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Pairing wine with Christmas!

Posted on December 20, 2013December 20, 2013 by Wil Knoll

Christmas is right around the corner. Hopefully by now you have purchased all of your gifts (if not check out our Holiday Gift packages) and are getting prepared for mountains of food and the wonderful company of family and friends.

You may be asking however, what to drink during all of the upcoming holiday festivities. We at WineCollective obviously recommend wine, but more specifically, some of the selections you received this past month in your December packages will make great companions to the Christmas memories you’re about to make.

1.) Decorating the tree

Hanging each ball and piece of tinsel can be time consuming, so why not enjoy a glass of wine during the process. In your December WineCollective package you may have received the 2010 Gouguenheim Merlot. While this wine can make a great pairing to pork tenderloin, it also sits quite nicely by itself considering the fruity aromas and flavours. This Merlot also has touches of sweet chocolate, so bust open that package of Lindor Chocolates and get decorating!

2.) Skating and sledding activities

While most people are mistaken that skating and sledding are for the young and accompanied best by hot cocoa, I would argue that these winter sports are suitable for anyone of the legal drinking age. If you happen to have a wine sippy-cup, fill it up with the light and fruity 2010 Anima Negra MUAC! This wine still carries wonderful aromas and flavours if slightly chilled so you don’t have to worry about it hanging out in the cold for a little while. This wine is bright and juicy with red fruits, which will also make it a great pairing to the traditional Christmas turkey dinner.

3.) Opening presents

When Christmas comes and it’s finally time to open presents, we recommend enjoying a glass of Undurraga Brut, made of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Or, if you received the Giolio Cocchi ‘Primosecolo’ Brut, made entirely of Chardonnay, enjoy it instead. Both of these sparkling wines are fresh and bubbly with layers of pink grapefruit and citrus. Regardless of the time, these wines will help ring in Christmas day. Mixing with orange juice is optional.

4.) Building a gingerbread house

Perhaps after opening gifts, your family shares the tradition of building a gingerbread house which typically, does not last for long. This month, we featured the 2012 Jasci & Marchesani Trebbiano. This wine was a rare and unexpected treat when we tried it in our WineCollective headquarters. With aromas of baked apples, nutmeg, graham crackers and caramel, you will nearly think you’re drinking Christmas itself. Even more, it’ll taste great with the gingerbread pieces you keep sneaking into your mouth.

5.) Christmas Dinner

To go along with the feast of the year, we recommend some big food wines including the 2010 El Bonhomme. This vintage is layered with dark fruits and spice that will make it a great pairing to smokey or spicied dishes. So, if your family strays away from turkey, this may be the wine for you. Otherwise, we would recommend the 2011 Tenuta San Guido Guidalberto, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot that needs an hour or so to decant before serving. The Guidalberto will work nicely with whatever food spread you enjoy, including rabbit, sausage, ham and even green or root vegetables.

We hope this list helps to guide you through the holidays. Of course many other package editions will carry great wines for any of the upcoming dinners or celebrations you have. Should you need a hand with pairings, feel free to give us a shout and our vino experts will be happy to share all that they know.

To all of our WineCollective members and friends, Merry Christmas and have a wonderful holiday.

Cheers,

The WineCollective Team.

WineCollective’s Wine n’ Wares

Posted on December 11, 2013December 13, 2013 by Wil Knoll

This past Friday, the women of WineCollective transformed the office into a boutique for a festive ladies night. We welcomed friends, family, wine distributors and customers for Wine n’ Wares, an evening combined all of our favourite gifts and personal pampering products into a one stop shop.

Friend of WineCollective, Shelly Bata filled our boardroom with fabulous Stella & Dot jewelry and accessories. While skincare and beauty products from NuCerity and Arbonne were also featured, thanks to consultants Amy Wilford and Amy Protti.

Shelly was kind enough to offer a free draw prize, which happened to go to our NuCerity representative, Amy. She won a beautiful Stella & Dot turquoise necklace that caught her eye earlier in the evening.

Of course, bottles were popped to pair alongside the snack spread, which even included a very fancy Cabernet Sauvignon cheese. We selected the 2010 Le Roc Blanc, a red wine blend of Syrah, Mouvedre, Grenache and Carignan that was featured in most WineCollective June 2013 packages. While light, this wine is impressively flavourful with notes of blackberries and oak. The vintage is a great companion to food; however, it can easily be enjoyed alone while trying on jewelry or sampling lotions.

We also served the 2009 Palmadina Pinot Grigio for our white wine fans. This vintage is full bodied in its fresh and crisp flavours of grapefruit and peach and also makes a great pairing for appetizers. You may have this Italian charm in part of your November shipment.

All of the ladies that attended Wine n’ Wares were entered in a draw for two bottles of each wine. We hope that our winner, Amanda, enjoys the gift as a thank you for attending! Both the 2010 Le Roc Blanc and 2009 Palmadina Pinot Grigio can be found in our WineCollective store for a member’s only price.

Once again, we would like to thank all attendees and hostesses for a great evening at WineCollective. Ladies, stay tuned for future Wine n’ Wares events!

WineCollective + Carnivore Club

Posted on November 25, 2013November 25, 2013 by BlackSquare

A few weeks ago, we discovered Carnivore Club, and for those of you that follow us on Twitter and Facebook, you have probably already seen our adoration. Like WineCollective, Carnivore Club curates and delivers premium product on a monthly basis. We recently received our first package and we decided to share it with you!

What do you pair with charcuterie? Quite simply, one might think that meat = red wine, but that is not taking into account all of the variables in seasoning, body and textures, from salami to pâté.

We decided to select some of our favourite Canadian wines and match them up with the November Carnivore Club shipment. Each package comes with your own “Meat-Eaters” handbook, explaining the flavours and uniqueness of each selection. This guide is very helpful when looking for your charcuterie wine pairing.

Here is what we received:

Iberico Chorizo – Produceed from the black Iberian pig. Seasoned with paprika, peppers, garlic, and wine.
Culatello – Produced from the rear leg muscle of the pig. Aged for 12 months in 500 year old caves in Parma, Italy.
Bresaola – Salt cured, air dried beef. Seasoned with cinnamon, nutmeg, juniper, pepper, bay leaf, cloves, thyme oregano, rosemary.
Pâté de Champage – A traditional Quebecois pâté from pork. Seasoned with pepper, wild mushrooms, white wine.
Pata Negra – Cured ham from Iberico, Spain. Free range Iberico pigs feast on grass, herbs, nuts and truffles in an ecological reserve of oaks, conifers and cork.
Toscana Salami a Finocchio – Traditional sausage made with pork. Seasoned with fennel seeds.

The common trend among cured meats is the astounding and delicious amount of fat and salt. If you were to pair one wine with all the above, go for a dry and crisp sparkling wine like a Prosecco or Cava. The acidity and freshness will be able to cut through the fats. Alternatively, sherry is also traditionally paired with cured meats and a great way to keep warm over the holidays! We decided to open a white, a red and a fortified wine, here are our thoughts:

Sperling Vineyards Gewürztraminer

The Gewürztraminer paired well with some of the lighter cuts and the pâté, but was too delicate for the chorizo and salami. The florals and honey notes were great with the pâté. An alternate white that could stand up to these meats would be a new-world Riesling with crisp acidity and light residual sweetness. You can order this wine directly from Sperling Vineyards and see what you think!

Kalala Zweigelt

This is a unique varietal from Austria, where a lot of the diet contains cured meats. Although we loved this wine, and it also paired well with the Bresaola and pâté, a spicier red like a Washington Syrah or Cab Franc would not be overshadowed by the seasoning of the Chorizo and Salami. You can find out more about Kalala and even order this wine directly from their wine club!

Southbrook Whimsey! The Anniversary

A fortified wine can be hit or miss depending on who you are serving. This is a great alternative to a common pairing with a still wine. The Anniversary offers great spice, texture and fruit, plus a slight sweetness that lightly coats the palate. You can also buy this online from Southbrook’s wine club.

Here are a couple quick guidelines when pairing wine with charcuterie:

When in doubt, choose sparkling!
Excess of salt requires great acidity and some residual sugar
Pâté and terrine can be paired with whites like Rieslings, and reds like Zinfandel
Spicy meats should be paired with spicier wines, like Syrah
Great bread is always necessary and helps to cleanse your palate when sampling a selection like charcuterie (ours came from our own in-house developer/baker, Tim)

We think that you should check out Carnivore Club, it is the perfect gift to compliment your Holiday Package or subscription. WineCollective members can use the promo code “WC10” to receive $10 off the first delivery.

We are giving away one of the Carnivore Club packages to a WineCollective member. Tell us your favourite charcuterie pairing by commenting on this blog, writing to us on Twitter or Facebook by December 1. We will randomly draw from everyone who submitted a pairing suggestion!

Executive gifts at Madison & PAGE

Posted on November 8, 2013November 8, 2013 by Wil Knoll

Just a few days ago, WineCollective stumbled across Madison and PAGE, a gift shop located inside Fifth Avenue Place in Calgary’s downtown core.

Madison and PAGE holds a collection of accessories, leather bags and wallets, stationary and is also one of two stores in Calgary where you can find first-class pens and collectables. If you are looking for the perfect gift, you can find something for everyone at Madison and PAGE. Online, Madison and PAGE also offers Canada wide shipping, making it easy to send a great gift to family and friends across the country.

The shop was first opened in 1989 and began to fill the void in Calgary for stationary and office goods. From there, owner Anna Mandelkau says the store “organically developed based on client wants,” adding in leather goods, seasonal products and desk accessories.

Decanters and wine aerators can also be found at Madison and PAGE. What especially caught our eye was the five piece wine accessory set. A bottle shaped tool kit that includes a corkscrew bottle opener, drip stop ring, stopper, foil cutter and wine pourer. The store also carries Moleskin Wine Journals that will help you keep track of all the great wines WineCollective sends each month.

Branding is also available at the boutique. By engraving or monogramming, you can personalize a pen or iPhone case for a deserving employee. Because of its location, Madison and PAGE is readily prepared for corporate gifting.

Stop by Madison and PAGE today to pick up a gift or two for the upcoming holiday season, and of course, a little something for yourself.

2nd Level, Fifth Avenue Place
230, 425 1st St. SW
Calgary, AB.

Deloitte wine tasting in support of United Way

Posted on November 4, 2013November 5, 2013 by Wil Knoll

This past month, WineCollective joined Deloitte at their offices in downtown Calgary to host a wine tasting fundraiser for United Way.

Deloitte is a leading accounting firm in Canada that provides tax and financial consulting since being founded 1845. Apart from their professional services, Deloitte is a great supporter of United Way as they set up an array of events and fundraisers for the non-profit organization. Over the past 13 years, Deloitte’s worldwide group and staff have raised over $194 million for United Way. Deloitte’s Calgary offices have done numerous fundraisers for United Way this year including a chilli cook-off and throwing pie at one another’s faces.

Fortunately for WineCollective, many of Deloitte’s Canadian staff are club members. So when Senior Manager, Matt McMillan asked us to help with their wine tasting event, we were happy to take part!

WineCollective’s Amber brought 10 wines to the tasting, which she arranged in specific order for easy tasting (light to full body). From there, the Deloitte staff was free to sample the wines! Amber and I were available for any questions about the wine and WineCollective tasting cards were supplied for tasters to follow along.

The following wines were brought to the tasting.

2011 Benjamin Bridge Nova 7
2012 Monte da Ravaqueria Serrana
2011 Colle dei Venti Pecorino
2010 Recuerdo Torrontes
2008 Deep Sea Chardonnay
2010 Le Roc Blanc
2010 Brusco dei Barbi
2010 Versado Malbec
2010 Casa Viva Carmenere
2011 Suiker Bossie Pinotage

Deloitte’s staff favourited the Suiker Bossie Pinotage, as well as Benjamin Bridge’s Nova 7 and Le Roc Blanc.

We were happy to share our support of United Way with Deloitte and hope the participating staff enjoyed every wine! In all, Deloitte raised roughly $1,700 through the tasting. You can call WineCollective today for more details on your own wine tasting event or fundraiser.

Rocky Mountain Festival Favourites

Posted on October 21, 2013October 21, 2013 by Wil Knoll

This past weekend, on Oct. 18, Amber and I took part in the 16^th annual Rocky Mountain Wine and Food Festival (RMWFF) in Calgary. While you may not have seen us working a booth, we did get the chance to wander the BMO Centre in search of wine, food, beer, vodka and some of our favourite WineCollective supporters.

This year, exhibitors included 162 wineries, 47 breweries, a variety of spirit distillers and plenty of food choices. There was no shortage of samples for the hundreds of guests that began filing in at 5 p.m.

Glassware Creations by Laurie

Many of the wine merchants and representatives that help WineCollective find their monthly-featured wines were able to share some of their favourites with Amber and myself. The 2011 Trivento Amado Sur Malbec is an impressive blend of Malbec, Syrah and Bonarda. We found this vintage to be forward with fresh fruit with notes of smoke and vanilla and overall, very smooth. This Malbec has also received 90 points from Robert Parker. We’re keeping this one on our radar for WC packages in the future.

Trivento Bodegas y Viñedos. Mendoza, Argentina

With plenty of food around the festival, we made some quick stops to some favourite vendors with impressive displays. The friendly staff at Sunterra Market featured a Chipotle Beef Brisket, with pineapple mango salsa and bourbon peppercorn sauce, with Parisian macarons for dessert. Kinjo Sushi and YYC famous owner, Peter Kinjo, were happy to share a variety of sushi that cleansed our palates for ice wine and vodka tastings that followed.

Sunterra Market and Kinjo Sushi & Grill

Fluid Imports made us a special treat from Double Cross Vodka (a favourite among WineCollective staff). Infused with white wine and cranberry, this cocktail was deliciously dangerous. The 7x-distilled Double Cross Vodka is incredibly smooth, pure, clean and crisp.

Fluid Imports and the Double Cross vodka and cranberry cocktail

Our last stop took us to Vintage West, representative of Cameron Hughes. While we didn’t get to taste the upcoming Tannic.ca feature, Lot 260, we were able to try the Ogio Prosecco, a sweet and very popular sparkling wine.

Cameron Hughes 2007 Lot 260, is a classic Barolo wine, made from Nebbiolo grapes in the Piedmont region of Italy. This wine is truly exceptional with flavours of strawberry, cherry and plum with fresh tobacco and balsamic notes. It is made and classified under DOCG and has received 93 points from Wine Spectator. Tannic members will be able to purchase the vintage this week.

Overall, the RMWFF appeared to host another successful festival. If you were able to attend, we would love to hear about your experience and favourites among the wine and food samples. Fortunately, if you were unable to make it to Calgary’s event, Edmonton is hosting their very own festival this upcoming weekend.

We would like to thank all the food exhibitors as well as Fluid Imports, Lanigan & Edwards Wine Merchants, Vintage West Wine Marketing and Select Wine Merchants for the generous samples. We look forward to featuring some of our finds in future WineCollective packages and attending the Rocky Mountain Wine and Food Festival again next year!

The Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival

Posted on October 16, 2013 by Wil Knoll

Back for its 16^th year, The Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival is ready to spoil Calgary and Edmonton with wines from around the world and local cuisine from each city’s best restaurants.

Calgary’s festival takes place this weekend, October 18-19 at the BMO Centre, while Edmonton will get their taste on October 25-26 at the Shaw Conference Centre. Tickets are still available for each weekend’s Friday and Saturday and range from $15 to $36. A portion of these ticket sales will go to both SAIT and NAIT Culinary schools – who will also be present for some delicious food samples created by students.

Apart from wines, the festival will include samples of scotch, premium spirits and beer from industry leaders. If you prefer wine, bottles from every major wine region will have a place at the festival. From Bordeaux, France to Mendoza, Argentina, you will likely find a booth that holds all your favourites. Here are just a few of many wineries that will be present this weekend at Calgary’s Rocky Mountain Festival.

Peter Lehmann – Australia

Lakeview Cellars – Canada

Jackson-Triggs – Canada

Artisian Wine Company – Canada

La Spinetta – Italy

Fonseca – Portugal

Cameron Hughes – United States

Beringer – United States

Concha Y Toro – Chile

In addition to ticket pricing, sampling coupons can be purchased for $0.50. Each exhibitor requires a varying amount of coupons per sample.

If you’re in touch with Calgary’s dining scene, you may know that there are a ton of restaurants making a mark in gourmet cuisine. The Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival will host various venues that will be providing samples of their best dishes. You will find Sunterra, Market, Cobs Bread, Wine-Ohs Bistro & Cellar, Xocolat, Craft Beer Market and Black Betty Burger & Wine Bar all at the festival, not to discount the numerous other vendors that will also be attending.

This year, the festival is also adding to attendee experience by introducing an app that will allow goers to mark samples, tasting notes and post their favourites to social media. If you plan on attending the event, we would love to hear about your entire experience.

WineCollective has featured and favourited many of the wines that will be showcased at the festival. However, there will be many more wineries that will be happy to pour samples. Amber and I will be attending the event on Friday evening, meaning you should keep an eye out for a future blog of all the goodies we find and want to share.

Your guide to Thanksgiving wine

Posted on October 9, 2013October 9, 2013 by Wil Knoll

Cooking up a traditional Canadian Thanksgiving meal is a stressful ordeal if you’re hosting a large table of family and friends. While we can’t tell you exactly how to cook the best turkey ever, we can share our know-how of which wines to bring to the table for your guests.

But first, a history lesson! The first Thanksgiving celebrated in Canada was in Newfoundland back in 1578. An English explorer named Martin Frobisher unfortunately went through some troubles while sailing uncharted seas, losing many comrades through winter storms. After Frobisher’s ships were scattered for quite some time, they all managed to happily meet at Frobisher Bay where they all celebrated the reunion with a meal of thanks.

Although Canada had been celebrating Thanksgiving for well over 100 years, it was only officiated in 1957. It was stated, “A day of general Thanksgiving to the Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed – to be observed on the 2^nd Monday in October.”

Well apparently, many Canadians are thankful for wine, as it is sold more on Thanksgiving than any other day. The dilemma, however, is deciding which wine pairs with turkey, ham, stuffing, cranberry sauce, yams and pie. WineCollective has featured all of these wines that are versatile enough for everything you’ll be stuffing into your belly this upcoming weekend. We suggest that you offer several types of wine, as everyone’s palates are different.

Red Wine

Zinfandel can go a long way with a chunk of turkey. A vintage with lower tannins and alcohol with moisten the turkey and bring on flavours of cinnamon and vanilla, suited perfect for fall.

Try the 2010 Mazzocco Dry Creek (now available in the WineCollective store). It’s a big wine, but the cherry and red fruit notes make it very versatile and a pleasure to drink.

Pinot Noir has a lighter body, which makes it easy to pair with poultry. The cherry and cranberry flavours work especially well with ham.

If it’s still in your cellar from select July packages, pop open the 2009 Lynmar Estate Russian River Valley. This wine gives of warm cherry and cranberry notes that you may just want to pour on top your turkey– but please don’t.

White Wine

Riesling is a crisp option that acts as a great palate refresher. Besides turkey, it pairs well with yams, cranberries and… Pumpkin Pie!

We have a few Rieslings for sale now on WineCollective, including the 2009 Joh Jos Prum Kabinett (a favourite among Riesling fans). The wine is off dry with notes of stone fruit. Super fresh with tons of intricate layers.

Chenin Blanc is unfortunately not as popular as it should be, because it’s extremely delicious. Typically the wine is fresh with medium-high acidity; it shows tropical or citrus notes.

An upcoming wine is the October package is the 2008 Charles Joguet Touraine. Sadly, it won’t make it to you for this weekend but at least now you can look forward to turkey leftovers!

Sauvignon Blanc is a better match for a Thanksgiving feast than an oaky Chardonnay. The dry citrus taste is much more versatile.

A previously featured wine, the 2011 Veramonte Sauvignon La Gloria Reserva would be great to have on your table this weekend. It shows of lemon and lime notes that will work really well if your dishes tend to have more spice.

Hopefully you still have a few of these bottles in your cellar so you can show off to family and friends this weekend. If not, we invite you to check out our partners, Willow Park Wines & Spirits, for their Thanksgiving sale from October 9 – 13, where you can potentially find some of the above wines at up to 49% off.

Let us know if you get to try any of these wines with your turkey dinner and how you enjoyed it. A general rule of thumb would be to serve a wine that is higher in acidity and low in alcohol – considering you’ll likely be drinking all day on top of a already heavy meal.

We hope your Thanksgiving weekend is filled with family, friends, blessings and wine.

Happy Thanksgiving from WineCollective.

4th Annual Fort McMurray Wine Auction

Posted on October 2, 2013October 2, 2013 by Wil Knoll

In support of Big Brothers Big Sisters Wood Buffalo, Fort McMurray will be hosting their 4^th SMS Equipment Wine Auction this Saturday, October 5^th. Each year this event welcomes 450 guests to take part in both a silent auction and raffle for numerous prestigious wines and spirits.

2012 Fort McMurray Wine Auction. Courtesy Big Brothers Big Sisters Wood Buffalo

Many of the wines to be featured in the auction are extremely rare and valuable. For example, wine hunter Dr. Carl Deane recently found a 1962 Chateau de la Riviere Fronsac, after a 22 km trail in caverns underneath the Bordeaux estate. This exact wine will be sold this weekend as part of the silent auction. Last year, the auction raised $120,000.

The Fort McMurray auction will be held at Sawridge Inn and Conference Centre, which has been transformed into a whimsical “outdoor” park thanks to planning by Events With Vizability. The event will also feature the CEDA International tasting room ($40) with 5 tasting booths.

Performances by Juno nominee Suzie McNeil and local artist Becca Hess will also take place, making the entire evening full of entertainment. Tickets (which are more than likely 90% sold out) sell for $200 or 10 for $1900.

2012 Fort McMurray Wine Auction. Courtesy Big Brothers Big Sisters Wood Buffalo

Apart from some major corporate sponsors such as, Suncor Energy and ConocoPhillips Canada, WineCollective and Tannic have also made donations for both raffle prizes and the silent auction. We have included:

Silent Auction

– WineCollective: 3 months of our Evolution package delivered

– Tannic membership valued at $195 and $100 credit towards Tannic purchase

Raffle Prizes

– Tannic membership and a 6 pack of previously featured wines, a $650 value

We hope the event is truly successful and can’t wait to hear from our auction and raffle winners. If you can’t get to the event this weekend, keep an eye out for next years Fort McMurray Wine Auction and visit their website.

“Can’t spell class without Cass”

Posted on September 13, 2013September 13, 2013 by BlackSquare

From Bryan Cass himself, “Can’t spell class without Cass”. One of many one-liners and fun references that was shared at a recent dinner at Vin Room West featuring Cass wines.

Cass Vineyards and Winery hasn’t been around long. The project started as a retirement dream of Bryan’s father, Steve Cass and partner Ted Plemmons. After a fishing, golf and wine trip in Paarl, S. Africa, Steve and Ted came home with the idea to start a winery with a winemaker they met on their travels in S. Africa. The duo were in love with the style of wines from the region and wanted to replicate the same passion and focus in California.

The Cass crew turned 160 acres of cattle ranch in Paso Robles (pah-SO ROE-bles) into a vineyard and began producing Rhone styled wines. Syrah, Grenache, Mouvedre, Viognier and Roussanne make up the majority of the estate production.

Watch the video below for some more insight of their focus and goals. I will warn you that it should make anyone want to join their party and drink their wines.

This was Bryan’s first trip to Calgary. He was a great host in explaining some of the quirky stories and background behind the winery’s goals and methods as well as their unique qualities.The wines poured at the event were a mixture of new wines to Alberta and some that we should all be familiar with by now.

The evenings’ indulgences started with the 2010 Sparkling Grenache, paired with a Crab and Squash Agnolotti. The vigourous bubbles and fresh acidity make this a fun and easy pairing. The sweet corn emulsion balanced out the tart apples and acidity, while the herbs heightened the fruits and rounded out the zippy character. It is really unique to find a Sparkling Grenache, a fun departure from the typical bubbles.

A Foie Gras Torchon was paired with the 2011 Mouvedre. You will have more luck finding American Mourvedre in Washington than California. Cass is one of only a handful of producers that grow estate Mourvedre and you would be hard-pressed to find it bottled by anyone else as a single varietal. Others in Paso Robles, such as Saxum will blend the grape more commonly with other Rhone varietals. The nose was full and brooding with dark fruit, sage and pink peppercorns, with a briar bush and plum palate. Surprisingly, there was enough acidity to cut through the fois gras, but I wouldn’t suggest the pickled fruit next time (a tad too much brine). Stewed or reduced berries would be better.

Decadence continued with a course of Pork Belly and polenta paired with the 2010 Syrah. One of the better pairings of the evening, this Syrah calls for rich protein, but is elegant enough to be hightened by delicate flavours of herbs in the polenta.

A refreshing and welcomed cleanser of green apple sorbet was served before the main course. An intricately plated lamb loin, with sweet breads and baby vegetables that were served with the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon.

A cheese course of aged goat cheese and beet foam was matched with the Rockin’ One Blanc. The Rockin One got its name from a horse, named after a road that intersects near the vines and an old cattlebrand. This was by far the shining star of the night. Richness and structure that carried the acidity and mouth-coating viscosity, coupled with pronounced florals and tropical fruit. This is a wine to be on the look-out for.

Dessert was a buffet of candied fruit, chocolate, praline panna cotta and cashew nougat. Cass’ Syrah Dessert Wine, a fortified Syrah (think Port). From the producer,

“Produced from ultra-ripe Syrah from our estate vineyard, our 2010 Dessert Wine is massive and rich, with flavors and aromatics that remind us all of wintertime in Paso Robles. Warm notes of crushed rose petal, dried raspberry, orange-almond liqueur, potpourri, juniper berry, and cinnamon sticks fill the nose. The sticky palate is full of rich fruit, with caramel-coated raisin, candied orange, warm brown spice, and grated chili chocolate flavors on a backbone of well structured tannins that carry through on an endless (and we mean endless) finish.”

Tannic and WineCollective have been fans of Cass for some time now and we are excited to bring you some new features. Stay tuned for upcoming Cass wines!

Gnocchi and Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Food Pairing

Posted on September 11, 2013 by Wil Knoll

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is one of Italy’s most famous wines. The Montepulciano grapes are grown in the Abruzzo region and are not to be confused with Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, which is Sangiovese base from Tuscany.

WineCollective recently featured Caldora Montepulciano d’Abruzzo in our June Evolution Red and June Expansion packages. It proved to be exactly what the Italian’s praise in the variety with its classic and well-rounded taste that is easy to drink for an excellent price. At select retail stores, the bottle goes for $16.00 and WineCollective is pleased to offer it for $14.00 to club members.

Here are our tasting notes for the 2011 Caldora Montepulciano d’Abruzzo:

Eyes: Ruby red to purple, regal purple.

Nose: Pronounced nose, fruity and chocolate similar to a tootsie roll with red berries and vanilla.

Mouth: Montepulciano makes soft, deeply coloured wines with black fruit and spice notes. Montepulciano in general has moderate to low acidity, with smooth and soft tannins. Medium to almost full bodied, this has great balance with wild black cherry fruit, plum, and anise. There’s good concentration in the mouth, fine, seamless texture, excellent length of finish and relatively easy tannins. 90 points.

In our review, we recommended that your pair the wine alongside a pork tenderloin and creamy polenta. However, recently, I decided to pair the Montepulciano with gnocchi (Italian potato dumplings) in a tomato-cream sauce. The Italian wine pairs perfectly with Italian tomato pasta dishes and even more so with a creamy addition and sweet flavours. Enjoy our recipe below for both gnocchi and a loaded tomato-cream sauce. Be sure to let us know how you enjoyed the pairing and what might be your new favourite Italian wine.

Gnocchi Recipe

Note: Typically prepare 1 potato per person and 1/2C flour per potato.

Clean and peel potatoes before cutting into 1-inch cubes. Cut pieces consistently to ensure even cooking time.
Put chopped potatoes into medium sized pot and fit with enough water to cover. Boil for around 20 minutes until potatoes are tender.
Drain potatoes and mash. Allow to cool completely. Wet or
warm potatoes will not absorb flour as nicely.
Place flour onto counter working space and create a large hole in the center where you can put the potatoes.
Create another hole in potatoes for egg and add salt.
Use a fork to start bringing ogether ingredients. Once dough begins to form, knead in as much flour as necessary. Too much flour will result in hard dumplings.
Cut dough into sections that you can further roll into long ropes. Cut 1-inch squares from ropes.
Use a fork to make ribs in each gnocchi. Place on a floured baking sheet for up to 45 minutes until ready to cook.
To cook: Boil a medium sized pot of water and add a pinch of salt. Place gnocchi inside and cook until the gnocchi floats to the top (4-5 minutes). Remove will slotted spoon and toss them into sauce to cook together for 2 minutes.

Sauce Recipe

Note: Chicken or Chourizo both work wonderfully with this sauce and gnocchi. Pan grill and add to sauce after cream.

Warm up olive oil in large skillet. Add onions and tomato puree after onions turn golden brown. Ensure your stove is on low to medium heat.
Grate or chop two cloves of garlic into the sauce as well as 1 full clove. Mix in tomato paste and a touch of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo wine. Stir well and let it sit for a few minutes.
In the meantime, slice zucchini and tomatoes into desired size and then add to sauce. Do the same with half of a piquillo pepper. These peppers are an excellent blend of spicy and sweet. Perfect for Montepulciano d’Abruzzo.
Let sauce and zucchini cook before slowly stirring in cream which will allow the sauce to quickly thicken.
Throw in cilantro and parsley as well as salt and pepper just before adding the prepared gnocchi. Top with your favourite Italian cheese; try romano, asiago or parmigiano.

WineCollective would love to hear about your food and wine pairings for both the Montepulciano and any other wine we deliver to your front door! Leave us a comment and share some superb pairings with your fellow WC members! Bon appetite!

Get your WSET training and become a certified wine-o!

Posted on September 4, 2013November 25, 2013 by Wil Knoll

Founded in 1969, the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) has provided wine enthusiasts around the world with quality education and training in wines and spirits. Our WineCollective professionals have participated in WSET courses and received some level of qualification in wine training that enables us to choose great wines to deliver to your front door.

WSET courses are happily offered almost everywhere for anyone, including the WSET London Wine & Spirits School in the U.K. Through the multiple levels (5), you can learn all about wine regions, grape varieties and food pairings; all of which come along with a whole ton of wine tasting. While you may not be a Master Sommelier in the end, WSET certification is a significant qualification in wine for a curious enthusiast or industry professional.

Level 1 – Award in Wines

The first step in WSET training is an ideal place to start, as the course is suited for anyone with little to no wine knowledge to a basic beginner. Course curriculum is spread across the art of wine tasting, food pairings and the characteristics of major grape varieties. In addition, the course will teach you how to serve and cellar wine with an overview of the entire growth and winemaking process.

Unfortunately, after most courses an exam usually follows, however, the Level 1 exam consists of 30 multiple choice questions with a 98% pass rate. Afterwards, you will receive a formal qualification in wine!

Level 2 – Award in Wines and Spirits

This course goes into further detail of everything learned in Level 1. If you already have a great understanding of wine, you are able to skip Level 1 and move directly into Level 2. During the course, you will learn the art of tasting in detail. From specific sections in French, German, Portuguese and Spanish wines to New World and Sparkling, you are bound to learn all about the world of wine.

During Level 2, you taste over 80 wines from around the world. The course includes a 50-question exam at the end and should be strongly considered for those in the hospitality industry.

Level 3 – Award in Wines and Spirits

A respected qualification in the wine industry that will leave little questions unanswered when it comes to wine knowledge. The course goes into significant detail about viticulture, labeling, respected regions, Champagne and Spirits. The exam includes 2 blind tastings as well as a rather long exam. Wine buyers, retail staff and wine writers along with wine lovers typically take this course.

After Level 3, WSET training moves forward into Diploma courses and an Honours Diploma. At that point, you may as well consider yourself a wine genius as you create research papers and projects to show off your professional level of knowledge in wines and spirits.

In the next couple months, various Canadian cities are offering different WSET level courses through Fine Vintage Ltd. Below, we have listed Level 1 dates and prices that anyone can sign up for – including you! Remember, this is just a beginner’s course where all wine lovers can go to expand their knowledge.

Calgary

WSET Level 1: September 17 – October 8, 2013

A four-week course offered Tuesday evenings from 6-9 p.m. for $499

WSET Level 1: Saturday, September 28, 2013 OR October 19, 2013