#94- Palomino

On the 2nd day of Wine-mas my true self gave to me- a bottle of Palomino. From Spain of course.

So I'm very glad I waited a couple of hours to write this blog as what I'm writing is very different than what it would have been at six o'clock.

And to make it clear- I'm not a fan of sherry on most nights so I was taking on a bottle of wine that I had my doubts I would like.

And at first, I didn't like this wine. At all. But I forced myself to drink a glass with dinner (I had a long day of shooting so I stopped by the local sushi joint and picked up some California rolls as well as Canadian rolls. The sushi was delicious however I did not finish all of it (you don't need to know this but hey, it's what happened).

I chilled the wine as recommended. The top is not a screwtop nor a cork. It's a combination of it but it's meant for me to be able to recork it easily so I knew this wasn't a bottle I'd be finishing this evening.

I cant' really describe this wine other than to say that over time, I started to enjoy this wine. It's like I got used to the taste, which I still can't describe. On the Gonzalez Byass website, it describes the wine as almondy and delicate. While I'd say it was neither, I'd say that you have to give it a chance before dismissing it. I'm glass I did.

It's a beautiful colour and it's very inviting to drink. The smell turns me off slightly and maybe that's why at first I didn't like it. But you have to appreciate sherry for what it is and the process it goes through. It is a fine wine with a 15% alcohol content.

I'm not sure I'd buy the wine again but it's because I'm not a sherry drinker and I'll never say never.

#86- Verdejo

Off to my miniature wine cellar and when I say mini- I mean about 40 wines or so. I haven't yet set up my wine fridge and I should get on that but truth be told I don't really own any wines that need to be cellared or aged for that matter. One day when I strike it rich perhaps I'll start cellaring wine.


In any evernt, there was one wine that stood out. It is a wine that pairs with so many different dishes and is a great wine to have on hand for its versatility alone. It pairs with fish, shellfish, white meats, pasta dishes and selections of cold red meats. I was lazy tonight to make any food so I grabbed some fresh sushi (California rolls and some shrimp/avacado rolls) from Superstore. They actually make their sushi fresh and I can say I was very pleased with my rolls and ended up eating all 16 of them that night. I got home and changed and while I was getting ready I grabbed a bottle of  Herederos Del Marques de Riscal Rueda 2010 and put it in the fridge to chill.

Marques de Riscal is a Spanish wine in the Rueda Appellation of the country. It is known for making fresh and crispy and fruity wines and this wine was no exception. With flowery aromas and a hint of herbs, I could pick out the citrus on my nose almost right away. It is very strong and I would almost say grapefruit. It also has a grassy (hence the herbs) smell to it. The Rueda wine  is bright yellow in colour and clear as anything. It's quite glossy to look at. This is a very pleasant wine and to be honest, I've had it open quite a while in the fridge (and somehow the cork has disappeared) and it's still easy to drink after weeks of being open.

It is very smooth, aromatic in the mouth and has a medium finish. It's quite balanced and I am enjoying the sipping the wine as is. I really wish I had some sushi right now- if I wasn't still in my pyjamas (hey- I've been cleaning and doing homework all day- don't judge!) I would seriously consider going out.

The verdejo grape is native to the Rueda appellation in Spain even though it is believed to have come from North Africa first. It's not very acidic but is a medium to full bodied wine. An interesting note about this grape- it's harvested at night! This allows the wine to enter the cellars at a cooler temperature than most other wines. It's great chilled.

I should save some wine for Craig seeing as it's still good. We'll see how much I have left at the end of catching up on my blogs!

#55- Chasselas

Go Canada Go! I am a proud Canadian and when I get the chance to promote a good Canadian wine, I'll do it. And ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner! The Swiss, (the originator of this grape) better watch out- Canada is giving you a good run for your grape.

The Chasselas grape is grown all over the world and nearly every country has its own name for it. The grape makes a great white wine on its own and is often used in a blend wine with Sauvignon Blanc. It can often be found as a restaurant's table wine. It is dry and fruity and sometimes on the sweet side. It is the first time I've ever been able to taste the grassy notes to the wine, and I really liked what it added to the wine. And it's very good.

Craig enjoyed his glass of wine chilled- and outside. We've had a lot of snow that last few weeks and Craig multi-tasked very well during his task of clearing snow off the roof. He took a little break to pose for the picture...

The wine we tried is the Chasselas from the St. Hubertus Estate Winery in the BC Okanagan Valley. The vintage year is 2008.

I had it with a won ton soup and again tonight with some sushi (which it does recommend on the bottle). And while the wine had slightly different tastes with each dinner, the wine was great, easy to drink both times and one to put on your list of wines to try. And no, I did not make the won ton soup or the sushi and they were both from different restaurants- I guess I'm just in that type of mood this week. Must be the affect having a new job does to you! Cheers, I have myself a new job!

If you like a Riesling, you'll like this wine. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a glass of vino with my name on it.