While Mama was cross-border shopping with the ladies in Buffalo last weekend, the
kids and I braved the elements and told spooky stories in the tent after a very serious marshmallow roast. I hope you had a great weekend as well!
This edition of 'Wine for the Weekend' highlights a few bottles
that deserve your immediate attention:
The first is a refreshing infusion of citrus and spice in the form of
Alsacian Gewurztraminer, while our second label profiles an easy-drinking and
non-assuming Cabernet Sauvignon from Washington
State
A friend in northern Ontario
sent me a note last week raving about an Australian dessert wine that he
stumbled upon recently. I explain the
theory behind the wine while Nick suggests the perfect pairing in this week’s
Wine Spot…
White
2010 Helfrich
Gewurztraminer – Alsace
The classic recipe for Gewurztraminer showing floral and
lychee notes with hints of spice and balanced by a refreshing citrus zest. You really can’t go wrong here; sip this solo
or with a variety of food choices including Asian cuisine. Delicious!
$18.95 (169748) Vintages (dry)
Red
2009 Red Diamond,
Cabernet Sauvignon – Washington State ,
U.S.
This is the latest vintage of a very reliable and crowd
pleasing red.
Smooth and easy drinking is the best way to describe this Washington
State Cab. Aged in a mix of American and French oak, expect a fairly round
palate with some good black fruit and a touch of wood spice. At the newly reduced price, I’d grab a few
bottles to tuck away for quick impromptu gatherings.
$13.85 (144022) LCBO General List (dry)
DE BORTOLI NOBLE ONE BOTRYTIS SEMILLON 2008
Australia
| 375 mL bottle
Nick from Thunder Bay
and wine enthusiast extraordinaire has found us a bottle of botrytis affected
Semillon – you ask: what the heck does that mean? Botrytis Cinerea is an
unsightly fungus that grows on the skins of fruit under certain conditions. While the description and appearance are both rather undesirable, botrytis dehydrates the berries and
concentrates the sugars to create the most unbelievable sweet dessert wines imaginable. In Bordeaux
they call it Sauternes; in Hungary
it is Tokaji, and to the German winemaker, this fungus creates the very rare
and noble Trockenbeerenauslese. In fact
the nickname for the complex process of botrytis cinerea is ‘noble rot’. You can expect apricots, peaches, and layers
of honeyed goodness with a balanced line of acidity - You really must try it to
believe it! Nick enjoyed this alongside crème caramel and
highly recommends the pairing before your after-dinner tea or cup of coffee.
Thanks for the Wine Spot Nick – Cheers!
~> I’d love to hear your thoughts on a food & wine
pairing: What is your favourite
dish? And which wine highlights the
flavours of the food? Send me a quick note with your thoughts and I’ll publish it in a future edition of Wine for the
Weekend.
