Mo's Hot Drops

TURKEY TALK

2010-10-05T19:42:00.000-04:00

I have been remiss, apologies .... but I'm back ! and in time for a few Thanksgiving Turkey wine recommendations, at the higher price range, and mostly from LCBO Vintages:

WHITES: a few of my favourite not-too-woody Chardonnays would go well with your turkey dinner.

CONCHA y TORO MARQUES DE CASA CONCHA CHARDONNAY 2008 - CHILE
VINTAGES 342857 - $17.95

D'ARENBERG THE OLIVE GROVE CHARDONNAY 2007 - AUSTRALIA
VINTAGES 702845 - $17.95

REDS: a few big came out this past week at Vintages which are worth considering either for your thanksgiving feast, or for putting away in your cellar for later.

MICHEL TORINO DON DAVID MALBEC RESERVE 2008 - ARGENTINA
VINTAGES 64998 | $12.95

Great quality at a really affordable price.

WYNNS COONAWARRA ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2006 - AUSTRALIA
VINTAGES 84996 | $24.95

A classic from this region.

CORIOLE MARY KATHLEEN RESERVE CABERNET/MERLOT 2007 - AUSTRALIA
VINTAGES 745489 | $37.95

Patience will reward with this gem from McLaren Vale for your cellar.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Mo

HOME GROWN

2010-08-26T15:36:00.000-04:00

Hi all,

Just got back from a great trip to the vineyards in our own background in Niagara - with some of my students. Below, a few stars that shone brightly on my travels over the weekend:

1. Rosewood Estates Natalie's Sussreserve Riesling 2008 - $18

This one was a Gold Medal winner at the Niagara Wine Festival. Sussreserve is a German method of adding sweetness back into the wine. This is balanced with lovely acidity, and is a natural to go with Thai food. Available at the winery in Beamsville.

2. Malivoire Lady Bug Rose VQA 2009 - $15.95
One of my favourite Ontario pinks! Dry and full of juicy fruit flavours, serve it chilled with tapas - hummus, olives, grilled shrimp, etc. You can order it on-line at www.malivoire.com.

3. Flat Rock Sparkling Reserve 2006 - $35.20

Oh my, but is Ontario making amazing bubbles! Flat Rock has just launched this latest wine - their pride & joy - well worth waiting for. Festive & fine, weddings, birthdays & anniversaries are just waiting for this beauty from our own backyard. Order it from the winery at www.flatrockcellars.com.

4. Creekside Shiraz Broken Press Shiraz 2007 - $39.95

From the 2007 vintage which was warm enough to ripen Shiraz in Niagara (not always the case in cool, wet summers!) this serious Shiraz is made by an Aussie winemaker - although I would call it more French (Northern Rhone) in style. Bring on the braised beef stew! Or sock it away in your cellar, this one will last for a bit. Available from the winery at www.creeksidewine.com.

Generally speaking, keep an eye out for the 2010's coming out of Niagara a while down the road. Given the warm summer we are having and if the weather holds through the Fall with warm & dry conditions, 2010 will be a great vintage!

Later,

RED, WHITE & GREEN WINES

2010-08-12T14:00:00.000-04:00

Everything 'green' being all the rage, I am often asked which organic wines are good to buy. You'll be happy to hear there are a growing number of environmentally conscious wine producers around the world - some wines are produced organically and some are even 'fair trade' (like the coffee). Generally, the quality of these wines has improved overall and here are a few that have hit my LCBO shopping cart recently:

BONTERRA CHARDONNAY - CALIFORNIA
VINTAGES Essentials 342436 | Price: $ 18.95

Made from organically grown grapes - a dry (& not too oaky) vibrant Chardy to have with your favourite chicken or cream-sauce pasta. A Vintages Essentials selection, should be always available.

VINECOL TORRONTÉS 2009 - ARGENTINA
VINTAGES 32748 | Price: $ 13.95

Argentina has the perfect climate (hot & dry) to farm organically. Try this little-known white grape: delicious, floral and a great match to Thai food, serve it nice & chilled and enjoy discovering a new wine style.

TRIVENTO FAIR TRADE MALBEC - ARGENTINA
LCBO 160994 | Price: $ 9.95

Trivento returns part of the proceeds of the sale of this wine to the communities in Argentina where the grapes are grown, to help finance social and educational programs. Wine with a social conscience - so drink up it's for a good cause.

Do your part, help save the planet by buying green wines more often.

Later,

SUMMER PARTY WINES

2010-07-29T19:00:00.000-04:00

Well, the long weekend is just about on us and you'll no doubt be stocking up for the parties and get-togethers with friends and family. If you're hoping not to spend your whole bank account on beverages this weekend and still keep yours guests happy, here's a few of my faves for you the budget-minded shopper. All of these are great value for money!

LA VIEILLE FERME COTES DU LUBERON (FRANCE)
LCBO 34991 | 1500 mL bottle Price: $ 20.00

A white blend from the Rhone valley in France, this double-sized bottle is a great value and a wonderful party quencher. Lots goin' on in this wine for the price.

QUINTA DA AVELEDA VINHO VERDE (PORTUGAL)
LCBO 89995 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 9.95

Vinho Verde is one of my favourite whites for weekend lunchtimes, light, fresh and slightly spritzy. Lower in alcohol, it will allow you to last the whole day in full form (without having to steal that nap in the sun :)).

MISTERIO MALBEC (ARGENTINA)
LCBO 28803 Price: $ 7.95

Great value once again from Argentina, this Malbec is a must with burgers on the grill.

MEZZOMONDO NEGROAMARO SALENTO (ITALY)
LCBO 588962 | Price: $ 7.95

Thin crust pizza anyone? Try the wood-oven version with this great little red from Italy - one of my favourite value red wines.

Enjoy !
Later,
Mo

VIVA ESPAÑA

2010-07-15T12:26:00.000-04:00

Sincere congrats to Spain on their hard-won World Cup victory - no better way to mark this occasion than with a few delish Spanish vinos...Pair them with increasingly popular tapas-style foods (think finger foods) available in many restaurants - and maybe a slice of Dutch cheese - a nod to their valiant effort!

1. Albariño - (Pronounced AL-BA-REE-NEEO) - a white grape from Spain, producing deliciously refreshing and and full-bodied wines. This producer makes some of the best examples of this grape from Spain. Lemon-garlic shrimp or grilled tuna on the side please....

MARTÍN CÓDAX ALBARIÑO 2008
VINTAGES 984906 - $17.95

2. Tempranillo (Pronounced TEM-PRA-NEEO) - a red grape widely grown in Spain, making juicy, mid-weight reds superb with grilled meats. Try with lamb skewers or pork souvlaki.
MONTECILLO CRIANZA
LCBO 144493- $15.05

Buenos Dias

Later,

THIS DEVIL DOESN'T WEAR PRADA!

2010-07-08T09:06:00.000-04:00

Wow, is it hot enough for you this week?? Waaayy too hot to cook indoors, so here's a few BBQ reds to go with your cookouts:

This devil doesn't wear Prada but it sure is legendary, especially in consistent value for money - so check out the Legend video on www.casillerodeldiablo.com, and serve up a glass with your lamb chops tonight.

1. CASILLERO DEL DIABLO CABERNET SAUVIGNON (CHILE)

LCBO 278416 - $ 13.00

Cross over the Andes Mountains and look to Argentina for great value Malbec, the grape that's on fire in Canada right now. Trapiche is one of the oldest wineries and produces wines worth your attention. Serve Malbec with beef (of course!), also with grilled pork tenderloin.

2. TRAPICHE RESERVE MALBEC (ARGENTINA)

LCBO 614651 - $ 12.00

And from DownUnder - home of the original cookout aka the Barbie! - none other than a mid-weight Shiraz to go with your steak 'mate.

3. ANGUS THE BULL SHIRAZ (AUSTRALIA)

LCBO 132936 - $19.05

Suggest you chill these reds down just a tad if they've been sitting at room temperature in this heat. Believe me - your kitchen oscillator fan does not produce anything like the right serving temperature and reds that are too hot taste soupy and jammy.

Next week.... wines for your 'green' conscience.

Stay cool!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CANADA!

2010-06-29T19:45:00.001-04:00

Not that I ever need too much of an excuse to serve sparkling wine or Champagne, but Canada's 143rd birthday seems like a good enough reason don't you think? I have listed them in order of $, $$, and $$$ depending on your bubbles budget:

($) GIOVELLO PROSECCO (Italy)

LCBO 85316 - $ 14.95
(4 Bonus Air Miles till Jul 17th)

Lovely, light & fresh - perfect for Brunch ! Mix with orange juice only if you must....

($$) DOMAINE CHANDON BRUT CUVEE (California)

LCBO 94946 - $24.90

A bit more substantial, showing its sunny California personality, enjoy with chicken Caesar salad.

($$$) POL ROGER BRUT CUVEE RESERVE CHAMPAGNE (France)

LCBO 51953 - $58.55

In my opinion, Champagne (the real stuff - from France that is...) is always worth the price if you can afford it. This one is pure elegance so bring on the oysters (try www.oysterboy.ca on Queen St. W.).

And for those of you who want a red wine to go with your Canada Day BBQ, try:

CHATEAU CANADA Bordeaux Superieur AOC (France)

LCBO 559468 - $ 14.90

Can't think of a better day to give this one a try - pair this dry Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon blend with a juicy burger -- but hold the sweet BBQ sauce 'cause sweet sauces are not kind to dry wines....

Later,

ROSE COLOURED GLASSES

2010-06-23T18:33:00.001-04:00

Hey all,

Summer sunsets are upon us, so here's to pink wines ! BTW - in case you wondered, your girl is always pretty in pink and yes, real men do drink pink wines. Rosés are fantastic with your summer picnic basket foods. They're also great for you white wine lovers 'cause you serve them nice & cool....and you red wine lovers, they're like shedding your hoodies in the summer heat.

This week's wine are listed in order of sweetness, sweetest to driest:

1. SIBLING RIVALRY PINK VQA (ONTARIO)
LCBO 171033 | $13.95

You know why I love this 'rock, paper, scissors' wine from the 3 Speck brothers of Henry of Pelham - three brothers working wine together yeah ! This pinkie starts off like a refreshing wedge of ice cold watermelon, finishes off a tad drier than that but still luscious = try it with a grilled turkey burger with a side of mango salsa. Yum...

2. STONELEIGH MARLOROUGH PINOT NOIR ROSE (N.ZEALAND)

LCBO 122275 | $16.95

New Zealand not only has a great rugby team, they also make great Pinot Noirs - even pink ones. This lovely is fruity but dry, one my favourites from south of the Equator. Try it with chicken souvlaki salad...and don't forget your sunglasses and a good book on the deck.

3. DOMAINE HOUCHART ROSÉ 2009 (FRANCE)

VINTAGES 118653 | $13.95

The region of Provence in the South of France is a classic region for this style of wine. This is the lightest and driest of the three this week so, ooooh la la! try it with a side of your favourite sushi or steamed mussels.

Next week - celebrate Canada's birthday with bubbles (we'll publish one day early on June 30th).

Like the blog? Comment on it - pass it on - share it - forward it - talk about it.....

Later,

FIFA FEVER

2010-06-14T16:12:00.001-04:00

Oy! Soccer fans far & wide - I see a lot of flags out there, are you sure you're all cheering for the right team ?

Here's a few Winners from host-country SOUTH AFRICA to slack your World Cup fever:

1. THE BEACH HOUSE SAUVIGNON BLANC / SEMILLON
LCBO 122390 | $ 9.95

Wow - can't beat that price! A fruity little white for all summer long, buy a few bottles to see you through soccer frenzy and beyond. Chill it down and try it with szechwan shrimp.

If the next wine seems a bit scary, do not fear.... it's really not dangerous at all - and you gotta love that caricature on the label:

2. PORCUPINE RIDGE SYRAH
VINTAGES Essentials 595280 | $ 14.95

Shiraz by its other (French) name of course - a spicy red wine to have with lamb sausages or your favourite pasta with meat sauce. Just been added to the Vintages Essentials portfolio - which means 'always available' in the Vintages section of the LCBO.

3. AMARULA CREAM LIQUEUR
LCBO 342246 | $26.95

And for the after-party, have a shot of this African cream liqueur straight up, on the rocks or in your coffee...sweet-ish, creamy/nutty and delicious.

Later,

IS YOUR DAD A COOL CAT?

2010-06-10T12:00:00.019-04:00

We are now live(!), so welcome to our Blog....

Father's Day's coming up June 20th - you gotta ditch the whipper-snipper idea and get something he actually wants !

1. LEAPING LEOPARD'S Family Collection Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (South Africa)
VINTAGES 165753 | 750 mL bottle $18.95

Guaranteed to hit the spot :) - This SB's dry, not too tart with a good mouthful of refreshing flavours, serve it chilled & get that side of goat cheese salad ready.

If RED is more Dad's colour - try this yummy Shiraz from DownUnder:

2. SKILLOGALEE BASKET PRESSED SHIRAZ 2006 (AUSTRALIA)
VINTAGES 165753 | 750 mL bottle $24.95

From the Clare Valley region- Rich & full of peppery flavours, may cause you to need a second bottle to go with the beef tenderloin, and Oh - save room for a dark chocolate dessert so Dad can enjoy the last sip with that.

AND.... IF you had a bonus payday this month, one last idea for your dear old man: A wee dram maybe?

3. HIGHLAND PARK 18 YEARS OLD ORKNEY ISLANDS SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY (SCOTLAND) - VINTAGES 500231 | 750 mL bottle - On sale for $129.95 !

OK - could be a little rich for your wallet, but totally worth it. Smooth as silk, a wee bit smokey, downright awesome. Serve 'two fingers' neat with just a drop of distiller water and Life is good......

Later,