Having a bowl of world famous Galway Chowder & Viewpointe '05 Cab Merlot at @allensdanforth Both hit the spot
via SimplyTweet
Monday, December 3, 2012
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Albero '10 Tempranillo Barrica. Organic, vegan. Soft, complex, balanced acidity. Spice, cocoa, red fruit, vanilla, very dry. From D.O. Utiel-Requena (Valencia) Spain. Aged 4 months in American oak. Bodegas Irzano is Spain's oldest winery, founded in 1335
via SimplyTweet
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Friday, October 19, 2012
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Excellent review by David Lawrason of a very fine wine: Gianni Gagliardo Barolo 2006. I could not agree more!
Gianni Gagliardo Barolo 2006, Docg "This classic has that lifted fragrant, spicy/cedary, leather, roasted chestnut, marzipan nose that only mature Barolo can bring - especially the lifted part. It’s mid-weight, taut and nebbiolo tense, with loads of mouth puckering tannin. The overall length here is quite impressive. A textbook Barolo from a great vintage. Try one now then stick other bottles sin the cellar for up to five years. Length is excellent.Tasted September 2012 92 Points." D. Lawrason.
La Granja Tempranillo Garnacha 2011, a remarkable value wine with a very pleasant taste. From the Cariñena D.O.
Dark ruby and captivating with full ripe flavours. Notes of red cherry and just a whisper of exotic spice. Sweet tannins and a velvet-smooth finish.
At just $5 in the U.S., I was a bit skeptical, but the label, the great varietals, and the wine region all convinced me I should try it. After tasting it and enjoying it with friends, the verdict is that this is a quality wine. I'll go back for more.
I purchased it at Trader Joe's in Chicago. No sign of it in the LCBO in Ontario yet.
Pair it with white meats, sausages, or wine and cheese.
Monday, September 24, 2012
A nice restaurant, & now they have good wine too! RT @GmaLozano: Ya es oficial en el Sueño de Baco de Madrid ya p...
A nice restaurant, & now they have good wine too! RT @GmaLozano: Ya es oficial en el Sueño de Baco de Madrid ya pueden encontrar nuestros vinos.
via SimplyTweet
Friday, September 21, 2012
With Chris & Ash sharin Left Hook Martini at Martini Bar Burlington. Server Carl gettin married in 2 days. Congrats
via SimplyTweet
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Borsao Tres Picos Garnacha 2010. Burgundy, cherry red. Aromas of ripe red berries with traces of floral. The flavours are ample & structured with notes of blackberries, strawberries, dark chocolate, leather, vanilla and plums. Sweet and pleasant tannins,
via SimplyTweet
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
@jimmybuffett Enjoying life in Margaritaville!
via SimplyTweet
Sunday, September 16, 2012
@vidalblonde You should have come; check out these brother winemakers fr Casa de Vilacetinho Portugal.
via SimplyTweet
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Cool wine labels from Vidigal Wines of Portugal.
via SimplyTweet
Quinta da Alorna Branco (White) 2011. Just the most lovely floral fresh bouquet with notes of pineapple, and deli...
Quinta da Alorna Branco (White) 2011. Just the most lovely floral fresh bouquet with notes of pineapple, and delicate citrus. The wine comes across as approachable and luscious with a good mouth feel to balance the acidity and residual sweetness.
via SimplyTweet
Friday, September 14, 2012
So delicious, so homemade, this is the Italian restaurant to beat in Miami.
I paused a few moments outside to see the servers bring piping hot dishes to their patrons on the outdoors pedestrian street. I could see they all looked fabulous. So I ventured inside. I ordered the Fettuccine Bolognese. Handmade and fresh. Meat sauce to die for.
Owner-sons Tonino and Roberto made sure I was well looked after. Indeed I was. Superb in every way!
Thx! RT @zoltanszabo: @thewinebaron Alentejo, Ribatejo, Colares, Setubal Peninsula etc. plus all the rest, many a...
Thx! RT @zoltanszabo: @thewinebaron Alentejo, Ribatejo, Colares, Setubal Peninsula etc. plus all the rest, many are in "up & coming" status, still...
via SimplyTweet
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
@Hinterbrook Hinterbrook Deeply Red. A nice wine w nice price at $11.95. Open, give it 10 min of air, then enjoy with hamburger or sloppy joes. It'll bring a smile to your face. Avail only fr the winery.
via SimplyTweet
Monday, September 10, 2012
Sipping Foreign Affair Chardonnay '08. Very nice. 10% of the grapes were set aside to dry in the appassimento method, then aged in French oak for 13 months. Notes of peach, melon, vanilla, butterscotch, and a hint of grapefruit, with balanced acidity and
via SimplyTweet
Friday, September 7, 2012
I'm sure you can hold it! Me, on the other hand ... RT @RhondaLawrie: @thewinebaron Mmm...looks delish....think ...
I'm sure you can hold it! Me, on the other hand ... RT @RhondaLawrie: @thewinebaron Mmm...looks delish....think I gained a pound just looking at it! Enjoy!
via SimplyTweet
Sarah @warahsallace does a fab job lookin after us at @turtlejacks service with a caring smile!
via SimplyTweet
Obsessing over mountainous brownie, vanilla ice cream, whipped cream & 8 oz of Skor bits... How u say "mamma mia?"
via SimplyTweet
Pineapple Smash Martini at Turtle Jack's, Appleby Burlington. Nice colour & flavour! Waiting on ribs!
via SimplyTweet
Turtle Jack's fab rib combo, nachos with guacamole (made in-house fresh daily) & bruschetta. Fresh local. It's nice here on the patio on a Friday afternoon.
via SimplyTweet
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
@zoltanszabo Check out this note ☛ RT @vidalblonde: Domaine De Marcoux Chateauneuf Du Pape 1992 Tastes like a wal...
@zoltanszabo Check out this note ☛ RT @vidalblonde: Domaine De Marcoux Chateauneuf Du Pape 1992 Tastes like a walnut room of cigar smoking Swedish men ogling mermaids on rocks off French Coast
via SimplyTweet
This's the lovely wine we r enjoying while wait 4 the CNDP wine to open up... Celebrating my BD in style ♦♦♦♦ day
via SimplyTweet
Just decanted this '92 chateauneufdupape. How long shall I let it breathe, in your opinion, folks?
via SimplyTweet
Monday, August 20, 2012
Enjoying his fabulous white wine blend with winemaker Andrzej Lipinski. Apasimento technique on 4 luscious varietals.
via SimplyTweet
Friday, August 17, 2012
Bliss Merlot 2009, Mendocino. Dark ruby red, with a bouquet of blackberries, vanilla, dark chocolate & hint of du...
Bliss Merlot 2009, Mendocino. Dark ruby red, with a bouquet of blackberries, vanilla, dark chocolate & hint of dusty earth. These notes follow through in flavour with additional impressions of black cherries and toasty spice. The firm tannins soften with the lingering finish. This is an excellent wine that will delight the "Big California Merlot" enthusiast.
via SimplyTweet
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Rosewood Estates Winery & Meadery is all about fun, happy times, wine and a lot of buzz!
Rosewood is just a cool place. Just 1 hour from downtown Toronto, you can come here to meet the bees, taste the wines and meads, have a light lunch on the patio or in the gazebo at the pond, and get away to another world.
The bees are presided over by such sweet people as "Queen Bee," "Social Bee," and others in the hive. And of course, you can see their busy winged cousins in action too. They provide a lot of the buzz. Of course!
With pleasure, I'll cover the meads another time. But let me spend a few moments on the wines for now. After a prior visit to enjoy the hospitality, beverages and light lunch in this vibrant yet peaceful place, now I'm back to taste the wines more seriously. Thanks to Krystina and Gabi for their assistance.
Selected Wines of Rosewood Estates Winery
"As I taste the wines, I notice a common theme. They all come across clean." --- The Wine Baron.
- Semillon 2010 ($18) SC:1
Crisp, clean silver; bouquet & flavours of white peach, ripe yellow plum, and lemongrass. Long finish with a hint of spice. Very nice!
- Riesling Reserve 2008 ($20) SC:1
Crystal bright with a slight mineral nose with aromas and flavours of granny smith apple, citrus, and flint. The finish is refreshing, crisp and ultra-fresh. A lovely Riesling.
- Mima's Block Riesling ($18) SC:1
From their estate in Jordan, this single-vineyard wine is enticingly distinctive. Floral tree fruit nuances with a touch of lime lead to a slight hint of grapefruit.
- Natalie's Süssreserve Riesling ($15) SC:2
Minerality, peach, peach stone, wildflowers, and ripe sweet lemon in perfect balance. In the German tradition, this wine has a portion of unfermented grape juice added in to help create a unique masterpiece. Excellent.
- Chardonnay Reserve 2010 ($28)
Fermented naturally. Rich gold colour. Caramel, vanilla, and butter within a balanced frame of floral notes, nutmeg, pineapple and just a hint of toast. Long finish. Excellent.
- Pinot Noir Reserve ($40) Note: they have a nice $20 Pinot as well...
Pleasant French-inspired earthy notes with berry medley and strawberries. It pairs perfectly with wild mushroom tart. Try it!
- Merlot 2010 ($22)
A very well-crafted merlot with Bordeaux-like earthy notes (don't you just love that in French wines? Well some of the best Ontario reds sometimes have it too). Flavours of blackberry, sweet cherry, cocoa and a warm hint of vanilla. Winner of the Gold Medal at the 2012 Decanter World Wine Awards, London. A seriously prestigious award.
About the Upcoming Event:
On Sunday August 19th (4 - 8 PM) stroll, sip and savour food and wine pairings created by four all-star chefs from around Ontario.
This unique feasting winemaker’s dinner will showcase 8 award winning and new wines with dishes specially prepared by Top Chef Canada Season 2 Winner - Chef Carl Heinrich of Richmond Station, Chef Nick Benninger of Nick & Nat’s Uptown 21, Ortolan's creative talents, and Chef Luis Valenzuela of Torito Tapas Bar. The chefs have handpicked their favourite wines and are excited to showcase their dishes with this all-star lineup.
Order tickets online: http://allstarsinthevineyard.eventbrite.com/
Order by phone: 905.563.4383 / 1.866.663.3248
Order by email: connect@rosewoodwine.com
Sunday, August 12, 2012
2010 Michel Gassier Nostre Pais Costieres de Nimes Blanc - drinkable sweetheart.
2010 Michel Gassier Nostre Pais Costieres de Nimes Blanc. Drinkable sweetheart.
Pale yellow with a light green tint, indicating purity and freshness. The floral nose also has a hint of citrus and tropical fruit with minerality. These follow through in flavour, with fresh floral notes, juicy peach, a slight bit of grapefruit and minerals. Stylistically light but complex and well made.
90% Grenach blanc, 5% Roussanne, 5% Viognier. Grown in a terroir of pebbles and clay. Old vines. Manual harvest. 50% fermented in barrels and aged on lees during the 6 months in wood. Unfiltered.
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Callejo Riserva Ribera Del Duero 2006. Rich looking & tasting blockbuster wine. Deep dark violet red, w aromas &...
Callejo Riserva Ribera Del Duero 2006. Rich looking & tasting blockbuster wine. Deep dark violet red, w aromas & flavours of plums, blackberries, dark chocolate and enticing slight nuance of campfire charcoal. It further reveals its aristocratic yet approachable character in its complexity, integration and balance. A truly wonderful wine.We visited this winery recently... Here is our account of it: http://www.wineandleisure.com/callejo/
via SimplyTweet
Thursday, August 2, 2012
A summer evening of five wines of Italy and Chile. We are enticed and charmed!
A summer evening of five wines of Italy and Chile. We are enticed and charmed!
The WineAndLeisure.com tasting panel was joined today by wildlife artist Chris Bacon (www.chrisbacon.com) as guest panelist. We set about to do an unrushed quality tasting of 3 Italian wines and two Chileans in one sitting. Following were our impressions on this warm and beautiful summer night on the patio.
Montressor Valpolicella Classico DOC 2010, (Italy) $12.99
Classically light in colour and body, this is a charmer. Cracked pepper notes with minerality, black cherry, and dusty dryness in a warm and inviting package. This complex and enjoyable wine has a long finish. Will pair well with roast beef and a wide variety of fare.
Montressor Valpolicella Ripasso 2009 DOC (Italy) 19.99
Light to medium in colour and body, it presents significant notes of spices and ripe fruit, with cedar chest and firm dry tannins. It is fragrant, flavourful and exotic. Pair it with beef stew and root vegetables or salmon pepper steak.
Cantine Ippolito Liber Pater Ciro Rosso Classico Superiore 2009 (Italy) 16.99
From Calabria. Galglioppo grape variety. This wine enticed us to be its soul-mate. And it won! A port-like nose started the process of friendship as it continued to win us with its medium-dark colour and juicy character. Hints of floral give way to black tea, wildberries and toasty spice. According to Chris, "the flavours dance in your mouth." Thoroughly satisfying, dry finish.
Valdivieso Malbec, Old Vines, Single Vineyard 2008 (Chile) 22.99
An inky dark big wine with savoury notes of black currants, red pepper, blackberries, plums and dark chocolate in a dry yet sweet fruity, juicy package. Very firm tannins.
Valdivieso Syrah Reserve 2009 (Chile) 17.99
Deep dark red. Complex and incredible. As we delved into it, we starting listing so many aromas and flavours we called this wine "crazy." In a very good way! It exudes a big bouquet of ripe red fruit, ripe strawberries, a myriad of herbs and spices, particularly rosemary, cardamom and eucalyptus. A very aromatic and beautiful big wine.
There was also one wine we wanted to taste again, but it's still on its way here. Following are my previous tasting notes of the VB Vizana Tempranillo:
Vizana Tempranillo Crianza 2008: Ribera del Guadiano (Spain) 15.99
A blockbuster affordable tempranillo crianza with minerality, spice, liqueur cherries, blackberries, currants, liquorice and a hint of dark cocoa. Firm tannins, full body, long finish. Big and powerful. It matches perfectly with New York Sirloin.
If you are a licensee establishment or a private buyer, you may contact us here to acquire any of these wines. paul (at) wineandleisure.com
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Almradler: 40% beer & 60% herbal Alps lemonade by Almdudler. 2% alc. Beautiful beverage. Facebook.comalmradler
via SimplyTweet
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
@Fraticellis Richmond Hill, authentic Italian grill. Great experience in food, service and wines!
We're at Fraticelli's Italian Grill & Lounge, Richmond Hill. An authentic Italian restaurant that serves up a great experience. The editors and I wanted a change of pace from the ordinary. We wanted a place that could give us an exceptional experience in food, service, ambience, and wine. As the rest of this record of our visit will attest, we are getting it at Fraticelli's.
You can cycle thru the PHOTOS or click any one photo TO ENLARGE
PHOTOS: 1. Wine Cellar, 2, 3. Dining area, 4. Kitchen, 5. Exterior, 6. Patio, 7. Piano lounge, 8. Grilled Calamari, 9 - 11. Our pizzas and pasta.
The restaurant is housed in an attractive building in Richmond Hill, near Buttonville airport. The patio looks inviting - we'll have to do that next time. This time we eye the little lounge by the grand piano. It's tucked in the expansive bar area, replete with all the comforts and flat HD TVs. We look at the dinner menu for future reference. Very nice. But this is mid day, so we order from the lunch menu. Not an item here that each of us won't want to try in future visits...
From the grilled calamari to the two pizzas, to the authentic pasta, they are all delicious, fresh and authentic. Home-cooked meets cutting-edge. The service is also excellent. Our server loves it here and it clearly shows.
We enjoy several local Ontario wines (OK, it is now late afternoon). Excellent. There's rumour that they are considering expanding their selection of local wines and beers. Some exclusive. Sounds great.
CONCLUSION
This is a class act. We feel good being here. It's kind of fancy and comfortable at the same time. It truly reflects Italian fare and flair. The prices are reasonable. We're not easy to please. But Fratacelli's does it with ease. "Hey girls, when do we come back?"
Fraticelli's is part of Tortoise Restaurant Group, whose well-known establishments include Turtle Jack's and Local Eatery.
TWB
Fraticelli's Italian Grill & Lounge
10 Vogell Road,
Richmond Hill, ON
L4B 3K4
905-883-6841
info@fraticellis.ca
Twitter: @fraticellis
Friday, July 20, 2012
Visiting Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum ...
Excellent static displays and a flying Lancaster Bomber.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Foreign Affair Riesling '09. World class. Bursting w fruitwine-like freshness: dried apricot, petroleum, yellow plums. Appassimento style.
via SimplyTweet
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)