Wine All The Time

With the April 27 release, Vintages is focusing on Wines from the Veneto – that is from the area adjacent to Venice, perhaps even closer to Verona.

While many are familiar with the wines of France and Italy, and even Spain, we don’t pay too much attention to Portugal; yet, in addition to being home to Port, perhaps the world’s greatest fortified wine, Portugal also produces really re

With Easter just a week away, there will be plenty of visits to the LCBO and Wine stores as we seek out wines that will pair well with turkey, with ham, or even lamb. As always, the best wine is usually the one you enjoy the most.

It doesn’t take long to notice that the LCBO has launched a big California love-in this month, with display upon display featuring wines from the Golden State.

Describing a fine Zinfandel, one reviewer identified “delicately complex flavors of smoky cherry, wild anise and white peppercorns.” I can get the smoke and the cherry, even together.

They say there’s no use crying over spilled milk…but spilled wine? Perhaps, if someone has just knocked over a glass or bottle of red wine on your expensive Persian carpet or favourite white linen table cloth.

Last week’s Vintages release featuring Spanish wines has prompted me to take a look at the country and its wines, especially as they often go unnoticed despite their quality and value.

With the Yuletide behind us, we tend to sit back a little in January and re-assess as we enter the new year. For some it’s a time of resolutions, for others, it’s business as usual.

In a few short nights it will be New Year’s Eve, probably the biggest party night of the year in much of the world. It is a night of great celebration, and one of the single greatest associations we have with it is Champagne.

Turning to reds, two Italian offerings on the regular list offer great value at the lower end of the price scale. Pasqua ‘Villa Borghetti’ , $12.95, is in the Passimento style of Valpolicella Ripasso for $4 less per bottle.