Drink: Bourgogne Chardonnay vieilles vignes Albert Bichot 2010

I use to think that given the choice, I would never chose a white wine over red. My opinion on this has changed thanks to recent European travels and a vast selection of really affordable white wine options at the SAQ depot. The SAQ has a really useful iPhone app that makes it really easy to select new wines by referencing the online tasting notes/food pairings. You simply scan the bar code and then you can check the flavor profile right there on the spot. This is especially helpful because the SAQ has the tendency to place a blank white label over the tasting notes if the label does not have a French translated description (...don't get me started on this, I think its very unfair to hide useful information because it wasn't translated, it seems petty).

The depot carries a number of wines by the Albert Bichot label. Apart from a lovely Gamay, I have yet to try their red wines, but I have been impressed with their white varieties (Bourgogne Aligoté, Chablis, etc.). It's fun to work my way through their catalog. Our latest taste test was the Bourgogne Chardonnay vieilles vignes Albert Bichot 2010 at 16.90, but with a 15% discount. I would agree with the SAQ notes that the flavour is both fruity and floral; I foound it to be lightly floral and perhaps a bit like stone fruit (apricot, nectarine) and pear. It had a good amount of acidity, not syrupy or having too much of an aftertaste. We served it with cod in a mustard cream sauce which I thought paired well enough but I did think it tasted better once we had a glass on it's own. I might not seek it out at 16.90, especially when there are a number of great white wines at that price point (including the Albert Bichot Bourgogne Aligoté ) but at 15% at the SAQ depot I would definitely consider buying it again. I did like the Albert Bichot Chablis better but it is considerably more expensive.

*Note: I try to photograph my wine bottles with a thumbs up or thumbs down because otherwise I can't remember what I thought of the wine when I finally get around to writing about it. Sometimes I'm smart enough to take a few notes on my iPhone while I'm drinking, but more often than not I have a collection of wine bottle photos and no recollection of whether or not they were any good. Nice hang nails there, Heather!

Drink: Le Jaja de Jau (Review)

 I'm long delayed in posting about le Jaja de Jau. It's a bottle that you have probably seen a million times at the SAQ or some other wine store and just passed over. I know I did.

I have a tendency to gloss over French wines. I know French wine has a great reputation but the labelling and complex classification often confuses me. Historically I haven't been too keen on experimenting with unfamiliar wines when I already know so many wonderful Italian wines. But after our trip to Paris last year, we decided to add a bottle of French wine to every case we buy as a way of learning more about French wines. I'm starting to notice trends; we often go for a VDP (Vins de pays), which is a step above table wine but still really good. The value for the price makes these wines worth the experiment. We have also enjoyed a few GSMs (blend of Grenache, Shiraz a.k.a. Syrah, and Mourvèdre) if and when we can find them. Thanks to this taste test experiment, a bottle of Jaja was added to our cart and the rest is history.

I have since bought two full cases of Jaja. With a 15% discount at the SAQ outlet, the entire case amounts to 123 dollars, a total steal. It's the perfect wine to have in supply. We intersperse drinking the cheaper, every day jaja with some of our favourite (albeit more expensive) wines so that we have some variety. It tends to bring down the overall cost of being an oenophile.

You can read more about Jaja de Jau on the SAQ website here. What I can add is that Jau is a region in France and Jaja is a colloquialism used within that region to describe everyday wines. Mignon, n'est-ce pas? The SAQ indicates that the wine has a slender texture and smooth tannins; I totally concur. Its has this nice full taste but somehow doesn't leave you with a mouthful of tannin after you swallow. SAQ also wrote that it pairs well with dry sausage, pizza and pork. Absolutely it does (but what doesn't go well with pizza and sausage....miam). I'm my opinion, it goes very well with most foods that contain a little fat or savory component. My only word of caution: I have noticed that occasionally, the wine tastes a little off on the second or third day after being opened. Not always, but every now and then it has a taste that I can only describe as 'pruney' if open too long. Normally that's not a problem, I do my best to finish a bottle on the day I open it <insert joke at my expense here>.   But with table wine, the whole point is to have a glass here or there be able to leave a corked bottle on the table for whenever the mood strikes you. Having said that, I've only noticed this a couple times so I'm will to accept this flaw. Please add a comment if you have tried Jaja de Jau, I'd love to hear what other people think about it.

Drink: Duque de Viseu Dâo 2008 (15.20$) Review

Name: Duque de Viseu Dâo 2008
Price: 15.20

Quick Sum Up: Flavourful, Smooth, a great value

Full Review: I was never a fan of Portuguese wine until I went to Portugal. Prior to my visit, I thought of Portuguese wine as clunky and tannin heavy. I drank very little white wine when I was there but I imbibed plenty of red wine (and port) daily. Not sure if it was the wonderful meals with amazing company that accompanied my wine or simply daily repetition (wink, wink) but by the time I came home, I was convinced that Portuguese wines are some of the best deals out there. Wine in Portugal was extremely affordable; it's actually cheaper than bottled water! I came to the conclusion that Portuguese wine should be cost effective and full bodied, or cheap and cheerful as they say! Aside from the private importation at Ferreira restaurant, I was never able to locate any of the wines I tried there so over the last few years I have assigned myself the pleasant task of tasting numerous Portuguese wines to discover new favourites.

Duque de Viseu is a label I have tried many times, and it is available at practically every SAQ in Quebec. There are plenty of cheaper Portuguese wines to be sure, but at 15.20 it's still a great value. I found it to be a full bodied wine with a full mouth-feel, something I come to expect when I taste a Portuguese red. I would characterize it as having a medium finish, with a more fruity than spicy flavour. Most importantly (to me), I considered the tannin to be very well balanced. All in all, a good price point for a balanced wine. I would recommend this wine if you like a full flavour that can compete with pizza, pasta or a charcuterie/cheese plate. It's not for someone looking for subtlety but I wouldn't call it clumsy either.

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Additional Information from SAQ

Tasting Notes from SAQ: This dry purplish red coloured wine features medium woody, empyreumatic, spicy, floral and fruity scents and offers a broad texture as well as smooth tannins.

Food pairing from SAQ: beef, braised. mushroom sauce. pork, grilled. Pasta, al dente sundried tomato pesto

Additional Information from SAQ:

• Wine family: Dry, medium-bodied and fruity
• Country: Portugal
• Region: Beiras
• Appellation: Dâo
• Producer: Sogrape Vinhos SA
• Alcoholic strength: 12.5 %
• Acidity: Refreshing
• Intensity: Medium
• Persistance: Medium
• Body: Medium-bodied
• Tannins: Smooth
• Texture: Broad
• Sugar: Dry
• Taste family(ies): Woody, Empyreumatic, Fruity, Spicy, Floral

Drink: Modellissimo Masi Delle Venezie i.g.t. 2008 (Sale 14.45) Wine Review

Name: Modellissimo Masi Delle Venezie i.g.t. 2008

Price: Sale 14.45 (reg. 15.95$)

Quick Sum Up: Meh. I would pass on this one. For the same price point, there are a lot of other solid options.

Full Review: I fully expected to like this wine. I think of Masi wines, particularly the red ones in the 11-17 dollar range, as my dependable standby. Masi is a wine I would bring to a BYOW or friend's house for dinner if I didn't know what food would be served or if I thought that the host didn't enjoy wine enough to truely appreciate a more expensive bottle. Don't hold that against me; I see it as real bummer when I buy a great mid range wine and its worth is lost on the bequeathed.

The taste of Modelissimo was somehow muted on mouthfeel and yet still strong on the finish. I imagine that's what the SAQ tasting note means when they say medium. The woody quality was too apparent when we drank it on its own but I will admit that the wine tasted better once it was paired with food. We had it with roast chicken, braised fennel, and israeli cousous, not exactly the ideal food pairing based on the SAQ notes. Overall, I would say the taste was a little too tannic, woody and spicy for me. I somehow expected a flavour closer to my other experiences with Masi, somewhere between spicy & fruity.

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Additional Information from SAQ

Tasting Notes from SAQ: Ruby in colour, this red boasts a medium nose exuding woody, empyreumatic, spicy and fruity aromas. Discover this medium-bodied wine expressing refreshing acidity and offering a broad texture and fleshy tannins. It also unveils a medium mouthfeel that leads into a medium finish.

Food Pairing from SAQ: Beef, Tomato sauce, Meat sauce

Additional Info from SAQ:
Wine family: Dry, medium-bodied and fruity 
Country: Italy
Region: Veneto
Appellation: Delle Venezie
Producer: Masi Agricola SPA
Alcoholic strength: 13.0 %
Acidity: Refreshing 
Intensity: Medium 
Persistance: Medium 
Body: Medium-bodied 
Tannins: Fleshy 
Texture: Broad 
Sugar: Dry 
Taste family(ies): Woody , Empyreumatic , Spicy , Fruity 

Drink: Chablis Champs Royaume William Fevre 2009 (11.99) Wine Review

Name: Chablis Champs Royaume William Fevre 2009

Price: 11.99

Quick Sum Up: Would definitely buy this again. Great price, balanced taste. Yum.

Full Review: The SAQ in Westmount is where I picked up William Fevre 2009. A recent trip to Paris has inspired me to try more French wines; I have been intimidated by their complex label/control system in the past. Since I don't know French wine very well, I feel comfortable going a bit cheaper and experimenting with different varietals and/or blends. The price was right at 11.99$.I can't tell you what I paired it with, I have long since forgotten those details, however I can say that I was pleasantly surprised by how good this wine was for the price. It was acidic (which I like) but also fruity enough not to let the acid be too overbearing. A regular refrigerator is good enough for me in terms of temperature management. Chilled in the fridge for a couple hours and a quick rest at room temperature and this wine is ready to go. For me, a chilled white wine is essential; a piss-warm white wine is almost not worth having. Another positive for me was that there was no syrupy mouth feel on the finish which I tend to dislike, I've noticed that quality with a few Chardonnays that I have tried.

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Additional Information from SAQ

Tasting Notes from SAQ: Greenish yellow in colour, this white boasts a medium nose exuding floral, fruity and mineral aromas. Discover this medium-bodied wine expressing lively acidity and offering a broad texture. It also unveils a medium mouthfeel that leads into a medium finish.


Food Pairing from SAQ: Fish and seafood (scallop tartare, salmon, tuna), Sauces (lemon, lime), Cheese (goat-type)


Additional Info from SAQ:

• Wine family: Dry, medium-bodied and fruity
• Country: France
• Region: Bourgogne
• Appellation: Chablis
• Producer: William Fèvre
• Alcoholic strength: 12.5 %
• Acidity: Lively
• Intensity: Medium
• Persistance: Medium
• Body: Medium-bodied
• Tannins: N/A
• Texture: Broad
• Sugar: Dry
• Taste family(ies) : Floral , Fruity , Mineral