Elevated flavour
Last week we discussed the effect of the cold ocean currents on the growing cycle of vineyards. This week we look at the impact of altitude. Higher altitude vineyards in Europe are in the Alps, the Pyrenees and the upper reaches of Duero river Portugal. Usually no higher than 800 metres, the effect of altitude […]
After the rains
It would be like any other morning, except when the rains come: at dawn; drenching bouquet, opening sour earth and sweet-water sky. I saw it over there yesterday, the anvilhead cloud, large flat-top cloud: Cumulonimbus incus; thunderstorm cloud; king of all clouds, rising high out of nowhere like the pillars of the earth of Utah; […]
Uncage the grammar police, again
A few weeks ago, I wrote about setting the grammar police on the prowl against the use of the inadvertent expression known as the malapropism. Today, I’m uncaging the grammar police again, and writing about the pleonasm. What the heck is a pleonasm? It’s the use of more words than necessary to convey a point. […]
All you need is love—and a plan
I am truly fortunate. I live in a great community. If I want to work, all I have to do is call my buddy Lynda, and she finds me a spot in one of her catering gigs or she calls me and tells me I have to work for her. In the 42 years I’ve […]
Out of the mist
Early last week, in the late afternoon, I saw fog roll in from the lake and embrace Wellington. And it made me reflect on how important these tiny water droplets can be to winegrowing. We have all seen footage of the Golden GateBridge peeking above the ocean fog. Apart from providing excellent photo opportunities, this […]
Three Dunlop tires
Editor’s note: David offers a lighthearted alternative to the Michelin Guide. There’s something heartening about watching grown people slobber ice cream all over their hands, faces and clothes. I think it’s the fact that eating ice cream has to be approached by accepting our inner child. Yes, the big news is that the old/new Orchard […]
Ride along
“The Ride for Heart is always a happy event. I get to ride for a great cause with my family and it marks the start of summer for me,” says my youngest son. Well, it marks the start of summer for me, too. It was an amazing day on the Gardiner Expressway and the Don […]
Out of the blocks
Sprinters know that you must get out of the starting blocks quickly in order to win races. By no means is the baseball season a sprint, with each team playing more than 160 games. But it never hurts to get off to a good start, and that is exactly what the Toronto Blue Jays have […]
And the winner is?
Barring unforseen miracles, the Los Angeles Kings and the New York Rangers will meet in the Stanley Cup final this year. Each has taken a commanding lead, three games won, one lost. Each is playing with discernible confidence. The Chicago Blackhawks and the Montreal Canadiens will likely be the last two teams to fall by […]
A sublime blend
A wine region can be defined by soil composition, altitude and mean temperatures of a geographic area. It can be further subdivided into areas unique to each vineyard — for example the position of the vineyard vis-à-vis the sun in the morning or afternoon. And within each of these vineyards we identify smaller areas of […]