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BBQ Wines Summer 2009

July 7th, 2009
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BBQ Wine PartyAs Canadians, I think we all feel the same way when it comes to our fleeting summers - take advantage of the nice weather while we can!  So in my family, that means outdoor cooking whenever possible.  At Groovy Headquarters, we love our barbeque for grilling, smoking, slow-cooking, and we cook anything we can on it, from fresh produce to seafood to meat.  The question is though, what are the best wines for barbeque?  I know the answer!

There are a few important things to consider. 

First, I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again - seasonings, sauces, and cooking method are more important than the protein itself.  Because cooking on the bbq adds its own smoky flavour to food, I find that most seasonings and sauces used are bolder and spicier to stand up to the cooking method so that’s really important to consider when choosing your wines.  Delicate, light-bodied wines are generally not what you’re looking for.  But at the same time, bbq usually also means that it’s hot outside, so you want something refreshing to the palate as well.  In most cases, the answer is juicy, fruity wines that are medium to full in body, whether they’re white, red, or rosé.

In the white category - and for these I’m thinking grilled or smoked seafood and fish - some of my go-to choices are Viognier, Grüner Veltliner from Austria, Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon blends, and Spanish Albariño.  When it comes to reds, I adore Grenache (and Grenache-based blends), Spanish reds, California Zinfandel, and fruit-forward New World style Pinot Noir.  Notice a trend?  These are all wines that are medium to full in body, are fruit-forward, have some soft but well-balanced acidity, and for the reds, have medium to low tannins, meaning that they are smooth in the mouth.  All these characteristics are important for pairing foods with lots of spice, and with sauces that are sweet, tangy, and/or spicy.  These fruity, juicy wines are also a great contrast to the smoky, charred flavour of bbq food.

Of course, I’d be amiss if I neglected to sing the virtues of rosé when it comes to bbq.  If you read our newsletter on a regular basis or have attended our tastings, you already know that we try to convert all you non-rosé-drinkers any chance we get, and summer is the perfect time to try once again.  If you think that all rosés are made in the same style as White Zinfandel, think again!  Most pink wines on the market are dry, crisp, refreshing, and filled with berry fruit flavour - the absolute perfect wine pairing for grilled or smoked food.  Like red wine in white wine’s clothing, rosé offers the aromas and flavours of a red wine, in a lighter, more refreshing format that is served chilled to make it even more friendly for al fresco dining.  Trust me, if you haven’t tried a rosé yet with your summertime cooking, please do, your taste buds will thank you!  

One more piece of advice for you - tasting is better than reading!  Join us on July 14th at the Urban Element for a tasting of 8 different bbq-friendly wines, along with some appropriate fare to match.  Wine has gone casual for the summer season at the Urban Element, and that means that this tasting will be hosted in a relaxed, cocktail-style format, with food stations set up for grazing, and an Urban Element chef out at the bbq with tips for grilling.  Special summertime pricing is also in effect … we hope to see you there!

Artisan Cheese in Prince Edward County

June 5th, 2009
A few weeks back, we headed to Prince Edward County with some friends for a week-end of relaxation, good eats, and wine country.  If you haven’t been, the County is an easy drive 2 and a half hours down the road, and really is a perfect getaway destination.  It is an absolutely beautiful region, and our trip luckily happened to fall in the height of lilac season, so the air was fresh, perfumed, and intoxicating.  After a quick stop in Picton for some of my favourite County culinary delights (Buddha Dog and butter buns from the Pastry House - 125 Main Street, Picton) we took a leisurely 20-minute drive to what turned out to be the highlight of our trip - Fifth Town Artisan Cheese.  Our knowledgable host Andrew Laliberté took our group on a guided tour of the grounds and the platinum LEED-certified facility, including the cheese cave, during which we learned all about how their artisan cheese is made.  We were all astounded by the focus on environmental and social sustainability, and how their stringent requirements for quality ingredients from healthy, well-treated animals all contribute to the incredible final product.

After our tour, we sat down with Andrew to taste some local wines with a selection of Fifth Town cheeses.  We were blown away by how delicious the cheeses were and our host’s sound knowledge in both cheese and wine meant that the wine pairings he selected were the perfect complement.  My favourites?  Lost Lake and Cape Vessey (made from goat and sheep milk, as are all of their products).  Lucky for you, Fifth Town cheeses are available in retail outlets throughout Ontario so if you don’t have the chance to visit the County (although you really should  make the time) you can still enjoy these fabulous products.  Here in Ottawa, you can find Fifth Town cheeses at The Piggy Market (400 Winston Ave in Westboro), La Bottega (Byward Market), Nicastro locations around the city, and Jacobson’s (in New Edinburgh).  Take a peek at our tasting with Andrew.

Thinking Pink…

June 5th, 2009
As a summer of outdoor entertaining, lounging in the backyard, and fresh, seasonal produce looms ahead, I just can’t help it - my mental image of this season features a frosty-cold bottle of rosé resting in an ice bucket, ready to be enjoyed.  For those of you who know me, you already know that I’m a die-hard rosé-lover and I try to convert anyone who isn’t.  To me, rosé is simply the quintessential summertime wine.  It has the berry-ripeness of red wine with the cool, refreshing lightness of a white wine, and for some reason, rows of rosy-hued bottles in my wine fridge just screams “summertime” to me and puts a big ol’ smile on my face. 

Next week at The Urban Element, we are celebrating rosé with a special wine-paired dinner that features a variety of rosés from various regions around Ontario.  It’s going to be a fabulous summertime feast, featuring dishes to inspire your cooking in the coming months and wines that will quench your thirst and intrigue your palate.  Read on for complete event information including menu and wine pairings.

Think Pink! Rosé Dinner
Featuring Chef Candice Butler and Groovy Grapes Sommelier Ilike Csaba
Date: Wednesday June 10, 2009
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location: The Urban Element, 424 Parkdale Avenue
Cost: $125pp
Reservations: call the Urban Element at 613-722-0885 or email bookings@theurbanelement.ca

It’s time to think pink and appreciate Spring & Summer with a toast to rosé! Join Groovy Grapes sommelier Ilike Csaba to sample and learn about the various styles of rosé and the regions in Ontario that specialize in this popular warm-weather wine. We’ll take you on a gastronomical journey as we explore the incredible food-friendliness of pink wines! This 5-course meal has been created specifically by the Urban Element’s Chef Candice Butler to compliment an impressive selection of VQA rosé wines; bubbly, light, full and sweet. If you’re not already a fully converted rosé-lover, you will be by the end of this experience!
 

Welcome
Henry of Pelham Cuvée Catharine Rosé Brut (VQA Niagara Peninsula)

Chilled Gazpacho with a Cilantro-Lime Yoghurt
Domaine Perrault Rosé (Navan, Ontario)
 
Beet Tomato Salad with Feta Cheese, Toasted Walnuts and a Balsamic Vinaigrette
Huff Estates South Bay Rosé (VQA Prince Edward County)
 
Leg of Lamb atop a Spring Herb Risotto
Southbrook Biodynamic Cabernet Rosé (VQA Niagara Peninsula)
 
Wild Sockeye Salmon, Warm French Potato Salad, Cucumber Slaw with a Beet & Dill Vinaigrette
Megalomaniac Pink Slip Pinot Noir Rosé 2006 (VQA Niagara Peninsula)
 
Rhubarb Crumble with a Candied Ginger Ice-Cream and a Caramelized Apple Compote
Cave Spring Select Late Harvest Cabernet Franc (VQA Niagara Peninsula)

Reservations: call the Urban Element at 613-722-0885 or email bookings@theurbanelement.ca

 

Here’s an excerpt from my book This Food That Wine that talks about what rosé is and why I love
it so much. 

Rosé is my absolute favourite summertime, patio-sipping wine.  It’s like red wine in white wine’s clothing, with the berry and spice flavours of red wine but drunk chilled down like white wine.  It’s crisp, refreshing, fruity, and easy-drinking - perfect for picnics, barbeque, and just about all summertime foods.  Not to say that you can’t drink it in the winter too – I certainly do!  Rosé is food friendly because of all the things it isn’t – it’s not as heavy as reds, and it’s not as light as many whites – it’s a happy medium, delicious, and affordable to boot.

Rosés, however, tend to be overlooked as a respectable wine style.  A lot of people automatically think of the sweet and simple White Zinfandel (although a little White Zin paired with spicy food can be amazing) but the rosés I’m talking about are the dry yet fruity, refreshing yet interesting pink wines made around the world, especially those of Mediterranean regions like southern France and Spain.  Canada and Italy make some fine rosé as well.

There are two ways that wine becomes pink.  First, you can make a white wine and add a splash of red.  Or you can make it only from red grapes.  Let me explain … red grapes are actually just red on the outside – the flesh and juice inside is white.  When red wine is made, the grapes are crushed and the skins left in with the juice, usually at least for a couple of weeks.  This is called maceration.  During this time, the skins add colour, flavour, and texture to the wine.  So to make rosé, the skins are left in with the juice for only a short period of time to extract just a bit of colour and flavour, leaving the wine a rosy pink hue with ripe berry flavours.

My favourite regions for rosé are Spain and the southern part of the Rhône Valley in France.  Spanish rosé is called Rosado, and the French name theirs after the region in which it’s made (including Tavel and Côtes-du-Rhône).  Both countries use Grenache as the main grape in the blend, also throwing in some Syrah and Cinsault (in France) or Tempranillo (in Spain).  The wines are quite full in body with ripe strawberry and raspberry flavours, and crisp, refreshing acidity.  In Canada, you often see grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, or Gamay used in their rosés.  They are still fruity, but slightly lighter and tarter in style then the Mediterranean versions.  Italy’s rosés (sometimes called “rosato”) are made from a wide range of grapes, but my favourite style is “Chiaretto” which is made in the Bardolino region of Italy using the same three grapes used to make the well-known Valpolicella (Molinara, Corvina, and Rondinella).  Chiaretto di Bardolino has a vivid salmon colour, bright berry fruit flavours, and a characteristic bitter tang on the finish.

CBC Radio Interview with Stacey Metulynsky for the Wellington Walkabout

May 13th, 2009

Here’s the radio interview Stacey had with CBC radio.  It’s a great overview of what the Walkabout Feast concept is all about.

We documented the 5 restaurant dining tour last night.  Stay tuned for updates.

 
icon for podpress  Standard Podcast: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Ready to Walkabout Wellington?

May 7th, 2009

Coming up next week (on May 12th) is our first ever Wellington West Walkabout Feast and we can’t wait!  In case you’re not familiar, walkabout feasts are our favourite and definitely the most fun way to dine around.  Over the past 5 years or so, we’ve hosted this type of dinner in several regions around town, namely Preston Street and the Byward Market.  Participants all meet up at a specified location, have a glass of bubbly and some snacks, then head out on to the street, with a Groovy Grapes Sommelier as their guide, to eat each course of their meal at a different restaurant.  Each dining stop also includes a wine pairing.  Then the entire group meets up for dessert to relax and debate which food and wine pairing was the favourite.  Sounds like fun, right?

Well, the event itself is only part of the fun … luckily for me, I get to coordinate the whole thing and part of that of course is to taste the food and choose the wine pairings.  Sean and I recently enjoyed a fantastic evening at Absinthe, which is taking part as one of our dining stops on the Wellington Walkabout.  Chef Patrick Garland has created a mouth-watering dish for the Feast and we got to taste test and make sure it really was as delicious as he promised - and yes, it was!  The dish is a spice-rubbed and grilled quail, perched atop fresh, tender zucchini paparadelle, and surrounded by a drizzle of pear and foie gras emulsion.  Sounds fancy and looks fancy, but it was amazing how all the flavours combined reminded us of classic summertime bbq flavours - sweet, spicy, smoky.  We sampled some other delicious dishes from Absinthe’s regular menu that night too, but if you want to taste the quail, you’ll have to join us on the Feast - he created it especially for us! 

Also on the Feast menu is Tuna 3 Ways at Allium and Raviloi of Rabbit Rillettes at the Wellington Gastropub.  Our welcome reception is taking place at Thyme & Again, and dessert is hosted by The Urban Element.  Interested in joining us?  We have a few spots left and registration will wrap up by this week-end, so sign up today!  You can read the entire menu and find out more details by clicking here.

Tulips Savoured

May 4th, 2009

We wrapped up Savour the Tulips wine and food show this past Saturday at the Mirror Tent on the Tulip Festival grounds.  My camera ran out of battery but I just saw a great overview of the event on the All Things Edible Blog.  Thanks to Robin Duetta of FOODmode Magazine, Tulip Festival for hosting, as well as all the restaurants and beverage suppliers for making it a great afternoon.

Savour the Tulips with Groovy Grapes and FOODMODE Magazine

April 30th, 2009

We just saw this article by Jennifer Campbell of the Ottawa Citizen regarding Savour the Tulips this Saturday.  There’s a great recipe attached.

Southbrook Vineyards Toasts Earth Day With Canada’s First Biodynamic Wine

April 17th, 2009

Southbrook Biodynamic RoseNiagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario (April 17, 2009) - Southbrook Vineyards toasts Earth Day® with the release of its 2008 Cabernet Rosé, the first biodynamic wine produced in Canada. Twenty-five restaurants across Ontario, from Ottawa, Toronto, Prince Edward County, Muskoka, western Ontario and Niagara, will celebrate with a simultaneous launch of the wine on April 22nd – Earth Day®. Chefs and sommeliers in these restaurants are featuring the Cabernet Rosé on their wine-by-the-glass list or with a specially created dish or food match. Read the rest of the news release (PDF). 

Wine lovers are invited to drop by Play food & wine, 1 York Street in Ottawa on Earth Day® from 6 pm to 8 pm when Southbrook Vineyards representative Aaron Shaw will be on hand to pour samples of the Cabernet Rosé. The dish at Play that Michael Moffat put together to pair with the rose is Hand-rolled Gnocchi with White Asparagus, Oyster Mushrooms and Sorrel Vinaigrette (I’ll take two of those!).

groovy wine podcast: stacey and live 88.5fm at the ontario wine fair part 2

April 17th, 2009
 If you happened to miss the Ontario wine fair back in February 2009, here’s your second chance to take in some of the highlights!  I was lucky enough to hang out with radio hosts Katfish Morgan and Dave Schellenberg of the LiVE 88.5 Start-Up and we tasted our way around the wine fair, microphone in hand.  And thanks to LiVE 88.5, you can listen in on our tasting! 

Click here for the second installment:
 

 
icon for podpress  Ontario Wine Fair Podcast Part 2: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

We taste and talk about Southbrook Cabernet Rosé (Canada’s first certified biodynamic wine - you can read more about that below) and Rosehall Run Pinot Noir from Prince Edward County.  You can tune in to the LiVE 88.5 Start-Up to hear more installments through the spring!


 

 
icon for podpress  Ontario Wine Fair Podcast Part 2: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Bubbles Dining Experience With Groovy Grapes at Arc the Hotel

April 17th, 2009
Bubbles

 

NEW DATE:  May 9th
Join us as we raise a glass of bubbles to spring at Arc the.Hotel! 

With a Groovy Grapes sommelier as your guide, enjoy a tasting of 8 different sparkling wines from around the world, in every style under the sun including white, rosé, red, dry, sweet, and of course the cadillac of bubbles - Champagne. 

Each wine will be perfectly paired to the delicious and creative cuisine of Executive Chef Jason Duffy.  Discover the huge range of styles, food friendliness, and yes - the health benefits of sparkling wine at this educational and entertaining evening.
May 9, 7-9pm at Arc the Hotel 140 Slater Street.  Price $147pp (approx. $115 ++). Register online, call 613 715 9399 or email events@groovygrapes.com to reserve a spot