The Imbiber's Report

Our Bi-Weekly Newsletter with Product Reviews and Much More!

Licensee Edition

JANUARY 23, 2010

APPROXIMATE LICENSEE PRICES ARE SHOWN. REMEMBER TO ADD GST

ROBBIE BURNS NICHT

We travelled to deepest, darkest Middlesex County this past weekend to participate in the London Wine and Food Show.  The well attended affair highlighted numerous local wineries and food purveyors along with a number of wine agencies and a couple of breweries for good measure.  We were very happy with the turnout and with the overall enthusiasm of the attendees.  After sampling some of the on-site purveyors of food, we are pleased to report that Patriarche Bourgogne Pinot Noir still goes quite nicely with duck confit, Pol Roger Champagne continues to be remarkable with scallops and that d’Arry’s Original Shiraz Grenache plays well with roo burgers. 

In this edition of the Imbiber’s Report, we will tell you about two very complementary d’Arenberg wines which are being released this weekend through Vintages, and while not part of the Churchill Cellars’ portfolio, there a few very good scotch whiskies worth checking out just in time for Robbie Burns Day.  We have some thoughts on cheese as well and a reminder that it’s feast time again.

This weekend will no doubt see a few glasses of whisky raised to the Bard over the “Great chieftain o' the pudding-race!”  Lest you think Canada has little to do with Scotland, I would encourage you to pick up a copy of Scotland’s Child (Great Scots! How the Scots Created Canada) in which Mathew Shaw chronicles the great contributions that Scots-Canadians made in building Canada - Scotland’s ‘unofficial’ colony.

“Ye Pow'rs wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o' fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinkin ware
That jaups in luggies;
But, if ye wish her gratefu' prayer,
Gie her a haggis!”
- Robbie Burns

VINTAGES RELEASE JANUARY 23, 2010

d’Arenberg
The Hermit Crab
Viognier Marsanne 2008
McLaren Vale, Australia
#662775  $15.15

We are always surprised by this wine’s chutzpah.  Exotic and zesty, this Viognier Marsanne blend packs a good punch.  A beguiling mix of dry tropical fruit, peach, tangerine, honey and minerals all mingle effortlessly on the nose.  The palate is fruit driven with good acidity and more peach fruit, floral notes and spice on the palate.  The Hermit Crab is ‘fun’ to drink; it will keep you on your toes by developing and changing in the glass.  Looking for the perfect wine to drink and serve during the Chinese New Year’s celebration later this month?  The Hermit Crab is delicious with all sorts of fish and seafood dishes and anything that has a little spice to it.  Furthermore, many Chinese believe that the crab is a symbol of good luck and virility.

d’Arenberg
The Footbolt
Shiraz 2006
McLaren Vale, Australia
#984021  $19.42

90 Points – Robert Parker

The Footbolt is thusly named in homage to Joseph Osborn’s prize racehorse, whose earnings and eventual sale helped to pay for d’Arenberg’s first vineyards.

Here’s another example of d’Arenberg’s ability to coax deep and complex aromas and flavours from the humble grape.  This rustic Shiraz shows dark fruit, spice, smoke and bit of game on the nose.  The Footbolt is generous on the palate with layers of dark berry fruit, cherry, mocha, plums and an orgy of spices.  Very well balanced and smooth, this zesty Shiraz lingers with toasty oak and white pepper on the finish.  This versatile wine will match everything from barbecue pork ribs to robust ratatouille.  Tomato-based dishes would also work well.

The Footbolt gets my vote for January’s Aprés-ski Wine of the Month.  All it needs is a friend or two, a fireplace and a cheese board.

CLASSICS COLLECTION FEBRUARY 2010

Podere La Vigna
Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2004
154377  $65

95 Points – Wine Spectator – James Suckling
“Sweet blackberry and cherry aromas, with a hint of vanilla. Full-bodied, with a solid core of fruit and chewy tannins. There’s a lot underneath this wine. Huge density. Wonderful balance. Best wine ever from this small and serious producer. Best after 2012”.

For information on how to order wines through the Classics Collection visit:

www.vintages.com/classics/cc_main.shtml

Please note that the deadline for ordering by email, fax and mail is Tuesday, February 9 and that telephone ordering will begin Friday, February 19th.

ACCOLADES

Tony Aspler 680News wine review
January 15–17, 2010

Peninsula Ridge Merlot 2008
“Here's an easy drinking Ontario Merlot at an affordable price. Peninsula Ridge Merlot 2008 on the LCBO shelves at $14.75 a bottle. The wine is light ruby in colour with aromas of plum and blueberry with a spicy note on the nose. It's medium-bodied with sweet fruit and an engaging floral note. The tannins that give the wine structure are ripe and supple. It's a wine for meat loaf or hamburgers. That's Peninsula Ridge Merlot 2008 from Ontario”. ($14.75, LCBO #61101)

Tony Aspler 680News wine review
January 1-3, 2010

Peninsula Ridge Inox Chardonnay 2008
“Here's a bargain-priced unoaked Chardonnay from Ontario. The French for stainless steel is "Inox" and that's what Peninsula Ridge calls its unoaked Chardonnay. The 2008 Inox Chardonnay is straw coloured with a nose of minerals and apples; it's medium-bodied and round on the palate with dry, apple and pineapple flavours and a warm alcoholic finish. It costs $12.75 a bottle. Try it with a white fish like tilapia or Caesar salad. That's Peninsula Ridge Inox Chardonnay 2008 from Ontario”. ($12.75, LCBO #594200)

EVENTS

St. Amand’s Feast Day –
Saturday, February 6th 2010

Many of our Imbiber’s Report subscribers are in the hospitality business where they help to sell wine and beer.  Some Imbibers work for the LCBO, wine agencies, wine trade associations or wineries.  Do you know what we all have in common?  We all have our very own patron saint.  That’s right; Saint Amand is the patron saint of all who produce beer: brewers, innkeepers and bartenders. He is also the patron of vine growers, vintners and wine merchants.  Here’s a little more about his life and why he is the patron saint of the wine trade.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Amand

We’ve been tracking his feast day for the past few years and it always seems to fall on a weekday, which really hasn’t lent itself to throwing a proper feast.  In 2010 Saint Amand’s Feast Day falls on Saturday, February 6th.  Saturdays are great days for feast-hosting; you have all day Saturday to prepare and all of Sunday to clean up.

If you are in the industry (or know someone who is), here is a great way to help with the February Blahs and you’ve got two weeks to plan and prepare!  This is an opportunity to open up some of the good stuff.  Invite friends to bring a cellar-treasure and feast away.

ON FOOD AND WINE

If the 00’s were good for one thing it was the decade that gave rise to many new small Canadian cheese producers.  As the 80’s gave us the micro brewery, the 00’s gave us the artisan cheese company. Choosing a Canadian cheese is no longer simply a matter of Cheddar or Oka.  With new cheese makers exploding onto the scene in Quebec and Ontario, we now have a plethora of sheep, goat and cow’s cheese to choose from.

Our travel plans to Niagara, Prince Edward County or the Eastern Townships now include visits to cheese producers, where we are able to sample and purchase a wide selection of wares.  Here are a few suggestions for our Aprés-ski cheese board (fireplace not included).  You’ll want to have a glass of white (INOX Chardonnay would be a great choice) as well as The Footbolt on hand.

1. La Maison Alexis de Portneuf’s Cendrillon, a surface-ripened soft goat cheese, was voted Best Cheese in the World at the World Cheese Awards beating out 2,440 other cheeses.  La Maison Alexis were at the Gourmet Food and Wine show this year (directly behind our booth) and we got a chance to taste their entire line up including the Cendrillon. Tasting note: light and tart with a nice bite.

2. Chèvre Noire is made by Fromagerie Tournevent in Chesterville, Quebec. It is firm pasteurized goat's milk cheese made in the same method as Cheddar and then coated in black wax. Tasting note: fresh and sharp with a wonderful medium hard texture.

3. Tomme des Demoiselles is a pressed storage cheese that is aged for more than 6 months. It is made from raw whole milk supplied from a single herd of Canadian cows. Their feed comes entirely from the Magdalen Islands region. Tasting note: medium bodied and nutty with semi-soft texture.

4. The Wishing Tree from Fifth Town Artisan Cheese Company, located at the south east corner of Prince Edward County.  This terroir-driven hard sheep’s milk cheese was a First Place Winner at The COCA British Empire Cheese Competition this year. Tasting note: dense and nutty with a salty note.

5. Bleu Bénédictin is made by the monks at the Benedictine Abbey of Saint-Benoît-du-Lac, Quebec.  This deeply-veined blue cheese is made from cow’s milk and is reminiscent of Roquefort.  Tasting note: creamy and rich with mushroom and salty flavours.
Remember to let these cheeses come to room temperature before enjoying them.  Have separate knives for each cheese and keep accompaniments to the basics.  If you need crackers, choose something like a neutral tasting water biscuit.  

 

LCBO PROMOTIONS

The following promotions are available now to January 31st at the LCBO:

SAVE $0.85 off Wente Southern Hills Cabernet Sauvignon (301507)

SAVE $0.85 off Peninsula Ridge Merlot VQA (61101)

Download PDF of our most recent Licensee Price List