Vacation and back

Wow, I knew that the vacation post would be late, but I hadn't intended for last week's to be late also. Sorry about that. 

We had a great time out west, although, we could've done with another week or two to do and see all the things and people we wanted to. We skied for 5 days, 3 days at Sunshine Village and 2 at Lake Louise. Visibility was kind of crap the first couple days, but cleared up nicely by the end of the week. We saw some elk, but that was about the only wildlife that we noticed. We did a day tourist-ing around Banff and Canmore in matching family t-shirts, and wrapped it up with a beautiful hot stone dinner at the Grizzly House, thanks to my sister. 

We got home, and got the dog, and then he slept for a couple days straight (after his bum almost wiggled right off because he was so excited to see us *swoon*). Gotta love a sleepy, snuggly puppy. 

As far as Champagne Thursdays go, we did bring some Origin out with us, and Shane and I enjoyed a quick Champagne Thursday toast on the hill, out of paper coffee cups (yuppers, we're classy). We didn't bother to review it as when we did it at Tremblant there wasn't much going on with it. But it's still fun. We then did ACTUAL Champagne Thursday back at the condo. 

January 19, 2017

T'was the vacation of the
matching tees. Welcome, Mom
and Dad, to having an official shirt!

We chose this one because of the label (bright pink polka dots), looked fun and felt vacation-y. It was a Pinot Noir Brut from Secco Italian Bubbles. (note: I was a bit stuffy, so I didn't get much...) (also interesting to note: Although the brand is "Italian Bubbles", this is actually crafted in Washington, USA)

Shane didn't get much on popping the top. In the glass, Dad said he got a strawberry flavour, but not much on the nose. Mom said that it was reminiscent of bubbly wine (thanks for your help maaa). 

Shane said that it didn't have much of a nose, but he got some strawberry-esque flavours. I got a mixed berry aroma, and thought that it was a bit tart and sour. 

It was a lovely colour, with some really nice, fine bubbles. 

January 26, 2017

Back home again, and we're all able to get our Tyson fix. This week, after chatting with our Champagne Guy, we ended up with this one: Chateau d'Eternes' Saumur Brut. It was out in the general population at the LCBO (as opposed to the Vintages Section), and the price was right. 

(Another Note: We were both full on sick. So this review should be taken with a grain of salt, or a shot of whisky)

On popping the top, Shane said that it gave off a "sweet white wine aroma", similar to an off-dry Riesling. The first few sips, however, were anything but that. I thought it was tart, almost sour. Shane said that he wasn't getting anything (actually used the term "nada") just cold, fizzy, tart wine (we had left it in the freezer too long... oops). 

I got a bit of an apple flavour a few sips in, but Shane didn't. It was very fizzy, and depending on the sip, the bubbles were soft and creamy or sharp and bite-y. Very unpredictable. 

We ended thinking that it was fine, but probably wouldn't get it again. Nothing was wrong with it, but there wasn't anything going for it either. It was very middle of the road. 

Chat in a couple days! 
~S&S

January 19, 2017: 

• Brand: Secco Italian Bubbles
• Type of Grape: Pinot Noir
• Sweetness: Couldn't find it
• Price: Can't quite remember, but around $18-20
• Tasting Notes: Nice enough bubbly, not much going on, strawberry flavours. Would pair nicely with a spinach salad with a light raspberry vinaigrette. 

January 26, 2017: 

• Brand: Chateau d'Eternes
• Type of Grape: Chardonnay and Chenin
• Sweetness: 6g/L
• Price: $11.75
• Tasting Notes: Mild, easy drinking, dry bubbly. Nicely tart, not very complex. Would pair well with salty chips. 

For those who need just an extra dose of Tyson...
Seriously, those ears though...  

Last Bubbly Pre-West

It's almost here! Vacation time is almost here!!! Needless to say, we're a little excited. On Sunday, after the kids go to their mother's house, we head to Ottawa to fly to Alberta for a week. So next week's post will be late.

This week we were busy starting to get ready for the trip, tidying the house, and hosting a Warren Miller Movie Event! My folks came over, Shane set up the projector upstairs, and we watched the 2015 movie (we all missed it last year) on the big "screen". It was fun, but we forgot to get prizes (there are always prizes at the Warren Miller movie), so oops, maybe next year. 

We also got to hang out with Drew and Sarah, and I got to bounce the baby for a while. It is surprisingly relaxing, and my legs did a little better than the last time when they demonstrated how not ready for skiing they were. This time they seemed to hold up fine. Phew. 

The week was pretty low key. We've been making vacation lists (to do, to buy and to pack), and trying to cross as many things off it as we can. Confession time: I love the feeling of crossing something off the list so much that sometimes I add things I've already done, just to be able to make myself look like I've been productive. Or I add silly things like "shower" or "eat lunch" so I can cross them off... *hangs head in shame*

January 12, 2017

This week when we went to the LCBO, we saw a bottle that was on sale, big sale. Usually a sale at the LCBO is a couple bucks off, but this one was $9 off!! That's almost unheard of!!

So we ended up with Henry of Pelham's Cuvée Catharine Brut Rosé. We have had their original Cuvée Catharine, which was awesome. 

On popping top, Shane got "Strawberry Carnation Instant Breakfast". This isn't new for him, he's gotten that before, so no need for alarm, usually it just means it's berry scented. I thought it smelled quite dry, with a raspberry or strawberry aroma. 

The first few sips were quite dry, and very berry forward. The dryness kind of mellowed out, staying dry, but losing the harshness. The bubbles in this one were great, plentiful and small, giving it a sharp mouth-feel. The colour was quite lovely also. 

We thoroughly enjoyed this bottle, and would definitely get it again. It was balanced and predictable, very fruity and dry. It was really nice. So glad it was on sale. 

Til next time!!

~S&S

• Brand: Henry of Pelham
• Type of Grape: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
• Sweetness: 12g/L
• Price: $29.95 (on sale for $20.95)
• Tasting Notes: Bursting with berry flavours, nicely dry. Would pair well with fresh biscuits and jam.

2017 is now

Well, it's here. A new year, chock-full of Thursdays just waiting for bubbles to be attached to them. This year is bound to be an exciting one, full of adventures. We have some exciting ones in the wings, some definite and some tentative. 

We also get to be a part of some pretty big adventures vicariously through friends and family... there are babies and weddings and travel in their futures.

2017 is going to be EPIC. I'm so excited to see what it will bring. 

January 5, 2017 (yup, wrote 2016 first...)

For this, the first for 2017, Champagne Thursday, we skipped the store, and enjoyed a bottle that we had received as a gift for Christmas. A special bottle of the Jackson Triggs Reserve from 2015. This was extra special as it was a fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity, their Cuve Close for a Cause. I couldn't find this particular bottle on the Jackson Triggs website, but found another version of that vintage, just not the fundraiser one. We have had some Jackson Triggs in the past, their Entourage. 

When he popped this bottle, Shane got a strong scent of Swedish Berries. In the glass, I got "wine", followed by peach scents where Shane was adamant it was cream soda. A little different, but still a bit sweet and fruity. The first sip was a bit of a shock. Despite the lovely smell, it had a harsh first sip, full of booze and liquor (luckily not liquorice though). 

It mellowed out pretty quickly though, and started to give way to a sweet but tart flavour. Maybe apples? Shane still smelled the cream soda, but it didn't have that flavour. We thought it kind of reminded us of the sparkling wine we made for our wedding (which reminds us, it's about 2 years old now, we should probably drink that...). It had nice sharp bubbles and was a lovely pale straw colour.

Overall, we quite liked it, although we did find it a touch booze-forward in flavour. We would have it again if the opportunity arose. 

Til next week, 

~S&S

• Brand: Jackson Triggs
• Type of Grape: Not noted
• Sweetness: Not noted, but we guess it to be somewhere around the 18g/L mark
• Price: Not sure, but the other Cuve Close is listed at $14.95, this one might have been a bit more as it was a fundraiser?
• Tasting Notes: Peach and cream soda nose coupled with a light tart apple and strong boozey flavour. Would pair nicely with warm biscuits full of butter.

The Week of Christmas and New Years

Some highlights of 2016

Well, Christmas has come and gone, as has the last Champagne Thursday of 2016. We had a beautiful Christmas, and followed the traditions that we've had for the past few years. We got the kids for a visit on Christmas Eve when we went out to Shane's Dad's place and caught up with family and friends. After we returned the kids to their mom's, Shane and I turned the fire on the TV (and in the fire place), and enjoyed a bottle of wine, sometimes red, this year sparkling, and listened to a few Stuart McLean Christmas stories, starting with our favourite: Dave Cooks the Turkey. Christmas morning, I slept in (what a gift!) and we opened each others gifts while the turkey was in the smoker. Then we went out to the farm for the afternoon/evening with my parents. Boxing day the kids came over and opened their gifts (spoiler alert, paint ball guns!). 

And then we relaxed. Watched some of The Walking Dead, and ate and drank - maybe a bit too much... 

New Years Eve we had the kids, which was great. We had some fireworks, a boatload of Chinese food, a bit of bubbly, and quality time. We actually made it to midnight this year. I know, crazy. So that about wraps it up. Better get on with it, as there are 3 bottles in this post. I want to wrap up 2016 all in one post. 

So, let's get started. 

December 24, 2016

Tyson is ready in his Christmas pyjamas 

We didn't have to go hunting for this bottle, it was given to us by work colleagues. We enjoyed [yellow tail] Pink Bubbles by the fire on Christmas Eve. 

This one had a really big pop, and started to fizz. Shane was able to cover it with his mouth while getting it to the sink to clean up, and ended up a little burpy. He claims he almost choked. A bit dramatic. 

Now, something to keep in mind is we were expecting this one to be quite sweet. The first couple sips had a big berry flavour, and a dry winey flavour. Shane admits that it was considerably drier than he thought. 

It was a touch one dimensional, but quite nice and predictable. It did gain a bit of a sweet momentum after a glass or so. We thought it would be great for someone trying to get into bubbly. 

It's a nice bottle: sweet, nice bubbles and one-dimensional (which isn't a bad thing, it also translates to a predictable, consistent bubbly).

I swear I deliberately put them on my feet that way,
thinking it would look more natural because I
usually sit with my legs crossed... turns out
it just looks like I put them on the wrong feet... 

December 29, 2016

The last official Champagne Thursday of 2016. We are very lucky to have such thoughtful (step) kids in our lives. They got us the most magnificent Thursday socks. 

For the last Champagne Thursday of 2016 we chose a bottle from South Africa, Avondale Armilla. This one didn't have much of a pop under the cork, and Shane said he got a bit of a bready or yeasty scent from the bottle. 

In the first sip, I got a sour apple flavour, which was very different from Shane's "toast" flavour. He got a bit of a sour taste a few sips later. It also had caramel notes, like Werther's Orignals, but not a right out of the package, almost like they had been put in the oven and toasted a bit... 

It had nice, crisp bubbles, and was a nice, light straw colour. Overall, it was just okay. We didn't have much to say about it, it tasted like wine with hints of toast and caramel. Hopefully 2017's Champagne Thursdays start better than 2016 ends (at least champagne-wise.)

December 31, 2016

Tyson got dressed up for NYE. The rest of us
were in PJs... 

This is an unofficial review as it wasn't a Champagne Thursday. We picked up a bottle of La Jara's Prosecco for NYE this year. Now, I'm not sure if it was the couple beers we had prior to this, but man, we had a heck of a time figuring out this bottle's brand. We were thinking maybe (A)ARA, (A JARA, and everything in between. We had to look it up. So it's officially LA JARA. On further research, they have quite the line up of organic sparkling wines, although we've only ever seen this bottle in the LCBO. 

This one had a medium sized pop under the cork. In the first couple sips, I got a strong green apple flavour. We also though it had a dry scent, with nice sharp bubbles. It was a bit winey, and quite tart. Nick thought it tasted like some of the flavoured sparkling waters we have around the house... Not sure if that's good or bad... 

Overall, it was nicely dry, albeit a bit one-dimensional, predictable and boring. We both thought it reminded us of a bubbly pinot grigio.  Shane gave it a 4.5/10 and then downgraded to a 4/10. It had a great label though.

Happy New Year everyone, best of luck in 2017!

~S&S

December 24, 2016

• Brand: [yellow tail]
• Type of Grape: Not noted
• Sweetness: 25g/L
• Price: $13.95
• Tasting Notes: Simple, moderately sweet bubble, berry forward flavours. Would pair nicely with a grapefruit salad. 

December 29, 2016

• Brand: Avondale
• Type of Grape: Chardonnay
• Sweetness: 11g/L
• Price: $29.95
• Tasting Notes: Winey flavour with hints of toast and caramel. A touch of apple at first. Would match nicely with bruschetta on a crostini.

December 31, 2016

• Brand: La Jara
• Type of Grape: Glera
• Sweetness: 8g/L
• Price: $16.95
• Tasting Notes: Green apple forward, dry bubbly, reminiscent of a pinot grigio. Would be nice on its own, super cold, on a sunny, hot afternoon.

Apple Cider is not Champagne. Fact.

Tys is exhausted from all
the pre-Christmas
festivities... 

Well, with only two sleeps until Christmas, (I think) I am officially done all my shopping. Just this morning. But at least it's done now. Tomorrow can just be a relaxing day, maybe with a sleep in. 

This week we did some holiday baking (or rather, Shane did), and we had The Puddys over for a pre-Christmas visit. It was a fun evening, although I don't think the next morning was as fun for anyone... Oops. 

Looking very dapper in
Shane's bowtie

December 22, 2016

It's going to be a short review this week, and you'll see why in a moment. This week we tried Domaine de Vaugondy's Brut Vouvray. On popping the top, Shane immediately said "dry apple cider". 

It had a lovely golden colour in the glass, not unlike a cider (are you sensing a trend?)... It had great sharp bubbles. The first couple sips were very dry, but it did seem to lighten up a bit. In the first few sips we both got heavy apple flavours, the yellow apples. We got notes of "cider". And made a point to re-check the label to ensure it wasn't a cider... In a good way, I mean, we enjoy cider, but not when it's supposed to be sparkling wine... 

All in all, it was good, but it tasted like cider. The end. Short review as it was very one dimensional. Apples. Apples and undertones of apples... 

~S

• Brand: Domaine de Vaugondy
• Type of Grape: Chenin Blanc
• Sweetness: 12g/L
• Price: $17.95
• Tasting Notes: Nice bubbly, but very apple forward, not much in the way of other flavours. Would be nice with fruit salad or brunch.

Let the festivities begin!

What a festive week is has been. We started off by getting the kids for a few hours and cutting down our Christmas tree and decorating it; obviously while enjoying some eggnog. My folks came over, and seemed to enjoy the festive spirit. 

The before and after of our lil' tree

Sunday Shane and I went to Merrickville for our 6th Annual Christmas Shopping Extravaganza (self titled). Six years. Wow. That was a great day, and certainly kicked off the Christmas shopping. Well worth the drive in the blizzard.  It was nice to finally feel like we'd taken a chunk out of the shopping, and it relieved the pressure a bit. Don't get me wrong, I still have a lot to do, but at least I got started... 

The rest of the week was low key, but nice. The weather has been cold though, which is less nice. I love winter, but -25C is a little much. We can have a nice winter around -10C if you ask me. Tyson has been enjoying the snuggles by the fire though, so that's an upside of cold weather. 

December 15, 2016

This week we went for a fancy-looking bottle. Not quite sure how I'm going to get the "label" into my book but I'll figure something out... 

So this was Segura Viudas's Brut Reserva Heredad Cava. The bottle was super fancy with a metal emblem and base stuck on it. We have had a bottle of Segura before. That one certainly didn't feel this fancy, but was very tasty. Also note-worthy, the Segura Viudas brand falls under the giant umbrella of the Freixenet S.A. brand, of which we've had many many types (here, here, and -unfortunately- here)

Shane didn't get much on popping the top. In the glass, I thought it smelled of something very distinct and familiar, but I couldn't identify what it was. Shane couldn't either. So we were at a loss. Now, something to keep in mind, is this bottle was super cold. It had been in the freezer chilling, but also our living room was cold, so it didn't really get a chance to warm up after opening. 

It had a nice mouth feel, lots of sharp, crisp bubbles. It was okay overall, predictable, but boring. It was wine-y, with hints of white grape (which I think is different than winey...). We do have a special review this week from Tyson, who was enjoying licking it off our fingers. He seemed to think it had hints of salted, cured meats, but we think maybe that was because we had just eaten a prosciutto platter... but who knows... 

Near the end I thought it had a bit of a liquory after taste, but Shane wrote down liquorice... not sure if that's because he tasted liquorice, or if it's just what he thought I said... 

So I guess no, we wouldn't get this again. It wasn't worth the extra money for the fancy bottle. If you want this brand, try their regular brut cava.

~S

• Brand: Segura Viudas
• Type of Grape: Not mentioned
• Sweetness: 8g/L
• Price: $29.95
• Tasting Notes:  Mild flavoured bubbly, winey and grapey. Would go nicely with food with mild flavours so it isn't overtaken, like a fruit tray. 

You Won't Believe Me

(Edit: Would you believe me if I said that I actually did start this post last Friday? No, I wouldn't either, but it's true...) 

I can't believe we're done the second Champagne Thursday of December. I also can't believe that there are only 3 more Champagne Thursdays in 2016. Time flies, eh? 

Last weekend we had a lovely baby shower for Baby Ozzy. Afterwards I got to snuggle with him for almost 2 hours, pure delight. Although, all the baby bouncing did remind me how out of shape my legs are... gotta get on that before I go skiing... yikes!

I've just realized how close Christmas is... Should start shopping soon...

December 8, 2016


This week Shane went rogue and went to the LCBO without me! I'm pretty sure he chose this bottle based on the colour alone. It was a beautiful dark rosé. Juvé y Camps' Pinot Noir Cava. It had a super loud pop, but not much scent off the top. 

In the glass, I got a strong, tart cranberry scent right away. I thought it was dry at first, but it seemed to mellow out after a few sips. Shane said that the first thing he thought of after swallowing it was "Baby Duck", in that he found it sweet, but not in a bad way that you'd maybe think with the baby duck comment (Baby Duck has 51g/L of sugar, compared to the low teens we try to stick to)... 

After a glass, it seemed to open up a bit more, and gave way to some raspberry scents along with the cranberries. It had the essence of a sweeter wine, while still being quite dry (if that makes sense?). I did notice a bit of a boozy or liquory aftertaste, but nothing too offensive. 

It had a really nice mouth feel, with lots of sharp bubbles. And, like I said before, has a beautiful colour. Overall, yes, we liked it, and wouldn't hesitate to get it again. 

Til next time (aka tomorrow, hopefully), 
~S

• Brand: Juvé y Camps
• Type of Grape: Pinot Noir
• Sweetness: 12g/L
• Price: $21.95
• Tasting Notes: CRANBERRIES with a touch of raspberries. Would pair nicely with a baked brie in puff pastry.