Gord on my nerves again

Gord Stimmell is the Toronto Star’s wine columnist and he’s written about another fantastic wine.  Last year he did the same thing and I couldn’t get the wine for almost 3 weeks because it was sold out.  At that time I called Gord a jerk. The irony (and schadenfreude) was that after the article  Gord went to his local LCBO  to buy his recommended wine  only to find out that it was sold out. In the words of Nelson Muntz, “Ha, Ha”.

Gord is at it again. This is from his column this week in the Toronto Star. “Our top three performers on the general list …(blah, blah, blah) …  I’ve saved the best for last. The Jacob’s Creek merited a huge 92 score, stunning for a general list wine under $20. …(yadda, yadda, yadda) I am rushing out to buy a half case before this column appears in print. Cheers!”

Maybe it’s just me – but I interpret “cheers” as “nuts to you“.  Gord – I can’t find your wine anywhere – and it really only makes me mad because the scope of  your influence fills me with envy. You’re a powerful man Gord – I’m scared of you.

This man both scares me and fills me with envy

Product Discontinued*

My favorite LCBO summer red wine?  Doesn’t matter anymore – “Product Discontinued*” and I think the asterisk is there just to make me mad!  A perfectly good inexpensive French wine available nevermore (my third Edgar Allan Poe reference in two years – good for me).

Well LCBO – I know how to play this game. I contacted my girl in the Vintages section and she hunted down 6 bottles from some warehouse in Ottawa – where presumably the bottles were stored next to the Ark of the Covenant.

So here’s the next problem. With this heat wave and the BBQ going strong I opened my first (of 6) precious bottles and now it’s gone because we drank it.  Now I’m down to 5.  And I know myself, soon I’ll be at 4. I don’t like where this is going.  I can look for another great summer BBQ wine but that seems like a lot of work.

Anyone have a favorite summer BBQ wine for me? I need at least 6 bottles.

New Stuff at the LCBO?

I was walking around the LCBO realizing that there are a number of new wines on the shelves.  “Why don’t they mark the new wines better” I thought to myself when I looked up to see this.

You win this round LCBO!

Downtown is better

If you live near downtown Guelph – and who doesn’t want to? – it’s annoying that you have to drive to a decent wine store.  No longer!  The LCBO downtown is under new management and they are bringing in a great selection of Vintage quality wines. So yes, now you can always go downtown.  If you’re like my Mom, you  have that Petula Clark song in your head now. “When you’re alone …” I am a little embarrassed to say that groundskeeper Willie’s tryout with the B-Flats  sings in my head.

Homeric references aside, the wine selection is pretty good.  Guigal Cotes du Rhone, several high-end Ontario wines, and all within walking distance. Another victory for the downtown over the south end – or as I call it, “North Milton”.

I recommend the Guigal Cotes du Rhone – great producer, region, and  year - and the Oyster bay Chardonnay – serve it cold.

Hidden in Como – Cantina Follie

I know, I know – “ooh you’re telling us a story about the time you went to Lake Como”.  And now you think I’m a pretentious world traveller. I’m okay with all that.

I learned that when you don’t understand a culture things can appear tacky that really aren’t. Cantina Follie seems like such a ridiculous name in English and their logo, a laughing wine cask, seemed like a SNL parody of German humour (Mike Meyers as Dieter in his talk show Sprockets).

However, this Cantina was my highlight of Lake Como.  We walked past a narrow alleyway with lots of steps in it and my daughter noticed the silly barrel with a funny face on it.  What we found was a great wine store with a tasting room and our host, Joost.  Originally from Holland, Joost was as enthusiastic about his wine as I was to listen.  It was Joost that introduced me to Salice Salentino – I now pick up a bottle every time Vintages carries one.

Here is my review for TripAdvisor.com

Despite the unfortunate barrel logo, this wine bar was the highlight of our dining in Lake Como.
Up the stairs from the main street, hidden in a cave is the Cantina Follie.
The staff knew their wine and had over 300 Italian labels.
The patio had a nice selection of wines by the glass at a very inexpensive price (2.50 Euro per glass) which included tapas. Let the owner suggest his favorites and buy a bottle on your way out. You MUST visit this wine bar if you are in Como.
On your way out stop at the Red and White Bar and order the pita with brie, rocket, and speck to take back to your hotel (you might want to order 2).

LCBO – just stop it!

In a 1978 TV special “Rescue from Gilligan’s Island” (I’m sure you can guess how that episode ended), the professor was excited to show the world his new inventions – one was the Frisbee!  We all knew what he didn’t know – all his inventions had already been invented.

There is hardly anything more deflating than coming up with a good idea only to discover that somebody else had the same idea. This has happened to me over and over and the LCBO people are becoming my nemesis.

Seriously, if I wasn’t driving me mad it would be laughable. Each month I come up with a theme for the wine tastings at Red Brick Cafe. In October I selected the theme of  100 mile diet – two weeks later the LCBO advertises “go local”.  I select Argentina and Chile to feature – two weeks later?  Yes, stupid Argentina and Chile are on the LCBO cover (sorry that should be stupid LCBO – I don’t even know who’s driving me mad anymore).  I do France they do France – stop it!

So this month I draw upon all my creative energy, along with my degree in Physical Education, and come up with a very clever pairing of wines to Olympic events.  I even get two wines from BC (that’s near Vancouver) to make the list.  Not every sommelier can pair wines with Olympic events – surely this is my genius. 

Yesterday I got sent a link from the Edmonton Journal. Writer Nick Lees  pairs wine with … well I think you can guess how this episode ends.

So Nick Lees, if that is your real name, I am either now mad at you or we are both geniuses on either side of the same country.  I like the second ending.