Cornerstone Estate at the Ottawa Wine & Food show

 

	for all the years I have attended the Ottawa Wine & Food show, I am always drawn to Cornerstone Estate Winery.  I was drawn initially to their Strawberry wine.  then I spoke with Jerry and Wanda, founders of Cornerstone Estate.  they are so passionate, warm & friendly. I make a point to visit their booth with friends in tow. as per their Facebook page ... "Cornerstone Estate Winery is located in the heart of the Niagara Peninsula, Beamsville Ontario. Family owned and operated, the winery produces premium quality wines with their own grapes. Jerry and Wanda Kopanski founded their charming, family owned winery in 2002. They consistently produce premium wines using their own fruits. The winery focuses on limited productions, resulting in small batches of VQA wines. In addition to their vineyards they also have an extensive fruit tree farm including peach, cherry, pears, apples, plum nectarine and apricot. They recently won 2 bronze awards at the Canadian Wine Awards for their 2007 Cabernet Franc-Merlot VQA and their 2008 Strawberry Festival Wine. Not to be missed is their 2005 Fine Port which won Best Value Fortified Wine at the 2008 Toronto Wine and Cheese Show. Also look for their new 2009 Chardonnay Musque, which was hand picked and sorted to perfection. When you visit Cornerstone, you are likely to meet the friendly owners, who are always pleased to discuss all things wine and guide you through an enjoyable tasting of their fine products." here is a list of their wines - white, red & fruit ... Whites: 2009 RIESLING (4) - VQA $18.00 2009 RIESLING RESERVE (2) - VQA $20.00 2009 CHENIN BLANC (0) - VQA $19.00 2009 GEWURZTRAMINER (1) - VQA $14.00 2006 RIESLING RESERVE - VQA - $12.00 2008 CHARDONNAY MUSQUE DRY (0) -VQA $14.00 2008 CHARDONNAY MUSQUE SEMI-DRY (2) -VQA $14.00 2009 CHARDONNAY MUSQUE VQA - $16.00 Reds: 2007 CAB. FRANC/MERLOT - VQA $15.00 2007 GAMAY NOIR - VQA $13.00 2005 PINOT NOIR Unfiltered VQA - $15.00 2005 CABERNET (Cab. Franc / Cab. Sov.) - VQA - $15.00 Port: 2007 FINE PORT (3) - $18.00 Icewine: 2008 VIDAL ICEWINE - VQA 375 ml - $39.00 2006 VIDAL ICEWINE VQA 200 ml - $15.00 2006 CABERNET FRANC VQA 200 ml - $30.00 Fruit Wines: 2007 ESTATE PEACH WINE 500 ml - $10.00 2005 CHERRY FESTIVAL WINE 500 ml - $10.00 2008 APRICOT WINE 500 ml- $10.00 2007 STRAWBERRY WINE 500 ml - $14.00 enjoy! sit. sip. savour. Éva Nagy - sommelier & yummy food enthusiast

Blue Gypsy at the Ottawa Wine & Food show

 

 

 

if you like fruit wines then you should check out Blue Gypsy wines at the Ottawa Wine & Food show this weekend.  I was fortunate to try them out Thursday evening at Savvy's event - Sip Swirl Savour & Selebrate.  fortunate meaning that I tried every single one ... but just a sip.

open just 6 weeks, they offer "eight varieties of handcrafted, high-quality, sulfite-free Ontario fruit wines. Our wine selection includes apple, raspberry, cherry, blueberry, cranberry, strawberry, maple, and ginger."

my personal favourite: raspberry.  like fresh berries in the glass.  I can also imagine this drizzled or poured (take your pick) over dessert or a touch added to a glass of sparkling.

here's an interesting fact offered on their website ...

"The Difference between Grape and Fruit Wines

Sugar concentrations as high as 35% or more occur naturally in grapes, but are much lower in many fruits and berries. To balance the taste of a fruit wine, we often use several varieties of a fruit, blending tart (to brings deep colour and body to a wine) with sweet (to create a pleasant finish).

Tannin also occurs naturally in the skins of grapes, acting as a  preservative and stabilizer to keep wine from fermenting in the bottle. Because not all fruits contain tannin, we add it as necessary during our handcrafted process."

enjoy!  

sit. sip. savour.

Éva Nagy - sommelier and yummy food enthusiast

Tequila - more than a shot at a bar

 

you know by now that I am a big fan of Tequila.  it is my favourite spirit.  I'm going to check out Mexico’s Grand Tequila Tasting demonstration at the Ottawa Wine & Food show.

 

Saturday November 12th, 2-3pm - Ottawa Convention Centre 200 Level, $69

 

I am very intrigued by the information I have received so far ...

 

Discover Mexico’s indigenous spirit and join Daniela Solis of the Tequila Regulatory Council and Stuart Brown, Tequila Brand Ambassador for Diageo, for an informative tasting session on Tequila. Daniela will fill you in on how tequila is made and what to look for when tasting tequila, while mixologist Stuart Brown will lead you through a tasting of various types of tequila and cocktails featuring Jose Cuervo Tequila.

Presenters: Daniela Solis, Tequila Regulatory Council and Stuart Brown, Mixologist and Tequila Brand Ambassador, Diageo.

The essence of Tequila is more than a shot at a bar. Tequila has a long history and tradition in Mexico, and is one of its treasured drinks. This Saturday, as part of the Ottawa Food and Wine Show, the Tequila Regulatory Council in Mexico is providing a demonstration from 2:00-3:00 p.m. which includes:

·         History of tequila

·         Origin of tequila in Aztec mythology.

·         The Appellation of Origin Tequila

·         Presentation of the Tequila Regulatory Council (CRT)

·         Regulations for tequila

·         How to recognize authentic alcoholic beverages on the market.

·         Authorized producers.

·         The agave, cultivation and harvest

·         The process of making tequila

In addition, mixologist is onsite offering tastings of Jose Cuervo Especial Gold, Jose Cuervo Especial Silver, Don Julio Blanco and Don Julio Reposado. 

see you there?

* my notes and pics to follow

sit. sip. savour.

Éva Nagy - sommelier and yummy food enthusiast

$13.95

it's quite simple really - my 3 last favourite red wines happen to cost $13.95 at the LCBO.  I won't digress ...

SAINTE-CROIX VIEILLES VIGNES COTEAUX DU LANGUEDOC 2009 VINTAGES 219386 | 750 mL bottle, Price: $13.95 - Red Wine, 13.5% Alcohol/Vol., Sugar Content: XD, Made in: Midi, France, By: Domaine Roux Père & Fils, Release Date: Aug 20, 2011; LCBO Tasting Note: A blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Great depth and variety on the nose with nicely defined black fruits dominating, plus a confident raspberry edge. Lovely. The palate is medium bodied, soft, ripe and fresh with tremendous fruit presence centred around significant blackberry and red cherry tones. Dry, with a lightly tannic finish. This is an exceptionally good value for an old-vine creation from a renowned producer. Enjoy with grilled red meats. (VINTAGES panel, Aug. 2010)

CASA CASTILLO MONASTRELL 2009 VINTAGES 165621 | 750 mL bottle, Price: $13.95 - Red Wine, 14.0% Alcohol/Vol., Sugar Content: XD, Made in: Jumilla, Spain, By: Julia Roch e Hijos, Release Date: Oct 29, 2011; LCBO Tasting Note:  The just bottled 2009 Monastrell from a superior vintage has a slightly more roasted character, greater density and richness, and exceptional length. It, too, can be enjoyed over the next 3-4 years. , Score - 90. (Jay Miller, erobertparker.com, April 2010)

LA QUERCIOLA CHICCHIVELLO LANGHE ROSSO 2008 VINTAGES 225227 | 750 mL bottle, Price: $13.95 - Red Wine, 14.0% Alcohol/Vol., Sugar Content: D, Made in: Piedmont, Italy, By: Az. Ag. La Querciola, Release Date: Oct 15, 2011; LCBO Description: Though they did not write a review for this wine, in their 2010 guide, Gambero Rosso rated it 2 Glasses out of 3. LCBO Tasting Note: This blend of Dolcetto, Barbera and Nebbiolo is a good example of the Piedmontese style, with aromas of hibiscus, leather, pomegranate, tar and candied strawberry. Dry, with very good aroma replays, plus some soft acids and gentle tannins for balance. Serve it very slightly chilled to bring the finer aromas out. Enjoy with lamb burgers, gourmet beef burgers, or steaks. (VINTAGES panel, Aug. 2011)

$13.95 ... I'm not kidding.

sit. sip. savour.

Éva Nagy - sommelier and yummy food enthusiast

note:  due to current dwindling stock (I do hope there will be more!), I looked for "another" Monastrell.  my interest was piqued originally by BODEGAS PIQUERAS VALCANTO MONASTRELL 2008 VINTAGES 214197 | 750 mL bottle, Price: $13.95 - Red Wine, 14.0% Alcohol/Vol., Sugar Content: D, Made in: Almansa, Spain, By: Bodegas Piqueras, Release Date: Jun 11, 2011; LCBO Tasting Note: Great notes of spice, ripe black fruit and raspberry on the nose. The palate is dry and medium bodied, with blueberry and spice notes prominent. The tannins are certainly substantial, but there is more than enough acidity to maintain balance. The structure and finesse really belie the price here. What a value. Perfect accompaniment for barbecued red meats. (VINTAGES panel, Aug. 2010)