I had the pleasure of trying this Chardonnay at the "Gourmet Food and Wine Expo" It was a little pricey and I have to admit, I tried it because of that fact. (costs more, must be better) and... it was very nice. Price $36.95 a bottle.

"Earthy, Mushroomy scent, Oak, Orange and Lime flavors"

(on the label) I was eating sweetbreads in a mushroom sauce while I sampled this Vintage which made the wine just that much more enjoyable.
If your looking for a Chard to try, you wont be disappointed with this choice.

Cuvaison Chardonnay 2000, Carneros, Napa Valley, Calf. a>

Found this little treat at the liquor store this week while looking for the Leasingham Shiraz/Malbec 98
It's made byCheviot Bridge - Long Flat Wines, South Eastern Australia and is a Cabernet (80%), Shiraz (10%), Malbec (10%) blend.
At $10.05 a bottle it can definitely hold its own with some of the higher priced vintages.

"This outstanding dry red combines the full flavor of Cabernet with the richness of Shiraz and perfumed aroma of Malbec. A delight to drink now with grilled meats, pasta and Mediterranean dishes"

Last summer I was at the liquor store and wandered into the vintage section. Not knowing what I was looking for I choose to purchase "The wine of the month". "Shiraz/Malbec 1998 Clare Valley, South Australia” (Leasingham Wines) This bottle of wine transformed me from a "take it or leave it" wine drinker into a "I really like this red/white stuff" kind a guy. This is one of the best Wines I've tasted to date. Fortunately I had the good sense to take a little card that describes the wine or it would be nothing more than a sweet obscure memory. Unfortunately I tossed the card into the paper junk pile which I’m sure resides in every household. Today while cleaning a neglected kitchen cupboard I found the "card" and decided "Never again". I now have a new category in my blog "wines I like" where I can put information like this. I hope to add lots of other tasty treats over time as I live in the Niagara region of Ontario and since I quit smoking I have the ability to appreciate this beverage on a new found level.

On November 24th I will be celebrating my 13th wedding anniversary with my beautiful, smart, sexy (hi honey) wife. Each year we exchange a gift and try and do something together like see a concert, catch a movie or go out to dinner. While looking for SIMON & GARFUNKEL tickets this year (which are sold out) I came across an interesting alternative event "The Gourmet Food & Wine Expo" At the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. I sent my wife the link, she agreed and it was a date. We parked on Front Street for 5 bucks, which seemed like a great deal. It was several blocks away from the Convention Center but our destination was within eye shot so we decided to save some money and we walked. Five minutes later we entered the North West doors, 20 minutes, 6 escalators, 2 football field size corridors, 5 floors, and 3 separate venues later we arrived at the Food & Wine Expo. If you're going to the Toronto Convention Centre-South, make note "SOUTH" means far away from the NORTH. You would think after dozens of trade shows, hauling computers, flyers, swag and other trade show stuff over this daunting distance due to a poor parking decisions I would remember to check for the word "south" Doh! Once we arrived we had to stand in line to pay admission ($15.00 but if you printed off the website coupon you got $3 bucks off) and buy Sample tickets (.50 cents a piece). As the lines were long we decided to each stand in a separate line and race (so to speak) to the ticket wicket. We both arrived at aprox the same time (she won by 15 seconds) so it made little difference in the end. Just before you walk in you’re given a wineglass, this is never a bad thing. As I entered the Expo I felt like a young boy in a candy store and headed straight to the nearest wine vendor where I grabbed a glass of Witt’s End South East Australia Shiraz. Next stop FOOD! Over to EDO for some delicious but overpriced Sushi. Continuing down the isle I had to make a pit stop at the Campbell’s Gourmet Soups booth. They had 2 soups (Red Pepper Black Bean and Butternut Squash) of which I tried both, twice. I'm going to buy some of the Butternut Squash with my .50 cent off coupon, it was DA bomb. Next stop, La Forge Estate Chardonnay 2002 and over to Luigi the butcher guy who gave us at least 10 samples of various kinds of sausages (delish). We walked away with $35 worth of sausage,. Kobasa and Proschuto
Next over to the Cheese Boutique for a roast beef sandwich which squirted juice on me while he carved it, very tasty. We sat and watched Chef Kevin Gaskin/Left Bank make sweet potato Gnocchi while I devoured my 1/2 pound roast beef sandwich. Next it was off for some summer squash risotto with Parmesan and balsamic and for desert, a marshmallow run under a milk chocolate fountain (this was awesome) and of course "more wine". As we meandered through the show we also enjoyed "Sautéed Sweet Breads in a Mustard Sauce" While sipping "Cuvaison Chardonnay 2000, Nappa Valley" and listening to a jazz band (with a harp) play "I'd rather be a hammer than a nail - SIMON & GARFUNKEL" We finished the evening with fresh oysters from Oysters r' Us. ;)
If you like food and wine this is a show that’s worth the time, maybe I’ll see you there next year!