LCBO Food & Drink Holiday 2017

GIFTING  MAKE IT CLEAR

Mr. Riedel’s experiment involved tasting the same wine (a renowned Ontario Pinot Noir) out of three different red wine glasses—the ones we’re showing on this page. The different shape of the glasses affected the way the aroma molecules reached us. The wine seemed fragrant and floral in the Pinot Noir glass, much earthier in the Shiraz glass and spicy and short in the Cabernet/ Merlot glass. Like three different wines! Then we performed the same test with a Shiraz from the Okanagan and a Californian Cabernet Sauvignon. Same result. Riedel offers a huge range of glassware at every price level (riedel.com); these three come from his Veritas collection. red wine

BOTTLES TO GIVE

STAGS’ LEAP WINERY CABERNET SAUVIGNON VINTAGES ESSENTIALS 996405, $55.95 This is a super example of a modern Californian Cabernet—no bruiser, but a smooth, well-balanced wine of great character and complex- ity. Blackberry and black- currant emerge on the nose and palate with all sorts of cedar and spice notes following closely. ally light weight, this Prince Edward County Pinot offers gratifyingly intense red cherry and berry fruitiness, overlay- ing a perfectly integrated pattern of spice and min- erality. Definitely a wine that demands—and deserves—anyone’s full attention. ROSEHALL RUN DEFIANT PINOT NOIR VQA LCBO 307769, $18.95 Elegant and of an ethere-

RIEDEL VERITAS OLDWORLD PINOT NOIR

RIEDEL VERITAS NEWWORLD SHIRAZ

RIEDEL VERITAS CABERNET/MERLOT

Burgundy, in other words. Tradition- ally, red Burgundy glasses are more bulbous than other red wine glasses, maximizing the surface area of wine exposed to the air and coaxing out as many of those complex Pinot Noir aro- mas as possible. Some other Burgundy glasses also have a slight flair at the lip, designed to deliver the liquid to the front of the tongue where its delicate flavours can be most appreciated. (set of 2, $75, cocktailemporium.ca)

This glass looks rather like an ostrich egg on a stem. Its smaller opening gathers the aromas tightly, almost as if it wanted you to work a little harder for those primary fruit per- fumes. Aromas form layers inside the glass; its shape determines how we percieve them. Interestingly, some of the other guests at our lunch pre- ferred the Shiraz from the Cabernet glass, finding it more fruit-forward. (set of 2, $84.90, riedel.com)

This glass looks similar to the Shiraz glass but the effect on a big Califor- nia Cab’ was pronounced. The wine seemed a touch more bitter and tannic in the Shiraz glass but its fruit positively sang in the glass that was created for the variety. Bordeaux glasses are traditionally taller and slimmer than Burgundy glasses—sip from a Bordeaux glass and the wine reaches the back of your tongue first. (set of 2, $75, cocktailemporium.ca)

206  FOOD & DRI NK HOLIDAY 2017