Posh Nosh - A British Satire

Welcome to Posh Nosh, a satirical take on the world of cooking and wine tasting. My sister introduced me to this programme a few years back and I could not stop laughing from the very first moment.

The humour is definitively british, richly ladled with sarcasm, undertones of restrained anger and arrogance thrown in for good measure. Lady Marchmont has married "above her status" while her husband is "not quite out of the closet". Lady Marchmont is somewhat oblivious to her husband's retorts while "she alienates the chorizo". His descriptive, lyrical and snooty wine reviews are the perfect embodiment of a wine snob.

In this episode Jose Luiz has passed away suddenly and at a very young age. I won't tell you anymore than that. Just a reminder that this is very tongue and cheek humour. You may need to watch it a second and third time to take in all of the humour.

I love my job!

Cheers
Jacqueline

Perfume..Making scents of it all!

“Smell is a potent wizard that transports us across thousands of miles and all the years we have lived” . Helen Keller

Ah yes Helen, you couldn't be more right. Nothing takes you back to a moment in time so quickly, automatically and completely as your sense of smell. It is primal and instinctive. It stimulates pleasure and alerts us to danger. It can dictate our mood, happy, sad, relaxed,excited. It is the one sense that is most closely linked to our memory.

Smell is a silent invisible force. It’s our internal GPS system. It can provide us with clues without any other sense coming into play. Your mind's eye is instantly able to visualize, recall a place, a time, a person, a sound, an experience. It can also signal "danger Will Robinson, danger".

Just as we choose our clothing to reflect on our very own style that says to the world "You hoo, look at me", so too do we select a perfume that is our signature scent. The difference between the two statements is that perfume is a hidden signature. You don't need to see it to form an opinion.

While we might recoil in silence at the way someone is dressed with a blank, expressionless stare or perhaps making eye contact with another person who, like you, has picked up on the same thing, it is often difficult to hide one's opinion of the person who has a) o.d. them self in their favourite perfume or b) you're just not into petunia oil anymore. The brow furrows, the nose crinkles, the lips tense. All unintentional of course. It's instinctual, automatic.

Perfume has been recorded as far back as 4000 years. In 2005 in Pyrgos, Cyprus an ancient perfumery was discovered. Sixty stills, funnels, mixing bowls and perfume bottles were among the artifacts found. Fragrances have been used over the centuries for everything from burials to attracting a mate. Nothing much has changed there! In the beginning they used flowers, herbs and resins. Today they use everything from ambergris expropriated from the sperm whale (rare and very expensive!) to tobacco leaves. Yes I did say tobacco.

A perfumer is the alchemist, the wizard who concocts elixirs to entice, tantalize and titillate. They must study and commit to memory thousands of scents. There is only one way to do that I'm afraid, practice, practice, practice. In building up their repertoire when first learning the "perfumer in training" is given ten oils to study and memorize. Once these are solidified in the olfactory then another set of ten are given and so on until a menagerie of oils are at their recall. Much like a wine writer records their notes on a particular wine so as to be able to revisit at a later date, so too does a perfumer catalogue their thoughts and affiliations each scent has for them in order to build a foundation on which to draw upon when designing a perfume.

When building a scent a perfumer must be able to distinguish between what is an inexpensive version of particular odour and what is the real McCoy! In the fashion world this would be the difference between a knock-off versus haute couture. Obviously which ever is used will dictate the commercial market value.

The next phase of learning would be to understand the volatility of each oil and how they will interact with each other in the blend. There are a number of methods of extracting aromatic compounds. In order to determine what method of extraction is appropriate one must consider its components. Some methods of extraction may be too harsh for a particular plant material or for the desired house style. Mmmm sounds a bit like wine making.

Steam Distillation is similar to that of whisky distillation. The raw material is put inside the still, water is put into the bottom and heated to boiling. The steam passes over the raw material capturing the oil which then makes it way to the top of the still towards the condenser. As we know, oil and water do not mix......can you say Gulf of Mexico.....I digress. Passing through the condenser the steam returns to its watery liquid state and the oil and water are forever parted. Et voila we now have what is known as an essential oil. The water retains a small amount of scent. The most famous would be rose water. Nothing goes to waste.

Solvent Extraction uses benzene and hexane to extract the oils. Using this method results in an oil that is the truest to the smell of the plant. The benefit of this process is that the stainless steel vessels are able to contain anywhere from 3000 to 4000 litres. Are you seeing the similarity to sparkling wine and second fermentation taking place in tanks? Volume!

The solvent(s)are mixed with the raw material i.e. a flower or a wood that you are using to extract oil from. The raw materials are placed on numerous trays with many holes throughout to allow the solvents to pass over them. As the oil and solvents mix, the remaining used raw materials are removed. I'm thinking spent lees in wine!

The mixture is then decanted ( there's that wine language again) and will go through a partial distillation under reduced pressure. This produces a thick, wax like paste which will either be called a "resinoid" if for instance a wood is the raw material, or a "concrete" if a flower is used. The paste will then be processed to extract the oils.

The mixtures are cooled to between -10 and -15 degrees Celsius to solidify. Concretes must undergo further treatment as the oils contain waxes that are insoluble in alcohol. Concretes are repeatedly washed with alcohol resulting in the wax separating from the oil and alcohol. The oil and alcohol is then heated at reduced pressure in order to protect the oil from possible damage. The alcohol evaporates and we are left with a substance which is now known as an "absolute". Are you absolutely confused yet!! Whew I need a drink. Scotch anyone?

Expression extractions is strictly used to remove the oils from citrus fruits. The rinds are mechanically pressed to remove the precious cargo from the skins. Juice is sometimes part of the equation which is then removed with the use of a centrifuge. Wine, I'm thinking wine. That was an easy one!

Enfleurage extraction. In a word....Fat! Yes, refined fat is used....fat, fat, fat, not a word we like to hear these days...fat, we all need fat.... I love the FAT cookbook. I'm feeling very Monty Phythonish at the moment. Ah yes, back to perfume. Glass plates held in a frame are covered with refined, odourless fat. Flower blooms are spread out onto the fat plates and left to unleash their scent. This can take days depending on the bloom. Blooms are removed and replenished continuously until the fat is inundated with a copious volume of scented oil. Now called "pomade" it is washed with alcohol and mixed with the oils and the fat is discarded. This is then heated resulting in "absolue de pommade".

All work is done by hand hence this makes for a very labour intensive and time consuming process. You can see why Solvent Extraction would be the extraction of choice.

Tinctures are produced by macerating the raw material in alcohol extracting the oils, scenting the alcohol. This is then heated producing a tincture.

And just as in wine, what may be considered a fault, as in noble rot which produces the most treasured dessert wine Sauternes, just such a fault can manifest also in the perfume world. For instance Agarwood is the result of an infestation of mold in heartwood. In response to the infestation, heartwood fights back by producing a high quality resinous substance that embeds into the wood, darkening it. This resin is rich in organic compounds which are then removed by CO2 extraction. Are you starting to see a commonality here with wine and perfume?

And like the world of wine the perfume world has what is called a Fragrance Wheel. It was created in 1983 by Michael Edwards a perfume consultant. Like the aroma wheel the Fragrance Wheel serves to unify the language used when speaking to the terms of scent. It classifies and categorizes families of scents that are relative to each other. The five families are floral, oriental, woody, fougere and fresh.

When nosing a wine we first experience the aroma which is your first initial impression. The next stage would be the bouquet which would be a deeper experience of the aroma. For instance citrus would then become a bouquet of perhaps lemon rind, lime, orange peel. In perfume you have the top note which would be your first impression of the scent, the middle note or the "heart" which is the main body of the perfume, and the base note which brings depth and cohesion to the perfume.

Perfume has many concentrations levels. Concentrations dictates the style from Perfume, Eau du Parfum, Eau de Toilette, Eau de Cologne. The more concentration as in Perfume, the longer it will remain on your skin.

There are literally thousands upon thousands of possibilities for the perfumer to create magic. As a sommelier my sense of smell is always on alert to different odours whether I like it or not. I can only imagine what it must be like living the life of a perfumer on a daily basis. I have only touched the surface of this world.

Bartender........where's that scotch I ordered?

Konzelmann Winery - Approachable Affordable and Accessible

Hi everyone,

A couple of weeks ago I visited some wineries in Niagara that I hadn't been to in many, many years and Konzelmann winery was one of them. The reason Konzelmann was on my radar was because in June the annual Sip & Savour Event was held at the Pantages Hotel in downtown Toronto.

Sip & Savour is one of Toronto's premier events to experience the wines of Ontario. Awards are given to the best in each category. While I am always interested to see who won what, this does not dictate whose table I visit. I go to the tables that are the least crowded or the ones with the "funky" looking labels that people are avoiding. It is sad to say but whether or not you are attracted to the label usually determines whether or not you will venture to try a wine. I always find a few gems this way.

At this year's show I tasted Konzelmann's sparkling wine made from the riesling grape. It was refreshingly crisp and bright with soft citrus fruit on the palate. The bubbles were gentle. A great summer sipper.

I also tasted their sauvignon blanc. It was slightly herbaceous with soft grassy notes. Again it too was refreshing with crisp acidity. A great starter on its own or with appetizers. Both were lovely little wines. It was because of these two samples that I decided to pay a visit to the winery.

What I remember about Konzelmann from years ago when I worked at the LCBO attending tastings, when we got to the Konzelmann table it was a bit difficult to get beyond the rigid body language and the rigid prose. They seemed distant and at the time for me a wee bit intimidating.

What I also remember is that their labels, being in the germanic font again, was one of those things that was hard to appreciate. It was different and difficult to read (or so I thought back then). It too seemed rigid in its style to my canadian eye. As years have passed and my life experience has been greatly increased I now see how little I knew back then. The saying "if I knew then what I know now" comes to mind.

The night before heading to Niagara I was surfing and scrolling the internet. Click, click. I happened upon the Wall Street Journal wine columnists Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brechner (who are married....to each other). Low and behold it seems they too discovered a Konzelmann wine in a New York restaurant. I could not believe what I was reading. Oddly enough they were saying the same things I had said all those years ago about the label.

They ordered the bottle on the recommendation of the sommelier and they were pleasantly suprised. It was the pinot blanc 2006. I found their story at http://www.online.wsj.com/. I love it when things like this happen.

While at the winery I tasted a number of their wines from the vidal, riesling and pinot blanc for the whites to pinot noir and baco noir for the reds.

What I like about Konzelmann is that they don't try to mislead you to believe anything other than their wines are what they are, approachable, affordable and accessible. They deliver.

My favourite on this day..............the pinot blanc! I love that they use the german name for the grape on the label "weissburgunder". And the germanic font.....what can I say but I love it. Isn't it ironic. Oh wow, I'm feeling a little Alanis Morrisetteish at the moment. There sure is something to be said for age and experience.

You can purchase this wine and others from Konzelmann at the LCBO. The pinot blanc is number 219279 and is $11.60. Can't beat that!

Thank you to the staff at Konzelmann and in particular Jeremy Miron. They were informative, educational, energetic and most of all they were FUN!!

Cheers

p.s. apologies, I am having a problem posting more photos. I'll keep trying!

It's all Greek to me! - Wines of Stature!

When I think of Greece I think calamari, squid, souvlaki, tsatziki. I think of the island of Santorini and the colours white and blue. I think of the greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Being a marathon runner I think of the town of Marathon where the road race gets its name. I think of ancient Greece and the legend that is now the Olympic games. I think of the god of the grape Dionysus.

And, as you know me so well, there has to be humour somewhere. I think about the movie Shirley Valentine "hello wall". I think about Tom Conti (the male lead in the movie) in the boat when he says "we make %@#*". I think about Meryl Streep in Mama Mia. I think about Yanni!!!!!

Geez I'm thinkin' a lot..........More thinking....

I think about my dad before he passed away. (No worries, it's a funny memory!) I think about how I thought he would like the movie Shirley Valentine. It's about a middle aged English woman from Liverpool who is having a mid-life crisis, wondering what has happened to the relationship with her husband and how her life seems to have stagnated, when her friend wins a trip for two to Greece. It's a comedy. I had seen it many years before.

I think about how I had forgotten about the off colour language in the movie, language even as an adult I didn't utter to my parents. I think about how I squirmed and wriggled and felt the flush to my face when it all came flooding back to me when the movie started. I think about that boat scene! I think about how my dad laughed when he watched the movie. I think about how we laughed together but didn't dare give each other a sideways glance. No, no avoid eye contact at all cost right now!

Now when I think of Greece I think about the fabulous wines I tasted last month when I attended a greek wine tasting at the Metropolitan Hotel in downtown Toronto. It was put on by the Kolonaki Group. Let me tell you I was blown away. If you do nothing else this summer you must add greek wines to your repetoire.

We tasted four grapes varieties. Moschofilero and Assyrtiko for the whites and Agiorgitiko and Xinomavro for the reds.

We had four flights of five wines each. The first three wines of each flight were the greek varietals and the fourth and fifth wines were international varieties. We tasted the flights blind so although we knew the greek varietals we did not know what the international varietals were. The object was to show that greek wines have flavour and style much akin to the european wines and yet also distinct.

The whites ranged in profile from similar to riesling, gewurtztraminer, pinot grigio, gruner vetliner, chablis. They had great minerality, citrus, spice and acidity. The reds were similar to spanish Rioja, southern France, Italy, Burgundy. They were lighter in body like that of a pinot noir and equally fuller to that of an italian barolo. All were exceptional wines!

No they definitely were not bombastic blow your head off oak monsters. Yes they most assuredly have finesse, subtlety, character and nuance. They were lower in alcohol......to be read normal alcohol levels! They were old world styling. Delicious! You weren't full after one glass.

Showcasing the wines in this way with international varieties was very smart. It put the pre-conceived notions about greek wines to bed if you know what I mean.

The first major selling factor in buying a wine is whether or not you are attracted to the label. It is as basic as that. I think the fear factor with greek wine as well as german wine is the font and script styling. They are pretty intimidating for us north americans. Therefore we are less likely to try. Once you know how to pronounce what seems unpronouncable......xinomavro (zeenomavro) it's not so scary to venture into.


Kudos to the Kolonaki Group for putting this fabulous tasting on and the way it was presented. It truly was magical!

In this sommelier's opinion greek wines are the next going concern. So if you want to get ahead of the game and show your friends you know a thing or two, check out their wines that are listed with the LCBO.

Better yet contact Kolonaki Group direct at http://www.kolonakigroup.com/ to buy wines that aren't available at the LCBO. Tell them Jackie O sent you!

You won't be disappointed!!

OPA!

Listed below are the wines we tasted.

White Wine

Grape Variety - Moschofilero

Boutari 2009 - Bright and clear with a pronounced nose of lemon and mineral, riesling like. Medium bodied with light acidity. Fresh with a medium lingering finish.

Spiropoulos Mantinia 2009 - Clear with a slight oxidative quality. Light venturing to medium acid. Light body with a medium finish. Italian pinot grigio style.

Tselepos Mantinia 2009 - Clear pale lemon with clean pronounced nose. Similar in style to a gewurtzraminer with a lovely light spice quality on the nose. Light rose petal on the palate with light lingering spice finish following through. Acidity, light venturing to medium with a medium body.

Grape Variety - Assyrtiko

Ktima Argyros 2009 - Clear very pale lemon in colour. On the nose it had an oxidative salty quality, similar to a fino sherry. It also had a slight mineral essence. On the palate is a lovely light petulance initially which softened. Lime/lemon zest carried through on the palate with a long warm lingering finish.

Gaia Thalassitis 2009 - Clear pale green in colour. This too had a slightly oxidative quality. Lemon on the nose. Medium body with the lemon carrying through on the palate and medium acidity. Long warm lingering finish.

Sigalas Santorini 2009 - Clear pale lemon with green hues in colour. Clean medium nose with stone fruit and earthiness shining through. Acidity was soft yet present with a long lingering finish.

Red Wine

Grape Variety - Agiorgitiko

Papaiouannou Estate 2005 - Clear medium ruby in colour. Clean pronounced with black cherry, slight menthol, red licorice and soft wood nicely balanced on the nose. Medium body with low tannin and light acidity. Medium lingering finish. Old world style.

Tselepos Driopi Nemea Reserve 2006 - Clean medium ruby in colour. Clean medium/pronounced nose. This nose was plums with a lovely mint/menthol backdrop to the soft toast of oak. Medium body with light tannins. The acidity was present, medium, but gentle. Slight toast followed through on the palate with a long finish.

Parparoussi Nemea Reserve 2003 - Clear ruby in colour. Clean medium nose with a Bordeaux right bank essence. Again a soft toast oak with stewed plums and herbal quality. Medium body, soft tannins with a long finish.

Grape Variety - Xinomavro

Boutari Grande Reserve 2003 - Clean pale/medium ruby in colour. Clean pronounced nose with soft dried cherries and a soft cheese essence. I know, seems weird but trust me it's delicious. Medium body with light tannins much like a pinot noir with a gentle leather component. Light oak presence on the medium long finish that lingers.

Kir Yianni Ramnista 2005 - Clear medium ruby in colour. Clean pronounced nose of soft fruits, candied plums, light jam, raisins. Medium body with medium acid much like a good chianti with soft tannins and light oak. Long finish.

Alpha Xinomavro Hedgehog 2007 - Clear medium ruby in colour. Clean pronounced nose of cooked cherries, strawberries with very soft oak in the background. Medium body with medium tannins that soften. Slightly watery mid palate but disappears quickly.

Red Wine - Room Temperature?

Did you know that we in North America are drinking our red wines too hot? Are you confused? Let me clarify this totally misunderstood term "Room Temperature".

This phrase was actually coined before the days of central heating. Room temperature refers to the temperature akin to a cold storage cellar.

I must admit to cringing in restaurants when I see wines stored high above in over head bins. While this presentation may look appealing I'm afraid to say that unless the air conditioning is on, the heating is off or low or the restaurant has a very high rate of turnover (selling) of its wines, they are being cooked as the hot air rises. This in turn ages the wines more rapidly hence the potential for a wine that is past its prime much sooner than anticipated at cooler temperatures. Particularly red wines.

When red wine is served too warm it loses its nuances. Over heated wines become flabby and flat. They become bastions of alcoholic vapours. They are vapid. They lose their definition and smell of highly over extracted baked or stewed fruit at times.

In general the lighter the red wine the cooler it can be served. For instance a beautiful Beaujolais (gamay noir) can be served slightly chilled at around 12 celsius. On a hot summer day nothing is more refreshing.

On up the graduation grape scale of heaviness, pinot noir should be served at about 15 Celsius. Old world styles such as Bordeaux and Spanish Rioja wines would be best around 16/18 celsius while wines from the Rhone region in France (syrah based) and New World wines from California or Australia will deliver nicely at 18 celsius but certainly no more than 20 celsius. Beyond this temperature all will be lost.

The next time you are in a restaurant and your red wine feels too warm, ask the server for a wine carafe with a bit of cold water and some ice. Chill for a couple of minutes or so depending on the grape variety. If they look at you funny......then this is a tell tale sign of their knowledge of wine.

Cheers

Ooh la la c'est magnifique! Must have wine for the summer!

As I write I am sipping on a lovely wine from the Loire Valley. For those in the know the Loire in France is where it's at!

I know some of you are saying "please, please don't do it Jacq. Please don't let the secret out, PLEASE!" you are screaming at me. But alas I must. I cannot contain my excitement at this lovely little wine.

I have long been a fan of the Chenin Blanc grape. What an amazing variety. It traverses from bright, crisp and refreshing its dry form, to luscious, unctuous and sexy, yes sexy in its alter ego, sweet wine. The Loire Valley is just the setting to bring this variety to life in its fullest.

The wine I'm partaking of now meets you in the middle. From the first visual to the last swallow, it leaves you wanting more.

Les Loges Vouvray 2008 is the wine and the producer is Lacheteau. No it's not a spelling mistake. It is medium yellow in colour venturing slighty into gold. On the nose are aromas of baked pear, honey, apricots with pineapple lurking in the background.

The palate is a perfect example of harmony between fruit, acidity and sugar. It is medium to full bodied with a richness that fully engulfs and is then followed through with beautiful acidity to round out the long lingering finish. Absolutely lovely!

This wine will pair well with proscuitto from Italy or exquisite blue cheese. Both have salty components that will match extremely well. Thai food or spicy dishes will most definitely benefit from the addition of this wine to the meal.

If you are looking for a summer sipper this is a must for your resume. It delights all on its own as well! It is 12% alcohol which means you can have more than one glass without feeling full. And best of all the price is oh so delicious!

The LCBO is still showing availability so you'd best hurry!

Vintages

CSPC # 525105

Les Loges

Vouvray 2008

$14.95

Pilates for people who love wine!

Hello everyone!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you so much for writing to me. I do apologize for the long time in between my posts. Too much to do and so little time it seems.

As you all are aware I like to approach this world I inhabit with a bit of humour, quirkiness and always with education and fun at the end of the day.

I have written about my bees knees sister-in-law (see blog "The Wine Princess") who is always up for a good laugh. She keeps her eyes and ears open for the......shall we say........fun stuff.

Once again she has found something which touches on two things that are close to my heart. One being wine of course and the other being exercise. She is always able to find that oh so clever item that just makes you laugh until your stomach hurts and no sound is coming out of your mouth. You know the kind of laugh I mean!

Now if ever you needed a reason to exercise!!

Enjoy!

Martha, Max and the Perfect Glass

Are you of the mind set that says glass size doesn't matter? I must admit to being a skeptic myself at one time. That is until I was invited to a tasting with (the now late) Robert Mondavi of the famous California wine family and Georg Riedel, father of Maximilian in this video.

I went into the tasting ready to not be impressed. It didn't last long. The Riedel stemware proved to me the importance of the proper glass style and how it relates to your experience of a particular grape variety.

If you can, try doing a comparison with a regular every day wine glass versus an appropriate Riedel glass for the grape variety being tasted. I promise you, you will be blown away by the difference.

I, like Martha, am the proud owner of Riedel stemware. This is one investment definitely worth making.

Cheers!

Pepé le Pew - Little Beau Pepé

You ask "Jacqueline, what does Pepe le Pew the skunk have to do with a blog about wines and spirits"? Well let me tell you....

Imagine for a minute, it's your professional job to nose a.k.a. smell things for a living. This is my job. My sense of smell is quite a heightened affair wherever I go. Breathing is what we all do without a giving it a second thought. We breathe to stay alive. We are after all mammals.

For one whose job it is to decipher scents, interpret them in the context in which the note presents itself, my journey on the streetcar the other day got me to thinking about this cartoon character. No, no I was not sitting beside anyone with an off odour....although I have in the past, I will not tell a lie. No, I was thinking about the current story I am working on (more on that in another blog!) and how to approach it, which brought me to Pepe le Pew.

I was thinking about how Pepe the skunk was oblivious to his scent he puts out to the world and in particular to one Miss Penelope to whom Pepe believes to be a member of his animal kingdom. Unbeknownst to him, Penelope is actually from the pussycat family who accidentally had a stripe painted down the centre of her back.

As Pepe is a charming skunk ladies man, his attempts to woo Miss Penelope.....well, watch the video to see what I mean. Pepe is drunk with love and she is sick with le stink of Pepe. At one point there is a reversal of fortune and the chaser becomes the chasee!

This is a child's cartoon however the jokes are most definitely for the adults. One must pay attention to the humorous words of Monsieur Pepe le Pew.

It's all about the scents and scents ability! Welcome to my world!

Have a great day!

Let's get this party started!

It's a new year. You've made resolutions. It's February. It's the shortest month, but ohhh so the longest to get through. Your feeling weary and tired. The days are getting longer (yay) but not quite there yet. You've put your resolutions on hold temporarily because, well, it's February and you're "Il fatigue" as the french say. In my first blog of this year 2010 my promise was to not only enhance your world of wine and spirits, I was going to introduce you to people that I thought you should know.

As I was navigating the bloggers-sphere world low and behold Abby was brought to my attention. It seems Abby is a sixteen year old girl whose goal it is to circumnavigate the world in a solo venture on a sailboat. Apparently her brother Zak has completed the task and she wants to be the youngest person to accomplish this feat.

Okay, are you re-thinking your resolutions? Are you feeling somewhat inadequate? Are you in need of a little self butt kick, you know, when you lean forward with your chest, then bend your knee in the only direction it can go (hopefully backwards, otherwise you'd better get to a doctor soon!) and attempt to reach up as far as you can and kick your own behind?

Abby's blog is http://www.soloround.blogspot.com/. Her website is http://www.abbeysunderland.com/. Her other website is http://www.abby16.com/. At this site you can see her interview with Good Morning America. I wanted to upload it from youtube but unfortunately embedding has been disallowed.

So far Abby has 27,000 followers! 27,000! I'd better get up to scratch..........................

Mmmm...just as soon as I finish this glass of this Spanish Rioja wine called Arnegui. It's from the latest Vintages release. Can you say yummy with a cherry on top. Fabulous wine. Crianza 2006, $15.95. Medium to Full bodied, ruby red colour (which shows an indication of age, purple would indicate youth) Cedar, tobacco, chocolate notes, blueberry, mint, just ripe enough plum which is a good thing, fresh acidity making for a lovely non cloying wine. Fresh and lively for a red wine. CSPC #146274. Excellent value for your canadian dollars!

Now, as for your resolutions....and mine......as Pink says "I'd better get this party (re) started"!

Here's to Abby!

Melinda Doolittle - My Funny Valentine

I was looking for a version of this song to post for you and I discovered this from American Idol. Melinda Doolittle blows this song out of the water.

Her version of this classic is incredibly moving. Each time I have listened to it I get goosebumps every single time. I only wish it was a full version. I would more than likely be in tears at the beauty of her interpretation.

Melinda also reminds us that a Valentine need not only be a lover.

Enjoy Melinda, her voice and her oh so beautiful spirit along with a glass of La Grande Dame, Veuve Clicquot Champagne. Two extraordinary women in their own genres. A perfect match!

Happy Valentine!

Ah qui, nobody sings about l'amour quite like the french. Open a bottle of Cru Beaujolais, a Morgon or Fleurie perhaps. Something light-hearted and oh so debonair. C'est magnifique!

Au revoir pour nous.
Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Scotland and then some continued!

Continuing on from my last blog, here a just a few more photos of bonnie Scotland. I promise not to be wordy!! I have more photos that I will scan and post, for instance the photo of me in Robbie Burn's wee bed and at the pub he frequented, also climbing Ben Nevis. Let me tell you now that was no small feat! I was suddenly shrouded in mist so thick I couldn't see my own hand right in front of my face! More on that later.

Enjoy these few photos!!

What's a photo of Scotland without a sheep. This was on my way to Balmoral Caslte.

Awesome isn't it! This is Loch Lomond on what was an overcast day. Wait a second, now that I think about it, it's overcast most days in Scotland. They have sunshine and then a bit of rain and then windy and then........all four seasons in one day. You don't go to Scotland for the weather. It wouldn't have its appeal if it were a blazing, scorching, sunshine of a place now would it. Well it wouldn't for me. I always expect and look forward to the ambience of the scottish weather. It is after all surrounded by water. Oh look there I go again, and I promised not to be wordy. I just can't seem to help myself.
NEXT!

This is Glen Coe which you pass through enroute to Fort William and Ben Nevis. Is this not just fantastic! The three mountains on the left are known as The Three Sisters. And I took this picture. Love it!

Once again enroute to Fort William. In this photograph you can get a sense of the size of these mountains. To the right of centre is a house that sits curbside to the motorway. You can also see the burst of sun rays off in the distance. From where I was standing taking this photo it was misty with rain.

Glorious St. Andrew's, home of the famous golf mecca of the world! This is a ruin that I photographed at dusk.

In the near future I will be offering a trip to Scotland and its distilleries. Keep tuned in!

Cheerio

My Bonnie Scotland - Whisky country and then some!

Bonnie Scotland! Where the air is fresh and the whisky is bountiful!

The photos you are about to look at are from a holiday I took many moons ago. I was on a driving trip throughout Scotland. I went up one side, down the other and directly through the middle.

From the lowlands of Dundee, Robbie Burns country, where I lay in his bed to the Highlands of Fort Williams and Ben Nevis the highest mountain in all of Britain, which I climbed to the top, Scotland is a stunningly beautiful country. It is often said that Scotland is a miniature version of Canada.

Imagine if you will not only was I manoeuvring along twisting and winding roads that you cannot avert your gaze for one second, I was also navigating on the left hand side of the motorway and seated on the right side of the car. Oh and did I mention it was a stick shift I was driving. Are you impressed with me!!!

What made me look for these photos was because I was in the LCBO the other day having a wee look 'round when I saw a whisky that I hadn't seen on their shelves before. It was the single malt whisky Royal Lochnagar.

I was instantly transported back to my trip. I remembered that I had been to this distillery long before Jacqueline had any vision or inclination towards being a sommelier. Yes, this was back in the day when (as you read in my very first blog entry Guess who's coming to dinner) I only partook in the hops beverages. Well, beverage, singular. I wasn't adventuresome back then. You know, stick to your brand and all! I was loyal!
Upon arrival home I kicked off my boots, whipped off my coat and left it where I stood as I rushed to my book case shelves in search of my trip down memory lane. I could hear the bagpipes playing, roaring in my head, beckoning me to the book case. Okay, so I've embellished a little but what the hey. I was really excited to search out the photos.

Now when I say photos I do mean as in get the film developed, pick them up in a week's time photographs. I took them all myself with my Canon Sure Shot camera that my mum had bought for me. As I look back at them they are pretty good if I do say so myself!

The reason I was at this distillery was because it is approximately one mile away from Balmoral Castle, the Scottish Highland home of the Royal Family, which is where I was heading. The first picture is of the countryside en route to Balmoral. These trees suddenly came upon me as I turned a corner. They were as far as the eye could see and as tall as you can imagine. They almost seemed like cyprus trees that are planted down the Rhone Valley to slow down the mistral winds.

The second photo is of the Royal Lochnagar Visitor Centre. The third photo is of whisky moonshine caves that were abound in the 19th century. The fourth photo is of the actual distillery.

Royal Lochnagar dates back to 1826 and was awarded its Royal Warrant in 1848 after a visit from her Royal Highness Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
"The event came about after the distillery manager John Begg (somewhat cheekily) dropped a note to their Royal Highnesses directly inviting them to pay a visit and sample the delights of the distillery (and rather impudently, he mentioned that if they didn’t arrive by 6pm they would miss the distillery in operation. To him, there was no question that he would extend the routine to accommodate his royal guests). What happened next was quite extraordinary – without fanfare, Victoria and Albert paid an impromptu call and were suitably impressed. The rest, as the saying goes, is history. The Royal connection has meant that the distillery has played host to a string of famous visitors, many of them British prime ministers taking an hour or so off between meetings with the monarch of the day at Balmoral."

This is thee Royal Mail Box at the entrance to Balmoral Castle. Of course it's on the side of the grounds which we the commoners are allowed.

If you look at the sign to the right hand side it says Balmoral Private Estates No Admittance. It's a good thing I didn't see it before I entered on the other side. LOL!

Oh look there's that sign again!

This is a part of the Dee River. Remember the photo of Prince Charles with wellies on up to his thighs, fishing. This is a part of that river.

As we know it's all about the water in whisky. What topography it flows threw and around, imparts the many different characteristics we've come to know when describing a whisky. For instance minerally, peaty, mossy, fern like, heathery, medicinal, iodine, are just a few of the desciptors.

From the gentler style of the Lowlands to the bold and beautiful of the Highlands there is most definitely a whisky to suit every palate. The choices are vast and varied.

It truly is funny how you just never know where your life may lead you!! Who knew that I would one day recall these photographs and look at them from a totally different set of eyes....and palate!

Look for the signs (and the posted ones.......OPTIONAL). You just never know where they may lead you!

As the scottish say "What's for you won't go past you"!

Cheers

Jacqueline

Ladies Only---Sorry fellas, next time, I promise!

It has long been a dream of mine to put on an event about wine that would be for women, about women and produced by a woman, me. The reason being is that women tend to be far more intimidated by the world of wine. I really want to help you overcome this fear and to introduce you to a world that has brought so much fun and joy into my life. I often find that women shy away from ordering wine in a restaurant or in a mixed group environment for fear of looking silly. Ladies I am here to set you free from this moment on!

Did you know that women purchase more wine than men! Yes this is true! Women also are known for the word of mouth factor. We like to share our new and great finds with other people. Marketers know this about us and that is why the wine industry targets their selling towards women.

I read a book a few years back called "The 80% Minority" which stated that in 2003 women controlled 80% of the consumer dollars in North America. Astounding isn't it. Women today are still the major consumers / purchasers of goods and services. We do most of the research when it comes to new purchases be it cars, houses, where to vacation. The list is endless. Surprised?

Did you know that women are pretty darn good at wine tasting! This is not a bias on my part. You will hear men in the industry say this too. It is honestly not meant in any way other than to let you know and encourage you not to be afraid by it all. It truly is fun and enjoyable.

It was a woman by the name of Dr. Ann Noble of the University of California Davis who set out to describe the aromas of wine by compiling words /descriptors and organizing them into what is now famously known as "The Aroma Wheel". This wheel is an amazing tool when one is first learning about wines and spirits. It helps to teach us the vocabulary of wine and to increase our knowledge of wine aromas and descriptive terms. The more we practice at it the more our verbal descriptors and knowledge expands.


How about the Champagne region of France and Veuve Clicquot. Now this was one savvy business woman. She is also credited with creating a technique known as riddling. You can read more about the Widow Clicquot in my blog.



Their are so many very talented winemakers who happen to be women. It is my desire to showcase them and their talents to the world.

The Ontario Wineries Tour Guide Book lists 18 women who are winemakers. 18!! Natalie Spytkowsky from Rosewood Estates for one! You can read more about Natalie in my blog, Rosewood Estates.


At the top of this blog I mentioned my dream. I am currently working on an upcoming event of women winemakers and women in the industry! So ladies if you are interested and would like more information please email me at info@divineindulgence.ca. It's very exciting!!

And fellas, if you have a female in your life that you think would be interested please do let them know. Or better yet buy a ticket and surprise them with it!! I promise to have a show for you too because you need to know about these fabulous women!! Ladies first though.

$10.00 of the ticket cost will be donated to the Women for Women Organization, http://www.womenforwomen.org/. This organization helps women in war torn countries re-establish themselves. It provides them with education, vocational skills, income generation and micro loans financing etcetera. It's a fabulous organization. Please check out their website.

Spread the word!! It's going to be fun!!

Salud!
Jacqueline

The Wine Princess

Good morning,
I just have to share this with you. My sister-in-law is the bees knees! She is one of these people who listens when you speak. She is also observant when you are out shopping with her. She will remember something you said you liked a year ago, tuck it away in her mind, then keep her eyes and ears open in the hopes of finding that special something for you.

I spent last week-end with her and she had picked up a "couple of things for me". Oh did I mention she also has a great sense of humour. Have you seen the People magazines that are out right now that recollect things like people of distinction i.e. Martha Stewart going to jail? There are also the ones that recall an era. Yes, she had picked up the one that related to my era. And no I'm not going to say what era! After all, a lady doesn't talk about age! All I will say is that it is brilliant! A trip down memory lane!

She gave me the perfume that I love and have been out of for sooooo long! She also made a donation to an animal shelter for me because like her I love animals!! The next gift I couldn't help but laugh and laugh and laugh. Have a look at the picture below.

Now talk about funny. I LOVE THIS APRON!! How fitting for me. I love the necklace and the crown. I love the shades she is wearing and the bangle on her wrist. I love the fancy dress and the correct way she is holding the glass of wine. I love that she is swirling the wine and has her lips pursed in the manner that we do when tasting to draw in air to release the aromas. I love that she is a WINE PRINCESS!!

My sister-in-law has two sisters that are equally funny and great people to be around. Her one sister had bought her a book, a funny book of course, with little sayings about women and life and things. I especially liked two pages. The first is a woman in the kitchen with a bottle of wine and she says " I love to cook with wine, and sometimes I even put it in the food." I howled. You've got to love that wine humour. The next one is a lady with a glass in her hand and she says " I'm on a gin and tonic diet. So far I've lost two days!! Funny, funny, funny! (No I don't condone this type of drinking it's just about the humour!).

I hope you all have a wonderful person in your life as I do in my sister-in-law! Laughing is good!

Have a great day everyone!

Cheers
The Wine Princess

p.s.note to self...must get crown for my next tasting

Happy New Year!

Hello everyone,

Welcome to 2010. As I think back over this last year I am instantly struck by the thought "Where did the year go"? What have I done.....or not done with my time or what should I have done. The questions are endless. One thing is for sure it was an invigorating year filled with many highs and also as is life, some lows.

As I was reflecting on the past year and anticipating this coming year I came across a scroll that was hanging in a Tibetan shop with a phrase from the 14th Dalai Lama. I purchased the scroll and in now hangs on the wall by my computer as a daily reminder. I thought I would share it with you. I hope you like it as much as I do!

The True Meaning of Life

We are visitors on this planet.

We are here for ninety or one hundred years at the very most.

During that period we must try to do something good, something useful with our lives.

If you contribute to other people's happiness you will find the true goal, the true meaning of life.

Beautiful, don't you agree! I especially like the part about ninety to one hundred years. So I've got quite a way to go yet. Good thing I like to drink wine with its health benefits (in moderation of course) or so they say!

So my promise to you this year is to open you up to many new experiences be they wine and spirits, culinary, music, theatre and just wonderful people that I come across in my daily life that I personally think you should know about. The world is our oyster!

I want to wish you all joy, happiness, love and prosperity in this new year and years to come!

Here's to 2010! And lots of blogging!

Jacqueline