This retails for $14.55 at the LCBO, and it is also available in the chilled section! This is a definite bonus during holiday season, especially if you are a last minute shopper!

This is just one example of Cava, but I would urge you to try any of the ones at the LCBO. Most of them are under $20, but some do go above and beyond this. They are great quality, and perfect for any occasion.

HM