Jim Cuddy, lead singer and guitarist of the band Blue Rodeo, didn’t grow up in a wine-drinking family. In fact, his first alcoholic drink of choice was beer. “When you start playing in bars, you get paid in beer,” Cuddy explains. “At first, I was excited: free beer! But after five years, I couldn’t take any more beer. That’s when I got into wine.” And into it he is. Cuddy has partnered with Niagara’s Tawse Winery to create a new wine brand, Cuddy by Tawse. “Moray and Joanne Tawse are friends of mine,” Cuddy says. “I had played at their winery […]
Niagara Wine
A Tale of Two Niagara Wineries: Ravine Wines Have Deep Roots
By Trish Kroeger As a relatively new lifestyle and travel photographer, the opportunities I’m about to embark on while visiting far away destinations and delightful wineries will undoubtedly be the envy of many wine connoisseurs. Luckily for me as a proud Canadian, I will never have to venture too far away from home to experience the thrill of visiting world class wineries and meeting passionate and inspirational people along the way. So it made perfect sense to me, with the imminent end of summer fast approaching, that I grab my camera and head off to the most picturesque place I […]
Balderson Cheddar Cheese Tart with Summer Vegetables Recipe Paired with Cabernet Franc
Summer Vegetable and Balderson Cheddar Cheese Tart Pair this delicious recipe with Featherstone Winery Cabernet Franc 2013 Ingredients: 1/3 cup [75 mL] Lactantia Butter melted, divided 1 bunch green onions, chopped 1 cup [250 mL] chopped asparagus 3 plum tomatoes, deseeded and chopped 2 cups [500 mL] chopped spinach 2 tbsp [30 mL] chopped basil 6 sheets thawed phyllo dough 2 tbsp [30 mL] honey mustard 2 cups [500 mL] grated Balderson Heritage Cheddar Cheese 1 cup [250 mL] Lactantia 10% Table Cream 4 eggs, beaten Preparation: In fry pan over medium heat cook green onions in 2 tbsp [30 […]
Rediscover Riesling: The World’s Most Versatile Varietal
By Melissa Pulvermacher The number one question I receive is: “What is your favourite wine”? I could give a long-winded answer about how it all depends on the situation, the people I’m with, the food I have or don’t have, the weather, my mood and several other ridiculous factors that would probably influence what my favourite would be in that exact moment, but if forced to answer simply, I would choose a varietal that I admire most. Of course, I have off and on romances, newly discovered lust and evenings with old flames, but if I had to settle down and […]
Days of Roses and Red Wine: A New App for Your Valentine
By Olivia Villalta Valentine’s Day and roses go hand in hand. Want to tell someone you love them? Roses. Want to show someone you missed them? Roses. Want to get out of the dog house? Roses. But there’s more to these flowers than a beautiful gesture, composed in an elegant vase. Let me share some secrets with you on how to plan the perfect date night using roses in some surprising and creative ways. First, you’ll need two bouquets… one red, for your loved one, and one with a rainbow of many colours, just for fun. The Perfect Delivery With […]
Why is Champagne the Wine of New Year’s Eve?
On CBC Ontario’s CBC drive-home shows we chat about bubblies for the New Year’s in the third part of our holiday wine series. We also chatted about this on CBC’s Alberta at Noon as well as The Morning Edition in Saskatchewan and Metro Morning in Toronto. Champagne is the traditional sparkling wine to ring in the new year, but there are other alternatives. Further below are the wines we talked about in the audio clip above. Do you know the answers to these bubbly questions? Why is Champagne the wine of New Year’s Eve? Savvy champagne producers have managed […]
French Pizza Recipe Paired with Sauvignon Blanc
French Pizza with a Canadian Twist For me, the holiday season is all about getting together with loved ones and creating lasting memories while gathering around some delicious comfort food. There are a lot of comfort food dishes that can turn an ordinary get together into a memorable meet-up, but none quite like my favourite French Pizza with ham and asparagus. While inspired by our European friends, this recipe features mouth-watering Canadian Swiss and Brie Cheese that infuses an unmistakable taste of home. For a truly domestic holiday delight, pair with a light and fruity 2014 Inniskillin Sauvignon Blanc. Perfect […]
Jane’s Gems: Ontario Shines in September 19 Vintages Release
Exciting Times for Ontario Wines By Jane Staples Exciting things are happening in Ontario’s wine industry and wine tourism is developing in great strides. One trend is that women now participate in every facet of the business and perform in every role, whether as winemaker, planting in the vineyards, or in marketing. Women like Ann Sperling, Winemaker at Southbrook Winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake, are making waves. Southbrook’s winemaking philosophy is based on biodynamic, organic farming practices. Every aspect of their operations reflects their commitment to these principles. Carolyn Hurst co-owns Westcott Vineyards in Niagara Peninsula with her husband, Grant Westcott. Victoria […]
Jane’s Gems: 90 Point Wines in the LCBO Vintages Sept 5
By Jane Staples The September 5th release is all about uncorking a great wine. A great bottle of wine is like a great painting; so much goes into creating it and the final product is a work of art. Like a painter working with colour and canvas, the winemaker works with the soil, the vines, the harvest and the oak, making decisions about blending and aging along the way. Uncorking a great bottle of wine can kick off a great conversation. Some wine lovers enjoy discussing the terroir and winemaking techniques, or the history of a particular region. Others are […]
Jane’s Gems: 90 Point Wines in LCBO Vintages August 22
By Jane Staples The August 22 Vintages Release is all about wines that have achieved a score of 90 points or more out of 100 from various wine critics. There’s a certain magic in that score of 90 or above, as we all remember test grades from childhood so we can relate easily to them. There’s even a great difference, perceptually, between 89 and 90 for many consumers, even though there may not be for the critic giving the score. The 100-point wine scoring system wasn’t invented by the US critic Robert Parker Jr., but he certainly brought it to […]
