Written by Carolyn Evans-Hammond | 08 March 2012

Hell, no. Of course we don’t need wine critics.

Written by Rosemary Mantini | 06 March 2012

Thanks to the Portuguese and the Spanish, Brazil has been growing grapes and making wine from them for well over 500 years. Brazil's humid climate made growing the grapes the Portuguese and Spanish were used to difficult. By the mid-1800s, locals were plantain a hybrid variety called Isabella. Thirty years later, Italian grapes, such as Barbera, Moscato and Trebbiano, were being planted with success. Today, Brazilian grape growers are planting a huge variety, including Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

Written by Sean Wood | 23 February 2012

Sicily’s nine major wine regions cover just about every part of the island, and good wine is made in all of them. Conditions vary quite dramatically, though; they range from the mountainous and somewhat cooler Palermo region in the northwest to the warmer, lower-lying environs of Ragusa and Syracusa in the southeast. Diverse soils, topography and rainfall often help to produce quite different expressions from the same grape varieties.

Many international grapes thrive in Sicily’s benign conditions, and it was Sicily’s success with well-known classic varieties that put modern Sicilian winemaking on the map. Latterly, a growing number of fine indigenous varieties are restoring themselves to their rightful place. Sicily’s new wave winemakers are enjoying remarkable success with a dazzling array of blends, using both local and international varieties — and there is no shortage of fine single-grape wines.

let’s talk indigenous

The best-known Sicilian red, Nero d’Avola, is named after the town of Avola in the warmer Syracusa region. In nearby Vittorio, Ragusa Province, Nero d’Avola provides the backbone for Sicily’s only DOCG thus far, Cerasuolo di Vittorio. The grape has good body and aging potential. It can also be made in an undemanding, easy-drinking style, and has adapted well when planted in many parts of Sicily.

Written by Rosemary Mantini | 15 February 2012

Unless you’re an avid winter sport kind of person, I think you’ll probably agree when I say that winter weather makes one think of travelling to get away from the ice and snow. Now I’ve got you dreaming of an escape to warmer climes, right? Forget it. I know a place that’s just as warm (in spirit) with even better food and drink than you’ll find at any southern resort – and at a fraction of the cost. That place is wine country. Seriously.

There was a time when wineries were virtual ghost towns during the winter, even the winemakers headed south. Lately, though, there’s been a kind of awakening, a realization that although the buds might not yet be breaking on the vines, the wine is still flowing abundantly.

I had the opportunity recently to attend the Icewinemakers Dinner at Reif Estate Winery. Reif is definitely among my top five favourite wineries in Niagara. Sure, the wine is great, but what I like best is the people. Everyone on staff, including winemaker Robert DiDomenico and owner Klaus Reif, are accessible, down-to-earth and always interested in good conversation over a glass.