Feeling Wine & Food - El ABC del Vino in English

¡Hola! Cava Brut Pink 2015 Barcelona Brands - Spain 50% Macabeo / 25% Xarel-lo / 25% Pinot Noir SAQ price: $ 17.30 (By Marina La Forgia) If we talk about sparkling wines, the Spanish Cavas always have a place among my favorites. And today I’d like to bring you this Catalan wine that has seduced me firstly for its packaging, but of course then for its great content: Hola! is a rosé Cava Brut attractive, unctuous and different. Made as a blend of Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Pinot Noir, this sparkling rosé has everything that needs to be a nice wine. It has an attractive color and fine and dancing bubbles, then on the nose it is very expressive with a predominance of wild berries and lemon aromas. On the palate, these bubbles become a delicate foam, giving this Cava special unctuousness and creaminess. The nose notes return as elegant flavors and it has a fresh and enveloping finish. A perfect Cava to inaugurate the season of Quebec’s terraces: let’s say finally Hello! (Hola!) to th...

Glen Carlou Pinot Noir 2015 Paarl – South Africa SAQ Price: $ 19,30 10 months in oak barrels South African wines have a very particular character for me, something in the components of their somewhereness (terroir) that awakens my senses in a different way from the rest. This Pinot Noir has not been the exception to this feeling, but rather the rule of those explosive red wines, generous and enveloping in aromas and flavors. I particularly liked this wine for its intense notes on the nose of anis, complemented by aromas of cinnamon, raspberry, vanilla and menthol. In the mouth, those flavors of young red fruits return and a pronounced acidity reinforces its refreshing character. Gentle and with persistent finish, it is a delicious and original wine, which confirms the versatility and diversity of the Pinot Noir grape variety, according to the place of the world where it comes from. This one comes from Paarl, an important wine region also known for having the largest granit...

By Marina La Forgia It has come to my hands and to my curious sommelier palate this new line of wines from Villa Yustina, Bulgaria, represented here in Quebec by P & V Wines. Available for the moment in private imports, and $ 22 per bottle, I invite you to discover the whole range, made with the most representative international varieties planted in the Thracian Valley, wine region of the south of the country, with optimal mediterranean climate and which begins to be more and more recognize in the world. It is no a small matter that Wine Enthusiast magazine has recently cataloged this region as one of the best wine destinations in the world. 4 Seasons Spring  Sauvignon Blanc & Semillon I dare say that it is a wine in the image and likeness of what should be this season: the proliferation of aromas and colors and the arrival of the warmer days! A wine of delicate notes of tropical fruits, melon and apple. In the mouth it is refreshing, dry and with a mineral charact...

 Have you ever heard about the Aconcagua Costa appellation? It is perhaps Viña Errazuriz, the winery of great prestige in the Canadian market, the pioneer in putting into the world map this unique geographic region, perfect for the cultivation of the vines. Thanks also to the savoir faire of its winemaker Francisco Baettig, this new coastal area, along with the classic Aconcagua from the Cordillera (mountains), becomes a special terroir that gives a new identity to Chilean wines. It is exactly as if we find in this South American region everything that characterizes the terroir of the old world in the new world: less exuberance, more finesse and elegance. From this appellation, I would like to introduce you today the Chardonnay and the Pinot Noir. Two different, fresh, and very delicate wines, that show a new facet of Chilean wine and that fortunately are available in the market of Quebec since a few weeks. Errazuriz Chardonnay 2015 Aconcagua Costa – Chili SAQ Price: ...

Following three days of judging over 1,400 wines, 91 gold medals have been awarded in this year’s Air New Zealand Wine Awards.   Chair of Judges and Master of Wine Michael Brajkovich said the most pleasing aspect of this year’s awards was the spread of gold medals across a number of varieties and regions. “Pinot Noir was once again the star performer with 17 golds. Predominantly the wines came from Marlborough and Central Otago, but a Hawke’s Bay Pinot Noir was also in the mix.” “The top wines from other categories were exceptional, particularly from Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Syrah, and the quality of Hawke’s Bay Merlot and Cabernet-based wines took a big step up this year hailing from strong 2013 and 2014 vintages.” In addition to the 91 gold medals, 268 silver medals and 973 bronze medals were awarded by the judges, bringing the total number of medals awarded across the 17 different classes to 1,332. The ‘best of the best’ elite gold and...

By Marina La Forgia Let me introduce you to these different and still unknown wines from Macedonia. Even if it is a legendary wine region, here in Quebec they are a world to discover. Stoby is the winery that has decided to conquer the Canadian market and I had the pleasure to taste them before the official launch. Stay tuned, they will be seen more often in the market very, very soon! So far, they are available in private imports. Coming from the Tikves wine region, these are wines with a strong personality. Tikves has the same latitude as Bordeaux or Napa Valley, so the Mediterranean climate conditions are more than optimal to grow the vines.  The Macedonian soil and the sunny sky help in order to produce the best quality wines. The grape varieties include both indigenous and traditional types. In term of quality, here in Quebec we can find some of the premium and best wines. These are my favourites!  Stobi Chardonnay Barrique 2013 This is a very interest...