Calona 2010 Opal Sovereign

I'm not a huge fan of white wines.  I love big bold red's, but there are times when I feel like a nice white sipping wine and one of those times is when I go out for Indian food.  You would think that a red would be the wine of choice for Indian food, but I prefer a white.

The first time I had Sovereign Opal was about a month ago, I had never heard of this wine before.  We were out for Indian food and I ordered a white, which was unavailable so the waiter recommended the Sovereign Opal, a VQA wine from the Calona Vineyards in the Okanagan Valley and is a hybrid grape.
The minute you smell this wine you just know it is going to be amazing.  I don't like my white wines to be tart and I don't like them to be too sweet either, and this wine was the perfect balance, medium-bodied with tropical fruits.  I fell in love with this wine so much, that when I got home I ordered 2 cases directly from the Vineyard.  At $12.99 a bottle,  this is a great buy and sure to improve with more time in the bottle.
I loved this wine so much I had to send Jim a bottle to get his opinion.

What did you think of this wine Jim?

Pairing: Indian food, cheese and crackers and is great as a lazy Sunday afternoon sitting on the porch sipping wine.

Recommendation: BUY

2011 Christmas Dinner Wine Suggestions

As Christmas approaches and we start to think about the menu for that fabulous turkey dinner, let us not forget a nice wine selection to enhance the feast. While the choices are mainly a matter of personal choice, there are some wines that typically pair well with turkey and the common accompaniments and side dishes.

I have chosen the following suggestions from the current offerings at the LCBO and/or wine retailers in Ontario.

1. Chardonnay - Most of your guests will prefer a white wine with their turkey. Probably your safest choice will be a dry, oaky Chardonnay. It will pair well with the bird and with the root vegetables.

White wine suggestion: Norman Hardie 2008 Country Chardonnay

2. Sauvignon Blanc - Also a good choice would be a Sauvignon Blanc. It is a little cleaner and lighter than the Chardonnay.

White wine suggestion: Colio 2009 CEV Signature Series Sauvignon Blanc

3. Reisling - A good Reisling or Gerwurztraminer would be another good choice. These are a typically a little sweeter and a little more acidic but favoured by folks who don't drink lots of wine.

White wine suggestion: Fielding 2009 Reisling

4. Pinot Noir - Some of your guests will prefer red wine and the Pinot Noir is a perfect selection. It is light enough not to overpower, yet fruity enough to enhance and not be overwhelmed.

Red wine suggestion: Quail's Gate 2008 Pinot Noir

5. Sparkling wine - A common assumption is that Sparkling wine goes with anything. This may or may not be true, but I have yet to find a food that sparkling wine doesn't agree with. Remember this is the season of celebration and nothing says celebration like a Champagne, Cava or Sparkling wine. They can be served as an aperitif, with the meal and/or with the dessert course.

Sparkling wine suggestion: Peller Ice Cuvee Rose

6. Dessert - a dessert wine is typically sweeter to enhance the sweetness of the dessert. An ice wine is an excellent choice as it can be sipped with or even poured over sweets.

Dessert wine suggestion: Inniskillin Vidal Icewine

Happy Holidays

Mission Hill 2003 Family Estate Reserve Chardonnay

I guess my idea of "reserve" and Mission Hill's is different. Personally I expect a superior wine. This Chardonnay is quite drinkable but nothing extraordinary for the price. Not available at the LCBO. Recommendation: Pass

Mission Hill 2003 Oculus

Interesting blend that promised more than it delivered. 47% Merlot, 25% Cab Sauv, 20% Cab Franc and 8% Petit Verdot. I waited in vain for this wine to fully open up. Nice flavours. Dark fruits. Probably needs another 5 years in the cellar. Not available in LBCO. Recommendation: Buy

Greata Ranch 2005 Ehrenfelser

Interesting varietal that will remind you of  Riesling. Nice lingering finish. Well balanced. Not available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy

Black Hills 2005 Nota Bene

Very nice blend of 43% Cab Sauv, 37% Merlot and 20% Cab Franc. Ok fruit and well hidden heat. Velvety soft tannins. If I have any criticism it would be that the fruit could be more prominent. Not available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy it.

Black Hills 2005 Alibi

A decent white blend from a nice winery (they produce the normally excellent Nota Bene.) Nicely balanced with not too much citrus. Very easy to drink as a pairing or by itself while reading a good book. Not available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy it.

Ganton & Larsen Prospect Winery 2007 Pinot Noir

Review from Debbie Levy: "Decided it wasn't good enough for salad dressing. Considered window washer, and decided my windows deserved better. Dump." 'Nuff said.

Quail's Gate 2004 Pinot Noir Family Reserve

Fairly complex. Dark fruits, plum and cherry. Chocolate and coffee. Fairly silky after a couple of hours in the decanter. Definitely needs another couple of years in the cellar.

Lang Vineyards 2005 Viognier

The "Soaring Eagle" Limited Edition. "limited"? maybe that's for the best. Very pale colour. The nose promises peach, but the wine fails to deliver. Very light citrus taste with lots of acidity, but no sweetness to balance. The citrus is hard to describe. Its a bit like lemon water. Pass it by.

La Frenz 2005 Alexandria

I bought this blind when I was in BC and have been looking forward to it for months. Its a Viognier blend and lives up to the winemakers reputation. Very pale colour but lots of legs - even a bit viscous. Tastes of honeydew melon, orange and some grapefruit. A hint of honey. definitely on the sweet side and very little acidity. Lovely clean honey/orange finish. If you are a Viognier fan, you are going to love this one.

Gray Monk 2005 Pinot Gris

A beautiful amber colour with tones of peach/rose. Absolutely stunning to look at. Tastes of grapefruit and peach with a hint of pear. A nice balance of sweetness with the sour, but a tad acid. Nice clean finish.

Tinhorn Creek 2005 Oldfield's Collection

A Bucket of Wine and a Pail of Oysters

I am really a red wine fan, but I have discovered a white wine that I really love. Tinhorn Creek, Oldfield's Collection, "2 Bench" 2005. This is a complex blend from grapes grown on both benches in the South Okanagan-the eastern Black Sage Bench and the western Golden Mile Bench. This is a refreshing, lip smacking blend of Semillon 47%, Chardonnay 25%, Sauvignon Blanc 21% and Gewurztraminer 7%. Aromas of pears, tropical fruits and citrus notes with light pineapple flavors. The finish is clean. This wine will only get better with age. Now off to the back yard with my bucket of wine and my pail of oysters. Oh, did I mention that this is the perfect wine with Pacific, BC oysters?

Burrowing Owl 2004 Syrah

Burrowing Owl Estate Winery, 2004 Syrah

Now this is Syrah the way it should be. I had to stand in line for this one and even at that it was only one bottle per customer. A deep ruby red in color with purple edges. An aroma of dark plums and flavors of ripe black cherries, cola, licorice and just a hint of spice. A nice lingering finish. This is a great food wine. Ready to drink now or hold onto for a couple of years. Hmmm, I know Jim has a couple of bottles in his wine cellar. Shall we head over there for one of those famous Bar-B-Ques that he's always bragging about?

Osoyoos Larose 2002 Le Grand Vin

I was lucky enough to find a local organic vegetable market, and finally find the local Cheese shop, so tonight was a BBQ beef sausage, and organic vegetables night ... and Shropshire cheese for dessert. OMG, what wine should I choose? My office manager and friend Judy had bought me the Osoyoos Larose '02 for Christmas (at the insistense of the wine clerk since she knows nothing about wines) and I had been saving it for an occasion. Tonight was the night.

57% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Malbec, 7% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Medium bodied with lots of legs. Beautiful dark burgundy red. Notes of red fruit and berries. Solid tannins. A lovely clean finish.

The bottle label explains the experiment (how and why it is made), but the vines are so young that this can only get better with each new vintage. Definitely a keeper, but stay tuned for even better things to come.

Hillside Estates 2005 Muscat Ottonel

I always jump at the chance to try a new Muscat (I love them for their unique fruit character.) The Hillside version is very light flavoured, but still exhibits the peach and pear that I love. Virtually no citrus. Very pale in colur but a nice clean finish.

Black Hills Estate Winery 2004 Nota Bene

Well, after realizing how difficult it was to purchase the '03 Nota Bene I got my name on the mailing list with Black Hill's Estate Winery so I could purchase directly and not miss out on the 'o4 Nota Bene. I ordered two cases. By their release date of May 1st, 2006 they were completely sold out of all 2,800 cases. You can still purchase this wine from restaurant wine lists. This Bordeaux style blend is made up of 46/36/18. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc. The color of this wine is a vibrant garnet with aromas of cherries, mint, pepper and tobacco. The flavors include red currants, black olives and dill. Because of it's youth it really needs to be decanted for an hour. In 5 to 7 years this promises to be an outstanding wine and I for one am looking forward to that. If you happen to be travelling there is a great little restaurant in Canmore, AB, called the Copper Door. The chef/owner is an avid wine collector. He has added the 1999 thru to 2004 Nota Bene from his own private collection onto the wine list. You will pay top $$ for it. I sampled the 2002 Nota Bene when there in July, $150 a bottle.

Black Hills Estate Winery 2003 Nota Bene

Having moved to beautiful Vancouver, BC a year and a half ago, I was excited to start tasting what BC had to offer. On this particular Fri. night I ordered Black Hills Estate Winery's, 2003 Nota Bene to go with the tapas I was having. I had never heard of this wine and had no idea what to expect. With the first sniff I was blown away by the aroma of plums, black cherries and just a hint of earthy tobacco. It is dry, round and oh so smooth on entry with supple tannins. Spicy, peppery, vanilla, tobacco leaf and licorice flavors, balanced with a long plush finish. I was hooked from that moment on. This Bordeaux style wine is made of 46/34/20 Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc and has a cult like following. I can see why. Good luck in finding any. BC was sold out by the time I discovered this little jewel. I purchased the last 20 bottles from my favorite little wine store in Banff, AB last November. Another couple of years and this wine should really bloom with fruit tones.

Fork in the Road 2003 Oliver Block 249 Red

For my last BBQ, I opened a red that was highly recommended by friends. A very nice blend of Cab Sauv, Merlot and Shiraz. Tastes of Blackberry or brambleberry with hints of chocolate. Silky smooth with a very nice finish.

Hawthorne Mountain 2003 SYL Brut

I admit it, I love sparkling wines. When I visited Hawthorne Mountain (you have to be a mountain goat to get there), I tried several of their wines, but really liked their champagn... oops, can't call it that any more, can I ... their "See Ya Later Ranch" sparkling wine. I pulled it out of the cooler last night to help celebrate. Nice and crisp some citrus zest and pear. A good wine to sip on the porch on a warm summer night.