What can we look forward to in March this year? Well, let’s see, there is International Women’s Day on 8 March; setting the clocks forward for Daylight Savings time on 12 March; St. Patrick’s Day on 17 March; the Full Moon on 25 March. So what kinds of alcoholic beverages can we celebrate with as […]
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When you picture a romantic dinner date, what comes to mind… a candlelit dinner, roses, chocolate, slow music, some red wine? Red wine is often associated with Valentine’s Day, so let’s explore some good food pairings that you can celebrate with this year, whether on a first date or over a meal with that special […]
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This is the latest craze in the wine world. I will concentrate on just a few Orange wines from Ontario, B.C., France and Spain. We just returned from a long weekend in Niagara-on-the Lake staying at a beautiful and relaxing B&B. Our first stop was to say hello to the Winemaker, Ann Sperling, but we […]
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This month I thought I would break the seasonal rules and write about one of the oldest and most widely planted grapes that many don’t realize is found in many wines from many countries. In France it is called Grenache; in Spain, Garnacha. When you drink wine blends from Cotes du Rhone and Chateauneuf du […]
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In September, we toured the wineries and distilleries of Bordeaux. In last month’s edition I talked about the luscious sweet wines of Sauternes in the Sauternais region of Bordeaux located south of Bordeaux near the town of Langon on the Garonne river. Our excursion took us about an hour east of Bordeaux on the Right […]
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Penny, Canadian — Passed away peacefully on Feb. 4, 2013, when the Royal Canadian Mint stopped distributing the copper-coloured coin (which was actually zinc coated). From May 2006 to October 2008, all circulation Canadian pennies from 1942 to 1996 had a melt value of over $0.02 CAD based on the increasing spot price of copper in […]
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In early May I spent a week in Phoenix, Arizona, to see that part of the American Southwest. The Sedona Desert near Scottsdale just north of Phoenix was spectacular with all the spring flowers and colours and seeing the famous big Saguaro cactus in full bloom (their State flower) was quite special. The day drive […]
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Rob and Laura Bradley are the founders of King’s Lock Craft Distillery, named after King’s Lock built near the rapids at Johnstown enabling early travel along the St Lawrence. They are located in Johnstown near Prescott and Fort Wellington just along the river from the Battle of the Windmill historic site at a narrow stretch […]
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Brian Preston – The Travelling Sommelier brianpreston@hotmail.com Blue Gypsy Wines of Oxford Mills in Eastern Ontario, south of Ottawa, is owned and operated by Louis Gaal and his wife Claire Faguy. Louis went from being a management consultant in Manhattan, New York, to being a farmer here in Eastern Ontario. He still provides consulting services to […]
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Brian Preston – The Travelling Sommelier brianpreston@hotmail.com If you are ever over at Mountain just east of Kemptville, you have to stop in at Smokie Ridge Vineyard and winery established in 2007 where Paul ‘Smokie’ Leblanc, his wife Debbie and their family, grow cold hearty hybrid grape varietals and make a wonderful range of wines. I […]
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Brian Preston – The Travelling Sommelier brianpreston@hotmail.com No this is not a story about the spirits that roam the famous, or should I say infamous, Aokigahara, a forest northwest of majestic Mount Fuji so thick with foliage that it’s known as the Sea of Trees and famous as a place where Japanese will go to commit […]
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Brian Preston – The Travelling Sommelier brianpreston@hotmail.com Dr. Warren Hollis and his wife Dr. Elaine Chagnon operate the Perth Family Health Centre. Along with healthy living and chiropractic care, they have another dream which is beginning to come true. For full details see another article in this issue by my colleague Sally Smith. What I want […]
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Brian Preston – The Travelling Sommelier brianpreston@hotmail.com The digestif was created for precisely what it sounds like – to aid digestion. One key difference between aperitifs and digestifs is that while dry and bitter helps create an appetite, a little bit of sweetness helps end the meal. Sipping on a vintage Port from Portugal or […]
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Brian Preston The Travelling Sommelier, Portland, ON How often do we prefer to have a cool beer instead of wine to accompany certain foods, which frankly, go better with beer? These include many cheeses and very spicy foods where the wines would be blown away and the tannin and acid levels conflict rather than complement […]
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Brian Preston brianpreston@hotmail.com Canadians Peter Gamble and Ann Sperling are more than your average ‘flying winemakers,’ they’re also a super-duo of our local wine scene. Wine Access magazine has referred to them as “the power couple of Canadian winemaking.” They both have a great respect for viticulture and distinctive terroirs, and they like to spend […]
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Brian Preston The Travelling Sommelier brianpreston@hotmail.com In my October column, I talked about dealcoholized wine and described a couple of the methods used to extract alcohol from wine. These same methods apply to beer. Non-alcoholic beer (or NA beer, as it’s sometimes called) starts its life as a normal beer. In fact it goes through […]
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Brian Preston Bells Corners in Nepean has a relatively new craft brewery operating at 14 Bexley Place called Whiprsnapr Brewing Co (www.whiprsnaprbrewingco.com) It’s fourth anniversary will be on Devil’s Eve (Halloween) this year. Cody Howard, son of one of the owners (Ian McMartin, Mike Feagan and Dave Woward) gave us a wonderful tour and tasting […]
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Brian Preston, The Travelling Sommelier brianpreston@hotmail.com Ominous clouds filled the skies on Saturday, July 8 but ever the optimist I set off from Portland, Ont. with the top down for an hour’s road trip up to the Grand Opening of KIN Vineyards near Carp, Ont. There I was met by a couple of smiling young […]
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Brian Preston In this column we will cover spring and summer drinks, specifically Radlers and Rosés. In future columns, I will be covering a range of beers, wines and spirits that are locally available and as much as possible, locally produced. I intend to entertain and inform you each month, and aim to get you […]
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Craft breweries are popping up all over Ontario and the craft beer market is no longer the exclusive domain of the large metropolitan areas like Ottawa and Toronto. Smaller towns like Carleton Place, Smith Falls, Perth and now Almonte have their own local breweries. These are locally owned and operated by families and friends that […]
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When people talk about wines from the United States, California usually comes first to mind. A big bold Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley, a smooth buttery Chardonnay from the Russian River Valley or a dark jam flavoured Zinfandel from Paso Robles or Dry Creek Valley are certainly signature wines from these regions. Other appellations like […]
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Sometimes when I recommend a wine on my blog or in Hometown News, I get comments about the wines I selected. For example, someone might say “I liked that Rioja Reserva but it wasn’t as good as a California Cabernet Sauvignon I had last week.” That’s an interesting observation but I also think that it’s […]
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The partying is over, the leftovers are finished, your pants are fitting a little too snug these days and the bills are starting to arrive. Now you have to make good on those New Year’s Eve promises you made while the champagne was flowing. Maybe you’ll try to start that diet and exercise program you […]
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Evening strolls through Victoria Park often lead to a large stone adorned with a bronze marker laid in 1923. The marker reads “This swimming pool erected by the corporation and citizens of Smiths Falls under the auspices of the Rotary Club”. Antique postcards featuring beautiful images of the Rotary Pool are relatively common. An old […]
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The adolescent stage is between 13-19 years of age. They are filled with untapped potential, but the teenage years are often not seen as positive. It’s the stage of life where we are fraught with insecurity and self-doubt. The stage where we make mountains out of molehills. We sit around feeling isolated, lonely, and believing […]
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Agnes woke up in pitch black darkness—she was shivering uncontrollably and drenched in sweat. By morning she was coughing to the point of choking. The 60-year-old could no longer ignore the inevitable. Agnes picked up the telephone receiver and cranked the handle. “Operator, it’s Agnes Lamb, please connect me with 114,” she requested. This was […]
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On February 24th, 2023, the doors of The Tipped Ship on Main Street in Elgin will open to the public following a ribbon cutting ceremony at 11 am. All are welcome. In 1893, John R. Dargavel built and opened a general store on the main corner of Elgin. 130 years later, The Tipped Ship opens […]
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