Opening a Bottle of Sparkling Wine
Whether champagne, Cava, or Prosecco, be very careful opening sparkling wine. The pressure in a bottle of champagne can be as much as six atmospheres – about the same pressure as in a truck tire. Make sure the wine is well chilled – fridge temperature is ideal, but maximum 6-8˚C. When properly chilled, the bottle will be easier to open – it won’t gush out – and the bubbles will last longer. Slant the bottle at a 45° angle away... Read More
Versatile Red-Wine Picks
Sometimes you’ll need to find a wine that matches a range of dishes, say salmon, red meat, and a vegetarian entrée. You’ll want what we call a crossover wine – able to bridge both red and white meats. Here are a few examples: Pinot Noir from Oregon, Canada, or New Zealand. Beaujolais from France, although not the nouveau versions unless the vintage is recent. Beaujolais is made from the Gamay grape so a version from Ontario would work... Read More
Need Glasses?
The world’s leading glass company, Riedel, conducts regular seminars around the world to demonstrate the effects of stemware on our impressions of wine. About a year ago we had the pleasure of attending a tasting event lead by Maxmilian Josef Riedel, 11th generation of the over 250 year old family-owned company. Working with Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon, we noticed a striking difference in each wine when... Read More
The Wine Coaches
The Wine Coaches are dedicated to helping others discover and enjoy wine. Certified sommeliers and authors of Clueless about Wine, Richard Kitowski and Jocelyn Klemm specialize in providing customized wine-themed events to groups of all sizes. Their entertaining and informative seminars are geared to anyone wanting to know more about wine, including how to recognize great value wines on wine lists, at local wineries, and the LCBO. Tourism Ambassadors... Read More
