"F" is for Flat Rock Cellars in Niagara

While the new buzzword ‘sustainability’ is said to have as many as 85 meanings, it has a specific meaning within the wine industry. Sustainability is the growingof grapes and the producing of wine in a way that protects the environment and conserves natural resources where possible. Sustainability also ensures the long-term viability of the vineyards for generations to come. This philosophy includes social responsibility, as well, which means wine producers are not only aware, but are sensitive to the concerns and needs of those living within wine country. Sustainability, while considered a conscious approach to wine production, also embraces the entrepreneurial spirit to succeed in a competitive international wine market.

These practices include monitoring the health of the soil, water conservation and quality; pest control; grape and wine quality; ecosystem management; energy efficiency; resource renewability and solid waste reduction.

Flat Rock Cellars in Niagara is Ontario’s first wineries to be committed to sustainability from the onset, from the moment it opened its doors in April, 2005 to today.

Flat Rock is owned and operated by Ed Madronich, who used to head up the marketing department of Inniskillin Wines at Vincor Inc., the 6th larges wine corporation in North America. In his 30’s, Ed represents Ontario’s newest, leading edge breed of winery owners committed to making excellent wines, all the while sustaining the environment.

Ed is diligent about fitting into rather than dominating or destroying the natural ecosystem of the environment. For example, he built the winery around the natural rock, rather than blasting through it -- hence the name of the winery.

Flat Rock is one of the only wineries in Ontario prepared to implement major sustainable practices to create a solid foundation that is environmentally sound, socially responsible and economically viable. This includes the use of a gemo-thermal system that uses only 20% of the energy to cool the fermentation tanks during fermentation. This system burns no fossil fuels or freon, either.

Flat Rock also treats 100% of its own waste water through an on-site bio-filter system approved by the Ministry of the Environment, which is presently a major expense for Ontario’s large, commercial wineries. Their ozone machine also disinfects the oak barrels without the use of any chemicals.

To prevent bruising, the grapes are handpicked, placed in individual baskets and carried to the winery where 15% of the fruit is sorted out. (Often handpicked grapes are placed into larger baskets at the end of every vine row. Larger baskets hold too many berries and cause pressure on the bottoms ones, thereby bruising and crushing them unnecessarily.) This low impact or non-interventionist philosophy also includes the use of both wild and cultured yeasts during fermentation, whole cluster fermentations and minimal racking to ensure the distinctiveness and quality of the wines.

Flat Rock wines are available through the LCBO. However, it’s worth the drive to Niagara to discover this leading edge winery. It is set on the Niagara Escarpment, encased in a glass building and overlooking rolling vineyards with the Toronto skyline on the horizon.

Flat Rock is renowed for producing outstanding Pinot Noir, along with Chardonnay and Riesling. The Rieslings are some of the best I’ve ever tasted out of Niagara. They are luscious and rich with ripe, juicy tangerine fruit. This is a different profile for Riesling from Niagara, which often displays more grapefruit flavours.

"E" is for Eating Mojo Chicken with Wine

My husband and I decided to take a four-day holiday in Tampa, Florida. While dining out I noticed that many dishes had Cuban influences.

Part of the Caribbean hodgepodge of foods, Cuban cuisine combines French, Spanish, African, Arabic, Chinese and Portuguese cooking techniques. This cuisine also uses fresh, local foods, such as meats and legumes, starchy fruits and vegetables and citrus – lemon, lime, orange and grapefruit. Cuban food is similar in style to Creole cuisine, incorporating well seasoned, but not overly spicy dishes. The foods are sautéed or slow-cooked over a low flame, and there is little to no emphasis on deep-fried foods or those with cream-based sauces. For flavor, a few basic spices are used, such as garlic, cumin, oregano and bay laurel leaves. Meats and poultry are mostly marinated in citrus juices, such as with lime, orange or grapefruit juice, then slow roasted over low heat, as well.

During my restaurant tour, I noticed a dish called Cuban mojo chicken on many menus. The chicken is marinated in citrus juice and grilled over low heat on a barbecue. I decided to order it. When the dish arrived at our table I saw that the marinade had acted as a glaze, adding wonderful Caribbean flavor to the skin, while sealing in moisture and allowing the flesh to be tender and deliciously juicy.

The mild heat and heavy spiciness of mojo chicken demanded a glass of Johannisburg Riesling (off-dry). With its low acidity and hint of sweetness offsetting the mild heat and heavy spiciness, this wine and Cuban food combination really worked. I asked the chef for the recipe and was not surprised to hear that the marinade included lime and orange juice and corn syrup, thus explaining why this dish harmonized so well with the slight sweetness in the wine. The wine’s tropical flavours also complemented the heavy spiciness of the garlic and cumin.

This is a great way to enjoy chicken this summer on the barbecue. You can marry mojo chicken with a variety of off-dry white wines, such as an Ontario off-dry vidal, gewürztraminer or riesling.

Here’s one recipe. This citrus marinade would also complement seafood, such as shrimp and scallops and fatty fish like salmon and tuna.
Cuban Mojo Chicken
Serves Four

Juice from one lime
Quarter cup orange juice
Two tablespoons water
One tablespoon light corn syrup
One eighth teaspoon chili paste
One teaspoon vegetable oil
Quarter teaspoon cumin powder
One eighth teaspoon salt
One eighth teaspoon pepper
Three cloves garlic, minced
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 4

Squeeze limejuice into a food processor or blender. Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Place chicken in large glass dish. Pour marinade over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning turn chicken occasionally in marinade. Heat grill. Remove chicken from marinade. Reserve marinade. Place chicken on grill over low heat and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, basting occasionally with reserved marinade. Chicken is done when meat inside is white. Discard remaining marinade.

"D" is for Dips and Wine

The ‘dip’ is a timesaving and easy hors d’oeuvre to prepare for BBQ dining this summer. When you’re pairing your favourite wine to dips, it’s more interesting to serve original recipes than to serve store bought versions.

Dips are easy to make and you don’t necessarily need a recipe. Use your taste buds as your guide.

Fresh fruit refresh the palate during the summer. If the dip has sweetness due to chunks of fresh fruit like pineapple or mango, even cranberry, be sure the wine offers sweetness as well. A sweet dip will make a dry wine taste offensive. Hot and spicy dips also require a matching wine with sweetness. Sweet and/or hot and spicy dips work best with an off dry white wine.

Just remember that light bodied wines work best with sour cream based dips, while heavier vintages complement cream cheese based ones. The same holds true for adding cheese. Add fresh cheese like feta and Chevre or salty cheeses like parmesan to dips that will be paired with light bodied whites. Use heavier cheeses, such as cheddar and blue cheese when matching a red wine to your dip.

If you’re beginning your party or event with a crisp, dry sparkling wine or brut Champagne or crisp, dry white wine, such as pinot gris and sauvignon blanc, create a yogurt or sour cream based dip. Sour cream is tangy, which is the same as the prominent taste sensation in this style of wine.

How about an avocado dip? Combine sour cream, avocado, finely chopped fresh cilantro, fresh lime juice, diced onion, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Artichoke and parmesan and spinach and artichoke dips also work with crisp, dry whites.

Complementary wines to serve with these dips include Henry of Pelham cuvee Catherine Brut (CSPC # 616441), $29.95 and Cooper’s Creek sauvignon blanc (CSPC # 957407), $15.45.

A riesling wine with a hint of sweetness works nicely with sweet, hot and spicy and/or cream cheese based dips. Fielding Estate riesling semi dry (CSPC # 36202), $15.95, and Vineland Estates riesling semi-dry VQA (CSPC # 232033), $13.85 both complement pineapple and ham dip. Combine cream cheese, chunks of fresh pineapple, diced ham, diced onion and salt and pepper. Hot and spicy and curry based dips also work nicely with this style of wine.

Asiago cheese dip is ideal to match to a big, fat white wine, such as a barrel fermented and aged chardonnay. Bring together mayonnaise, cream cheese, shredded asiago, and diced onion, salt and pepper. Flat Rock Cellars 2004, (CSPC # 681247), $16.95 is perfect to pair with this dip. This dip can also be paired with reds, as well.

Bacon blue dip is perfect for a red wine offering forward fruit character. Bring together cream cheese, chunks of blue cheese, minced onion, and crumbled bacon (include some of the bacon fat), salt and pepper. In fact, any dip highlighting bacon will work with red wine. Bacon has enough fat to stand up to the weight of reds. Pair this dip with Frog’s Leap 2005 zinfandel (CSPC # 593525), $37.95 or Henry of Pelham baco noir VQA (CSPC #270926), $13.75.

"C" is for Chicken Wings and Wine

Chicken wings and beer are natural partners. But what if you love wings and dislike beer? Or what if you simply feel like having a glass of wine with your wings? As much as I love having a bottle of beer on a hot sunny day (a bottle rather than a glass) or after working out at the gym, I find it filling and bloating. I dislike the idea of being bloated because of a beverage. If choosing to be bloated, I prefer this to be a result of too many French fries or chicken wings!

It also might seem rather frivolous to serve a quality vintage with something as casual as chicken wings? This may be true. However, there are plenty of delicious wines that fall into the ‘casual’ category. What makes a wine casual? Foremost it is the price. Casual wines, at least from my perspective, cost under $12.00 per bottle. Casual wines are also easy drinking, tasty but unsophisticated and drinkable today. Drinkable today means the wines are not complex and therefore will not benefit from time in your wine cellar.

Keeping price in mind, rose and blush are the best wine styles for chicken wings. Both offer good acidity that cuts through the greasiness of deep fried finger foods and a hint of sweetness that pairs well with most wing sauces. Honey-garlic, barbecue, sweet and sour, mango spice and other sauces contain some sweetness that pairs well with the sweetness in an off-dry rose or blush. When it comes to suicide or any hot and spicy versions made from hot peppers, the heat on one’s palate is subdued by both the sweetness and sourness (acidity) in the wine. So, we can refresh our palate with a rose or blush between delicious bites of chicken wings.

What is the difference between blush and rose wines? Rose is a traditional wine style. In the early 80’s, however, savvy winemakers started a new wine style called “blush” or Blanc de Noir. Blush wines were generally paler than roses. While some still exist, roses, like other legitimate wines, have never gone out of fashion. Rose and Blanc de Noir can be made with or without skin contact during the fermentation. The grapes may be crushed, leaving a bit of pigment in the juice, before the skins are separated and fermented. The grape skins can also be fermented with the juice for a short period, such as for eight hours to two days. The amount of time the skins remain in contact with the juice will determine the depth of colour in the blush or rose.

Chilling roses and blush wines makes them ideal for hot, spicy chicken wings. Even if you’re not a big fan of off-dry wines, you might still consider trying this combination. There are wines that shine when served alone and others that act as the perfect partner in food and wine pairing. Don’t underestimate the benefits of a lovely looking and refreshing rose!

"B" is for "Bison" with Malbec

My dad had a triple by-pass a few years ago. Knowing red wine in moderation possesses antioxidants that are good for one’s health, he drinks the occasional glass of red with his meals. Since he’s not an aficionado, he purchases products that tend to be inexpensive and awfully sweet.

A few months ago a wine loving friend recommended I try an inexpensive red called Finca Flichman Misterio malbec, (CSPC # 28803), $7.95. I tried the wine. For the price this is a decent quaffer, offering medium weight with fruity flavours like dark, ripe plums and a hint of toast on the back notes of the nose and palate. I purchased a bottle for my dad and he really enjoyed it.

Misterio is made from the malbec grape. It is one of six grape varieties used in the production of France’s famous red blend called Bordeaux. The grape requires lots of heat and sun, and so has really taken root in Argentina. It is now the national grape of this country with its largest plantings in Mendoza. Here the wines made from this variety are inky red with deep dark fruit flavours and velvety texture.

With 13.5 percent alcohol, this wine has enough viscosity (weight and fattiness) to work with red meat. I decided to try this wine with a type of red meat that is good for the heart, as well…bison!

I sipped a glass of Misterio with a bowl of chili made that I made with ground bison purchased at the Peterborough Buffalo Farm booth at the Saturday Peterborough Farmer’s market. The local farm and booth are owned and operated by Tim Belch.

Bison is low in fat, thus leaner than other red meats. However, it has a taste and texture very similar to beef. I added ground bison to my classic chili recipe. I also incorporated some unsweetened dark chocolate powder and finely ground coffee. Dark chocolate and coffee have pleasant bitterness that adds wonderful depth and roundness of flavour on the finish of the chili, harmonizing with the subtle tannin in Misterio.

Bison can be incorporated into a variety of heart-smart dishes that will complement Misterio. Tim Belch also offers a range of bison cuts at the farmer’s market. You can substitute bison for any dish that normally features beef. Examples are coffee marinated bison short ribs, bison burgers with extra old cheddar, bison pot pie, sheppard’s pie, bison and barley soup, meat sauce for spaghetti, etc. Try using bison in a traditional recipe for beef bourgignon. I’m sure Julia Child would have ventured to try bison bourgignon. Keep in mind that bison, because it has low fat, cooks in half the time as beef.

Misterio malbec tends to be slightly bitter on the finish when the bottle is first opened. After all, it is an inexpensive quaffer. I recommend you decant the wine for an hour or so before sipping.

"A" is for Acidity, the Crisp Kind

I often recommend chilled white wines with high acidity for the summertime. Crisp, dry white wines with good acidity partner well with summer foods, such as vinaigrettes for salad, grilled chicken and seafood, greasy finger foods and fresh vegetables from the garden.

When recommending crisp, dry white wines, I often suggest Sauvignon Blanc and dry Riesling. There are other white wines produced in wine regions around the world that fall into this category.

Pinot Bianco is an Italian grape variety grown in the northeast part of the country, in the provinces of Alto-Adige, Veneto and Friuli. Wines from this grape are medium-bodied with a light fruitiness and crisp acidity. They are sometimes fermented and/or aged in oak. When oak is employed these varieties fall into a different wine style category called big, fat whites. So, make sure that your pinot bianco has not seen any oak if you’re looking for a crisp, dry white.

Some Chardonnay is produced in this crisp, dry white wine style, as well. Chablis is the most northerly region of Burgundy. The area’s wines that receive the Chablis AOC must be made from the chardonnay grape. The AOC stands for the Code de Legislation des Appellation d’Origine Controlee. The AOC has two main objectives. The first is to geographically define wine-producing areas so that the origin of a wine may be clearly and accurately stated. The second objective is to establish production standards for each defined wine area, thus guaranteeing the origin and quality of a wine. The AOC is complemented by other laws, such as Vins Delimites de Qualite Superieure, Vin de Pays and Vin de Table. Generally speaking, an AOC wine is guaranteed to be of high quality, and to be produced in a way that preserves local traditions and emphasizes the uniqueness of the region or terroir. (Terroir is the combination of the geography, climate and soil of a particular wine region.)

Back to the crisp, dry white wine style. There are four classifications of Chablis AOC, each producing chardonnay with different character traits. All, however, falls into this crisp, white wine style. The classifications are: Petit Chablis, Chablis, Chablis Premier Cru and Chablis Grand Cru. This region also produces crisp, white wines from the Sauvignon Blanc and Aligote grapes.

In Bordeaux, Sauvignon Blanc is also grown and made into a crisp white with good acidity. Bairrada is a wine region in Portugal that produces white wines in this style, as well, with crispness and lemony character.

Other white wines that celebrate this style category are Bacchus and Baden from Germany, and a Swiss grape variety called Chasselas. Frascati, Pinot Grigio and Orvieto are three more crisp, dry whites from Italy. It’s not surprising that many dry, crisp whites come from Italy. Wines produced in this style are considered food friendly as the high acidity cleans the palate. The Italians are renowned for drinking wine with almost every meal. So, it’s not surprising that they would produce crisp, dry whites that clean the palate between bites.

"Z" is Zealous for Super Foods!

When I was a kid my mom would always repeat, “Eat your spinach. It’s good for you.” Somehow my mom knew instinctively that spinach was a super food. I should have realized its power, given Popeye’s love for it.

I was too busy indulging my immature palate with corn, macaroni and cheese, chocolate, pizza, potato chips and French fries (Yippee!!). I was laying the groundwork for my carbohydrate addiction. Unfortunately, there’s no 12-step program for this gut-expanding, flab producing, artery blocking, childish diet program.

However, I’ve learned that adding super foods to one’s diet will aid in boosting the immune system and fighting disease.

Dr. Steven Pratt is considered the Superman of super foods. He is a world-renowned authority on the role of nutrition and lifestyle in the prevention of disease and optimizing health. He is also a senior staff ophthalmologist at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, Calif., and an assistant clinical professor at the University of California at San Diego.

Pratt is the author of SuperFoods Rx: Fourteen Foods. According to Pratt, about 14 super foods are better for you than others. He says, “Each food was selected based on gold standard research of healthy dietary patterns around the world. These foods are an integral part of all the recognized healthy dietary patterns that prevent disease and extend our health span, and perhaps our life span, as well.”

His list of 14 include beans, blueberries, broccoli,

1. Beans: A great low-fat, low-calorie source of protein and an easy way to help control your weight and your blood sugar.
2. Blueberries: The best food on the planet to preserve a young brain as we mature.
3. Broccoli: The best food on the planet to prevent cancer.
4. Oats: A sure-fire way to lower your cholesterol.
5. Oranges: The most readily available source of vitamin C, which in turn lowers the rate of most causes of death in this country, for example, heart disease and cancer.
6. Pumpkin: Loaded with phytonutrients, which keep our skin young and help prevent damage from sunlight.
7. Wild salmon: A guaranteed way to lower your risk for cardiac-related death.
8. Soy: The only complete vegetarian source of protein.
9. Spinach: The best food on the planet to prevent cataracts and age-related macular degeneration, thus ensuring a lifetime of good vision.
10. Tea -- green or black: The easiest and cheapest no-calorie way to avoid heart disease and cancer.
11. Tomatoes: One of the easiest ways for men to avoid prostate cancer is the consumption of tomatoes and tomato-based products.
12. Skinless turkey breast: The leanest meat source of protein on the planet.
13. Walnuts: Consuming walnuts is an easy, tasty way to lower your risk of cardiovascular disease.
14. Yogurt: A tasty, easy way to boost your immune system.


Super foods are those packed with nutrients, aiding your body in boosting your immune system and fighting off all forms of disease.

Studies now show that red wine, consumed in moderation, with meals contributes toward a healthy lifestyle. So, there’s absolutely every reason why you should include red wine as part of your New Year’s resolution of eating right in 2006. You can cut down on fat, or calories or carbohydrates and still enjoy a glass of the fermented red grape.

Research shows that where the diet is high in fat, those who drink red wine with meals have a lower incidence of heart attacks. Many experts believe that red wine contains compounds, such as antioxidants, that aid in protecting our hearts and reducing the risk of strokes. Resveratrol is the most famous antioxidant found in red wine. It is believed to be good at mopping up chemicals responsible for causing blood clots, the primary cause of heart disease. Guercetin is another antioxidant believed to help prevent lung cancer. Red wine also has a flavanoid known as catechin that contributes to the reduction of heart attacks, as well.

Add to this that a glass of red wine after a stressful day acts as a natural tranquilizer, reducing anxiety and tension. Wine also aids in our digestion and contributes minerals and vitamins to our bodies.

A glass of red wine is also okay if you’re on a low carbohydrate diet. A 3.5 ounce glass of red wine contains only 1.8 grams of net carbohydrates. If you’re reducing your caloric intake, you’ll be happy to know that this same glass of wine only contains 74 calories.

While it is always pleasant to include a glass of red wine with your evening meal, it’s an experience of the senses to choose one that harmonizes with your main entrée.

There are basically three styles of red wine. The first is light, fruity red wines, which include those produced from grape varieties, such as Gamay or Pinot Noir. These wines tend to be refreshing, fruity with some sourness. For this reason it is best to chill your light reds for a half hour in the refrigerator before serving. Light, fruity red wines go nicely with ingredients offering sourness as their predominant building block. Foods highlighting sourness are cheeses, such as fresh Chevre, feta, as well as sour cream and cream cheese. When it comes to fish, tuna and salmon work nicely with light, fruity reds.

Red wines with forward fruit character is another wine style. Wines that fall into this category include shiraz, zinfandel and merlot. These wines tend to be low in sourness and low in bitterness with lots of berry fruit flavours. Pair these wines with roasted meats and vegetables, pasta or pizza with roasted tomato sauce, chicken or beef.

Austere red wines are heavy with lots of pleasant bitterness from the tannin and fattiness from their high alcohol content – about 13.5 to 14%. Cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc are two grape varieties fermented into austere red wines. These reds work well with game meats and beef. Due to their bitterness, you can also pair them with foods offering bitterness, such as olives, radicchio and blue cheese.

"Y" is for Yummy Wine Cocktails

Picnics are simply fun. But add a wine cocktail and you’ve turned a picnic into a celebration. Wine cocktails are a refreshing and tasty choice for spring and summer entertaining. They're simply yummy! The best part about this style of beverage is that you can use any brand of inexpensive wine.

When you’re creating wine cocktails, you may want to think of new ones that combine wine with fresh juices, liquors, pure alcohols and garnishes. O, you may want to reinvent an oldie.

Like food and wine, wine cocktails taste best when balanced in flavor. Too much acidity from added juices, too much bitterness or too much sweetness from liqueurs can alter the entire experience of a wine cocktail.

It’s fun to look for new and/or obscure ingredients for your wine cocktails, as well. Wine cocktails can include ingredients, such as lemongrass, maraschino liqueur and truffles. In fact, one of the most popular and newest wine cocktails in downtown Toronto is the Icewine Martini graced with a real, frozen Vidal grape from Niagara. Fresh mint leaves, slices of lemons and limes and sliced strawberries add color to these cocktails, making them pleasing to the eye.

‘Sangria’ is no doubt the most well known wine cocktail. Made in a pitcher, Sangria recipes are countless. However, a boozy version calls for five cups of red wine, five cups of orange juice, one and a half cups of Triple Sec, one cup of sweet and sour mix, one cup of Grenadine, one cup of brandy and two cups of lemon-lime soda. Triple sec adds strong orange flavour to this beverage, while Grenadine is a non-alcoholic syrup made from pomegranates that adds a bright color and zesty fruit flavour. Sangria is like an alcoholic tropical fruit bunch.

Along with Sangria, there are a variety of wine cocktails that you can serve this summer for barbecue dining and for entertaining. White port can be used in the making of ‘Scotti’s Apple Juice.’ To make this beverage, place crushed ice in a glass. Add an ounce of white port and an ounce of Drambuie and fill the remainder of the glass with apple juice, adding a dash of bitters at the end. Drambuie, made from a blend of scotch whiskies, gives this cocktail its alcoholic zing.

The ‘Cardinal’ combines red wine with an ounce of Crème de Cassis over ice and decorated with a slice of orange. Crème de Casis is a sweet, black currant-flavoured liqueur that complements the subtle acidity in full-bodied red wines.

The ‘California Julip’ is made with one and a half ounces of brandy, a quarter ounce of strawberry liqueur, a tablespoon of simple syrup (a mixture of sugar and water), brut sparkling wine and mint leaves. To make this drink, place a few mint leaves and the liqueur and syrup into the bottom of a glass. Using the back of a spoon, crush the leaves into the liquid. Place crushed ice in the glass. Add the brandy and fill the glass with sparkling wine. Garnish with mint sprigs.
I once asked my husband, “If I was a glass of wine, what wine would I be?” He immediately replied with “Champagne.” His reasoning, he told me, is that I’m always justifying a reason to celebrate. I crack open a bottle of bubbly if I’ve failed or succeeded, happy or sad. I prefer to think of myself as a complex, vintage Champagne. He argues that I’m an easy-going bubbly.

Wine cocktails made from sparkling wine are festive, refreshing and pleasing to the palate, not to mention a less expensive alternative to table wine for patio dining. And while these specialty drinks are called ‘Champagne’ cocktails, it’s best to use inexpensive sparkling wines, as well. These cocktails can also be made with soda water for the designated driver. Just add a little sugar to the soda water to sweeten the mix.

For wine aficionados who do not believe in mixing the ‘purity’ of wine with other liquids, such as fruit juices, pure alcohols and liqueurs, I have but one comment, “Lighten up!”

Here are a few Champagne cocktail ideas:

Classic Champagne Cocktail:
Champagne cocktail is the easiest to make. Pour sparkling wine (one with some sweetness) into each flute glass. Add 2 tablespoons of brandy and add a dash of bitters. A slice of lemon to each glass adds some flare.
· Colio Wines Viva Spumante (CSPC # 184390) $6.75
(Available at Colio Boutiques)
· Barclay’s Brandy (CSPC 6528) $12.75
· Alpenbitter (CSPC 212688/100 mL), $3.95

La Vie En Rosé:
This cocktail is also easy to make. Place four sugar cubes in the bottom of flute glasses. Pour one tablespoon of rosewater over the sugar cube. Let the cube soak up the liquid. Pour rosé sparkling wine into each glass.
· Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut (CSPC # 88591), $13.95
Rose water available at health food shops and some pharmacies

‘Death in the Afternoon’
This drink combines an ounce of absinthe and five ounces of sparkling wine, served in a champagne flute glass.
· Pastis Janot (CSPC # 701045) $19.95
· Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut (CSPC # 88591), $13.95

Bellini
This wine cocktails calls for an ounce of fresh peach puree and five ounces of sparkling wine.
· Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut (CSPC # 88591), $13.95
· 3 peaches, peeled and pureed

Flirtini
This is a highly alcoholic cocktail, calling for two pieces if fresh pineapple, half an ounce of cointreau, half an ounce of vodka, one ounce of pineapple juice and three ounces of sparkling wine.
· Cointreau SA (CSPC # 10322) $15.95
· Alberta Pure Vodka (CSPC # 1503) $11.70
· Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut (CSPC # 88591), $13.95

"X" is for eXceptional Beer Marinade to Pair with Wine

Summer may be around the corner, but barbecue season is in full swing!

This past weekend my husband and I headed to my mom and dad’s house for a barbecue. My brother Bret and his family joined us.

Bret is as proficient with the barbecue as I am with my oven. As my dad puts it, “That boy can barbecue!” So, when dining at mom and dad’s home, Bret is always designated grill master.

Bret also brought with him a tub of rib eye steaks that he said had been marinating for a few hours in his refrigerator. I asked him about the marinade, and he told me that it was made from beer. Bret is as proficient with using beer in his cooking, as I am, wine.

In fact, I sat and watched him barbecue the steaks, hoping to pick up a few tips. Barbecuing appears to be an effortless affair for Bret. He holds a can of Canadian beer in one hand, and with the other, swings the tongs back and forth and up and down as though he is conducting a symphony.

At one point Bret jerked his arm forward, spraying beer from the can over the steaks. They sizzled. Smoke bellowed from the grill. I asked him if he had added more beer to flavour and tenderize the flesh.

Bret replied, “No. I’m putting out the flames.”

As a wine lover, I rarely use beer in my cooking, unless making a batter for deep fried fish or shrimp. I was curious as to how the taste of beer in the grilled steaks would taste with the flavours of red wine.

The steaks were delicious -- tender and juicy and highly flavourful.

The beer marinade obviously tenderized the meat while adding the taste sensation of bitterness to the steaks. Hops are the primary source of bitterness in beer. Red wine also possesses bitterness that derives from tannin. So the beer marinade and red wine harmonized in taste sensations.

This marinade also possesses flavour sensations that complements red wine, as well.
Bret’s beer marinade is a great match for big, red wines with weight and structure.

Paxton Jones Block 2005 Shiraz, McLaren Vale, Australia, (CSPC # 149914), $26.95 is a good choice. This is an exceptional Shiraz, the aromas swirling with ripe black berries and black peppercorns. The full-bodied palate offers flavours of raisins and leather, supported by excellent structure, medium tannin and a black pepper corn finish. This wine will certainly complement steaks done in Bret's marinade.

Paxton Jones Block is a member of ‘1% For the Planet Organization (www.onepercentfortheplanet.com). This organization’s mission is to build and support an alliance of businesses financially committed to creating a healthy planet. All members donate 1% of their profits to environmental groups around the globe each year. If you choose wines not only for their taste, but also for their social consciousness, you may want to explore other wineries committed to this same mission. Other wineries that belong to this organization in California include Sterling Vineyards, Spottswoode Winery, Shypoke Vineyard, Paradigm Winery, Oakville Ranch Vineyards, Hess Collection Winery, Grassi Wine Company and Ceritas Wines. Odisseia Wines in Portugal, Paxton Wines in Australia, Constant Jomini in Switzerland and Dosnon Champagne in France also belong to ‘!% For the Planet.’

The 14.5 percent alcohol gives Paxton Jones Block Shiraz much viscosity, making it ideal for heavier proteins like steak.

Here is the recipe:

Bret’s Beer Marinade
For Four Rib Eye Steaks

Three quarters cup of Canadian beer
One cup of Kraft Signature Roasted Garlic and Fine Herb Dressing
One package of Club House La Grille Seasoning Mesquite Marinade
Four rib eye steaks

In a large glass baking dish combine all ingredients. Whisk together. Set steaks in dish. Cover with plastic wrap. Set in refrigerator for about four hours, turning steaks over at beginning of second hour. When ready to grill, remove steaks from marinade. Throw out remaining marinade. Grill steaks to desired doneness.

"W" is for Wine and Wellington

I tried beef Wellington for the first time at age 16 at Inn on the Park in North York, Ontario. My first boyfriend and his family invited me to join them for dinner. This was the first sophisticated restaurant I had ever attended and it certainly left a great impression on me. My boyfriend assured me by whispering in my ear, "You can order whatever you like." I decided to order the same dish as my boyfriend's father, as I was enamored by his enthusiasm for a menu item called beef Wellington. Well, that evening I fell in love with the boy, his family, beef Wellington and fine dining.

It is believed that the Duke of Wellington, who won the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, was a finicky eater, yet happen to like one particular dish -- beef wrapped in puff pastry. So, this dish was named after him. Another story says this dish supposedly resembled his highly polished Wellington boot, and therefore acquired the name this way.

Whatever the true story might be, beef Wellington has remained a decadent and popular dish since this time.

This is a dish I've struggled with and have yet to master. The reason is my possessing an unwillingness to remember to use a meat thermometer.

Classic beef Wellington uses filet of beef tenderloin covered with pate (often liver or foie gras) and duxelles (mixture of mushrooms, onions, shallots and herbs), wrapped in puff pastry.

One version uses a Madeira sauce. Due to the richness and sweetness, this sauce requires, as a wine partner, a full-bodied red wine with forward fruit flavours and soft bitterness. Too much tannin (bitterness and astringency) will clash with the sweetness in the sauce. Try Merlot or Shiraz from a warm climate like Australia.

You might also choose to pair this dish with a dense, off-dry rose or even a small glass of tawny Port.

Forgo the Madeira sauce and partner classic beef Wellington (with or without a red wine sauce) alongside an austere red wine of choice, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Tempranillio, Amarone, etc.

There are many Wellingtons one can make using vegetables, fish, seafood, chicken, duck, pork, veal, venison, buffalo and even elk. I've recently discovered elk and absolutely adore it.


When making a classic rendition I use puff pastry. When making mock Wellington I like to use Pillsbury’s croissant dough, available in the refrigerator section at supermarkets. The croissant dough is easy to work, reliable and delicious and makes for outstanding individual, mock Wellingtons of every flavour. Just be sure to par cook heavier flesh like pork, chicken, venison or elk before wrapping it in the pastry.

I enjoy creating mock versions, such as salmon, chicken with pesto Wellington, steak with blue cheese and others.

Salmon Wellington seasoned with fresh herbs, such as dill or chives, tastes wonderful with pinot noir or red Burgundy. Salmon has enough fattiness to stand up to a light, fruit red.

Chicken with pesto Wellington is fatty, thus requiring a white wine with lots of fattiness, such as a barrel fermented and aged white like fume blanc or chardonnay. Fume blanc is sauvignon blanc that has been fermented and aged in oak barrels. Or look for a white from a warm climate with higher alcohol (14%). Alcohol adds viscosity to wine -- thickness in weight and texture. This occurs on the palate as fatty or creaminess.

Steak with blue cheese Wellington certainly requires a red wine with austere tannins, such as cabernet sauvignon.

You could also create pork Wellington with honey mustard, as well. The sweetness in the honey mustard needs a white wine with a hint of sweetness to match. Try off dry riesling or off dry gewürztraminer.

In fact, any sauce that you like with a particular flesh will work within the croissant pastry, as well. The choices are endless. Thai versions could include a coconut curry based sauce that can be matched to an off dry white wine, like riesling. Chicken Wellington with an Asian slant could include soy sauce with garlic and ginger or even a spicy plum sauce. Match the spicy plum sauce version to an off dry rose.

"V" is for Vegetarian Appetizers

When entertaining I always suggest you begin with lighter dishes and move to heavier ones. Nowadays people are apt to enjoy vegetarian dishes in an attempt to cut back on animal fat. Meat can also be expensive, especially if you're incorporating it into many dishes throughout a meal.

I enjoy preparing an array of vegetarian appetizers. You are sure to please most guests and keep costs relatively low. It's also pleasurable to buy fresh vegetables at the local farmer's market, thus adding a seasonal approach and a level of quality and sophistication to the evening.

About a week ago I attended a fund raising, women-only event for one of my best friends, Terri Catlin. The profits from the evening were to fund her upcoming trip to the WOMEN'S INTERNATIONAL FILM & ARTS FESTIVAL in Miami where Terri's short film would be celebrated. The Dirty Truth is about a 1940s detective duo and how they discover that their new case may be more than they bargained for. When a domestic dispute turns out to be a matter of global proportions, Vic & Vera find themselves out of their league.

Back to vegetarian appetizers...

We chose four appetizers from my latest cookbook entitled Orgasmic Appetizers and Matching Wines -- Tiny Bites with the MOAN FACTOR.

We paired one wine style each with four appetizers. However, when entertaining, the key is to do the opposite -- choose three to five appetizers that partner with one wine.

Dining became with a sheep's milk feta dip incorporating olive oil, fresh oregano, black olives and artichokes. The tangy and bitter taste sensations in this dip called for a bone dry (brut) sparkling wine offering similar characteristics.
This dip is very easy to prepare. Lay out 2 pieces of tin foil in a "cross" formation. Drizzle the tin foil with quality olive oil. Add a handfull of chopped black olives (from a jar), artichoke hearts (from a can) and about a half cup of fresh oregano. Pull a large piece of sheep's milk feta from its way and lay it on top of the other ingredients. Wrap the cheese tightly in the tin foil and refrigerate for a couple of hours, allowing the flavours to meld.

About 45 minutes before guests arrive, place the tin foiled cheese in the over at 350 F. Upon guests arriving, open a bottle of brut sparkling wine or Champagne. Pull the cheese from the over. Open the tin foil and convert the cheese into a bowl. I like to slice a French baguette and fry the slices in oil in a fry pan. Serve the fried bread with the feta dip.

We also enjoyed sweet potato and curried latkes with a dollop of apple sauce. Another easy and inexpensive and tasty appetizer. The sweetness from the sweet potato and apple sauce and heat and spice from the curry demand a white wine with sweetness to match. The key is to ensure that the wine is sweeter than the potato and apple. An off dry Riesling with a sugar code of 2 will serve as ideal.

Our farmer's market features a mushroom vendor who supplies the most fabulous variety of fungi! The great thing about mushrooms is that they are high in the fifth taste sensation of umami. This makes them compatible with every style of red wine.

Wild mushroom and three cheese bruschetta complemented its accompanying red wine, an Ontario Shiraz.

We also enjoyed a Shitake Mushroom and Cashew Pate with an Ontario Merlot Reserve.

Spring is on the horizon and there are many Ontario grown fruits and vegetables available at this time of year, such as apricots, beets, carrots, mushrooms, onions, cabbage, etc.

All of these ingredients can be highlighted in appetizers. How about substituting the apple sauce for spicy apricot chutney on the sweet potato latkes? Or prepare a curried carrot and apple soup served in small portions inside cappuccino cups? Caramelized onions can be the centre piece of flat bread topped with brie or blue cheese and paired with Pinot Noir.

When considering ideas for appetizers think fresh and local vegetables. By doing so you can feature your meat in the entree -- perhaps Roasted Rack of Lamb with Spring Succotash and Wilted Spinach. Be sure to pair this lamb dish with a South African Cabernet Sauvignon.

"U" is for Unbelievable Mushrooms

Recently, owner, friend and chef extraordinaire from Rare restaurant on Brock Street in Peterborough, handed me a bright red-orange and wonderfully lumpy ingredient.

“A gift,” he said. His eyes twinkled with excitement. You would have thought he was Jack T. Colton, soldier of fortune in the 1984 movie Romancing the Stone, handing me the treasure. “A lobster mushroom,” he said.

I had sampled lobster mushrooms in dishes before, but I had not actually seen one whole until this moment. The mushroom’s colour resembled the red-orange shell of a cooked lobster. I felt giddy, knowing Brad had just given me a hard-to-obtain culinary gem.

When I put the mushroom up to my nose to smell it, one question immediately came to mind. “What wine would harmonize with the damp woody smell of this British Columbian delight?” I had a plethora of wines to consider.

Fresh lobster mushrooms are a rare find in Ontario. I have chef friends who have only tasted dried versions of this exotic Canadian west coast fungi. In fact, this is not a mushroom at all, but rather a parasitic ascomycete that grows on mushrooms, turning them lobster red.

Grown in areas, such as Vancouver Island, lobster mushrooms are firm, but softly textured with a distinctive woody smell and taste. Some say the mushroom smells like sweet cooked lobster. I don’t think so. I think its woody character makes it an ideal ingredient for a wine offering earthy aromas and flavours.

That evening I cut the mushroom in half, deciding to incorporate its flesh into 2 meals. Using fresh tomatoes, garlic, fresh basil, extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar I made bruschetta on toasted Italian bread for my husband and parents.

This appetizer had an overall tangy taste from the tomatoes and balsamic, calling for a chilled pinot noir. We sipped Pelee Island Winery 2007 pinot noir, VQA, (CSPC # 135939), $12.45. What I love most about Pelee Island wines is that they are predictably good from year to year. It’s difficult to get a pinot noir at this price, let alone one with loads of flavour. At $12.45 per bottle, this is the ideal price to spend on a wine that you’re serving with an appetizer. The wine is light bodied with good tangy notes with earthy flavours that gently drew the palate’s attention to the woody flavour of the lobster mushrooms. This bruschetta can be made with shitake mushrooms, as well.

While the mushroom provided earthy notes to the bruschetta, I did feel that it had competed with the big flavour of ripe tomatoes. So, I decided to feature the second half of my fungi in a pasta dish the following evening. Brad had suggested I keep the pasta dish simple, sautéing the thin slices of mushroom in quality olive oil with fresh minced garlic, fresh herbs, and salt and pepper. I made this pasta sauce according to his directions, tossing it with a bowl of hot spaghetti. I sprinkled the dish with freshly grated parmesan. The mushroom flavours shone through this time, adding exotic flair to such a simple meal. Any Spanish red, with an earthy quality, will work with this dish. You can use any wild mushrooms in this dish, as well.

My husband and I sipped a glass of Tapena 2008 tempranillo, (CSPC 72942), $13.95. This Spanish red is also a culinary gem, medium bodied with earthy, chocolate and coffee tones on the nose and palate. It is a delightful quaffer at a reasonable price.

Tempranillo is one of the most popular grape varieties grown and vinified in Spain. This particular Tapena red is bold enough to work with beef, lamb, duck and game meats, and of course, lobster mushrooms.

Tapeña wines are generally fruit forward. You may recognize this winery byone of its most famous wines called “Freixenet.”

"T" is for Taking the Time for the Song and Dance

This is part three in the series called Romancing the Grape.

In many restaurants the mark-up on wine can be hefty. You pay not only for the wine, but for the sommelier or server's song and dance - that is the art of opening and presenting the wine to you, the host, and your guests.

After ordering from the list, the server will return to your table, presenting the bottle of wine to you. He/she will display the label. Be sure to read the name of the winery, the style (Bordeaux) or grape variety (Cabernet Sauvignon) and most definitely the vintage date. The same wine can vary in quality and price from year to year.

While attending sommelier training at George Brown College (I need not mention the year), my teacher, Jacques Marie, taught us that a professional server or sommelier will blend into the wood work. Today too many servers are looking to be the centre of attention during your dining experience. A trained, professional sommelier or server will create a quiet, seamless and professional experience for the host and his/her guests.

Quietness is key. This includes the sommelier quietly pulling the cork from the bottle rather than popping it out. The sommelier uses the cork screw to pull the cork about three quarters out of the bottle neck. Wrapping his/her hand around the cork, the sommelier will then gently wiggle the remainder of the cork from the bottle, thus ensuring complete silence in opening the wine.

Again quietness is key. At no time should the server or sommelier interupt or listen in on the table conversations.

The sommelier may then wipe the rim of the bottle if some cork has been desposited here.

After opening the bottle, the sommelier will then put the cork in front of you, the host, who ordered the wine. The bottle may be placed on your table for stability or the sommelier may hold the bottle in the air. In either case, the sommelier stands to the right of host.

You may have noticed some people smelling the cork. This is to apparently determine if the wine is ‘off.’

Smelling the cork tells you very little about what's in the bottle. A musty or moldy smell from the cork could mislead you, as well. It is common for the cork to develop a little mold just under the capsule. It will most likely not affect the wine in the bottle.

Look at the brand name on the cork and make sure it matches the brand on the label. If the names are different this could be an indication that the wine is homemade or a fake.

For some it is advantageous to feel the cork. If it is completely dry, this may be a sign that the bottle has been stored upright, rather on its side, thereby allowing air inside the bottle and causing the wine to oxidize – to age before its time. Young wines, however, may have dry corks because they have just been bottled. If the cork is gummy, this may be a good indication that the wine has oxidized.

The sommelier or server will then pour an ounce into the host’s, glass. The host’s job is to swirl the wine, smell it and taste it. If you’re unsure as to what to smell, just concern yourself with the taste. If the wine tastes pleasant, nod and let the sommelier then fill your guests’ glasses first; yours last.

If the wine’s taste reminds you of cooked fruit – the kind you put into a pie – then the wine may very well be oxidized. If the cork is gummy and the wine taste liked cooked fruit, ask for another bottle of wine. Cork taint affects approximately about three percent of all wines. So, your chances of getting one are slim.

If ready for a second bottle of wine to be brought to the table, make sure the server does not put new wine into your used glasses. Politely put your hand over the bowl and request a new glass for your second wine. If you’re switching from white to red wine, it’s also appropriate to ask for a clean glass.

If you like the wine, be sure to tell the restaurant owner. This is the only way he/she will know how to successfully build a wine cellar.

"S" is for Selecting Wines from the Wine List

Part Two of Romancing the Grape -- The Wine List

The restaurant wine list can be intimidating. Restaurateurs will tell you that some of their finest vintages never sell because the names of wines can be difficult to pronounce. Gewurztraminer, for example, is one of those wines. Pronounced ‘ge-wurz-tra-meener’, this white is full bodied, is produced both dry and off-dry and offers wonderful aromas and flavours of flowers, spice, and tropical fruit, depending on the terroir in which the grapes are grown.

While it may be ideal to partner to spicy Thai dishesa and East Indian cuisine, Gewurztraminer is often avoided. Many customers would rather refrain from mispronouncing the name and therefore looking bad to their fellow companions than in trying something new.

Don't be shy to ask the wait-person or sommelier how to pronounce the wine. Their job is to both educate you and create your culinary experience.

Add to this that every restaurant has its own individualistic approach to creating the wine list. Lists can be organized and simple, dividing by country, grape variety, style, price and/or region. Other lists look like a novel, listing pages upon pages of vintages.

So how does the average, novice wine lover read the wine list? The answer is by process of elimination and the art of experimentation.

First, are you a foodie who sips wine or a wino who likes to eat? Foodies choose the dish and then find a wine to match. Winos choose the wine and then order a dish accordingly.

What is your budget? I like to hunt for unique and quality wines at reasonable prices. Given that most wines are marked up by 100%, I refrain from drinking these excessively expensive vintage while dining out.

Next, eliminate the house wine. They are often inexpensive, non descript red and white wines, purchased by price rather than quality. They carry the highest mark-up, as well.

No doubt the easiet way to choose is to match a regional wine to a regional food and to stay within your budget.

And then there are those foodies and winos who operate by their emotions above budget and palate. They choose wine according to their mood.

So, there are no hard and fast rules that can be applied to choosing wine from the list for each kind of wine lover.

Most people choose wine to partner to the entree.

If you feel like drinking white wine, then choose a style that will match your dish. All wines fall into various styles. Within each style you'll find an array of grape varieties or 'varietal' wines. The style will dictate the wine's most predominant taste sensations, such as tangy and fruit or fruity and sweet. The taste sensations are key when pairing wine to food.

The terrior in which the grape is grown will determine the wine's flavours on the nose and palate. While two whites may be light and crisp, one can have citrus flavours in the aromas while another might be more floral. Flavours are less important in creating harmony on the palate between the wine and food.

Pair your entree to a wine's taste sensations.

Crisp dry whites (Sauvignon Blanc) work with tangy dishes highlighting ingredients like goat cheese or feta or salty dishes, such as caviar or smoked salmon.

Off dry white wines offset heat and spice and complement foods slightly sweet, such as those featuring sweet potato.

Full-bodied, oaky whites (Chardonnay) harmonize with fatty foods like cream-based or butter-based sauces over pasta.

If you enjoy red wine, then there are three basic styles from which to choose -- light fruity reds like Pinot Noir), reds with forward fruit (like Shiraz) or austere reds(Cabernet Sauvignon).

Light, fruity reds marry well with oily fish like salmon and tuna, as well as chicken or fresh tomato based sauces over pasta.

If you prefer gentle heat and spice choose a red wine with forward fruit as the tannin tends to be soft, thereby not interfering with the heat and spice. This style also complements roasted tomato sauces and can complement chicken, beef or duck.

Heavier reds work best with red meats, salty cured meats like prosciutto and salty, hard cheese like Romano or Parmesan.

Consider experimenting. Ask the server to recommend a wine. Take a chance. Before ordering, request samples of a few wines. This will give you the opportunity to experiment and try the wines before spending your hard earned dollars.
Buy wine by the bottle. If dining with two or more guests, it’s cheaper to order by the bottle than by the glass.

If you’re interested in expanding your knowledge, ask the server if you can try a half glass of two wines (listed at the same price) rather than ordering a full glass of wine.

If you like a certain grape variety, such as chardonnay or cabernet sauvignon, try ones from different wine regions and/or countries. An Ontario chardonnay, considered a wine produced in a cool climatic region, for example, has a completely different taste profile than a chardonnay produced in a warm climate, such as South Africa. Ontario chardonnays are lighter in style with a good backbone of acidity. The acidity cleans the palate between bites, thus making them good food wine.

A South African chardonnay will be heavier in style, more suited for heavier dishes, such as cream based pasta. The more sunshine hours over a growing season and the hotter the temperatures of a region, the greater the sugar level in the grapes. During fermentation sugar is converted to alcohol and carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide dissapates, leaving alchol in the wine. So warm climates tend to produce wine with higher alcohol. Alcohol creates viscosity or thickness on the palate. It is experienced as mouth feel. Wines with high alcohol can have a heavy or creamy texture, thus making them suitable for fattier dishes.

Don’t shy away from trying new wines because the grape variety is hard to pronounce. Ask the server to pronounce the name for you and have him/her explain the qualities of the wine.

If ordering two glasses of wine, rather than a bottle, try different ones. Save a little wine from your first glass to compare against the new wine in your second glass. This simple act, alone, will aid in expanding your love and understanding of the fermented grape.

There's only one guideline I like to stress and that is to keep an open mind and try a different wine every time you dine out, exploring wine regions from around the world. This is the only way to finally discover the wines that fit into your personal taste profile.

"R" if for Romancing the Grape

Wine service is an important part of the hospitality and restaurant industries, a fact that too few restaurateurs recognize.

On more than one occasion, I have ordered a bottle of wine, only to discover that the server is unskilled in recommending and presenting the wine.

The restaurateur needs to know that, while choosing great wines for the restaurant is a major factor in attracting food and wine lovers, so too is presenting the wine in proper glassware.

Nothing is more disappointing than purchasing a $50 to $80 bottle of wine and having to drink it from glasses that might have been purchased at a dollar store. Don't get me wrong; I love the Dollar Store. But it's not the stop to shop for quality restaurant or home wine glassware. There are plenty of shops that carry inexpensive, durable wine glasses that are the right shape and so enhance the aromas and flavours of your favourite grape varieties.

While a great wine list and quality glasses are aspects to proper service, romancing the grape begins with its presentation at your table. Restaurateurs mark up wines dramatically. Therefore, as customers, we deserve to get a little dog and pony show if we are to pay these exorbitant prices.

Wine should be opened properly and served in the traditional style, with the server standing to the right of the diner. Proper serving techniques are another factor that helps justify the sometimes unreasonable cost of a bottle of wine.

The best way to convince restaurant owners to train their staff in wine service is for us, the consumers, to begin demanding it. Servers should do their homework and taste the wines offered on the wine list. Tasting wine? How can that be considered arduous? The more a server knows about wine, the more confident his/her recommendations, the better the customers' experience and the greater the server's tips. Servers must know more than a wine's colour. They should be able to pronounce and identify the various grape varieties, names of wines and regions. Proper pronunciation, alone, would increase the level of wine service offered to us, the consumers.

So, in the next few blogs I'm going to be covering the topic of proper restaurant wine service.

Topics will include how a wine list should be constructed and how the wines should be presented and opened at your dining table. At the very least, these tips will contribute to your overall enjoyment of wine while dining out.

See you back here next week!

"Q" is for Quick Choices For Fabulous Reds

If you're celebrating Valentine's Day at home, you may want to pick up a couple of bottles of great reds at reasonable prices. Using the CSPC #, this makes shopping "quick" and easy.

Over the past week I’ve had the opportunity to taste a whole array of red wines. Some of these were okay; others, great!

In the Vintage section of the LCBO you’ll find Etim 2007, (CSPC #146019), $14.95, Montsant, Spain. This is a powerful red wine offering lots of black pepper, smoke and cassis in the aromas. In the aromas you’ll also find a mineral quality, the smell of limestone, which can be found in the soil of the vineyards of Montsant in the province of Tarragona (Catalonia), Spain. Dark berries, leather and spice coated in great structure with velvety texture and full body is found on the palate. Decant this wine for an hour or so to take the edge off its tannins. Etim an excellent choice to partner with game birds and meats.

Portugal is worth considering, not only for its Port, but also for its table wines. The principal red grape varieties of the Douro region include Bastardo, Mourisco Tinto, Tinta Amarela, Tinta Barroca, Tinto Cao, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), Touriga Francesca and Touriga Nacional. These varieties are grown in schist and granite soil profiles surrounded by a continental climate featuring hot and dry summers and very cold winters.

Recently, the LCBO released into Vintages a lovely Portuguese wine called Sogrape Reserva Douro 2003 D.O.C., (CSPC # 335208), $17.95. In this wine I found aromas of ripe plums, chocolate and spice. The palate swirls with flavours of red fruit, spices and smoke, embraced by full body, firm tannin and a long finish. I really enjoyed this wine. It’s a fabulous partner for game meats, duck, goose, lamb and roast beef.

This month the LCBO is showcasing its best releases scoring over 90 points with an average cost of between $17.00 and $25.00. I experienced one of the wines last night called Juan Gil Tinto 2006, (CSPC # 1677), $21.95. This baby scored 91 points by Robert Parker (www.erobertparker.com). The Monastrall grape variety is fermented dry to produce a wine with finesse and complexity. The Monastrall grape grown in Spain was believed to be the same variety as France’s Mouvedre. Today, however, experts are still not quite sure. Monastrall does produce big, bold, tannic reds that soften with age, very much like Mouvedre.

The nose of Juan Gil is at first delicate with aromas of violets. Give it time to age in a decanter. The nose opens up offering lots of dark berry flavours. Medium body with dark berries, loads of structure, and a long finish come through on the palate. The wine was aged for a year in both American and French oak. While the wine can take some cellar aging for a few years, it is also highly drinkable now. Marry this wine with heavy dishes, such as roast beef, gourmet burgers, venison, goose and duck. Spaghetti with buffalo used in a meat sauce would taste great alongside a glass of Juan Gil. Pizzas will require pepperoni or other red meats.

"P" is for Partnering Popcorn with Wine

I commissioned a local potter to make a handcrafted popcorn bowl for me. The perfect bowl is long and narrow, more like a pail than a bowl. The narrow bottom fits comfortably on one’s lap. The narrow rim tells people that this is a personal, rather than a community bowl! I hate other peoples’ hands digging through my popcorn. The depth makes room for lots of popped corn.

I pop my kernels in a large pot on the stove. I use corn oil, due to its high smoking point, to pop my corn. I also prefer organic popcorn and sea salt. Organic popcorn seems crunchier to me -- my personal opinion.

Popcorn is a good source of fiber and is low in calories. Sea salt is full of trace minerals that enable our bodies to effectively utilize the water we consume and to utilize the nutrients in our food.

I heat the pot until just before the oil starts to smoke, between 400-460 degrees Fahrenheit. Oil burns and smokes at about 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
While the oil is heating up, I place a large tea towel around the inside of the lid, holding the four corners on top. When the kernels release their moisture, the steam is trapped by the tea towel. This ensures crunchier popcorn.

I drop a kernel or two into the pot to test the heat. When the kernels pop, I add the remainder, pouring in just enough to coat the bottom. I cover the pot with the tea towel lid and shake to coat all the kernels with oil. After reducing the heat slightly, I continue to shake the pot until the sound of popping dramatically slows down, and then pour the popped corn into a bowl.

The appropriate wine depends on how you like your popcorn. Popcorn with lots of salt and little to no butter requires a crisp, dry white wine with good acidity, such as pinot gris, sauvignon blanc or a dry riesling. The sourness from the acidity offsets the saltiness in the popcorn. Bone-dry sparkling wine is also a good choice, as well.

Popcorn with heavy butter calls for a white or red wine with lots of oily or buttery texture. A big, fat white wine, such as a barrel fermented and/or aged chardonnay with high alcohol is a good match. Reds with forward fruit character with soft acidity and soft tannin work nicely, too. A creamy, fruity shiraz or merlot would be ideal.

Processed cheese topping for popcorn is generally more salty than fatty and so requires a crisp, dry white, such as the ones mentioned above. Organic popcorn sprinkled with sea salt also works nicely with an organic chardonnay with no oak aging.

Sometimes I pour hot butter on my popcorn and then sprinkle it with freshly grated parmigiano reggiano and sea salt. Delicious! This Italian style popcorn calls for a big, austere Italian red, such as barbaresco.

Jamaican popcorn seasoning combines a mixture of nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice and pinch of cayenne. An off-dry gewürztraminer or a sparkling wine with some sweetness is perfect. The sweetness offsets the heat and spice.

"O" is for Oysters on Valentine's Day

The oyster is a well-known aphrodisiac. It contains a high zinc level, which is an important nutrient for the production of testosterone. Testosterone stimulates the libido in both men and women.

So, this Valentine’s Day you may want to consider enjoying a feast of raw oysters with an accompanying wine with your romantic partner.

Rather than serving the traditional dish of oysters on the half shell, why not prepare a few Japanese oyster shooters?

To make oyster shooters, you’ll need to buy about a dozen oysters. Many supermarkets carry fresh oysters in the fish department. Remember that the size of the shell is not an indicator of the fattiness of the oyster.

You need not hunt for the biggest shells. The shell size does not determine the size of the oyster. Look for shells that are not chipped or cracked and are tightly sealed.

Be sure to purchase an oyster knife, if you don’t already own one. It need not be expensive, and supermarkets usually sell them.

When you get home from the supermarket, store your live oysters in a bowl, flat side up in their own liquid in the refrigerator. Because they need to breathe, do not store them in an airtight bag, otherwise they will die.

To clean, rub the shells with a stiff brush under cold running water. To shuck them, wrap your left hand in a kitchen towel. Place the oyster shell in the towel and firmly cup the bottom shell. Be careful to not tip the oyster when shucking, as you will lose some of the delicious, oyster liquor. Insert the tip of the oyster knife into the hinged end of the shell and work it gently back and forth until you feel the shell release. Once opened, gently probe against the upper shell with the tip of the knife, cutting through the sinewy umbilical cord that holds the muscle to the shell. Remove the top shell. Discard any bits of shell in the liquor. Work the knife gently underneath the meat to free it from the bottom shell.

Inspect the meat. The oyster should be plump with a grayish colour and a mild, fresh water scent. If pink, discard the oyster. This can be an indication of the presence of yeast. Dried out oysters should also be thrown out, as well.

Place the shucked oysters on a bed of lettuce leaves set on ice in a bowl while you prepare your shooters. The lettuce will keep the shells from over-chilling.

To make a Japanese shooter, place a raw oyster and its liquor in the bottom of a shooter glass. Add a half teaspoon of ponzu. Ponzu is a citrus-based, thin sauce used in Japanese cuisine. Top the oyster with a quarter teaspoon of tobiko. Tobiko is the Japanese word for fish roe, used in various sushi, including California rolls. The eggs are usually orange with a crunchy texture and salty flavour. Sprinke a few small pieces of green onion on top. Both ponzu and tobiko are available at Asian supermarkets. Add an ounce of vodka to the shooter glass.

The Japanese oyster shooter pairs nicely with Aveleda Vinho Verde (CSPC 5322), $7.95, from Portugal. This is a crisp, dry white wine with lemon flavour and delicious sourness that offsets the salty flavour of fresh oysters and tobiko. The wine also has a hint of effervesce, giving it an interesting mouth feel.

If you’re going ‘all out’ this Valentine’s Day to impress a loved one, then forgo the quaffer and invest in a bottle Champagne! Veuve Clicquot Brut (CSPC 563338), $64.95, offers sophisticated, exceptional taste and characteristics that harmonize with oysters. The wine’s brut quality (steely acidity) nicely offsets the saltiness of oysters and tobiko.

"N" is for Naked Grape

I recently sampled, once again, a line of easy drinking quaffers released through the LCBO and Wine Rack stores throughout Ontario.

The line is the Naked Grape series of wines. This line offers four varietal wines – sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, merlot and shiraz. At under $10.00 each, the wines are worth exploring. I call these 'weekday wines.'

The name ‘naked’ refers to the idea that the wines shine with their natural fruitiness, without having to share the spotlight with any woody, vanilla or oaky character imparted through fermentation or aging in oak barrels. These are Canadian wines made in the latest trendy style of forward fruitiness. This style of wine is quite popular and readily available in Californian and Australian wines.

Naked Grape sauvignon blanc (CSPC # 665224), $9.95, is medium in weight, crisp and tart with lots of tangerine and lime flavours typical of this grape variety. I love a good sauvignon blanc, and this is certainly one that works for me. This wine is too tangy to serve at large gatherings over the holidays. Save it for dinner entertaining. Its tart acidity would be far too intrusive for older relatives or anyone sensitive to acidity. Yet, it’s an excellent food wine to pair with specific dishes. I served this white with sole drizzled in fresh lemon juice. Matching appetizers include those highlighting caviar, fresh goat cheese, feta or smoked salmon. Greek chicken marinated in yogurt is also an ideal match.

Naked Grape chardonnay (CSPC #665232), $9.95, is also medium in weight yet has lots of forward ripe pear fruit and balanced acidity. Due to its taste and price, this is an ideal wine for holiday functions and Christmas parties for large groups. Its easy drinking and will please most of your guests. I would match this wine with a variety of appetizers at a large function, such as canapés featuring chicken, mozzarella and garlic or Cuban chicken skewers marinated in orange and lemon juice with olive oil and a pinch each of cumin, paprika and dried oregano. This white would also work nicely with cold salads, cold turkey and grilled salmon.

The merlot in this series (CSPC # 665208), $9.95, is medium in weight with red raspberry flavour with some sourness and bitterness. It’s not a typical soft merlot, but still can be matched to certain types of food. To work with the wine’s character, I cooked t-bone steaks with fried garlic and season salt. Fried garlic tends to be slightly bitter, pairing nicely with the wine’s hint of bitterness. The salt on the steaks also helped to soften the bitterness.

Naked Grape shiraz (CSPC# 665216), $9.95, offers typical, delicious character. The wine is blackberry with a hint of spice, medium in weight and smooth. This is a great, easy drinking red that will work with turkey and all the trimmings during the holidays. The wine’s berry character and hint of sweetness will also pair nicely with not too sweet homemade cranberry sauce. Cranberry sauce from the can requires wines with more sweetness, such as off-dry whites and off-dry roses. This is a good red to serve to large gatherings over the holidays, as well.

"M" is for Mastering Meatballs

Chinese Meatball Recipe Below

Every culture has its own traditional meatball.

I have a fettish for meatballs of every kind. I love them in soups, sauces, and salads. I'll eat a giant meatball from the deli counter at my local supermarket as my lunch. I also serve them as hors d'oeuvres.

There is a mastery to making the perfect meatball.

The first secret to the perfect Italian meatball is to use a combination of pork, veal and beef. Veal adds the richness, while pork provides flavour and beef gives structure to the meatball. Add freshly grated parmesan cheese, fresh oregano and fresh parsley with this mixture. If you substitute with inferior ingrediens, you'll end up with a mediocre meatball.

The second secret is to ensure you do not overwook the mix. Warming up the mixture smears the fat throughout and make the meatballs tough.

Third...keep added ingredients cold, as well. If you're adding sauted mushrooms or carmelized onions to your meatball cool them down first.

Whenever using dried breadcrumbs, soak them in milk or heavy cream first. This keeps them moist and light. Or use fresh breadcrumbs with a little egg to make them tight.

The fifth secret is to consider how you cook the meatballs. Searing or braising them renders the fat from the balls into the sauce. This makes the dish high in fat, thus highly flavourful.

But if you're interested in eating more healthily, render the fat from the balls and sauce. Roast the balls first and then remove the fat. Or poach the meatballs for the same reason.

Lastly, be sure to cook your meatballs completely to avoid the potential of food born illnesses.

In Asian and Thai cuisine, for example, fish and seafood balls are popular. Ground crab, scallops and/or shrimp work nicely with cilantro, cumin, lemon and garlic, to name a few. These combinations also work with a white wine possessing good acidity called Sauvignon Blanc. The wine is delicious on hot, summer days. Its grassy, grapefruit, fig, green herb and bell pepper aromas and flavours complement meatballs that combine some of these ground meats and herbs and spices. The key is to experiment.

Other seafood balls, made of ground fish, such as salmon, or lobster, shrimp, chicken, pork, veal or turkey combined with chervil, fennel seed, fresh sage, garlic, curry, ginger, tarragon, and basil go nicely with a white called Chardonnay. Barrel fermented Chardonnay is known for its full-body and tropical aromas and flavours and buttery texture. This makes it an ideal sparing partner for all these ground meats.

Meatballs can also be made from the ground meat of smoked chicken, smoked duck, and smoked turkey, all of which complement rose. Most roses with a hint of sweetness work with the herbs and spices found in Mexican, Middle Eastern, Chinese, Thai, Cajun, Southwestern and Indonesian cuisines. Some of the herbs and spices in these multicultural cuisines are allspice, caraway, cayenne, cinnamon, clove, coriander, ginger and nutmeg.

Beef meatballs combined with the flavours of basil, bay leaves, clove, garlic, lavender and thyme go nicely with a light, fruity red wine called Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir often is medium bodied with aromas and flavours of black cherry, berries, cloves, violets and sometimes with smokiness. The idea is to choose a specific type of ground meat, choose a couple of spices and marry this to a specific wine. You wouldn’t want to go overboard with too many herbs and spices in one meatball. Simplicity is key.

Lamb, wild game, beef and duck meatballs are often incorporated into North American and Italian cuisines. Black pepper, garlic, lavender, mustard, rosemary, and thyme are all flavouring agents that partner well with Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Sauvignon is a big, full-bodied red wine with black currant, cassis, eucalyptus, mint, berry, chocolate, cedar and tobacco like character.

One of my favourite red wines is Zinfandel. It possesses wild blackberries, raspberries, black pepper, chocolate and sometimes violet notes in the aromas and flavours. This big red is an ideal partner for spaghetti and meatballs. The herbs and spices of basil, bay leaves, and oregano are perfect complements for this grape variety. Zinfandel also complements many Italian, Creole and Southwestern dishes, all of which highlight meatballs, as well.

So, the next time you’re in the mood for meatballs, remember that there’s a wide range of ground meats, along with combinations of herbs and spices and wine partnerships from which to choose.

Here's three meatball recipes and matching wine notes to consider:

Chinese Rice–Studded Meatballs
Serves 4

These rice-coated meatballs are known as zhen zhu or “pearls” in Chinese. Steaming the meatballs on bok choy leaves helps to keep them from sticking to the steamer. While this dish can be served as an appetizer, my husband likes it as an entrée.

1 cup jasmine rice (or rice of choice) 250 mL
2 to 4 outer bok choy leaves 2 to 4
4 scallions 4
1 egg 1
1/2 cup diced water chestnuts 125 mL
1 Tbsp each cornstarch, rice vinegar and sesame oil 15 mL
1 tsp sugar 5 mL
1/2 tsp chili paste 2 mL (or as desired)
1 lb ground chicken 500 g
Salt and pepper to taste
Bok choy leaves (for garnish)
Dipping Sauce: (Chinese Plum Sauce with added fresh lime
juice and splash of hotsauce)

Place rice in a bowl. Cover with hot water and soak until needed. Set a skillet filled with water on the stove and place a bamboo or metal steamer on the skillet. Line the steamer with bok choy leaves.

In a food processor or blender, add scallions, egg, water chestnuts, cornstarch, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar and chili paste. Puree, then transfer mixture to a bowl. Add ground chicken and season with salt and pepper. Mix well. Roll mixture into balls. Drain rice and transfer to a shallow dish. Coat meatballs with damp rice.

Bring the water in the skillet to a boil. Place batches of meatballs in steamer and steam until chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes. Insert a toothpick in each meatball and place on a platter lined with bok choy leaves. Serve with dipping sauce.

Wine Suggestion: Sparkling Wine with Hint of Sweetness
The predominant building block is hot and spiciness from the dipping sauce, so the recipe requires a demi-sec sparkling wine with sweetness to offset the heat and spice.

Blue Cheese Meatballs
Serves Four

1 ½ lbs ground lean beef
1 ½ tsp salt
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 large egg
¼ lb blue cheese, cubed
Flour (for drudging)
4 tbsp butter
1 cup Cabernet Franc

Put meat in mixing bowl and mix thoroughly with salt crushed with minced garlic; blend in egg. Shape pieces of meat around each cube of cheese, and then roll each meatball lightly in flour. Heat butter in skillet and sauté meatballs, turning frequently until well browned. Add wine and simmer, covered, about 10 minutes.

Wine Suggestion: Cabernet Franc
This recipe calls for a big red with plenty of flavour to stand up to blue cheese and texture of meat.

Spicy Shrimp Balls
Serves 4

1 lb shrimp
4 shallots
4 cloves garlic
1 stalk lemon grass, bruised and chopped*
4 coriander roots*
10 pepper corns (1/4 tsp cracked black pepper)
1 small piece krachai root (about 1 tbsp chopped)*
½ tsp grated wild lime (makrood) peel (lime peel may be substituted)*
5-10 dried chillies or to taste
1 tbsp shrimp paste
1 tbsp fish sauce or to taste
8 oz green beans, thinly sliced in rounds
1 egg beaten
2-3 cups vegetable oil for deep-frying

*lemon grass, coriander roots, krachai and makrood are available in asian supermarkets

Peel and devein shrimp; puree or grind. In a mortar, pound together shallots, garlic, lemon grass, coriander roots, peppercorns, krachai, wild lime peel and chillies. Gradually blend in shrimp paste and fish sauce as the ingredients start to break down. When consistency of a fairly smooth paste, mix in shrimp puree, green beans and egg. Roll into small balls. Heat oil in heavy pot or deep-fry balls over medium heat about 4 minutes or until golden.

Wine Suggestion: Semi Dry Vidal
When entertaining, begin with an easy drinking wine to pair with the appetizers. Let the quality of the wines served increase in weight, structure and flavour as the evening progresses. Semi Dry Vidal offers enough sweetness to counteract the Thai spiciness in this appetizer. It is also light body and so doesn’t overpower the delicate nature of shrimp.

"L" is for Little Penguin Chardonnay

With the state of our economy, I’m in search of tasty and inexpensive wines. It’s rare to find big, fat chardonnays at a reasonable price. They tend to range from $17 to $30, as most are barrel fermented and/or aged and this adds to their final cost.

Warm climate whites can fall into the big, fat category if they possess high alcohol (13 to 14.5 per cent). Alcohol is one of a few elements in wine that can add viscosity. In layman terms, viscosity is thickness. The higher the alcohol, the heavier the weight of the wine.

As an experiment, place the same crisp, dry white wine with low alcohol (12 per cent) into 2 wine glasses. In one of the glasses add an ounce of vodka. Taste both wines. You’ll notice that the wine with the vodka has more viscosity than the one without it. It will be heavier and thicker in texture due to the increase of alcohol.

You’ll generally find big fat whites of quality in the Vintage section of LCBO stores. These are the only whites that have enough body and fattiness to match cheese, cream and butter based dishes.

It would not occur to me to hunt for such a fatty wine through the general list area of the LCBO. However, a client recently recommended I try Little Penguin chardonnay, Australia, (CSPC # 598904), $10.95. At this price I had little hope of the wine meeting the balance, weight and creaminess I demand in a big, fat white wine. But I tried it anyway.

This Aussie gem pleasantly surprised me. The wine has full body, creamy texture and flavours on the nose and palate of fresh tropical fruit like pineapple and melon. Well balanced. It’s truly a delightful, fatty chardonnay.

Little Penguin chardonnay reveals characteristics that can be partnered to an array of inexpensive dishes so you can entertain on a budget.

Party dips work well with this big white. Cream cheese is fatty and creamy and is often the base ingredient in dips. Crab, artichoke and parmesan, smoked salmon, spinach, and blue cheese dips all harmonize with the same fatty taste sensation in this white wine.

Due to its weight, Little Penguin chardonnay also complements fatty fish like salmon, tuna and swordfish. Try grilled salmon with a citrus butter sauce, salmon cannelloni with a lemon butter sauce or grilled swordfish with lime butter.

This is an acceptable partner for sushi highlighting salmon and tuna, as well.

Little Penguin chardonnay complements pasta dishes coated in fatty sauces, too. Mac and cheese has the weight, creaminess and fattiness to work with this white. If you want to add depth of flavour to this inexpensive comfort food, add a dash of white wine to the cheese sauce and drizzle the dish with truffle oil just before serving.

Casseroles are inexpensive and easy to make and taste great when served with a warmed loaf of crusty bread and a chilled glass of Little Penguin chardonnay. How about potato and bacon casserole served with toasted garlic bread and a bottle of this white?

Polenta is made from corn meal, which is inexpensive. Yet, when made right, polenta has gourmet appeal. A favourite in my house is creamed chicken with corn and bacon over polenta. Gorgonzola with polenta and fresh porcini mushrooms would also work well with Little Penguin chardonnay.