http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/blogs/macphee all blog posts in chron order (most to least recent) en-gb Tue, 21 May 2013 21:22:01 CDT http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/blogs/macphee/207913202.html While my initial plan was to write about many more of the wines brought in special for the Winnipeg Wine Festival, a quick trip to the Grant Park Liquor Mart (where all the leftovers landed) Thursday revealed many of the wines have already flown out the door. What I thought I'd do instead then... Fri, 17 May 2013 14:59:35 CDT http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/blogs/macphee/207225032.html How many wines did I try at the 2013 Winnipeg Wine Festival? From the opening ancillary event to the end of the Saturday matinee tasting, I figure about 200. And while I can't possibly talk about all of them in great detail, I did pick a few of my favourites. Below are some of my picks, in no Mon, 13 May 2013 11:55:15 CDT http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/blogs/macphee/200616911.html Véronique Rivest has made wine-related history, becoming the first woman and the first Canadian to land on the podium at the 14th Contest of the Best Sommelier of the World, held over the past few days in Tokyo, Japan. Rivest was the runner-up at the contest, besting an impressive Fri, 29 Mar 2013 14:54:02 CDT http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/blogs/macphee/192715962.html If we can't have grape wineries here in Manitoba, we should at least be thankful we've got some decent breweries in our 'hood (although we could always use more). Both Fort Garry Brewing Co. and Half Pints Brewing Co. have new brews out there worth trying — especially if you're after Sat, 23 Feb 2013 11:24:36 CST http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/blogs/macphee/191824546.html Have a nose for discerning certain grapes in a wine? Is your palate is pretty fine-tuned to where a wine comes from and when it was made? Not sure, and want to put your senses to the test? Think you've got what it takes to taste wine with (or like) the pros? Then the First Annual Manitoba Tue, 19 Feb 2013 09:56:05 CST http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/blogs/macphee/190288886.html 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false ARAMANTE, PORTUGAL — In Manitoba, our selection of Vinho Verde is on the modest side, to say the least. Typically made into light, crisp, low-alcohol white wines, we see just a few Vinho Verdes at Manitoba Liquor Marts and Fri, 8 Feb 2013 10:39:20 CST http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/blogs/macphee/182732095.html I get a fair bit of PR-type emails (and the occasional bit of snail mail) from wineries and wine associations, much of which I read with passing interest before deleting. But last week I got an email from Nova Scotia's Benjamin Bridge winery that piqued my interest, in that it was sent to me and Sun, 9 Dec 2012 13:21:41 CST http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/blogs/macphee/181043821.html Every year on the third Thursday in November, Beaujolais Nouveau is released. It's a tradition that was invented by négociants in the region to promote wines from Beaujolais as well as to offload some of their more ordinary juice. The Beaujolais Nouveau heyday has come and gone, but one Tue, 27 Nov 2012 14:52:50 CST http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/blogs/macphee/California-final-entry-Zinned-out-138348384.html Saturday morning in San Francisco was the ZAP trade tasting. ZAP stands for Zinfandel Advocates and Producers, and is a festival devoted solely to the grape. To be clear, I'm talking about the big, inky dark dry red wine, not the cheap, off-dry blush. The trade component started at 10 a.m. and Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:42:19 CST http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/blogs/macphee/California-days-4-and-5-138299399.html So when I last wrote it was Thursday morning and we had yet to hit our first winery. I've made plenty of stops between then and now - in fact, the rest of my traveling companions have gone home, while I'm staying an extra day to explore San Francisco and see Wilco tonight at the Warfield. Thanks Sun, 29 Jan 2012 19:13:12 CST