BrewBakers Sommelier Corner

February 2012

2011 Norton Barrel Select Sauvignon Blanc Green apple and tropical fruit build on the nose as the taste of vanilla, coconut, toast and a smoky finish round out this French barrel aged, Argentinean sauvignon blanc. Try it with: Grilled Calamari $13     Glass/Verre: $7.5 - 1/2 litre: $23 - Bottle/ Bouteille: $36

2009 Norton Barrel Select Malbec Deep red and violet hues. Aromas of ripe red fruits, cassis and pepper. Sweet on the palate with friendly tannins and spicy notes. Very persistant finish. Try it with: Braised Short Rib $24       Glass/Verre: $7.5 - 1/2 litre: $23 - Bottle/ Bouteille: $36

Download the February Wine Feature PDF

Did you know?

• There are only 3 reasons to decant a wine.
  • To separate a wine from sediment (older wines)
  • To aerate a wine in order to increase its aromatics (younger wines)
  • Whenever a customer requests decanting.
• Most grapes have white/clear juice including ones used to make red wines. Red wines get their color from contact with red grape skins during the fermentation process.
• Pinot Gris is the same grape as Pinot Grigio and Syrah is the same as Shiraz. Exactly the same. However, when a wine is labeled as Pinot Gris in one market and the same wine is labeled Pinot Grigio in another market, the wine labeled Pinot Grigio will dramatically outsell the same wine labeled Pinot Gris. Go figure.
• Screw caps are without doubt a much better closure for wine than cork.
• Famous wine critics routinely give wines perfect scores after tasting them upon release (ex. Many expensive 2005 Bordeaux) but also indicate that the wines will be better some time in the future. How is this possible?
• The restaurant mark-up on wine is typically much less than the mark-up on food. If restaurants could buy wine from multiple suppliers, the mark-up on wine would probably be lower.
• Chianti, Valpolicella, Bordeaux, Rioja and Meritage are not grape varieties.
• You cannot smell sweetness as sugar is odorless. Remember this the next time you hear someone say “This wine smells sweet”
• Champagne is too expensive!
• Brewbakers offers themed wine tastings for groups of 10 or more for $25 per person (includes min. 6 wines)