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By / Food / April 9th, 2012 / 2

The Easter long weekend is over for some today. I hope it was a good one for you. The weather here in Brampton was, for the most part, pretty awesome. This year, we hosted a party for one side of my family at my house. They tell me everything was great. But, I always find that I’m so preoccupied making sure I have all the dishes cooked and ready to go and that everyone has a drink or enough food that I barely taste the little I put on my plate. By the time night fell, dessert was nearly done, and everyone was ready for a bit of a stretch. So, out we went to light a few logs in the fire pit. We happened to have marshmallows on hand, so everyone found a branch (we have a few trees in the back) and roasted the marshmallows until perfect. We had an unusual accompaniment — a shot of bourbon.

Given that we had a houseful of guests that night, we went through a few bottles of wine. Here’s a bit of a sampling.

2010 Falchini Vernaccia Di San Gimignano
Trivia: Vernaccia basically means indigenous grape

Colour – Bright and clear pale straw hue

Bouquet – fresh fruit with an emphasis of green apple and quince with a pleasant grassy edge

Flavour – crisp and refreshing with a yellow plum body and citrus zing

A perfect picnic or pool side sipper; could be great on it’s own or paired with grilled fish.

2009 Ravens Wood Old Vine Zinfandel Lodi California

14.5 % alcohol

Bouquet – an explosion of blueberry and cassis with a vanilla round off

Flavour – concentrated blueberry with undertones of spice and balsamic
– a perfectly balanced  wine with a smooth finish despite the high alcohol

Pairings – grilled steak with coconut rice; a burger topped with Gorgonzola

2004 Osoyoos Larose Le Grand Vin
Strongly suggest decanting and letting it open up for a minimum 45 min.

Bouquet – A quintessential Bordeaux style wine
– an initial hit of dark cherry and plum that gives way to a deep and lasting aroma  of rich earth, chocolate and a whiff of smoke

Flavour – Cherry and casis that mingles with vanilla and spice
– A beautiful and elegant mouthfeel with with enough structure and remaining tannins to sustain a few more years in the cellar

Would pair very well with a fine steak with sautèd onions and mushrooms.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rosemary Mantini has always loved words. When she isn't working as the Associate Editor at Tidings Magazine, she's helping others achieve their writing dreams, and sometimes she even relaxes with a good book and a glass of wine.

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