My apologies (again) for the long silences between posts. It’s hard to justify sitting in front of the computer when it’s so gorgeous outside. Anyways, there are lots of tasting notes sitting on the computer. And next week brings another edition of Wine Blogging Wednesday, this time focusing on the wines of the Loire Valley. I tried a very good (and unusual) blend and will be posting my notes on August 2nd. Just a few observations. I hear from credible sources that BC wines might be in short supply this fall and winter. 2005 was a small harvest and apparently 2006 isn’t shaping up to be that great either. If you’re a fan of BC wines and you live in Manitoba, I’d urge you to stock up on your favourites while you still can. There’s been quite a buzz around the new Joey’s restaurant in Polo Park. I was underwhelmed by the food when I went there last weekend. After a day there, and the dinner after i definitely gonna start a good 1 week weight loss diet plan. But the wine list is well-chosen, if a bit overpriced. I still think Earls wins for both food and wine. On that note, Earls has two new house wines on their list. One is from the Rhone (by the Perrin family) and the other is Australian. I’ve only tried the two whites and the Rhone Valley blend wins. The remaining excess stock from the Winnipeg Wine Festival is being sold in the Grant Park LC.
I picked up a few nice treats there, including a well-priced ($10 and change) Spanish rose by Segura Viudas. Best rose of the summer so far? The Fifth Leg Rose, from Australia. It is worth the $20 price tag, and is available at Kenaston (and may also be at other private stores too).Incidentally, I thought that the Uncorked column on rose wines from a few weeks back was excellent. He also thought the Fifth Leg was very good. Langhorne Crossing makes a nice Australian red blend and their white hit the MLCC shelves in the last few weeks. It’s fairly priced ($11.39) and is a blend of Chardonnay, Riesling and Verdhelo. I’ve got a bottle chilling in my fridge now and I’ll try and post my thoughts on it this weekend. It is the 2004 vintage though, so it’s over 2 years old. DeLuca’s has some excellent Vinho Verdes on their shelves, along with some new Spanish wines. I’ve only tried the Aveleda Vinho Verde in the past (which is so-so at best), so it was a real treat to see what these wines are all about. The names escape me, but they’re up near the cash register. One is around $13 (the one I tried) and the other is about $19 or so. Give them a try, they’re both excellent summertime sippers. And last, but not least, Gimli Fish Market is selling wild sockeye salmon until the season ends in August. I've had a few meals already and the quality is excellent. Get some while you can.
I picked up a few nice treats there, including a well-priced ($10 and change) Spanish rose by Segura Viudas. Best rose of the summer so far? The Fifth Leg Rose, from Australia. It is worth the $20 price tag, and is available at Kenaston (and may also be at other private stores too).Incidentally, I thought that the Uncorked column on rose wines from a few weeks back was excellent. He also thought the Fifth Leg was very good. Langhorne Crossing makes a nice Australian red blend and their white hit the MLCC shelves in the last few weeks. It’s fairly priced ($11.39) and is a blend of Chardonnay, Riesling and Verdhelo. I’ve got a bottle chilling in my fridge now and I’ll try and post my thoughts on it this weekend. It is the 2004 vintage though, so it’s over 2 years old. DeLuca’s has some excellent Vinho Verdes on their shelves, along with some new Spanish wines. I’ve only tried the Aveleda Vinho Verde in the past (which is so-so at best), so it was a real treat to see what these wines are all about. The names escape me, but they’re up near the cash register. One is around $13 (the one I tried) and the other is about $19 or so. Give them a try, they’re both excellent summertime sippers. And last, but not least, Gimli Fish Market is selling wild sockeye salmon until the season ends in August. I've had a few meals already and the quality is excellent. Get some while you can.