Weekend Winedown

From the first vines being planted in 1975 to present day awards and accolades, Brander Vineyards in Santa Barbara have proven taking experience from different walks of life and a continued passion is the key to running a successful winery for almost 50 years. Founder, Fred Brander, who is currently a Master of Wines candidate as well as a published American Journal of Enology and Viticulture author and Master of Food Science from UC Davis, is leading the California wine industry in quality Sauvignon Blanc production bringing home Santa Barbara's first Gold Metal at a major wine competition with his first Sauvignon Blanc harvest in 1977. Today Fred has expanded his focus to include small-lot Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux Red Varieties, with the hopes of the same success and impact as his Sauvignon Blanc.  Another important aspect of Brander's operations is Sustainability. Their ultimate goal is to preserve the terroir or sense of place through being envi...

During the Summer of 2024 I spent a long weekend in London and absolutely fell in love with the city. I spent mornings at museums, evenings at the theatre, and afternoons walking and exploring different neighbourhoods grabbing a glass of wine and a quick bite in between. Although I was only there for 3.5 days, I managed to find some true gems which I cannot wait to revisit, hopefully soon! So next time you take a trip across the pond be sure to visit at least one of the wine bars listed below.  Gordon's Wine Bar (Embankment - 47 Villiers St) Nestled between Trafalgar Square and Embankment Station is London's oldest wine bar that's been operating for over 130 years. Take a step inside their vaulted cellar space lit by candlelight, decorated with oak barrels and walls covered in a time-warp of historic photos and articles or choose a spot outdoors, covered and heated for all-year round enjoyment. Their extensive wine list features both a spectacular BTG and BTB program offeri...

Let’s dive into the wines we tasted during an Ontario Virtual Tasting that I hosted!  Cave Spring, located in the Beamsville Bench (a sub-appellation of the Niagara Escarpment) practices Sustainable Viticulture and Viniculture and is Certified Organic. They also planted the first Riesling vines in the 1970s and helped pioneer the cultivation of European vines. Today 55% of their production is Riesling.  The second wine from my Ontario Virtual Tasting was from Stanners. Located in Hillier Village, Prince Edward County, this family owned and operated winery focuses on Premium Pinot Noir by using Organic practices in the vineyard and a minimal approach in the winery. The last wine we tasted was from Stratus, located in Niagara-on-the-Lake, and just so happens to be one of my favs! Stratus believes in sustainability from vineyard to winery, incorporating natural eco-systems in their vineyards and a pump-less wine system in their winery. Stratus was also the first LEED (Leadership ...

This month we are heading to the Mosel Valley in Germany swirling our glasses with the 2018 Stairs n' Roses Ohrenschwein (LCBO #772129 / $42.10). This wine is made from Müller-Thurgau, Germany's 2nd most planted grape, as an Orange Wine. What does Orange Wine mean, you ask... well it's a white wine made with extended skin contact, similarly to how a red wine is made. This adds a deeper colour, slight tannin, and phenolics (which affects mouthfeel and flavours).  The winemaker, Daniel Molitor, skin ferments the grapes for 3 weeks, followed by full malolactic fermentation, and 18 months in oak barrels. Let's Taste   👀 Med(-) Copper 👃 Dried Apricot, Mandarin, Wet Stone, Caramel, Subtle Spice, Earthy, Metallic 👄 Ripe Apricot, Orange, Caramel, Earthy, Wet Stone, Metallic, Subtle Spice 🏠 Med(+) Acidity, Med Body and Alcohol, with a Phenolic Finish Let's Taste  Legend 👀 Visual / 👃 Olfactory / 👄 Palate / 🏠 Structure

I had the opportunity to attend a virtual winemakers lunch yesterday, Celebrating Black Voices in Ontario Food and Wine. Unfortunately, due to allergies, I was unable to enjoy the food, although it looked and sounded delish, but I was able to enjoy the two wines featured from Nyarai Cellars.    Nyarai Cellars is a "virtual winery" created in 2008 by Steve Byfield and his business partner. Since being a "virtual winery", Nyarai does not own their own vineyards or a physical winery, and instead sources the majority of their grapes from vineyards around the Niagara Peninsula, here in Ontario. Nyarai focuses on a minimalistic winemaking approach allowing the full expression of varietal character, purity of fruit, and balance in the final product to be the star of the show. Currently their wines are available for purchase for Ontario residents through their website .  Let's Taste 🍷  2019 Folklore ($22.95) 👩‍🔬  L'Acadie Blanc, Chardonnay, Muscat Ottonel, Sauvig...

One of my favourite red grapes, Cabernet Franc, is usually overshadowed by their "bigger and bolder" friends (Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot) and is considered mostly a blending grape. Fun fact, Cabernet Franc is actually one the "parents" of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc, so its importance to the world of wine is actually a lot more significant than it gets credit for.  However over the past decade, give or take a handful of years, it has become one of the most planted grapes within Canada.  Cabernet Franc thrives in Canada's shorter growing season and extreme cool climate due to it being an early ripening grape. This also allows for its full expression to unfold in the glass vintage after vintage. Although it is seen as one of Canada's shinning stars, Cabernet Franc has had a long history in France, dating back to the 17th Century, as a varietal expression in Chinon (Loire Valley) and a part of the famous Bordeaux blend.  Hallmarks of Cabernet Fran...