Romance is in the air, and the day of love is  upon us!  What better way is there to celebrate with your special someone, than with a romantic dinner and a specially picked bottle of wine?

Special menus call for special bottles, and here are a few of my top picks for Valentine’s Day Romance depending on what menu is on your radar.

Classicly Romantic Chocolate Covered Strawberries…

Each year I test my artistic pastry chef skills and make a batch of Chocolate Covered Strawberries.  There is something classically seductive and romantic about this special treat.  They are a great reward if you are single too!  Something this special deserves a wine equally special to go with it.  My personal favourite is Rosé Champagne:

Bollinger Brut NV Rose Champagne – $107

A classic Aphrodisiac, this is one bottle that you don’t have to save for dessert.  The complexity of balanced savoury and fruity flavours in a bottle of Rosé Champagne will compliment your entire meal.  And frankly, this wine is too special to save for just dessert.  Take your time, sip and savour your wine and each other.  Your glass will be brimming with classic red berry fruit, and bright acidity that is classic for the occasion, though admittedly not actually the ideal chocolate pairing.  But really, who cares?  Is there anything that says Valentine’s day more than a festive glass of pink Champagne?  I think not…

Best wine for the box of Chocolates…

Red Wine and Chocolate go classically hand in hand.  But the truth is that not all wines are a great match!  Milk Chocolate and sweet filling can throw off your wine if it does not have enough residual sugar.  If you plan of diving into a box with an assortment of caramel and fruit filled assorted treasures – a bottle of Vintage Port is your best bet.

Quinta do Noval – Silval 2005 Vintage Port – $83

Vintage Ruby Ports usually explode with rich red fruit character, and offer just the right ammount of sweetness to balance out milk chocolate and caramel.  These wines are only made from the best years, similar to Vintage Champagnes.  Unlike Tawny Port, they do not see extended oxidation maturation in oak, and are instead largely matured in bottle.  Because of this they will be much fruitier in flavour than their Tawny cousins.  They are also a classic standout with blue cheese.  So if a cheese plate, and box of chocolates are on your radar – this is a sure winner.

Classic Steak or Filet Mignon wrapped with Bacon?

Special dates call for special cuts of beef.  If you are thinking of impressing your sweetheart with a decadent steak dinner, simply prepared on the grill, or basted in butter with salt and pepper, then a Syrah from the Northern Rhone or high quality Australian Shiraz is your ideal bet.

Domaine Yves Cuilleron – 2011 L’Amarybelle Syrah, St. Joseph $53

Your Northern Rhone selelctions from areas such as St. Joseph will offer a beautiful smokey complexity to them that are a perfect compliment to grilled flavours in lean cuts of beef, especially classic Filet Mignon wrapped with peppered bacon.  Full of rich red fruit character, smoke, and pepper this is a perfect choice.  Less smokey, and more fruit forward are your quality Shiraz offerings from the Barossa Valley in Australia.  These will be nice and peppery and full of jammy blackberry and cherry flavours.

Lobsterfest Anyone?

If crab legs or lobster tails are on your radar this Valentine’s Day, one of my favourite pairings with these dishes is Saumur.  Try this:

Bouvet Ladubay – Brut Saumur NV – $25

Saumur is a Sparkling Wine Appelation in the heart of the Loire in France.  These festive bubbles have crisp acidity that will cut through the rich butter, and a unique smoky nose that will bring out the delicate sweetness of the crab or lobster meat.  They are also exceptional with fruit based desserts.  Saumur offers extreme value, and this wine is a great choice if you already splurged on a Valentine’s day gift.

Fondue for Two?

Whether it be Cheese, Meat, or both topped off with Chocolate Fondue for dessert, there is something extrememly romantic about sharing fondue for two.  With many sauces and flavours, I recommend going with a refreshing, complex, but slightly neutral wine.  Pinot Gris is a natural choice.  My top pick:

Domaine Zind Humbrecht – 2011 Rotenberg Pinot Gris – $68

This treat from Alsace France is bursting with crisp citrus, and stone fruit, and almond ntoes.  This wine has full body and tonnes of nutty texture thanks to lees treatment.  Refreshing, with a strong mineral backbone, this wine compliments all of the rich sauces, cheese, and variety of flavours associated with Fondue.

No matter what your menu, or choice of wine, the most imporant thing is to remember to take time out to celebrate your relationship.  Make it special!

Cheers!

– Kathryn

Cold days have us craving comfort foods with hearty glasses of red wine!  There is something about sitting down to a braised meal that warms the soul.

Meaty and decadent, braised short ribs are the perfect pairing to many hearty red wines.  I recommend giving this recipe a try with a bottle that offers up a nice balance of fruit and spice, with mouth watering acidity such as JL CHAVE SELECTION 2015 Côtes du Rhône Mon Coeur. Continue reading “Red Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs” →

Muahhhahahahaa…  we hope that your celebrations are Spooktacular this week!  If not, we at least hope that you you are finding a small way to enjoy Hallo-Wine, I mean Halloween!

There is nothing quite like being stuck at home, answering the doorbell repeatedly every 45 seconds to make a person want to pour themselves a glass.

And in my best effort to save you from some nasty flavour interactions as you steal your kids chocolates and skittles, I have come up with a great little list of wines for practical Halloween Pairing.

Continue reading “Ghoulishly Good Wines for your Halloween Goodies” →

Leaves are changing, and the flavours of fall can be found in abundance at Farmer’s Markets and at your local grocery store.  Thanksgiving is almost upon us, and for many that means a Turkey Dinner Feast with those we care about, and crowning the evening with Pumpkin Pie!

My Grandmother’s Pumpkin Pie recipe has been known to send many back fro seconds… or thirds.  And while it is special on it’s own, pairing it with an equally as delicious dessert wine tends to elevate the entire evening to OUTSTANDING!

So what do you pair with Pumpkin Pie?  My personal favourite…

Arnaud de Villeneuve – Rivesaltes Ambre 5yr.  At usually around $25CAD for a 750ml bottle, this is great deal for a bottle to serve a crowd of 20!  Locally it can be found at Bin 905 Wine & Spirits, and select Calgary Co-op locations.

A blend of Grenache Blanc, Macabeu, and Grenache gris, it is a smooth dessert wine that begs for pumpkin pie.  With notes of marmalade, toffee, toasted nuts, and baking spices it compliments many of fall’s ideal desserts.

Need a great Pumpkin Pie Recipe?  Try Grandma Rudd’s:

Continue reading “Wine & Pumpkin Pie? OH MY!” →

Little potato pillows from heaven… that is what our son calls Gnocchi.

With plenty of fresh produce making the rounds at farmers markets,  we happend upon a creative and exceptional dish to make use of the beautiful pea shoots and garlic scapes we were given.

This is one plate of gnocchi that is sure to please the most discerning palate!

Now it is important to note that this dish contains an item known to be a notorious ‘wine pairing killer’ – Asparagus.  There are very few wines that work well with Asparagus, however it is a perfect match for Roero Arneis – a grape native to Northern Italy.  The best of the best, and most historically significant Arneis is produced by Vietti.

For your perfect pairing, and to taste a glass of history, we recommend Vietti Roero Arneis.

Continue reading “Roasted Chicken and Garlic Scape Gnocchi” →

On a hot summer day few things beat fresh watermelon, seafood, and a glass of Riesling on the patio!  Before the summer sun fades, I recommend picking up a bottle of Synchromesh, Tantalus or 8th Generation Riesling  and giving this recipe a try!

Quick enough for a weeknight meal, and extremely healthy – you will have just elevated your weeknight dining game to a 10!

Cook the Salmon:

Heat a skillet on the stove on med/high heat.  Melt butter and transfer salmon fillets to skillet.  Cook each side until brown crust forms, flipping once in between.  Remove when browned but fillet is still moist and flaky inside. *Timing will vary based on the thickness of your fillet.

*Tip: to test salmon for “doneness” – insert a cold knife briefly into the thickest part of the fillet – remove quickly and feel the knife – if it is still cool to the touch, the salmon needs more time.  You will likely be able to take a quick peak as well to see if the colour of your fish has changed – but do not do this too often!

Top Salmon with 1/2 cup of Relish (or more!) and enjoy with a side of rice!

Cheers!

–  Kathryn

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