You've noticed that it's been a good summer. Well remember that it was a good spring too. As we hit mid-September, a lot of Niagara's grapes are pretty much ready. All this rain is not good though...

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Canoe's Will Predhomme recently beat out three other finalists to win the title of Best Ontario Sommelier. Each candidate had an hour in front of the judges. But what happened after was cool too.

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Sommelier and wine writer Lindsay Groves hosted a Champagne vs. Ontario Sparkling challenge at the Fine Wine Reserve. Once again, Ontario took the top spot.

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Common in Bordeaux and SW France until the late 1950s, malbec's French presence is now largely confined to Cahors. Conversely,  Argentina has taken the malbec reins and run. So what's the difference?

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Well if virtual tastings are now starting to happen, why not virtual tasting rooms? One California winery is experimenting with airline-liquor sized miniature bottles as samples.

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Wine writer Michael Pinkus has published a damning critique of our province's liquor retail monopoly system in Ottawa Life. His article doesn't dwell on the temperance advocates of the past, who we can thank for the current legal structure, it spells out some rather nasty practices that are very current. Read it and weep.

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At the end of October I attended a “G7” event – but I wasn’t helicoptered in over violent crowds of anti-globalization protesters choking on tear gas, I just showed up. There were a number of low-priced wines from Portugal at the tasting.

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