Liquid Assets by Peter Rockwell

Of bubbly love potions

Peter Rockwell, Metro Canada — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0400

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, love is in the air and all over the greeting card racks at your local pharmacy.

While I’m sure most of you love birds will launch a pre-emptive passion play and celebrate Feb. 14 this weekend, I like it when the holiday falls on a Tuesday as it does this year.

A weekday Valentine’s means I have an excuse to inject a little spice into an otherwise uneventful late winter evening with some colour coordinated liquid.

A bottle of rosé wine has the right dark pink hue, but mixing a glass of dry still or sparkling white wine with a touch of fruit liqueur looks and tastes sexier.

France’s Chambord Royale ($36.75 - $45.99) is a modern take on a Loire Valley-based liqueur made with black raspberries that dates back to the 17th century. Super ripe, its big blast of berry is softened when a teaspoon is mixed with either style of wine.

If simple mixology doesn’t sound that attractive, the Chilean sparkler Fresita ($12.90 - $15.99) combines its bubbles with an infusion of hand-picked strawberries. It makes a perfect match with fresh fruit, light- to medium-bodied cheeses and romance.

Prices reflect the range across Canada. Some products may not be available in all provinces.

Swapping out football beer

Peter Rockwell, Metro Canada — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Please forgive me, football fans. This Sunday, I’ll be more interested in whether Madonna can strut her way through halftime without a wardrobe malfunction than I’ll be in who wins the Super Bowl.

Sadly, televised sporting events don’t call for haute cuisine, so booze pairings can get a bit pedestrian.

A balanced ale or mass market lager beer make a good fallback position for manly junk food. The fun starts when trying to find an all-purpose wine to partner with those eatables that get invited to every Super Bowl party.

The crisp, bubbly goodness of a drier sparkling wine (think a mid-priced Spaniard) goes incredibly well with salty snack foods like popcorn, potato chips and pretzels.

If you’re serving up a plate of hot wings pour a glass of white, medium dry German riesling or a red California zinfandel.

When it come to nachos, I prefer a white wine match (nothing too expensive) that emulates the refreshing qualities of a good brew. Familia Zuccardi’s 2011 Fuzion Chenin Torrontés ($7.75 - $9.99) from Argentina is off-dry with a tropical blend of juicy green fruit that ends with a lick of white pepper.

Prices reflect the range across Canada. Some products may not be available in all provinces.

The anatomy of scotch

Peter Rockwell, Metro Canada — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Though he admits to never having tasted gasoline, I have a friend who imagines the closest thing to it he’s had in his mouth is scotch.

I’ve tried to turn him around by explaining that to understand it, you need to know that there are three key Scottish varieties.

Blended scotch is a mix of malt and other grain whiskies, vatted versions are a union of just malt whiskies and single malts are the malty output of one distillery.

While most Scots say the real art is in the blending, it’s been single malts (with unique characteristics influenced by their surroundings, water source and distiller’s philosophy) that have made Scottish booze famous in North America.

With Robert Burns Day on the horizon, there’s no better time for my buddy to hold on to his haggis and dive into a palate pounder like Laphroaig 10 Year Old ($70.12 - $84.99) from the island of Islay. It oozes iodine, peat, an attractively abrasive flavour that shouts ‘Scotland’ and the individuality that makes its malts so pleasantly polarizing.

Prices reflect the range across Canada. Some products may not be available in all provinces.

Beyond your comfort zone

Peter Rockwell, Metro Canada — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Though no slouch in the unique grape varieties or colourful winemaking characters departments, South African wines still get the short end of the corkscrew from consumers.

Some of it is South Africa’s fault (it never put forward a public personality for its wines) and some is Canadian wine buyers’ fault (who talk a good game about wanting wines with personality then turn their noses up at anything that isn’t from mass market).

The vineyards around Cape Town are arguably the most beautiful in the world, producing classically South African fruit in the form of chenin blanc and pinotage as well as familiar grapes like shiraz and sauvignon blanc.

If you’re intrigued but still scared of drinking outside your comfort zone, South Africa is the new home of the most popular white grape on the liquor landscape: Pinot Grigio.

The 2011 Flat Roof Manor Pinot Grigio ($10.95 - $12.99) is a grape-forward PG from Stellenbosch with a modern look and hint of tropical fruit that matches creamy pasta sauces.

Prices reflect the range across Canada. Some products may not be available in all provinces.

Wine sipping on a budget

Peter Rockwell, Metro Canada — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0400

A New Year brings many things. None of which are more thrilling than those post-holiday bills dropped off by your friendly postman.

While coming to grips with how much you spent making your Christmas merry may be enough to drive you to drink, finding a bottle of something decent you can pay for with the change found between your couch cushions may seem unlikely.

Though larger format sizes offer good value, many are blended, non-vintage wines with European sounding names and lackluster taste. That makes a drinkable, inexpensive vintage wine in a 1,500 millilitre bottle one of the Holy Grails of the booze business.

Low labour costs and a predictable climate make those from Chile consistent and quaffable. The 2010 Frontera Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot (1,500 ml, $14.95 - $20.49) — made by mega producer Concha y Toro — is a light mix of bright acidity, super soft tannins and fresh berry flavours.

Try this red with tomato-based pasta sauces and grilled meats.

Prices reflect the range across Canada. Some products may not be available in all provinces.

Perfect turkey supporters

Peter Rockwell, Metro Canada — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0400

As sure as the Grinch stole Christmas, it’s a given that we’ll all receive a bottle of wine over the holiday season.

In my house, I pick the wines that go with Xmas dinner so anything that shows up at the door goes into the wine rack for future enjoyment.

Of course, considering how my family can plow through my wine selection, it would be nice if more of the freebies came with a roast turkey match in mind.

For reds, bring a plump New World pinot noir from California or Canada, a chocolaty old vines zinfandel (also from Cali.) or, for a slightly unconventional Old World partner, a Crianza or Reserva from Spain’s Rioja region.

On the white side, think a not so oaky chardonnay from Australia or Chile, a German riesling or a rich, multi-blend like the ripe, refreshing cornucopia of grape flavours (five in all) that is California’s Caymus 2009 Conundrum ($23.95 - $29.99). Happy holidays!

Prices reflect the range across Canada. Some products may not be available in all provinces.

Put wine love into words

Peter Rockwell, Metro Canada — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0400

When I was a young wine expert in training, there was no Internet. If you wanted to learn anything, you had to look it up in a book.

Back in the day there wasn’t a wine scribe more famous than Hugh Johnson — a gregarious Brit with a casual way of delivery on vino that paved the way for today’s first person blogger culture.

Johnson is still writing with his Pocket Wine Book 2012 (Mitchell Beazley, $16.99), the undisputed bible for any wine lover on the go. This year he’s also created a Wine Journal (Mitchell Beazley, $17.99) that allows vinophiles to write their own reviews and keep track of what they’re putting in their mouths.

The journal would make a great Christmas gift, especially when paired with a wine worth writing about. France’s Père Anselme La Fiole du Pape Châteauneuf-du-Pape ($35.49 - $39.50) is a non-vintage blend of up to 13 grapes with a rustic personality perfect for holiday drinking.

Prices reflect the range across Canada. Some products may not be available in all provinces.

Drinking like it’s 1999

Peter Rockwell, Metro Canada — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0400

I saw Prince in concert last week and while I’m not sure if it was his out-of-control funkfest (hello, the guy is 53!) or having drinks after the show with a female friend who looks even better than she did in college, I can testify that some things do get better with age.

Wines can be a lot like that, but not always. Most mid-priced vino is drank within 48 hours of leaving the shelf so many winemakers design their juice to accommodate immediate drinking.

That doesn’t mean your local liquor store won’t have bottles you can squirrel away. Reds are best bets. Those from France’s Burgundy and Bordeaux regions, bigger-bones Spaniards, Italians from Tuscany, and California cult wines make good candidates for the cellar.

Italy’s 2007 Ruffino Riserva Ducale Chianti Classico ($22.95 - $34.99) comes from a spectacular year and though it will taste great with pasta today, with its dense core of dark cherry fruit, anise and light herbal spice it will age nicely over the next ten years.

Prices reflect the range across Canada. Some products may not be available in all provinces.

Holiday cheer in a bottle

Peter Rockwell, Metro Canada — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0400

While we like to think we watch our weight with Jennifer Hudson precision, as the weeks creep closer to Christmas, the call of an ice cold glass of cream liqueur gets louder.

I like how the creamier side of booze has found a permanent home snuggled up to the holiday season. Typically sweet with a support system of some sort of spirit, it really is the liquid personification of making merry.

I’m betting most of you will think only of Baileys ($26.49 - $30.80) when it comes to a delectable creamer. Famous as it is, the Irish whiskey-based classic has plenty of competition with many modern variations on the theme hitting store shelves.

St-Rémy à la Crème ($26.99 - $28.98) is the newest kid on the rack. Made with a soothing base of French brandy, its snow white creaminess drinks with the silky consistency of vanilla ice cream.

Once opened, a cream liquor will last about two years if refrigerated. That’s if the bottle’s contents survives until New Year’s.

Prices reflect the range across Canada. Some products may not be available in all provinces.

Falling for a hint of sweet

Peter Rockwell, Metro Canada — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Whoever thought up raking leaves needs a good talking to. Not that I couldn’t use the exercise, it’s just that the whole exertion thing really detracts from the enjoyment of my favourite time of year.

I love fall, and even though mid-November can be a bit dreary, this calm before the pre-Christmas storm is a perfect opportunity to light that first fire of the season and get comfy with a glass or two of red wine.

When the weather outside starts to chill, reds — especially those with a good balance of tannin and bright berry fruit — make for fine imbibing with or without food. Find one with an accent of residual sugar and you’ve got a cocktail tipple that easily overshadows the appeal of a pint of ale or fancy mixed drink.

One of the latest new wave wines that isn’t afraid to throw around a bit of sweetness is Apothic Red 2009 Winemaker’s Blend ($14.99 - $17.48). Made by E & J Gallo, it’s a swirling mix of syrah, zinfandel and merlot that’s smooth and juicy with a finalé of big berry fruit.

Prices reflect the range across Canada. Some products may not be available in all provinces.

Down under’s most delicious

Peter Rockwell, Metro Canada — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 00:00:00 -0400

Canadian writer Natalie MacLean is a liquid media juggernaut whose just released Unquenchable: A Tipsy Quest For The World’s Best Bargain Wines (Doubleday Canada, $29.95) is a smart, fast-paced chronicle of her adventures looking for cheap vino and meeting industry celebs along the way.

Arguably the biggest name was Peter Gago, chief winemaker at Australia’s Penfolds and the current “custodian” of Down Under’s most prestigious (read expensive) red wine: Grange.

I had a chance to hang out with Gago and tasted a selection of Grange from some of the wine’s most stellar vintages. While that was a once in a lifetime experience, drinking Penfolds doesn’t necessarily mean taking out a second mortgage.

The 2009 Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet ($15.49 - $16.99) is a liquor store mainstay with a nice mix of lightly peppered fruit swirled together with forward blackberry goodness that holds up as a by-the-glasser as well as it does with a late fall barbecue.

Prices reflect the range across Canada. Some products may not be available in all provinces.

Masi Agricola’s innovations

Peter Rockwell, Metro Canada — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 20:34:13 -0400

When it comes to superstar producers, the Italian wine industry has almost as many as a Justin Bieber album. There’s Piedmont’s Angelo Gaja, Tuscany’s Giovanni di Piero Antinori and Veneto’s Sandro Boscaini.

I recently had lunch with Boscaini — the President of Masi Agricola — and got a chance to talk with him about his famous wines and innovations his company brought to the industry.

It was “Mr. Masi’s” father who originated the Ripasso method of wine making: A double fermentation of sorts with Valpolicella juice refermented on the semi-dried lees left over from the makings of a rich, weighty Amarone-style wine.

In 1964, the Masi Campofiorin ($17.95 - $18.99) was the first Ripasso wine to hit shelves and the current 2008 vintage carries on that long tradition. Inimitably drinkable with a smooth, raisin-meets-plum profile, it’s an all-around food partner but with enough guts to stand on its own as a fall-friendly red to toast the up-coming time change.

Prices reflect the range across Canada. Some products may not be available in all provinces.

Drink and be very scary

Peter Rockwell, Metro Canada — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 11:00:00 -0400

While Justin Timberlake and the guys from The Lonely Island are today’s golden boys of Saturday Night Live, I remember when Dan Aykroyd ruled. I met Mr. Ghostbuster and he’s a cool guy with a knack for marketing — especially when it comes to booze.

Though available all year long, his hard liquor masterpiece Crystal Head Vodka ($44.98 - $59.95) is the ultimate adult indulgence at Halloween.

Conceived as an ode to whatever they were talking about in that last Indiana Jones movie, the made in Newfoundland spirit is quadruple-distilled and triple-filtered through Herkimer diamond crystals. Sure, the gemstone filtration is a gimmick, but the vodka is smooth and sophisticated with a light touch of anise-like flavour. Did I mention it comes in a funky skull-shaped bottle?

Ice it up and shoot it straight or mix it in your favourite cocktail recipe. Either way, this crystal is way ahead of the competition in the lucrative ultra-premium vodka market and it’s Canadian.

Prices reflect the range across Canada. Some products may not be available in all provinces.

Fall for this orange tipple

Peter Rockwell, Metro Canada — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 11:00:00 -0400

You have to love Europeans and their ritual of pre-dinner drinks that makes booze a natural companion to their dining culture.

They do it best in Italy. Order a glass of appealingly bitter Campari ($20.99 - $27.49) and soda at any resto and you’ll get a nod from your waiter that he knows you know how to drink Italian.

One of my favourite Italian cities to imbibe in is Verona in the province of Veneto. It’s surrounded by the wine regions of Valpolicella, Bardolino and Soave, and the popular sparkling wine Prosecco is made nearby.

The Veronese are crazy for The Spritz: A mix of two ounces of Campari’s little (and less bitter) brother Aperol ($21.99 - $25.98) with an equal part Prosecco and a dash of sparkling water.

Served over ice in a wine glass and garnished with a slice of orange, it’s an appetite enhancing refresher. Thanks to its bright orange colour, it’s also an appropriate tipple for fall.

Prices reflect the range across Canada. Some products may not be available in all provinces.

Complement Chinese food

Peter Rockwell, Metro Canada — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 11:00:00 -0400

Even though it’s been making wine since around 5,000 B.C., as a culture China’s always been about the food, so its population never embraced the art of combing liquids and solids with the enthusiasm of their counterparts elsewhere.

Since Chinese food is a combo of sweet, sour and spicy, finding wines to work with everything on your plate is about as easy as keeping a straight face when someone tells you he or she likes the Charlie Sheen-less Three And A Half Men.

My pick is something soft with a touch of residual sweetness like a German riesling. Off-dry sparkling and rosé wines work, too.

If you want the hottest Asian food marriage, fill your glass with Moscato. Originally Italian, American upstarts like the non-vintage Barefoot Moscato ($7.99 - $11.99) take all the round, lightly-sweet fruit of the muscat grape and massage it into a perfectly plush, tropically-influenced (and not too boozy) companion for any Chinese menu.

Prices reflect the range across Canada. Some products may not be available in all provinces.

A toast to the side dishes

Peter Rockwell, Metro Canada — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 11:00:00 -0400

If you’re into wine, you have to love Thanksgiving. There’s no gifts, no egg hunts and no dressing up. Thanksgiving is about food, family and a good bottle of vino.

Though roast turkey is the star, it isn’t your main concern when it comes to a liquid marriage with your festive feast. Side dishes influence the table more.

As grapes go, pinot noir is a classic match on the red side (think California) with chardonnay (one that’s not too oaky from France or Canada) topping my list of whites.

If you want to think outside the bottle, a spicy white grape like gewürztraminer is a great alternative.

In red, France’s Beaujolais region is famous for its gamay-based wines with a rich, berry-fruited version like the strikingly packaged Georges Duboeuf 2010 Brouilly ($16.95 - $22.49) meaty enough to meet the turkey head on and soothing enough to make nice with all the fixings.

Prices reflect the range across Canada. Some products may not be available in all provinces.

Wine’s kosher side

Peter Rockwell, Metro Canada — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 11:00:00 -0400

With Rosh Hashanah next week, the sales of kosher wines are sure to increase. Kosher wines are made with Sabbath-observant Jews present during all aspects of the wine’s creation. To be approved as a kosher wine for consumption during Passover, the same applies but there can’t be any dough, bread or grain near the winery.

With these rules, you’d think kosher wines would wind up tasting processed. In the past, many did. Inferior grapes were often used to make wines that were simple, sweet and inevitably more drinkable by a wider audience of orthodox Jews.

Times have changed, with Israel a leader in kosher wine. Israeli wines are rich and textured, with the Yarden 2009 Mount Hermon Red ($16.95 - $22.00) a New World inspired triple-blend that balances its berry burst with a nice undercurrent of ripe tannin.

As good as Israeli wines are, kosher wines are made around the world.

Prices reflect the range across Canada. Some products may not be available in all provinces.

The signature drink of Bermuda

Peter Rockwell, Metro Canada — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 11:00:00 -0400

Believe it or not, sometimes I travel without a liquid reason — well, sort of. As you read this, I’m hanging out in a small pub in Bermuda with a large cocktail in hand.

Though there are lots of opportunities to buy wine on the island, fermented grape juice is definitely not the national drink. That spot is reserved for an indigenous version of rum, which is the deep and dark, yet very well-rounded.

Gosling’s Black Seal (750 ml, $26.80 - $32.99) has been making magic from sugar cane since 1806 and you can’t visit Bermuda without tasting the mixed drink madness that is a Dark ‘n Stormy. It’s a simple combination of 1.5 ounces of Gosling’s Black and ginger beer (a soft drink with a much richer and sharper flavour than ginger ale). In a tall glass filled with ice, add the rum and top with the ginger beer. Garnish with a lemon or lime wedge if (like me) you like a touch of citrus.

It’s a bright, spicy cocktail worthy of the British heritage of the island and is wonderfully late summer friendly.

Prices reflect the range across Canada. Some products may not be available in all provinces.

Red wine that's ready for the grill

Peter Rockwell, Metro Canada — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 20:59:30 -0400

If I learned one thing during my travels in South America, it was that the Argentineans love their barbecue.

They call it asado and in the wineries (especially those throughout its primary grape-growing region of Mendoza), the red wines have been crafted to match the charred influences of meats fresh from the fire.

Though cabernet sauvignon and merlot are widely planted, grapes like bonarda (offers balanced ripe fruit) and tannat (owes its name to its tannic profile) are almost exclusively Argentinean. Then there’s malbec. Originally from France’s Bordeaux region, its juice has become Argentina’s hallmark. With up-front fruit and a spicy personality that can go from light and simple to a major bite of freshly ground pepper, malbec is a perfect match for grilled meats.

Catena Zapata’s 2010 Alamos Malbec ($13.95 - $14.99) is a gusty mash of the heavier end of the spice trail. With a mouth coating flow of deep, dark fruit, it’s one of the best red wine values on the shelf.

Prices reflect the range across Canada. Some products may not be available in all provinces.

South Africa in a wine glass

Peter Rockwell, Metro — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 20:59:30 -0400

One of the questions I get asked the most is which wine producing country I?enjoy visiting. Winemakers have a habit of growing their grapes in pretty interesting places, so it’s tough to answer.

I’ve had adventures in Italy, Spain, Argentina, California and, most recently, France. That said, my time in South Africa may have been the best combination of new and mind-blowing experiences.

Sadly, South African wines have been limping along in popularity over the last decade. Without a major powerhouse producer that draws people down its liquor store aisle on a regular basis, the selection across the country is best known as a population of individuality — where standalone wines with unique personalities and funky names rule.

Douglas Green’s 2010 The Beach House ($9.73 - $11.99) is a perfect example. A blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, it’s a relaxed white with fresh gooseberry aromatics and a crisp backbone of green fruit massaged by subtle honeyed undertones that taste like liquid summer.

Prices reflect the range across Canada. Some products may not be available in all provinces.

A barbecue wine lesson

Peter Rockwell, Metro Canada — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 11:00:00 -0400

Even though I treated my barbecue with kid mitts, last weekend saw the passing of my nearly five-year- old gas fired girl. Sadly, modern grills seem to have the staying power of a Jennifer Lopez marriage so I had to say hello to a shiny new addition to my back deck.

I like nothing better than a nicely prepared burger so a plethora of patties was the best way to christen my latest investment. It was also a great opportunity to experiment with a barbecue-ready wine.

The Rhone Valley is the home of the syrah grape (a.k.a. shiraz) to the north and the grenache grape to the south. Those reds labelled Côtes du Rhône come from vineyards throughout and are often a blend of both.

Ogier’s 2009 Héritages Côtes du Rhône ($14.95 - $17.99) is a well-balanced combo of ripe, black fruit (from the grenache) and subtle pepper spice (thanks to the syrah), which makes it a perfect grilling wine with enough fruit to work nicely with milder sauces, marinades and a cornucopia of condiments.

Prices reflect the range across canada. Some products may not be available in all provinces.

Ideal grilling season grapes

Peter Rockwell, Metro Canada — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 11:00:00 -0400

Though I don’t work magic in the kitchen as much as I used to, I’m still a cookbook fan. Culinary text and images never fail to inspire me to nag my wife to recreate whatever catches my eye.

One of my favourite recent releases is Jeff Potter’s Cooking For Geeks (O’Reilly, $43.99): A macho tome that reads more like an issue of Popular Science than an artsy Gordon Ramsay creation.

Potter takes the MythBusters route by explaining the ins and out of everything from baking bread to making things melt in weird ways in what ends up as a fascinating read. But experimenting with Potter may have to wait until after barbecue season: The few months when I can hold up my end of meal creation.

One of my fave grilling grapes is zinfandel and the 2008 Gnarly Head Old Vine Zin ($16.95 - $19.99) is a mocha-meets-deep berry wonder that rocks everything from cuts of beef to burgers.

Prices reflect the range across canada. Some products may not be available in all provinces.

Sharing a brew with dad

Peter Rockwell — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 00:00:50 -0400

If it’s liquid, I love it. So, I’m sure my father doesn’t mind this Father’s Day that while I inherited his appreciation for a fine pint of beer, I also spread my love around the wine and spirit world, too.

That said, beer does hold a special place in my heart.

After all, it was the first taste of booze I ever had thanks to my grandfather. (No emails folks. I spit it out much to the enjoyment of dear old Da).

Times have changed in the beer business. Small North American cottage breweries have become red hot by reinventing old school British ales and light beer is on every guy’s radar because almost everyone of us has an interest in watching calories.

Though the flavour profile of lighter beers varies dramatically, the addition of a citrus element really levels the drinking field.

Molson Canadian 67 Sublime (12 x 341 ml, $18.12 - $22.99) has a surprisingly robust lemon/lime appeal that adds volumes to what is arguably a pretty subtle beer.

Meanwhile, the 100 calorie Miller Chill Lemon (12 x 355 ml, $21.50 - $23.99) plays down the citrus as it pumps up the volume of refreshing malt.

Prices reflect the range across canada. Some products may not be available in all provinces.

Wow with your wedding wine

Peter Rockwell, Metro Canada — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 12:00:00 -0400

While planning a wedding is no piece of cake, I admit that I only had two responsibilities during the organization of my nuptials: Select the wine for the reception and stay out of the way.

With dozens of thirsts to quench, what you really want is the biggest bottle filled with the tastiest juice for the least money. When it comes to size, the selection of wines in 1.5-litre bottles is varied with the majority of vintage versions offering good value for the price.

Concha y Toro’s Frontera line from Chile is one of the most consistent, with the white 2010 Sauvignon Blanc ($13.95 - $20.49) offering fresh, lean, citrusy fruit flavours and the red 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot ($14.95 - $20.49) serving up ripe, wild berry fruit and balanced acidity.

In the end, though, realize that most guests will only have one glass during dinner. The majority will be watching the clock waiting for the cash bar to open and won’t remember much about the wine the day after.

Prices reflect the range across canada. Some products may not be available in all provinces.

Peter Rockwell is the everyman’s wine writer, working in the liquor industry for more than 25 years and traveling the globe looking for something to fill his glass and put into words.

Coolers for the mature crowd

Peter Rockwell, Metro Canada — Fri, 27 May 2011 12:00:00 -0400

If you’re over 30, you probably await the arrival of new coolers with the same enthusiasm you reserve for the release of a Britney Spears album.

Influenced by popular flavours of the moment, their sweet personalities are aimed at a younger crowd.

That said, some producers woo a mature crowd with ready-to-drink combos that are as subtle as they are sophisticated. Of this year’s cooler crop, Bassano Hard Sodas may be summer’s cross-generational drink.

Modelled after the Italian sodas made popular in speakeasies during the Roaring ‘20s, Bassano blends vodka with sparkling water and natural fruit flavours to create a dry, lightly effervescent, wine-esque beverage.

In fact, both the raspberry jelly candy flavour of the Bassano Hard Soda Raspberry Pomelo (4 x 330 ml, $8.98 - $11.69) and the 7-up sensibility of the Bassano Hard Soda Lemon Sanguinelli (4 x 330 ml, $8.98 - $11.69) beg to be served over ice from a large wine glass.

Prices reflect the range across canada. Some products may not be available in all provinces.

Peter Rockwell is the everyman’s wine writer, working in the liquor industry for more than 25 years and traveling the globe looking for something to fill his glass and put into words.

When boy meets grill

Peter Rockwell, Metro Canada — Fri, 20 May 2011 12:00:00 -0400

I’m a bit of a barbecue weenie. At my house, boy meets grill until mid-fall. Then I wheel my gas-fired girl into the garage until Victoria Day.

She’s ready to make her 2011 debut this long weekend, and when it comes to picking a wine to match grilled meats, I look for juice that can hold its own against the intensity of the meat, the influence of the marinade and, since I’m a bit of a hamburger aficionado, any condiments I decide to lather on when meat hits bun.

Think young, jammy and red. It’s not time to uncork that Bordeaux you’ve had since midway through the last century. Best bets are Californian zinfandel and merlot, Aussie shiraz, Chilean cabernet sauvignon, and for a taste of the Old World, a Barbera d’Asti from Italy’s Piedmont region.

In Argentina, barbecue is a way of life and a red like Trapiche’s 2010 Varietals Malbec ($9.00 - $11.99) — with dark, blueberry flavour, balanced tannins and spice trail — is a grill match made in Mendoza.

Prices reflect the range across the country. Some products may not be available in all provinces.

Peter Rockwell is the everyman’s wine writer, working in the liquor industry for more than 25 years and travelling the globe looking for something to fill his glass and put into words.

Thai one on

Peter Rockwell, Metro Canada — Fri, 13 May 2011 12:00:00 -0400

When it comes to take-out, I love Thai. While the light, fresh personality of Thailand’s cuisine makes my mouth water, it’s the underlying spiciness that really turns my corkscrew.

The sweet, sour and citrusy elements make choosing a beverage to wash down your Pad Thai about as easy as sitting through an episode of Glee. One golden rule of food and wine pairing is: When in doubt pick juice made in the same country as your meal.

Thailand’s not much of a wine producer, so a glass of lager beer is the perfect partner. That said, an aromatic and peppery white like one made with the gewürztraminer grape is also a natural pick.

Produced in Germany, the 2009 Badischer Winzerkeller Gewürztraminer ($10.76 - $13.29) is a thirst quencher with flowery aromas and off-dry, baked pear and lychee fruit flavours supported by a backbone of white pepper.

Pairing that Mother's Day brunch

Peter Rockwell, Metro Canada — Fri, 06 May 2011 12:00:00 -0400

Is there any meal better than brunch? Relaxing and unpretentious, it unites a lot of different food elements most of which even a culinary klutz like me can piece together.

Since Mother’s Day is this weekend, I bet many of you (especially the guys) will be cracking a few eggs in honour of that special woman in your life.

When it comes to liquids, brunch is like the mid-day equivalent of a big holiday meal: You’ve got all kinds of different flavours trying to make nice on one plate.

Off-dry whites wines, light, fruitier reds wines, dry rosés and, of course, sparkling wines are all great fall back bottles.

My mom loves a champagne flute of Mimosa. If mixology isn’t your thing, the 50/50 blend of orange juice and dry bubbly (pick an inexpensive Spanish Cava) is impossible to flub.

Does a Mimosa sound too retro? Try a Kir Royale. Originating in the French Burgundian town of Dijon, it’s made by adding a teaspoon of crème de cassis - the region’s famous blackcurrant liqueur - to a glass of bubbles.

While a variety of cassis brands are carried across the country Védrenne’s Supercassis ($20.25) is a benchmark for the style.

Checking Spain off the wine lover's checklist

Peter Rockwell, Metro Canada — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 12:00:00 -0400

There's a first time for everything and finally, after many failed attempts, I got to experience Spain this past January.

I know, while it seems like an obvious place for an early landing by any respectable wine guy, I just never got around to exploring what I discovered was one of the most liquidly lucrative countries on the planet.

The Spaniards love their vinos with an appreciation that just might surpass their counterparts in France and Italy. What really excited me - especially in the major wine regions – was that you'd be hard pressed to find a tapas bar packed with anyone other than wine drinkers.

The city of Logroño in the province of La Rioja (pronounced Ree-oka) sold me on the level of Spanish wine appreciation. Its older city centre is known for a wide variety of tapas and it was an amazing experience to walk into a tiny bar, order their specialty and enjoy a glass of Rioja red with two dozen like-minded souls.
Internationally known Rioja brands are as popular there as they are in Canada with rich, fruit-infused wines like the 2007 Marqués de Cáceres Crianza ($16.95 - $21.99) offering plenty of regional personality.

A crisp white wine that captures the season

Peter Rockwell, Metro Canada — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 12:00:00 -0400

When you have two English Springer Spaniels a backyard spring cleanup is less about raking leaves and more about poop patrol.

That thought came to me last weekend when the recent break in the winter weather saw me out trying to make my grounds more people-friendly.

Of course a fine beverage is the best reward for a nasty job well done, and in my mind a white wine with lots of thirst-quenching, tropical fruit flavour and some major aromatics really evokes the spirit of the season.

While something made from riesling, viognier or torrontés would make a fine choice, Ironstone Vineyards' 2009 Obsession ($14.95 - $16.99) from California breaks the mould of the somewhat familiar by using the symphony grape - a cross between muscat of alexandria and grenache gris - as its base.

If it swims, clucks or is served in a bowl with a cream sauce the clean acidity and ripe fruit components of this off-dry wine will make for a fine dinner partner. Salads, vegetables, shellfish and any dish that throws a bit of heat will also work like a charm with this unique palate cleanser.