Category: Wine reviews (Page 3 of 8)

View of San Gimignano from Fattoria Poggio Alloro

Vernaccia di San Gimignano and Tuscan memories of gluttony

July 26, 2020 / Mel / 4 Comments

The senses can be a truly powerful force. I recently opened a bottle of Vernaccia di San Gimignano and found myself in Tuscany! Read on as I recount our last evening in Tuscany and the amazing farm-to-table meal at Fattoria Poggio Alloro.

Anyone else embarking on wine travel these days?

I love drinking a wine and being transported to far-off places through the sensations on my palate.

I’m talking about pulling the cork and being whisked away to a foreign land by the bouquet. You close your eyes and with that first sip you can hear the Mediterranean breeze whispering through the olive trees.

Vineyards on a hill by the sea — Roussillon vineyard by the Med. Photo credit: Vins du Roussillon Facebook page

Adventures in Roussillon white wines #Winophiles

July 17, 2020 / Mel / 23 Comments

Today I am joining the French Winophiles, a group of wine bloggers from around the world who love fermented French grapes, in their monthly virtual meet-up. Saturday morning’s discussion over on Twitter will focus on white wines from Roussillon, France’s southernmost winemaking region. Read to the end for more details.

A personal connection – or not

Being a Canadian/French dual citizen, I often consider myself quite familiar with France and its geography. And when I first heard that this month’s Winophiles chat would be on Roussillon, I thought “Great! I know that region and I’ve been there quite a bit in the last few years.” Except that once I started doing some research, I realized that it might not be the case. Continue reading

Two Sisters Margo rosé bottle and tasting notes

Best rosés in 2020

June 14, 2020 / Mel / 6 Comments

You asked for it, so here they are: my top rosé picks for 2020.

Agronika food pairing experiment – video

June 5, 2020 / Mel / 7 Comments

To celebrate the upcoming weekend, I did a virtual food and wine pairing experiment with Novaripa‘s Agronika Terre di Chieti Passerina*. This lovely white wine from the Abruzzo region in Italy is dangerously drinkable, especially when paired with food!

*I capitalized the grape variety here because it is part of the wine’s title, as it appears on the label.

The video

Loios Red – a quality and affordable wine from Portugal

May 8, 2020 / Mel / 5 Comments

A couple of weeks ago, I found myself at the local liquor store, stocking up for…well…the Apocalypse. With the new social distancing measures in place, the line-ups at the cash had customers snaking up and down the aisles. Taking my place in line (2 metres behind the person in front of me, of course), I found myself in the Portugal section and perused the shelves while waiting for my turn. My eyes quickly darted from price tag to price tag. Were these prices for real?? Was I dreaming? Everything was under $15! In the name of research, I grabbed a bottle of Portuguese red wine on the lower end of the price range, thinking to myself it would probably be undrinkable.

I was wrong.

Between the seasons – four Thanksgiving wine picks

October 11, 2019 / Mel / 3 Comments

Well folks, summer may officially be over, with ever shorter days and increasingly nippy nights, but it’s hard to tell with these lingering warm temperatures and only the beginnings of gorgeous fall views. And here in Canada, it’s somehow already Thanksgiving weekend! Not to worry, I’ve got your Thanksgiving wines covered, no matter what you’re eating! And all at less than $20 a bottle to boot!

Taste Community Grown 2019 — Ode to Prince Edward County

October 6, 2019 / Mel / 3 Comments

Have you ever felt so drawn to a place, but you don’t know why? That’s Prince Edward County for me. Every time I come here, everything just feels…right. Comforting. I’ve always lived in cities and balked at the idea of living even in a small town, let alone the full-out country. But there’s something about this place. It’s irresistibly charming. So when my husband was offered a three-week job which involved staying in a lake house in the County, I obviously offered to tag along and keep him company.

Recommendations for Nana: the Whites edition

September 2, 2019 / Mel / 1 Comment

When I first started this blog, my goal was to document delicious yet affordable wines. This generally meant bottles in the $10-$16 range. As my salary increased and I was able to justify spending money on wine “for educational purposes,” that range got a little higher. But now that I am working for myself as a freelance translator, I am back on the lookout for amazing wine deals. Whenever I find a winner, I immediately classify it mentally in my Wines-To-Tell-Nana-About list.

My Nana and I at the National Arts Centre
She hasn’t changed a bit!

Beaujolais Biodynamics at Domaine de la Bonne Tonne

August 23, 2019 / Mel / 1 Comment

Ever wanted to live on a vineyard in France? Wake up in the morning to the smell of espresso and fresh-baked croissant, open the windows and gaze upon vineyards and majestic Mont Blanc in the distance? Eat delicious, locally sourced food and drink organically grown wine made in your backyard? Work, eat, drink, sing and dance with locals, and make friendships for life?

Keeping it all in the family in the Beaujolais – Part 1

July 9, 2019 / Mel / 0 Comments

Green rolling hills, row upon row of vines, tractors trundling their way past market stands are filled with every summer fruit imaginable – shiny red cherries, plump strawberries, and juicy apricots, peaches and nectarines. The sun shines warm upon your face, and a gentle breeze makes the tall grass sway. Welcome to June in the Beaujolais.