A Romantic Pair of Wines at a Value Price
“O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?” “The LCBO!” There’s a scene in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, where the Capulet servant invites Romeo to “crush...
BEAUJOLAIS ISN’T A GRAPE (And Other French Wine Truths)
Last weekend I heard someone say, “Oooo—a Beaujolais,” and I wondered, “Do they know what the actual grape is in that wine?” After all, here...
A Tale of Two Value Reds: Lisboa vs. Bordeaux
A pair of red wines—both under $20—arrived on my doorstep from Majestic Wine Cellars earlier this month. Both are great values from regions that are...
Tasting and Spitting the Wines of Greece and the Rest of the World
Most wine shows feature silver spittoon buckets at each table—not much fun for those hosting the booth, or standing nearby—which is why I particularly enjoyed...
Syrah Shines as Crozes-Hermitage Crashes Toronto
Just when you think you’re a little worldly, you meet Sandra Combat, and realize you still have a long way to go. There she stands,...
Looking Up to Italy’s Alto Adige Pinot Grigio
The dramatic Alto Adige wine region of Northern Italy. So you say you’re not a big Pinot Grigio fan? Alto Adige might change your mind....
Pink Ribbons and Polished Precision: Two Distinct, Quality Gins
Sometimes a tasting day unfolds like a serendipitous plot twist. A brief stop at the Cornwall Road LCBO in Oakville unveiled an English gin of...
Two Underpriced Red Wines
After a relentless workout leading into and out of Christmas, our credit cards deserve a break. So here are two reds—both from Chile’s Maipo Valley—that...
Not All Sparkling Wine is Created Equal
Sparkling wine may all look the same in the glass, but the way those bubbles get there tells two very different stories. Traditional method The...
Lunch with Queen Susana Balbo
Legendary Argentinian winemaker Susana Balbo at Canoe restaurant in Toronto. Winemaking isn’t exactly nuclear science—it’s tougher than that. At least it may have seemed that...
