grapes
How many times have you arrived at a holiday gathering only to be served the same wines? I mean, there’s more to the wine world than just Merlot and Chardonnay, right? This season, we encourage you to venture (slightly) beyond your comfort zone, and explore a few of these left-of-centre … Read More
Make-your-own-wine stores have always had a dodgy reputation: The strip-mall locations, the invariably cheesy names (D-I-Wine, Wine Not?), the el cheapo ingredients. You’ve probably been at a get-together where the host proudly whips out his crookedly labelled bottle of aftershave-spiked fruit punch. But it doesn’t have to be this way. … Read More
There’s a war raging over Rioja, a wine, usually red, named for a region in northeastern Spain. Historically admired for its subtle, oak-aged wonders, Rioja is at the centre of a worldwide conflict over just wine should taste. Jonathan Nossiter underlined Rioja’s troubles in his 2007 book, Taste and Power. … Read More
In the dead of winter, try Muscat – a versatile grape reminiscent of summer. In both dry and sweet styles, this variety, believed to be the world’s oldest, is magnificently fragrant, floral and grapey. Unusually for wine grapes, Muscat grapes are also tasty for eating – and are often used … Read More
You’re running late, and with no open SAQs in sight, it looks like you’re going to be the douche bag who brings a bottle of dépanneur wine to the dinner party. But just because most dep wines are blended table wines, making a conversation about grapes and terroir utterly useless, … Read More
