deVine Thoughts

Author: Dirk Chan

Every year at this time, the buzz begins as we speculate what wine will top the list of the Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of 2008. The influential American wine publication has long cast a spell over the wine collector or enthusiast, each of us wanting a piece of the action. We secretly hope some of our wine purchases made throughout 2008 will be reinforced by the inclusion in this prestigious list. A pat on the back for having made good choices. So do you want to know what wine is #1?

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Author: Ed Fong

According to the Chinese zodiac calendar, and some of my friends and colleagues, I am a Rat.  I share this distinction with people like Idi Amin, Heinrich Himmler and Alexander the Great.   However, I’m from the 1960 edition, which I take great comfort in as it helps to separate myself from this villainous bunch.  2008 also happens to be the Year of the Rat, and the year I chose to find the perfect pig.  I consulted a Chinese calendar and found that I was not compatible with Horses, but should seek out Monkeys, Dragons and Oxen.  My journey was therefore safe, though unendorsed.  And so my search begins.

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Author: Dirk Chan

As Thanksgiving approaches, we get numerous request for suggested wine pairings for the traditional turkey dinner. We worked with Nick Lees of the Edmonton Journal and came up with a Baker’s Dozen wines that would be appropriate. Our choices are actually not for the roasted turkey but rather the focus is on the fixings (candied yams, sweet potato, cranberries, honeyed ham etc), all of which have some degree of sweetness. A dry white is not the best since the sweet fixings will strip the fruit and make the wine taste more dry. Thus, an off-dry white wine with some sweetness is best.

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Author: Ed Fong

I grew up hearing about Cognac from my father.  I saw him enjoy it at the dinner table, I saw the beautiful decanters displayed on his bar, I went to the liquor store to pick it up with him before I was of age and I heard him talk about it, constantly.  For many Orientals, it was spirits, and not wine, that brought people together when they broke rice at the dinner table.  I learned to appreciation Cognac at a relatively young age because of my father, so when I had a chance to visit the city that gave its name to this special elixir, I jumped at the chance. This summer, I had the great pleasure of visiting two cognac houses on the same day, François Voyer and Camus.

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