|
Recent Articles |
|
|
A survivor’s guide to cottage
libations©
With cottage days almost at hand, it is time to plan ahead. At one time
going to the cottage actually entailed some form of deprivation. So long foie
gras, goodby tv. Heck, when I was young, we didn’t even have hydro. Well all
that seems to have changed. Cottage life can now be as civilized, perhaps even
more civilized, than our day-to-day inner city experiences.
Of
course, there are budgetary considerations to keep in mind. Champagne can be
expensive and, quite frankly, it’s not what one always wants – acid reflux
you know.
And
with only 6% alcohol you can safely quaff a glass while chopping firewood
without any fear of passing out. While it comes in four fruit flavours, Wild Vines Peach Chardonnay
would be my other personal choice. Unlike some lower priced imitators, Gallo
only uses natural fruit juices not synthetic flavours. Of
course, cottage life usually means that the men take over the cooking. Perhaps
that should really be amended to barbequing. I don’t see many men struggling
away to produce the ultimate potato salad. In any case, a fashionable crisp
Pinot Gris or Riesling would be perfect with the latter.
Also
in next Saturday’s Vintages release is RH
Phillips 1999 EXP Syrah from California’s Dunnigan Hills at $19.95.
With 14% alcohol the solid, smoky, ripe plum, lavender-laced, black cherry
flavours go on and on.
If
a Vintages store isn’t close, don’t lament, there is still plenty of the
lively, ripe, strawberry-red cherry flavoured Nederburg
1999 Cabernet Sauvignon also a steal at $11.45 on the LCBO general
list. I tasted a remnant half bottle of this “2002
“best value gold medal winning show red” and was stunned to
discover that it was still fresh and delicious even after having been opened for
over two weeks. Amazing South African value.
Of
course, there is always the black fly and mosquito – two good reasons for
avoiding cottages all together. While some mistakenly believe the solution is to
quaff down enough booze so you don’t feel them, rumour has it that Skyy Citrus
and citronella are effective bug repellants. To my mind, smearing vodka all over
my body, however is only likely to get one arrested. Filfar - Missing in Action
Well,
this was just another LCBO half-truths.
Yes, there was nothing on the shelf. But in fact, there was (and still is) lots
of stock in the LCBO warehouse. Problem is, LCBO stores are under pressure to
take on new products every month, and given limited shelf space, why bring back
old releases? To this day, some 44 cases of delicious Filfar are languishing in
a dark corner of the LCBO warehouse waiting patiently to be delisted. It
makes me dizzy to think that the world’s so-called largest wine and spirits
buyer still (after more than a decade of requests) cannot
provide its customers - nay, any customer - with the list of products it has for
sale. Instead of stripping
LCBO stores of selection and stock, perhaps the LCBO might simply start telling
its customers what it has for sale. It is amazing how this information can help.
By the way, my list of all 622 Vintages
products still in the warehouse (along with my ratings) is available by clicking
here. For
those who haven’t experienced this explosively sweet, spicy, tangy orange
Cyprus liqueur, why not make some mother happy (along with the LCBO bean
counters) by tracking down a gift bottle of Filfar for Mother’s Day. Call the
LCBO hot line today at 1-800-668-5226.
|
||
|
Copyright Food & Beverage Testing Institute of Canada
2004 |
Let’s
face it; as tasty as it may be a bottle of 
Thankfully,
the perfect libation awaits you. Not only does it taste delicious, but also it
is inexpensive and goes down easily at any hour. Step up to 
As
for my charcoal, tangy sauce festooned, bbq ribs; I need a spicy, full bodied,
flavourful red. Some high-brow best buys will be released in Vintages next
Saturday. Make sure you try the sensational 
For
barbecue sausages or anything that calls for a red, it is almost impossible to
beat a bottle of 
As
a sunset sipper for the romantically inclined, absolutely nothing beats the
succulent, caramelized, sweetness of an after dinner glass of 
For
the adventurous, be it skinny dipping or water skiing, a refreshing splash of
the newly released 
In
the “whatever happened to” department, one of my recent Vintages highlights