Another wonderful pre-holiday release. Try the Chenin Blanc from South Africa for sipping and stock up on the Italian reds for winter dinners and don’t forget to pick up the two sparkling wines I've selected ...read more

Greg's Wine and Food Blog - Friday October 28, 2011

 

…today’s release features some amazing wines, however unless you are a serious collector, have a bank account bigger than Warren Buffet or you just won the lottery, some of the prices are out of range for many of us. However, if money was no object I would certainly try the Château Troplong Mondot 2007, Ac Saint Emilion Grand Cru from Bordeaux which is rated from 93 to 95, but will set you back $115. For the same money you can buy ...read more

It may be back to school time in two weeks, but we still have many weeks of summer weather ahead of us. So this weekend relax and enjoy your down time with some great produce from our local farmers markets and match it with some of these lovely value wines that the LCBO will release this weekend. And, if you're in the mood for sweet corn this weekend, don't boil away all the flavour ...try grilling it on your BBQ as suggested in this article by Fine Cooking Magazine ...more

The summer is only half over, so you still have plenty of time to enjoy some great wines on the deck and dock. If you missed my Red Wine Sangria recipe from the July 23rd blog, it is something that you must try, especially when hosting friends to a backyard BBQ. It’s a great way to begin the evening. There are also some links to some great seasonal recipes courtesy of Fine Cooking magazine and tips on how to BBQ chicken perfectly using indirect heat ...more

Ontario has been experiencing an unprecedented heat wave for the past three weeks and it is hard to stay comfortable without a refreshing drink to keep you cool. My favourite summer drink is Sangria. A few weeks ago we visited Sprucewood Shores Estate Winery, in Essex County and they were gracious enough to share this wonderful Red Wine Sangria Recipe with us. We tried it out two weeks ago ...more

The LCBO / Vintages release for July 9, 2011 includes some nice red wines that feature both quality and value. There is also a nice 10 year old Tawny Port for $21.95 and several nice summer whites.

Last weekend I had the pleasure of visiting 5 lovely wineries in Essex County (near Windsor along the Lake Erie shore).  I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of their Chardonnay wines, Rieslings and Cabernet Blends. We also toured a local B&B ...more

Hi Everyone ...The LCBO – Vintages release for June 25th features a plethora of great drinking reds that will work amazingly well with grilled meats for under $20. I am also featuring a “how to” this week on ‘Selecting, Seasoning and Grilling the Perfect Steak.’ This is a must read for all of you backyard grill masters.

Finally, I have listed a few good white “Sippers” and two excellent Rose from France’s Provence region. If you haven’t tried world class Rose, this is a good time to start ...more

Hi Everyone ...this is one of my favourite weekends of the year. Not only are there some great wines being released at Vintages,but because it is my turn to give back to a cause that is very important to me. I will be participating in the Princess Margaret Hospital Ride to Conquer Cancer. It is an Epic 2-day, 200 mile bike ride ...more

If you have been saving for a rainy day, our latest weather patterns indicate that the “day” has arrived and what better way to spend it, than on a nice bottle of wine. The May 28th release features the wines of California and Alsace, but my selections are quite wide and varied. There are several wonderful reds from ...more

Featured Recipe - Pasta Puttanesca A quick an easy mid-week meal that you can make in less than 60 minutes!

This looks like a good weekend to do some wine shopping, as the forecast shows rain for the next 5 days. Last weekend I went to Prince Edward County to do some wine tasting. The winemakers here are taking full advantage of the climate and terroir (limestone similar to Burgundy France) and are producing world class chardonnay. The Pinot Noir is up and coming and the tastings we had with Norman Hardy. ...more

Featured Recipes - Spring Dinner Party

• Appetizer - Stuffed Mushrooms with Pancetta, Shallots & Sage
• Salad - PLT (prosciutto, lettuce, tomato)
• Main - Slow-Roasted Leg of Lamb with Mint & Lemon
• Side - Wild Leek and Parsley Risotto

This release features some fine wines from the cool climes of New Zealand. They are currently finishing up their fall harvest and releasing their wines from vintages past. I’ve listed one nice Pinot Noir and a couple of crisp Sauvignon Blanc wines. I’m seeing a lot of asparagus at the market these days and nothing pairs better with grilled asparagus than a nice crisp Sauvignon Blanc. ...more

Featured Recipe - (SAUTEED FOIE GRAS WITH CARAMELIZED APPLES & MANGO SAUCE)

The Jr. Chef Program at The Chef Upstairs is a "Hands-On" cooking class that has been designed to get kids comfortable in the kitchen, to try new foods and most of all inspire creativity in the kitchen. ...more

In this release the LCBO features the wines of the French Bourgogne (Burgundy) and South Africa. While many of the great Bourgogne wines are out of our price range, I was still able to find several in the $15 to $25 range. The red burgundies are made from the Pinot noir grape and the whites are chardonnay. What gives these wines such great character ...more

Featured Recipe - COQ AU VIN