...And although that only means I am past the terrible
two's it is still a reason to celebrate! A new face
(truly pinker than ever) and a magnum of new features
to come.
The newest of all being the shelf-talkers!
This affects me how you ask?...
The Newest Feature - Shelf Talkers
Perfect for Agents and Retailers
Shelf Talkers are perfect for agents who need
them quickly and don't have in house printing.
Or for all you Retailers-private beer and wine
stores in and outside of Vancouver who read
Wine Diva religiously, carry the products I review and
want to have your own "Pink & Cheeky" Wine Diva
talkers.
You can print them in black and white or in colour.
(Just remember to set you advanced printer settings
and check off "colour").
There are four per page-all different-and they print out
exactly as you see them on the page.
You can see all the available shelf talkers by clicking
on the Shelf Talkers menu
item on the left side of the site. If a wine review
has a shelf talker, it a link will appear in the review.
If you want to know how to get a shelf talker made for
your wine contact me at daenna@winediva.ca
Sometimes I have or receive information about wine
related events or wine news and have no where to put
it. Winews gives you the low down on media events,
specialized tastings or relevant press
releases.
I love seeing those pink stars appearing on the wines
I have reviewed. Since you (the readers) are the
ones tasting the wines, you should have your input
too. Who am I to tell you what you should like?
The average score will always appear and as soon as
you score the wine the results are tallied!
Reviewing wines daily
It's a 24-7 World. Wine Reviews are constantly added
Reviews
and Wine Search is updated with new wine
reviews almost daily. So you don't have to wait for my
newsletter to arrive every 2 weeks.
Keep reading and keep sending
me your feedback.
I love to hear from you!
Burgundy-My glass is half-full
I have never heard a new wine drinker say "I have no
interest in French wines. I will only ever drink wine
from..."
It is possible that these words have passed lips, but
I've never heard it.
One name you probably recognize, the other you
probably don't. Simonnet-Febvre although
independant of, is owned by Maison Louis Latour. But
Simonnet-Febvre made its own history in Chablis
long before partnering with Latour. Since 1840 the
domaine has specialized in making Chablis, Chablis
Premier Cru, Grand Cru and soon to be available in
BC, a lovely Cremant de Bourgogne-sparkling
(pictured right).
The wines speak for themselves but sometimes, as
Burgundy often does, gets a bit confusing when it
comes to understanding labels and regions.
So a little help is often needed to point you in the right
direction. Here are some Wine Diva white picks
that are either currently or soon to be available.
What's a good wine for blue cheese? How about for
that spicy pad thai? My wine suggestions are just
a
click away. You can access the Wine Sure Bets
on the left hand menu of the web site and all the
wines can be added to shopping lists or you can
look for similar wines using the "Show Me Similar"
feature with each review.
Providence Oka
Washed rind soft ripened cow's milk cheese from
Quebec. This perfect little drum comes housed in a
clear top container which makes it nice to travel with. It
is softer and creamier than the traditional Oka you
probably purchase already cut in larger wedges at
your local store.
It has that slightly sticky golden-amber hued rind
(washed) and creamy-rubbery texture with intense
sweet and nutty aromas and a fruitiness that reminds
me of Gewurztraminer.
Wine Pairing-Gewurztraminer would be nice or any
fruity white or lighter bodied fruity red.
$7.25 200g drum
Stink Factor-Medium
Show Me Similar Function
A new feature on Wine Diva
Like a wine but want to explore?
The "Show Me
Similar" link at the bottom left of reviews in my
Reviews section will list up to 20 other wines with
similar flavour profiles. They may not be the
same varietal, or even the same colour, but this will
help you sashay in the right direction.
St. Marcellin From Saint-Genix-sur-Guiers
in SE France is a buttery, runny, soft ripened cow's
milk cheese that is quite spectacular in two ways.
First, it comes in it's own lovely little ceramic pot which
prevents it from running all over your fine wood-
grained table and second it's a heavenly buttery bliss
that spreads like thick cream.
In the crock it has a vague cross-hatch pattern and is
a pale straw colour with a paler interior. The flavour is
mild but rich with a sweet herbal, earthy flavour.
Make sure you serve it with a delicate little spoon-you'll
need it!
And talk about impressing your guests!
Wine Pairing-Rhone style or South of France reds
wines with Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre...Burgundy
reds. Or Fuller-bodied Alsatian Pinot Gris white.
$8.50 90g crock
Stink Factor-Medium low
When shelf space is at a premium and more
competition arrives each day a stunning label really
helps. The Juno wines from South Africa have just
arrived. A Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz and
Cab/Shiraz/Merlot blend. Each has its own
outstanding label each an Object d'art. Even more
attractive may be the price point...
What more could a Wine Diva want to drink on her 3rd
Birthday?
With its fresh berry and sweetly spiced aromas and
creamy,
fresh mousse... $57.99 +80184
March-COUNTDOWN! To the Vancouver
Playhouse International Wine
Festival
March-WD tastes wines that
we gals have touched-in one way or another.
April-New BC Releases wines we'll drink
this
summer!
Ongoing-New Releases
Purdy's
Celebrates 100 Years!
Speaking of Birthday's! Purdy's celebrates it's 100
years-1907-2007. On February 8th a magnificent ,
chocolaty
gala party at Telus World of Science not only
spiked Wine Diva's sugary dreams but launched a
one-of-a-kind chocolate show! Visit Telus World of
Science until May 9 2007 to see for yourself.
Louis Latour & Simonnet-Febvre - Tasting Notes
Simonnet-Febvre Cremant de Bourgogne, Chablis
France-Fresh and creamy orchard fruit with a
smooth mousse, fresh minerals and juicy citrus with a
hint of zippy of lemon rind. Great value for a quality
sparkling that will (seriously) make you want to drink
the whole bottle yourself!
$21.99 (+060160) arriving April 2007
Louis Latour Pugliny-Montrachet 'Sous le Puit' 1er
Cru, Burgundy Fr., 2004- Brilliant with golden
glints the "Sous le Puit" is zippy right off the start- fresh
and citrussy with crisp pear and chalky minerals.
Pristine flavours on the palate, bright acidity, spiked
with lemon and a long warm finish. This would make
a great gift or special occasion wine (but don't wait for
the special occasion, make one!)
$62.99 (+409623) available in stores now
Its been non-stop girl power for the past few
months.
From last Fall's trip to Oregon meeting the women
behind the scenes, the marketing and PR and the
regional winemakers to this past weeks Trialto
Wine Group's "Women in Wine" tasting event and
mini- symposium in Vancouver.
There are women behind the scenes all over the
world in sales, promotion and hands on in the actual
production process.
Numbers are building ladies.
There is still a vast chasm between the sheer
quantities of men vs. women in the wine biz but the
most striking thing I have noticed recently is the
drawing together of women who are all working in the
same direction trying to achieve the same
goals.
When shelf space is at a premium and more
competition arrives each day a stunning label really
helps.
What more could a Wine Diva want to drink on her 3rd
Birthday?
Speaking of Birthday's!
