As you will recall, a few weeks ago I blogged about an LCBO article listing its 2015 Customer Favourites. I ran out and bought 3 of the 4 most-bought wines to see what all the fuss was about. In the blog post I reviewed the Beronia Tempranillo, and last weekend I brought the 2 remaining customer favourites to dinner at my sister-in-law’s place. All in all, I think Ontario and I have different tastes, but I can see the appeal of both the wines I tried.
In my job, I spend a lot of time with dictionaries. So wasn’t I surprised when today I saw that “Pinot” is the second most popular search term in the US on oxforddictionaries.com! It’s even trending!
Screenshot, Oxford Dictionaries, January 13, 2016
I find this is interesting. Why the sudden interest in Pinot in the States?
The only thing I can think of is that scene with the music video from the Netflix TV series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. And while I appreciate that this scene from an oddball Tina Fey–produced comedy may be sparking interest in wine, I fear that people may get the wrong idea, given that the song is actually an ode to a dark male appendage. That said, no press is bad press, right?
RELATED UPDATE: https://www.winespectator.com/articles/unbreakable-to-table-tituss-pinot-noir-debuts-52863
Photo: winespectator.com
But is that really it? Is that really why Pinot is the 5th most popular Oxford Dictionary search IN THE WORLD right now??
Pinot is the 5th most popular search term in the world on January 13, 2016. WHY I ask you?? Also, interesting to note that the abbreviation for the province of Quebec is the most searched term in the world today.
In an effort to distract myself from these questions, here are some of the wine regions around the world specializing in pinot noir. Note that this list is by no means exhaustive:
Bourgogne (France) – the original pinot noir – a medium-bodied wine tasting of cherry, fresh red fruit, mushroom and mineral (from the limestone soil in which the grape is grown). It is lower in tannin than most wines since it spends less time on oak, and has high acidity. Its colour is more garnet than ruby red. I like the Albert Bichot.
California – Cali’s pinots tend to be bigger than the average pinot, due to a longer growing season in this warmer climate. I personally enjoy the Robert Mondavi.
Oregon – Oregon pinots are making quite a name for themselves and gaining in popularity on the world market. Their characteristics are much more subtle than their Cali counterparts and make for a refined quaff. As a result, they tend to be on the pricier side (starting at $22). I tried the Duck Pond pinot when I was in DC and quite enjoyed it.
New Zealand – These cold-climate pinots are medium bodied, with yummy fruit and earthiness. They are often grown in the same regions as sauvignon blanc. Try the Kim Crawford.
Pinot noir’s typically high acidity, paired with its lighter body, makes it a perfect food wine. Someone once said it’s the black jeans of wine—it just goes with everything!
On that note, I’m off to have a glass of Pinot Noir to ponder this some more. Leave a comment if you have any other ideas as to why Pinot might be getting so much attention these days…
I hope 2016 is treating you well thus far. Have you tasted any good wines lately? I’m always looking for new wines to try, so please share in the comments!
Speaking of new wines, as I was doing some Facebook stalking perusing the other day, I came across an ad for the LCBO’s Customer Favourites of 2015.
Intrigued, I clicked on it, hoping that Ontario’s tastes would be in line with my own. According to the LCBO, here are the supposed fan favourites:
Best Italian Star: The Wanted Zin Old Vines Zinfandel (Italy)
Best Shiraz: Jacob’s Creek Double Barrel Shiraz (Australia)
Local Hero: Open Smooth White (Ontario)
I was shocked to see that I had never had any of the chosen wines. Not a single one! Was I missing out? Did the rest of Ontario know something I didn’t?? Obviously, I had to find out. Luckily, my local LCBO had 3 out of 4. I am still on the look-out for the shiraz, which is dwindling rapidly here in Ottawa.
Last night, I opened the Beronia Rioja, and here are my notes:
Colour: Deep ruby red
Aromas: Yummy: Black cherry, tobacco, chocolate, strawberry
Palate: Fairly fruit forward: tart cherry, strawberry at the outset, evolving into vanilla, liquorice (Google disapproves of my Canadian spelling, btw) and cedar.
Structure: Medium-bodied, medium tannins and high mouthwatering acidity – the perfect structure for food!
We paired this rioja with a hearty beef stew, and it was a hit! When a red wine has light–medium tannins and high acidity, it often pairs well with most foods, and this wine was no exception.
Conclusion: I think Ontario bought this in such large numbers precisely because it is such a food-friendly wine. On its own, the wine is so-so, but it goes really nicely with a wintery beef roast or stew. Also, is it just me or is there an aura of mystery surrounding Spanish wines? I feel like they tend to be lesser known wines that are often surprising in terms of their price-quality ratio. That said, I’m not sure I would buy this one again. But don’t take my word for it; that is simply a reflection of my personal preferences. Remember: wine tasting is an incredibly subjective venture, so I would encourage you to try this wine for yourself to see if you like it. Plus, it is $2 off until January 31, so at $13.95, now is the time!
Post-conclusion thoughts: I was asking myself why the category for this wine was “Most Surprising Twist”. The description in the article explains “This unusually barrel-fermented Tempranillo from Spain began as an experiment and turned into a commercial hit”. Is that it then? Was the surprising twist that it ended up selling so well? I think they need to hire better category creators.
Stay tuned. I’m sure I’ll be reviewing more so-called customer faves soon!
P.S. I also bought a bottle of the Beronia Rioja Reserva, which I think is this winemaker’s standard rioja (not the experimental version). I’ll let you know how it is!
Bubbly season is fast approaching! It’s the ideal time to review the different types of sparkling wine so you can pick the perfect bubbly for any occasion, from champagne to Baby Duck (but if you’re over the age of 20 and still drinking Baby Duck, you’re making poor life choices).
CHAMPAGNE
You can’t talk about sparkling wine without mentioning the world’s first: champagne. Don’t forget: only sparkling wine from the region of Champagne is allowed to actually carry that name on the label. Otherwise, it’s just sparkling wine.
Source: Wine Folly
So let’s set up the baseline for comparison here:
Grapes: Pinot noir, pinot meunier, chardonnay
Winemaking: First fermentation in vats, second fermentation in bottle – this is called the méthode champenoise, and was developed by monks in Champagne. It tends to make very light, long-lasting, delicate bubbles that dance on your tongue.
Characteristic flavour components: Toast, citrus, almond. Champagne tends to have prominent yeast or toast flavours from sitting on its lees (dead yeast cells – I know it sounds gross, but trust me it makes for some delicious bubbly) during the secondary fermentation in the bottle.
This sparkler is Spain’s response to champagne. It uses the same champenoise method, but uses local grapes instead. So if you like the bubbles in champagne, cava is an excellent and less expensive option. It comes from the Cava DOs (Denominación de Origen) in Spain, which are concentrated in the country’s northeast.
Grapes: Variety of local grapes such as viura, xarel.lo, and parellada
Winemaking: Champenoise, though outside of Champagne it is called the “traditional method”
Characteristic flavour components: Lime, yellow apple, white flower
Hint: This is what I buy when I want to serve champagne, but can’t justify spending over $50.
PROSECCO
The affordable Italian bubbly! This sparkler from the Veneto region in northeastern Italy is often slightly fruitier than champagne or cava, but also more affordable.
Grapes: Prosecco (the grape’s name was officially changed to “glera” in 2009 to protect the region’s name and avoid confusion).
Winemaking: Charmat method (aka cuve close): primary fermentation in a large vat, secondary fermentation in a pressurized tank. This method produces more wine, faster; therefore, the wines it yields tend to be less expensive.
Characteristic flavour components: Green apple, pear, white flower
Hint: Easy drinking for any occasion. Pairs really nicely with prosciutto-wrapped melon.
OTHER ALTERNATIVES
Franciacorta – the Italian sparkling wine made in the northern province of Lombardy using the champenoise method. Not easy to find in Ontario (only two types are currently available at the LCBO). Prices range from $30-$80.
Lambrusco – charmat-method Italian red sparkling wine (fabulous with pizza!).
Crémant – this term describes a sparkling wine made using the champenoise method in France but outside the Champagne region. You can get Crémant d’Alsace, Crémant de Loire, Crémant de Bourgogne, etc. Each region has its own rules regarding what percentage of various grape varieties is allowed. These are found in the $18-$25 range, usually in the Vintages section.
Sparkling wine – France, Spain and Italy aren’t the only ones making bubbly. Winemakers from all over the world, including right here in Ontario, are producing sparkling wines. They usually use the charmat method, but a select few use the labour‑intensive traditional method. These ones are definitely worth seeking out.
If you like sweeter wines, go for a Moscato d’Asti or Spumante Bambino (but I will judge you).
The Sweetness Scale
Speaking of sweetness, in the world of champagnes, “sec” doesn’t actually mean dry like it does for regular wines. If you want a dry style, look for the world “brut” on your bottle of sparkling. “Sec” or “demi-sec” will be sweeter, and “doux” will be very sweet.
Remember, you really don’t need a special occasion to drink bubbly. It’s not just for New Years anymore! You can open up a bottle just to celebrate those minor victories, like making it through a work day without killing someone, or finally getting around to changing that lightbulb that was out for 4 months.
As I’m sure many of you are aware, the LCBO has a 12 Days of Holiday Cheer promotion going on, where each day, a different bottle of wine is drastically reduced in price.
That is a great deal, folks. Go out and stock up if you like a rich, full-bodied Australian wine, perfect for pairing with red meat off the grill. Mind you, I can’t speak from experience, because I haven’t actually tried this wine before. But you can bet that a few bottles will soon be in my possession.
Don’t forget to check online each day leading up to Christmas to see which wine is on sale. And if you acquire a few bottles during this promo, let me know if you enjoy them!
Intrigued, I clicked on it, hoping that Ontario’s tastes would be in line with my own. 
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