www woops

With CBC being down I was craving information and surfing the web. Alas, when I tried linking off of this blog and I discovered I am less computer savvy than I thought. My links didn't work, my apologies. Don't worry I fixed them & decided to add a 'Winery Links' section to my blog. I will do my best to add the winery links of the wines I try and blog on a semi-regular basis.

I did have some fun surfing the web and decided the following sites are worth a peak, if you have a chance.
Site#1: Bonny Doon Vineyard Bonny Doon
Thoughts: Big House Pink? Flamingos. Dooniversity - check out the Screwcap section.
Recommend: If you have a lot of time. Speaking of Cap: Screw...

Site#2: Stelvin Stelvin
Thoughts: I love this website! Shows a bit about aging and differentiates between Stelvin & Stelvin+. It also tells you some of the wineries using this closure, including Inniskillin.
Recommend: Looking for good info on a new closure you have encountered?

Well, onto Site#3: Rock Rabbit Winery
I recently purchased the Sauvignon Blanc but have not had opportunity to try it so I checked out the website Rock Rabbit Winery.
Thoughts: Load is slow..the ORANGE is blinding.
Recommend: Let you know after I try the wine.

Site#4: Don Sebastiani & Sons Don&Sons
It is no secret I started blogging after reading other wpg. bloggers. One of these bloggers winnipeg wine blog recommended the Smoking Loon Viognier and I thought before I try the wine I will try the website (Damn you CBC, I am reading about wine and not drinking it!)
Thoughts: Kinda fun, easy to find information.
Recommend: Yes & more on their other wines later.

Site#5: Freixenet (pronounced fresh-a-net?) Freixenet
I have been known to enjoy a bit of Carta Nevada while playing Poker.
Thoughts: Pick Great Britain - the commercials are fun. Pick Russia - if only I could read Russian as well as my computer screen displays it. Pick Germany - Ausgezeichnet, you can log in and 'flirt' with other Freixenet lovers! Pick Canada - does all of Spain find us this boring?
Recommend: Yes, but only after you have had a bit too musch bubbly on a Tooshday.

Site#6: The Little Penguin tlp
Thoughts: just go to 'the penguin zone' and do the 2 quizzes. Quiz#1 aka Personality Test 'If you were a wine what would you be'. Apparently I am Chardonnay but that is only because they don't make Riesling! Quiz#2 - Blush Quiz. I am rarely rose.
Recommend: Fun, relax at work (say 4:45pm on Friday) and just play with this site.

pickerel pickings

Over the last couple weeks some fine filleted Manitoba fish has been enjoyed with some fine wines purchased at various locations through the city. I made some notes and are posting those thoughts in the 'So to sum it up...' format.

Combination: Pickerel in a Green Curry Sauce with Fetzer 'Valley Oaks' Gewurztraminer
Grape(s): Gewurztraminer
Vintage: 2004
Appellation: Listed on bottle as California but website boasts Monterey, Santa Barbara & Mendocino
Closure: Cork
Price: $14 plus tax
Recommend: Yum. Buy but needs flavourful food, is a bit much on its own. This is an old stand 'buy' for spicy fare at our house.
Fetzer

Combination: Corn Flake Crusted Pickerel with Concha y Toro 'Casillero del Diablo' Sauvignon Blanc
Grape(s): Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2004
Appellation: Listed on Bottle as Central Valley, Chile but website lists Maule, Maipo & Casablanca with %
Closure: Cork
Price: $11.5 plus tax
Recommend: Good to buy and leave in fridge for any occasion. Decent with pickerel but probably should be paired with a different crusting or style, was more enjoyable solo.
Concha y Toro


Combination: Pickerel lightly floured and cast-iron fried with butter, served with lemon wedges. Wine with was Cave Spring' Off-Dry' Riesling
Grape(s): Riesling
Vintage: 2004
Appellation: VQA Niagara Peninsula (Beamsville Bench, Creek Shores, Jordan Bench)
Closure: Cork
Price: $13 plus tax
Recommend: Very, very tasty. The acidity was refreshing and cut through the butter.
Cave Spring

grab the bull by the horns

You can read the paragraph or skip to 'So to sum it up...'

Yet another Fedora has been thrown into the proverbial ring, or so I thought. Priced to compete in the 'animal-on-the-label' category is Bleasedale's Langhorne Crossing Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz. Yes, there is an animal (looks Angus) on the label but it is understated and has history to it. What I liked about this number was the ripe berry-fruit and a hint of caramel toast, but not over fruity and sticky sweet. Very yummy, very drinkable while we were cooking and very tasty with the salmon burgers we prepared. My favourite part is this little number is 100% single appellation fruit (Langhorne Creek), no generic 'South Australia' here and the winery also lists the oak - French & American.

So to sum it up...
Bleasedale Langhorne Crossing Red
Grape(s): Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz
Vintage: 2003
Appellation: Langhorne Creek, Australia
Closure: Stelvin
Price: $11.5 (before tax)
Recommend: good on own or with comfort fare. Definite Buy.
Bleasdale