| 25 November 2009
It’s been about eight thirsty years since fans of smoky island scotch were able to procure a wee dram or two of MacDuff International’s Islay Mist on these shores, or at least the shores of Ontario. The good news is that the Mist has again rolled in and this blended scotch with a peaty core of Islay (pronounced eye-luh) malt is back in stock in Ontario and Alberta – with the rest of the country hopefully soon to come.
The whisky is a unique blend of the famous (and famously assertive) Laphroaig single malt together blended with a select number Highland malts and grain whisky to add subtlety and mellowness to the Laphroaig. Even so, Islay Mist is probably the peatiest blended scotch in the world. Overall it contains a higher percentage of malt whisky than standard blends, which makes its price (under $30.00) very Scots-friendly.
Originally created for a celebration to mark the 21st birthday of the son (now Lord Margadale) of the Laird of Islay House in 1922. It was felt that single malt Laphroaig might be too heavy for everyone’s taste, so that malt was blended with a range of high quality highland malts, including Glenlivet, and a grain whisky.
| 23 November 2009
There’s Merlot, then there’s Masseto.
The admiral of Tenuta dell’Ornellaia’s red Tuscan armada (which includes, in ascending rank, Le Volte, Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia and the flagship Ornellaia), Masseto was launched with the 1986 vintage and has since risen to the ranks of one of the most sought-after wines in the world.
The product of the geographically unique seven-hectare Masseto vineyard planted exclusively to Merlot, the first Masseto wine was vinified almost by chance. The fruit from this vineyard would typically be combined with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, but the 1986 vintage showed such promise that it was bottled alone and simply called “Merlot” (the change to the vineyard name came in 1987.
Leonardo Raspini, Ornellaia’s Agronomist and General Manager, was recently in Toronto (his first trip to Canada, in fact) to lead a tasting of four vintages of Masseto for a select group of journalists and sommeliers. Raspini explained that the hill on which the vineyard sits is made up of three distinct areas (Alto, Centrale and Junior).
| 01 October 2009
There’s only one rule you need to remember: all Champagne is sparkling wine, but not all sparkling wine is Champagne.
From the region of Champagne in France, just east of Paris, known for its chalky soil and cooler climate, comes this revered bubbly. Champagne is arguably the best of the sparkling wines. Why this might be so probably has something to do with the fact that it’s usually more flavourful, complex and ageworthy than any other sparkling wine. Champagne makers will go so far as to suggest that the quality of their product is a direct result of the terroir. And of course, the “Champagne method” is also recognized as the superior one for bubblies.
The cost of this tipple can sometimes belie its thirst-quenching capabilities. It’s often been said (and I’ll say it again): Champagne goes with pretty much anything, anytime. It tastes biscuity and yeasty. Despite the cost, it’s a good idea to keep a few bottles of the real McCoy on hand to enjoy as you will.