I'll be back!!

Hi everyone,
Apologies all round for not keeping up on my blog. I was bitten with the flu bug I'm afraid and was knocked for a loop! I'm working on some things and I PROMISE to have lots of things for you to read very shortly!

Cheers
Jacq.

Higher Price Means Better.......Right?

In a word.........NO!

Most people think if a bottle of wine is expensive then you are guaranteed a great wine. Nothing could be farther from the truth. There is a lot more to quality than price.

What I always tell people is to first look at the vintage year on the bottle. This will tell you about the growing season for that particular year. Because you don't know what the wine tastes like without first purchasing then opening, the seasoned veteran looks to the year as an indication of what lurks within the bottle. Look its rating up on a Vintage Chart for that country and region. The chart will also help you determine how long you should lay your bottles down for.

Think if you will what happens to the crop of oranges that come from Florida in winter to us here in the great white north when they have terrible weather, perhaps a frost. The fruit is sub-standard. The oranges can be sour, bitter, small, unripe or just down right rotten. This is the importance of a vintage year in wine. If it is rainy, cold, or insufficient sunlight throughout the growing season, all will play a part in determining the final product.

Secondly, look to the producers name. Well established vintners have the monetary wherewithal to be able to be able to be selective should a less than stellar growing season happen. In other words they can afford to withstand the costs incurred to eliminate rotted grapes for instance by hand picking only the best.

Lastly, then look at the price. After analyzing the first two qualities the price should correlate with the other two assessments. This does not always happen I must admit. Sometimes a brands marketing power has the cache and the cash (eh) to garner exorbitant prices regardless.

So now that you know the secrets of the trade go out and by yourself a great bottle of wine.

Cheers!

I Love Lucy Show!

A few weeks back I had planned on downloading this episode of I Love Lucy but was having a bit of difficulty! So I put it on the to do list as I was working on putting my booth together for the Zoomer Show.

If you read my blog "Zoomers Rock" look who was in my booth! I could not believe my eyes when I saw these two female impersonators. Here I was only a few weeks ago thinking of Lucy Ricardo when low and behold here she shows up on my doorstep. It was like my thoughts had transmitted out to the universe. Okay going a little to zany I know, but you know what I mean.

Lucille Ball was a comic genius. This show is funny still today. I love this episode as it relates to grapes and wine and all. Without uttering a word Lucy is able to convey every thought that is going through her head with the slightest of facial expressions. BRILLIANT!

I hope you enjoy this little clip as much as I do.

Thanks David for helping me download this! Most appreciated!

Champagne......An Entrepreneur's Story

When I say champagne who is the first person that comes to mind? I have to admit before I became a wine nut I too thought this person as the one who put the champagne region on the map. I bought a bottle a few years back (quite a few years actually but I refuse to say how many) when a friend had passed away (much too young) and it was in celebration of his life that we drank it. That bottle of champagne was none other than Dom Perignon. I still have it.

So how would you feel if I were to tell you that it was someone else who was to put the champagne region onto the world stage? What would you think if I were to say that it was not a man but a woman?

Hint: The bottle's label colour is orange. How about the word "Veuve". Any guesses?

The name is "Veuve Clicquot". The word veuve in french translates to "widow". Widow Clicquot is her name.

I want to recommend a book for you to read. It is called "The Widow Clicquot, The story of a champagne empire and the woman who ruled it." If you are a woman entrepreneur this is definitely a book for you! If you need inspiration and motivation this is the book for you. If you like champagne you will most assuredly have to read this book. If biographies are your thing or you are a history buff, again a must read. This book will touch anyone who reads it.

It is a story of one woman and her sheer determination, tenacity, audacity, risk taker extraordinaire, and resilience. It is the story of a woman who followed her own path much like Amelia Earhart when it was not a woman's place to do so.

There's the French Revolution and the Franco-Prussian War, Napoleon Bonaparte and Russian Czars. You have the collapse of international markets and risky business decisions.

In the book Veuve (Widow) Clicquot is credited with three achievements: "internationalizing the champagne market, establishing brand identification and developing the process known in french as Remuage Sur Pupitre which is an efficient system for clearing champagne of the yeasty debris trapped in the bottle after secondary fermentation. " It truly is an awe inspiring story of one woman who believed in herself so completely.

I could not put this book down. You will also discover along the way the other women who were the heads of some of the most famous champagne houses. I don't want to give away everything. It honestly is an amazing story. You will not be disappointed!

Au revoir for now!

Mademoiselle Jacqueline

p.s. The signature that you see on the label of a bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne is actually her signature. Have a look next time your in the liquor shop. The book is written by a woman.......Tilar J. Mazzeo

Just when you thought nobody noticed.

Hi my friends,

I want to let you know about a blog that I have been following. I started to follow it because it was while in Italy that I decided to study for my certification to be a sommelier. I love Italy. More on that later.......

I've just read Jessica's blog called "Un Angelo Vola Su Monti". Wow, what a beautiful story and a reminder too. As you get to know me and my blog I'm all about the human connection so you'll see why this story touched me.

The blog is http://www.romephotoblog.blogspot.com/. It is under October 2009.

Thank you Jessica for doing what you do.

As they say on the programme The View " Take a little time to enjoy the view".

Have a great day everyone!!

Zoomers Rock!!!

Oh look, it's Lucy Ricardo and Marily Monroe at my booth!

These two ladies were absolutely wonderful!

Hello to everyone,

Day two was just as fantastic as day one!! I have to tell you that I had thee most amazing time! The Zoomer show was so much fun!! The music, the fashion, the people. I am so lucky to have been a part of it.

It has taken a few days to recover from all the fun and frolic. I truly hope you all enjoyed yourself at my booth. I enjoyed meeting everyone! As you read at the top of my hand out my motto is "That which is learned in happiness is remembered"!

This show really touched me in that it was all about personal connections with one another. It was about meeting and interacting and socializing while learning new things and possibilities for our lives.

It was about adventures. You can travel to lots of destinations or you can relax in the comforting hands of a massage therapist. You can learn about wines and spirits and beers in a fun, relaxed environment. (I think this is what is called a little self promotion.) It was about dancing down the aisles without inhibitions while the tribute band ABBA sang "You are the dancing queen". It was doing the twist while the Beatles sang "Twist and Shout" on stage. It was about "having the time of your life"!

The energy was magical for me! I hope it was for you too!

As my tag line says " The Spirit of Adventure"!

Jacqueline!!

p.s. I would love to have your thoughts and feedback.

Zoomers!!

Today was day one of the Zoomer Show and I had a great time! I met so many wonderful people. I want to say thank you so much for dropping by my booth and speaking with me, my sister and little Yolanda! We hope you had fun with the guessing the scents exercise!

And to top off the day I met the one and only Mr. Moses Znaimer. It truly was a full circle moment for me. Thank you Mr. Znaimer for taking the time to speak with me!

Tomorrow is Day Two of the show!! I can't wait to get started!

Must sleep now!

Again thank you to everyone. Please let me know if there is anything that I can do for you.

Cheers
Jacqueline

Brickworks Picnic 2009

FYI-You may want to grab a drink before you read this. It's a wee bit long. I've saved the photos for the bottom. No peaking.....you have to read first then comes dessert.)

"I come from the land of plenty.......He just smiled and gave me a vegemite sandwich".........Name that tune!!

Okay so you are thinking where is she going with this. Has she gone MAD!! Well a couple of weeks ago I had the privilege of going to the Brickworks Picnic which is in its third year now. The Event raises money in support of Evergreen and the Slow Food Toronto Movement.

As it says on their website "Evergreen is a not-for-profit organization that makes cities more livable. Evergreen is improving the health of our cities — now and for the future."Check out their website at www.evergreen.ca/picnic.

The Brickworks is actually an old brick quarry dating back to the late 19th century. It now holds a weekly farmers market as well as other sustainability events. It will soon be the home to the Evergreen's Environmental Community Centre opening in the 2010. It is located just off Bayview Avenue, south of Pottery Road.

The Slow Food Movement is an international organization founded in 1986 in Italy by Carlo Petrini who was appalled when McDonald's planned to build a franchise outlet near the Piazza di Spagna in Rome. He recognized our fast food culture was eroding one of the greatest pleasure of life. The Slow Food Movement speaks to the reminder of the importance of culture and tradition and biodiversity in the food that we eat which also nourishes our soul in my opinion.

The image that it conjures up for me is that of when I was a child and we all sat down at the table together to have our meals and talk about the goings on of the day. It speaks to community. It speaks to moments captured in a slower pace of life. It reminds me of going to the local butcher shop, and the bakery with my mum. The corner market with all local fruits and vegetables. You ate what was in season.

(Oh and at that same dinner table we also talked politics. Being scottish you have to be politically savvy or they eat their young!! You can't be scottish and not talk politics. Yes many a good conversation was had.)

The theme this year was "Going Local Globally". My fellow human beings let me just say.......okay wait a second, I'm starting to sound like a speech from a valedictorian address or, yup, a....politician. Yikes, quick, change tactics.....I'm rubbing it out with my imaginery eraser.....let me start again....

Canada(ians),we do come from the land of plenty! How lucky are we that we should live in a country of many cultures. I was once again reminded of what we have right at our very own door step!

As I entered the "Picnic" area (a.k.a. grazing grounds for humans) I was in awe of the amount of people in attendance. Obviously people have responded to the call out to "Go Local". I talked to so many truly committed farmers, chefs, and the teachers of the different types of farming techniques. I talked to people who do the certifications of farms for organic and biodynamic principles. I talked, talked, talked, talked, talked. You are not surprised by that comment, are you?

It was while talking that I had an AHA moment when I realized I was starting to get that feeling that washes over me every time I enter a marathon or road race. You are at the start line and suddenly all of those lonely months that you have been training for this moment, when you feel that you were the only crazy KOOK out there in the sub zero weather or the stifling heat of the summer comes flooding back to you. Suddenly you look around and all of the rest of the crazy KOOKS in the world who have been doing the exact same thing are all right there with you and rarin' to go at the start line. You were not alone at all. I can't help it but I just get teary eyed and filled with emotion every single time. Call me crazy but hey it's me all over!

So what does that have to do with the Brickworks Picnic? Well as I looked around and saw all of the people in this one place, at this one time, in the same stratesphere of things I started to think how the farmers, chefs and teachers must be feeling, that all of the other KOOKS showed up in a display of commeraderie, spirit and support with a big shout of approval for all of their hard work, be it working in the fields, or working in the kitchen. They were not alone as this day was to prove.

How does going local globally come into play? Well as I say we are so fortunate to have many cultures in this great country and at the "Picnic" ethnicities of cooking styles and flavours abounded. Each chef of various backgrounds (Africa, Middle Eastern, Indian etcetera...) was paired with a local chef and a local grower to highlight a seasonal ingredient. I tasted everything from Canadian bison to Morrocan couscous, Hungarian plum pudding to root vegetables with "hints of North Africa" as it was described to me. I know, I know, I couldn't believe it either. Sheer delight and utter amazement comes to mind. Yep as I say we are not starved for lack of choice my fellow citizens.

I took some pictures. My camera batteries were lower than I thought so I didn't get to take as many as I would of liked to but I did get some. Note to self: carry spare batteries!

Just a wee smattering of the info I picked up.

Oh look, it's thee most famous supporter of the Go Local Scene in Toronto, Chef Jamie Kennedy. I was pretending not to notice that he was there. Is that bad of me? I was taking a photo of the Southbrook Winery table. From the photo you wouldn't know what table I was at. Why I was at the Chef Jamie Kennedy table I was!

It's Pumpkin Beer from the Great Lakes Brewery. Just in time for Halloween! Yes it does have pumpkin in the brew. http://www.greatlakesbeer.com/

This was delicioso!! Phyllo pastry with fresh peaches, chevre and ricotto cheese in a peach reduction. Is your mouth watering? This dessert absolutely melted in my mine.

This young gentleman is named Parker. He works at the Artisanale Cafe & Bistro in Guelph, Ontario where this lovely desert is made. http://www.artisanale.ca/. The peaches used were from Bizjak Farms. They don't seem to have a website however you can check them out http://www.mypick.ca/ to find out more about them or you can contact Milan Bizjak at MBIZJAK2@SYMPATICO.CA 905-563-8161. They are in Beamsville, Ontario.

How true! At my local shop they are selling canned peaches, with maybe two peaches at most in them, have travelled across the world from South Africa and selling for almost $2.00 a can. I know, it does not make any sense. We have these magnificent peaches grown right here
waiting for you to take them home.

This is Chef Ezra Title of Chezvous Dining.

http://www.chezvousdining.ca/

Chef Ezra prepared this delicious chicken liver pate with pickled wild leeks, fried chicken skin in a Manischewitz wine reduction, served on his mum's chala. The amazing array of flavours and textures lingered on the palate. Fabulous!

Hungarian Plum Pudding. Can you say Magnificent!! Yes I can!! This photo does not do this dessert any justice I'm afraid. It is made with local plums from Warners Farm in Beamsville. I wish you could taste right through your computer screen. Really I wish! These were made by LOIC Gourmet at http://www.loicgourmet.ca/ in Toronto.

This is Dawn Woodward owner of Evelyn's crackers. That's little Evelyn (her daughter) on the poster to the right. From the brochure it says "Evelyn's crackers are made from 100% organic local grains. Evelyn's crackers proudly includes Red Fife whole wheat flour in their crackers; a wheat that dates back to the 19th century settlement of Otonbee Township of Ontario." You can see the flour to the left of Dawn in the little sack with red printing. These crackers were beautiful, rich with flavour. She also makes an amazing shortbread cookie. This too was delicious. Being a scots girl I definitely know a good shortbread when I taste it and this was a stunner as we say in Scotland. To find out more about this very interesting wheat as well as other grains that they use go to http://www.evelynscrackers.com/

This was Plum Streusel Cake using local plums.

Our very own organic brewery, Mill St. Always refreshing!

Ah yes the Slow Roasted Tomato with Moroccan Couscous, Raisins and Cucumber from Viva Tasting. This was delightful. Ever so delicate and a refreshing marriage of flavours. http://www.vivatastings.com/. The tomatoes were from Sovereigns Farms.

This lady is Karen Maitland of the Ecological Farmers Assocation of Ontario and this gentleman is Andrew Miller, the Farm Manager at Cherryvale Organic Farms. We had a great converstation. I will write about them in an upcoming blog.

So why did I take a photo of Zoom Media who sponsored some of the seating in the little cafe? Well the one and only Mr. Moses Znaimer of City T.V. fame is "Zoom Media." (He no longer owns City T.V. station.) Being the incredible genius I believe him to be and always able to re-invent himself and have his finger on the pulse, he now has this great magazine called "Zoomer". He also owns 96.3 F.M. classical radio station. By the way he coined the phrase "Zoomer". I love it and Mr. Znaimer!

This band was playing. Unfortunately I don't know their name but they were awfully good!

Around the world in an afternoon.......

.........and back again !!

Thank goodness for Volunteers!

Thank goodness for Sponsors!

This barely touches the surface of what I tasted, saw and learned. There were lots of Ontario wineries there too. This is one event you must put on your calendar for next year. It is money well spent.

Ciao and chow for now (locally of course).

Jacqueline

Flat Rock Cellars Winery

Flat Rock Cellars

Winemaker : Marlize Beyers

Location: 2727 Seventh Avenue

Jordan Ontario

http://www.flatrockcellars.com/

Flat Rock Cellars officially came on the scene in 2005 . Another entrepreneur investing in Niagara on a grand scale. This makes Jacqueline very happy!

And once again another example of planting a few grape varieties and doing them well. The day I was there I was told that Marlize the winemaker is on maternity leave. Okay so you may be thinking she is not involved. I say oh my goodness her sense of smell and taste are heightened. Apparently during pregnancy things become more pronounced. I can't wait to taste these wines when they come to market. (She's just not doing the heavy lifting I was told.)

The wines I tasted were delightful, approachable, great value for your money. The tour that I piggy backed onto (okay so I was eavesdropping) was very informative. I must say that Niagara wineries have really taken on board in a big way the importance of nurturing the environment from the ground up for generations to come.

Here at Flat Rock Cellars this is evident from the moment you enter. From geo thermal heating and cooling within the winery (note to the pond out front) to natural lighting inside the tasting room (reducing energy that would be used by regular lighting systems, and by the way everyone looks lovely in this kind of light if I do say so), all has been well thought out.

The grapes are hand picked which again reduces the intrusion to our environment and the soil (by emitting gases and compacting the soil with the weight of tractors). They have a 5 level gravity fed system reducing the energy required to move the grapes through the winemaking process.

Nothing goes to waste. Everything from the ozone technology used to clean the barrels and tanks without chemicals, to having only water run off which is re-used, it doesn't get much better than that.

There is much more to learn about Flat Rock Cellars and is well worth a visit.

I tasted the following wines:

2008 Nadja's Riesliing
Clear, pale lemon
Mineral, citrus, lemon notes
Light/medium body
With soft acidity and medium finish

The alcohol is 10.5% which I love.

2008 Estate Riesling
Clear pale yellow
Full lime and mineral on the nose
Medium body with a balanced acidity
Again a medium finish.

This too is low alcohol at 9.5%. Great for these hot muggy days we're having. Actually great on any day. I prefer this one to the one above.

2007 Unplugged Chardonnay
Clear pale yellow
Soft oak nose, apple notes
Light butter palate (which is nice not to be overwhelmed with wood).
Medium body
Medium/long finish.

A nice appealing Chardonnay.

2007 Pinot Noir
Clear pale purple/ruby
Cherry, light strawberry, earthy notes
which follow through on the palate
Medium body with a medium long finish

Again a nice example of Niagara Pinot Noir.

All of these wines are very approachable and affordable. They are not heavy handed in any way whatsoever. Delicate and lovely, not over blown and over ripe. Yay! You can actually taste the wine nuances and not alcohol extract. Very European! Love it!

The LCBO also carries some of their wines if you can't make it to the winery.

Cheers

Rosewood Estates Winery - You Don't Want To Miss Out

Rosewood Estates
Winemaker: Natalie Spytkowsky
Location: Beamsville Bench

Directions: From Toronto follow the QEW towards Niagara. Take exit 68 (Bartlett Avenue), turn left onto Barlett. Turn left again at the lights onto King Street (Highway 8). Follow for 2 kms. to Mountainview Road. Make a right onto Mountainview Road. Rosewood Estates is located 1 km. on the right. http://www.rosewoodwine.com/

Right off the bat I have three words to say to you and they are;

SNOOZE YOU LOSE!!

Read on. You'll see why.

The day I arrived at Rosewood Estates it was my good fortune that the winemaker should be there pouring her wines. It is not usual for this to happen and as luck would have it mine was in good standing this day.

I looked at the photo in the Wineries of Ontario official guide book. I looked up. I looked at the photo again and that's when I realized it was Natalie Spytkowsky the winemaker behind the wine bar counter. I couldn't believe it. Natalie was conducting a tasting and as you can imagine my excitement grew. I hastily introduced myself and expressed my delight that she should be there.

Having never tasted any of Rosewood's wines I was eager to sample the fare as they say. Upon my nosing of the first wine I was impressed. That said, tasting wine is really an inclusion of all of our senses not only our sense of smell. (That's what I love about blind tastings. You experience the wine from your initial visual, nosing/smell and then taste. These are all clues to determine what is in the glass.) One confirms the other confirms the other. I must admit to having nosed many wines and been impressed only to be extremely disappointed at the taste. You'd be amazed at the number of wines that don't follow through.


Natalie did not disappoint. Natalie is a winemaker of amazing talent. As she said to me in an email " They all come from my passion for making wine". Let me just say that her passion truly shows. Right from the start the Pinot Gris (which is now sold out) through to the Merlot Reserve all shouted of place, time, terroir! They were definitive. The true test for me was when Natalie was showing her semillon-sauvignon wines. This would confirm her ability as a winemaker. Semillon, like Pinotage, has a distinct aroma/bouquet and flavour profile. Once you have discovered it you won't forget it. Natalie's wines passed with flying colours!


What really stood out for me was Natalie's absolute confidence in her abilities. The true talent of a winemaker shows when you can make a good wine in a not so banner year. Natalie, as you will see below, did vertical tastings of some wines and I have to say they were amazing. Her confidence in speaking to the different vintage years and what she was able to do truly showed that she has a nose and a palate very finely attuned. The vertical tastings were perfect examples of how a vintage year tells a lot about the wine inside the bottle and tell tale signs of the talent of the winemaker. Natalie is one extremely talented woman!

Rosewood Estates is a small batch winery and truly a fine example of what Niagara wines have become and continue to impress as people like Natalie are on board! You don't want to miss out.

Jancis Robinson you need to know about Natalie Spytkowsky!


They also make mead wine at Rosewood Estates. This metal bumble bee is outside. Mmmm...I wonder if this was made at the welding place that I stumbled upon in my blog "The Accidental Tourist".

Rosewood Estates ships in 12 bottle cases which can be mixed and matched. Delivery to the Toronto area is approximately $15.00 and farther to Belleville, Ottawa, as well as London for approximately $20.00 to $25.00 a case. The LCBO is also carrying some of their wines.

The price point for these wines is well worth every penny. As I said at the top don't wait too long....SNOOZE YOU LOSE!! You don't want to be caught napping.

2007 Gewurtztraminer $18.00
Medium gold in colour
Lychee, ripe mango nose with essences of roses and spice
Medium to full body
Long soft spicy finish

14% alcohol however I wouldn't have known if I didn't ask. It is nicely balanced so as not to be consumed with alcohol vapours. Excellent. Kudos to the winemaker for finding the balance.

2008 Gewurtztraminer $18.00 (Not yet available)
Clear pale medium yellow colour
Clean light spice light rose on the nose
Medium body
Medium finish
Little more delicate than 2007

Lovely introduction to gewurtztraminer for the newcomer to the grape variety.

2008 Trois Femme Rose - Merlot- Pinot Noir $18.00
50-50 blend
Clear medium purple in colour
Cherry, light plum, raspberry nose
Medium body
Balanced acidity
Medium/long finish

I really enjoyed this 50-50 blend. The balance of this wine is spot on lovely.

2006 Semillion - Sauvignon $18.00
Clear medium gold in colour
Apricot melon waxy lanolin nose (semillon nose definitely shows as the larger percentage component of this wine--)
Medium -full body mouthfeel
Lovely rich quality with a balanced acidity showing off in the sauvignon blanc
Melon, nutty mid palate
Long Finish

Great example of semillon sauvignon blend at its best. Bordeaux France would be pleased or maybe nervous! Well done!

2007 Semillion - Sauvignon $18.00
Clear medium straw in colour
Citrus nose, lemon, more sauvignon than semillion with a slight hint of nuttiness
Sauvingon Blanc characteristics are more forward on the palate with this wine
Medium Body
Medium soft acid
Medium Long finish

Shows the winemaker's talent in taking the two vintages and the grape varieties into consideration and producing wines of great quality each time.

2007 Chardonnay Reserve (partial Malolactic fermentation ) $25.00
Clear medium gold colour
Buttery, baked apple, melon, pineapple nose
On the palate lovely rich ripe textures engaging your senses
Beautiful balance of acidity and fruit
Full body
Long lingering finish

Delicious! Shows what Niagara is capable of.

2007 Pinot Noir (Naturally fermented with wild yeasts) $40.00
Clear medium ruby colour
Strawberries, Cherries, Raspberries
Medium fruit body
Medium acidity with lovely integrated tannins
Long finish

Once again a great wine with the acidity to carry it for another few years yet. Can be enjoyed now but you should save some for later!

2006 Meritage - Merlot- Cabernet Franc $18.00
Clear medium ruby in colour
Leafy, Cherry, tobacco, slight cigar
Follows through on the palate
Medium-Full body
Long finish

I love this blend 60-40 and its approachability. If your having a party and want to find a red wine that is pleasing to all palates this is your wine.

2007 Merlot $18.00
Clear medium purple in colour
Aged cherry notes, plum, slight earthiness
Medium body with earthy qualities much in the essence of Bordeaux
Very nice balance
Long finish

Again pleasing for a mixed crowd.

2007 Merlot Reserve Natural Fermentation $40.00
Deep ruby in colour
Ripe Soft Fruits, black cherries, raspberries, blueberries mint,
Medium Acidity
Soft tannins
Medium/full body
Long lingering Finish

This wine totally speaks to terroir. Merlot as it should be. There has only been 20 cases produced.....so....only 240 bottles..........

Natalie Spytkowsky is definitely a winemaker to keep on your radar!

Enjoy!!

Calling Gordon Ramsay!!

They say if you put it out there into the universe you can make it happen. So I'm doing just that. If you know Gordon or you know someone who knows Gordon tell him Jacqueline would like to speak with him.

Okay maybe he needs some incentive. Let's see, how can I make him want to speak with me. I know, I am scottish too! Mmmm....... no now that I think about it I remember watching one of his programmes and someone said that they were scottish in the hopes of making a personal connection........Gordon said he didn't give a @#%^. He was not impressed.

I like food and wine. Okay again boring. I must appeal to his competitive side. By jordie I've got it!

Gordon I too run marathons and I bet I am faster than you! What's your best time? I saw you on George Stroumboulopoulos "The Hour" say you have run 10 marathons. Hey George can you hook me up? Gordon seemed to like you. Perhaps I can interview you both together! What are your favourite wines and what is your "BEST STORY EVER"?

So are you up to the challenge? I dare you!

Cheers
Jacqueline

p.s. Gordon, my dad was a professional footballer in Scotland too. He was the shortest goaltender in the league at the time but his ability to jump awarded him a great reputation and was known as Tiger. He was a great athlete which is where I get it from. Does that make you nervous?

Malivoire

Malivoire

Winemaker: Shiraz Mottiar
Location: Beamsville

I remember when Malivoire first moved onto the block. Its new innovative design and of course their farming techniques wowed us all. Now here we are more than 10 years later and we are still wowed.


On approach to Malivoire winery you are taken by the landscape. Its gentle sloping hills are a welcoming view. The winery itself is totally unique. It is housed on a continual set of Quonset huts (quonset huts were designed for the U.S. navy during WWII) and built on a 30 foot hillside. Malivoire uses a gravity fed system whereby each level of winemaking is on a different floor. This is a much more gentle way of processing the grapes and the resulting wines that are to come.




Martin Malivoire recognized early on the similarities between his vineyards and the vineyards of Burgundy and Alsace. He chose to plant a few of these same grape varieties and do them really well instead of planting any and everything just because you can. This bold step has definitely paid off. All of his vineyards are now certified organic.





Upon entry into the show room you are taken by this fantastic chandelier. It resembles the roots of a vine. It is beautiful. You are then struck by the view above and beyond where your eye is drawn. Through the glass above you can see the fermentation tanks over head. Totally awesome! You really must see it in person.

The wines were as suspected, delicious. I tasted many. The 2008 Rose was fantastic. The 2007 Chardonnay is wonderful. The 2007 Gamay Noir, tantalizing. What really caught my fancy though was the 2008 Chardonnay Musque. It was lovely! It was fruit forward, apricots, lively, with an ever so slight frizzante. Great on a hot summer day!

Since 2005 the winemaker has been Shiraz Mottiar. He is doing a fantastic job of keeping the reputation going.

Always innovative and always looking toward the future Martin Malivoire is an entrepreneur with his finger on the pulse.

I love the new label design. It is like the wines, spot on!

Well done!

Hints Answers... who are they

So who are the people in the photos in the Blog Where would we be....

1. Our very own Moses Znaimer Innovator Extraordinaire who now owns 96.3 FM Classical music station and Zoomer Magazine.
2. The amazing musician Glenn Gould whose musical talents brought him and Canada world wide attention.
3. If it weren't for Mr.Alexander Graham Bell where would we be. Enough said I think!

Adios

The Accidental Tourist

A funny thing happened on my way to Niagara.............I got lost!!! Yes, ashamed to admit it but as they say things happen for a reason. The more I zigged the more I zagged. The more I zagged the more I stumbled. The more I stumbled the more I discovered! Here is a day in the life of an accidental tourist!

This lovely creature was happily grazing as I drove by. I screeched to a halt and reversed to take a picture. I couldn't resist getting out of the car. As I approached the fence Blondie (that's what I've named her) sauntered over to me and I was greeted with a large snout happily staring, leaning towards me.

Baby Vines!

Teenagers!

A reminder of our historical past, present and future

I cannot resist a dog doing what dogs do best. I love seeing dogs lying on the grass. They just seem so at ease and in their element.

I met this lovely man and his dog on my way (when I finally got back on track) to Rosewood Estates Winery (that's the next blog). This is Victor with his 4 month old german shepherd puppy named Marty! We had an extremely delightful conversation.


There were other horses with Blondie that day and as she approached me
their curiosity was aroused and so they too toddled on up to say hello.

What I won't do for a photo! I attempted to jump a bit of a gully and well you see the results. Clay soil. Where am I in Niagara?

Under construction. Going to be living large in Niagara. Note to self!

As I approached a 4 way stop this place was on the corner with this giant giraffe overseeing the intersection. Quite the welding project. It actually was wonderful to see.

If only I'd have gotten the eyes. Darn!


Actually living large in Niagara. NOTE TO SELF AGAIN!

The Niagara Escarpment (I think). Beautiful isn't it!


Polyculture in Niagara. Cherry trees.

Is that the Beamsville Bench in the background?

Speaks for itself.

More of our History. The home of Laura Secord.


More Laura Secord. This is the front of her home.

I did eventually get on track but I am so glad I stumbled all the way back. It was a great day. It's good to stumble sometimes.

Cheers

Jacq.