Clos Pegase Chardonnay

Clos Pegase Chardonnay 2013, Georgia’s Wine Pick

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Clos Pegase Chardonnay

Clos Pegase Chardonnay

This week Susanne and I visited the annual California Wine Fair that took place here in Toronto. Over 150 producers were represented at the Fair. We thought it would be fun to each select our favourites from the show for this week’s wine pick. There was a lot to choose from, we didn’t try everything but we found some lovely wines.

My pick this week is the Clos Pegase Chardonnay 2013, represented here in Toronto through Azureau Wines & Spirits, and available by special order. Not only is it a beautiful wine but there is a beautiful story behind the winery. In fact Susanne and I visited this winery several years ago while in Napa, California.

Close Pegasus Renaissance Fountain

Close Pegasus Renaissance Fountain

 Its a stunning spot with 20,000 square feet of caves dug into the volcanic knoll, a spectacular heritage garden and incredible architecture, in fact  according to House and Garden Magazine, Clos Pegase Napa Valley “has raised two ancient arts – architecture and winemaking- to a height that resonates with echoes of the ages”!  A must see when in Napa!

Its also a beautiful love story. So the story goes that Jan Shrem one day gave his wife Mitsuki a tiffany box and inside was only dirt and soil. She loved him so much she didn’t care what it was he gave her. He told her that he had just bought a vineyard that was 365 acres, and each acre representing everyday of the year that he would show his love for her.

Georgia at the California Wine Fair, Toronto, May 2016 tastes the Clos Pegasus Chardonnay 2013 with Mike Gilroy, SVP Sales & Marketing Vintage Wine Estates.

EPISODE 45

   Listen to my review at 4:09 minutes into the radio show 

This 100% Chardonnay wine is made from grapes located in the cool Carneros region from the Mitsuki Vineyard and is a beautiful balance of opulence and minerality, delicious pineapple and tangerine fruit with some subtle oak… I fell in love from the 1st sip! Available through Azureau Wine & Spirits for $37.95 per bottle. 

On this week’s radio show… Celebrate Sauvignon Blanc Day! Get Sauvignon Blanc savvy with three unique styles from three different continents.

Coming up on today’s show we are going to be celebrating a very special day in the world of wine. Saluting one of our favorite grape varietals, grown in many wine regions around the globe and growing in popularity day by day.

Sauvignon Blanc

How would you describe me, this grape and the wine that I make? Well, you are zesty, fresh and crisp. I smell like citrus, grapefruit, tropical fruit and sometimes gooseberries and even cats pee! But that’s  a good thing!

And you originated in France but as you are planted prolifically in many different regions. You could only be one grape and that is Sauvignon Blanc.

Celebrate #SAUVBLANCDAY

Celebrate #SAUVBLANCDAY

This special day, International Sauvignon Blanc Day, the 7th annual, is celebrated on May 6th, as well as April 24th, as National Sauvignon Blanc Day.

There will be loads of tastings and events going on all honouring this diverse, very expressive, and delicious grape so why not join in!

And we are so on board, 100% ready to celebrate, to educate and introduce you guys to three very distinct Sauvignon Blancs all coming from diverse regions around the world, in fact from 3 different continents, all with their own unique style… France, California and New Zealand.

 

La Crema Winery

La Crema Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2013, Georgia’s Wine Pick

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La Crema Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2013

So my wine pick comes from sunny California, which is where we were around this time last year,in Sonoma County.
Strolling through the LCBO at the latest vintages releases, which I always love to do, like a kid in a candy shop, I came across what was one of our favorite wines and tastings rooms we visited in Healdsburg, and that was La Crema.

So one of the new releases is the La Crema Pinot Noir 2013 Sonoma Coast
I wanted to get that feeling back, so I picked up a bottle and voila! Memories flooded back! This is my kind of Pinot Noir!

It was bright red in colour, seductive aroma with raspberry, cherry and strawberry, fruit balm, lovely and hints of spice, a little earth and touch of well integrated oak. I really enjoyed this Pinot Noir. Thank you to the winemaker, who is Canadian! Elizabeth Grant-Douglas is a Niagara Falls native and translplanted herself into Sonoma County wine country!

Price in our market $31.95 and also half bottle $17.95

Tune in April 14th and listen to my wine review at 3:51 minutes in the show

Remind everyone to check out our visit to the La Crema tasting room in Heidleburg,  One Sip at a time, The Wine Ladies La Crema Winery Episode 2.

On this week’s Audio Podcast… Malbec Madness and #MalbecWorldDay April 17th, 2016

Episode 44

Domaine Lafage Cuvee Centenaire 2014 

Domaine Lafage Cuvee Centenaire 2014, Georgia’s Wine Pick

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Domaine Lafage Cuvee Centenaire 2014 

OMG, I really like this white wine. A departure from the more common varietals, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris. All that I enjoy as well, this wine is a blend of Grenache Blanc, majority about 80% I think it is, and the remaining being Roussanne.

 It comes from southern France, the wine is the Domaine LAFAGE, Centenaire, from the Cotes du Roussillon, as in Longuedoc-Roussillon. I have gone back and bought this wine at least four times now. It sells for $19.95 in our market locally in Ontario and worth every penny.

It is elegant, it is fresh and crisp,  with an inviting aroma of  peach and floral hints and the flavour was full, it was clean, had citrus notes and a grassy hint, refreshing, satisfying, really yummy.

Domaine Lafage Cuvee Centenaire 2014 

Domaine Lafage Cuvee Centenaire 2014

Domaine LAFAGE, Centenaire,

Listen to my review at 3:35 minutes into the show  

Episode 43

On this week’s radio show…Celebrities and their love of wine.

We have a great show for you today, and our topic “Celebrity Wines.”
Whether owning their own wineries or hooking up with an existing winery, famous directors, actors, musicians, around the world are getting involved in this business.
And why not?  Who wouldn’t want to own a winery?  We do! So we’ve got three special guests joining us here today, from celebrity wineries, you know them all, the wines and the celebrities.

Zuccardi Q Tempranillo 2011, Georgia’s Wine Pick.

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Zuccardi Q Tempranillo 2011, Georgia’s Wine Pick. 

Georgia's Wine Pick

Georgia’s Wine Pick

I really liked this wine, I liked it more each time I had it, and shared it with a few of my friends and they really liked it too!

So what was it? Well a Tempranillo, the grape, most associated with Spain, best known as the chief grape of red Rioja, Spain’s most famous wine, but in this case it came from Argentina!

Zuccardi Q Tempranillo 2011 in our Vintages locally, sells for $19.95 

Distributed through Dionynsus Wine & Spirits

It was full bodied, very smooth, juicy with seductive notes of leather, chocolate and slight nuance of tobacco.

Very delicious. The grapes are sourced by the way from select old vines on their Santa Rosa estate in Mendoza, drink now, or if you can wait, lay down for a few years. Really delish!

Listen to my review at 5:22 minutes into this week’s radio show.

On this week’s radio show…Celebrate International Woman’s Day with us!

EPISODE 42

We have a fantastic show for you today all in Celebration of International Women’s Day.  International Women’s Day was officially launched in 1911 and today over 100 years later IWD is celebrated around the world. With 1000’s of events taking place honouring women everywhere for their various achievements.

So we thought we want to be a part of that too. So today we’re going to welcome three fantastic ladies to the show, each bringing something unique and different to the table. First up, from Royalty, yes as in the Royal Heiness Prince William and Prince Harry. You won’t want to miss that! Up next a pioneering, award winning winemaker to a very special brand of wine specifically designed for us ladies!

Georgia’s Wine Pick…Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

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Beringer Knights Vally Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

Georgia's Wine Pick

Georgia’s Wine Pick

So this past week we were celebrating my other sister Barb’s birthday. I was looking for something super special to serve at our family celebration. My sister is extraordinary and so she deserved a wine that is extraordinary made by an extraordinary winemaker, Laurie Hook.

Extraordinary women of wine. Laurie has headed up the wine making team at Beringer for the past 13 years. Beringer is one of the first wineries in Napa Valley, dating back to 1875. My wine pick is the Beringer Knights Vally Cabernet Sauvignon 2011.

Full bodied, seductive nose of ripe blue and black berry, full intense fruit flavor, good acidity and lasting finish… hmm hmm good!

Georgia’s Wine Pick…Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

Georgia’s Wine Pick…Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

 Listen my review at 5:15 minutes into the radio show.

Yes, the Chinese New year is just around the corner, it is celebrated on February 8th…and so we thought it would be fun and really interesting to do a show on the celebration of the holiday and also explore a little about the Chinese culture, cuisine and wine .

EPISODE 41

Pillitteri Estates Winery Icewine the perfect pairing for celebrating!

Yes, the Chinese New Year is just around the corner and is celebrated on February 8th and so we thought it would be fun and really interesting  to do a show on the celebration of the holiday and also explore a little about the Chinese culture, cuisine and wine.

It just so happens that one of the most coveted and prestigious beverages enjoyed on this holiday and other days throughout the year in China happens to be Canadian!

Often referred to as liquid gold, it is our iconic Icewine! Pillitteri Estates Winery is one of the most prestigious and largest producers and exporters of Icewine to China,so naturally we spoke with them all about it.

Meet Mark Beringer, 4th generation winemaker Beringer Vineyards… On this week’s radio show


Prazo de Roriz Tinto 2011, Georgia’s Wine Pick.

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Prazo de Roriz Tinto 2011

Prazo de Roriz Tinto 2011

So we’ve been talking a lot between us about Portugal lately. We are ossibly planning a visit there in the new year. While strolling the aisles of our local LCBO I come upon a new release from Portugal,  the Douro region actually. Exactly where we will be going, so I thought why not give it a try? So I did, and I liked it a lot. It is the Prazo de Roriz Tinto 2011.

Georgia's Wine Pick

Georgia’s Wine Pick

 

This red wine is a blend which includes about 25% I believe it was of the most well known red grapes of Portugal Touring Nacional. It also has  the Tinta Roriz varietal, called Tempranillo in Spain, in it too.The wine has a deep purple red colour, its fresh and vibrant, with rich ripe dark fruit, like black cherry and plum, hint of vanilla, chocolate and spice, mouth filling with a good finish.

Woohoo $19.95… Portugal here we come!!

Listen to my review at 3:58 minutes in the show.

On this week’s radio show… Holiday Season sparkles with bubbly, glorious stemware, a variety of great value vino and luxurious limo.

Episode 40

Thank you for joining us, tis the season to be merry…hohoho .We have a fabulous holiday season show planned for you today, including suggestions that will sparkle with bubbly, pleasure your palate with fabulous vino that won’t break the bank.
Plus we’ll introduce you to a stunning stemware line, new to the market, hand crafted and glorious for gift giving and  “how to travel in style safe and sound this holiday season!

13th Street Gamay Noir 2013, Georgia’s Wine Pick.

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My wine pick today comes from a beautiful winery in Niagara.

Georgia's Wine Pick

Georgia’s Wine Pick

The owners, a blend of two families with roots in grape growing and farming came together to create a winery. A space, an environment that would showcase their common passion of wine, food and art. They have done it here. With exhibits of rotating art hanging in a stunning tasting room and sculptures outside.

On this week’s radio show… Holiday hits! What will be in your glass this season?

EPISODE 19

Listen to my wine review at 3:18 minutes in the show.

13th Street Winery is a specialist in Gamay.

I picked their 13th Street Gamay Noir 2012 for $19.95.
A light, fresh red wine, that delivers great fruit. This one rich, and vibrant with cherry and black fruit, good tannins, good acidity, perfect for our upcoming Sunday afternoon luncheon. I will enjoy with good friend and quite possibly a gourmet pizza!

PLATINUM AWARD from the 2015 WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada

Hand harvesting for each vineyard took place in early October and the grapes were vinified separately.

After crushing and de-stemming the grapes were moved to stainless steel fermenters where the primary fermentation took place over 3 weeks. After pressing, malolactic fermentation was completed in tank and the wines were kept separate until blending in early spring 2014. The final blend was assembled and the wine was bottled in April.

Although this wine is 100% stainless steel fermented and aged, it shows excellent complexity, vibrant and full berry fruit all wrapped around a succulent core of acidity. This is certainly a glass full of luscious red wine that doesn’t need to be hurried into your glass and will be happy cellared for a few years if you so desire.

For more of my wine picks.

 Chief Winemaker & fourth generation family member Chester Osborn.

d’Arenberg The Hermit Crab Viognier Marsanne 2013, Georgia’s Wine Pick.

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d'Arenberg The Hermit Crab Viognier Marsanne 2013

d’Arenberg The Hermit Crab Viognier Marsanne 2013

Georgia's Wine Pick

Georgia’s Wine Pick

I’ve been on a bit of a viognier kick lately, And well what can I say, I am still on it. Only this time its not 100% Viognier but with a blend of 26% Marsanne. Bright, enticing, seductive nose of peach, nectarine and pineapple. I was so in the mood for this wine, I really enjoyed it.This wine has an abundance of peach and nectarine, a hint of a nutty flavour and touch of spice, great texture, body, good acidity, good length… just really really good! And the wine is..d’Arenberg The Hermit Crab Viognier Marsanne 2013.

d’Arenberg The Hermit Crab Viognier Marsanne 2013

McLaren Vale, Viognier (74%) Marsanne (26%)   $19.95

Why the Hermit crab? The story behind the name.

Many of McLaren Vale’s vineyards are on free-draining soils underlain with limestone, formed by the calcareous remains of the local marine fauna. One such creature was the Hermit Crab, a reclusive little crustacean that inhabits the cast-off shells of others. The Osborn family thought the name appropriate for this, McLaren Vale’s first ever blend of Viognier and Marsanne. “Hermit” is also an abbreviation for the French appellation of Hermitage, where the Marsanne grape variety dominates.

Chester Osborne

Chester Osborne

On this week’s audio podcast…Ancient Vines,Historic Wines, Antiques, Beringer Vineyards, Taylor-Fladgate Port plus a great new find, Porta 6.

EPISODE 38

LISTEN TO MY WINE REVIEW OF THE D’ARENBERG THE HERMIT THE CRAB VIOGNER/MARSANNE 2013 AT 4:42 MINUTES IN THE SHOW

Portuguese wine Júlia Florista launches in Ontario, follow up to Porta 6. Easter wines under $9.00!

Kaiken Ultra Malbec 2012

Kaiken Ultra Malbec 2012, Georgia’s Wine Pick.

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Kaiken Ultra Malbec 2012

Kaiken Ultra Malbec 2012

Georgia's Wine Pick

Georgia’s Wine Pick

I really enjoyed this Malbec from Argentina, naturally, the signature grape for this region. It was full bodied, with a really seductive aroma of ripe berries, black cherry, hint of chocolate. Very promising! Delivered big flavours, rich and velvety with a touch of vanilla. Elegant and with a long finish.

Kaiken Ultra Malbec 2012

Kaiken Ultra Malbec 2012

Vintages 50849 in our market $19.95

Kaiken Ultra Malbec 2012

VINTAGES#: 50849

Listen to my wine review at 5:40 minutes into the show!

On this week’s radio show… Bonterra Organic Wines, Celebrity Chef Brad Long,the raw food diet and whats new in climate change.

Last month we had the opportunity to experience a fabulous Organic wine and food pairing dinner last month hosted by Bonterra Organic Vineyards, Evergreen Brick Works and Café Belong. What made this such an extraordinary evening was each of these three’s huge commitment to our environment.
A pure, ethical and sustainable dinner was presented and it so impressed us that we really wanted to share our experience with you and what biodynamic farming has on our environment, it truly is remarkable!

Episode 37 

Cloudline Willamette Valley Pinot Gris 2013

Cloudline Willamette Valley Pinot Gris 2013, Georgia’s Wine Pick.

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My wine comes from one of the Pacific Northwest regions that is Oregon. And we don’t get enough of these wines here, so when I spot one I like to pick it up and give it a try.I also am always on the search for a good Pinot Gris so this was my find. From the Burgundy house of the Drouhin family, this Pinot Gris, which sells for $19.95 was a pleaser to me. It was crisp and dry, aromatic with floral and peach notes with flavours of more peach and some lemony hints. It was perfect for what I was in the mood for, I enjoyed it very much with my famous grilled shrimp and scallops. And it was the Cloudline Willamette Valley Pinot Gris 2013. Price:$19.95

Cloudine Pinot Gris

Cloudine Pinot Gris

Listen to my wine review at 5:38 minutes into the show

On this week’s audio podcast…
It‘s Tequila time with Jose Cuervo!
Plus new delicious chocolate infused spirits and beer in time for the 5th Annual Luxury Chocolate Show.

Episode 36

Today we shift gears away from the grape vine and delve into the illustrious blue agave plant. To the number one selling tequila in the world, Jose Cuervo! Jonny Gray the Brand Ambassador for Jose Cuervo Tequila will fill us in on Jose Cuervo. As well as some of the myths and truisms surrounding Mexico’s signature spirit
The 5th Annual Luxury Chocolate Show is coming up in Toronto November 8th. With everything you can possibly imagine under one roof all having to do with chocolate. What is striking is how big this event has become. A true testament to the growing love and fascination with the beloved coco bean. And NOT only in Toronto. There are many events and festivals that go on now around the world all celebrating the ubiquity of chocolate, and the many ways it is being incorporated into our daily diets.