Ode to Shiraz April 8, 2007

Oh Shiraz, how do I love thee, let me count the ways…

After attending Vancouver International Wine Festival this year where the featured wine was Riesling, I was a bit surprised to find that all my favourites were still…you guessed it, Shiraz. Not that the Riesling isn’t a lovely wine – crisp and fresh with those hints of kiwi and apple. Because it is! In fact on a hot summer’s day it ranks near the top of my list, particularly if it is a certain Dr. Loosen‘s 2005 Riesling in its delightfully blue bottle.

Its just that the Shiraz (Syrah in France) is so…perfect. And drinkable. Always delightful to the palate, it has a full bodied and powerful flavour often tasting of ripe juicy berries, and chocolate…earthy and complex. Its dark and mysterious flavours titillate, beg you to explore a little more.

Australia loves its Shiraz, hence its prevalence at the 2007 Vancouver wine festival. Some of my mentionables were:

• Hardy Wine Company – Oomoo Shiraz 2005, $21.99
• Peter Lehmann – Futures Barossa Shiraz 2003, $28.99
• Barossa Valley Estate – Ebenezer Shiraz 2002, $39.99
• Wolf Blass – Black Label Cabernet Shiraz 2003, coming in near the top of the price list at $89.99

And surprise surprise, Canada’s very own Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate Proprietor’s Grand Reserve Shiraz 2004 was voted the best Shiraz/Syrah at the 2006 International Wine and Spirits Competition (I.W.S.C.) in London…a first for a North American Shiraz at probably the most important event in the industry. And while it was unfortunately not at the festival this year, it is in the liquor store around the corner. Lucky me.

vodka flavored vodka April 3, 2007

Some of the best marketing I’ve seen in awhile comes from Reyka Vodka, Iceland’s first and only vodka.

“In Iceland we like to drink vodka, because we like the taste of vodka… some countries like to drink the flavored vodka, but here in Iceland, if you want the taste of banana, you just eat a banana. so the only flavored vodka we make, is vodka flavored vodka.”

There are three fantastic ads from Reyka currently posted on YouTube – the actress is awesome and the black and white animation is lovely and whimsical. One of the videos even includes a cartoon puffin humping the her leg – hilarious!

Via Notcot.

peroni is tasty April 2, 2007

Peroni is a light, crisp premium pilsner from Italy. Established in Vigevano Italy in 1846 by Fransico Peroni, the beer is still brewed in Italy to the original recipe from 1963. Also marketed as Nastro Azzurro, meaning Blue Ribbon in Italian, it fits right at home with other European lagers you’re probably already drinking.

If you like Stella Artois or Heineken, next time you’re out, give Peroni a try. It’s a nice, tasty easy drinking beer. The beer & wine store below my apartment usually has it in stock, making it, along with Mexico’s Negra Modelo, one of my standard purchases.

According to their slogan, Peroni is Italy’s #1 beer, but since it’s the only Italian beer I’ve ever seen on the shelf here in Canada, and because I spent my one visit to Italy savouring the country’s wonderful wines, I’ll just have to take Peroni’s word for it.

For more information on Peroni, check out their site (beware, it’s Flash-tastic!)