Search

Special Features

Details
by Vic Harradine

You may have recently seen the glossy ‘Bring it home…’ brochure from the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO). The thrust of the message is - after visiting a winery in the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, the smiling twosome on the cover ordered a case of wine from there and had it shipped home to Ontario through the LCBO ‘Private Ordering Department’.

Details
by Susan Desjardins

A recent trip to Niagara provided the opportunity to visit a few newer wineries in the region. Sue-Ann Staff, a well-known award-winning local winemaker has established her own winery on her family’s historic farm property. Two of her white wines have already sold out, but she is about to release two reds, including a deep, complex Cab/Merlot blend and velvety, berry-rich Cab Franc. The Good Earth Vineyard and Winery features Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cab Franc, and is an extension of Nicolette Novak’s successful Good Earth Cooking School. There’s a very attractive new tasting room, dining room and outdoor patio, featuring the good food she’s known for, as well as some very tasty wines. Established by the Hoare family, who emigrated from the UK to Niagara via New Brunswick, Aure’s tasting room opened just this May. Their first vintage includes a dry Riesling and a lively Gamay, among others. A promising Cabernet Franc and an Old Vines Foch are still in barrel.

Details

by Vic Harradine

Only half the wine selection of the LCBO reaches retail shelves. The balance is readily available to the general public, but most seasoned wine-lovers (forget the masses) have little idea how easy it is to access them. Only a select few set sail in the uncharted waters of consignment wine. Here's the GPS to help navigate this 'other' distribution channel. It's a whole new stream of interesting wines from the familiar LCBO.

Details

by Susan Desjardins

Ruffino was established by cousins Ilario and Leopoldo in 1877 near Florence, winning medals at prestigious European wine fairs as early as 1895. The company passed to the Folonari brothers in 1913 and by 1916, Ruffino had been appointed the official wine supplier to the royal Italian court. Over the years, the family has added a number of properties including Santedame in Chianti Classico and the Montalcino estate. In 1994 they purchased LodolaNuova to produce Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and la Solatia for the production of Tuscan white wines.

Details
In time for Passover, which begins on April 19, the LCBO is releasing 110 kosher-for-Passover products. Eleven are premium wines that have been released through VINTAGES.

Details
by Susan Desjardins

Eleven wineries from the southern Italian region of Puglia were recently showcased in Ottawa, Montreal and Toronto, hosted by Ottawa’s DiVino Wine Studio. It was an outstanding opportunity to discover the range and quality of wines being created in this less-celebrated region. The winery principals displayed pride in their region and wine. They’re firmly rooted in the fundamental practices of agriculture with great depth of history and tradition. In the 3rd century B.C., the capital of ancient Greece was located in Puglia. Ancient amphoras from the 1st century B.C. have been excavated near Brindisi—wine has a long and illustrious history here.

Details
by Susan Desjardins and Vic Harradine

Susan Desjardins, intrepid traveler, visited two VQA Ontario wine regions and three fledgling wineries to bring you a peek into the future. You can get ahead of the curve by trying these wines now, before they become mainstream. Susan’s tasting notes follow. Lailey winemaker, Derek Barnett, sat with Vic offering a number of his recent bottlings from 2008 and 2009. Vic’s tasting notes follow.

Details
by Vic Harradine

Invisible Ribbon CampaignThis logo and The Invisible Ribbon Campaign is a public, grassroots demonstration of support for Canadian military personnel and their families. The clear plastic lapel ribbons, fastened with a Canadian flag, symbolize the 'invisible uniform' worn by spouses who are part of the military way of life.

Details
by Vic Harradine

He began, “The world doesn’t need another Chardonnay.” That answered the question most of us were asking in our mind—why put up barriers to people drinking your wine by using grapes most wine drinkers haven’t heard of and can’t pronounce. And we’re not talking Viognier or Gewürztraminer; it’s Agiorgitiko, Moscophilero and Assyrtiko.

Details
by Vic Harradine

It’s a pity there’s a challenge finding these wines, and it’s not because they’re expensive or sell quickly. They occasionally filter through the LCBO, quietly purchased by canny wine lovers. Wine critics Robert Parker Jr. and Jancis Robinson rave about them. At least one deserves a spot on your wine-tasting bucket list.