Ottawa Women's Wine Club: VINO VIXENS!

Theme - Mexican and Wine Pairing Friday February 21, 2014 - Anna's Wine Club Attendance: Jacquie, Andrea, Carmela, Shereen, Reem, Tayisa, Julie Food: Shredded Beef Tacos (Carne Deshebrada) and Cumin scented black beans Dessert: Lemon coffee cake with side of raspberry/blueberry sorbet Wine: Sophora Sparkling Rosé ($19.95 - #353664) – entry is almost sweet with raspberry but has a nice lemon curd backing. (*** ½+) SCINTILLA D'AMORE LAMBRUSCO DI SORBARA LCBO 336065 | 750 mL bottle  ($14.60)   CASTILLO DE MONSERAN GARNACHA LCBO 73395 | 750 mL bottle Price $ 9.95 4. LAS ROCAS GARNACHA LCBO 269977 | 750 mL bottle ($15.60) 5. SELLA & MOSCA CANNONAU DI SARDEGNA RISERVA (V) VINTAGES 425488 | 750 mL...

Excerpts below are taken from various internet searches. We enjoyed a delicious Moroccan chicken stew and apple crisp for dessert. BIG HOUSE CARDINAL ZIN 2012 California $13.45 It's still an outstanding Zinfandel, made from "Beastly Old Vines," as it says on the label. The winery selects grapes from all around the state. Some of the vines are more than 100 years old, so the yield is low and the quality high. It's a warm, spicy, silky wine full of blackberries and ripe fruit, but the alcohol is low (13 percent), so it doesn't overpower you. Sometimes you get a hint of vanilla, oak and herbs, as the complex flavors develop in your mouth. The grapes are 80 percent Zinfandel, 10 percent Mourvedre, 8 percent Carignane and 2 percent Petite Sirah. Now that the wine is part of the Big House Brand, the clever storyline says the Cardinal consoles the straying souls of the Big House. (All of their wines have something to do with ja...

Wine Club – Friday May 24, 2013 Host: Anna Attendance: Jacquie, Julie, Shereen, Andrea, Sara-Rose Part One: Wine and Cheese pairing FORREST ESTATE THE DOCTORS' SAUVIGNON BLANC 2011 (V) Tasting Note Aromas and flavours of citrus fruit and sweet peach intermingle with characteristic grassy notes. A truly solid example of Marlborough Savvy that delivers on all points. Following a lengthy consultation, the Doctors on our panel determined that the best course of action would be to prescribe taking this with food, and recommend crab legs or grilled chicken. Price $ 19.95 Made in: Marlborough, New Zealand Paired with: Fresh Goat Cheese with onion raisin chutney Le Mini Chevrot (pasteurized goat’s cheese)      Sainte-Maure Cendre (mountain ash soft goat cheese) RAVENSWOOD VINTNERS BLEND OLD VINE ZINFANDEL (V) Price $ 17.95 Made in: California, USA Paired with: Blue Cheese COLUMBIA CREST GRAND ESTATES MERLOT 2008 Tas...

HUNGARY!  Host: Julie  Date: Feb. 9, 2013 Company: Carmela, Tayisa, Shereen, Andrea, Sara-Rose Menu :  Thanks to my hungarian father-in-law who made us Pogasca and Potato paprikas 'Grandma's Soup' Schnitzel (Thanks Jeremy!) Rice, Cucumber salad, beets, cabbage, chili sauce Strudel (from Swiss Pastries - yummy!) Started with some plum brandy to warm everybody up. Hungarian Wines:  1) Hungaria Sauvignon Blanc , $9.95 LCBO - very light, crisp tangy finish, easy to drink, would be good with fish - Carm really liked this one 2) Jaszbery Riesling, $9 LCBO - too tart, but great name! 3) BullsBlood-Keikfrankos Merlot, $10 - ok, very light, wouldn't buy again 4) Tokaji Aszù , $22, LCBO - sweet, delicious! - great value dessert wine LCBO Tasting Note   Brilliant topaz colour. Enticing nose of marmalade, honey, apricot and candied ginger. Medium sweet to start with a rush of acidity that refreshes the decadent candied frui...

Host:  Shereen Attendees:  Tayisa, Julie, Jacquie, Reem, Anna, Andrea Meal:  Caesar salad, veggie lasagna, apple crumble (made by Anna!) I was in the mood to cook something comforting and easy after a long work week.  Dave helped me pick out the wines we had - most of them were really good! 1) With appetizers of cheese and bread, we had this tasty sparkling wine.  It was easy to drink and had a light flavour. Pale gold colour, with very dusty, earthy, minerally aromas and some dried apple - distinctly old world style. The palate is dry, crisp yet creamy, with above average length. This won't be mistaken for champagne to be sure, but it has an intriguing array of wet chalky flavours that keep bringing you back for more.  Score - 88. (John Szabo, M.S., wineaccess.ca, March 30, 2010) France Vintages $16.95 2) With the Caesar salad I paired a crisp white.  The scent of this wine was very fruity, but the taste was very mild.  Everyon...

  Wine club at Anna's place - Sept 14, 2012 Attendence: Full house! All nine of us were there. Food :   Soft goat cheese with caramalized onion fig chutney - Paired with the Prosecco. Arugula salad with fresh figs, shaved parmesan, walnuts,  red onion and maple balsamic dressing. Grilled lamb chops (some were with a Moroccan spice rub and some were in a rosemary/garlic/olive oil marinade) - paired with Lyrarakis and Marques de Riscal Reserva. We had the Castello Di Neive Borolo as an after dinner red sipping wine.  Brown butter orzo served with spicy roasted vegetables topped with feta cheese.  Dessert: Greek yogurt with greek honey and roasted walnuts - paired with Niersteiner medium sweet white blend. VILLA SANDI PROSECCO DOC LCBO 249722 Price: $ 14.15 Made in: Region Not Specified, Italy By: La Gioiosa S.P.A. Style: Light & Fruity Wine, Sparkling Wine, White 11.0% Alcohol/Vol. Varietal: Prosecco Tasting Note Clear, ...

Host : Julie (at her parent's place!) Date : July 6, 2012 Menu: Spanakopita Pita & Dips (tzatziki, hummus, spinach, roasted red pepper hummus) Greek salad Chicken brochettes & potatoes Baklava Company : Reem, Shereen, Jacquie, S-R, Andrea & me Lesson of the evening: Great website for researching wines and comments (with LCBO wines): www.winealign.com Wine #1 : Lindemans Bin 85 Pinot Grigio 2011 Pinot Grigio Australia $9.95 (668947) Tasting Note 
pale straw colour; melon, soft tangerine and citrus aromas; dry, medium body; apricot and citrus flavour with clean, refreshing finish Serving Suggestion 
serve with grilled chicken and creamy pasta Comments: Nice starter, cheap easy "go-to" wine Wine # 2: François Schwach Le Crémant Blanc De Blancs 2007, Ac Alsace Sparkling White Alsace, France $18.95 (268060)          Made in the traditional method, this fizz from A...