I’ve never been much of a cocktail guy but I tried a couple that Mike Everson, Groovy Grapes Cocktail Chef and owner of Shakerz Hospitality put together for a client event we had last week and I may well be converted.  He designed a couple of drinks that really surprised me.  I’ve got this warped perception that a lot of mixed drinks are sweet and boozey.  Check out his recipes below these drinks were refreshing, dry(ish) and really unique.

Would you share what your favourite summer cocktails are by leaving a comment on this posting?  We’ll pick 2 lucky winners to receive a spot in our Classic Cocktails Workshop August 3rd at the urban element cooking studio.  

Here’s what Mike created for our event:

The Bitter End

Muddled Cuccumber

1/2 oz Fresh Lemon Juice

1 oz Gin

1 1/2 Elderflower Water

1/2 oz pressed pear juice.

Shake and Strain over ice in a rocks glass.  Garnish with a cucumber slice

Bisson Grass lemon LongIsland

Fresh lemon Juice

1 oz Bisson Vodka

1/2 Rum

1/2 Gin

Chilled Tea

Shake and strain over ice in a Highball.  Garnish with lemon Zest

Leave a comment below for a chance to win a spot in the workshop!

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If you are serious about your cocktails or want to be why not register for the Aug 3 workshop bookings@theurbanelement.ca ($75 + tax) or have us put on a private cocktail workshop for some friends or your team?  sean at groovygrapes.com 613-691-0668 x 101. 

By Lucie Trépanier

To highlight Earth Day, celebrated every April 22nd in Canada, LCBO’s Vintages released some delicious, eco-friendly wines at an event named Green Evolution.

Before providing a summary of featured wineries, here is an overview of the 3 major buzzwords relating to eco-friendly farming, which were well explained by Vintages at the tasting.

Sustainable:
Sustainable relates to viticulture and winemaking. It is a way of life in the vineyard and in the winery, where a long-term vision aims to integrate people, soil, plants and fauna. Sustainable agriculture adheres to 3 fundamental principles:
• environmental health
• economic profitability
• social and economic equity

Major green solutions linked to sustainability include water conservation, waste reduction and liveable wages and benefits for workers. Sustainable producers today tend to adhere to such principles on a voluntary basis, monitored by self-regulating bodies rather than official government-run certifying bodies.

Organic:
A return to natural farming methods. Organic practices take sustainable farming one step further as they encompass jurisdiction, which varies per country. Main rules of organic viticulture include the ban of chemical fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides in the vineyard. Certification is granted only after a winery adheres to organic methods for three years.

Biodynamic:
The most radical agricultural system in terms of eco-friendliness. Developed in the early 1900’s by Austrian philosopher and scientist Rudolph Steiner, biodynamic agriculture was the first modern ecological farming system. In relation to winegrowing, it is a holistic approach, where a vineyard is treated as a single, harmonious organism. As with organic viticulture, it forbids the use of chemical fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides but includes further steps towards natural farming. Methods may include unique practices such as using compost and field sprays crafted from fermented herbal and mineral preparations, the use of astronomical sowing and a planting calendar which follows the lunar cycle.
Certification is required for wineries wishing to become biodynamic. Although biodynamic viticulture is not new to the wine world, Southbrook Vineyards is the very first Canadian winery to be certified biodynamic since 2008.

Wineries featured at Green Evolution included:

Southbrook Vineyards

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

This year, on Earth Day, Southbrook Vineyards released two new certified biodynamic wines. The 2008 Triomphe Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2009 “Fresh” White joined their Cabernet Rosé, already biodynamic since 2008. These wines are all certified by Pro-Cert Organics and Demeter.

www.southbrook.com

Domaine Weinbach
Alsace, France

This winery was a pioneer in eco-friendly winegrowing and winemaking and has been cultivating its grapes according to organic and biodynamic principles since 2005. Official certification is anticipated for 2010.

Domaine Weinbach products available at Lifford Wine Agency

www.liffordwine.com

www.domaineweinbach.com

Pommery

Champagne, France

Pommery’s NV Champagne Pop Earth was released this Earth Day. This predominantly Pinot Noir-based bubbly is made according to sustainable practises and bottled in a lightweight glass bottle (1.85 lbs versus the standard 2 lbs Champagne bottle) which will considerably reduce pollution and energy costs during shipping. The new Pop Earth also features recycled labels printed with water soluble inks.

www.pommery.com

Viña Arboleda

Valle de Aconcagua, Chile

Another direct project of Chile’s Eduardo Chadwick (owner and president of Viña Errázuriz, and founder of Viñedo Chadwick, Seña and Caliterra brands), Viña Arboleda is a boutique winery featuring sustainable handcrafted wines from the Aconcagua Valley.

A thorough detailed conversation with winemaker Soledad Meneses shed light on the term sustainability and provided concrete examples of everyday actions it entails. Key points adopted by sustainable viticulture include:

• Precision farming: Farm management at a level that allows inputs to be tailored to variable conditions across short distances in a single field.

• Integrated pest management: An integrated, ecological approach of crop management to solve ecological problems when applied in agriculture. It’s main goal is to significantly reduce or eliminate use of pesticides in the vineyard through prevention, observation and intervention.

• Water waste reduction: the rational use of water resources by developing and improving irrigation strategies to maximize the efficient use of water and reduce unnecessary energy use.

• Ongoing staff education and improved conditions for vineyard workers

www.arboledawines.com

www.sena.cl/Eng/default.asp

Benziger Family Winery

Lake and Sonoma Counties, California 

Sonoma’s Benziger family has been leaving its trace—or working at reducing it—for thirty years. All its wines are certified organic, sustainable or biodynamic and all of their estate vineyards are certified biodynamic by Demeter. With the increasing effects of water shortage being felt in California, viticulturists will need to innovate and find solutions to survive. At Benziger, initiatives to reduce land, air and water waste are not simply seen as the most concrete action in favour of Mother Earth, but has also become a company trademark as it is the best way to make distinctive, quality wines for today’s competitive market.

www.benziger.com

View a complete list of Vintages Eco-Friendly Releases.

The annual California Wine Fair, held at the Westin Hotel on April 21st was yet again a great opportunity to enjoy and discover some beautifully crafted wines. With spring now well under way, several wines were a tease for the senses and a great source of inspiration for upcoming barbecues and backyard gatherings. Although sometimes disappointing to find out that many wines featured at such wine shows are consignment products (not available at the LCBO) they are often available through direct contact with the responsible wine agent. You may also keep an eye out for these wines at upcoming visits to local restaurants.

Here are some personal highlights from the California Wine Fair:

Schramsberg 2006 Blanc de Blancs, North Coast (44.50$ - private order)

A long time American favourite, this complex traditional method, hand-riddled sparkling wine   can shamelessly compete with many fine Ch

ampagnes. With generous notes of citrus fruit, honey dew

melon, elderflowers, fresh pastry and marzipan, refreshing acidity, underlying minerality and pleasant yeastiness, this wine is ideal to highlight any special occasion or to kick off your next gathering. It will drink beautifully on its own or alongside richly textured finger foods such as coconut shrimp, crab cakes, beef satay, or smoked mackerel canapés. For a lighter, fruit-forward version of this bubbling sensation, opt for their 2006 Brut Rosé.

View this wine’s fact sheet (pdf) or contact The Vine Rob Groh Agency for orders.

Duckhorn Vineyards 2008 Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley
29.95$ –LCBO Vintages Release, May 29th 2010 / private order

Tired of hearing the same comments about California Chardonnays? The same lingo being tossed around for years about over-oaked California whites, wines stripped of all freshness and pure fruit expression…and that over-played, narrow-minded “ABC” catchphrase (Anything but Chardonnay)?

This Chardonnay will surely provide a different point of view! A perfect wine to cellar for the next 5-8 years, already showing extreme balance and charm and finesse. Beautifully crafted, this unfiltered wine is a benchmark expression of Carneros Chardonnay, with lively acidity and flinty minerality, a smooth buttery texture, well integrated oak and a complex array of aromas and flavours of stone fruit, orange blossoms, mango, fresh vanilla bean and grilled almonds.
A wine to save for a very special occasion, perhaps, but definitely worth every dollar invested.

View this wine’s factsheet:
http://www.vinecliff.com/wines/los-carneros-chardonnay-2007.html

Represented by Vinexx
jdesautels@vinexx.com
www.vinexx.com

 
Paul Dolan 2007 Zinfandel, Mendocino
21.95$ - private order

Nothing spells out “b-a-r-b-e-c-u-e” as clearly as a juicy, ripe Californian Zinfandel and Paul Dolan’s 2007 vintage Zin is no exception. This easy-sipping wine is rich in flavours of ripe cherries, coffee and chocolate but also has the intriguing spiciness of capsicum and pepper, which was demystified at the tasting; the flavour profile of this affordable wine is the result of blending jammy Mendocino County fruit (79%) with leaner, spicier Amador County fruit (21%).

To step it up a notch, keep an eye out for the outstanding Paul Dolan 2006 Deep Red. Ripe, round, full-bodied and biodynamic (57% Syrah, 31% Petite Syrah, 12% Grenache - 56.00$ private order)

Available through Calibrium International
sales information: irubin@calibrium.com / 1 (877) 320-0140
www.calibrium.com

***************
 
Ca’ del Solo Estate 2006 Sangiovese, San Benito County
21.60$ - private order

Bonny Doon Vineyards and founder/winemaker Randall Grahm are most commonly associated with the biodynamic wine movement and the establishment of Rhône varieties (hence the term “Rhone Rangers”) in California. Stepping outside the box yet again with their medium-bodied, astringent 2006 Sangiovese, this wine is an ideal companion for just about any red meat-based dish, including grilled marinated flank steak, barbecued short ribs or pasta in tomato sauce. It is a great alternative to fuller reds which can sometimes over power your dish. Plenty of red fruit and moderately firm tannins without the excessive weight and sweetness often associated with cask ageing (this wine is moderately oaked). It has a pleasant, refreshing earthiness reminiscent of tea leaf, sour cherry and smoke.View this wine’s factsheet: http://www.smallwinemakers.ca/ProductDetails.aspx?pID=BDSan06

Available through Small Winemakers Collection
Private Client Sales: robe@smallwinemakers.ca
www.smallwinemakers.ca

We had a great tasting last weekend featuring some wines from New Zealand as well as some cheeses from Quebec.  It was so much fun we thought we should share what we tried in the form of a Groovy Grapes Guide (pdf).  Have a look at the wine and cheese notes (cheese notes are on page 2):

Have a look at the groovy grapes guide you can download or share with friends.  If you are looking for a chance to try up to 200 different wines from New Zealand you won’t want to miss the New Zealand Winegrowers fair Apr 27 at Westin Hotel.

The Wines of Ontario Winter WineFest is part of the Taste of Winterlude Fine Dining Experiences programming.  It’s a casual cocktail style tasting with a serious list of wines and 23 confirmed Ontario wineries. 

Hosted at the National Arts Centre in the Panorama room with views of the Rideau Canal it promises to be one of the highlights of the Taste of Winterlude Program. 

Grab a ticket before they are gone by visiting http://ontario-wine-fair-2010-ggblog.eventbrite.com

** groovy grapes clients and friends we’ve arranged for a couple of special benefits for you.  Email sean at groovygrapes.com and ask about Your Personal Restaurant Conceirge (we’ll recommend restaurants for you to check out during Taste of Winterlude) as well as a special rate on the Feb 17/10 Winter WineFest.

Taste of Winterlude begins later this week featuring 50+ restaurants with 3 course prix fixe menus and a number of exclusive fine dining experiences.  Visit winterlude.gc.ca/taste for all the info including details about the Feb 17th Ontario Winter WineFest featuring 23 wineries from Ontario at the NAC.

Just had a really good question come in about what’s your favourite value wine pick. 

Of course value is a matter of opinion but for the purpose of this post I’m going to look at something we’ve tried recently that is the under $10 price range. 

I stopped by the Wines of Spain booth during the Ottawa Wine and Food Show and sampled a number of really interesting wines.  I was pleasantly surprised by a red wine from the region of Yecla in Spain.  The fact that it’s whopping $8.90 is quite amazing.  I think it delivers twice the value.  The grape is monastrell (or mourvèdre) and it’s typically a blending grape so I haven’t seen many single varietal versions.  We picked up a few bottles to have around and it’s a guilt-free go to red for everything from burgers and pizza to braised and bbq meat.  Leave us a comment if you pick it up to let us know what you think. BODEGAS CASTANO LA CASONA MONASTRELL LCBO 143743 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 8.90

Great recipe and wine pairing from Stacey appeared in Ottawa Citizen Oct 17, 2009 http://www.ottawacitizen.com/life/Matched+Food+Drink/2114264/story.html

Listen in as I chat with Katfish and the rest of the morning crew over at LIVE 88.5 - we’re talking La Vendemmia, but keep on listening through the out-of-date event info (sorry about that!) for some great ideas for simple Italian nibbles you can pick up, throw on a platter, and serve with Italian wines to match. Click here for the audio clip.

 

 Stacey talks about Italian wines and Preston Street with Live 88.5FM [10:47m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Wine selections:

TOMMASI CHIARETTO 2008
VINTAGES 685057 | $12.95 | Veneto, Italy
(paired with homemade bruschetta from Luciano’s Fine Foods, 106 Preston Street)

VILLA RUBINI SCHIOPPETTINO
Consignment only - $19.95 (contact us if you’re interested in ordering)
(paired with Pingue Prosciutto, available at fine food shops including La Bottega, Nicastro shops, and The Piggy Market)

SANTERO BRACHETTO D’ACQUI
VINTAGES 119495 | $16.20 | Piedmont, Italy
(paired with “Turtles” - chocolate pots de crème with caramel and nuts, homemade at Pasticerria Gelateria Italiana, 200 Preston Street)

 

 Stacey talks about Italian wines and Preston Street with Live 88.5FM [10:47m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download