La Posta Pizzella Malbec 2015

First off, we drank the 2015, but the 2016 is currently out at the LCBO. I’m not 100% sure when I purchased it, but obviously, from what I’ve read, a little time helped it out. That said, I’m going to go out and buy a couple 2016s and lay them down.

Wine labels draw our attention. Not sure why. Maybe because it reminds me of an Italian restaurant for some reason. Odd, I know, for an Argentinian wine. This is what I thought until recently where I was fortunate enough to be seated for dinner with Attorney Consolute General from Argentia. She mentioned there was a strong connection with Italy and that Argentinians eat a lot of pasta.

 

Eyes: It has a red/purple colour

Nose: Cherry, plum & other dark fruits aromas plus chocolate, vanilla, & coffee notes too

Mouth: Medium to full body which was easy to drink—its soft tannins & low acids make it ready & easy to drink—you may find hints of sandalwood, spice, & even a hint of violets in the finish

 

We enjoyed this well-structured wine with barbecued steak but feel it could go with a number of meats. Overall, I highly recommend this wine, especially when you take its $15.95 price point into account.

Rating: 3.75 stars

 

Drinking Window: Best by 2020

Alcohol/Vol: 13.5%

Made in: Mendoza, Argentina

Sugar Content: 2 g/L

Sweetness Descriptor: XD – Extra Dry

Style: Medium-bodied & Fruity

Varietal: Malbec

Vintages #: 166298

Celebrity Wine Makers

It’s no secret that wine’s popularity around the world has risen, and subsequently the number of celebrities and athletes that are being drawn to the industry.

I’ve compiled a list of the celebrities and athletes that I found to have wineries in their names or are owners of wineries. This list includes people like Francis Ford Coppola (who’s been at it since 1975), to former porn star Savanna Sampson (Natalie Oliveros), to other actors like Brad and Angelina, to a musician like Sting and even an athlete like Wayne Gretzky.

ACDC – ACDC Wines (Vinport)
Antonio Banderas – Anta Banderas
Brad Pitt and Angelina – Miraval Provence
Dan Akroyd – Diamond Estates
Dave Matthews – Blenheim Vineyards and Dreaming Tree Wines
Dick Vermeil – Vermeil Wines
Drew Barrymore – Barrymore Wines
Drew Bledsoe – Double Back Winey
Emilio Estevez – Casa Dumetz Wines
Ernie Els – Ernie Els Wines
Francis Ford Coppola – Francis Ford Coppola Winery and Inglenook
Gérard Depardieu – Château de Tigné and L’Esprit de la Fontaine
Greg Norman – Greg Norman Estates Wine
Guy Fieri – Sonoma County area, name to be determined
Jason Priestley – Black Hills Estate Winery
Jeff Gordon – Jeff Gordon Collection
Jimmy Stafford (of Train) – Save Me San Francisco Wine Co
Kyle MacLachlan – Pursued by Bear
Les Claypool – Claypool Cellars
Lil’ Jon – Little Jonathan Winery
Madonna – Ciccone Vineyard and Winery
Mario Andretti – Andretti Winery
Mario Batali – La Mozza Winery
Mike Weir – Mike Weir Wine
Olivia Newton-John – Koala Blue Wines
Richard Gere – San Filippo Montalcino
Sam Neill – Two Paddocks
Savanna Sampson (Natalie Oliveros) – La Fiorita
Stacy Ann Ferguson (Fergie) – Ferguson Crest
Sting – Tenuta il Palagio
Valeri Bure – Chateau Boswell Winery
Wayne Gretzky – Gretzky Estates Wines and No. 99 Estates Winery

Other celebrities and athletes that have their name attached in some manner or another to a winery include — Johnny Depp, Joe Montana, David Beckham and Victoria Beckham, Mike Ditka, Fred MacMurray, Raymond Burr, Lorraine Bracco, and Valerie Bure.

Once again, this list is not complete. If you find a celebrity, athlete or someone else that I could add to the list, by all means, send me a note and I’ll add it to the list.

A Wine Before Its Time

I’ve run into this particular problem more than a few times, and I should know better by now. I drank 3 wines way too soon. I’d done my research and was familiar with the pedigree of the wineries, and wines, but I got caught up in the moment. The wines were good, but down the road, they would have been much, much better. Needless to say, these wines currently are only getting 3-Star ratings. Fortunately, I have 5 more of the Stag’s Leap to test down the road, but none of the others.

*** Easton Estate Bottled Zinfandel 2004 – Vintages 281501 – $39.95

*** Inglenook Cask Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 – Vintages 29553 – $89.95

*** Pine Ridge Vineyards, Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 – Lifford Wine Agency – $115

This backslides me into what I’d like to discuss today.

When sharing a bottle or 2 with my wife, I can gauge the level of the wine(s) we are about to drink and plan accordingly. Meaning that, if we are having more than 1 bottle in the evening—we start out with something that has a lighter flavour profile and then follow it up with something a little bigger, bolder, fuller to round out the evening.

When we’re with more people, it’s hard to gauge where an evening will go – who will be drinking, how much will everyone be drinking – making it difficult to plan what to open next. This is particularly the case when everybody brings something different, and you’re not quite sure what they brought or what to expect.

Early in an evening of drinking when you drink something that has a big flavour profile, it’s hard to go back to something lighter. You, at least we, try to go bigger. And that’s where the recent problem occurred—and like I said, it’s happened before.

One solution—drinking the same wine all night, but that stifles my adventurous spirit. And I just don’t like doing that. To me, opening each new bottle is a discovery; it tells a story and becomes part of the narrative of the evening. Plus, different bottles fuel my imagination and spirit.

The second solution—plan better. That’s the hard part.

With that said, here is a general serving order to keep in mind for future evenings: start with sparkling wines and champagnes, then rosés and blushes. These should be followed up with white wines, light red wines, then stronger red wines, and dessert wines. You can end the evening with higher-quality, higher-alcohol ports, Sherries, and after-dinner wines—assuming anyone is still standing by this point, of course!

Wine In Film

It’s list time again!

This time I’ve compiled a list of movies that wine has played a role. Occasionally it’s a small part, other times it’s the main character—either way, it’s played a part. This doesn’t even count movies that someone is simply holding a glass.

Sometimes, in films like Sideways and Silence of the Lambs, a line from a film enters the cultural lexicon. Anytime someone mentions Merlot—my mind wanders to Paul Giamatti angrily screaming. The same happens when someone references Chianti—I hear Anthony Hopkins low, menacing voice.

Anyway, it shows up is fine by me—like how it unabashedly shows up in every episode of Cougar Town!

A Good Year
A Heavenly Vintage (The Vintner’s Luck)
A Walk in the Clouds
Arsenic and Old Lace
The Big Sleep
Blood into Wine
Bottle Shock
Casablanca
The Chateau Meroux
Corked
Disclosure
French Kiss
The Godfather
Interview with the Vampire
James Bond movies
The Kids Are All Right
Letters to Juliet
Merlove
Notorious
The Parent Trap
The Princess Bride
Ratatouille
Sherlock Holmes
The Secret of Santa Vittoria
Sideways
The Silence of the Lambs
This Earth is Mine
Year of the Comet

Once again, if there’s one I’ve missed—let me know!

Wine Aroma Wheel

The Wine Aroma Wheel is an exceptional tool that can help you learn about wines and the terminology used to describe them.

Most people can recognise and describe some of the aromas of the wines they drink. The use of the wheel can help you express some of the complex flavours in red and white wines.

The wheel directs you to general terms in the centre (e.g. fruity or spicy), going to the most specific terms in the outer tier (such as strawberry or clove). These terms are NOT the only words that can be used to describe wines but represent ones that are most often encountered.

It’s relatively easy to use and understand, and it can enhance your whole wine experience.

This wheel comes from Pierre Boucheron,

How To Store Wine Properly And For How Long

First off, not all wine that is made can, or should, be aged. More than 90% of wines should be enjoyed within 12 to 18 months of bottling. Do your research and it could really pay off for you down the road.

Generally speaking, a cellar or a wine cooler/refrigerator are your best options to store your wine. What you’re looking for is a constant temperature with good humidity levels.

FYI: your kitchen is the absolute WORST place in your home to keep your wine.

With that said, here are some things to note:

1. Keep it in the dark.

Store wines away from light, especially direct sunlight. Darker bottles are better. If you can’t keep a bottle entirely out of the light, keep it lightly wrapped up in a cloth, or in a box.

2. Store bottles with corks on their sides.

If they are stored upright for a long amount of time, the corks will dry out, and air will eventually get to the wine, spoiling it.

3. Keep the temperature constant (+ or – a few degrees).

The ideal temperature is 16°C, cooler temperatures won’t hurt a wine, it’ll just slow down the ageing process. Temperatures should not go over 24°C because wine begins to oxidise. All changes should occur slowly. The greater the changes in temperature a wine suffers, the greater the premature ageing of the wine from over breathing.

4. Don’t move the wine.

Try not to move a bottle at all once it is stored. Even vibrations from heavy traffic, motors, or generators may negatively affect the wine.

5. Keep the humidity at around 70%.

Humidity keeps the cork from drying and minimises evaporation. Don’t allow the humidity to go too much over 70%, however, because it can encourage the growth of mould and cause labels to loosen.

6. Isolate the wine.

Don’t store wine with anything that has a strong smell, as the smell will permeate through the cork and taint the wine. Good ventilation may help prevent musty odours from entering the wine.

7. Store for an appropriate (approximately) amount of time.

Sadly, my research reveals that price MAY influence the way wine ages (I’ll get into that another time).

• Beaujolais – some at their best 3-5 years.
• Bordeaux Red (Medoc) – some 5-6 years from the vintage date, fewer can see 7-15 years of improvement.
• Cabernet Sauvignon – some 5-6 years from the vintage date, fewer can see 7-15 years of improvement. A few special wines will age much longer.
• Merlot – some can improve for 3-4 years from the vintage date, some can see 5-12 years of improvement. A few special ones will age much longer.
• Pinot Noir: Some will age and gain complexity with 2-4 years of age, some will age 5-8 years and some special ones may age for more.
• Syrah/Shiraz – some should benefit from 3-5 years of ageing and some can age for 10 years.
• Chardonnay – some 3-5 years from the vintage date, and a few up to 8 years.
• Riesling – some can take 3-4 years of ageing, even fewer can last up to 6-8 years.

8. Adjust temperatures before serving (+ or – a few degrees).

Different wines taste best at slightly different temperatures, which may vary from the temperature in which they were stored. Before drinking, allow the temperature to rise or fall to the appropriate serving temperature:

• Blush, rose and dry white wines: 8-14^oC
• Sparkling wines and champagne: 6-8^oC
• Light red wine: 13^oC
• Deep red wines: 15-19^oC

 

After Opening

Wine only lasts a few days after opening. Try and minimise its exposure to air, cork the bottle tightly, transferring it to a smaller bottle, keep it away from excess amounts of light and heat and use a wine stopper and pump.

The Great Cork Closure Debate

The Preamble
Air is both friend and foe to wine. Oxidation is the most important factor in wine ageing. But too much oxidation can cause a loss of colour, flavour and aroma. Winemakers are trying to find that delicate balance. But there’s more at work here—consumer perception.

For centuries wines have been sealed with corks and the movement to other closures has been fraught with misconception and prejudice. Screw caps were invented in the 1960’s and commercialised in the 1970’s, but the perception is that their use is limited to cheap wines. I’ll add this, how many bad wines have you had that were sealed with a cork? For me, the closure issue is not that simple. Read on to review both sides of the debate.

Which is better: natural cork, screw caps or synthetic cork?
Wine bottles are sealed primarily in three ways—natural corks, synthetic corks or screw caps. Each side has its advocates and detractors. Based on research studies and wine experts’ judgments that I’ve read up here are some advantages and disadvantages of different types of wine closures:

Natural Corks:

Pros
• Centuries-old tradition with well-known characteristics established through centuries of experience
• Romantic notion of the pulling the cork out
• Traditionalists claim that corks allow healthy amount of gas exchange to create flavourful wine
• Cork is a sustainable, organic product

Cons
• Cork is naturally porous and thus can be inconsistent
• Because of the use of the chemical trichloroanisole (TCA) for sterilisation of the cork, there is a chance of TCA taint
• There are claims that good sources cork resources are dwindling
• Cost more

Screw Caps (Stelvin Closure):


Pros
• Easily removed
• Less chance that wines will be “corked” and probably will result in fewer tainted wines
• Don’t have to worry about storing wine on its side, so the cork doesn’t dry out
• Less expensive thank cork
Cons
• Some say screw caps suffocate to wines
• The long-term effects of the chemical compounds in the various screw cap configurations are an unknown
• There are still concerns about long-term ageing (ageing for decades)
• They suffer the stigma of being associated with inexpensive wines
• The romance of the pop is gone
• You look silly smelly the cap

Synthetic Corks:

Pros
• Consistent production – little to no variation in product
• Don’t have to worry about storing wine on its side, so the cork doesn’t dry out

Cons
• Considered expensive and unpopular with consumers
• Many synthetic corks let too much air into the wine bottle
• Sometimes difficult to remove from the bottle, and to re-cork the bottle

Some Interesting Numbers:
• It’s estimated that about 10% of the wine in the world is now closed with non-cork closures
• Depending on the source, cork taint (from TCA or just a poor cork) ranges from 1% to 10%
• There is a study currently being conducted at the University of Southern California Davis on 600 bottles of Sauvignon Blanc with the 3 closures (it will be interesting to follow the findings)

My Take
The days of associating screw caps with inexpensive wines should be over—or at least coming to an end. More and more quality (and expensive) wines are now being sealed with screw caps (and plenty of bad wines are still being sealed with cork). And to that end, from what I’ve read, screw-capped wines do evolve, just at a slower rate.

These days we’re seeing more vintners switching to screwcaps and other closures to ensure the quality of their wines and reduce the possibility of contamination with TCA.

Most of the wine produced in the world is made to be drunk within 1-3 years of bottling. I’m okay with buying wines with alternative closures for those “drink now” wines. But for wine, that I plan on ageing, I’m going with cork (for now).

Best of all, for screw caps, how many times have you been stuck without a corkscrew or broken a cork? And at the end of the day, it’s your choice. What I’m saying is that your choice should be made on what’s inside the bottle, not how it’s closed/sealed.

Taking Home An Unfinished Bottle Of Wine

This is an excellent question, and it recently came up on a night out with my wife.

We were out and decided to pop into a local establishment for some “nibbles” and some more wine. After ordering an assortment of charcuterie-type snacks and a bottle of wine, my wife decided she wanted to go home.

She asked the barman to re-cork our bottle. The barman said he couldn’t. My wife was sure he could and should. I was not sure of anything. So, off to the Internet, I went! My search took me to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario site.

The Gist Of It All.
I’m no lawyer, but it seems to me—that it’s up to the establishment to decide. But, yes, you are allowed to take an opened bottle of wine home (if sealed properly) with you (unless you appear to be intoxicated).

Here is what the AGCO has on their site:

Take Home The Rest
1. Does a licensed premise have to make application to offer customers THTR?
No. All establishments with a valid liquor sales licence that sell wine may choose to offer THTR.

2. Why aren’t liquor licensees required to apply for an endorsement to their licence in order to offer THTR?
THTR is intended to give Ontarians another option for drinking responsibly, and any licensed establishment is permitted to offer this service. The only additional requirement for licensees would be to ensure the bottle is properly resealed. There would be no need for additional licensing requirements relating to THTR.

3. How does THTR work?
THTR allows patrons to remove an opened, unfinished bottle of wine that they either brought with them or purchased at the restaurant. Controls must be in place to ensure the bottle is properly resealed. Wine made by a licensee under a wine pub endorsement cannot be resealed for THTR.

4. What is the procedure for re-sealing a partially consumed bottle of table wine?
Liquor sales licensees offering THTR must seal an unfinished bottle of wine with a cork that is flush with the top of the bottle.

5. Does THTR now permit a licensee to sell wine to go?
No. THTR is only permitted for opened, unfinished bottles of wine at the end of the patron’s visit.

6. Is commercially-made wine the only beverage alcohol permitted under THTR?
Licensees participating in THTR may only offer to reseal unfinished wine brought by patrons under BYOW or ordered from the menu for patrons to take home the rest. Wine made by the licensees under a wine pub endorsement cannot be resealed for THTR.

7. Can licensees permit patrons to leave with an opened bottle of wine?
No. Restaurants offering THTR are required to reseal the bottle in such a manner that it cannot be readily re-opened and consumed while in transit. Liquor sales licensees offering THTR must seal an unfinished bottle of wine with a cork that is flush with the top of the bottle. Existing controls on transporting opened bottles of liquor and prohibiting consumption in public areas will still apply.

8. What are the existing requirements for transporting bottles of liquor in motor vehicles?
Liquor transported in a vehicle must be in a container that is unopened and the seal unbroken; or is packed in baggage that is fastened closed or is not otherwise readily available to any person in the vehicle (e.g., stored in the trunk of the vehicle).

9. If a bottle of unfinished wine is re-sealed at one restaurant, can the patron take it to another restaurant and finish it there?
No. BYOW only allows patrons to bring wine that is commercially made and unopened (i.e., manufacturer´s seal not broken) onto the premises.

10. Is a licensee permitted to reseal wine for removal if a patron appears to be intoxicated?
No. Under the Liquor Licence Act, it is illegal to sell or supply liquor to an intoxicated patron.

Hopefully, this information shed some light on this issue.

Old World vs New World

There is a bit of confusion what constitutes the “Old World” and the “New World” when it comes to wine. In short, here are the main differences:

Old World (Europe—France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Spain, Portugal)

General wine traits:

• Dirt and rock, bark, stinky socks (laundry) dust
• Less to no fruit on the nose
• Medium bodied
• Dryer
• Complex (interesting)
• Raisiny
• Subtle flavours

New World (North America, South America, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia)

General wine traits:

• Fruit forward
• Lush
• Black fruit
• Alcohol
• Long finish

As far as quality goes, there is no reason to suggest that OW wines are better than NW wines or vice versa, although the term NW is sometimes used condescendingly by some, who narrow-mindedly believe that OW wines are superior to NW wines. Personally, I don’t discriminate; I enjoy wines from around the world.

One of the big things that differentiate OW winemaking is the emphasis placed on the terroir—how well wines communicate the sense of place (where it originated—mainly expressing those minerality traits).

In the NW, the emphasis is often placed on the winemaker and the techniques used to bring out the fruit flavours of a wine. NW winemakers tend to be more open to experimenting with new scientific advances, while OW winemakers attempt to downplay the role of the winemaker and avoid techniques that may mask or distort the expression of terroir.

Of course, there are other things that differentiate OW and NW, but those are two of the main talking points.

Headaches and Wine

People choose not to drink wine (especially reds) because they get headaches. Beyond the obvious—simply drinking too much, I’ll break down what I’ve read that may contribute to headaches.

Alcohol – High alcohol content may cause headaches because it dilates blood vessels. Consuming large amounts of alcohol, whether in wine or other drinks, leads to dehydration, and because alcohol is a diuretic, it can accelerate dehydration and lead to headaches.

Sulphites – I thought that the primary cause of headaches was sulphites (the preservative additives). However, many white wines contain more sulphites than red wines, and most wine headaches are associated with red rather than white wine. It seems that less than 1 percent of people are actually allergic to sulphites, debunking the sulphite-headache connection for all but a few. But, some people believe that sulphites (found in a lot of food) do cause other significant health issues.

Histamines – These are the chemicals released in allergic reactions, they occur in wines as a result of the fermentation process. Histamines occur 20 to 200 percent more often in red wines than white and may attribute to headaches in people deficient in a particular enzyme that causes allergic reactions to histamines. But, once again, only small studies have been done testing the reaction of low histamine versus high histamine wines, making the connection unclear.

Tannins – Found in stems, seeds and skin, they may be the culprits. Studies report that tannins can release serotonin, which can cause headaches in migraine sufferers. On the other hand, chocolate, soy and tea also contain tannins and don’t seem to cause headache reactions, making this connection uncertain too. Plus, people who don’t suffer migraines also get wine headaches.

Allergies – Both red and white wine may worsen allergy symptoms, including headaches, in some people. What appears to be a wine headache may actually be a worsening of allergy symptoms caused by wine drinking.

What Does This All Mean and What Can You Do

Watch what you drink, read labels, do some research and see how you react. What I try and do is drink a glass of water with every glass of wine (two reasons—staying hydrated and cleansing my palate). Plus, you can take two aspirin, ibuprofen or acetaminophen beforehand (although it’s not recommended if you drink heavily). Also, try not to eat sugary things with wine. The combination of sugar and alcohol will greatly exacerbate the potential for a headache.