Pairings Archives - Page 6 of 7 - WineCollective Blog

3 Easter feasts & wines to pair!

Posted on April 17, 2014 by Wil Knoll

With Easter right around the corner, the WineCollective team has decided to dig past the snow on the ground to the very small and patchy sections of green grass. We’re hopeful that after a festive weekend, the sun will start to shine and spring will be among us! To kick-start the bright and cheery season, we give to you several delicious recipes to boost typical Easter feasts and spring wine pairings that will absolutely bring sunshine to your table this weekend.

Brown Sugar Bourbon-Glazed Ham

For those of you that enjoy sweet, sweet ham on Easter, try this Bourbon-glazed goodness. The recipe is incredibly easily with a handful of ingredients including brown sugar, full shallot cloves and of course, Bourbon!

Wine Pairing

2012 Misha’s Limelight Riesling

From New Zealand, this Riesling has incredible balance between sweetness and acidity that will easily handle the sugar from the ham. Notes of pears, melons, white blossoms and minerality are present with a medium body that can definitely handle this filling dish.

2010 Sperling Old Vines Foch

This previously featured Maréchal Foch is sourced from 60 year old vines in Canada’s Okanagan Valley. Cherry and blueberry jam characteristics are rounded with oak and smoke notes. With the bourbon glaze, much of the rustic elements of the wine will show through and balance out the sweetness of the ham.

Honey-Curry Glazed Lamb with Roasted Grapes and Cranberries

Substantial amount of flavour from curry and honey combination. The lamb is grilled then oven baked to soak in all the juices while the roasted grapes and cranberries make for a festive topping.

Wine Pairing

2008 Charles Joguet Chenin Blanc

This wine is incredibly fresh and best served at a cool 12 degrees Celsius. Mouthwatering acidity combined with tropical notes, banana bread and honeycomb will pair delightfully with the different flavours and balance the curry spice.

2010 Kermit Lynch Côtes du Rhône

A blend of Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Cinsault and Mourvèdre, this wine has all the components necessary to pair with the lamb recipe. Minerality, dark cherries and bramble fruit are carried through the palate and generous amounts of acidity and round tannins with handle the richness of the meal.

Ginger Ale Can Chicken

Similar to the much-loved beer can chicken, except this wine uses ginger ale, adding a whole different profile of flavour to the meat. The steam from the can creates a moist rich roasted flavour.

2012 Glen Carlou Unwooded Chardonnay

A refreshing Chardonnay that we’ve even posted an entire blog about it! High acidity meets the green orchard fruits and floral components with a creamy and velvety texture. It’ll match superbly with the ginger.

2011 Sister’s Run GSM

Recently featured, this wine is a blend of Grenache and Shiraz from Australia’s, Barossa Valley. The Shiraz will bring out the lively ginger spice. On the palate, stewed plums, blackberries and blueberries with fine tannins and nicely balanced acidity.

We hope you get to try out some of these amazing pairings and bring out some of the best in your traditional Easter feasts this weekend! If not, let us know what you enjoyed through the WineCollective.ca community, Facebook or Twitter page.

As always, feel free to contact us for more information on food pairings!

Bring me wine, Valentine

Posted on February 11, 2014 by Wil Knoll

This Valentine’s Day, while treating your sweetheart to a romantic evening of candles, flowers and “love coupons,” remember that there is only beverage that pairs with heart-shaped boxes of chocolate… Wine.

At WineCollective, we eat our mid-afternoon snack of brownies, cakes and cookies with a glass of wine to match. Of course, we love both chocolate and wine separately, but a spark of magic ignites when the two are combined. And well, aren’t we all looking to stir up a little fire this upcoming Friday?

There are a few general rules to remember when pairing wine with chocolate.

To avoid a bitter taste, make sure the chocolate is never sweeter than the wine.
Pair darker chocolate with darker reds.
With white wines, looks for a buttery Chardonnay, Champagne or sparkling.
Match flavours of wine with chocolate. Citrus notes, citrus cocoa.
Choose wines that have soft and rounded tannins.
When in doubt, choose Port or Sparkling!

In the last few WineCollective packages, we have featured some great wines that will perfectly pair with all flavours of chocolates and truffles. We’ve rounded up these V-day-inspired selections, along with their tastiest chocolate soul mate, for you and your special someone.

Please note that these pairings are not just for those in love. Those flying solo can also easily enjoy chocolate and wine… Arguably, even more.

2010 Anima Negra MUAC!

Mallorca, Spain

Callet, Manto Negre, Cabernet Sauvignon

Wine: This blend shows off some bright raspberry and strawberry notes with a faint trace of vanilla.

Chocolate: A chocolate raspberry truffle with red and black raspberry puree and chocolate ganache all covered in milk or dark chocolate.

2011 Flowers

Sonoma Coast, United States

Pinot Noir

Wine: Wild berries with a subtle earthiness on the palate.

Chocolate: Pair this wine with a simple and delicious chocolate mousse filling, wrapped in a milk chocolate shell.

2012 Pasión de Bobal Rosé

Valencia, Spain

Bobal

Wine: A smooth and balanced Rosé with notes of apricot, nectarine and wet stone.

Chocolate: Keep the Pasión coming with a white chocolate shell jammed with passion fruit filling.

Mauricio Lorca Fantasia

Mendoza, Argentina

Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay

Wine: A sparkling wine to pair with a variety of treats. Fresh fruit with hints of graham cracker and toast.

Chocolate: Enjoy a vanilla and dark chocolate ganache in a white or milk chocolate shell.

2012 Mason Cloudberry

California, United States

Merlot, Malbec, Zinfandel, Petite Verdot, Petite Sirah

Wine: A blend made for chocolate with rich plum notes, a black tea finish and lovely integrated tannins.

Chocolate: Pair with a chewy chocolate and caramel centre wrapped in dark chocolate.

If you’ve already enjoyed the above bottles, here are the suggested chocolate and variety pairings that you should stick to.

Milk: Port, Sherry, Rose

Medium Dark: Pinot Noir, Port, Champagne, Merlot, Zinfandel

Dark: Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Borolo, Zinfandel

Wine and chocolate pairings are a real treat for you, your valentine and your taste buds. Because WineCollective loves you so much, we invite you to use our Valentine’s Day coupon code: WCLOVESME, for $10 off store purchases. Many of the wines featured in this blog are still available for purchase!

Happy Valentine’s Day! <3

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!

Discovering Porto wine

Posted on November 29, 2013December 7, 2013 by BlackSquare

Although Porto or Port wine is created in the eastern mountainous range of the Douro Valley in Portugal, its name is in thanks to the city of Oporto, where the wine was originally exported. The first recorded shipments of Porto wine dates back to 1678. For the last several centuries, Port wine has not only put Portugal on the map for fine wine, but also captured the hearts of chocolate and cigar lovers around the world.

Port is a fortified wine, created by adding grape brandy (beneficio) to the wine before fermentation is complete. Made by indigenous grape varieties, Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa and Tinta Barroca, the characteristics of Port wine are very true to the outstandingly unique terroir of the Douro.

Traditionally, Port wine was carried down the Douro River from the Valley to Oporto using boats known as barcos rabelos. It was then unloaded into lodges where it would be further aged, bottled and shipped. Port wine is extremely popular in Britain and Scotland. In fact, many Port producers in the Douro are English and Scottish, such as Taylor’s and Croft respectively.

portugal-wine-regions-map-zoom — Map of Portugal wine regions from Cellartours.com

There are various types of Porto wine that are differentiated by their ageing time:

Red Porto

Ruby, Reserve and Late Bottled Vintage (LBV)
Ages for a short time in large oak vats. Ruby is aged for 2-3 years, while LBV is aged for 4-6.
Full bodies and fruity characteristics of cherry, blackberry and black currant

We recommend: Fonseca LBV 2007

One of the largest and most respected Portuguese Porto producers. The vintage is fresh and intense with rich black fruit. Unfiltered, with no fining or filtration.

Tawny Porto

Rich and mellow
Aged in oak casks for 10, 20, 30 and 40 years
Typical nutty flavours with butterscotch and oak wood

We recommend: Quinta de Ventozelo 10 Year Tawny

Average of 10 years in pipas (550-litre casks), made of native oak and chestnut.

White Porto

Made from white grape varieties popular in the Douro region
Aged for 2 or 3 years in vats or stainless steel with no further aging required
Sweet or dry styles

We recommend: Dow’s Fine White Port.

Aged for 3 years at the Quinta do Sol winery, this Porto is semi sweet and can be blended into a cocktail with ice and soda.

Vintage Porto

Made from only the best grapes of a single vintage in years that are “vintage-worthy.”
Aged only for a few years, so it’s best to tuck it away in the cellar

We recommend: Quinta de Ventozelo Vintage 2005

Aged in stainless steel tanks for 2 years, to preserve the maximum purity of the wine. The wine is bottled without filtration at Quinta de Ventozelo.

Porto wine is an excellent addition to any dessert such as fine cheeses or chocolate cake. Better yet, make it a chocolate cheesecake. Or you can easily serve White Port as an aperitif.

If cellaring your Port, store bottles on their sides in a cool place (12ºC to 14ºC) away from direct light. Drink when released if you like young fruity Ports. Good vintages will develop for 15-20 years; in exceptional years, up to a century. Once open, drink within 1 day (old Ports) or 1 week (young Ports).

If you have yet to give Porto a try, we strongly suggest that you do. Tannic members have an exclusive on some of the Port featured. If you aren’t a member, sign up today! Or if you would like to share your favourite Port wines, we would love to hear your recommendations.

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!

Terralsole at Briggs Kitchen and Bar in Calgary

Posted on November 15, 2013November 19, 2013 by BlackSquare

WineCollective and Tannic were invited to lunch by Fluid Imports, and we are excited to share all the details with you! We met with the Fluid crew at Briggs Kitchen and Bar to taste the new vintages from Terralsole. The kicker, we were hosted by the proprietor himself, Mario Bollag.

Willowpark 019 — Mario Bollag at the Willow Park Wine and Spirits Auction 2011. Photo from City Style Magazine.

What you should know about Mr. Mario Bollag:

He is Swiss
He can call his wines “girly”, and in his accent it sounds amazing (we may say feminine)
He is incredibly philanthropic; raising money for his charity Tè Solèy in Haiti (Mario lived in Haiti)
He is an animal lover, and it sounds like his dog is very spoiled
He is supportive of the arts; did you know he previously owned an art gallery?
He has a great love for music
His love and dedication to his family are apparent from the first time you meet him
He is a pescatarian! See, you can be vegetarian and appreciate red wine!
He visits Canada yearly, and is a great supporter of Canadian art and culture. The 2007 Brunello Riserva features a painting by Whitsler artist Lisa Geddes

Photo from Terralsole website of the Estate’s vineyards.

winery — Photo from the Terralsole website of the Estate’s house and Cantina.

Why are Terralsole wines amazing?

Mario does not confine Terralsole to convention, he is ground-breaking with his winemaking philosophy (he planted Cab Franc in Montalcino!)
Mario’s wife, Athena Tergis Bollag, plays her violin in the vineyards (that must make for elegant and sophisticated wines!)
Mario’s understanding of Sangiovese Grosso and his terroir is replicated in the wines he produces

Photo from Brigg’s website of the private dining room with a prime view of the kitchen.

Lunch at Briggs was a buffet of everything from the gnocchi and flatbread to the short ribs and 48oz tomahawk steak. Barely a crumb was leftover, not because the portions were small, but because Chef Xavier Lacave and his team produce nothing but the best! (check out the menu)

Tannic has featured Terralsole and have received great feedback. Here is what we tasted:

2008 Terralsole Rosso di Montalcino D.O.C
2008 Terralsole Brunello di Montalcino D.O.C.G.
2007 Terralsole Brunello di Montalcino Riserva D.O.C.G.
2006 Terralsole Coldoro Merlot I.G.T
2006 Terralsole Solista Syrah I.G.T.
2006 Terralsol Pasticcio I.G.T.

Join Tannic to be first in line to receive offerings of Terralsole’s new vintages!

Cured and couriered from Carnivore Club

Posted on October 29, 2013November 4, 2013 by Wil Knoll

We are very excited to introduce a new monthly club in Canada that may just be the perfect gift for any man in your life – unless he’s a vegetarian.

Carnivore Club is a monthly subscription that provides exclusive meat to club members. Each month, members receive 4 to 6 selections of “unique charcuterie, exotic terrines and artisan crafted jerky’s from around the world.”

The team at Carnivore Club ensures that you receive fresh and top quality selections that cannot be found at your local grocery store or butcher shop. Their partners are small producers because CC believes that they provide the furthest care and attention to their products.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7DzvI560QU#t=45

What’s great about Carnivore Club is each month, delivered right to your front door, comes a perfect wine pairing. They are also very generous in providing WineCollective members with $10 off their first shipment when you use the promo code WC10 at checkout.

The WineCollective team has already ordered our first shipment and it’s headed straight for our office. We plan on creating a perfect pairing between Carnivore Club and WineCollective selections. You can look forward to an upcoming blog post on what the office foodies cook up, recipe and wine pairing included!

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.

Recipe for your Versado Malbec

Posted on October 8, 2013October 8, 2013 by BlackSquare

In September’s WineCollective packages and on Tannic, we featured a very special wine, the Versado Malbec. We were happy to be the first to bring the wine into Alberta and share it with our members. Ann Sperling is synonymous with Canadian wine, and now she is beginning an equally prestigious reputation in Argentina.

We gave you a food pairing suggestion for the Versado Malbec, “a pork shoulder or beef brisket marinated in a dark stout and charred on the BBQ with a rub of espresso grinds and spices, and served with a sweet-smoky sauce.” If you are interested in trying out this pairing suggestion with your Malbec, we are sharing our tips to make it a success!

First, why did we think this would be a great match for your Versado Malbec?

Brisket or pork shoulder is a hearty protein, and pairs well with a Malbec’s tannins and weight
Pork shoulder has rustic flavours, enhancing the earthiness and tertiary notes of leather in a warmer climate Malbec
Marinading your meat in a stout will give rich caramel flavours and tenderize your meat (Rule of thumb, use Ale, Porter or Stout for red meats and wheat beers for poultry)
Espresso rub will help to bring out the coffee and cocoa aromas and flavour of a great Malbec
Developing a char or crust on the BBQ will enhance the smoky flavours and caramelize the sweet sauce
Using the drippings, a sauce will help to combine all the flavours and time you have committed into an intensified sauce; we suggest adding a splash of the wine too!

It is always a good idea to check out a few professional recipes for references on tips and tricks, as well as cooking times. We “winged it’ after stumbling on some mouth-watering recipes online, but here are a couple sites that you can refer to for more details:

For our meal, we were short on time so opted for a porterhouse that was BBQ’d instead of a brisket or pork shoulder that would require more marinading and cooking time. We had a bottle of Cannery Brewing Nut Brown Ale on hand, which did the trick perfectly! As with all our meal pairing suggestions, you can use the ingredients you have and have fun with your own ideas.

We would love to hear what meals you have prepared to serve with your WineCollective wines! Did you try one of our suggestions and love it, hate it, or have a better idea? You can log into your account and view the wines you have received, then see what others had to say and leave your own comments.

Domaine Richeaume at Bistro Rouge in Calgary

Posted on October 1, 2013October 1, 2013 by BlackSquare

It is rare to come across quality wines that are a great representation of region at an affordable price. These wines are usually produced in such small quantities that they are rarely distributed out of their domestic markets. Domaine Richeaume has a very small production in Provence and is brand new to Alberta.

It is difficult to find press and reviews on Domaine Richeaume, but the great value allows you to take the leap with no hesitation. You will not be disappointed with the value these wines deliver.

At Bistro Rouge in Calgary we sampled all the Richeaume wines available in Alberta. It was difficult to narrow them down to our favourites, but we think you will be impressed with what we have selected. The Tradition Blanc and Rouge are textbook examples of Provence style wines. Members can find both of these on Tannic this week and we will be sharing them with you in future WineCollective packages.

“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!