So You Think You Know Wine - The Markham Edition

I have posted these videos in the past to illustrate how professional sommeliers approach wine tasting and their ability, or lack of same, in guessing what it is they are drinking.  In this example we see how three of the best can get tripped up.  Notice, also, their many excuses for failure.  In the end, they just didn't guess right.  Is it all a guess?  I think that what you see them doing is what we have come to describe as "educated guessing".  There is some obvious knowledge and most of them do better at certain types of wine than others but, all around their hit record is probably not much better than chance.  Additionally, keep in mind they are doing only one bottle at a time.

So, this brings me to a dinner party I cooked for last night at my friends Steve and Dion.  They decided to turn the tables and conduct their own wine tasting and they upped the difficulty level by including three bottles which only had one element in common: they were all red wines.  With that in mind, do you think you could guess country of origin, varietal or style, price and year?  This would be a tough task for anybody.  But, it would probably be impossible for a beer drinker with little to no wine tasting experience to even come close, right?

The three wines were: Chateau Tronquoy de Sainte Anne 2006 (Bordeaux France)$25, Bolla Amarone del Valpolicella Classico 2007 (Veneto, Italy)$37, Wolf Blass Shiraz 2010 (South Australia)$17.  No VQA wines were in the tasting (pitty).  These are 3 very distinct styles of wine with a Cabernet Sauvignon, Amarone and Shiraz that are full bodied and still fairly young by their grape standards.

We were asked to rate the wines in order of preference and the results were: Wolf Blass 5 first place votes, 2 second and 2 third; Amarone 3 first place, 2 second and 4 third; Bordeaux 1 first, 5 second and 3 third.  Making the Shiraz the clear favourite of the group.  As far as the rest of the guessing went, only one person managed to get all 3 vintages correct while the only one to guess a correct country and style was...wait for it...YES the beer drinker.  Yours truly was given a lowly score of 0, though I did manage to convince the judges that Bordeaux is not a varietal but rather a region and I did guess it was a Cabernet.  Overall, even the one guest disqualified for having insider information was unable to do better than 4 correct out of a possible 9.  Points for guessing the years were not included in the overall competition but were included solely for the purposes of a tie breaker.

Generally speaking, this tasting was very well done with all wines being decanted and guests were left to take their time evaluating.  I will steal this idea for later tastings but to simplify I think I will limit the tasting to one bottle and see if people can improve their guessing.  I still maintain that there is more guessing than knowing going on, even amongst the pros, and yet I can't help thinking if you were to come across your favourite wine you might just be able to recognize it and walk away looking like a pro.

Wine is a complex product which is complicated by the many flavour compounds that go into it; alcohol, tannins, fruit, sugar and the vessels they are stored in all contribute to the overall taste.  Add to that the changes in our mouths when we eat, drink or smoke; when we last brushed our teeth; what order we drink the different wines.  Then, add the environmental factors of cooking food, perfumes of guests, pets etc.  And the chances of picking out those complex flavours become slimmer and slimmer.  The process was both fun and enlightening with many people surprised at the results.  Conversation about the wines and the second guessing after the fact were also fun.  But, knowing that PK will rub everyone's noses in his victory for the next several months might be the most enjoyable part of the whole experience.

A Brief History of Merlot

Here's a clever bit of marketing that does a great job on the history of Merlot. Cheers!

Hat Tip to Chef Tony Le

Happy Beaujolais Nouveau Day

Image by Sergey Melkonov via FlickrIt is the third Thursday in November which can only mean one thing: Le Beaujolais Nouveau est Arrivé!



This tradition is either highly anticipated or roundly condemned with supporters praising it as a window into the years potential and critics deriding it as a marketing ploy to rid themselves of cheap wine.  Well, I don't know anyone cheaper than me so let the fun begin.

Image via Wikipedia

The Nouveaus offer plenty to be excited about, fruity, young, easy-drinking wine at affordable prices.  What more do you want in a wine?  Some critics have suggested that Beaujolais Nouveau is like eating cookie dough.  Well, to them I say: I like cookie dough, and deep fried Mars bars and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and hot dogs.  What of it?  Not everything enjoyable in life has to come with a hefty price tag and a gilded box.  I think the tradition is fun and the wines are decent so why not?

As for this year's wines, they have received a lot of attention and many high praises.  I have picked up 3 bottles from  varying price ranges and will report in a future post about the taste.  But let's look a little at the tradition.



The Beaujolais region has always had an end of harvest vin de l'année that was only for local consumption.  After 1937 the newly established AOC pegged the release date at December 15th, the wine was still mainly a locally consumed product.  All this changed after 1951 when some of the local wine distributors came up with the idea of a race to get their bottles to Paris on the 15th of November and the race was expanded and the eventual date of the third Thursday of November settle upon in 1985.  Wine enthusiasts the world over have looked forward to the annual event ever since.

Beaujolais Nouveau are made from Gamay grapes which must be picked by hand and come from the Beaujolais AOC excluding the Cru appellations.  The wine is usually ready within 6-8 weeks of the harvest.  These light, fruity wines would be a good match with most foods including roast chicken, pork and, for those of you in the USA, thanksgiving turkey. The wine would also be a decent match with strong cheese.

St. Supéry Merlot 2007

I am, this minute, tasting a glass of St Supéry Merlot 2007 from Napa Valley.  St. Supéry is one of my favourite wineries in the world and they make a Sauvignon Blanc that is amazing.  We seldom see this producer in LCBO stores in Ontario, but it is a popular winery in BC liquor stores.  The LCBO are beginning to acquire more product from them and I like to think I had a hand in that by continually asking for it...maybe not.

As far as the tasting goes, this wine has a beautiful ruby red colour and a remarkable bouquet with aromas of dark tree fruit, eucalyptus and cedar.  On the nose the oak really comes through.  My first sip hit me with a nice acidity and fruit forward.  After a few moments the wood, once again, made an appearance with tobacco and vanilla flavours ending after a minute with tannins highlighting the tobacco flavour.  As it sits in the glass I am noticing a change in character with a pleasant liquorice flavour.

This is a wonderful wine and one that I think I will be able to store for about 3-4 years to enhance the fruit and mute the tannins.  I know I always advocate trying Ontario wines, but this is one of those wineries that just seems to match my palate and I highly recommend any of their wines, when you can find them.

Shanks for the Memories

I love rich tasting food around this time of year and anything braised on a cool rainy evening helps ease my mourning over the loss of summer.  There is nothing more rich than Ossobuco braised in a tomato based sauce with Marsala and beef stock and served with the traditional Risotto alla Milanese.  So when I was asked to cook this dish I jumped at the opportunity.  This dish is quickly becoming one of my favourites to make as well as to eat.  The sauce was scented with thyme, garlic and mirepoix and thickened with just a little roux. On the side were served Saffron infused Risotto and braised Peas with Mint.  A great meal for the wow factor and surprising little effort to make.

I find that, when there is food being cooked, guests tend to want to be in the kitchen, and since the kitchen actually belonged to one of the guests last night, it really wasn't my place to say anything. But, this is fine when making a Risotto that everyone believes must be stirred constantly.  The truth is, it need only be stirred regularly and you can get on with other chores as it cooks.  But, since everyone is going to be in the kitchen anyway, lack of stirring is not a problem.  In fact, absent minded stirring of Risotto while chatting is a great way to spend the early part of an evening.  Braising anything is also a good way to cook with guests as the food really requires little to no attention and allows a cook to spend time with other chores or simply talking, though I would know little about the latter.

I love Italian cooking for its simplicity and its treatment of ingredients.  It is surprising how few ingredients there are and each dish highlights the main ingredients so well.  What is also amazing is how well Italian mains and sides taste served together.  Last night's plate was an amazing match of tastes and textures.  The creamy rice with the rich, meaty shanks were amazing and the peas and mint added a nice brightness.  It would be a shame to serve a wine that would disrupt this wonderful harmony.

I took my time at the LCBO and sought out the advice of one of the product experts to assist me in choosing the right wine for the meal.  And I am glad I did.  My man Dan pointed me in the direction of a great bottle of Tuscan Le Difese which not only did not disrupt the harmony but actually became the Maestro of this orchestra.  A blend of 70% Cabernet and 30% Sangiovese this wine is just starting to arrive at its ideal time to experience.  The wine was as rich as the meal and elevated the peasantry of the dish to a true gourmet experience.  You know a wine is working well with a meal when comments revolve around the deliciousness of the meal and the wine is not overtaking the event.  The spiciness and berry flavours and the balance of tannins, sugar and acid of this wine showed why these wines are known as Super Tuscans.

If you are eating rich Italian tonight (that didn't sound right) you can not go wrong with Tenuta San Guido Le Difese 2008 LCBO 147876 $28.95.  Thanks Dan.

Eternal Life

There is an interesting post about the effects of a molecule found in red wine that might someday provide a way to prolong life.  Of course, this kind of news will inevitably be used by some to justify over consumption and others will develop useless pills purported to have all the same elements of the molecule being discussed but which will do nothing, conveniently ignoring the challenges the article mentions. When it comes to scientific discoveries about prolonging life I always wonder at the lengths we go to, all of us, to find ways to live forever.  Many skeptics, myself included, mockingly point to the futility of the religious in a quest for eternal life through faith.  Yet many of those same skeptics will also trumpet any scientific discovery that promises some hope of living a longer life.  This quest for eternal life seems to be a strong common human trait.

But, I have had the opportunity to see life from a different point of view.  Being the type of person who never needs much motivation to engage in conversation, my job as a lettercarrier has given me the opportunity to meet fascinating people.  Two that come to mind whenever I read about longevity of life, were an 87 year old female and a 92 year old female.  Both lived alone in houses that they had owned with their spouses.  Both are remarkably active and in good health physically and mentally.  And both, I am willing to bet from conversations with them, would not be willing to take a pill that would extend their life.  In fact, both have stated to me in conversation that they hoped not to live much more than a few more years.  Their reasons were similar: loss of friends, boredom, a feeling of living in a world no longer theirs and just a general feeling of a life accomplished and a need for an ending.  The older of the two is an active member of her church, I suspect more for social reasons than belief, and the younger was once religious but has told me she is "pretty certain now that what is here in this life is pretty much it".

At first I was a little shocked at their casual acceptance of the inevitable but as I have thought about it I realized that I, also, would not want to take that pill.  I would definitely take a pill that would assure the time allotted to me was spent as healthily as possible - the one thing that scares me most in life is aging - but to prolong an existence that is driven toward working towards an end (i.e. end of a book or movie, end of school, end of the work day, end of the work week, end of a working life etc.) seems out of step with a natural order.  A look around nature shows us that death is inevitable and as much a part of the continuity of existence as birth and life and sex and all that living entails.  That is not to say the women or myself are actively seeking death, but accepting mortality does seem to bring a kind of peace of mind.  The best one can really hope for is a life well lived and a quick and easy death.

There are, of course, those elderly who would take the pill to live longer, especially if it included better overall health, and for many I suspect this comes from a feeling of lack of accomplishment or the fear of eternal punishment for a perceived transgression of youth.  But, I think even those people will tire eventually of "the daily grind" of life. Many come to grips with this sooner than others.  I think the idea of eternal life is really a quest for the young who believe that life moves slowly and there is still so much to learn and experience.  People who are just approaching middle age and have not yet had to come to terms with their own mortality and who are satisfied in their occupations or vocations.  To them the idea of eternal life must be a no brainer.

But, if one contemplates the issues of living maybe 150+ years and considers the reproductive rates of humans, the lack of natural predators, the scarcity of land, the diminishing supply of food and fresh drinking water, might one not pause to wonder if prolonged life isn't more about selfishness?  Would it not be society's duty to try to enforce a population control like is the norm in China?  Ask yourself: if you are willing to spend that much time on this planet, would you want to spend that time with everyone already here? And how would you deal with the declining health of the planet without a natural population cull? And who makes the decision on who lives longer and who doesn't?

As the article points out, science has many ways to help us stay healthier longer.  Much of them I snub my nose at and here is my reasoning: life is fleeting.  We have all won a lottery - as Warren Buffet called it, the lottery of the womb - in which, from millions of chances we have arrived. But as events 10 years ago have taught us, it can all be taken away so easily, despite our health.  For those of us living in Canada, I believe we have won the jackpot.  Life here is full of opportunities to experience pleasure, emotion, thrills, nature, tastes and culture.  To deny one's self these opportunities might, in fact, lead to a longer and healthier life, but would it be a happier one?  I don't think so.  I think partaking of life's pleasures requires the same decision making as the taking of various medications, there has to be a balance of the quality of life obtained against the potential side effects. Also, just because one has the ability to live longer through sacrificing does not guarantee against a tragic ending and the denial of those small pleasures left unexperienced till a later date. And, just as with medicine, each individual has to make that decision in terms of what is the best balance for them.  I believe the fullness of a life should be measured in the quality of years rather than the quantity.  I don't think my years have been filled with the quality I might have liked, but I feel at ease with the idea of an end, later rather than sooner at this point in my life.

So, what do you think.  If you read this, do me a favour and post a comment here, not on facebook or other links, and tell me if I am way off or not.  You can post anonymous comments, and simply say if you would want to live forever and why or why not.

The Waiting is the Hardest Part

Well, I did it.  I went and pre-ordered 3 lots of Bordeaux futures for the 2010 vintage.  Now, I just have to remember in 2 years to take possession.  I know I'm all about the Ontario wines, and while I am still a big fan and maintain Ontario wines are the most under rated in the world, I do loves me the Frenchies.  And 2010 has unanimously been touted as one of the historic vintages.  There were several good buys and looking at the returns of last years vintage - not spectacular - I couldn't resist the opportunity.

So, my wines?

I will say that the ordering was a pleasure and the Vintages rep I dealt with was pleasant and efficient.  The whole process was smooth and effortless, the customer service was great and they even sent me an email of my invoice.  Once I finished ordering they even called back to get my air miles number.  I was very impressed!

But now I wait.

Two Blends Mix It Up

This past Saturday some friends and I enjoyed left overs from the cooking over fire meal.  I brought along two Merlot/Cabernet blends to duke it out mano-a-mano.  The contenders were Chateau Patris 2008 from France and, as usual, an Ontario VQA: Mike Weir 2008.  Again, both were under $20.

We enjoyed some mild and strong cheese with pepper jelly and red pepper dip with crackers while tasting prior to the meal. As a group we were torn between the two wines and, as we went back and forth tasting and re-tasting, we kept changing our minds about our favourite.  Here is a new one: Mike Weir Merlot/Cabernet is a great match with Chateau Patris Merlot/Cabernet if you find yourself in need of such a match.  So the verdict was a tie.  The wines were distinctly different both in the nose and on the palate and both wines opened up nicely in the glass and in the open bottle.   The tasters had no trouble guessing the French from the Canadian. 

I really enjoyed this tasting.  It was done with a smaller group and and with fewer wines and this seemed to create more discussion and more thinking about the experience.  I will definitely do this more often, especially when I hear of a fabulous wine from another part of the world and want to see how Ontario's would fare in battle. 

Pinot Noir Tasting

Last evening I hijacked a friends dinner party to conduct a wine tasting for Pinot Noir.  I brought the wine, so I don't think she had too much of  a problem with it.  The purpose for the dinner was because we were all hungry and my friend hates being alone.  Perfect reasons for a dinner party.  The menu consisted of grilled leg of lamb, mashed potatoes, green beans and a heirloom tomato salad.  We also enjoyed bacon wrapped water chestnuts, oysters and various crackers and dips.  The food was excellent.

The setting was even nicer.  This friend's home is situated on a large property backing onto a ravine and graveyard so perfect for entertaining.  We actually spend a lot of time at her house and enjoy the yard almost as much as the mosquitos do.  There is a hot tub, a fire pit and ample seating.  The music is...well...eclectic, especially when the remote is in the hands of the hostess: tastes and volume may change with amounts consumed.

The tasting panel consisted of a group of good friends who spend a lot of time together and enjoy each others company.  Some reports peg the average consumption of wine at 1/2 a bottle per week. HA! Amateurs!  Members of this panel do that before the apps hit the table.  This panel is nothing if not experienced in drinking mass quantities.  Their level of appreciation, on the other hand, varies.  Most were also not overly familiar with wine terminology (not a bad thing) and few drink Pinot Noir on a regular basis. In fact, this group has their favourite, usually affordable, standard wine that they drink with everything without much thought to food pairings.  Basically, average drinkers who consume for the sake of the buzz but want to learn more.

Ok, The Line Up:

A BY ACACIA PINOT NOIR 2009
VINTAGES 118927 | 750 mL bottle

Price: $ 16.95
Wine, Red Wine
13.8% Alcohol/Vol.

Sugar Content : XD

Made in: California, USA
By: Diageo Canada Inc

Release Date: Jan 8, 2011 


WAYNE GRETZKY NO. 99 ESTATE SERIES PINOT NOIR 2007
VINTAGES 129056 | 750 mL bottle

Price: $ 18.95
Wine, Red Wine
12.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Sugar Content : XD
This is a VQA wine

Made in: Ontario, Canada
By: No. 99 Wayne Gretzky Estates

Release Date: Aug 6, 2011 


KIM CRAWFORD PINOT NOIR (V)
VINTAGES 626390 | 750 mL bottle

Price: $ 19.95

Limited Time Offer
Was: $ 19.95
Now: $ 19.95
Save: $ 1.00                  Apparently math is not a core competency at LCBO
Until Sep 11, 2011

Other Limited Time Offers

Wine, Red Wine
13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Sugar Content : D

Made in: Region Not Specified, New Zealand
By: Constellation Wines Nz

Release Date: N/A     

VINCENT MORIN LACOMBE PINOT NOIR BOURGOGNE  VINTAGES 208496 | 750 mL bottle  Price: $ 16.95  Wine, Red Wine 12.5% Alcohol/Vol. Made in: Burgundy, France By: Vdvf Release Date: N/A  All of the wines were under $20 cad and were selected as an affordable example of an entry level Pinot Noir typical to the region.  Pinot Noir is known for its difficulty to get right and is indicative of a winemakers skills.  Pinots should be a well balanced blend of sweetness, acidity and tannins.  They should have hints of dark red tree fruit such as cherrys and plums as well as pepper and tobacco.  Served with the wines were a strong salami and a mix of mushrooms with herbs, ginger, garlic and shallots on bread.  Pinots are an excellent pairing with lean proteins, Asian and moderately spicy food and herbal foods.  Each wine was served in a fresh, clean glass and the tasting was blind. Each panelist was asked to rate the wines in order of favourite to least favourite 1 - 4.  Each wine scored 4 points for each first place vote, 3 for second, 2 for third and 1 point for fourth.  They also left comments on the cards with what they liked and disliked. The consensus choice with 4 of a possible 6 first place votes and a total of 21 of 24 points was the French representative.  Generally the comments were "well balanced" "peppery" "less harsh" The second place wine was Canada's (yeah!).  Receiving 15 of 24 points, 1 first place vote and 3 seconds. Two people, however, rated it least favourite. "Dry" "peppery" "less harsh" were the typical comments. Third was the New Zealand wine which I was told was the LCBO's number one selling Pinot Noir.  The panel did not agree with only one person rating it their favourite and one second place.  This wine scored a total of 14 out of 24 so only slightly lower than the Canadian.  The panel found this wine lighter in colour and body than the others and too unbalanced for their palates. Fourth was the American wine with no first place votes, 1 second place and the most fourth place votes than any other wine.  It scored ten of a possible 24 points.  Tasters found it too heavy on tannins and much too dry.  They struggled finding the fruit in this wine.  (on a personal note: I think this wine would do best with a roast chicken or turkey than the others but is not a casual wine which may explain its rating with this panel) Let me say that this is not intended to suggest that one wine is better than any other (though hard to argue against any good French wine) but is meant to demonstrate the palate diversity of average drinkers and to, perhaps, breakdown some of the snobbery surrounding Ontario wines.  I think the panel would be much more inclined to try a VQA wine.  I think they were surprised and delighted with their choice.  All 4 wines are very good and I would have no problem recommending them.  Remember, a recommendation is not a guarantee of enjoyment.