LCBO Food and Drink Winter 2016

BlendingIn BY JAMES CHATTO RECIPES BY TONIA WILSON-VUKSANOVIC PHOTOGRAPHY BY JAMES TSE YOU’RE NOT ALONE IF YOU’RE USED TO SHOPPING FOR WINES BY VARIETAL AND FEEL STUMPED BY BOTTLES OF UNNAMED BLENDS. HENCE THIS LOOK AT THREE STYLES OF NEW WORLD BLENDS — DEMYSTIFIED—WITH A RECIPE FOR EACH THAT’S GREAT FOR SHARING WITH FRIENDS.

So many top Old World reds are blends—the wines of Bordeaux, the Rhône, Rioja and Tuscany, to name just a few. Greater than the sum of their parts, they can be marvellously layered and complex—and blending gives the winemaker opportunities to find balance and consistency, whatever the calibre of the vintage. So it wasn’t surprising that pioneering New World producers began by emulating European classics. They still do, of course, but they’ve also come up with blends of their own, many of them brilliant, others a bit of a muddle. Here we showcase some of the best, alongside recipes specially devised to complement them in a deliciously wintery way.

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