Harry's Blog

It is estimated that there are 100 million bubbles in the average bottle of French Champagne. That’s a lot of pressure built up, from the secondary fermentation that takes place in the bottle for which the time honoured Methode Champenoise is responsible. The muselet, a French term, is the wire and metal hood that holds the cork in place. Then there is the punt, the indentation in the bottom of the bottle. This creates more surface area in the glass, again giving extra strength to the bottle since the pressure inside can reach a ballistic 90 p.s.i. All this is calibrated carefully by the producer, in our case, the venerable house of Taittinger.  

A longtime favourite, and top selling Champagne brand in Ontario, Taittinger Brut Reserve is perfect for all those holiday celebrations. And, of course, finish with a big pop and usher out the old year while bridging the celebrations into the New Year. Champagne pairs with almost everything except red meat, so we will let you choose what to pair it with. Our favourite is Oysters Rockefeller. And then there’s an added incentive! It’s a $6 per bottle limited time price reduction through December 31.    

Taittinger Brut Reserve Champagne LCBO # 365312, $ 69.80. (includes $6 off)

New Zealand’s Martinborough wine region, an hour or so northeast of the capital city, Wellington, is considered to be the North Island’s “Burgundy.” The emphasis here is quality over quantity considering the region accounts for only 1% of the nation’s wine production. Sheltered from the cold winds that batter Wellington, drive along serpentine and hairpin turning State Highway 2 through the Rimutaki Range, and you will know what we mean. Standing in the town of Martinborough and looking westward toward this range, it looks like three up-turned canoes side by side, which legend has it, belonged to Kupe, the legendary figure in the mythology and oral history of the Maori people.

The compact town of Martinborough is built around a centrally located quadrangle of streets. Vineyards surrounding the town are planted primarily with the signature varietals of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. With some twenty-plus winery cellar doors within the town’s boundaries, it’s easy to maneuver them whether walking, cycling, or driving. Palliser Estate is a highly esteemed, pioneering, local benchmark Pinot Noir producer. It’s Pencarrow label, named after the vineyard of the same name, represents outstanding value. With a medium body and silky texture, the fragrant bouquet of ripe, red berry fruits invites us on to a flavourful finish with lingering notes of dark berries, a gentle smokiness and fine tannins.       

Sam Kim, of Wine Orbit, awarded it 93 points. Pair with grilled teriyaki salmon skewers.

2020 Pencarrow Martinborough Pinot Noir LCBO # 692301, $29.95

With medium tannins and not too much acidity you will find Merlot pairs well with many foods this holiday season – favourites include roast duck, turkey and filet of beef.

A blue cheese such as Gorgonzola, hailing from Italy, like this Merlot, would be mandatory for any cheese platter, before the meal, or after the main course as a segue to dessert. And rich chocolate creations have been best buddies with Merlot forever.

Cusumano Sicilian Merlot LCBO # 19779, $13.95

Alsatian can refer to the Germanic dialect spoken in the Alsace region of France. It is similar to what is spoken across the Rhine River in southern Germany and northern Switzerland. It is also the name of a breed of dog, commonly known as a German Shepherd. Or it can refer to anything coming from Alsace, in this case, wine.

It’s no wonder that the labels of Alsace wines look very Germanic and identify the grape variety. Then, there’s the familiar tall Riesling flute bottle. In 1853, Frederic Boeckel, an established winemaker from the village of Mittelbergheim, founded the business which is today managed by the brothers Jean-Daniel and Thomas Boeckel, who are the fifth generation. The vineyard extends over 23 hectares which are owned by the estate, and these are complemented by the purchase of grapes from a further 20 hectares of vineyards. The majority of the vines are cultivated according to organic agricultural principles, and full organic certification is currently in progress. Located in the Bas Rhin region, that is northern Alsace, vineyard site selection is the key to best quality. Sheltered by the Vosges Mountains to the west and lying in its rain shadow, the area generally has the lowest average rainfall in France. The wines here tend to be a little crisper and not quite as full as wines stemming from the warmer, more southerly Haut Rhin province. The LCBO tempts us in its latest Vintages release with a dry, rich, aromatic textbook Riesling from Boeckel.

The perfect food match would have to be the Alsatian classic, Choucroute Garnie. Garnished sauerkraut sounds more sophisticated in French. It is a very tasty, and filling, dish. A platter is prepared with a bed of cooked sauerkraut topped with rib tickling meats such as diverse sausages, smoked pork chops and thick bacon slices. Mandatory potatoes, simmering for hours till tender in that very same sauerkraut, are piled on the platter in copious quantities. The sweet and sour yin yang sensation of the cabbage is the perfect foil for the meat and its juices while pairing beautifully with a glass of Boeckel’s dry Alsatian Riesling.

 2021 Boeckel Alsace Riesling LCBO #29823, $17.95

The Viognier grape has its origins in the Rhône valley of France and will generally make up the majority of any Côtes du Rhône appellation white wine which is almost always a blend of local varietals. The best-known address for this grape is on the very steep slopes of the upper Rhône village of Condrieu. And the most famous and expensive producer is Chateau Grillet, always 100% Viognier.

Wines made from Viognier are typically rich and perfumed with a soft palate. It’s one of those wines that works much better as a compliment to dishes rather than a contrast. While there is a range of different styles from around the world, the common elements of most Viogniers are soft acidity, textured palate and striking ripe white tree fruit flavours with a touch of minerality.

Veal scallops cooked in a cream sauce with herbs would be our recommended tasty pairing, especially if a dash of Viognier is thrown into the recipe for good measure. It’s a dream with creamy style cheeses too. Gorgonzola is a great partner with its mix of creaminess and sharp flavours. Round and fruit driven aromas are an added enticing element. But then again, it’s the perfect wine to swirl, sip and savor on its own.   

We are fortunate in our Ontario market that Southern France’s best-known specialist producer, Gérard Betrand, is able to supply us with a regional blend of Viognier that represents outstanding value.

2022 Gerard Bertrand Réserve Speciale Viognier LCBO #147975, $14.95.

There is nothing like the seductive bouquet of a great red Burgundy. And the town of Beaune with its surrounding vineyards is the place to start. Beaune is the heart and soul and center of the wine trade of Burgundy and has been so since the Middle Ages. Wine has made Beaune famous and world renowned and even those who will never have the opportunity to visit will repeat its name in reverence.

Ancestors of the Berger family have owned the Manoir (Manor House) de Mercey since the French Revolution. In fact, the property’s history can be traced even further back to the 13^th century when the Benedictine monks of Cluny built the first Priory and started planting grapes. Currently, the estate covers 26 hectares of prime vineyards situated in the higher slopes of the southern Hautes Côtes de Beaune appellation. Always 100% Pinot Noir, “Au Paradis” is a 3.3-hectare plot planted in 1967. Bright ruby in colour, the bouquet evokes aromas of red fruits. The medium body finishes with a crisp, underpinning acidity and then trails off into a beautiful, delicately balanced finish. Classic red Burgundy! France’s highly esteemed Gilbert & Gaillard Wine Challenge awarded it a Gold Medal in 2022. Still young, decanting before serving would enhance the overall taste experience but laying down for 4-5 years, if you can wait that long, would allow this wine to demonstrate its peak level of enjoyment. Meat dishes and soft cheeses are a tasty pairing, but for something totally different we would savour this Pinot Noir with a rabbit roast.     

2020 Manoir de Mercey Hautes Côtes de Beaune “Au Paradis” LCBO # 20913, $38.95

Central Otago, located on New Zealand’s South Island, is the southernmost grape growing region in the world. Before grape growing started in earnest in the 1970’s, there has been a history of extensive fruit growing in river valley orchards and on elevated plateaus, especially along the Kawarau and Clutha rivers. But 150 years ago, the area was abuzz with a gold rush. Having taken a boat tour along the Clutha River myself, one can still see the remains of stone huts that provided primitive lodgings for the miners, commonly referred to as “diggers.” They came from around the world to seek their fortune to stake and work their claims. But with the lawlessness associated with a major gold rush boom at the end of the world, it resulted in the Otago goldfields being regulated by a system of laws overseen by appointed officials such as goldfield commissioners and police.

It made sense for the Bannock Brae Winery to choose Digger’s Law as a brand name for this premium Central Otago Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir accounts for seventy percent of wine production in this region. The grapes for Digger’s Law are sourced from three distinct vineyard sites located in the sub regions of Gibbston Valley, Bendigo and Bannockburn. Burgundian in style, a savoury earthiness combines with berry fruits to dominate the bouquet. On the palate, the balanced tannins are underpinned with a subtle refreshing acidity and core of red berry fruits. No problems with laying down a few bottles to see how this wine develops further. Cameron Douglas, New Zealand’s first Master Sommelier, gave it 93 points. Barbequed lamb tacos would be a tasty, uncomplicated pairing.  

2019 Digger’s Law Pinot Noir LCBO #32405, $24.95

In 2001, UNESCO classified Portugal’s Douro River Valley as a World Heritage Site for the beauty of its landscape and natural state. Known as the oldest demarcated wine region in the world, the Douro offers a true landscape masterpiece created by the many generations that have lived on this land and perfected and preserved its culture and traditions. Over the centuries, people have developed a process of adapting the knowledge and techniques of viticulture in the Douro River valley which is now considered to be one of the most beautiful wine regions in the world. Its unique and imposing beauty with vineyards planted on traditional terraces, supported by centuries old stone retaining walls called socalcos, have become the keepers of its history, architecture and landscape.

As the production of fortified Port wines has slowed down somewhat, Douro producers are in the fortunate position that the red grape varieties used for Port production are excellent for making full bodied dry red wines. The low yielding varietals of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca and Tinta Cao give us wines that exhibit intense colour and flavours with good levels of tannin.  

Real Companhia Velha was founded on Sept. 10, 1756, by Royal decree and is Portugal’s oldest wine company. Its Evel Douro Red comes primarily from three of their best Quintas (vineyards) located around the town of Pinhao, considered to be the premium center of grape growing in the upper Douro region. Starting with a pronounced ruby red colour with violet tints, aromas of red berries, green tobacco, and vanilla from oak aging, lead to a medium body with soft tannins and a long finish. Pairing it with Churrasco, the Portugese term for grilled beef, would round out the total taste experience.

2018 Evel Douro Red LCBO #190694, $15.95

Garnacha is of course the Spanish name for Grenache, the noble red work horse grape of southern France. However, its origins are in Spain, specifically the Aragon district of Zaragoza, south-east of Rioja. The appellation of this Grenache is Calatayud, created in 1989, and is the place where the oldest Garnacha vines are grown. The OGV brand is produced from 100% old bush wines, some over 50 years old, growing at a cool elevation of 800-1000 meters above sea level. The significant diurnal day-to-nighttime temperature fluctuation promotes excellent flavor development in the grapes, while consistent gentle winds help temper the extreme summer heat. Fermentation takes place in cement tanks followed by 6 months in oak barrels. We encounter a sexy wine with silky palate. The aroma is a perfect intermingling of blackberries and cherries. It has an excellent length accented by warm tannins. While sipping nicely on its own, it will bring out the best characteristics of a tomato and bell pepper gazpacho, grilled octopus or roast chicken with a chorizo sausage and paprika stuffing. It was rated 90 points by Luis Gutierrez of robertparker.com. At a very affordable retail price of $16.95, you can afford to grab a case from LCBO Vintages to enjoy now or lay down for a few years to develop further complexity.

2019 OGV Old Garnacha Vines LCBO # 13633, $16.95.

Everyone likes savings especially in dollar increments. Forget the looney, let’s go for a tooney instead. Canadians have never had an aversion to two dollar currency units, whether in paper or coin form. All attempts in the USA, for example, to introduce two dollar bills were met with resistance. Even dollar coins failed to take flight not unlike a bald eagle with an injured wing. Canadians travelling to the USA are always frustrated with bills of only one colour - green. But then, Americans can’t understand our love affair either with multi-coloured bills sporting holograms. And all those US dollar bills don’t go far anymore. Quite the task, having to straighten out crumpled dollar bills and coaxing a finicky vending machine to accept less than pristine pieces of paper whose portraits of George Washington end up not looking very presidential. Not the case in Canada with its metal dollar denomination coins! Hey, what’s a teeny scratch on that polar bear standing on an ice flow with Queen Elizabeth’s profile on the flip side? With the death of our longest reigning monarch, we have been informed by the Royal Canadian Mint that toonies with the image of the deceased Queen will continue to be minted and circulated until the official portrait of King Charles II has been approved by Buckingham Palace. This may take quite some time yet. However, with the meteoric increase in the use of bank, debit and credit cards for purchases, savings can be had regardless whether using plastic or metal.

So when can we start saving $2.00 on our next purchase of bottles of wine at the LCBO? Gérard Betrand is the undisputed master wine producer from France’s Languedoc region on the Mediterranean coast. This 2018 vintage Syrah-Grenache blend is a reflection of wines from regional terroirs assembled to demonstrate the Languedoc’s quality, character, and value. Hues of deep purple invite us to savour the aromas of ripe plums, berries, cherries and spice. The finish is full-bodied with notes of dark cocoa and smoke.

It’s an LCBO Vintages Essentials listing, always available. Enjoy with your favourite meat dishes or hard cheeses.    

2018 Gérard Bertrand Languedoc Syrah-Grenache LCBO # 413237, was $18.95, now $16.95 till November 5.

While Gewürztraminer may be one of the more difficult grape varieties to pronounce, don’t let that stop you from enjoying this classic white wine. Gewürz is the German word for spice and Tramin, a town in the German speaking South Tyrol (Alto Adige) region of Northern Italy, is its ancestral home. A pink skinned grape, the bouquet is unmistakable with typical spicy, aromatic notes of ginger followed by lychees, rose petals, grapefruit and orange marmalade that jump out of the glass. It’s found predominantly planted in southern Germany, France’s Alsace, Eastern Europe plus certain outposts in the New World.

It has always been a key planting in the Nonnengarten vineyard site of the Darting Estate located in the Pfalz village of Dürkheim. For over 20 years, it has shown up at regular intervals on the shelves of LCBO Vintages.The Kabinett designation means it’s a Reserve bottling that is harvested a little later than normal and gives the wine a little more intensity in the bouquet, richness in flavour plus a pleasant tad of sweetness.

For this Thanksgiving Day’s weekend family get-togethers, we would not hesitate to pair this Gewürztraminer with both light and dark turkey meat plus bright cranberry sauce and creamy mashed potatoes. It will also go well with sweet potatoes, brown sugar and fall-themed desserts such as pumpkin pie. 

2022 Darting Dürkheimer Nonnengarten Gewürztraminer Kabinett LCBO # 944181, $24.95

The Spanish word for the widely grown and popular Mediterranean Grenache grape is Garnacha. And mother is Madre. Garnacha de la Madre is the name of a single vineyard located in a cool valley on the Más Que Vinos property in the Tierra Castilla region of central Spain. The small creek that runs through the valley and the vineyard itself is called Madre - almost everything related to water in Spain ties into to the word mother; seeing it is the element that is essential for any living being.

Más Que Vinos was founded in 1998 when three friends - Margarita Madrigal, Alexandra Schmedes and Gonzalo Rodriguez met. Each was a winemaker with extensive experience. Seeing the great potential of the vineyards in Gonzalo’s hometown of Dosbarrios (outside Toledo), they launched their personal winery project rescuing old plots of indigenous grape varieties and moving to all organic viticulture. They renovated the old family winery (from 1851) and in 2007 constructed a new modern winery in nearby Cabañas de Yepes. After fermentation, this wine spent one year maturing in amphorae, concrete, egg-shaped tanks. The result is a wine with an elegant nose with floral notes while the taste and lingering finish are very complex. It’s certified organic too. The Robert Parker tasters rated it with 93+ points. We recommend pairing it with barbequed lamb skewers and then, as an obligatory end to the meal, Spain’s famous Manchego cheese. After all, it hails from the milk of Manchega sheep that graze in the neighboring wild grasslands of La Mancha. A semi-hard cheese, it is identified by its distinctive herringbone rind and sweet flavour. 

2018 Garnacha de la Madre LCBO # 18927, $19.95