The criteria for the pairings are:
- Gold: the wine & food pairing adds to the enjoyment of the wine AND the cuisine.
Silver: the wine & food pairing adds to either the enjoyment of the wine OR the cuisine, but not both. - Bronze: the wine & food pairing does not add to, nor detract from, the enjoyment of either the wine or the cuisine.
- No certificate: the wine & food pairing detracts from either, or both, the enjoyment of the wine or the cuisine.
The Wine & Food Matches were:
- Guacamole with White Corn Tortilla Chips with DOMAINE DE LA CHANAISE MORGON 2010 VINTAGES 288068 $18.95
RATIONALE: "The Domaine de la Chalaise Morgon 2010 was the best pairing for guacamole & white corn tortilla chips for many reasons. The flavours & complexity of the wine came through very well as did the flavours in the guacamole. There was a slightly more intense heat & a noticeable lingering heat from the spices in the guacamole. This is what our team was looking for. We assumed that this dish would be served as a standalone item, and as such we found the Domaine de la Chalanaise Morgon a more satisfying match. This is a pairing that could be served, afternoon or evening, and there would be no expectation or need of more food to follow." - Crostini, Chevre & Proscuitto with BISOL CREDE BRUT PROSECCO DI VALDOBBIADENE SUPERIORE VINTAGES 297242 $19.95
RATIONALE: "The Prosecco has a rich creamy texture that pairs nicely with the dish, while the acidity cuts through the richness & cleanses the palate. The chives lend a herbaceous element to the dish which is complemented & accentuated by the grassy, herbaceous elements of the wine." - Mushroom Crostini with KIM CRAWFORD PINOT NOIR 2011 (V) VINTAGES 626390 $19.95
RATIONALE: "Our selected recipe, The Wintering Yard Mushroom Crostini, is prepared using a variety of mushrooms, sautéed in onions & garlic and accented with thyme, fresh chives, parmesan cheese & Italian parsley. The recipe is rich in the fifth taste, umami, and pairs beautifully with a 2011 Marlborough Pinot Noir which complements the earthiness of the mushrooms. The wine is smooth & well balanced with the mushroom appetizer." - Cheese plate with LIBERTY SCHOOL CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009 VINTAGES 738823 $19.95
RATIONALE: "The 2009 Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon was found to be the most preferred wine when matched against the 4 cheeses. We believe that this wine worked the best with the four cheeses as a result of the wine's body standing up to the intensity & fat of the cheeses while the tannins help to cut the richness (fat)." - Lobster Soup with CAVE SPRING SAUVIGNON BLANC VQA 2010 LCBO 529933 $15.95
RATIONALE: missing in action. - Potato Leek Soup with HOUSE WINE CO. VIDAL MOSCATO VQA 2011 LCBO 279547 $12.95
RATIONALE: "We chose to pair the Vidal-Moscato with the Potato & Leek Soup as an appetizer in the meal service because the sweet fruity flavour of the Vidal-Moscato provided a sharp contrast to the earthy flavour of the soup. Also, as an appetizer, the soup would be served early in the meal, allowing for stronger flavoured foods & wines to follow." - South Indian Prawn Curry with PIERRE SPARR GEWURZTRAMINER LCBO 373373 $15.95
RATIONALE: "This classic Gewurztraminer from Alsace is perfumed with powerful aromas of lychee, apricot, orange blossom & peppery spice. It is full-bodied, thick, creamy & rich, with acid cut & alcohol warmth. It is rich with the fruit, but well balanced by firm acidity. It has very good to excellent length. These qualities of Gewurztraminer pairs well with the spiciness, sweetness & sourness of the prawn curry with its multi-layered complex set of flavours & aromas. The wine with its fruitiness & acidity, as well as unctuous texture, stands up well to the dish, adding a beautiful richness & complexity to it. It does not amplify the spice of the curry, and at the same time is not overwhelmed by the food, allowing both the dish & the wine to be enjoyed in unison." - Mac & Cheese with TRIUS BRUT VQA LCBO 284539 $24.95
RATIONALE: "The team unanimously decided that wines higher in acidity were needed to cut through the creaminess of Macaroni & Cheese. While the food pairing exercise did not result in one clear-cut wine & food match, the team concluded that the Trius Brut Sparkling wine was light, crisp & acidic enough to complement the richness of the dish, while the effervescence of the small bubbles cut through the dish's creaminess, softening the fat on the palate." - Mac & Cheese Baconator with NICOLAS MAILLET MÂCON-VERZÉ 2009 VINTAGES 702605 $21.95
RATIONALE: "Simply put, the Macon is able to cut through the rich creamy texture of the cheese dish while complementing the bacon element. On the reverse, the dish helps lower the racy acidity of the wine, rounding it out. Cause & effect: the perfect pairing." - Thai Meatballs with FLAT ROCK CELLARS RIESLING 2011 VINTAGES 43281 $16.95
RATIONALE: "The acidity & sweetness balanced each other in the wine before the tasting and this help up after the food. It was medium-bodied wine which paired nicely with the rich sauce. The wine did not make this pairing too rich for someone not to finish the whole meal, as we found with the sweet Gewurztraminer. The Riesling did bring out a bit of the spiciness in the food but it wasn't overwhelming - this was what we were looking for. We didn't want to suppress any spice or enhance it a lot either. Our meal also had a refreshing acidity to it from the cilantro & lime and this Flat Rock Riesling brought that out. There was the perfect amount of acidity in the wine to enhance the cilantro in the meatballs." - Beef Stew with BONTERRA ZINFANDEL 2010 VINTAGES 530139 $17.00
RATIONALE: once again, missing in action. - Curried Lentil & Vegetable Stew with PELEE ISLAND GAMAY NOIR ZWEIGELT VQA LCBO 216028 $10.95
RATIONALE: "Both the dish & the wine complemented each other in body, texture and richness. The rich red berry fruit notes from the wine enhanced all the predominant layers of flavours in the stew. The subtle sweetness developed a little bit more. The spice notes from the wine did not overpower the spice in the stew. The creamy coconut milk flavours from the stew stood out really well, which helped tone down the alcohol from the wine & created a nice soft finish. Altogether, this wine paired excellently with this dish & allowed for a very pleasurable dining experience." - Pear, Apple & Ginger Tart with ROBERT MONDAVI WOODBRIDGE MOSCATO LCBO 199216 $11.95
RATIONALE: "The Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Moscato 2011 worked with the pear, apple & ginger tart because it was sweeter than the tart, and because the apple, peach, pear & spice notes of the wine complemented the fruit & spice in the dessert." - Torta Caprese with Masi Recioto Della Valpolicella Classico 2007
RATIONALE: "The moist chocolate almond cake with a bold fudge taste pines for a sweet friend. Our quest brought our taste buds to the Masi Recioto wine that added a berry jam flavour while bringing balance to the bitter chocolate." - Bittersweet Chocolate Brownie with Raspberry Port sauce with CLINE ANCIENT VINES ZINFANDEL 2010 VINTAGES 719211 $19.95
RATIONALE: "Across the nine person tasting panel who sampled nine wines with our dish, the strongest scores were given to the Cline Ancient Vines Zinfandel. Of the nine pairings, the Zinfandel emerged with the highest average rating & the smallest range of scores, with all nine tasters rating the pairing between 7 & 9 (on a 1 to 9 scale). Four of the nine tasters rated the Zinfandel & brownie combination as a synergistic match (rating of 9), noting that both the wine & the dish tasted better when put together. Tasters also noted that the full fruit flavour of the wine complemented the bitter chocolate. Tasters felt that the full body of the wine held up well to the richness of the brownie."
sit. sip. savour.
Éva Nagy - accredited sommelier & yummy food enthusiast
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