Tag Archives: red

15/08/2012
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Blush, Food Pairings, Red, Sparkling, Tastings, White

Summer Wines


The sunshine is finally out in Vancouver and with it comes some great opportunities to drink. Wine is welcome at summertime BBQ’s, brunches, and on the patio for happy hour so it got me to thinking about which wines pair well with this hot, hot heat.

White Wine

Let’s start with a light, crisp wine. I recommend a nice Pinot Gris for a refreshing afternoon sip. Let’s not forget that white wine is served chilled, so it offers the benefits of cooling you down and also satisfying your taste buds. A great wine to have over lunch with poultry or fish, this can also be enjoyed with fresh fruit and veggies.

Next on my list to try: Gray Monk Pinot Gris

Sparkling Wine

If there’s one thing I love, it’s brunch. I’ll admit I’m a foodie when it comes to every meal, but there’s something about brunch that makes my heart sing. My favourite thing to have with eggs benny or an omelette? A mimosa. And in the summer? Score. Although mixed together, the champagne is a great compliment to the orange juice and creates a sparkly, heavenly drink. The type of champagne you use matters too! I would love to say I’ve tried a mimosa with Dom Perignon, but alas, I haven’t. I guess I’ll just have to stick with the under $20 varietals. Not so crazy on mixing your champagne with juice? Try enjoying a glass with a few strawberries thrown in. It tastes great and looks pretty too!

Next on my list to try: Baby Canadian Champagne

Rosé

Rosé is the type of wine that I drink most infrequently, which is a shame because it really is delicious and delightful. This would be a great hostessing gift to bring to a summer get together and can be easily paired with dishes ranging from appies to entrées. It’s not too light or too heavy and puts a smile on everyone’s faces because it’s pink! Ok, well, it at least puts a smile on my face because it’s pink.

Next on my list to try: Sawmill Creek White Zinfandel 

Red

I used to think that I would shy away from red wines in the summer. I would hear words like “full-bodied” and “heavy” and they would make me think about the exact opposite of summer, so…winter. Truth is, there are a lot of great reds out there that can definitely hold their own at this time of year. Just think about all the barbecued steaks and hamburgers that are so often-enjoyed right now and how good a nice glass of red would pair with them .

Next on my list to try: Fetish the Watcher Shiraz

Hope you get to try some of these and please suggest some others for me to try! Happy summer!

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17/06/2012
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Personal

A Poll

Just a quick question cause I’m curious and want to try a poll!

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13/06/2012
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Food Pairings, Personal, Red, Tastings

Più Vino Per Piacere

I went to a little place called Cioppino’s in Yaletown last weekend. Ever heard of it? If not, go. NOW. Although, I don’t know how you haven’t heard of it because it’s continually voted Vancouver’s Best Upscale Italian by Vancouver Magazine and is a mecca for foodies on the hunt for the perfect Italian our little city has to offer.

And it does not disappoint! Me and the boyfriend went with his sister and her husband for dinner and I was blown away. Not only was the food amazing, the service was impeccable (I felt like everyone knew who we were), and the wine list came in its own binder! That wasn’t a typo…binder. The website boasts that their wine list is currently 62 pages long, so that will give you an idea as to how detailed they are, yet also inform you how frustrating it is to pick a wine while dining! Good thing it wasn’t my job – I think I would have gone cross-eyed on the first page.

So, we settled on a beautiful red wine, and here’s where my wine blogger mind goes to mush…I didn’t write down any info or take a photo :( I know…I should be ashamed, but I was enjoying myself too much and eating all of the delicious food without paying attention. I was thinking I would look it up online later, but they don’t post the wine list because it’s too long! Go figure. The only info I was able to take away was that it was a Valpolicella wine. And it was heaven.

Between the four of us, we had two bottles. It was great by itself and transitioned nicely between all of our dishes (appetizers, entrées, and dessert)! I remember it being a medium-bodied red with hints of cherry and a bit of spice. The colour was stunning, as well.

It was a night to remember and one I would like to replicate soon, if it wasn’t for the price tag. Be warned that this is a high end restaurant…one that is reserved for special occasions and celebrations and not one that can be frequented every weekend unless you’ve got the moola. Every dish was memorable and to prove it to you I’ll just say this: I still dream about Cioppino’s every night. 

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26/04/2012
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Products, Tastings

Size Matters

Before moving into my apartment last summer, I was on a hunt for wine glasses. They seriously come in all shapes and sizes. I didn’t really think it mattered (as long as I was drinking, who cared what the glass looked like), but it turns out that when it comes to these glasses, like everything else wine, IT MATTERS. 

The anatomy of each wine glass is similar. There’s a base, a stem, and a bowl. The base is the easy one and does the hard work: it keeps the glass from falling over! The stem is pretty important because it prevents the heat from your hands from transferring to the bowl and altering the temperature of the wine. And then the bowl…this is where the differences occur: there are pretty much 4 basic shapes…

1. RED WINE GLASS: This glass has a large bowl and big mouth opening. The full shape allows air to get into the wine when you’re swirling it and tasting it, and also lets you stick your nose down deep inside so that you can get a big whiff of it when smelling the bouquet.

2. WHITE WINE GLASS: The shape of this glass is much narrower than a red wine glass and has more of a “U” shape. As noted in a previous post, white wine is served colder than red, and this glass keeps the temperature cooler by containing the wine in a smaller area.

3. SPARKLING WINE GLASS: These are the dainty, pretty ones! They have a very narrow, long shape so that the carbonation is contained within the flute.

4. DESSERT WINE GLASS: Dessert wines have a higher alcohol content than most other wines, so you need to drink them in smaller quantities (well, you don’t need to, but you should). Hence, the dessert wine glass is smaller than other wine glasses.

Be sure to pick the right one when serving to guests, because the taste and temperature can alter greatly if served in the wrong glass.

On a side note, stemless wine glasses have become popularized recently by companies like Reidel. I, personally, use these in my home and appreciate their casualness and quirkiness. I’ve learned my lesson though, because my wine’s temperature is altered relatively quickly while holding the bowl directly. 

Happy drinking!

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06/04/2012
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How-To

A Nice Temperature

Wine is all about the presentation. It makes a big difference depending on what glass you use, what food you’re pairing with and at what temperature your wine is served, among other things.

The temperature makes more of a difference than I knew to admit. In my mind, it’s white wine equals cold and red wine equals room temperature. But, like all things wine, it’s not that simple. Here’s a good reminder for all of us “don’t-quite-know-it-alls”:

  • Sparkling Wines: 6-11˚ C (42-52˚)
  • White Wines: 7-10˚ C (45-50˚F)
  • Blush Wines: 7-13˚ C (45-55˚F)
  • Red Wines: 10-18˚ C (50-65˚F)

So, it looks like I was on the right track when I said that white wines should be served colder than reds, but it can be frustrating figuring out when you’ve reached the correct temperature. Once you’ve found it, though, you’ve opened that wine up to the best it can possibly be and where the optimal flavours and aromas are highlighted.

Apparently a wine fridge is the way to go, but who the heck has one of those? (*cough* my parents *cough* ;) ) You can just use your regular refrigerator by remembering that a bottle of wine typically cools 2˚C (4˚F) every 10 minutes that it’s in there, and opposite for when you take it out. And enjoy!

Note: I found this great device for testing the temperature of your wine. Check it out on Amazon.

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