In our last Welcome to Wine post, I highlighted some popular wine varieties and their typical traits in taste (mouth) and smell (nose). Wines, according to their grape variety as well as region also have differences in temperatures to serve and store. When held at the wrong
temperature, the taste, aromas and
aging process can be altered.

Wine Storing Tips

• Store wine around 12°C and horizontally
• If you don’t have a cellar, invest in a wine cooler for short-term (typically priced from $200) or wine cellar fridge to lay down a bottle long-term ($1200 +)
• Fridge temperature’s are too cold, but work well for a quick cooling
• Forgot to chill the wine? Put a glass in the fridge for speedy serving temperature
• Don’t forget a bottle in the freezer, the cork may pop out leaving you a mess

GE 30 Bottle Wine Chiller $348

White varieties are typically served between 7° to 10°C, where as reds are best at 12° to 18°C. If overly warm, the taste of alcohol may be stronger in reds. Although chilling is usually associated with whites, don’t be afraid to do the same to a Merlot or Pinot Noir.

Sandra Smith, who organized the event says approximately $13,400 was raised in aid of her husband Blair’s upcoming participation of the 1,200 km journey from Vancouver to Banff. Blair hopes to raise a total of $25,000 before the ride that takes place on June 22^nd. Cyclists come from across Canada to take part this nine-day challenge.

Sandra, who is among the 4,000 Canadians living with Cystic Fibrosis, was told her time was limited three years ago. After being unable to walk up and down stairs, she was referred for a double lung transplant. “Thanks to my donor family, my wonderful CF and Lung Transplant teams and with the love of my family and friends,” Sandra says, “I have a new chance at life.”

This year, WineCollective donated an Evolution – Red package, as well as a Tannic membership ($195 value). Tickets for “Beer and Burger Night,” held at Local 002 Public Tavern & Kitchen, include an automatic donation for GearUp4CF, as well as access to the fundraiser’s silent auction, door prizes and raffles.

Through her own personal experience, Sandra says, “I have seen first-hand what research can do for someone with Cystic Fibrosis and I have personally benefited as well. All of the time and effort put into raising money for research makes a difference.” Since 2006, GearUp4CF has raised $970,000 to one day find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis.

Sandra and husband Blair at the GearUp4CF 2012 finish line

Get involved and donate here to this amazing event.

You can purchase a WineCollective package from now until the end of May and receive your unique wines around Father’s Day in mid-June.

From now until June 17, 2013, use our FATHERSDAY2013 coupon code for $5.00 off any subscription or gift package. We’ll send an email to your pop letting him know his special something is on its way, or keep it a secret and we’ll send you all the details.

Whatever you choose, WineCollective will ensure your package of expertly selected wines is safely delivered straight to your dad’s door. He’ll also receive detailed tasting cards and access to our online community of wine lovers! With everything taken care of you and your dad are free to spend the day together, maybe for lunch and a round of golf?

Enjoy your day dads; it is well deserved!

We’ve been listening to your feedback at WineCollective, and it’s our pleasure to introduce our new packages!

Don’t worry. We’re still continuing the WineCollective experience you know and love; we’re just giving you more! We hope you’ll enjoy the chance to broaden your exposure to the many unique wines we offer or refine your palate with increased access to your favourite grapes.

Indulgence

IT’S HEALTHY TO INDULGE YOURSELF

For the discerning wine drinker who loves the finer things in life, this package offers a mix of cellar-quality wine and wine for Wednesday night pizza dinner. Available in both 2 and 4 bottle packages, the wines are selected seasonally.

If you currently receive the Magellan subscription, please note that your package is now a 2 bottle Indulgence.

Expansion

ENOUGH TO SHARE WITH FRIENDS

For the wine drinker who needs no occasion to raise their glass or host a party. Featuring 4 bottles of red wine and 2 white, this is a fantastic value and an excellent opportunity to get the most variety of wine.

Evolution

EXPLORE YOUR PALATE

For the enthusiastic wine lover who wishes to explore all types of wine. This palate expander includes 4 bottles of wine for any occasion in both mixed and exclusively red packages.

If you currently receive the Rosso subscription, your package is now the Evolution – Red and will continue to feature only expertly curated red wine selections every month. However, while we’ve previously selected the wines for the mixed package seasonally, you can now enjoy an even selection of both red and white every month of the year.

Genesis

START YOUR JOURNEY HERE

For wine lovers at the beginning of their journey, or experienced enthusiasts who need just a top up, this introductory package features 2 bottles.

You’ve asked for a package featuring only white wine, so we’ve split this into two options tailored exclusively to more exacting palates. Choose two bottles a month of either white or red selections, and refine your tasting experience!

If you currently receive the Cartier subscription, you will now receive the new Genesis package. This means that you’ll need to log into your account before May 31st and choose whether you’d prefer all white wine each month or all red. Please note that if you don’t select a package, we will default your subscription to red for June, but you are free to change your package at any time.

Want to sample a new package?

You can now log into your account change your subscription. Try an Indulgence for a special occasion month, or add a few more bottles to your cellar with an Expansion package. You can do this at your own convenience!

Log into your account and select “switch package” on your Subscriptions page:

Choose the package you want, and change at any time. Just remember that any change you make in the current month won’t take effect until the month that follows.

Thank you for your continued feedback and support. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with any questions about our new packages. We love hearing from you, and we hope you enjoy your improved WineCollective experience!

Cheers!

However, universities such as Brock University in St. Catherine’s Ontario and the University of California – Davis, are providing students with top-notch wine education in Bachelor of Science undergraduate degrees.

Brock University’s cellar, The Canadian Wine Library, holds 43,000 bottles

The Oenology and Viticulture program at Brock happens to be the only University in Canada offering a BSc, with popularity and class sizes doubling since its introduction in 2009. Other Canadian universities such as Vancouver Island University only offer certificates in wine business and appreciation.

Kaitlyn Little of Brock University says that students leave with “comprehensive understanding of both winemaking and viticulture practices.” The program leads the way for graduates to be able to work in wineries with a focus on scientific practices such as biochemistry and plant physiology.

Brock’s fermentation lab is used for student classes. The university sees an employment rate of 97% for viticulture graduates.

Students also learn more about the industry with mandatory classes in wine marketing and the option of taking a business minor so that they may one day own and operate their own vineyard.

The best part about the program is the several internships that must be completed apart from the courses. This gives students hands-on international experience, with jobs in North America, Europe and Eurasia, Little says.

Unlike Canada, the United States has various university programs with UC-Davis being the #1 Agriculture Research and Teaching Institution worldwide, according to QS World University Rankings.

The UC-Davis’ winery is highly recognized for it’s environmentally friendly facility. It was awarded Platinum certification for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design by the U.S Green Building Council

Professor Mark Matthews says that with the new building facilities, including an “ultra modern winery,” Viticulture and Enology students have everything necessary to grow grapes, select yeast and bacteria for fermentations and process wine. Although this program does not hold a business requirement, costs and industry considerations are worked into courses like “vineyard design.”

Traditionally, wineries are known for their family influence with vineyards being passed down from generation to generation. While this may seem like a heart-warming intention, the global wine market is expected to generate $292 billion in 2014, according to MarketLine.

We think this leaves plenty of opportunity for more business and new winemakers.

In the next few weeks our WineCollective blog will be featuring a “Welcome to Wine” series of posts that will go through all beginner basics, including terminology and various tips to help you learn. After all, our club is open not only to connoisseurs and collectors, but all Canadians wanting to share in the joys of wine.

My interest in wine began early, where a glass (or two) of my father’s homemade wine at the family dinner table was always necessary and would lead us through hours of conversation and laughs. Today, my interest has spread to curiosity in all features of the wine industry that I hope to explore. So whether you just want to socialize and share wine with food and friends or have a thirst for knowledge, here is a delicious place to start.

We will begin with, tasting basics.

There are three steps to getting the most out of your wine tasting experience that will require you to indulge your senses of sight, smell and taste. While reading up on technique and a “systematic approach” will give you foundation in wine education, you’ll probably find that, like most things, practice makes perfect. So feel free to pop a cork and follow along.

Step 1 – Eyes

The best way to peek into the inside of your glass is to slightly tilt its delicious contents, preferably up to a blank canvas like a white tablecloth. Here you can look into not only the colour, but the clarity and legs as well (yes, wine has legs).

Red, white and rose wines all have a range of colour they can fit into determined by grape varieties, how the wine was aged and the overall age of the wine. These can all have an effect on how the wine appears. My Wine Tutor says that whites gain colour in the aging process, while reds lose colour.

Here is a spectrum of hues to look for as you tilt your glass:

White: straw-yellow ­­/ yellow-gold / gold / old-gold / yellow-brown

Red: purple / ruby / red / brick red / red-brown / tawny

Rose: pink / salmon / orange

You also want to make note of the intensity of your wine colour as well as the clarity – is your wine clear or hazy?

The legs of your wine can be seen as a clear film against the sides of the glass, which can indicate the alcohol content and body.

Step 2 – Nose

Swirling your glass as part of wine tasting is essential and powerful. Not only does the motion aerate the wine and release a bouquet of aromatic appeal, it also makes you look and feel extremely fancy. Or at least, I think so.

Aroma characteristics can coincide with varieties used. Learning the smells of more popular wines can help you match with your own experience. However, everyone is different; what you smell may be different from what someone else might take away from the wine.

White

Chardonnay: Melons, pears, vanilla, hazelnut

Sauvignon Blanc: Grapefruit, gooseberries, tart apples, lime or lemon

Riesling: Apple, pear, peach, honey, flowers

Red

Pinot Noir: Cherries, strawberries, forest floor

Merlot: Blueberry, plum, tobacco, chocolate

Cabernet Sauvignon: Black currant, black cherry, smoke, cigar box

Winesworld’s Magazine gives a long list of favourite wines and their individuality.

“Accept what life offers you and try to drink from every cup. All wines should be tasted; some should only be sipped, but with others, drink the whole bottle.” – Paulo Coelho

Step 3 – Mouth

Finally, you get to taste. But don’t rush and don’t gulp it up. Instead, savour the flavour that the last two steps were piecing together. Taste buds and sensations are everywhere. Try to pull apart the components that make up the wine: sweetness, acidity and tannin (bitterness).

Flavour characteristics can coincide with aroma. Fruit and floral (like citrus and tropical) as well as spice, vegetables, and oak can all be explored within a wine glass.

What do you taste? Is the body of the wine heavy and rich, or light? Does it match with your meal? These are all questions to ask to ask to help you decide if the bottle is one you enjoy.

The last element of wine tasting to notice is the balance and length of your sip. A long finish leaves the taste of the wine and its components in your mouth. With time, you may be able to pinpoint which flavours hold.

WineCollective is an excellent place to start in your wine journey. Not only do we test and rate wines within our office, we also send you a variety of unique wines to expand your palette.

Along with the bottles, Tasting Cards are sent to members to share the vintage with highlighted tasting notes – Eyes, Nose, Mouth. We also include information on the vineyard, region and producer to add to every aspect of your wine education.

Tasting Cards can also throw an extra challenge with every card’s food pairing suggestion. Attempt a recipe to go along with the wine to see how flavours of food and wine can flawlessly marry.

Although wine tasting may have its science, the experience is entirely individual. Being aware and knowledgeable will not only help to impress your friends, but will also help bring you to find your palette and wine preferences.  Happy tasting!

See more of Conte Bleu designs.

In the spirit of classic gestures like Breakfast in bed, WineCollective will deliver comfort and ease with an expertly curated selection of wine delivered right to your mother’s door. Enjoy the day together; we’ll do the rest. We’ll send an email on your behalf welcoming her to a great wine experience, and your mom will receive fantastic wine to enjoy at her leisure complete with detailed tasting cards and access to our wine loving community online.

From now until the May 13th, take advantage of our MOTHERSDAY2013 coupon code to receive $5.00 off any subscription or gift package. You still have until month’s end to get your wine for mid-May. Of course, there’s no need to rush. Purchase a gift for your mom any time before Mother’s day, and she’ll receive our welcome message just in time! We’ll let her know you’ve got her something special, and her first shipment will arrive in June.

By the way, mothers, don’t forget to treat yourselves; you deserve it!

Discovering a hidden gem is one of the most exciting parts about being a wine-lover. Stumbling across your next favourite bottle is a memorable occasion, whether the wine was a gift from a friend, a bottle you fell in love with on an Okanagan wine tour, or a suggestion from a server at your favourite restaurant. I recently had one of these moments when I enjoyed Clos du Soleil‘s Saturn at The Brasserie.

Since 2006, Clos du Soleil has been producing “…premium quality wines in a Bordeaux style”. Their 2009 Celestial made an appearance on Tannic, and the Capella is a go-to favourite for any occasion. Clos du Soleil is located in the South Similkameen Valley Upper Bench, west of Oliver.

Clos du Soleil winemaker, Ann Sperling and co-owner Leslie LeQuelenec

At a recent tasting at The Brasserie in Kensington, the tasting list included the Capella, Rose, Signature and Saturn. Chef Jorel Zielke paired each wine with a delicious course, created specifically to match the layers and subtleties of the wines.

Brasserie is a well known eatery in Calgary, with a great following and phenomenal reputation. That being said, it was my first visit! The evening’s attendees were a great mix of Calgary culinary and wine community, a lively bunch of hungry people (including Chef Cam Dobranski)! The night’s hosts were Leslie Lequence, co-owner of Clos du Soleil and winemaker Ann Sperling. Ann gave introductions to each of her wines, while Chef Jorel appeared from the kitchen to elaborate on the menu and pairing choices.

The first course was a crispy duck salad, paired with the 2009 Capella (95% Sauvignon Blanc and 5% Semillon). The vineyards are located on a steep, rocky south facing slope. Ann noted that 2009 was a long and warm season, which helped to maintain the minerality and freshness of the wine.

The crispy duck salad had blood orange and lemon segments in a poppyseed dressing. I was worried that the citrus would be too acidic for the wine, but pleasantly surprised that the fruit heightened and brightened the wine. The saltiness of the duck brought out the minerality in the wine, which also added another layer of texture and increased the body. After each bite, the wine provided a different experience, quite complex for a “salad and sauv.”

Next on the menu, seared scallops served with the 2012 Rose. As a side note, Ann had brought this wine with her as it had been bottled just prior to the dinner. It will be interesting to try this again, after the wine has some time to relax. The rose is 100% Cabernet and undergoes a cold soak overnight before press.

I noted  floral elements with peaches and raspberry. I think this will be a great option for a fuller-bodied summer wine to pair with BBQ and pot-lucks. The scallops were pan seared in brown butter with a vanilla bean infused EVOO and a balsamic gastrique. A few duck fat frites added some crunch (never too much duck fat).

The main course was a hanger steak from Spring Creek Ranch, roasted marrow bone and cauliflower with red wine au jus and espresso salt, served with the Clos du Soleil Signature. The blend of Cabernet, Merlot, Malbec and Petite Verdot spends 11 months in French oak.

The Signature was dark and garnet in colour, presenting black currant and cassis on the nose. Strong but supple tannins and medium acidity balanced the layers of dark fruit and lush plums. The finish had some savoury qualities with some of the oak showing through in  vanilla, cocoa nibs and prunes. The meal was a perfect match,  a great balance between savoury-sweet and rich, fatty layers.

The late harvest Sauvignon Blanc, Saturn, was served with a savoury dessert of foie grois on once baked pistachio biscotti and a quince jelly, with julienne apple and passion fruit coullee. The high level of acidity in the Saturn moderated the residual sweetness of canned pears and some vanilla bean while concentrated citrus fruits, marmalade and bright citrus peel added another layer. The wine was harvested at 29 brix, at -6 degrees Celsius.

Unfortunately, I learned shortly afterwards that the Saturn is not available in Alberta and is sold out at the winery. The weather conditions of the last harvest did not allow for any Saturn to be produced this past year.

The upside is that Clos du Soleil has a wine club, Soleil 160, that caters to those who need to have access to these almost unattainable wines. Wine Club members are given access to wines such as the Saturn…when available. Although Clos du Soleil is along a road less traveled in the OK, it is a necessary stop; you won’t regret going a little out of the way to visit!

Moments ago, I took the photo to the left. It’s the view from WineCollective headquarters in Calgary.

We are in week two of April, but we’re still layering our clothing and cranking the heat. Typical for this otherwise awesome city, the weather refuses to cooperate with my stir-crazy plans for wine on a patio. I miss Spring!

Fortunately, it’s bound to show up sooner or later, so I’m going to forge ahead with entry #1 in our Spring wine series. Over the next few months, we’ll look at wines that match the season and pair well with the lighter, fresher fare of warmer weather.

I’d like to begin with my personal favourite, Sauvignon Blanc, because I immediately think of this varietal when the days get brighter. If Spring represents newness and vibrancy, then the fresh, lively flavours of the season are a natural match for this wine.

Sauvignon Blanc has a colourful history, with speculative origins (possibly a relative of savagnin) and popular offspring (along with Cabernet Franc, it is parent to worldwide varietal hit, Cabernet Sauvignon). Performing exceptionally well collaboratively, it’s also a frequent partner in aromatic white blends, such as Australian Semi-Sauvs.

Originating in Bordeaux, the Sauvignon Blanc variety has been cultivated worldwide since first migrating to Chile in the 19^th century. California came next, the first cuttings arriving in the 1880s, and the varietal became popularized in 1968 as Fumé Blanc by acclaimed Napa vintner, Robert Mondavi. The grape has enjoyed great success in New Zealand (check out the 2011 Cottesbrook Sauvignon Blanc from our February packages) since the 90s, where the maritime climate is considered by some critics to produce the best Sauv Blancs in the world. 

The diversity of the regions producing Sauvignon Blanc is reflected in the wines that emerge from each area. The cooler climates of the Loire Valley deliver more minerality and Sauvs that pair with fresh raw seafood (think sushi). Australian blends often show grassy, herbaceous elements and are fantastic with fresh spring salads with asparagus, pea-shoots, and Fava Beans. Grapes from New Zealand and Argentina tend to produce wines that are citrus focused with intense flavours of lemon or grapefruit that work well with grilled fish and Greek cuisine featuring green onions, olives and feta.

This month, we’re featuring an excellent representation of Chilean Sauvignon Blancs on WineCollective with the Veramonte Sauvignon La Gloria Reserva (pictured, right).

True to the regionally characteristic lively, racy expression, this vibrant Sauv falls into the citrusy category, but has also collected some herb and minerality with its age. Refreshing, palate cleansing, and with high acidity, this is a wine that can be enjoyed with spicy, Asian cuisine. Enjoy!

While Sauvignon Blanc is my personal favourite, there are many great springtime wines that I look forward to exploring in the months to come. In the meantime, while we wait in stubborn parts of Canada for a little greenery, we’d love to hear from you!

What are your favourite Spring wines?