WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for NOVEMBER 27, 2021

WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES:  under/over $20 for NOVEMBER 27, 2021

By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994.

These notes for good wines available through  LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis)  can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca  or at  http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication.

Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price).

Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER,  the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling.
 
** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Fortnight ---

Chateau des Charmes Gewurztraminer 2018 St.David's Bench VQA, $21.95 Vintages +453472 (also at winery and online): from older vines (22 years) in the St. David's Bench vineyards, done up in stainless steel. Alsatian in style, with concentrated fruit, off-dry on the mid-palate, spicy with a tad of bitter on the finish, great with Asiatic foods. Or wonderful as a sipper/aperitif by the deck/patio/pool/terrace/balcony. Cork finish, and it should improve over the next five years. 6 gm/L residual sugar. 12.6% ABV. 229 cases produced. Quality/price rating 91 points by Dean Tudor.

Chateau des Charmes Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine Methode Traditionnelle 2017 VQA Niagara on the Lake, $34.95 +423111 Vintages [also at winery and online]: one of Ontario's top-rated MT sparklers, nicely aged at four years. 100% chardonnay. Bottle aged on the lees for at least 2 years, with orchard fruit notes, some buttercream, citrus aromas, fresh bread, excellent mousse. Vintage dated from the 2017 harvest. 550 cases. 1.35g/L residual sugar. 12.7% ABV. The wine is still young and could use
more time for resolution. Quality/Price rating is 93 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

REPORT FROM ABRUZZO [ITALY] WINE TASTING AT CASA LOMA NOVEMBER 15 2021 --

The Date and Time:  Monday November 15, 2021  1PM – 5:30PM
The Event: Tasting of Abruzzo wines via The Charming Taste of Europe campaign.
The Venue: Casa Loma
The Target Audience: wine writers, sommeliers, wine trade agents
The Availability/Catalogue: wines are available through the LCBO, or by consignment, or by arrangement with an agent. Some wineries were looking for Ontario agents. The catalogue listed all full values: name of wine, varietal, vintage, number of bottles annually, percentage composition, winemaking process, aging process, colour, bouquet, palate, ABV, food pairings, retail price on the market. Best catalogue layout I have seen in quite some time.
The Quote/Background: Seventeen wineries participated. We did not wear masks when tasting, although the agents and pourers usually did. Note: minor conflict of interest – my maternal grandparents immigrated to Ontario from Abruzzo. The region has about 6,000 grape producers, 35 co-ops, and over 250 wineries.
The Wines: I decided to taste white wines and aged reds. The red wines are largely montepulciano d'abruzzo, the whites pecorino and trebbiano d'abruzzo. Some agents are listed after their wine.

**** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Cantina Tollo Mo Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2016 $19.95 Jan 2022 Vintages Eurovintage
-Ciavolich Divus Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2017 $29.95  Tifa Wine Inc
-Ciavolich Aries Colline Pescaresi Pecorino 2020 $28.95  Tifa Wine Inc
-Collefrisio In & Out Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2015  30E
-Collefrisio Semis Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2013  30E
-Jasci & Marchesani Rudhir Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2018 $45 SI, LCBO
-Fattoria la Valentina Spelt Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva 2017 $40 – 45 Mondo Vino
-Masciarelli Villa Gemme Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva 2015 $100 STEM Group
-Nic Tartaglia Colline Pescaresi Pecorino 2020 $30  Oikades
-Tenuta Secolo IX Moscatello Passito Colline Pescaresi Passito 2015 7.9E

***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Biagi Rerum Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo 2020 Rose
-Biagi Pecorino Colli Aprutini 2020  $25 – 30
-Bosco Nestore Pan Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2017 $24.95  EPIC
-Bosco Nestore Lnea Classico Colline Pescaresi Pecorino 2020 $12   EPIC
-Cantina Tollo Pietrame Terre di Chieti 2020 $12.95 Rurovintage
-Ciavolich Fosso d'Abruzzo Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2015 $49.95  Tifa Wine Inc
-Ettore Galasso Corno Grande Premium Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2017
-Masciarelli Castello Di Semivicoli Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2018 $33 STEM Group
-Masciarelli Marina Cvetic Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva 2017 $40 STEM Group
-Nic Tartaglia Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2017 $30  Oikades
-Novaripa Rocky Marciano Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2014 $24.95 March 5 Vintages
-Novaripa Monaric Amber Terra di Chieti Pinot Grigio 2029 $19
-Orlandi Contucci Ponno Abruzzo Pecorino Superiore 2020 $24.95 EPIC
-Orlandi Contucci Ponno Colle dellecorte Trebbiano d'Abruzzo Superiore 2020 $21.59 EPIC
-Paride d'Angelo Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva Organic 2016 $21.50
-Tenuta Secolo IX Fonte Grotta Colline Pescaresi Bianco 2020 7.9E
-Tenuta Terraviva Mario's 46 Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2018 20E  Alta Wines
-Tenuta Terraviva Giusi Rose Corasuolo d'Abruzzo 2020 15E  Alta Wines

The Food: all of the food was brought to us via platters: individual servings of eggplant parmigiana, cheese risotto arancini, shrimp tempura, porketta sliders. All four were outstanding. Each table had a platter of I Bibanesi's "gusto pizza": pizza flavoured breadsticks with EVOO, cheese, tomato, and oregano. Addictive!!
The Downside: Casa Loma is not easy to get to via walking: you either go up the Baldwin steps or you walk down from St. Clair.
The Upside: a great chance to re-connect with old friends at ICE, and to taste wines not commonly found in Ontario.
The Contact Person: b.marassi@ice.it
The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 93


** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO's Limited Time Offers selections (Vintages Essential)...these  are good value...on sale  through Sunday Nov 28...
 
[red] M. CHAPOUTIER LES VIGNES DE BILA-HAUT CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON-VILLAGES
AC, Midi, +168716 (XD) 750 mL $15.95 regular NOW $13.95 Save $2.00 through Nov 28
[white] HIDDEN BENCH ESTATE CHARDONNAY VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment,
+68817 (XD) 750 mL regular $29.95 NOW $27.95 Save $2.00 through Nov 28
[fizz] LAURENT-PERRIER CUVÉE BRUT ROSÉ CHAMPAGNE AC, Champagne +158550 (D) 750 mL $102.95 regular NOW $92.95 Save $10.00 through Nov 28
[splurge] STERLING NAPA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON Napa Valley +314575 (D) 750 mL $44.95 regular NOW $39.95 Save $5.00 through  Nov 28

Wines Under $20
=========
Fizz+53215    BELCANTO DI BELLUSSI EXTRA DRY PROSECCO DI VALDOBBIADENE SUPERIORE    DOCG, Veneto, Italy        $19.95    MVC/QPR: 89.
W+232439    CHATEAU STE. MICHELLE CHARDONNAY    Columbia Valley    2020    $19.95        
MVC/QPR: 89.
W+214460    LAWSON'S DRY HILLS SAUVIGNON BLANC    Vegan, sustainable, Marlborough, South Island    2020    $19.95    MVC/QPR: 89
W+485656    LES VIGNES DE BILA-HAUT CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON BLANC    AP    2020    $15.95     MVC/QPR: 89.
W+147975    GÉRARD BERTRAND RÉSERVE SPÉCIALE VIOGNIER    IGP Pays d'Oc    2020    $14.95    MVC/QPR: 89.
R+413245       GÉRARD BERTRAND GRAND TERROIR LES ASPRES SYRAH/MOURVÈDRE/GRENACHE AP Côtes du Roussillon Les Aspres 2018    $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89
R+131540    FEATHERSTONE RED TAIL MERLOT    VQA Niagara Peninsula    2018    $19.95
MVC/QPR: 90
R+21117    CHÂTEAU LANBERSAC    AC Puisseguin-Saint-Émilion 2018    $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89

Wines Over $20

Fizz+593483    GRAHAM BECK BRUT SPARKLING    Traditional method, WO Western Cape, South Africa        $22.95     MVC/QPR:  89.
Fizz+363655    MEGALOMANIAC BUBBLEHEAD SPARKLING ROSÉ    Traditional method, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario        $34.95    MVC/QPR:  89.
Fizz+315200    HENRY OF PELHAM CUVÉE CATHARINE CARTE BLANCHE ESTATE BLANC DE BLANC    Traditional method, VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario    2016    $49.95     MVC/QPR:  90.
Fizz+528752    BENAJMIN BRIDGE MÉTHODE CLASSIQUE BRUT SPARKLING    Traditional method, Nova Scotia        $32.95    MVC/QPR:  89.
W+643361    HENRY OF PELHAM SPECK FAMILY RESERVE RIESLING    Sustainable, VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment    2019    $27.95 MVC/QPR:  89.
W+424507    WESTCOTT ESTATE CHARDONNAY    VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula    2020    $29.95     MVC/QPR:  91
W+22138    ENRICO SERAFINO GRIFO DEL QUARTARO GAVI DEL COMMUNE DI GAVI    DOC    2020    $24.95     MVC/QPR:  89.
R+657874    HENRY OF PELHAM SPECK FAMILY RESERVE PINOT NOIR    VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment    2019    $34.95     MVC/QPR:  89.

Dean Tudor,  Prof Emeritus Ryerson School of Journalism
Treasurer of Wine Writers' Circle of Canada http://www.deantudor.com

FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR NOVEMBER 2021 [published mostly monthly since 2000]

FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS IN REVIEW FOR NOVEMBER 2021 [published mostly monthly since 2000]

======================================

By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, deantudor@deantudor.com

Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.ca

 

Reviewer Timeline: Cookbook Reviewer, Library Journal, 1969-1974; Cookbook Columnist and Lead Reviewer, The Booklist (American Library Association), 1974-1985; CBRA Cookbook Reviewer, 1975-1985; Freelance Cookbook Reviewer, 1985-1999; Gothic Epicures Writing Lead Cookbook Reviewer, 2000+

 

These food and wine book reviews are always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.ca

Prices listed below are in US or CAN currency as printed on the cover. I do this because many of my readers are American. CAN prices are inserted for Canadian produced books. In times of US-Canadian currency fluctuations, parity, and online bookstore discounts (plus the addition of GST or HST) prices will vary upwards or downwards every day.

 

 

* DRINK BOOK OF THE MONTH! *

  ++++++++++++++++++++++

 

1.THE MARTINI; perfection in a glass (Artisan, 2021, 150 pages, $22.65 hardbound) is by Matt Hranek, who also wrote the definitive THE NEGRONI. It's a great basic guide, covering gin, vermouth, bitters, garnish – and even vodka (if need be). All the gin preps here can easily become vodka preps. It all depends on how much juniper-forward tastes you would enjoy. There's a cultural history of the drink, barware and glassware, various techniques (stirred, shaken, et al), and a whole pile of over 30 illustrated variations to try out. The martini is the consummate cocktail:  writers, actors, politicians. You could start with the Martinez from 1849, but it's a lot sweeter since it uses sweet vermouth. It's more like a gin Manhattan without the bourbon. The concluding section has a listing of appropriate snacks, an espresso martini, and a listing of global places to savour this drink.  Quality/Price Rating: 93.

 

* FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH! *

  ++++++++++++++++++++++

 

2.GASTRO OBSCURA; a food adventurer's guide (Workman Publishing, 2021, 440 pages, $55 hardbound) has been pulled together by a food crew headed by Cecily Wong and Dylan Thuras. It's part of the Atlas Obscura family, a firm which seeks out the weird/wonderful delights of the world. With Gastro Obscura, it is the weird/wonderful food and drink of the world. Not everything here is "edible" for humans, but it is food for other living things. Curious people can explore what food and drink reveal about the places where they're made and the people who make them. Typical are a beer made from fog in Chile, threads of God in Sardinian pasta, histories of food conventions such as the Roman fish sauce factories, rice puddings, tea-houses. The arrangement is by continent, with Europe up first. Canada gets 26 pages, sub-arranged (like the other countries) by regions. There are lots of cultural bits about the Atlantic provinces, such as rappie pie (NS), seal flipper pie (NL), screech and iceberg ice (NL),  cod tongues (NL) but only Thrills and bagged milk from Ontario. Illustrations include photos, food product adverts, action shots, and finished plates. This is a great reference book, created to be read over and over again. Hugely addictive. Quality/Price Rating: 94.

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

 

* MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS

  ++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

3.PORTUGUESE HOME COOKING (Interlink Books, 2021, 304 pages, $45 hardbound) is by Ana Patuleia Ortins, who has a degree in culinary arts and teaches Portuguese cooking. She's also written "Authentic Portuguese Cooking." She makes strong use of her family background from the Alto Alentejo region. In common with many cookbooks, it is arranged from soup to nuts, ending with material on wines and cocktails. And in common with many books in this Interlink series, it is loaded with photos of food and family. Typical pantry ingredients include onions, garlic, tomatoes, paprika, bay leaves, red pepper paste, cumin, chili peppers, cilantro, olive oil, vinegar and wine. Just add meat and veggies and fruit, and then choose a cooking method  (braise, saute, roast, etc.). It is not really that simple, but then it is home cooking without the molecular work, the sous vide, and other typical restaurant procedures. Her petiscos (little dishes) are smaller versions of mains: chicken pies, clams cataplana, fireman's linguica, fresh cheese, salt cod cakes, shrimp rissoles, graciosa-style tortas. Her family's region is well-known for wheat, olives, pork, wine and a cork industry. Quality/Price Rating: 91

 

 

4.MACEDONIA: THE COOKBOOK; recipes and stories from the Balkans (Interlink Books, 2021, 272 pages, $45 hardbound) is by Katerina Nitsou, who grew up in a large Macedonian-Canadian community in Toronto before moving on to Le Cordon Bleu, the LA Times Test Kitchen, catering and private chef in California – and subsequently living in Australia. It's a great little book in the renowned Interlink series of regional cuisines. Macedonian food has been described as a rich mosaic of influences fro, Middle East and Mediterranean foods, tempered by the rest of the Balkans. It's arranged by course, and each of the 100 preps has both an English and a Macedonian name. First up are the small plates of mezze, then salata, supa, meso (meats), zhivina (poultry), riba (fish), zelenchuk (veggies), leb (breads), slatko (sweets, and zimnica (preserves). There are descriptive notes, culture, stories, memoirs, and many photographs. Typical dishes include leek crepes (palachinki so praz), lekja supa, pilinja pecheni (braised quail), and kozinak (Easter bread). Quality/Price Rating: 92

 

 

5.GRIST; a practical guide to cooking grains, beans, seeds, and legumes (Chronicle Books, 2021, 448 pages, $50 hardbound) is by Abra Berens, a Michigan-based chef, author (her "Ruffage" was a Beard Nominee), and former farmer. So she's travelled from grower to eater, and is connecting more people to the source of their foods. She's got more than 80 recipes for 28 different types of grains, legumes and seeds, and more than 160 variations, and more than 55 recipes for condiments of sauces, dressings, and pantry items that can mix-and-match multiple flavours. These are all basic preps, with at least three variations for each recipe that are useful for substitutions, seasonal produce, or whatever is at hand. Everything here can be considered a go-to dish. It's a marvelous reference book with international global scope in preps and flavours. Indeed, she "promises" a week's worth of lentils without any boredom. She details creating a myriad of fresh bean salads. The book is nicely illustrated with photography, line drawings, stories about the grains, and more stories about farmers who produce them.

She's added a glossary of terms, a list of sources, a vegetable cheat sheet, and good common sense. Quality/Price rating: 92

 

 

6.BARE MINIMUM DINNERS; recipes and strategies for doing less in the kitchen (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2021, 232 pages, ISBN 978-0-358-43471-9, $27.99 paperbound) is by Jenna Helwig, food director at "Real Simple" magazine and the author of four previous cookbooks. This is a useful entry in the "quick & easy" cookbook field, with the emphasis on 30 minutes of less. Fewer ingredients means less cleanup, and we are all for that. If you have a good set-up, pantry and a mise en place (along with some notable short cuts), it is all amazingly successful – night after night. Lots of salads and meatless cooked dishes can cut times. She opens with the set-up: equipment, pantry, dried herbs and spices, freezer, best ingredients, handling food waste, and meal planning. The "best ingredients" descriptions cover the foods that are used over and over again: grated parmesan cheese (and other cheeses), tomato paste, hot sauce, red peppers, olive oil, cabbage, scallions, cherry tomatoes, yogurt. She's divided all the preps into minimum time (under 30 minutes), minimum ingredients (seven or fewer), single pots and pans, slow cookers, and easy sides.

Audience and level of use: harried parents.

Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: quinoa pilaff, quick cukes, savory fruit salad, sesame-soy cauliflower rice, shrimp boil.

The downside to this book: preparations have their ingredients listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents.

The upside to this book: excellent presentation.

Quality/Price Rating: 89

 

 

7.THE MODERN PRESERVER'S KITCHEN; cooking with jam, chutney, pickles and ferments (Hardie Grant Quadrille, 2021, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-78713-538-3, $47 hardbound) is by Kylee Newton, a New Zealander living in London with her own preserver company (Newton & Pott) which specializes in small batch production and sells to high end UK stores. She covers both sweets and savouries, with excellent photography and layout. In addition to the basics of preserving she's got 70 mains in which to use them. Typical are pickled pea frittata, breakfast kimchi eggs, smoked chicken liver pate with blackberry and apple chutney and toasted brioche, and some peach and mint jam mini-galettes. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, and just about everything is scaled. Quality/Price Rating: 90.

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

 

* THE RESTAURANT/CELEBRITY COOKBOOK...

  +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

...is one of the hottest trends in cookbooks. Actually, they've been around for many years, but never in such proliferation. They are automatic best sellers, since the book can be flogged at the restaurant or TV show and since the chef ends up being a celebrity somewhere, doing guest cooking or catering or even turning up on the Food Network. Most of these books will certainly appeal to fans of the chef and/or the restaurant and/or the media personality. Many of the recipes in these books actually come off the menus of the restaurants involved. Occasionally, there will be, in these books, special notes or preps, or recipes for items no longer on the menu. Stories or anecdotes will be related to the history of a dish. But because most of these books are American, they use only US volume measurements for the ingredients; sometimes there is a table of metric equivalents, but more often there is not. I'll try to point this out. The usual shtick is "favourite recipes made easy for everyday cooks". There is also PR copy on "demystifying ethnic ingredients". PR bumpf also includes much use of the magic phrase "mouth-watering recipes" as if that is what it takes to sell such a book. I keep hearing from readers, users, and other food writers that some restaurant recipes (not necessarily from these books) don't seem to work at home, but how could that be? The books all claim to be kitchen tested for the home, and many books identify the food researcher by name. Most books are loaded with tips, techniques, and advice, as well as gregarious stories about life in the restaurant world. Photos abound, usually of the chef bounding about. The celebrity books, with well-known chefs or entertainers, seem to have too much self-involvement and ego. And, of course, there are a lot of food photo shots, verging on gastroporn. There are endorsements from other celebrities in magnificent cases of logrolling. If resources are cited, they are usually American mail order firms, with websites. Some companies, though, will ship around the world, so don't ignore them altogether. Here's a rundown on the latest crop of such books –

 

 

8.ALL DAY BAKING; savoury, not sweet (Hardie Grant Quadrille, 2021, 224 pages, ISBN 978-174379699-3, $35 USD hardbound) is by Michael James with Pippa James.  They had opened Tivoli Road Bakery in Melbourne, and in 2019 set up another bakery at a dairy farm while acting as a consultant and giving baking classes. It comes heavily endowed with no fewer than 11 logrollers. They cover the savoury-salty side of pastry, with pies, sausage rolls, pasties, loaves, tarts, breakfast rolls, quiches, galettes, and others. They've got the basic primer and the pantry, finishing with the techniques. Try the ham and cheese palmiers or the kimchi and cheddar puff pastry tarts. There is also pumpkin and blue cheese galettes, butter chicken pie, Thai green curry sausage rolls and fish pie. They have vegan and gluten-free options, and variations for wholemeal and rye flour. The book is arranged by course or time of day from brekkies onwards. All preps are scaled and there is both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Quality/Price rating: 90.

 

 

 

9.NATURALLY, DELICIOUS DINNERS (Gibbs Smith, 2021, 224 pages, ISBN 968-1-4236-5826-9, $40 hardbound) is by Danny Seo. It's his third cookbook, also developing from his NBC show, "Naturally, Danny Seo". It is all about sustainability and naturalness in cooking.  He has a great, relaxing style of discourse. He's starts with some good ideas for breads, biscuits, pizza, straws, dinner rolls, scones, spelt breads, skillet breads, flatbreads, crostata. This is followed by veggies, salads, soups, pastas, one pot dinners, and desserts. For something different, try the pomegranate-citus aquafaba pavlova. The book could have been improved if it had also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88.

 

 

 

* THE REISSUES, THE REPRINTS, AND THE NEWER EDITIONS...

  ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

...all reflect a boom in the cookbook publishing business. A paperback reprint will lower the cost to the purchaser, and also give a publisher a chance to correct egregious errors or add a postscript. Some will reissue a book in paper covers with a new layout or photos. Others will rearrange existing material to present it as more informative text while keeping the focus tight. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an "easy" format. Here are some recent "re-editions"...

 

 

10.BEST AMERICAN FOOD WRITING 2021 (HarperCollins, 2021, 217 pages, $24.99 papercovers) has been edited by Gabrielle Hamilton and Silvia Killingsworth. It's one of a "The Best American Series" of writings. (travel, mystery, science, et al). The scope is USA only, although the topics can be universal or at least global. As is common with all of these annual series, the date on the cover is the year after the writings, so the material here was actually published in 2020. The series began in 2018 (covering 2017) and edited by Ruth Reichl. There are 24 essays here, reprinted primarily from periodicals that published in 2017. Topics include pandemic effects on food industry,  (restaurants, grocery stores, shelters), being quarantined with a Michelin-starred chef boyfriend, fundraising, et al. Contributors include Bill Buford, Priya Krishna, Jonathan Kauffman and Amy Irvine. What I like about it is that there are several pages at the back listing "other notable food writing", so you can actually track the writings down via a public library or the Internet. Quality/Price Rating: 89.

 

 

11.FIRESIDE FOOD FOR COLD WINTER NIGHTS (Ryland Peters & Small, 2015, 2021, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-277-6, $24.99 US hard covers) is by Lizzie Kamenetzky, a UK food stylist and food editor who is now freelance in the culinary field. It was originally published in 2015 as WINTER CABIN COOKING. This revised edition has 75 preps of substantial food, particularly stuff that can be done by guys: gluhwein, fondue, strudels, dumplings all come to mind. Preps can be left to simmer or bake, and can also keep the cabin warm. I did not see anything specifically meant for a fireplace such as a wiener or marshmallow roast, but there are stews and soups that can be made in the dying embers, with a pot of course. The chapters are arranged by type, with dumplings and noodles, soups and stews, cheese, brunch and small plates, meats, desserts, and of course drinks such as hot toddies. Very Teutonic, to go with the Alps. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents to handle the American expressions of volume (e.g., teaspoons). A good book for skiers, chalet lovers, winter freaks. Some interesting recipes: parmesan and ricotta cheesecake; brisolee; Tiroler grostl; poached salmon with green mayonnaise; rosti; schnitzel with warm potato salad; cassoulet.  Quality/Price Rating: 88.

----------------------------------------------------

You get old and you realize there are no answers -- just stories.
Chimo! www.deantudor.com

My awesome wine and dine with Chateau des Charmes wines and Hooked fish !!

Fall/Winter Menu from Hooked (with an orange-polenta-almond cake dessert and Chateau des Charmes Riesling Icewine)

 

Atlantic Halibut Crudo

with preserved lemon, arbequina olives, spiced candied sunflower seeds

 

Winter Ribollita

bay scallops, Selva shrimp, Atlantic clams

with cavolo nero, tomato, cannellini beans

 

paired with

 

-Chateau des Charmes Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine Methode Traditionnelle 2017 VQA Niagara on the Lake, $34.95 +423111 Vintages [also at winery and online]: one of Ontario's top-rated MT sparklers, nicely aged at four years. 100% chardonnay. Bottle aged on the lees for at least 2 years, with orchard fruit notes, some buttercream, citrus aromas, fresh bread, excellent mousse. Vintage dated from the 2017 harvest. 1.35g/L residual sugar. 12.7% ABV. 550 cases produced. The wine is still young and could use food pairing (such as seafood such as Atlantic halibut crudo) or more time for resolution. We had it on its own and with the Hooked menu. Quality/Price rating is 93 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

and with the ribollita

 

-Chateau des Charmes Gewurztraminer 2018 St.David's Bench VQA, $21.95 Vintages +453472 (also at winery and online): from older vines (22 years) in the St. David's Bench vineyards, done up in stainless steel. Alsatian in style, with concentrated fruit, off-dry on the mid-palate, spicy with a tad of bitter on the finish, great with Asiatic foods or any spicy foods. We had it with Tuscan Seafood Ribollita from Hooked. But also  wonderful as a sipper/aperitif by the deck/patio/pool/terrace/balcony. Cork finish, and it should improve over the next five years. 6 gm/L residual sugar. 12.6% ABV. 229 cases produced. Quality/price rating 91 points by Dean Tudor.

 

Chimo! www.deantudor.com

WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for NOVEMBER 13, 2021

WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES:  under/over $20 for NOVEMBER 13, 2021

By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at http://www.deantudor.com since 1994.

These notes for good wines available through  LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis)  can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca  or at  http://www.deantudor.com No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication.

Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price).

Currently, the wine media have no access to the tasting samples usually provided to us in the LCBO lab on a fortnightly basis. This will go on or some time. HOWEVER,  the wine media will still have access to the advance spreadsheet of the wines to be released. So I know what is to be released and when. SOME (but not many) of these 100 or so biweekly released wines I have recently tasted since January 2020 or so, and I can comfortably recommend them based on this prior sampling.
 
** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Fortnight ---

REPORT FROM DRINK CHILE WINE EXPO 2021 CANADA

The Date and Time: Wednesday November 3, 2021   11AM – 1PM – 3PM - 5PM
The Event: Drink Chile Wine Expo 2021 Canada, Toronto Trade Show
The Venue: Arcadian Lofts
The Target Audience: wine media, agents, sommeliers
The Availability/Catalogue: It was a mix of wines already at the LCBO, or coming to the LCBO, and some "maybes". 17 wineries were at the show, with over 100 wines total. The catalogue was typical, with lots of text on the various grapes and appellation valleys. The wines were sorted by wineries, about 4 – 6 each, with a brief description but no prices.
The Quote/Background: There was a masterclass but I decided not to attend. In the organization of the event, we were all seated six feet apart with no masks, while our masked servers and winery principals asked us what we wanted and then delivered it.
The Wines: Very few of the principals had order forms with Ontario prices, but I did manage to nab a few quotes. There was a mix of wines already at the LCBO and others in transit or here on spec. I did not taste every wine.

**** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Vina Arboleda Cabernet Sauvignon Aconcagua 2019
-Aresti Trisquel Series Vichuquen Costa Chardonnay Curico Valley 2020 $24.95           
-Vina Chocalan Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley 2019, $15.99 retail Cons. STEM
-Cono Sur 20 Barrels Chardonnay Casablanca 2019
-Cono Sur Sparkling Rose Pinot Noir Bio Bio    
-Vina Errazuriz Villa Don Maximiano 2017 Aconcagua
-Vina Errazuriz Don Maximiano 2017 Aconcagua
-Vina Errazuriz Don Maximiano 2018 Aconcagua
-Vina Errazuriz Don Maximiano 2012 Aconcagua
-Garces Silva Family Boya Sauvignon Blanc Leyda 2020
-Garces Silva Family Catalino Pais Cauquenes-Conde de Maule 2019
-Montes Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva Colchagua 2020
-Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua 2019
-Vina Perez Cruz Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva Maipo Andes 2019
-Vina Perez Cruz Cabernet Sauvignon Limited Edition Maipo Andes 2019
-Vina Santa Carolina Gran Reserva Chardonnay Itata 2018
-Vina Santa Carolina Reserva de Familia Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo 2018
-Siegel Family Unique Selection Colchagua 2018
-Siegel Family 1234 Red Blend Colchagua 2019

***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Vina Arboleda Chardonnay Aconcagua Costa 2019
-Aresti Trisquel Gran Reserva Sauvignon Blanc Leyda Valley 2020 $19.95
-Aresti Trisquel Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley 2019 $19.95
-Aresti Trisquel Gran Reserva Carmenere Curico Valley 2019 $19.95
-Vina Chocalan Reserva Chardonnay Maipo Valley 2019 $15.99 retail Consignment STEM
-Vina Chocalan Gran Reserva Origen Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley 2018 $19.99 +21467V
-Cono Sur Organic Chardonnay San Antonio 2021
-Cono Sur Bicicleta Rose Pinot Noir
-Garces Silva Family Amayna Sauvignon Blanc Leyda 2020
-Garces Silva Family Boya Pinot Noir Leyda 2019
-Garces Silva Family Boya Rose Pinot Noir – Garnacha Leyda 2020
-Miguel Torres La Mulas Cabernet Sauvignon Central Valley 2021
-Miguel Torres Andiva Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon Itata 2019
-Miguel Torres Cordillera Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo 2019
-Montes Alpha Chardonnay Sauvignon Aconcagua Costa 2019
-Vina Santa Carolina Reserva Chardonnay Casablanca  2020
-Siegel Family Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua 2018
-Siegel Family Gran Reserva Sauvignon Blanc Leyda 2021
-Siegel Family Gran Reserva Viognier Colchagua 2021

The Food: mine was a Bento box of creamy cheese, sliced strawberries, grapes, crostini, and water biscuits. Just right, and just enough. We ate while we tasted.
The Downside: we were asked to get there early for check-in, but almost nobody was there except check-in staff. We still had to wait until 11AM to gain admission to the show, which started late. I managed to get a catalogue so I could at least check off what I wanted to taste while waiting for the trade show to start.
The Upside: sitting down and tasting and comparing wines at my leisure. Let's have more of this!! It was very much like being a wine judge...
The Contact Person: lisa@androscom.com
The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 91.

** Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO's Limited Time Offers selections (Vintages Essential)...these  are good value...on sale  from Nov 13 through Sunday Nov 28...
 
[red] M. CHAPOUTIER LES VIGNES DE BILA-HAUT CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON-VILLAGES
AC, Midi, +168716 (XD) 750 mL $15.95 regular NOW $13.95 Save $2.00 through Nov 28
[white] HIDDEN BENCH ESTATE CHARDONNAY VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment,
+68817 (XD) 750 mL regular $29.95 NOW $27.95 Save $2.00 through Nov 28
[fizz] LAURENT-PERRIER CUVÉE BRUT ROSÉ CHAMPAGNE AC, Champagne +158550 (D) 750 mL $102.95 regular NOW $92.95 Save $10.00 through Nov 28
[splurge] STERLING NAPA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON Napa Valley +314575 (D) 750 mL $44.95 regular NOW $39.95 Save $5.00 through  Nov 28

Wines Under $20
=========
W+328559    CATHEDRAL CELLAR CHARDONNAY  Western Cape 2020 $17.95  MVC/QPR:  90
W+471284    CURVOS LOUREIRO    DOC Vinho Verde    2020    $13.95    MVC/QPR: 89
R+516765    JEAN-PIERRE MOUEIX BORDEAUX    AC, France    2016    $17.95    MVC/QPR: 89
R+17232    CHOMBART & SPECK CAVE MYSTÈRE MERLOT    AC Bordeaux    2018    $19.95 MVC/QPR:  90

Wines Over $20
=========
W+149302    FEATHERSTONE CANADIAN OAK CHARDONNAY    VQA Niagara Peninsula    2019    $22.95     MVC/QPR: 91.
W+142240    LOIMER GRÜNER VELTLINER    DAC Kamptal    2019    $22.95  MVC/QPR: 89
R+21812    POÇAS RESERVA RED    DOP Douro    2016    $29.95 MVC/QPR: 89
R+172692    VINOSIA SANTANDREA TAURASI    DOCG    2014    $27.95    MVC/QPR: 89.
R+155408    MARCHESI DI BAROLO BARBARESCO DOCG 2017    $39.95     MVC/QPR: 89
R+922054    TENUTE SILVIO NARDI BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO DOCG 2015 $52.95 MVC/QPR: 89.
R+13421    HENRY OF PELHAM LOST BOYS LIMITED EDITION BIN 106 BACO NOIR    Sustainable, VQA Ontario    2020    $34.95 MVC/QPR:  89
Fizz+234161    JACKSON-TRIGGS ENTOURAGE GRAND RESERVE BRUT SPARKLING    Traditional method, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario    2016    $29.95      MVC/QPR:  92.
Port+21813    POÇAS COLHEITA PORT    Aged in cask, DOC, Portugal    2008 $36.95    MVC/QPR: 89

* MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS --

* MORE FOOD AND DRINK BOOKS

  ++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

3.NO RECIPE? NO PROBLEM! How to pull together tasty meals without a recipe (Storey Publishing, 2021, 352 pages, ISBN 978-1-63586-258=4, $19.95 US paper covers) is by the remarkable Phyllis Good, creator of the "Fix-It and Forget-It" cookbook series. She is reputed to have about 15 million copies of her books in print. The name of the game here is "freestyle cooking": no net, no measurements – just instinct. She's got 250 tried -and-true tips and tricks, largely for reassurance. It is all based on three major questions: what am I hungry for? What do I have on hand? How much time do I have? But of course, the first thing is: you've got to know the elemental techniques of cooking. There's a lot of experimenting and improvisation here, plus substitution and watchfulness. The basis of freestyle cooking is to do the recipe as written ONCE, and then do it again from memory. And then do it again with substitutes or additional foods.  Hey, it's easy. It works: keep it all simple, flexible, organized, and don't get frightened. There's a lot of material here dealing with equipment and food longevity. It's worth it. It's just too bad that the book arrived near the end of the current pandemic...but we'll all be prepared for the next one. All of the recipes are basically just techniques, with no measurements. Quality/Price Rating: 90.

 

 

 

4.APRES ALL DAY; 65 cozy recipes to share with family and friends (Chronicle Books, 2021, 224 pages, $39.95 hard covers) is by Kelley Epstein, a personal chef and food blogger (Mountain Mama Cooks) in Utah who's been cooking for local families, Sundance Film Festival-goers, and seasonal visitors for about 15 years. Here she gives us info about cooking through the winter months where all one does is eat-ski-sleep-repeat (except for the cook). Everything here is perfect for mountain living. The chapters are divided into time periods: morning apres, midday apres, slope-side apres, happy hour apres, family-style apres, apres the apres, and thirsty apres. Kelley makes her own trail mix, which is basically nut-filled pretzels, walnuts and almonds, dried cherries and other fruit, and chocolate. She's got a list of high-altitude baking resources plus places to buy food and/or consume food. Very convenient for the upcoming winter. Quality/Price Rating: 89.

 

 

 

5.MY PLACE AT THE TABLE; a recipe for a delicious life in Paris (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2021, 239 pages, $39 hardbound) is by Alexander Lobrano, a food and travel writer (articles and books) now living in Paris and the South of France. The subtext is "how does a timid boy from the suburbs of Connecticut become one of the most influential dining critics in France?"  He's also met enough high flying performers along the way to get a considerable number of log rollers: Ruth Reichl, Bill Buford, Alice Waters, Devil Lebovitz, Alain Ducasse, He's adept at shaking up the bistro scene, commenting on exciting new dishes made with international ingredients. At the end, he's got 15 pages devoted to his fave 30 hangouts in Paris, ranging from simple through complex (and priced accordingly). His memoir is absorbing and well-worth reading, although it lacks an index to tie it all together. Quality/Price Rating: 88.

 

 

 

6.CLASSIC COCKTAILS; the very best martinis, margaritas, manhattans, and more (Artisan, 2021, 112 pages, $14.95 hardbound) is by Nick Mautone. It's a utilitarian guide to the 40 most popular and iconic cocktails. These are the basics, suitable for all levels in its conciseness. The primer has opening notes on the right tools and the right techniques, followed by a series of drinks based on the type of alcohol, from gin through vodka, whiskey, rum, tequila, brandy [just two: sidecar and alexander] , and wine (including sparkling wine). 'Nuff said. Quality/Price Rating: 90.

 

 

 

7.CYPRUS CUISINE (Whitecap, 2021, 274 pages, $34.95 papercovers) is by Christina Loucas, a Victoria BC-based creator of Afrodite's Kitchen, a website devoted to Cypriot food. It was originally published in 2016 in Italian, and here it is translated into English. It is a very good well-researched summary of Cypriot food: she's got 80 detailed recipes that range from classic to contemporary. Food in Cyprus has been heavily influenced by the spice trade and its location in the Mediterranean near the Middle East. It's part memoir, part travel guide, and part cookbook like so many other regional cookbooks. She has the basic history of food in Cyprus, the larder/pantry needed to maintain a kitchen, some drinks (tea, lemonades, coffee), and then moves on to breads and pastries such as halloumi mint scones, tsoureki (Easter orange bread), kattimeri (crepes), and koulouria (sesame bread rings). Next up in the meal are soups, salads, small bites, mains, condimenti, cakes and sweets. Her book also concludes with some suggested dinner menus for 2, 4 or 6 persons, followed by a listing and description of local markets in Limassol and Nicosia. It is a bright book, loaded with exceptional closeups of finished plates. Quality/Price Rating: 90.

 

 

8.SUMMER; a cookbook (Artisan, 2021, 234 pages, ISBN 978-1-57965-946-2 $24.95 hardcovers) is by the team of Marnie Hanel and Jen Stevenson, authors of such outdoor cookbooks as The Campout Cookbook and The Picnic (the latter a 2016 IACP award winner). Both are food writers living in Portland, Oregon. The book is meant for lazy days and magical nights. The key to success here is careful planning: the minimum is to make sure that you have everything yopu need before the expedition begins. Of course, if your cottage or whatever is right on the water or beach, then it is "no problem". Chapter one  covers from the beach bag to bonfire, with thirty pages of organizing. The balance of the book is fairly straightforward in its arrangement, from "beach bites" through sides, salads, mains, desserts, and beverages. And with nifty little watercolours by Emily Isabella. Typical preps include grilled oysters with miso-scallion butter, tarragon crab salad on watermelon, and raspberry-rose water pool float doughnuts. Great fun, from a simple breakfast to a firepit. Seven menus are suggested, including a brunch, a clambake, and a paella party. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements, but there is no table of metric equivalents (needed here in the case of US volume measurements). Quality/Price Rating: 89.

 

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Chimo! www.deantudor.com

FOOD BOOK OF THE MONTH -- Grist, by Abra Berens (Chronicle Books)

 

1.GRIST; a practical guide to cooking grains, beans, seeds, and legumes (Chronicle Books, 2021, 448 pages, $50 hardbound) is by Abra Berens, a Michigan-based chef, author (her "Ruffage" was a Beard Nominee), and former farmer. So she's travelled from grower to eater, and is connecting more people to the source of their foods. She's got more than 80 recipes for 28 different types of grains, legumes and seeds, and more than 160 variations, and more than 55 recipes for condiments of sauces, dressings, and pantry items that can mix-and-match multiple flavours. These are all basic preps, with at least three variations for each recipe that are useful for substitutions, seasonal produce, or whatever is at hand. Everything here can be considered a go-to dish. It's a marvellous reference book with international global scope in preps and flavours. Indeed, she "promises" a week's worth of lentils without any boredom. She details creating a myriad of fresh bean salads. The book is nicely illustrated with photography, line drawings, stories about the grains, and more stories about farmers who produce them.  She's added a glossary of terms, a list of sources, a vegetable cheat sheet, and good common sense. Quality/Price rating: 94.

 

Chimo! www.deantudor.com