Wine Taylor

Wine Worries: Reds and Whites for Thanksgiving Dinner

2010-10-08T06:44:00.000-07:00

Wayne writes...

Hi Taylor,

I need some red and white suggestions for Thanksgiving dinner. I will have at least one discerning wine class guest amongst the diners so I don’t want to depend on my own selections.

Thanks,
Wayne

Wayne, good to hear from you!!

Your first worry...?

So it has a lot to do with how the bird is prepared, and even more with the side dishes.

Are you a root vegetable (potatoes, yams, beets, etc) kind of guy? If so look for "earthy" wine to match with the earthy vegetable. Pinot Noir and lighter Italian (Tuscan) wines show the right kind of earth and are also light enough to go with the white meat of the turkey.

When I'm working with Cranberry sauce and rich stuffing (I do a serious Blue Cheese stuffing and baste all day) I reach for red Zinfandel or even Shiraz. I find this richness goes much better with dark turkey meat. Rich with rich.

You know those huge Butterball Turkeys? How about a big buttery Chardonnay with that? Chardonnay is a favourite of mine, I don't care what people think! My good buddy Danny rubs a serious amount of butter under the skin....too much? Just enough. Beamsville Bench, Niagara Chard is great local stuff. Don't get me started on Prince Edward County!

In closing I'd like to say that thanksgiving time is a time for richness! Even if you are not rich, we can all afford to be for one or two meals of the year!

Best regards,

WT

Wine worries: Pairing rum with food at a dinner party

2010-09-23T09:08:00.000-07:00

Kevin writes...

this may be a bit outside of "wine", but i hear you know your spirits as well.

i am hosting a dinner party, and i have a few different aged, caribbean rums that i would like to serve neat. what appetizers and small plates would you recommend pairing with the rum?

thanks!

kevin

Hey Dude,

Think Caribbean: some nice chicken skewers or spiced lamb would be great.

Thanks Kevin, worry not.

winetaylor

Have a wine worry of your own? Winetaylor can help.

The Path Towards Sommelier

2010-04-14T20:44:00.000-07:00

Lia writes...

I heard about you from iyellow wine school when I proceeded to take my boyfriend to his 1st tasting; California reds. We had a great time by the way, thanks again.
This may not be the right place for this, but i'm truly hoping you can help me. You see I have decided with all my heart that I want to become a sommelier. However, I have been having a ton of touble finding out where to begin. One person told me I need wines 1 and 2 from george brown to begin, then i found courses through CAPS then ISG... and now im unbelievably confused and a little stressed out. Can you please please please give me any information on where to begin?!?!?! Not to mention people keep telling me about level one sommelier... what is that and where would I study it?
I do not know why I am having so much trouble but I want to start as soon as I possibly can and im tired of running in circles! I would be eternally grateful if you could help me out!

Thank you so much,

Lia

It's hard to say. I would start out with the wset. I find they work better from the get go.

Glad to hear it! You have made the right choice!

winetaylor

Valentine's Day wine pairing

2010-01-30T11:21:00.000-08:00

Rebecca writes:

I bought the Tawse Cabernet Sauvingnon ice wine and it was delicious! A really nice balance of sweet, acid and juicy flavours.

My boyfriend gave me a lovely Sauternes for Christmas and I want to pair it for a Valentine's dinner. What would you suggest to cook for a main course? Dessert will be some lovely blue cheeses and dark chocolate.

Nice! Glad you liked it.

Your sweet Bordeaux can act a dessert wine, or you can pair it with appetizers. You're right on track with the blue cheese--the combo of strength is exactly what you want. Some other classic pairings are fois gras or prosciutto wrapped around asparagus.

If you reduce the wine a little in a sauce pan untill it's thick and syrupy, it can act as a nice drizzle on whatever you eat.

Thanks for asking!

Winetaylor

Sweet for the Sweet

2010-01-14T13:53:00.000-08:00

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, pairing wines with sweets for your sweet can be of great importance. Be sure the wine is sweeter than the food, or a good relationship could get quite bitter.

Here's a suggestion, get a bottle of red ice wine (Cabernet Franc is good) and pair it with some dark chocolate. Better yet, cut up some strawberries and dip them in a chocolate fondue for a perfect paring. Red ice wine loves to be paired with chocolate in general. Add strawberries to capture the flavor of strawberries in the wine.

Enjoy Lovers!

Winetaylor

Wine Worries: Interesting $50 Wine

2009-12-18T10:55:00.000-08:00

Hey Taylor,

I'm looking for an interesting red wine for just under $50? I was
thinking of a Bordeaux, maybe a Merlot, but I'm really open to any
suggestions you might have!

Thanks, Laurent

A bunch of great Penfolds wine was just released.

I suggest the Bin 128 Shiraz and the Bin 389 Cabernet/Shiraz. These wines both show great value and are ready to enjoy or can be aged for 10 years easy.

I hope these work!

Winetaylor

Keeping it Fresh

2009-12-02T12:57:00.000-08:00

The Christmas season is upon us and it’s time to crack open some of the good stuff! Sometimes an open bottle of wine won't be finished the same day it is opened. Particularly if it’s a nice bottle, you’d like to keep it as fresh as possible.

For whites, it’s easy--keep them in the fridge. A white can keep in the fridge for a week or so, and you should be able to finish it by then.

For red wine, the same. It won’t last as long as the white, but keeping it cool slows the effects of oxidization. Just take it out 20 minutes or so before you will continue to enjoy it. Better to cool and warm up than to keep warm and stagnant.

For the Bubbly, there are many closures that work. They can be found in many home stores, LCBO stores, and online (see below). If you don’t have one, just put a spoon handle first into the wine bottle and let the miracle of science preserve your bubbles. Don’t use a cork: it will explode out of the bottle in the fridge!

Enjoy!

The Cork or the Cap?

2009-11-26T12:47:00.000-08:00

Ok people, if there is one thing all wine professionals have heard enough about, it’s this whole screw-cap-or-cork dilemma. Why the screw cap? Is one of the two better? Is one cheaper? Are only cheap or poor wines available under screw cap? What about other closures?

I have some answers for you but they are not all facts. Just one Sommelier's opinion is all.

Why Screw Cap?
The answer is simple, to protect the wine. Cork can and does ruin about one in twelve bottles, or one per case. The chances of having an "off" bottle are very slim when the cap is screwed on. Further, imagine the work that goes into wine, the effort and heart, and the sweat and tears. After all that, why would you want to run the risk of a cork ruining your wine? If you have been aging a wine for a decade in your own cellar, imagine how you would feel if it were corked. The LCBO is very good at refunding or replacing wine, but it can’t make up for the time you have spent aging the bottle. Cork is a risk.

Is one of the closures better?
Better? What does better mean? They both serve a great purpose, keeping wine in the bottle until it’s ready to come out. Many believe the screw cap does not allow wines to properly evolve in the bottle. This may be true but only time will tell. Serious wines have not been put under cap for long enough to see evolution. In the 70's Latour (Famous Bordeaux Chateaux) sealed some wine under screw cap and tasted it against cork sealed bottles. After seven years they were found to be similar, but seven years is not enough.

Wine from the 60’s is still being enjoyed from under corks, and screw caps have only been active in major markets for about fifteen years or so . To make matters worse, many of the finest Chateaus and Domains of France are very reluctant to use the screw cap even with proof of quality. The makers of Stelvin Caps (the most used screw caps) claim to have small perforations in the cap that allow the small amount oxygen necessary for evolution in. Again, time will tell.

Is one cheaper?

In general corks are less expensive---they can be as little as $0.20. This being said, a winery may pay up to $2.00 for the best corks. These better corks go in the finest bottles of wine, and they will provide the best longevity. They have been tested over and over again to ensure there is no cork taint. Most wine makers will tell you that the best corks are better than any other enclosure.

Screw caps actually cost the winery more than just the cap. The bottles that accept screw caps are also a cost factor, especially the “Bordeaux shape” bottles. When all is said and done, the choice of closure is up to the wine maker. The major cost issue for many wineries is machines for sealing the bottles. A smaller winery just starting out would most likely have to choose between the two and use the same closures for all wines.

Do only cheap wines go into screw cap?
No, I have seen wines of all price ranges under screw cap. For example, Plumpjack Reserve, a wine you would see with a $500 price tag is available under screw cap and has been since 1997. I have even to my surprise seen some high-end Chablis with the screw cap. Domaine Laroche of Chablis has been using the screw cap for years on their best wines with great success.

What about the Environment?
Here comes a surprise to most, screw caps are much worse. Corks come from the bark of a tree in Portugal and are therefore renewable. Screw caps come from open strip mining (blowing holes in the earth) and foundries (environmentally unsound factories). There are huge recycling programs in place for cork, literally millions of corks a year a recycled. Although screw caps are made of recyclable materials, they most often end up in land fills.

In Closing
Both closures are here to stay. I say go cork. It’s classic, it’s sexy, it’s good for mother nature and gosh darn it, people like em.

Winetaylor's Wine to Watch For: November 10

2009-11-10T15:33:00.000-08:00

Happy November, and welcome to the second, bi-weekly, installment of Winetaylor's Wine to Watch For.

A "Quickie"
Farnese Sangiovese Daunia
Price: $ 7.55
Release Date: Always

Ok, this wine may be cheap, but it is good---not great, good. It tastes like Sangiovese, the grape on the bottle, which is more than I can say for some, and its origin is Abruzzo, a Sangiovese producing area in Italy. I would drink this wine.

A Well-Spent Evening
Penfold's Bin 128 Shiraz, 2006
Price: $ 34.95
Release Date: Nov 7, 2009

Penfold's makes the most famous Shiraz-based wines in the world. The bin 128 is a option that doesn't break the bank too much and lets you taste Penfold's upper quality of wine. Age this puppy 5-10 years for best results. Or, drink it.

A Lifetime Together
77 Amarone Masi
Masi Serego Alighieri Vaio Amaron, 2003
Release Date: Dec 6, 2008
Price: $ 77.95

Recognize the name? I too was a non believer of Masi after years of drinking the cheap stuff (actually not that bad). This Amarone can be tasted against wines of twice to three times its value! 2003 was a hot year so watch out for high alcohol in this full flavor wine. Age for up to 20 years or drink it tomorrow.

Wine Worries: Fuzion

2009-11-03T15:25:00.000-08:00

Jasper writes:

I would love to hear an expert opinion on the Fuzion wine. My friends have recommended it to me on multiple occasions and I keep hearing people at the LCBO ask for it. Apparently in May it was the 4th most popular item at the LCBO! What's your take on the wine? Is it really a quality wine or is the hype / price driving the demand?

To be honest, I'm not a big fan. As a wine professional, blending Malbec and Shiraz (Syrah) is just taking two of the trendiest grapes in the world and mixing them. I can't argue with the sales: it's cheap and not bad tasting. There is just nothing to be learned from the wine. Having a memory of how a grape or regional blend tastes and smells is part of what makes wine great. A wine should have a sense of place or "Terroir." Fuzion has nothing of the sort.

Thanks for the worry,

Winetaylor

Wine Worries: Sauternes

2009-10-30T14:28:00.000-07:00

Jasper writes:

I have two bottles of nice Sauternes (Chateau Guiraud 2005). I definitely don't plan to touch them for at least a couple of years. Do standard wine storage rules apply (i.e. store horizontally in a cool dark place) or are there any special precautions I should take that are particular to this kind of wine?

2005 was a really great year in Bordeaux. Some consider it to be the best of all time. The wine you have will last for years and years. To get its full value, you would be best to let it age for 20 years or so. I know this can be hard because wine is good and you just want it so bad. Owning Bordeaux, especially Sautern is a labour of love.

That being said, if you wanna crack into one of those bad boys, go for it. It will still be great. Just have it with some Foi Gras, or some prosciutto wrapped around asparagus (pan fried in butter). Basically, rich food. Many treat it a dessert wine which is fine, just make sure to never have it with something sweeter than it.

Thanks for asking,

Winetaylor

Winetaylor's Wine to Watch For: October 27

2009-10-27T18:28:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the first installment of Winetaylor's Wine to Watch For.

A "Quickie"

L.A. Cetto Petite Sirah $11.95

Seriously, get a case of this little gem. It used to be like $8.95 and now it's just under 12! They are figuring it out people...get yours!

A well spent evening

DogRidge" The Pup" Sauvignon Blanc $20.95

A fun Sauvignon Blanc with lots of varietal character. A small family run winery in McLaren Vale, Australia. Try it with some grilled chicken or with fish with lemon. DogRidge has won awards for their environmental initiative -- they work to recycle water and provide wildlife habitats.

A lifetime together

Penfolds St. Henri Shiraz 2004 $74.94

An age worthy Shiraz from the Famous Penfolds of Australia. Penfolds wines range from just over $10 to many hundreds. This is a great middle of the road wine for someone who loves Penfolds quality but may not be ready for the 400-500 dollar Grange, that really does take a lifetime to age. 2004 was a particularly great year in Australia (they all are). Have it with a heavy red meat or some Australian blue cheese. Come by Reds and try a glass!

Winetaylor's Wine to Watch For

2009-10-27T18:06:00.000-07:00

Ever go to the wine store and get lost amongst the huge wall of choices? Many do -- it's better to know what you want. Winetaylor wants to help! Winetaylor is happy to announce "Winetaylor's Wine to Watch For".

Every two weeks, I will tirelessly comb through the LCBO (that's the Liquor store, for those of you not in Ontario), and find the best wines in three categories:

A "Quickie" - wine around $10 that tastes good

A well spent evening - a mid-range wine that is worth taking the time to enjoy its company

A lifetime together - a wine that is expensive and rare, it will take years to develop into something you may never forget

Enjoy!

Wine Worries: Leading a Wine 101 Class

2009-10-27T17:42:00.000-07:00

Hi Wine Taylor,

I have a wine worry to submit. I recently moved to a new city and made some new friends. I am trying to get them interested in wine, so I am holding a wine tasting party this weekend. I am hoping to do a blind tasting, but I want to make it a total softball -- what are some wines in the $15-$25 range that would be extremely typical of their varietal? For example, for the red tasting I want a Cab, a Pinot, and a Zin, each of which is pretty close to what you would think of as a standard for that varietal. Usually I like to choose wines that are a little different or stand out in some way, but this time I want to stay in the box!

Thanks for your help,
Stephanie

Pinot Noir is always a good wine -- tell the class that you can identify it by its pale color. Rosemount Pinot Noir is a good one to watch for.

Shiraz is also a good one, because it's dark and spicy, a lot of people drink it, and it's trendy. Any Shiraz from Penfolds is good, and there's a range of prices. Stay away from the blends -- they're very common, and you'll lose the single varietal expression.

I actually don't like Cabernet for a blind tasting, though. There are very different Cabernets from different regions of the world, but they all are very different, so it's hard to identify based solely on varietal character. Also, even when they're labeled Cabernet, they're often blended with other grapes, and winemakers actually are not required to put this on the label. Having said that, if you're set on Cabernet, a California or Australian one is probably best, because they're the ones people are most likely to encounter again.

Zinfandel is good because it's full-bodied, tasty, and not too tannic. It's practically California's "national grape." Look for Ravenswood or Rosenbloom.

For whites, go Chardonnay because it's very commonly "oaked," which should make it easy for people to identify. If you want to be a jerk, go with an un-oaked Chardonnay, and people will have a lot of trouble with it. Generic Chablis is a good un-oaked option.

I think Riesling is the best white grape in the world, so it should be a part of every tasting. It has tons of varietal character like apples, petrol, and minerality. Once you learn the smell of a riesling, you'll always recognize one.

Add in a Gewürztraminer or a Viognier because they have lots of floral character, which should stand out from the others.

Thanks for asking the winetaylor,

Enjoy!

Got a wine worry? Worry no more: worry@winetaylor.com

The Tasting Panel

2009-10-25T08:37:00.000-07:00

The judges are divided up into four panels, each around a different table. I'm on panel #2:

Mark Cutura
Lorie O'Sullivan
Taylor Thompson (yours truly)
Jonathan Gonsenhauser
Jeff Davis
Norm Hardie

Here's a shot of Panel #2 getting some info from the esteemed organizer, Jamie Drummond.

And to give you an idea, here are the score sheets that we're using. There are LOTS of them printed out.

And here's the full panel:http://www.royalfair.org/files/Wine%20Competition%20Judges%20List.pdf

What a group!

Tasting Starts!

2009-10-25T08:12:00.000-07:00

Royal Winter Fair

2009-10-25T07:54:00.000-07:00

Today I'm on a wine judging panel for the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair "Friends of the Greenbelt" Wine Competition. I'm not 100% sure what to expect, but the plan is to taste and judge 140 wines that have entered the competition.

Right now, we're waiting in the presidential office, which has apparently not been used in 10 years. The chandeliers are indeed dusty. The city's best chefs and sommeliers are gathered. Pastries are available.

Keep an eye on Twitter as well for updates as they come: winetaylor.

Wine Worries: Picnic in the Santa Cruz Mountains

2009-10-19T16:05:00.000-07:00

Dan writes:

I will be taking a group of friends wine tasting at several wineries in the Santa Cruz Mountain area. It seems that this region specializes in pinot noir, zinfandel, syrah and cabernet sauvignon. I'd like to buy food for a picnic snack at one of the wineries, perhaps some bread, cheese, meat, and sweets. Any suggestions?

Sounds like a great picnic! You're right about the wines -- the Chardonnay also is stand out for me....and the Pinot.

I love wine and cheese -- maybe too much. It can be frustrating, since cheese doesn't match wine as a rule. When you find the perfect pairing, though, there is nothing like it. White is much easier to pair with cheese. Look for a nice, full bodied, buttery chardonnay and pair it of with a rich, creamy, salty cheese. Pinot is great with cheese too, you can get a stronger, "funkier" cheese to match the earthy flavors in the Pinot. For the fuller bodied reds, firm cows milk cheeses are best. There is something about the tannins in red wine that reacts poorly with creamy cheese. Stay away from goats cheese with those wines. If you love goat cheese, get some Sauvignon Blanc. The high acid in goats cheese needs a high acid wine.

For the meats, stay away from the big reds. Its seems like a full bodied Cab and some cured meats would be great. Fact is, big reds need big meats like steak -- the rarer the better. Picnic meats go best with the Chard and Pinot, and riesling is great too if you can find some there.

For sweets, most wineries have a sweet wine. Just make sure the wine is sweater than the food. Sweeter food makes bitter wine.

Thanks for asking!

Winetaylor

Got a wine worry? Worry no more: worry@winetaylor.com

Wine Worries: Appetizers with Pinot Noir

2009-10-18T14:41:00.000-07:00

The wine worries are starting to pour in!

Branden writes:

Dear Taylor,

I wanted to have a bottle of wine at home in case we had people over for dinner. I was at Trader Joe's and bought Caretaker Wines's Pinot Noir (2007) because it was recommended by a member of the Crew (Phil's Pick). It also has a nice label (letter press!) and a red wrapper on the top. It cost $9.99, which seemed pretty good given Phil's recommendation and the nice label.

So, my question is the typical wine question on pairings. I'm particularly interested in appetizers for the guests because we're going to make roast chicken no matter what. Thanks for the input.

Sounds like you got a good deal there.

Pinot is known for its earthy flavors, so earthy food is good. For an appetizer, perhaps a carrot soup or mushroom crisp (mushroom in a slice of french bread with some olive oil and goat's cheese). The chicken will be a nice pairing too -- it would be nice with some roasted earthy root veggies like turnip, potatoes and carrots. Pinot Noir is probably the most versatile red wine grape, so you can enjoy many different pairings.

Thanks for asking winetaylor,

Enjoy!

Wine Worries

2009-10-04T13:35:00.000-07:00

Ever have that sinking feeling in your stomach that comes when you're organizing a big party or dinner, and you're not sure if your wine offerings are going to match your food offerings? Have a special bottle of wine that you've been waiting to crack, but you want to make sure that when you do, you're pairing it with the perfect food? Wine is amazing, but sometimes it can be a source of worry.

Here at winetaylor.com, we are happy to announce an end to your worries. When a worry starts to form, don't let it build. Instead, send a description of your worry -- however big or small -- to worry@winetaylor.com. Once a week, I'll choose one lucky worry and post a personalized, expert sommelier pairing recommendation. Just make sure to let me know when you need it by, and know that if you ask at the last minute, you might not hear back in time.

Wine shouldn't be stressful. Worry no more!

Wine School Review

2009-10-02T09:43:00.000-07:00

Lauren over at blogTO.com came to last week's wine school, Hi my name is Syrah, but you can call me Shiraz. She wrote up a nice article and took some great pictures:
http://www.blogto.com/eat_drink/2009/10/iyellow_wine_school_hits_toronto/

There is still time to sign up for this week's class, which is tomorrow at 4:00. I will be bringing my "sparkling personality" (as I always do):

Oct 3rd - Mmmmmmm… Sparkling!
Love the world of sparkling? You’re not alone. How often are you able to try multiple glasses of bubbly at once? How do they make bubbly anyway? Taylor brings his sparkling personality to this class and teaches you the difference between Italian Prosecco and French Champagne.

Head on over to iYellow to sign up. Hope to see you there!

Taylor's Tips: Don't Over-Ice it!

2009-09-30T16:22:00.000-07:00

Word has spread that drinking red wine too warm is not the best way to enjoy it. The fruit seems off, the tannins are unpleasant and it reacts poorly with food.

The same is oppositely true of white. If a white wine "clouds up" the glass, it's too cold. When a white is too cold, the flavors remain closed. If you finish a wine and it's still cloudy cold, you just missed out on the true flavor of the wine. The palate detects flavors best closer to room temperature than most would think. This being said, if you have a poor white, it's possible to mask its unpleasant qualities by serving it too cold.

Enjoy!

Hi my name is Syrah, but you can call me Shiraz

2009-09-26T11:50:00.000-07:00

If you're in Toronto and looking for some exciting wine instruction, I'm teaching another iYellow Wine School class this afternoon:

Sept 26th - Hi my name is Syrah, but you can call me Shiraz.
Did you know that Syrah and Shiraz are actually the exact same grape? If you think Australia is the only country making Shiraz – this class will open your eyes to the global Syrah/Shiraz movement.

Head on over to the iYellow Wine School site to enroll.

Taylor's Tips: Grill it, don’t kill it!

2009-09-25T15:56:00.000-07:00

Football season is here and the BBQs are all fired up. When enjoying one of those token big “BBQ REDS” with a burger or steak, it is important not to over char your meat. It is great to have a perfectly cooked piece of meat right off the BBQ, but don’t over char! The black char created from the hot grill has a bitter taste that reacts poorly with the bitter tannins in full bodied reds. Red meat won’t work as well with the wine if it is over-cooked, but it's even worse if it is over charred. In fact, if a piece a meat it too charred, it would be more pleasant to have it with a nice chardonnay to refresh your palate after each bitter bite. If you know you must have your meat well done, cook it in the oven or slowly on a frying pan to avoid the bitter black char. Enjoy!

Pairing Gewurztraminer & Charcuterie

2009-09-24T14:20:00.000-07:00

Ange and I talk on an episode of Le Gourmet TV about the often overlooked pairing of Gewurztraminer with charcuterie. It's a great combo -- the sweetness of the wine plays well with the saltiness and fattiness of a charcuterie plate. We talk more details in the episode. Listen up!