|
More about
The Savvy Grapes...
The
Savvy Grapes in the News
Meet
The Savvy Team
Published
Articles
Contact
The Savvy Grapes
BE
SAVVY
Send
us your email to be included on the invitee list
for The Savvy Grapes upcoming food & wine events.
Cheers!
NEWS...
The
Ottawa business community recognized The Savvy Grapes with the
Silver Award for 'The Professional Services of the
Year'
MORE...
|
Celebrate Spring with
Refreshing Wines
As we welcome spring by putting away our heavy winter coats and change our
ski gear for roller blades and swimming suits, we experience a sense of
freedom from the cold winter months.
Coincidentally, not only our wardrobe and outdoor activities
change, our foods and wine preferences change too.
Packed away for next winter are the recipes of hearty soups and
stews along with dense cakes, as we enjoy the refreshing tastes of
asparagus, fiddleheads and light desserts drizzled with local maple syrup.
Similarly, the tastes and flavours of spring time dishes can be
enhanced when we shift away from heavy, robust and jammy wines to wines
that are crisp, light and refreshing.
When shopping or
perusing a restaurant’s wine lists look for these wines that are great
matches for the fresh ingredients of spring.
White Wines
Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris
Pinots are refreshing, light and
crisp white wines. Italian
Pinot Grigios are intended to be enjoyed young with citrus, melon and
apple aromas and tastes. They
are a great wine to enjoy with light white fish, scallops, salads, and
hors d’oeuvres of proscuitto and olives or simply on its own.
Pinot Gris is typically from Alsace, France and are dry with a
light sweetness and floral aromas that is ideal with shellfish and salads
with fruit or fruit dressings. Beyond
Italy and France, Pinots can be found from countries including Canada, New
Zealand and Germany.
A Wine Tip:
Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio is a great example of an Italian Pinot
Grigio. It is a LCBO
Vintages Essentials, meaning that this wine is available all the time in
the Vintages section, $16.
Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blancs is best known for their notable citrus, gooseberry,
herbal aromas and flavours. The
wine is dry, crisp with light acidity that gives the wine a notable
‘zing’. These
characteristics make it a perfect wine that brings out the fresh flavours
of asparagus and fiddleheads. Also
a great match with fish dishes with lemon butter sauce.
Sauvignon Blanc is the signature wine of New Zealand. You will also
find Sauvignon Blancs from Australia, United States, Canada, France and
South Africa.
Wine Tip: A
classic example is Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand.
LCBO Vintages Essential, $16.
Viognier
A glorious apricot scented wine
is making its appearances on LCBO shelves and restaurant wine lists.
It is one of France’s secrets.
The French like this wine so much that they rather keep it in
France than export. Recently
however, Viogniers have arrived in Ottawa, yet they do not last long in
the stores. Intended to be
enjoyed young, Voigniers are refreshing with light floral and apricot
aromas that pair well with roasted chicken, light cheeses, grilled fish or
simply chilled and sipped on its own.
Wine Tip: If
you find some, buy it and enjoy right away.
Rosé Wines
Often perceived as sweet wines, rosés should not be overlooked. Many
countries produce rosés wines ranging from light to medium bodied and
intensity of the notable pink colour. Often crisp, with light acidity
offering aromas and tastes of violets, cranberries and strawberries, rosés
are versatile as they can be enjoyable with appetizers, salads, chicken
accompanied with chutney and tapas foods.
Make a point to try a rosé…it is a great way to toast spring!
Wine Tip: The
only rosé that I have found that is available year round at the LCBO is
Remy Pannier Rosé D’Anjou from Loire France, $10. Now that spring is
here and summer is on its way, the LCBO will undoubtedly be stocking its
shelves with more rosés.
Red Wines
Beaujolais
A
classic wine from France, Beaujolais is light and refreshing with vibrant
cherry and strawberry aromas and tastes.
It is an easy to drink wine. Beware
not to compare it to the heavy wines that you enjoyed this past winter.
Served at room temperature or slightly chilled, Beaujolais is great
on its own or paired with hors d’oeuvres, mild cheeses, shrimp, steamed
mussels in tomato sauce.
Wine Tip: George
Duboeuf is a popular producer of Beaujolais with a variety of
styles available. Why not
host have an impromptu wine tasting with a couple bottles to experience
the different styles. Price at the LCBO range from $10 - $18
Pinot Noir
Often referred by winemakers as,
‘The Prince of Grapes’, Pinot Noir reigns as the quintessential grape
and the world’s most sought after wine.
The Academy Award Winning movie Sideways that
featured Pinot Noirs, has certainly heightened an awareness of this grape
variety. With its elegant
aromas and flavours of earthiness, leather, fresh cherries and
strawberries, Pinot Noirs are medium bodied and typically do not overpower
foods, rather they are ‘food friendly’.
Try with lamb, grilled mushrooms, veal or grilled salmon.
Wine Tip: Join
The Savvy Grapes for a Pinot Noir wine tasting on Friday
April 29 at Nicholas Hoare Bookstore, 419 Sussex Drive.
During this cocktail style tasting, you will sample a variety of
Pinots from eight Niagara wineries. This is a perfect opportunity to learn
more about this grape variety in a fun relaxed setting.
Advance tickets only: $50 plus GST. Event details at www.thesavvygrapes.com
Whichever
wines you select as you celebrate the arrival spring, savour the aromas
and flavours as you pack away your snow shovel and winter boots for
another year.
“Cheers!”
Debbie Trenholm is an accredited
Sommelier who hosts fun and informative winemaker’s dinners, Sommelier
led dinners and wine tastings for private and corporate clients and the
general public. To receive invitations to The Savvy Grapes upcoming
events, contact her at debbie@thesavvygrapes.com
------------
|
WORKING THE HARVEST IN
ITALY
Interested in
Debbie's experience working at a winery in Tuscany? Read
her article...
HAVING A PARTY?
Trying to
figure out which wines to serve?
The Savvy Grapes will help
you!
Send us
your menu & we will select wines to complement each course.
The best part...there
is no charge. Cheers!
The Savvy Grapes,
Inc.
Accredited Sommeliers
Contact us on:
(613) 851-1785 or
email
Copyright © 2004 The Savvy Grapes Inc.
All rights reserved. OUR
PRIVACY POLICY: The Savvy Grapes will
not sell or distribute your contact info.
|
Ottawa
Business Journal - Executive Dining Guide