AND THE WINNER OF THE 'IS THAT SOH 2ND ANNUAL ROSÉ TASTING' IS....

Photo Credit: Valeriya Kobzar

Photo Credit: Valeriya Kobzar

You know spring is here when the days get longer, nights get hotter, and that all to familiar desire to drink rosé outside returns. You may remember last year, in preparation for National Rosé Day and with the onset of COVID, I conduct an at-home Rosé wine tasting with my family in the hopes of finding the best rosé wines of the season. Little did I know then that my family would enjoy participating in my rosé market research study so much, they would ask me to turn it into an annual event! So here we are, one year later with a new top 5 list of our favorite rosé wines that we recommend you try this spring and summer!

Things were done a little differently this year! Firstly, instead of tasting only 6 wines, we did 8 and we split the tasting over 2 evenings (4 wines per evening). I also decided to try a different selection of rosé wines this year which I randomly selected from the LCBO’s ‘Summer Rosé’ and ‘Vintages’ section. The respondents for this year’s annual rosé tasting also included more members of Adam’s family vs mine, however we maintained the same minimum of 6 respondents per day/tasting. Further, this year I covered the labels of the bottles and numbered them so as to not give away their origin, price, etc., and switched up the tasting order for each person as a way of removing further bias. Everyone was given 1-2 oz of each wine and asked to give a score from 1-10 along with tasting notes for each wine.

As for the tasting itself, it was done at the cottage this year, outside, before dinner under the glow of the afternoon sun. Our cottage neighbors joined in (socially distanced of course) on the 2nd night adding to the fun and excitement of the overall event. Everyone was in good spirits and excited to be socializing outdoors after a long winter and the dinner that followed on the first night was a delicious filet of salmon cooked in an Asian-inspired soy glaze - a perfect pairing and excuse to polish off any remaining bottles if you ask me!

Below are the results of this year's ‘Is That Soh 2nd Annual Rosé Tasting’! Cheers!


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THE BEST ROSÉ WINES IN RANKING ORDER

 

1st Place - Whitecliff Winemaker’s Selection Rosé

From Hawk’s Bay, New Zealand
$14.95 CAD at the LCBO

Whitecliff’s Winemakers Selection Rosé rose to the top as this year’s ‘favorite rosé’ with all but two giving it a super high score! It is a medium-bodied, dry rosé wine often described as fruity with berry undertones, smooth, refreshing, and easy to drink. This wine was by far my personal favorite as well and it came as no surprise to learn that it was from one of the best wine regions in the world, New Zealand!

Located in Hawk’s Bay, New Zealand, Whitecliff Wines was named after the majestic white river cliffs that bordered the original site of the family estate vineyards. Designed for everyday enjoyment, Whitecliff has created fruit-forward wines of purity and exceptional value for over 20 years, making them a favorite with wine lovers everywhere.

Perfect for an outdoor picnic, the Whitecliff Winemaker’s Selection Rosé features a pale salmon colour, vibrant aromas of strawberries, fresh cream, candy floss, and orange rind. In my opinion, it would pair well with seafood, a cheese charcuterie platter, or a summer salad. At the very reasonable price of $14.95, you can’t go wrong but to give this crowd pleaser a try!

 

2nd Place - L'Orangeraie Rose Pays

From the Pays d'Oc wine region in the South Of France
$11.90 CAD at the LCBO

Maison Lorgeril’s L’Orangeraie Rosé also performed really well with over half of the group giving it a high score! Many people described this rosé wine as dry, smooth, and refreshing with hints of citrus.

I was first introduced to L’Orangeraie last year by a friend and it quickly became one of my go-to’s. Not only is it delicious but at $12.00 a bottle, it is also super budget-friendly! I often would pick up a few bottles at a time and just keep them on hand to enjoy during afternoons at the cottage or during seafood dinners.

Salmon pink in colour L’Orangeraie is a blend of Shiraz/Syrah, Grenache, and Cinsault varietals, and features soft floral, raspberry, strawberry, and citrus aromas with a mineral note. It is a medium body French wine with dry; berry and citrus flavours. I also found it to have moderate acidity and a clean finish.

Maison Lorgeril was founded in 1620 in the South of France and is still to this day a family enterprise. Owner, Nicolas de Lorgeril is a tenth generation winemaker, who along with his wife Miren de Saint Chamas, utilizes the best terroirs in the Languedoc and Roussillon areas to grow varietals that yield French wines with gentle and smooth aromas.

 

3rd Place - La Fage Miraflors Rose

From Roussillon, France
$17.95 CAD at the LCBO

Another favorite from this year’s Rosé tasting was Domaine Lafage’s La Fage Miraflors Rose! Described as medium-bodied, dry, refreshing, and slightly acidic this rosé was well received by the majority but only received a top score from two respondents.

La Fage Miraflores is made from a blend of Mourvedre, Grenache Gris, and Grenache grapes, many of which are from old vines - some over 80 years old! Pale pink in colour this French wine features notes of strawberry and white peach that lend to its overall clean, crisp, and refreshing flavour.

For over two centuries the Lafage family have been winegrowers in the heart of Roussillon, the southernmost point of France. Today, the Domaine vineyards extend over 350 hectares across the whole of Roussillon, to the Pyrenean foothills of Aspres.

 

4th Place - Wayne Gretzky Rosé VQA

From Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario Canada
$16.95 CAD at the LCBO

Coming in 4th place this year was the locally produce Wayne Gretzky Rosé from Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario. Described as medium-bodied, semi dry, and fruity, this wine is a blend of 80% Pinot Noir, 17% Pinot Grigio, and 3% Gamay Noir, harvested from long-standing growers within the Niagara Peninsula.

Wayne Gretzky Estate Winery and Distillery expanded into a state-of-the-art facility in the heart of Niagara-On -the-Lake wine country in 2017 and today produces delicious, approachable wines, a line of spirits that include whiskies, muscat, and cream liqueur, as well as craft beer!

This delicate rosé has a strong salmon colour with aromas of peach, citrus, and strawberry that move to flavours of red berries, plum, and cherry the more you drink. It also has a slightly off-dry finish.

 

5th Place - Château de Berne Romance Rosé

From Provence, France
$17.00 CAD at the LCBO

To finish off our top 5 list we have the Chateau De Berne Romance Rosé which, although polarizing did well with most. Described as light, dry, and slightly acidic with hints of grapefruit this French rose wine is medium bodied and made mostly from locally sourced Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, and Merlot grapes.

Chateau de Berne crafts their Romance Rosé in the heart of Provence, the perfect climate for bearing wines with aromas and flavours of orchard fruit, red berries, and ripe peaches. Sheltered by acres of pine forests and lavender fields, Chateau de Berne grapes bask in over 3000 hours of sunshine a year and enjoy cooler Provence at nights - features of an ecosystem known for producing grapes that ripe slowly to produce perfect Provencal rosés bursting with flavour.

The Romance Rosé features silky texture and a dry finish. This dry rose wine would pair perfectly with spicy and/or acidic dishes like ceviche!


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I hope you enjoyed reading this blog post about the 2nd Annual ‘Is That Soh Rosé Tasting’ as much as my family and I did creating it. If you have any comments about rosé wine, french wine, or how to perform a wine tasting at home, please leave them below and I'll be happy to answer them as soon as I can! Cheers!


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ESPRESSO MARTINI'S - AN EASY COCKTAIL RECIPE FOR COFFEE LOVERS

Espresso Martini’s - An Easy Cocktail Recipe for Coffee Lovers

Last weekend my little at-home-bar got a BIG upgrade with the addition of a new Nespresso Vertuo Next Espresso Machine! I was so excited about my new addition that I couldn’t wait to shake up some coffee cocktails and since (N)espresso Martini are one of my all time faves, I thought I’d share a little tutorial with you!

Legend has it that the espresso martini originated in London, England when a young future supermodel walked into a famous Soho Brasserie in 1983 and asked bartender Dick Bradsell to make her something that would ‘wake her up and then fuck her up’. He mixed her a drink using vodka, coffee liqueur and a shot of espresso, and that is how the espresso martini came to be!

Today, espresso martini’s are very popular especially as a digestive after a big meal and although originally made with coffee liqueur, I have also seen menus showcasing espresso martini's with Baileys and even Tia Maria espresso martini’s! I prefer my espresso martini’s with Kahlua but no matter your preference, the steps are always the same so I thought I’d share this simple cocktail recipe with you along with a quick tutorial video I made below!

Enjoy!

* Please Note - Some links in this post may be affiliate links *

ESPRESSO MARTINI INGREDIENTS:

Makes 1 cocktail


3/4 oz of Espresso (I used my Nespresso Vertuo Next machine)
3/4 oz of Kahlua Coffee Liquor (you can also use Baileys or Tia Maria if you don’t have Kahlua or want to try something different)
1.5 oz of Vodka
Ice
A few whole coffee beans for garnish

You will also need a cocktail shaker and espresso martini glasses!


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HOW TO MAKE ESPRESSO MARTINI’S:


Making espresso martini’s is super easy!

First, add ice to a cocktail shaker followed by your espresso coffee, vodka, and liquor (Kahlua, Baileys or Tia Maria)

Place lid on cocktail shaker and shake well! The cocktail shaker should turn cold and the more you shake the thicker the foam will be for the cocktail!

Pour cocktail into a martini glass making sure to strain out the ice.

Garnish with a few whole coffee beans.


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I hope you enjoyed this espresso martini recipe as much as I do. If you have any comments please leave them below and I'll be happy to answer them as soon as I can! Happy bartending!!!


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THREE SKINNY COCKTAILS USING NUDE BEVERAGES VODKA SELTZER!

Happy Victoria Day long weekend to all my fellow Canadians!

To help you kick off this weekends celebrations, I wanted to share three skinny cocktail recipes using Nude Beverages Vodka Seltzer.

If you are not familiar with Nude Beverages they are hard seltzer company from Britsh Columbia, Canada that uses clean alcohol bases along with all-natural flavors. All Nude Hard Seltzer beveraegs have 100 calories and 0 carbs per serving. In addition to Nude Vodka Soda, they also offer Nude Tequila Soda and Nude Gin Soda however only the Nude Vodka Soda (which comes in three flavours, Peach, Raspberry Lemon, Classic Lime, and Black Cheery) is currently available at the LCBO in Ontario.

I have been having a lot of fun experimenting with all the different flavours and making delicious vodka seltzer cocktails so that I can share it with you including a nude ice tea! Which vodka seltzer skinny cocktail would you make?

* Please Note - Although the video below was sponsored, this post was not! *

INGREDIENTS:

Skinny Cucumber Basil Gimlet
2-3 Mini Cucumbers - Shaved
A handful of fresh basil
Lime Juice (1/2 oz Per cocktail)
Nude Vodka Soda in the flavor ‘Classic Lime’

Mix Berry & Mint Caipiroska

A mix of muddled berries (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries and raspberries
A handful of fresh mint
Lime Juice (1/2 oz Per cocktail)
Nude Vodka Soda in the flavor ‘Raspberry Lemon’
Whole strawberry for garnish

Twisted Georgia Peach UnSweetened Ice Tea

Ice Tea (brew the night before for maximum flavour)
Nude Vodka Soda in the flavor ‘Peach’
Slices of Peach for garnish


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DIRECTIONS:

Skinny Cucumber Basil Gimlet Vodka Seltzer Skinny Cocktail

Add cucumber shaves, torn up fresh basil and 1/2 oz of Lime Juice to your glass and muddle together.

Next, decorate the Glass with more cucumber shavings

Add Ice (i used crushed ice which I made by putting ice in a plastic ziplock bag and hitting it with a meat mallet!)

Top it off with Nude Hard Seltzer using the Nude Vodka Soda in the flavor ‘Classic Lime’

Garnish with Basil

Mix Berry & Mint Caipiroska Vodka Seltzer Skinny Cocktail

Add one or two spooms of your berry smash to a glass (I literally just muddled a few different kinds of berries together), followed by 1/2 an Oz of lime juice and a few sprigs of fresh mint. Muddle together.

Add ice (I used crushed ice which I made by putting ice in a plastic ziplock bag and hitting it with a meat mallet!)

Top it off with Nude Hard Seltzer using the Nude Vodka Soda in the flavor ‘Raspberry Lemon’

Garnish with a strawberry

Twisted Georgia Peach UnSweetened Ice Tean Vodka Seltzer Skinny Cocktail

Add Ice Tea (I brewed mine the night before for maximum flavour)!

Add ice

Top it off with Nude Hard Seltzer using the Nude Vodka Soda in the flavor ‘Peach’

Garnish with a slice of peach!


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I hope you enjoyed these three skinny cocktails using new beverages vodka seltzer as much as I do. If you have any comments about nude hard seltzer please leave them below and I'll be happy to answer them as soon as I can! Happy bartending!!!


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HOLIDAY POMEGRANATE-CRANBERRY MOJITO

I know it’s only November but I am already so excited for the upcoming holidays! One thing that I’m really looking forward to is being reunited with close family again and although I know this COVID Christmas will probably look completely different than previous years, I’m still looking forward to celebrating all that we have to be grateful for. To help you get in the festive mood I thought I’d share a recipe for a welcome cocktail you can serve at your family gathering to help kick off the celebrations. This cocktail uses seasonal favorites like pomegranate and cranberry and can easily be made into a mocktail for kids simply by removing the rum!

Enjoy!


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INGREDIENTS:

- Cranberry Sauce -
3 TBSP of Sugar
1/4 CUP of Water
1/2 CUP of Fresh Cranberries


- Cocktail -
Sugar for Rim
1 Slice of Lime
8 Mint Leaves
2 TBSP of Lime Juice
2 Oz of Pomegranate
2 Oz of White Rum
Splash of Canada Dry or Soda Water if you like it less sweet
Ice - as needed

- Garnish -
Mint Sprigs
Fresh Cranberries
Pomegranate Seeds
Lime Wheels




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DIRECTIONS:

Add cranberries, sugar and water to a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Once it starts to boil, reduce to low heat and allow to simmer for 5 minutes until cranberries start to open and a thick sauce starts to form. Set aside to cool

Use a lime wedge to wet the rim of your glass and use the sugar to create a rim.

Add mint leaves and lime juice to the glass and muddle for a minute to release the mint flavors.

Add ice followed by a dollop of the cranberry reduction, rum, and pomegranate juice.

Add a splash of ginger ale or soda water, give it a stir, garnish with your fav garnishes and serve!


I hope you enjoyed this recipe as much as I do. If you have any comments please leave them below and I'll be happy to answer them as soon as I can! Happy cooking!!!


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YES WAY ROSE! WHAT YOU SHOULD BE DRINKING THIS SPRING!

Finally, it started to feel like spring had arrived this past weekend in Ontario, and with it came old familiar memories of enjoying refreshing rosé in the sun.

Last weekend and in preparation for National Rosé Day, which is less than a month away, I decided to use my background in market research to conduct a rosé tasting at home with my family to see if we can find our ideal rosé for spring!

I had six participants, none of which were given the price, region, or any notable characteristics of the wine (other than being able to see the shape of the bottle/packaging) and were required to each taste the 6 bottles chosen for the study in a different order as a way of removing further bias.

As for the tasting, I planned it outside in the midst of the late afternoon sun, first just us three girls, then the boys joined in. Things got silly fast but we were celebrating the long weekend so nobody was holding back. Adam and I were in charge of cooking dinner that night so the scent of Piri piri chicken sizzling on the bbq floated in the background. Everyone was in good spirits. Not only was it nice to host a wine tasting at home for my family but it also made for quite the perfect evening! Salut!!


IN RANKING ORDER

Whistpering Angel.jpeg

Whispering Angel

From Provence, France
$28.95

Whispering Angel rose to the top as the house favorite with over half of the group picking it as their number 1 choice. It’s a delicious wine often described as refreshing and light, dry with a crisp, smooth finish that offers notes of both citrus and fruits. The fact that this rosé was a popular choice came as no surprise to me as the producer, Château d'Esclans is known for excellent rosé wines. Located in Provence, France, the château primarily grows Grenache and has vines as old as 90 years. Typically old Grenache vines produce grapes that offer a greater concentration of flavour than younger vines, so again it is no surprise that the majority picked Whispering Angel’s superior quality over the rest. Further, as it was the most expensive wine we included in the tasting, I would highly recommend purchasing this wine for a special occasion or as a host gift, as it is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser.

Studio.jpeg

Studio By Miraval

From France
$18.95

Studio By Miraval followed Whispering Angel with half putting it in their top first or second spot. The wine was described as semi-dry, super easy to drink, and silky on the tongue with a very clean finish. The little sister to the Perrin families more popular Miraval (Pitt/Jolie joint venture) Rosé Côtes de Provence, Studio Miraval comes in $5 cheaper than its older sister but still holds many of the same qualities associated with the brand. One person described the smell of the wine reminding them of running through a wildflower field in the heat of summer - quiet a picture it can paint if you ask me. Made with a combination of varietals including Cinsault, Grenache, Rolle, and Tibouren, the wine features delicate citrus and floral aromas accompanied by fresh berry fruit flavors. Price point wise, Studio by Miraval sits at the second most expensive wine in our tasting which would personally make it a contender for any dinners or get togethers that I will be hosting during the summer where I may want to get a little bougie.

Côte des Roses .jpeg

Gérard Bertrand Côte des Roses Rosé

From Midi, France
$16.95 (typically $18.95 but currently it is $2.00 off at LCBO)

Cote des Roses 2019 definitely yielded the most interesting results of our taste test because it seemed to be very polarizing. Those who loved it, really loved it (3 people put it as their 2nd place choice), while those who didn’t, gave it a very low ranking. A classic blend of Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah, Cote Des Roses also seemed to yield a mix of flavour profiles and was described as dry by some and semi-sweet by others. A few mentioned that it had notes of citrus while others described it as light and freshing. One thing for sure is that the bottle is eye-catching with a glass cork and many commented on its beautiful packaging. Personally, I have bought this wine and enjoyed it in the past but when compared next to the other wines in this taste test, even I was surprised to see how it dropped in the rankings to its peers.

La Vieille Ferme.jpeg

La Vieille Ferme Rose

From Rhône, France
$12.45

La Vieille Ferme, one of my go-to purchases for both price point and taste, performed well and the best out of the three wines under $15. It received a solid 3rd place score from half with an additional person actually ranking it as their number one choice. Also part of the Perrin family’s portfolio of wines, La Vieille Ferme is a blend of Cinsault, Grenache, and Syrah varietals, grown on the slopes of France's Mont Ventoux in Rhone, France. This strategic positioning of the vineyards provides cooler temperatures for their grapes to grow to allow them to ripen slowly which in turn produces stronger fruit flavours and wines with crisp notes of acidity. Pale pink in colour, this wine was described as dry, but sweeter than the more expensive wines we tried, with aromas of raspberry and strawberry. I would 100% purchase this wine again for the price point, and would be happy to serve it at a party if I had to supply a few bottles for guests.

Astric Melbec Rose.jpeg

Astica Malbec Rosé

From Mendoza, Argentina
$8.95

A new wine on my radar, Astica performed quiet well amongst the group, however it did not rank as well when compared to the other wines in the tasting. It’s not too often that I am drawn to a Malbec rosé but considering this one comes out of Mendoza, Argentina, where Malbec is king, I was quite taken aback by how much I liked it. Astica was described by many as semi-sweet with buttery fruit-forward flavours followed by a slight bite at the end. Produced by Grupo Peñaflor/Trapiche, one of the leading wine producers in Argentina, I would say Astica is quite delightful and worth a shot especially if you are price conscious.

Sandbanks.jpeg

Sandbanks Rosé VQA

From Ontario, Canada
$13.95

Sandbanks Rosé from Ontario unfortunately fell to the bottom of the ranking and was not favored by anybody. This was so sad for me being from Ontario, I would love to support more local wineries but this one just seemed to miss the mark. Although it did not rank well when compared to the others, a few people did have some nice things to say about it like that it was fruit-forward in flavour and had notes of granny smith apples. I likely would not purchase this wine again nor would I recommend it to anyone else but it did, however, inspire me to go on a mission to find some good VQA Rosés I can recommend, so stay tuned for those!


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ROSE - the best rose to drink this spring-01.jpg