Category
Food & Drink
67 posts
2010
FOOD & DRINK
Black Cloud Altostratus
by Adrian Bryksa
Black Cloud Altostratus Vintage: 2008 Region: Okanagan Falls, British Columbia, Canada Varietals: Pinot Noir Alcohol: 13.2% Price: $27.99 We have been in contac…
FOOD & DRINK
Summer Party Naval Styles at Seven RestoLounge
by Adrian Bryksa
I must admit that I found the addition of Seven RestoLounge to the downtown Calgary scene a bit of a mystery. Here was another high end lounge / restaurant offe…
FOOD & DRINK
Château Fonbadet
by Adrian Bryksa
Château Fonbadet Vintage: 2003 Region: Pauillac, Bordeaux, France Varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec Alcohol: 12.5% Pri…
FOOD & DRINK
Terre da vino Barolo Poderi Scaronne D.O.C.G
by Adrian Bryksa
Terre da vino Poderi Scaronne Vintage: 1998 Region: Piemonte, Italy Varietals: Nebbiolo Alcohol: 13.5% Price: $34.99 Around holidays, the need to travel to get…
FOOD & DRINK
Le Volte
by Adrian Bryksa
Le Volte Vintage: 2007 Region: Tuscany, Bolgheri, Italy Varietals: Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon Alcohol: 13.5% Price: $27.99 Italian wine was turned o…
FOOD & DRINK
O Restaurant & Lounge revisited
by Adrian Bryksa
Calgary has a diverse set of urban communities, most of which have the ubiquitous strip mall watering hole. In the South West community of Marda Loop, a reinven…
2009
FOOD & DRINK
Adamas Pinot Noir
by Adrian Bryksa
Adamas Pinot Noir Vintage: 2005 Region: Burgundy, France Varietal: Pinot Noir Alcohol: 13% Price: $27.99 Burgundy, it is one of the words in the world of wine t…
FOOD & DRINK
Willow Bridge Estate Sauvignon Blanc Semillon
by Adrian Bryksa
Willow Bridge Estate Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Vintage: 2008 Region: Ferguson Valley, Western Australia Varietal: 55% Sauvignon Blanc, 45% Semillon Alcohol: 12.5…
FOOD & DRINK
Rocky Mountain Food and Wine Festival 2009
by Adrian Bryksa
Wow, has it been that long? 4 years of coverage, its hardly evident that Reading for New Times loves the Rocky Mountain Food and Wine Festival! For the first fe…
FOOD & DRINK
Château Latour – Martillac
by Adrian Bryksa
Château Latour Martillac Vintage: 1999 Region: Pessac-Léognan, Graves, France Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot Alcohol: 13% Price: $57 If you…
FOOD & DRINK
St. Supéry Élu
by Adrian Bryksa
St. Supéry Élu Vintage: 2003 Region: Napa Valley, California, USA Varietal: Meritage Alcohol: 14.3% Price: $10.95(US) – 375ml On a recent trip to the US, I deci…
FOOD & DRINK
Fresh
by Pamela Hruska
Food and diet causes confusion that at times consume me. Fads of what to include or exclude in ones diet does not simplify the process, and I find packaging ver…
FOOD & DRINK
Rosemount Estate Show Reserve Shiraz
by Adrian Bryksa
Rosemount Estate Show Reserve Shiraz Vintage: 2003 Region: McLaren Vale, Australia Varietal: Shiraz Alcohol: 14.5% Price: $27.99 For this months review, I thoug…
FOOD & DRINK
Narkoojee Cabernet Sauvignon
by Adrian Bryksa
Narkoojee Cabernet Sauvignon Vintage: 2004 Region: Central Gippsland, Victoria, Australia Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc Price: $20.00 Time to hea…
FOOD & DRINK
Airlie Maréchal Foch
by Adrian Bryksa
Airlie Maréchal Foch Vintage: 2006 Region: Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA Varietal: Maréchal Foch Price: $26.00 The cool coastal regions of Oregon are known for…
FOOD & DRINK
Hillside Estate Pinotage
by Adrian Bryksa
Hillside Estate Pinotage Vintage: 2007 Region: Naramata Bench, British Columbia, Canada Varietal: Pinotage Price: $34.95 When friends invite you to give some bo…
FOOD & DRINK
Corte Giara Ripasso Valpolicella Superiore
by Adrian Bryksa
Corte Giara Ripasso Valpolicella Superiore Vintage: 2005 Region: Verona, Italy Varietal: 60% Corvina Veronese / 35% Rondinella / 5% Molinara Alcohol: 13.5% Pric…
FOOD & DRINK
Clos la Coutale
by Adrian Bryksa
Clos la Coutale Vintage: 2006 Region: Cahors, France Varietal:80% Malbec , 20% Merlot Alcohol: 13.1% Price: $19.89 Back to France this week, where I selected a…
FOOD & DRINK
La Vieille Ferme Red 2006
by Adrian Bryksa
La Vieille Ferme Red Vintage: 2006 Region: Orange, France Varietal:50% Grenache , 20% Syrah, 15% Carignan and 15% Cinsault Alcohol: 13.5% Price: $11.89 When I s…
FOOD & DRINK
Jim Barry The Lodge Hill Shiraz
by Adrian Bryksa
Jim Barry The Lodge Hill Shiraz Vintage: 2006 Region: Clare Valley, Australia Varietal: 100% Shiraz Alcohol: 15% Price: $24.89 What can I say about this wine, i…
FOOD & DRINK
Rhone Gang Hold Up #6
by Adrian Bryksa
Rhone Gang Hold Up #6 Vintage: 2006 Region: Southern Rhone, France Varietal: 70% Grenache, 30% Pinot Noir Alcohol: 13% Price: $18.89 I like when old world produ…
FOOD & DRINK
Cork Fine Wine Tasting Series featuring Argyle Wines
by Adrian Bryksa
Cork Fine Wine, Liquor and Ale continues their tradition of bringing world renowned vignerons to Calgary and welcomed winemakers Rollin and Corby Soles of Argyl…
FOOD & DRINK
Heitz Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
by Adrian Bryksa
Heitz Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Vintage: 2002 Region: Napa Valley, California Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon Alcohol: 14.5% Price: $44.99 To celebrat…
FOOD & DRINK
Cooper Mountain Vineyards Cooper Hill Pinot Noir
by Adrian Bryksa
Cooper Hill Pinot Noir Vintage: 2006 Region: Willamette Valley, Oregon Varietal: Pinot Noir Alcohol: 13% Price: $27.99 Pinot Noir, long considered the impossibl…
FOOD & DRINK
Edge Cabernet Sauvignon
by Adrian Bryksa
Edge Cabernet Sauvignon Vintage: 2005 Region: Napa Valley, California Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon Alcohol: 14.1% Price: $24.99 I will admit that Cabernet Sauvi…
FOOD & DRINK
Bodegas Enrique Foster Reserva Malbec
by Adrian Bryksa
Enrique Foster Reserva Malbec Vintage: 2003 Region: Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina Varietal: Malbec Alcohol: 14.5% Price: About $35 Due to the fact that peop…
FOOD & DRINK
What the Squash?
by Pamela Hruska
For years I have been strolling by the squash pile at the supermarket, as these unassuming colorful and funny shaped items seemed only to be decorations. With n…
FOOD & DRINK
Conti Zecca Donna Marzia Primitivo IGT
by Adrian Bryksa
Conti Zecca Donna Marzia Primitivo IGT Vintage: 2001 Region: Puglia, Italy Varietal: Primitivo Alcohol: 13% Price: $18.09 Valentine’s Day might be a commercial…
FOOD & DRINK
Wine by the glass at Vin Room
by Adrian Bryksa
Trying to remain on the pulse of all things grape related, Reading For New Times decided to check out Calgary’s newest and hottest wine destination, Vin Room .…
FOOD & DRINK
Wyndham Estates Show Reserve Cabernet Merlot
by Adrian Bryksa
Wyndham Estates Show Reserve Cabernet Merlot Vintage: 2002 Region: Australia Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon – Merlot Alcohol: 14.5% Price: $24.99 Do rewards come…
FOOD & DRINK
Does Your Knife Really Cut it?
by Pamela Hruska
I have a longstanding debate with my co-columnist as to which are the most important knives to have in your kitchen.At this point, I cannot recall which Mrs. Ne…
FOOD & DRINK
Barefoot Zinfandel
by Adrian Bryksa
Barefoot Zinfandel Vintage: Non Vintage Region: California Varietal: Zinfandel Alcohol: 13.5% Price: $9.99 I have seen this brand of wine everywhere and I thoug…
FOOD & DRINK
Casual Inspiration
by Jaymi Newington
As I find myself, and many of my friends, in amidst of our ‘thirty-something’ years, I concurrently find myself in the middle of many discussions stemming from…
FOOD & DRINK
Sustainable Dining at Red Door Bistro
by Adrian Bryksa
Sometimes we are privileged as observers of society to provide context around interesting ideas that are being shared with the world. These ideas can be simple…
FOOD & DRINK
Confessions of a Sugar Bear Poacher
by Pamela Hruska
I am completely passionate for and in love with sour gummy bears. I affectionately refer to them as 'sugar bears'. Introduced to me for the first time at a youn…
FOOD & DRINK
Annie’s Lane Riesling
by Adrian Bryksa
Vintage: 2003 Region: Clare Valley, Australia Varietal: Riesling Alcohol: 11.5% Price: $11.99 As some of you may or may not know, one of my favorite white varie…
FOOD & DRINK
Cinnamon
by Jaymi Newington
As we find ourselves neck deep in the white stuff that marks what we call ‘winter,’ we find ourselves enjoying more than our fare share of tasty treats. Everyth…
FOOD & DRINK
Kendall-Jackson Jackson Estates Grown Cabernet Sauvignon
by Adrian Bryksa
Vintage: 2005 Region: California, United States Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon Alcohol: 13.5% Price: $12.99 Holidays can bring a time of depression, especially wh…
2008
FOOD & DRINK
New Years Bubbles – 3 Sparkling Wines Blind
by Adrian Bryksa
As New Years Eve draws close, it only makes sense to celebrate the coming year with some bubbles, specifically those found in sparkling wine. This year we decid…
FOOD & DRINK
Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz
by Adrian Bryksa
Vintage: 2004 Region: South Australia Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz Alcohol: 14.5% Price: $38.00 When the weather gets cold sometimes making the trek out…
FOOD & DRINK
Huber Grüner Veltliner Obere Steigen D.A.C
by Adrian Bryksa
Vintage: 2006 Region: Treisental (Austria) Varietal: Grüner Veltliner Alcohol: 12.5% Price: $23.19 I am always on the lookout for new white varietals as I find…
FOOD & DRINK
Dining in Paros, Greece: Sho-Sho
by Jaymi Newington
We said goodbye to our dear friends and we parted ways at the tip of Croatia, my husband and I were halfway between Italy and Greece when it hit me like a ton o…
FOOD & DRINK
2006 Pillar Box Red
by Adrian Bryksa
Vintage: 2006 Region: Padthaway (Australia) Varietal: Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot Alcohol: 15.0% Price: $20.09 Decant, decant, decant. I find myself talk…
FOOD & DRINK
CSN Wine and Spirits: Bordeaux Bonanza
by Adrian Bryksa
There are certain feelings of anticipation that come over a person when they are given the opportunity to try a wine deemed perfect. I was faced with that on my…
FOOD & DRINK
Vinya l’Hereu Petit Grealo
by Adrian Bryksa
Vintage: 2004 Region: Costers Del Segre Sero Subzona Artesa, Catalunya (Spain) Varietal: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah Alcohol: 14.0% Price: $34.74 Every ti…
FOOD & DRINK
David Walker Wines launches Mission Hill’s Perpetua and Quatrain
by Adrian Bryksa
When you are a wine freak like me, getting sent invites to wine launch parties brings a combination of nerves, excitement and anticipation; the nerves around wh…
FOOD & DRINK
Torres Gran Coronas Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva
by Adrian Bryksa
Vintage: 2003 Region: Penedés (Spain) Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon Alcohol: 13.5% Price: $13.99 At the Rocky Mountain Food and Wine Festival , I had a chance to…
FOOD & DRINK
Bassermann-Jordan Deidesheimer Paradiesgarten Riesling Kabinett
by Adrian Bryksa
November 4th, 2008 a historic day for the United States and the world. I believe I may have found a historic German Riesling!
FOOD & DRINK
Clos de Los Siete
by Adrian Bryksa
This wine is exciting with dark, inky deep purple tones to it. With the first sniffy sniff, there is a nice blackberry component poking through with some white pepper and a nice hint of toasted oak. To stand up to this wine, match it up with some hard, old Cheddar and biscuits.
FOOD & DRINK
2008 Rocky Mountain Food and Wine Festival
by Adrian Bryksa
For the third straight year, editors from Reading for New Times attended the Calgary stop of the Rocky Mountain Food and Wine Festival. The festival brings Calg…
FOOD & DRINK
Value Wine Experiment - 3 Reds under $15.00
by Adrian Bryksa
He pulled me over to an Australian blend which seemed interesting as a 2005 at 11 dollars, so I made it my choice. Ian grabbed a 2007 Chilean Cabernet and David jumped on an 2006 Argentine Malbec
FOOD & DRINK
Zimmermann Rosshimmel Riesling
by Adrian Bryksa
As I continued to sip, the terroir to which the grapes were grown continued to shine through with those much desired flint, rock and mineral aspects pouring through.
FOOD & DRINK
Stark - Condé Syrah
by Adrian Bryksa
For the most part, I typically stay away from South African wines, for no good reason other than I haven't had one that has really excited me or blown me away. Maybe this Syrah will change that.
FOOD & DRINK
The Little Penguin Merlot
by Adrian Bryksa
I find myself picking up bottles, reading the labels and examining the packaging and wondering what makes the average consumer choose it over the countless others in the sea of similarly priced products.
FOOD & DRINK
Caves Alianca Quinta dos Quatro Ventos Douro
by Adrian Bryksa
I immediately thought that this wine would be an excellent contender for the cellar as in my experience, they often are much better in a few years time when they have had a chance to mellow out in bottle.
FOOD & DRINK
Nugan Estate Manuka Grove Vineyard Durif
by Adrian Bryksa
I remember the day I first tried this wine and it was all I talked about with all my oenophile friends. I rushed out and bought as much as I could and stockpiled it in my cellar. Since then, many Merlots, Shirazes and Chardonnays have become between us.
FOOD & DRINK
Travaglini Gattinara Riserva
by Adrian Bryksa
Typically, this is a 90 + point rated wine from Wine Spectator. It is an excellent example of an outstanding medium bodied Nebbiolo from Northern Piedmont in Italy, delivering a slightly hard candy, floral bouquet with a orangish hue.
FOOD & DRINK
Esser Cellars Chardonnay
by Adrian Bryksa
Coming out of the bottle, it exhibited a pale honey straw-ish color and the nose is delivered a bit of baked apple and honey along with some toasted oak, which almost makes it seem like apple pie.
2007
FOOD & DRINK
Regional Heroes Wine Tasting
by Adrian Bryksa
As if the wine wasn't enough, the event was professionally catered and the food offerings were excellent. From crab stuffed mushroom caps to a wide array of cheeses and other appetizers, guests were given an opportunity to snack on some gourmet nosh while sampling in this intimate environment.
FOOD & DRINK
Super Bowl Beer Sampling
by Adrian Bryksa
After nearly choking over a thirteen dollar six pack, I decided that my sampling would be done based off of 500 mL cans of 4 various import beers coming in at an average of $2.45 per unit. Not cheap, but not unreasonable for 2 liters of the nectar of the gods.
2005
FOOD & DRINK
Christmas Cookie Extravaganza
by Beauty
This year in celebration of the season (and Martha Stewart being out of jail) we’re going to bake Chocolate Cloud cookies and Lemon Slice squares.
FOOD & DRINK
Sammiches
by Dijita
The stomach is grumbling and you can't ignore the call. You need to refuel with something that's not going to go right through you like some kid on a waterslide. The answer is simple... sammiches.
FOOD & DRINK
How about them Apples?
by Pamela Hruska
It was important to select an inconspicuous grocery store for the task, as ringing through 10 different bags of one apple each did not seem to make my cashier very enthused.
2004
FOOD & DRINK
Christmas Cookie Extravaganza 2004
by Beauty
Baking is fun! Didn't your mother ever tell you that? The first recipe is super easy so even noobies should be able to get it right.
FOOD & DRINK
Thought Piece: Eating
by Wartank
It wasn't a sexually charged event. She simply radiated culture and elegance in a way I had never been exposed to..
FOOD & DRINK
Bachelor Chow
by Wartank
Pick your meat.. I generally stick with chicken or beef because it fries up real easy and heck I must be part black cause I dig that fried chicken..
FOOD & DRINK
Holiday Drinks
by Silenced Scream
Well I'm back with another installment to my most likely ongoing series of how to get drunk on things that taste better than Lysol..