To cork or not to cork.. New Zealand knows!

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Dear Wine Ladies, Why is it that most of the wines from New Zealand all seem to have screw caps, whether white or red? Do the red wines not need the cork closure so they can breathe and age properly? David Houston, Texas Dear David, Indeed, New Zealand is the number one market for screw cap closure with 98% of their wines, as you mentioned red or white being the closure of choice. We recently spoke with visiting winemaker, viticulturist and General Manager of Winegrowers of Ara (viticultural zone in Marlborough) Dr. Damian Martin, and posed a similar question. What were the driving forces behind New Zealand becoming the leader in cork closure for their wines. The Dr, he has a Doctorate in Oenology and Viticultural Science from the University of Bordeaux, had this to say “ with New Zealand, being so distant and furthest away from Portugal, the world’s foremost producer of cork, we tended to receive the lower quality corks. Freshness of cork was also an issue for us”. Mr. Martin went on to explain that the high incidence of TCA (trichloroanisole) the compound responsible for cork taint was also a driving factor toward the industry move to screw cap. Wines affected by cork taint are often described as having an off-putting, moldy wet cardboard character. As to whether New Zealand reds might require the cork closure for proper development and long term aging, Mr. Martin explained that the style of New Zealand wines are very much about the “trueness and brightness” of the fruit, which screw cap closures are best suited to. With Pinot Noir being New Zealand’s signature red, inherent in the grape variety and in the style of the wines, long term aging is not one of the winemaker’s objectives. This, in contrast of course to the big Napa Valley Cabernets or Bordeaux blends.

The 30th Annual Genie Awards Broadcast May 9th.The Wine Ladies red carpet experience rocks!

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Be sure to watch the re broadcast of the 30th Annual Genie Awards by Astral Media on TMN’s MFEST (9:00pm ET) and by Corus Entertainment on Movie Central (9:00pm PT May 9th, 2010). A total of 21 awards were presented at the Awards Gala held in Toronto, April 12th, 2010 as well as the Academy Special Achievement Award (Mel Hoppenheim), the Claude Jutra Award (Xavier Dolan), and the Golden Reel Award (De père en flic / Father and Guns). April 12th, 2010: There we were waiting in anticipation with camera crews from Entertainment Tonight, E!, photographers and others for The Genie Award red carpet celebration to begin. Having received media accreditation from The Academy just a few days earlier we were thrilled to have such an amazing opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the nominees and top talent Canada has to offer in Canadian Cinema & Television. Although having interviewed many of the film stars at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival last September for our inaugural “Talking Wine With The Stars” interview series,( including Charles Officer- 10 Genie nominations for Nurse.Fighter.Boy) this was a new gig… not sitting in a studio talking one on one with the star, but the red carpet….The Genie Awards! http://www.genieawards.ca/genie30/main.cfm Now the red carpet is a very competitive place. Everyone wants to talk to the nominees, get the best shot and the best interview. The handlers, publicists and agents keep the flow of stars moving, stopping to pose for a moment, smile and if you are really lucky a plum interview with a nominee can be yours. You might ask yourself, “Now what do The Wine Ladies have to do with The Genie Awards”? Well, 1st of all, everyone loves wine and where there is film, there is always seems to be an association with it in some form or another, whether it’s to enhance a romantic scene, make a memorable moment with a place or time, or for celebration, it’s always there. Well, one would think that being a nominee and winning a Genie Award would be definitely a cause for celebration, so we asked the stars, “What will you be celebrating with this evening?” And as diverse as the films were for nomination so were the star’s answers. (Polytechnique (produced by Maxime Rémillard and Don Carmody) garnered nine awards, including Best Motion Picture, Achievement in Direction (Denis Villeneuve), Original Screenplay (Jacques Davidts), and Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role (Karine Vanasse). Other award winners include Joshua Jackson for Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (One Week), and Kari Skogland for Adapted Screenplay (Fifty Dead Men Walking) From iconic Canadian actor and three-time Genie Award-winner Gordon Pinsent who revealed to enjoying an oaky California Chardonnay to Carinne Leduc (Best Performance in a Leading Role Nominee -3 saisons) who loves her full body Cabernet Sauvignon we spoke to many about wine, fashion and their films. As in recent years the Canadian wine industry has come into its own and considered a world player so is our Canadian Cinema and Television industry. Congratulations to one and all! 30th Annual Genie Award Winners BEST MOTION PICTURE / MEILLEUR FILM POLYTECHNIQUE – Maxime Rémillard, Don Carmody ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION/PRODUCTION DESIGN / MEILLEURE DIRECTION ARTISTIQUE EVE STEWART – Fifty Dead Men Walking ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN / MEILLEURS COSTUMES ATUAT AKITTIRQ – Before Tomorrow ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY / MEILLEURES IMAGES PIERRE GILL – Polytechnique ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTION / MEILLEURE RÉALISATION DENIS VILLENEUVE – Polytechnique ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING / MEILLEUR MONTAGE RICHARD COMEAU – Polytechnique ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKE-UP / MEILLEURS MAQUILLAGES DJINA CARON, ANDRÉ DUVAL – Grande ourse: La clé des possibles / The Master Key ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC – ORIGINAL SCORE / MEILLEURE MUSIQUE ORIGINALE NORMAND CORBEIL – Grande ourse: La clé des possibles / The Master Key ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC – ORIGINAL SONG / MEILLEURE CHANSON ORIGINALE JOHN WELSMAN, CHERIE CAMP – NURSE.FIGHTER.BOY – “Oh Love” PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE / INTERPRÉTATION MASCULINE DANS UN PREMIER RÔLE JOSHUA JACKSON – One Week PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE / INTERPRÉTATION MASCULINE DANS UN RÔLE DE SOUTIEN MAXIM GAUDETTE – Polytechnique PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE / INTERPRÉTATION FÉMININE DANS UN PREMIER RÔLE KARINE VANASSE – Polytechnique

Tigh-na-Mara Bed and Breakfast

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http://www.bbcanada.com/10752.html

Heart Healthy and Golden! The Wine Ladies radio, 8:30am Sun April 25th on The Jewel Radio Network

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Set that dial to The Jewel Radio Network at 88.5 FM in Toronto, 98.5 in Ottawa and 107.7 in Hawkesbury on line at http://www.jewelradio.com every Sunday morning at 8:30a.m. to connect with The Wine Ladies radio show. Heart healthy foods, wonderful wines and GOLD all take centre stage this week, all for a great cause! Be sure to join us as we chat up our inaugural “Heart of Gold Party” in support of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario taking place May 6th, 2010.The Fundraiser where YOU make Money! http://www.uponline.com/cgi-bin/viewmessage?s=1555.13066 Find out all the details about this awesome event, explore the benefits to our hearts of eating well, enjoying a glass of wine and giving. This week joining us in the TV studio Marco Di Bouno, Director, Research Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario http://ww2.heartandstroke.ca/splash/ Marco will give us the state of the nation as to our heart health. Also in studio Keith Perrin Managing Partner, Gold Smart Network www.goldsmart.ca who will show us how to turn all your old, unwanted and unused gold into cold, hard, cash. Gold is at an all time high, so now is the time to do it! Also in studio Cary Silber, Proprietor Encore Food with Elegance www.encorecatering.com who prepares some heart healthy food alternatives. All this as we enjoy a glass of red wine from Girls Night Out www.girlsnightoutwines.com . Join us as we raise a glass to our heart health and yours too. And if you happen to miss the live show not too worry you can catch the podcast and all the archived shows at www.thatchannel.com/thewineladies anytime. Watch The Wine Ladies TV LIVE every Wednesday , 2:30-3:30PM on www.thatchannel.com And if you happen to miss the live show not too worry you can catch the podcast and all the archived shows at www.thatchannel.com/thewineladies anytime BREAKING NEWS! Get Personal Twitter Messages from The Wine Ladies! We’ve just started, come and tweet with us! http://twitter.com/TheWineLadies. BECOME A FAN on FACEBOOK! Updates, wine reviews, give aways and more! http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/The-Wine-Ladies/74962673175?ref=ts SEE US ON YOU TUBE! New videos every week! http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=BAC922F31D95EF06&search_query=the+wi ne+ladies

Just perfect, “JUST” wine from the Languedoc

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Dear Wine Ladies, The last several visits to my local wine store has ended in great satisfaction with respect to the taste, quality and price point of the wines that ended up in my shopping cart. I now head straight to the French section having discovered a region called Languedoc that has some great tasting wines that suit my budget. My latest find was called “Just”, a Cabernet for under $10.00 that was just well… great. Now that my curiosity has been piqued, I’d love to know more about this region and the wines. Jacqueline Dear Jacqueline, You’ve “Just” stumbled upon, excuse the pun, France’s best value wine region, which indeed is producing increasingly higher quality wines at very affordable prices. The Languedoc, often bracketed with Roussillon (to it’s immediate south), as in Languedoc-Roussillon is quantitatively the most important wine growing region in France comprising approximately twenty-five percent of all vines planted. Located just inland from the beaches of the Mediterranean, the vineyards bask in the sunshine with temperatures reaching as high as 30 degrees Celsius in the mid summer; too little rain can sometimes pose a problem, while the wind “tramontane” offers relief by way of cool air from the mountains. Major red grape varieties planted include Grenache, Syrah (commonly known as Shiraz), Cinsaut and less commonly now Carignan, with a rise in plantings of the international grapes Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The region, mostly made up of small farmers, is also enjoying investment dollars from well-established producers outside the area, increasing the profile and in many cases the quality of the wines. Our May 5th TV show, dedicated to the Languedoc wine growing region will include tasty recipes, a tasting of the “Just” Cabernet as well as the Chardonnay and more info on this exciting region.

new zealand wine fair

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http://www.nzwine-events.ca/nzwines_content.htm

Discovering New Zealand: The Wines, The Food, and the Cultural Landscape

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New Zealand takes centre this stage this week with guest Dr. Damian Martin, winemaker, viticulturist and visionary. Dr. Martin, General Manager of Winegrowers of Ara, http://www.winegrowersofara.co.nz/Default.aspx will take us on a journey of discovery with a focus on the emerging and unique viticultural zone of Ara located in Marlborough. Among the world’s great acquired pleasures is eating raw oysters matched to an elegant Sauvignon Blanc, one of New Zealand’s signature grape varietals, so John Petcoff proprietor and partner of Oyster Boy www.oysterboy.ca renowned retailer, restaurateur and caterer responsible for bringing the very best in “mollusks for the masses” will also join us in studio. And if you happen to miss the live show not too worry you can catch the podcast and all the archived shows at www.thatchannel.com/thewineladies, www.thewineladies.com or www.IT-RADIO.TV anytime from anywhere. Set that dial to The Jewel Radio Network at 88.5 FM in Toronto, 98.5 in Ottawa and 107.7 in Hawkesbury on line at http://www.jewelradio.com every Sunday morning at 8:30a.m. to connect with The Wine Ladies radio.

Heart Healthy and Golden! The Wine Ladies TV!

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Heart healthy foods, wonderful wines and GOLD all take centre stage this week, all for a great cause! Be sure to join us as we chat up our inaugural “Heart of Gold Party” in support of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario taking place May 6th, 2010.The Fundraiser where YOU make Money! http://www.uponline.com/cgi-bin/viewmessage?s=1555.13066 Find out all the details about this awesome event, explore the benefits to our hearts of eating well, enjoying a glass of wine and giving. This week joining us in the TV studio Marco Di Bouno, Director, Research Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario http://ww2.heartandstroke.ca/splash/ Marco will give us the state of the nation as to our heart health. Also in studio Keith Perrin Managing Partner, Gold Smart Network www.goldsmart.ca who will show us how to turn all your old, unwanted and unused gold into cold, hard, cash. Gold is at an all time high, so now is the time to do it! Also in studio Cary Silber, Proprietor Encore Food with Elegance www.encorecatering.com who prepares some heart healthy food alternatives. All this as we enjoy a glass of red wine from Girls Night Out www.girlsnightoutwines.com . Join us as we raise a glass to our heart health and yours too And if you happen to miss the live show not too worry you can catch the podcast and all the archived shows at www.thatchannel.com/thewineladies, www.thewineladies.com or www.IT-RADIO.TV anytime from anywhere. Set that dial to The Jewel Radio Network at 88.5 FM in Toronto, 98.5 in Ottawa and 107.7 in Hawkesbury on line at http://www.jewelradio.com every Sunday morning at 8:30a.m. to connect with The Wine Ladies radio.

Going Green from the Dirt Up! The Wine Ladies TV!

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Going Green, from the ground up with organic and biodynamic treatment in the vineyards and at the winery. Two perspectives take centre stage, one from California and the other local from Ontario. Joining us all the way from Mendocino, California via SKYPE Katrina Frey Proprietor of Frey Vineyards www.freywine.com as well as in-studio Jens Gemmrich Founder, Proprietor Frogpond Farm www.frogpondfarm.ca . Organic foods and other eco-friendly products will be featured too! From Green Earth Organics www.greenearthorganics.com , Giselle Vallieres who promise to deliver organic food from the earth to you. And to keep things in tip top shape Lorne Kelly, Director North America Product Training of Winning Brands Corporation the makers of Winning Colours® Stain Remover with 1000+ cleaning uses in one convenient solution! Ready to tackle drips, drops and disasters everywhere. And if you happen to miss the live show not too worry you can catch the podcast and all the archived shows at www.thatchannel.com/thewineladies, www.thewineladies.com or www.IT-RADIO.TV anytime from anywhere. Set that dial to The Jewel Radio Network at 88.5 FM in Toronto, 98.5 in Ottawa and 107.7 in Hawkesbury on line at http://www.jewelradio.com every Sunday morning at 8:30a.m. to connect with The Wine Ladies radio.

Healing Hearts for the Heart and Stroke Foundation with the Heart of Gold party

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http://www.uponline.com/cgi-bin/viewmessage?s=1555.13066