Everyone wants a pub to call their own and now you can at MyPlace Pub in the Bloor West Village.    And according to owner/chef Brad Long they’ve only been open a week and they already have regulars!  And I can see why with the great selection of beer, wine and upscale pub food.   Were not talking greasy, overbattered fish and chips either.

I had the Black Cod fish-and-chips that literally melted in your mouth.  Of course, I washed it down with a Blanche de Chambly, a Quebec white ale with great acidity and citrus notes.  Other great beers of note including Mill Street, Muskoka, Steam Whistle and Big Rock, but also stouts and dark ales.

But let’s get to the wine list.  It’s very Ontario-focused, including red and white wines from Tawse, Flat Rock, Stratus, Henry of Pelham and Malivore to name a few.   For dessert, they even have a Prince Edward County Ice Cider, which would go great with their Norfolk Empire Apple Pan Dowdy.

I also had the opportunity to taste the Kozlicks Triple Mustard Crusted lamb chops, which I think it would pair well with the Prospect Shiraz from BC, and the pierogies which re hand made in house.  Hands down, these are the best pierogies I have ever tasted and they would be a fun match with the Tawse Echos Chardonnay.

There are too many great dishes to list, so head down one night have a seat at the bar, cozy up in the newly covered banquettes in the dining room or head up to the roof top patio to take in the last few nights of summer!

Since having recently come back from the Willamette Valley in Oregon, I have had hankering for Oregon Pinot Noir.  But what would I pair with it?   I’ve been craving a really good pulled pork sandwich and decided to try The Stockyards Smokehouse and Larder near my house.  I was also in luck, as the LCBO recently released some great Oregon Pinot Noir to our market here in Ontario.  Much to my delight, I was able to pick up the 2006 Maysara Jamsheed Pinot Noir, with its beautiful cherry and earthy flavours.  What an amazing match in terms of flavours of both the food and wine and the finish was outstanding. Their pulled pork sandwich was one of the best I have had in a long time, the BBQ sauce just having the right amount of sweetness and acidity.  I also liked the coleslaw topping, too. I hear the ribs at The Stockyards are amazing but, alas, only available Sundays, Tuesday and Friday…stay tuned!

One of my weaknesses is the often silly Bachelor/Bachelorette reality show. Don’t ask me why, but every season I’m hooked. Perhaps, I’m fascinated by people looking for love on national TV or perhaps the show is much easier to watch with a glass of wine in hand, which is perhaps the best way to view this show.

If you watched this Monday’s episode, you couldn’t miss the scene in the wine cellar at the Bearfoot Bistro restaurant.  I spent more time figuring out what wines were in the cellar than watching what Jillian (the Bachelorette) and Michael (one of the remaining men) were saying to each other.  As best as ABC tried to cover up what was in the cellar, I spotted verticals of Dominus, Tignanello, Domaine Serene from Oregon and Opus One. I saw lots of great Magnums from some of the same producers, too. And to boot, there was sofa in the wine cellar…hmm…wonder what goes on in here after-hours…  I’m sure there’s a lot of what happens in the wine room stays in the wine room nonsense going on.  This restaurant does have an amazing wine list.

Although much to Jillian’s dismay “none of the bottles, seriously, are from the 1800s.”  The oldest bottle happens to be a dessert wine, a 1907 Blandy, Bual from Madeira, Portugal.   Note to Barefoot Bistro – you spelled Madeira incorrectly on your website and I’m happy to recommend a good sommelier.  But Michael, you were right about the dust on the bottles, I had to pause my PVR to catch it on a few!

Then we got to see Jillian try and open the Champagne with a saber. (no, it was not a “light saber” for all you Star Wars geeks out there.) Kudos to Jillian for doing it quite well although it seemed like half the bottle squirted out on the floor. I like the idea of sabering, but there seems to be a lot of wasted Champagne. Unless the sommelier is a trained professional and promises not to spill an ounce, then I would go for the more traditional method of opening champagne. If I’m ordering a bottle of Vintage Dom Perignon or Krug Champagne there is no way I’d want to lose a drop! But hey, something cheap and cheerful – go for it!

But the best line of the night came from the Wine Director/Manager who said “You know what they say about Champagne?  Burgundy makes you think of silly thoughts, Bordeaux makes you talk about them and Champagne makes you do them.”  Like who makes up this sh!t?    My guess it was the producers, but man, there are way better quotes about Champagne than that one.

If you are a fan of the Bachelor/ Bachelorette show, you need to check out my fellow Facebook friend’s website www.realitysteve.com for his slant on the show. He has a great sense of humour and really tells it like it is.

The annual dilemma if you have the Dad or Father-In-Law that has everything (like most of do).   Beside from taking your Dad to the movies to see The Hangover for great Father and Son bonding, here are some wine suggestions that will have your Dad or Father-In-Law running back to the store for more!

For the Strong, Silent Dad:  I think a great Malbec would be perfect.  The 2007 Domino Del Plata Susana Balbo Signature Malbec ($27.95) is no exception.  Think baking spices and mocha here with a long, generous finish.

For the Dad who drinks white wine:  2007 Stags Leap Chardonnay is a great choice.   It’s a classic Burgundian style Chardonnay but from Napa Valley with pear and green apple notes, great acidity with a fantastic finish.  Yes, I know it’s $29.95 but hey, your Dad is worth it! 

For the cheap and cheerful Dad:  I have the perfect Portuguese wine, it’s the 2006 Duque De Viseau Red from the Dao region.  Very approachable with red berry fruit characteristics this little gem pairs well from any on the BBQ to just drinking on it’s own and it’s only $13.95. 

For the Sports Dad:  I know beer is perhaps an obvious choice, but I think the 2006 Kaiken Ultra Malbec would make an excellent selection.   Lots of ripe black fruit and it’s a great price at $19.95. 

For the wine aficionado Dad:  What dad would not be totally blown away getting a bottle of the 2004 Ségla from Bordeaux?   This is the second wine from Château Rauzan-Ségla located in Margaux.  This wine. when I tasted it, is coming along nicely. but it is highly complex and needs time.  Why not pick up a bottle for your own cellar, too!   Definitely not for the drink-it-now type.  

And saving the best for last, for the Dad who appreciates a good wine: Try the 2006 Fattoria dei Barbi Morellino Di Scansano.  It is mostly Sangiovese (85%) and really reminds me of a lighter Brunello and it won’t break the bank at $17.95 a bottle.  Very approachable and great with steak or lamb kebobs.   This is the hit of the Father’s Day release at LCBO Vintages this month. 

Happy Father’s Day!

With the Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors out of town this week, I totally indulged at the Body Blitz Spa late this afternoon with a total head to toe scrub.   When I got home shortly after 7 p.m.,  I decided to pull out one of my Bertolli dinners from the freezer.  I decided on the Steak, Rigatoni and Portabello Mushroom dish.   The pairing according to the Villa Bertolli website suggests a Pinot Grigio of which I had none.  So,  I looked through my wine cellar looking for an alternative match.  It had to have good acidity but not overly sweet or full bodied.  So I decided on the 2004 Chardonnay Semillon from Hester Creek located in the Okanagan Valley.   At  only 12.9% alcohol, I knew that it would be light bodied enough to not over power the dish.   All I can say is “wow” what a fantastic wine.  It is drinking very well now and has a lot of tropical fruit notes without being too fruity.  The acidity was still there and I thought the match with the food went very well.   Because it had some age, the colour was deep gold and very bright.  I found the Semillon really shone through as I got a bit of oilyness on the finish.   This one would have been tough for me in a blind tasting for sure!

When you think of wine growing regions, Japan isn’t the first place you would think of. While it’s true that many, if not most countries, are growing grapes, but is the quality of the wine any good? Recently I had the opportunity to put wines from Japan to the test.

First of all, there have been active wineries in Japan since 1875 and many have been passed through the family, in as many as four generations. The climate in Japan tends to be warm and very humid, with high rainfall which can make grape growing very challenging. After experimenting with North American grape varieties in the early days, the Japanese discovered some of their own varieties that do very well in their climate.

The Koshu grape variety is considered the star in the white category. This grape truly reminds me of Riesling with its green apple, mineral and floral notes with high acidity on the finish. I can see where this wine would be an excellent match with wasabi. Two of my favourites were the 2006 Rubaiyat Koshu Sur Lie and the 2006 Grace Gris De Koshu. Some of the other whites I tasted also reminded me of Chenin Blanc showing hints of honeysuckle, minerality and really high acid. Overall, I was quite impressed with a few whites and felt that they were wines that were not only food-friendly, but are great just on their own.

Koshu grapes

One red wine I tasted was the 2000 Chateau Sakaori made with a grape variety called Muscat Bailey A. This is a hybrid variety which is a crossing of Bailey A and Muscat Hamburg that was created over 100 years ago. This rustic wine really grew on me. I found the finish to be very savory with a dried cranberry flavour. This would be a great match with a savory Japanese dish such as Miso Glazed BBQ Duck. I also tasted from Obuse Winery, their 2005 Merlot Ordinaire. This wine is extremely popular in Japan and sells out almost immediately upon release. If you have the chance to fly on Air Nippon throughout Europe make sure to look for this wine.

As the North American market has developed a taste for Sake over the last decade, I hope I’ll see some of these interesting wines added to wine lists across the county.

Last Thursday, I attended this fantastic event held here in Toronto and thought I would share some of the highlights for me at this tasting.

Let’s begin with some whites:

The quintessential Sauvignon Blanc:   The 2006 Chalk Hill Sauvignon Blanc had lots of ripe tropical fruit and minerality backed up with great acidity on the palate.  This wine was fermented 50% in stainless steel and 50% oak.

Favorite White:  I had two favorites here.  First was the 2006 La Crema Chardonnay with its mango and peach flavours touched with a kiss of oak.  The second was the 2005 Chalk Hill Chardonnay.  Chalk Hill is known best for its Chardonnay, as these vines have been around since 1972.  This stunning wine had lots of banana and stone fruit as well as vanilla and a hint of spice followed up with a great finish.  I can see why Wine Spectator awarded this wine 90 points!

Moving on to the Reds:

Best Zinfandel:   This Zin really took me by surprise.  I picked the 2006 “Director’s Cut” Francis Ford Coppola Zinfandel from the Dry Creek Valley which is renowned AVA for growing Zinfandel.   This wine is everything you want in a Zin–big black ripe fruit and spice with low tannins.

A must have Pinot Noir:  I absolutely loved the 2005 Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards Pinot Noir from Carneros.   This delicious Pinot Noir had just stunning cherry and strawberry flavours and could definitely hold up to any steak.

Yummy, plummy Merlot:   This hands down was the 2005 Chalk Hill Merlot.  This wine is 79% Merlot and 21% Malbec.   I ended up chatting with the agent that represents this wine in Ontario and while we were talking it just got better in my glass.  Lots of dark plum, mocha and bitter chocolate here with an extra long finish.   Only 2000 cases were made of this easy drinking Merlot, so you’d better get your hands on some fast.

Best Priced Cabernet:  I love to find hidden gems and this Cabernet truly did it for me.  The winner here was the 2005 Souverain Cabernet Sauvignon from the Alexander Valley.  This wine was very complex with black fruit, clove spice and pencil shavings, all the right makings of a fantastic Cabernet.

A lot of these wines are available through the winery so check out their websites for more information.

Whites

We all know Labour Day is just around the corner and there are still a few weeks left at the cottage this summer.  So, why not pick up a few interesting gems in the latest Vintages release in Ontario.

BEST FOOD MATCHING WINE is the 2007 Tawse Sketches of Niagara Riesling which is blend from four different Riesling vineyards in Niagara.  This wine is just as good on its own as it is with food.  If you like your wines with a hint of sweetness than this wine is for you.

FUN TO TRY is the 2006 Gracia De Chile Reserva Superior Chardonnay.  This organic wine is from the Bio Bio Valley in Chile which is a cool climate region suited for growing Chardonnay.  Tropical fruits dominate this medium plus bodied wine that would pair nicely with chicken on the BBQ.

BEST WINE WITH FRESHLY CAUGHT PICKEREL is the 2006 Fattoria Laila Verdicchio Dei Castelli Di Jesi Classico Superiore from the La Marche region in Italy.  This wine has a lot of citrus fruit and great acidity.   I really encourage you to give this Verdicchio a try!

Reds

There are a lot of great Chilean reds in this Vintage release but I thought I’d go off the beaten path here and see if I could find some other cool choices.

FUN WINE TO FOOL YOUR FRIENDS- 2005 Fontanafredda Barbera D’Alba Raimonda.  This Barbera is ready to drink now and will pair well with grilled meats especially Italian sausage.   Betcha none of your friends will be able to figure out this wine in a blind tasting but they’ll all love it!  And at $16.95, you’ll be picking up more than one.

FOR YOU ITALIAN FANS, I highly recommend the 2004 La Ragose Valpolicella Classico Superiore ($22.95).  This producer is well known for it’s Amarone but this Valpolicella is nothing but light as this wine is fermented with the lees and skins leftover from their fine Amarone!

GREAT VALUE- Go with the 2004 Finca Antigua Crianza.  This wine hails from the La Mancha region in Spain and is blend of Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah.  Think blackberries, blackcurrents and plums all integrated together.  Again a great match with anything from the BBQ.

Lastly,  this wine is not in this release but when I was at the cottage last week, I picked up a bottle of the 2004 Artesa Reserve Tempranillo ($25.95) from California. It was an excellent match with our peppercorn crusted strip loin and we didn’t even need to decant it.  Now the Artesa Cabernet Sauvignon is in this release but why not try something different for much less.

Oh, and most these wines I mentioned are under $20.00 (except where noted) so go ahead, be adventurous and surprise your friends this weekend!

Looking for a diversion between wineries?  Then head to El Dorado Kitchen located in downtown Sonoma where they serve lunch and dinner daily and brunch on Sunday.  I had the opportunity to dine here for lunch on my way to the Russian River Valley during my visit to Napa/Sonoma in July.

It was such a gorgeous day that I opted for the outdoor patio underneath the fig tree.   Much to my surprise, I was presented with a small cocktail menu and promptly ordered myself the “EDK Mojito”.  Let me tell you that it was a refreshing taste to my palate after a busy morning of wine tasting and spitting.   The mojito was absolutely delicious, just the right amount of light cruzan rum,  lime juice, soda and fresh mint.  Of course, I did have a long look at the wine list and loved the great selection of half bottles mostly from Napa and Sonoma.    The wine list itself was quite extensive and it broken down into grape varieties.  I loved the “off the beaten path reds” selection featuring some interesting wines such as the Viader “Dare” Cabernet Franc or the Verdad Tempranillo from the Santa Ynez Valley.

For lunch I had the salmon croquettes which consisted of a single salmon and yukon gold potato cake topped with a frisee in red pepper remoulade which was absolutely delicious.  Other lunch choices included a forest mushroom pizza (a nice Pinot Noir would pair nicely), steak and truffle fries and chicken curry flat bread.

Dessert is also a must have at El Dorado Kitchen and I indulged in the chocolate s’mores tart!  Picture a chocolate ganaceh sitting on top a graham cracker crust bottom, decandant merangine on top with vanilla ice cream and you have heaven in bowl.  I ate every last bite!  Other interesting choices included a chocolate sea salt cake and the homemade ice cream sandwiches such as butterscotch cookie with carmel icecream with a carmel dipping sauce.  Talk about over indulging in a good way!  Just remember to watch out for falling figs if you happen to sit under the fig tree!

Where else can you listen to Led Zepplin and taste an amazing Cabernet Sauvignon but at Cliff Lede Vineyards located in the heart of the Stag’s Leap District.  I was greeted by Rikki, who would be giving me a personal tour of this stunning property.   The open and airy tasting room leads you to the outdoor patio area, providing an amazing view of the vineyards.  On the property is a contemporary art gallery that combines the owner’s love and appreciation of art and wine.   Since the owner is also a lover of great rock music, each block of the vineyard is named after a rock song such as “Hotel California”, “Light My Fire” and “Stairway to Heaven”.   The stunning cellar located on the south-west side of the vineyard boasts an amazing view of the valley floor below and the steep hillside vineyards to the east (Vacas Mountain Range) with the Poetry Inn nestled right up there.  I loved looking into the fermentation room and seeing the picture of Grace Kelly keeping her watchful eye on the winemaking process.

During my visit, I tasted the 2007 Sauvignon Blanc, which had lots of tropical fruit notes on the nose and in the mouth, like mango.  For such ripe fruit and high alcohol the wine still had great acidity with a medium finish.  I also lucked out and was able to taste the sold-out 2005 Sauvignon Blanc.  The amazing thing was that the 2005 still holding its own, showing lots of fruit and great acidity even though it was already 3 years old   But the kicker for me was the 2005 Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon which is 100% from the Stag’s Leap District.  Lots of black currents, black cherry, bitter chocolate, baking spices and cloves.  The fruit and alcohol were extremely well integrated and the layers of complexity of this wine was so refine.  I can see this wine being able to age another twenty years, if you have the patience, but it can be enjoyed now with a nice medium rare steak or lamb kabobs on the BBQ.  Or, even better, pair this wine with some great classic rock.