Farnese 2009 Sangiovese

One note Sangiovese that really needs a pasta sauce to pair with. Surprisingly almost drinkable for an dirt cheap red wine. Might make an acceptable choice for a large party (like a wedding.) Medium long finish. Available at LCBO. Recommendation: Okay if you need some cooking wine but probably best to pass

Henschke 2005 Henry's Seven

A lovely blend of Shiraz, Grenache, Mourvedre and Viognier. Medium body. Features luscious black fruits with a nice long finish. Available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy

Farina 2004 Amarone della Valpolicella

Amarones are one of my favourites and this one doesn't disappoint. Full-bodied with big fruit and a lovely long finish. Great with pasta w/tomato sauces. Available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy

Josephine Dubois 2009 Grande Reserve Pinot Noir

A nice if young Pinot Noir. Light bodied. Deep cherry. Old World style. Needs another 5 or 6 years in the cellar. Available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy

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

Concha Y Toro 2007 Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon

Decent Cab. Old world style. Medium body. Long finish. Available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy

Peterborough Photowalk Update

We are planning a FREE photowalk for Peterborough Sunday July 17 (starts 10am) and runs rain or shine. Route starts at Roger Cove parking lot and winds through East City. Everyone is welcome with whatever photo gear you have SLR, cellphone, Point&shoot, or even disposable. Several local pro photographers will be part of the group. Watch hashtag #PTBOphotowalk on Twitter or email PTBOphotowalk@gmail.com for more information.

Peterborough Photowalk

Planning a photowalk in Peterborough this summer. Starting from scratch. Should be interesting and fun!

J Calvert 2006 Reserve Des Remparts Saint-Emilion

A delightful Bordeaux and everything you want in an old world style wine. Beautifully complex and well balanced. Lovely long finish. Medium body. Available at LCBO. Recommendation: BUY

Joke of the Day

Q. What do you call a pirate who falls asleep at weird times throughout the day?
A. a NARRRcoleptic.

Bonterra 2007 Zinfandel

Decent enough Zinfandel that is a bit on the light side - not over-powering. Medium body. Ok black fruits. Good with full cheeses. Available at LCBO. Recommendation: Okay

Creekside 2006 Headless Heinz

A so-so "blend" of 97% Shiraz and 3% Viognier. As far as I can tell the Viognier was added for volume only. It really didnt seem to bring anything to the party. Light-medium body. Decent with cheese. Not available at LCBO. Recommendation: Pass

Luongo the schmuck

Although the Vancouver fans seem to be completely enamoured by this guy, I've never been particularly impressed with Luongo as an NHL goaltender. His "skill" seems to be streaky at best. I cringed when he was appointed to the 2010 Olympic team.

His comments about Boston netminder Thomas were inappropriate especially considering Thomas' Goals Against of 2.06 and Save Percentage of .937 against Luongo's giving up 17 goals in less than 5 games. We would all be better served if he would use his big mouth to stop some pucks instead of the smack talk.

Good luck on Wednesday, boys. Are you sure you don't wanna have Ken Dryden warmed up in the wings? I hear he's looking for a gig now.

Time to change the rules of the road

Old ladies meandering along Lansdowne, the Parkway or Chemong at 30km mid-morning creating traffic jams is no longer amusing.

Over the past couple of decades we have refined the rules for underaged drivers. Until they are ready, we restrict the roads they can drive on and the hours they are allowed on the roads. Likewise we restrict them from any and all drinking and driving. We also have restricted swimming times for young people at the local pools and leisure centres. In Ontario we also require older drivers to re-certify when they hit age 80.

Its time we went to the next step and restrict driving times for old ladies on our roads. We need to have a limitted time like (2pm until 5pm) that old women (lets say over 55) are allowed to drive on major roads (2 lanes or more in one direction.) Before and after they should be restricted to sideroads and backroads.

Sorry, Mother. It needed to be said.

P.S. Also with the Phonebook and Yellow Pages shrinking in size, the older crowd should be forced to buy/use certified seat boosters so their eyes are above the steering wheel. Get on that MTO & Canadian Tire.

Cave Springs 2004 Reserve Riesling

Decent Riesling leaning to the acid side but not overly "crisp." Predominantly green apple. Some flowery notes. Decently long finish. Not available to LCBO. Recommendation: Buy

Torbreck 2006 Woodcutters Shiraz

If you are a casual wine drinker, always shopping for that "special find" (especially one that doesnt break the bank) you still deserve to indulge yourself at least once a year. This is such a wine. Not overly expensive it still propels you into that over $20 range where we are all so afraid to tread.

This wine has a wonderful mouthfeel. Full bodied. Round and soft with luscious black fruit. Lovely extended finish with wonderful aftertaste.

This wine is the low end of the Torbreck lineup, so you can only imagine how great the others are. Promise me you will decant this one before you indulge. You deserve it.

Recommendation: BUY

PS The 2006 vintage is no longer at the LCBO, but the current Woodcutters vintage is. And please take the time to read the Torbreck story. You will enjoy it.

Muscedere 2006 Cabernet Franc

Interesting inexpensive Cab Franc from a small winery on the Lake Erie north shore. First glass was watery, little taste. Over the next 30 minutes, the wine opened up in stages, developing into a nice soft Cab Franc that tasted of sweet/sour bing cherries. Nice long finish. Later in the evening it developed an aftertaste with notes of chocolate. Light to medium body. Not available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy

Joke of the Day

Ole lived across river from Clarence who he didn't like at all. All the time they would yell at each other across the river.  Ole would yell to Clarence, "If I had a vay to cross dis river, I'd come over dere an beat you up good, yah sure ya betcha by golly!" 

This went on for years. Finally the state built a bridge across the river right there by their houses.

Ole's wife, Lena, said, "Now is you chance, Ole! Vhy don't you go over dere and beat up dat Clarence like you said you vould?"

Ole replied, "OK, by yimmy I tink I vill do yust dat!" As Ole approached the bridge he saw a sign on the bridge which he stopped to read. Abruptly he turned around and went back home.

Lena asked, "vhy did you come back and not beat up dat Clarence like you said you vould?"

Ole said, "Lena, I tink I change my mind 'bout beatin' up dat Clarence, you know, dey put a sign on da bridge dat says "Clarence is 13 ft. 6 in." You know, he don't look near dat big vhen I yell at him from across da river!"

Joffre e Hijas 2006 Grand Malbec

Decent Malbec with some interesting complexity. Black fruits. Nice with food but very drinkable. Available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy

Bouchard Pere & Fils 2008 Petit Chablis

Interesting light white wine. Hint of grapefruit. Okay with a delicate white fish, but wouldn't stand up to a sauce. Available at LCBO. Recommendation: Ok, but you can do better.

Joke of the Day

Q: To what did the winemaker credit his success? 

A: His sur lie attitude.

NHL shaking and moving

Did anyone else notice the downbeat announcement from Gary Bettman on the move of the Atlanta team to Winnipeg? While the folks in Winnipeg were elated, Bettman did his best to show his displeasure.  He simply couldn't allow them to enjoy the victory. We know Bettman feels his mandate is to grow the League in the US south and this is a set-back from his master plan, but one would think he should be happy the team will survive and the league will be stronger.

What does all this mean for a team in Hamilton? Probably nothing. Since he is no longer distracted by Atlanta, Bettman can sit in his ivory tower in NYC and plot moving the Phoenix team to Honolulu.

San Alejandro 2008 Las Rocas Garnacha

Luscious ripe fruit. Black raspberry & cassis. Long finish. Medium body. Available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy

Casa Gualda 2006 Plus Ultra

Nice Spanish blend of Petit Verdot and Bobal. Fruit forward and luscious at that. Very drinkable, but could stand another few years in the cellar. Nice long finish. Available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy

Chateau Timberlay 2006 Bordeaux

An OK blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc & Cabernet Sauvignon. Old world style with tart red fruits. Some woody notes. Ready to drink now and unlikely to improve with any more aging. Available at LCBO. Recommendation: You can do better

Touriga Nacional 2007 Reserva Cordeal

Excellent medium bodied red wine. Lovely ripe black fruit. Wonderful with roast chicken, lamb or sipping on its own. Available at LCBO. Recommendation: BUY

Lindeman's 2010 Bin 50 Shiraz

Honestly I was prepared to dislike this wine but I cant. Completely drinkable right now. Nice ripe black fruit. Soft and mellow. Medium body - and all this at a very reasonable price. Available at the LCBO. Recommendation: Buy

Joke of the Day

Two men from Texas were sitting at a bar when a young lady nearby began to choke on a hamburger. She gasped and gagged.

One Texan turned to the other and said, “That little gal is havin‘ a bad time. I’m agonna go over there and help.”
He ran over to the young lady, held both sides of her head in his hands and asked “Kin ya swaller?”

Gasping, she shook her head "NO!"

He asked, “Kin ya breathe?”

Still gasping, she again shook her head “NO!"

With that he yanked up her skirt, pulled down her underwear and licked her ass. The young woman was so shocked that she coughed up the bit of hamburger that was stuck and began to breathe on her own. The Texan sat back down with his friend and said, “Ya know, it’s sure amazin' how that hind-lick maneuver always works!”

My apology to dog owners in Peterborough

I am pretty sure I owe a big apology to a lot of dog owners in this city. For years I have been singing the praises of Rogers Cove as a terrific place to let your dogs swim. In fact I would extol the virtues of living in a small city with a large natural lake at its centre. Today I was reminded by the SPCA (acting as by-law officers) that dogs are not allowed off-leash in this city.

Several years ago I listened to one of our city councillors complain that the majority of the calls she received from her constituents were from retirees complaining about dogs running free. (I call bullshit on that one.) I should have realized at that time that the city councillors were more interested in appeasing older generations than growing with the times and establishing a place in which new and younger families might like to live (Case in point - PTBO has the 2nd largest retired population % of all the cities in Canada; and while the unemployment rate continues to shrink across Canada, it increases in this city - albeit only slightly.)

But successive councils have been lazy as well. While out-right banning dogs from the park in the centre of town, (which makes the councillors look like they are doing something), they do virtually nothing to dissuade the flocks of geese which defecate constantly in that same park and claim there is nothing they can do about it. Likewise they do nothing about allowing cats to roam free. Nor do they do anything about the feral cats that live along the railway tracks and woods. Dogs are also the only animals required to be licensed and the local Humane Society sends out threatening renewal letters every Fall to ensure their major source of revenue is not lost.

As many of you know I am involved in animal rescue (as a volunteer) and do my best to rehabilitate and exercise fosters dogs as well as my own dogs. Obviously this city is the wrong place to do that. I will be looking for new locations to walk/run/swim my dogs. Hopefully when I find it, they will have a gas station near-by so I can buy my gas there; and hopefully they have a supermarket near-by so I can buy my groceries. I have no reason to patronize local stores. Let them cater to the old people.

Pillitteri 2009 Cabernet Merlot

Pillitteri is a good winery often overlooked. This is a rather nice light bodied wine that shows excellent fruit. Quick finish with an aftertaste hint of fruit. Also a nice influence from the over 30% Cab Franc. Excellent with roast chicken or a light pasta (like a cheese ravioli perhaps?) Available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy

My favorite youtube video - you hafta be an Iron Chef fan I guess

Joke of the Day

A young boy entered a barber shop and the barber whispered to his customer, “This is the dumbest kid in the world. Watch while I prove it to you.”

The barber put a dollar bill in one hand and two quarters in the other, then called the boy over and asked, “Which do you want, son?” The boy took the quarters and left.

“What did I tell you?” said the barber. “That kid never learns!”

Later, after the customer had left, he spotted the same young boy coming out of the ice cream store. “Hey, son! May I ask you a question? Why did you take the quarters instead of the dollar bill?”

The boy licked his cone and replied, “Because I have a sneaking suspicion that the day I take the dollar, the game will be over!”

Santa Margherita 2008 Lison Pramaggiore Cabernet Franc

I like a good Cabernet Franc and took a chance on this one mainly because it was in the bin end sale at the wine store. Light to medium body, with a long finish. Definitely some potential. Decent black fruit but probably needs another 5 years in your cellar to develop some more complexity. Available at the LCBO. Recommendation: Buy at the sale price.

Reggie's - Hunter St, East City

I've listened to all the locals raving about Reggie's and decided to check it out. Let me start by saying it's clean, young and friendly and with lots of choices, even some unusual toppings/specialty burgers to spice up your dining experience. Reggie's makes everything to order, so you know it should be fresh and hot. An interesting (quaint) idea is that you fill in an order card that also serves as your menu - selecting the entree, toppings, drink, side-orders, etc.

I ordered the Reggie Burger and a small fry side-order. The fries were quite good. Handcut and normal sized but with the taste and colour of fries you would normally expect with fish&chips. The bun was a standard sesame seed bun, toasted quite nicely. The burger was not overcooked, and it had decent flavour, but sadly it was quite dry. Also regrettably the toppings were scrimpy at best. All in all a disappointment for the price.

Reggie's Burger - $4.50
Small fries - $2.50

I will probably go back to Reggie's but not soon. I hope by that time they have done something to their burger recipe to eliminate the dryness.

Joke of the Day (2)

Women are like apples on trees.

1. The best ones are at the top of the tree. The apples at the top think something is wrong with them, when in reality, they’re amazing. They just have to wait for the right person to come along, the one who is brave enough to climb all the way to the top of the tree.
2. Men don’t want to reach for the good ones because they are afraid of falling and getting hurt.
3. Men sometimes take the apples from the ground that aren’t as good, but easy.

Joke of the Day

Men are like good wine. They start out as grapes and women stomp on them until they turn into something acceptable to have dinner with.

Saturday Morning Wine Ramblings

For me a wine review should be simple and give me the answer to some basic questions:
1. Do I like this wine?
2. Is this wine affordable for ME?
3. Where can I get it?

4. Is this a "hidden gem" or a waste of money?

I love wine and try to answer these questions but realize in some cases the answers presented here are answered by omission - or missed. Sorry about that. I have probably been drinking. ;-)

A lot of wine "critics" have advanced palates and like to drone on and on about "elusive hints of x" (insert obscure SE Asian herb for x) and the like, but I like to think that I have a normal palate and that the majority of us have similar tastes.

I rarely sample wines at a winery. Standing at a tasting bar trying to take notes seems a bit elitist and contrary to the impression I want to make. Typically I purchase 2 bottles to sample off premises and dont write the review until I have finished the first bottle and tasted and sometimes well into sampling the second.

I try to be fair to the winery with the recommendation. After all they have put their blood sweat and tears into their product and are competing with thousands of other wineries. I try to meet the winemaker whenever I can, just to feel the love for the product. I have met introverts and extroverts, farmers and bankers, but I can state that 99.99% of the time they are as passionate about their latest crop/product as they were the day the started their first.

Landrace 2006 Shiraz Mataro

Wonderful blend of Shiraz and Mataro (Mourvedre). Excellent fruit. Full-bodied. Some complexity. Wonderful medium finish. Some heat. Available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy

Joke of the Day

Q. Why do ducks have webbed feet?

A. To stamp out fires.

Q. Why do elephants have flat feet?

A. To stamp out burning ducks

Jacob's Creek 2008 Shiraz Cabernet

A nice fruity "supermarket" blend perfect for pairing with a rich tomato sauce. Nothing terribly complex and it tastes virtually the same a day later. Surprisingly long finish. Low priced. Available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy

Carmela Estates 2002 Dry Riesling

Admittedly past its prime, this wine has a beautiful golden colour, but is so heavily oaked it loses all its crispness. Not available in LCBO. Recommendation: Pass

Chateau Puyfromage 2006 Bordeaux

Medium bodied and "ok" but nothing to write home about. Dull fruit and a quick finish. Available at LCBO. Recommendation: meh

Chateau Preuillac 2005 Medoc

A decent blend of 60% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. Some fruit, but a very long finish of leather. Available at LCBO. Recommendation: OK

Katnook 2005 Merlot

Nice and fruity. Medium bodied. Long finish. Not available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy

Peller 2008 Private Reserve Pinot Gris

Absolutely lovely Pinot Gris. Beautiful colour. Well balanced. Nice citrus with some tropical notes. Not available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy

Alvento 2004 Elige

A rather pedestrian blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. It starts poorly, with harsh tannins that never mellows out. After waiting several hours, the wine never opened up. Not very complex. Ok fruit. Mediocre finish. Not available at LCBO. Recommendation: Pass

Henry of Pelham 2002 Speck Family Reserve Chardonnay

A decent Chardonnay if a little over-oaked. Decent fruit, but not particularly well balanced. Decent finish. Beautiful colour. Not available at LCBO. Recommendation: Okay

La Vieille Ferme 2006 Cotes du Ventoux

A lovely blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourdevre and Cinsault. Very nice fruit with a spice/floral/earthy component. Nice long finish. Available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy

Tawse 2006 Pinot Noir

A very nice light Pinot with some nice complexities. Some earthiness, with nicely balanced fruit. Excellent long finish. Not available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy

Sonsierra 2002 Reserva Rioja

A decent if somewhat unmemorable Rioja. Medium bodied. Old world style. Not particularly revealing on the nose. Quite a long finish. Not available at LCBO. Recommendation: OK for a change.

Joke of the Day

A pirate walked into a bar with a steering wheel on his crotch.

The Bartender asked him if it hurt.

The Pirate replied, "Arrr it's drivin me nuts!"

Carmela Estates 2001 Hubbs Creek

Upon opening this white blend, you will be struck by the complete absence of nose. Upon pouring you will be struck by the absolutely beautiful full amber colour but again, virtually nothing on the nose. Then comes the first sip, and the first gag. Terrible. The best that can said for it is that it tastes like peat. In fact if it were room temperature, one might mistake it for a watered down Scotch whiskey that somehow retained its colour. No fruit at all and a complete disappointment. I had come to not expect too much from this winery over the years but I never thought they would produce a complete dumper. Carmela has recently been sold and hopefully the new owner will make an effort to make Hubbs Creek a distant memory. If he has any of this in his library, he ought to dump it and destroy the labels. Frankly the bottle deposit is worth more than the contents. Not Available at LCBO. Recommendation: Dump it ... and if someone gives it to you as a gift, examine that friendship very closely.

Bouchard Aine & Fils 2007 Beaujolais

A very nice light Beaujolais very much in the Pinot Noir style. Light bodied. Decent fruit. Very easy to drink and/or to pair. Light enough to pair with chicken, yet almost full enough to pair with lamb and certainly salmon. Available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy

Hernder 2001 Chardonnay

My first true special find ($9.95/btl). Now past its prime, this wine still has a nice balance of oak and fruit ... as long as you prefer a VERY oaky Chardonnay. Slightly longer finish. Awesome Golden colour and a medium to full body. Not available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy it if you can find it.

Open 2009 Sociable Sparkling

A new offering from Vincor. Truly a throw-away sparkling wine. OK to mix in mimosas or sparkling wine cocktail where the mix will overwhelm the taste of the wine. Available at LCBO. Recommendation: PASS

Ravazzi 2006 Riserva Chianti

A mediocre Chianti. OK with pasta, etc. Almost nothing on the nose. Nice finish. Available at LCBO. Recommendation: You can do better

Peller 2007 Private Reserve Chardonnay

Beautiful golden colour. Nice balance of oak and citrus. Medium body. Slightly lingering finish. A bit pricey. Not abailable at LCBO. Recommendation: OK to buy

Rosedale 2007 Nine Lives Shiraz

Lovely full-bodied Shiraz. Very fruit forward. Nice lingering finish. Available at the LCBO. Recommendation: Buy

Fielding 2006 Chadonnay Unoaked

A fairly smooth Chardonnay. OK on the balance. Decent to pair with chicken. Not available at LCBO. ecommendation: You can do better

Le Clos Jordanne 2006 Village Reserve Pinot Noir

A very earthy Pinot Noir. Some fruit, but very Old World Style. Fairly light. Not available in LCBO. Recommendation: You can do better

Joke of the Day

Q. What do you call a dog with no legs?

A. It doesn't matter what you call him. He ain't gunna come.

Fielding 2007 Riesling

A well balanced Riesling. Green apple with a sweet melon note. Nice long finish. OK with fish or a even a decent blue cheese. Not available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy.

Peller 2005 Private Reserve Dry Riesling

Bright green apple. Some citrus aftertaste. Pleasant finish. Pairs nicely with fish. Not available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy.

Two Hands 2006 Gnarly Dudes Shiraz

Luscious fruit although a bit on the dull side. Long finish with a bit of a gnarly aftertaste. Decent heat. Not available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy

Kilikanoon 2006 Killerman's Run Shiraz

Excellent companion to the Shiraz/Grenache blend. Not as soft and velvety without the Grenache, but still very luscious. Not available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy

Kilikanoon 2006 Killerman's Run Shiraz Grenache

A wonderful full bodied blend. Tremendous ripe black and red fruit taste. Big, but very soft almost velvety and round. Would stand up to steaks, but can be enjoyed by itself. Not available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy

Fielding 2007 Reserve Gewurztraminer

Another pleasant offering from Fielding. Well balanced. Soft citrus with some melon. Very floral. Not available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy

Chateau Ducla 2009 Entre Deux Mers

An okay blend 42% Sauvignon Blanc, 29% Sauvignon Gris, 24% Semillon, 5% Muscadelle. Fairly easy drinking with notes of soft citrus and some melon. The Muscadelle cuts through on the finish. Available at LCBO. Recommendation: "meh"

Chateau des Proms 2008 Cuvee Bellevue Bordeaux

A pleasant bordeaux if somewhat forgettable. Medium bodied and nothing really distinctive. Nice to sip, but best paired with snacks or tapas. Available at LCBO. recommendation: Pass

Fielding 2008 Fawnsbrook Gewurztraminer

I was really pleasantly surprised by this wine. Fairly soft citrus with prominent floral notes. Very round and well balanced. Nice finish although just a distance touch of acid in the aftertaste, Not available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy it

Le Vieux Donjon 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape

A wonderful wine I simply couldn't put down. It opened quickly. Exhibits soft tannins for such a young wine. Wonderfully soft and full of flavour, but with a long finish. Not available at the LCBO. Recommendation: Buy

Christian Moueix 2005 Bordeaux

A nice light Bordeaux. Easy to drink alone but does very well paired with beef (even hamburger.) Nice long finish. Not available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy it

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.

Ouch

I gave myself a nice light sprain in the ankle the other day. Here's the story - I was walking the dogs in Burnham Park (a Provincial Wilderness Park) which is semi-closed for the winter. (Unmaintained - Use at your own risk). Ay the very back of the park the trail winds down the side of the hill into the ravine. There was a very thin covering of snow on the trail so the ice that had formed from the thaw a couple of days prior was hidden.

I had just started down the hill when I hit a patch of ice and down I went, ass over tea kettle, for about 5 metres. My trip was luckily(?) stopped by an Ironwood tree. My left ankle had twisted and I couldnt stand on it. I realized I shouldnt crawl back to the trail as I would likely just do the same thing to my other ankle so I crawled over the brush in the deep snow straight down the hill to the bottom of the ravine. There I was able to find a sturdy fallen branch to use as a crutch and was able to get to my feet with the help of a tree. Slowly with the use of the crutch I was able to walk the 1km uphill back to the van.

I did have my cell phone with me and could have called for help had I really needed it, but the experience was interesting and rewarding. Its nice to know I have the Will Power to overcome physical impediments and challenges.

Trapiche 2008 Reserve Malbec

A decent Malbec at a very good price point. A bit dull on the fruit, but nice to enjoy with friends. A bit of heat. Available at LCBO. Recommendation: keep a bottle or two on hand

Langa 2006 Garnacha

A Grenache by any other name .... Nice fruit but nothing great, medium body, pairs nicely with red meat. Available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy a bottle

Ravenswood 2008 Vintners Blend Zinfandel

Run of the mill medium bodied Zin. Some nice fruit with a decent finish. Very drinkable whether as a sipper or paired with pasta or red meat. Available at LCBO. Recommendation: keep a couple of bottles on hand

Peller 2007 Private Reserve Riesling

A decent medium bodied Riesling. Nice paired with chinese food or seafood, but not really well suited to sip. Not available at LCBO. Recommendation: Drinkable

Beringer 2008 California Collection Cabernet Sauvignon

I bought this with some hesitation at the price, but not with the name. Beringer makes some of the best reds coming out of California and I have never been disappointed with their offerings. This Cab is a really good find at a terrific price point. It takes quite a while to open up, but is well balanced with a nice round finish. I have had this with chicken, beef and just as a sipper and it works well. Available at the LCBO. Recommendation: Buy it

Wyndham 2007 Bin 444 Cabernet Sauvignon

A run of the mill Cabernet. Okay fruit (not intense as they claim) but pretty good (for the price point). Buy it if you are looking for a wine to serve with lamb/veal but look elsewhere for a sipping wine. Available at the LCBO. Recommendation: OK to buy a bottle.

Copper Moon Moonlight Harvest Shiraz (Non-vintage)

Q. What do you do when you have access to super-cheap overstocks of grapes from around the world?
A.Make this crap.

I decided to try this inexpensive "cellared in Canada" wine because the LCBO was promoting it. It was cheap and on an endcap display. Sadly the wine producer (Roundpetal Wines) paid more attention to the label design and marketing babble than they did to the wine. No complexity, little body and a heavy tannin aftertaste that lingers. I found that it even upset my stomach to the extent that I needed an anti-acid later in the evening. Its been many years since I have bought a dumper, but I can add this one to the list. Available at the LCBO. Recommendation: Don't even buy it to cook with it. Stick with VQA.

Thirty Bench 2001 Benchmark Reserve Chardonnay

A pretty heavily oaked chardonnay, but without the buttery mouth. The fruit/citrus tries to hide and does a decent job. Lingering finish. Not available at LCBO. Recommendation: you can do much better

Straccali 2004 Chianti

Light/medium bodied Chianti w/average fruit. Ok with pasta, but not really enough there to drink on its own. Not available at LCBO. Recommendation: You could do better

Cantina di Negrar 2006 Valpolicella

Decent Valpolicella, at a decent price point. Very good with pasta, but would not recommend as a sipper. Light to medium body. Available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy

Tawse 2006 Pinot Noir

A nice light Pinot Noir with decent fruit. Nice finish. Would be well paired with lamb or even salmon. Not available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy a bottle.

Chateau Grand-Champs 2008 Bordeaux

Nice young and fruity. Nothing spectacular, but could develop into a really pleasant red if given a few more years. Available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy it and lay it down.

Chateau Picoron 2006 Bordeaux

A very nice Bordeaux at a decent price point. Good fruit with some nice complexity. Very nice to pair with some red meat. Available at LCBO. Recommendation: Buy a bottle

Joke of the Day

The Colonel was about to start the morning briefing to all of his staff. While waiting for the coffee machine to finish its brewing, he decided to pose a question to all assembled. He explained that his wife had been a bit frisky the night before, and therefore he failed to get his usual amount of sound sleep. He posed the question of just how much concerning the act of sex was 'work', and how much of it was pure 'pleasure'?

The Captain chimed in with "75-25% work, sir."

The Lieutenant said " about 50-50%, sir."

The Sargeant-Major responded with "25-75% in favour of 'pleasure', depending upon the state of inebriation at the time, sir."

There being no consensus, the Colonel turned to the Private who was in charge of making the coffee. What was HIS opinion ?

Without any hesitation, the young Private responded, "Sir, it has to be 100% pleasure, Sir."

The Colonel aas a little surprised and, as you might guess, said "And why is that, soldier" ?

"Well, Sir, if there was any work involved, the officers would have me doing it for them, Sir".

Chateaux Laurensanne 2006 Cotes de Bourg

Fancy name for a less than fancy wine. Lacking in fruit. Dull and lacklustre. Available at the LCBO. Recommendation: pass

Chateau Ducla 2007 Bordeaux

Very drinkable bordeaux, though nothing special. Nice fruit. Medium bodied. Available at the LCBO. Recommendation: Don't go out of your way to find it, but its okay to buy.

Thierry & Guy 2007 Fat Bastard Cabernet Sauvignon

Not particularly memorable. Some fruit but little complexity. Quick finish. Not something you want to go out of your way for. Available at LCBO. Recommendation: There are lots better at the same price point.

Joke of the Day

There once was a religious young woman who went to Confession. Upon entering the confessional, she said, 'Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned.' 


The priest said, 'Confess your sins and be forgiven.'



The young woman said, 'Last night my boyfriend made mad passionate love to me seven times.'



The priest thought long and hard and then said, 'Squeeze seven lemons into a glass and then drink the juice.'



The young woman asked, 'Will this cleanse me of my sins?' 



The priest said, 'No, but it will wipe that smile off of your face.'

Fielding 2007 Unoaked Chardonnay

To be frank, I prefer well-oaky chardonnays. I especially like the buttery smoothness that seems to be in most oaked chardonnays. But I have to admit I liked this wine. I had it with roast chicken and it was excellent. I had it with clam chowder and it was excellent. I had it while watching TV and writing wine reviews and it was excellent. Not available at LCBO (the 2008 is.) Recommendation: Buy it

Joke of the Day

A drunk man who smelled like beer sat down on a bench next to a priest. The man's tie was stained, his face was plastered with red lipstick, and a half-empty bottle of gin was sticking out of his torn coat pocket. He opened his newspaper and began reading.

After a few minutes the man turned to the priest and asked, 'Say Father, what causes arthritis?'

The priest replied, 'My son, it's caused by loose living, being with cheap, wicked women, too much alcohol, contempt for your fellow man, sleeping around with prostitutes and lack of a bath.'

The drunk muttered in response, 'Well, I'll be damned, ' Then returned to his paper.

The priest, thinking about what he had said, nudged the man and apologized. 'I'm very sorry, my son. I didn't mean to come on so strong. How long have you had arthritis?'

The drunk answered, 'I don't have it, Father. I was just reading here that the Pope does.

Thierry & Guy 2007 Fat Bastard Merlot

I really wanted to love this wine, then I really wanted to hate it. In the end I am not sure, but I know I will drink the next bottle differently. Opens very slowly and probably needs another 3 or 4 years to mature. Full-bodied with subtle fruit. Excellent with red meat, but does very well as a "sippin' while on Facebook" kinda wine. Available at the LCBO. Recommendation: buy

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.

Joke of the Day

Clinton, Nixon and Reagan were travelling on a Transatlantic ship when they hit an iceberg. Instantly Reagan raised the alarm "Everyone into the lifeboats! Women and children first!!"

Clutching his lifejacket, Nixon screamed out "screw the women!!!"

Clinton stopped and asked "Do you think we have the time?"

Masi 2006 Amarone

How do I describe a wine that I really like? "mmmmmmmm"? This Amarone has a lovely mouth feel, great balance and good heat that sneaks up on you. Wonderful as an accompaniment, but excellent as a wine to sip by the fireplace. Available to the LCBO. Recommendation: Buy it

County 2001 Chardonnay

A mediocre chardonnay. Decent fruit for an early attempt. Drinks light but has some interesting colour. Not available at LCBO. Recommendation: Pass