This week on WG TV Erin shares hints and tips on how to build the perfect ice bucket for chilling wine.
Posts Tagged ‘chardonnay’
Eighth Day of Christmas
Sunday, December 20th, 2009On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me
Eight maids a-milking, Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, Five golden rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.
Creamy Chardonnay with Chicken a la King over phyllo pastry cups
On a chilly winters night a warm plate of chicken a la king served in buttery phyllo pastry cups and a glass of a full bodied Chardonnay is just what the evening deserves.
This is a great recipe to use after your holiday dinner as well when you might have some turkey left over and want to turn it into another meal. A dish that is this rich and creamy needs a wine that offers the same personality so that it won’t get lost in the dish and a glass of a full-bodied and creamy chardonnay is a perfect fit here for this dish.
Chicken a la King
Third Day of Christmas
Monday, December 14th, 2009On the third day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Three French hens, Two turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.
Vouvray, France (Chenin Blanc) and chicken pot pie
For the third day of Christmas I thought it was time for something savoury and homemade chicken pot pie is a personal favorite of mine. I thought it would be fun to include it in our Twelve days of Christmas food and wine pairing count down.
With a hot dish filled with pastry, chicken, vegetables and a creamy sauce, a glass or two of Chenin Blanc is an outstanding pairing. I enjoy Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley in France where it will be labeled as Vouvray after the area that it is grown. You can try Chenin Blancs from other places in the world as well, like South Africa – which is developing a reputation for this varietal. Wines made from Chenin Blanc offer a lovely alternative to Chardonnay and are a delightful option anytime you are looking for a full bodied white wine.
Chicken Pot Pie
Domaine de la Chapelle, Pouilly-Fuisse
Friday, December 11th, 2009This time of year people are always asking about wines that would pair well with holiday dinners and this wine is definitely on top of my personal list. Wines from Pouilly-Fuisse, which is an area in Burgundy France, are made from 100% Chardonnay and will be medium to full bodied, creamy, and have a richness to them that helps them pair perfectly with the traditional turkey dinner that many of us serve.
The wine by Domain de la Chapelle, is a beautiful example of wines from this region. This wine is medium bodied and filled with the flavours of apples, pears, warm bread dough, hints of warm lemon, soft oak and almonds. I love it! I like to serve this wine just slightly chilled so that the richness of it can better express its self then if served colder.
This wine is made from a smaller producer so it might be a bit harder to find, but it is well worth the search. If this wine is not available in your area there will be other wines from this region, so just as at your local shop for them to help you to find a wine from the region of Pouilly-Fuisse in France and I am sure you will enjoy it as much as I do. Cheers.
Domaine de la Chapelle
Wolfberger, Cremant D’Alsace, France
Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009The Wolfberger Cremant d’Alsace is a delicious sparkling wine that is made in the same method as Champagne. That means that it will have lots of tiny, lively and long lasting bubbles just waiting to tickle your nose as you enjoy every sip. This wine is made from a blend of 80% Pinot Blanc and the other 20% is made up of a mix of Riesling, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay. It will fill your glass with the flavours of ripe apple, pear, hints of peach and apricot and just a touch of warm toast. In the glass it is a rich honey colour and aromatic to the nose.
Enjoy this wine with creamy cheeses, brunch dishes, patés and French onion soup, or just a great book and bubble bath.
Retailing between $18.00 – 25.00 this wine is an outstanding value!
WG TV – Beers, Ales, and Lagers
Thursday, October 15th, 2009Erin discusses ales and lagers in this weeks episode on beers on WG TV
WG TV – Thanksgiving Wine Ideas
Friday, October 9th, 2009Erin discusses some of her favorite wine styles and grape varieties to enjoy with your Thanksgiving celebrations.
Lunch with Austin Hope of Hope Family Wines
Friday, May 29th, 2009 I had the delightful experience this week of having been asked to a winemakers lunch with Austin Hope of Hope Family Wines from Paso Robles, California along with a few other lucky people. The family owned winery has been growing grapes and making wine in the area for over thirty years and this family estate now produces four different labels under their umbrella including: Liberty School, Treana, Austin Hope and its newest label called Candor. The lunch was hosted at Olives restaurant in Calgary, Alberta which happens to make my favorite mushroom soup and fries in the city as both of them have truffle oil drizzled on top of them. Absolutely fabulous!
Once we were all settled to the table and introductions were made we began our afternoon with a glass of the Liberty School, 05 Chardonnay. If you haven’t enjoyed a glass of this wine lately I highly recommend you revisit it. It is a balanced and full bodied Chardonnay that is filled with ripe fruit and warm oak notes and for a wine in the mid-twenty dollar range it is a fantastic value for the quality in the glass.
The next wine we moved on to was the 2007, Treana white. Austin referred this wine as “both a crystal glass or a dixie cup” wine and I completely share his view. The wine is a blend of of 53% Vionger and Marsanne 47% and it delivers a glass filled with the flavours of peaches, apricots, pears, and honey with each sip bringing out more and more of its fun and multi-layered personality. It was fabulous with my truffle french fries but it could pair with anything from seared scallops, roast chicken or great potato chips – are you picking up on my potato cravings right now?
The Candor Zinfandel and Merlot came next. These are both great wines that have the interesting story of having a lot number on them instead of a vintage date. This is due to the fact that they are made from a blend of grapes from a couple of different vintages giving the wine the best of both worlds: the complexity of some age and the freshness of young fruit. Both are fabulous. The Merlot is silky and filled with rich dark fruits and the Zin is chocolate covered raisins in a glass with hints of dust and smoke – love it!
We finished off with the Austin Hope, ‘06 Grenache and ‘05 Syrah. The Syrah has a beautiful deep plum colour in the glass that was full of the flavours of black berries, smoke, hints of dried meat, white pepper and spice and the Grenache, was filled with notes of sun-ripened strawberries, berry fruit-leathers, dust and hints of vanilla. Everything I want from a great glass of Grenache; this wine is a favorite of mine for sure and with summer coming I can think of lots of great reasons to open up a bottle or two.
Dinner with Wine Maker Phil Ryan of McWilliams Winery
Wednesday, May 20th, 2009On Sunday May 3rd I had the pleasure of being invited to a dinner at the Wildwood restaurant, in Calgary with winemaker Phil Ryan of the McWilliams family winery of Australia. The evening however proved to be more then just an evening filled with great wine, food and company as just as we were beginning to discuss his wines a fire alarm in the restaurant went off this led us to drinking sparkling wine on the patio as we watched the firemen arrive. (does my lipstick look ok?) And people think that the wine world can be boring.
When the alarm was finally turned off, we returned to the private room where we had begun our evening and were able to finally begin our tasting together. Phil is an absolutely lovely man who has been with winery for over 40 years. He joined the family when he was just 19, after his mother had spurred him on to apply for a job there. Ah, a mothers wisdom; I hope my boys listen to me as well!
He spent his first 10 years in the company’s laboratory and quality control divisions and then in 1978 he was named Chief Winemaker for McWilliams Mount Pleasant where he has been ever since and under his loving hands the company has grown and flourished. The wines we tasted at our dinner showed the love and pride he puts into each of them. He is a dedicated winemaker that strives to create a great wine at a great price for his customers.
It was a lovely evening that continued uneventfully for its duration and with sips of great wine making us forget the ringing in our ears we enjoyed the company of a kind and talented man that has been at the forefront of the modern Australian wine industry. I am such a lucky girl!
Here is a list of the wines we enjoyed that night:
- McWilliams, 2001, Mount Pleasant, Lovedale Semillon – this was a beautiful wine that has tons of aging potential. It showed wonderfully balanced and had medium to full mouth feel filled flavours of honey, warm bread, peaches, apricots and hints of mandarin oranges on the finish. Loved it!!
- McWilliams, 2007, Hanwood Estate Chardonnay – here is a wine that I hadn’t tried for awhile and was delighted with. This wine retails for under 20.00 in most markets and it fills the glass with flavours that are deserving of a much higher price. ( I am not complaining though so please keep the price where it is) The wine has ripe rich fruit combined with the careful use of oak. Easy to drink and very people friendly. If you like Chardonnay this wine should always be in your wine rack!
- McWilliams 2007, Hanwood Estate Merlot – Easy to drink and full of flavour! Great wine for summer BBQ’s a crowd pleaser for sure.
- McWilliams 2007, Hanwood Estate Shiraz – A great go-to wine if you are a Shiraz lover. You will not be disappointed and it paired wonderfully with the Bison that I had for dinner that night. Big, rich and full of flavour!
- McWilliams, 2002, 1877 – A very special wine. This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz and has been made since the late 1800’s. The name 1877 refers to the year that the the McWilliams family first planted vines and this is a wine that the winemakers take the best grapes and create their own special blend for. It is made in very small batches and has a list of eager wine lovers waiting for its yearly release so you if you can find it or have a chance to enjoy a glass of this special wine take hold of the opportunity. It is fabulous in the glass and is only a baby. It has years left to age on it but at the same time is drinking beautifully now.