Good morning. I’ve seen it time and time again. Someone has on a 10/10 suit, hair looks fantastic, tie is the perfect length, great belt. But there’s one fly in the ointment - the shoes. Sometimes all it takes is one small element to throw off what would have been a fantastic look. The same thing can happen with big dinners.
You get the best ingredients, sauté the onions to perfection, just to pick the wrong wine. But not to fear, Ian from Bottles & Barrels is here! Today Ian is suggesting a few of his favourites wines, how to pair them, and some wine accessories so that you can be a rockstar at your next gathering.
A few certainties. Cab Sauv pairs with steak, Marshawn Lynch should have ran the ball in Super Bowl 49, and brown shoes should never accompany a black suit 👞
Today’s read time is 5 minutes.
The Muskoka Forecast
🗓️Events - This week in Muskoka
Saturday - Oct 4th • 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
📍Muskoka Heritage Place
88 Brunel Rd, Huntsville
🍷The Essentials - Presented by Bottles & Barrels
Bottles & Barrels is a boutique importer of fine wines and spirits, proudly serving the GTA, Muskoka, and Collingwood regions. Specializing in small-batch, artisanal producers from Italy, Spain, France, South Africa, and beyond, Bottles & Barrels offers an exclusive, curated portfolio not found on LCBO shelves.
Because their partners craft in limited quantities, each bottle represents a unique expression of place and tradition — unavailable through mass retail. Whether it's a dock delivery in Muskoka or a driveway drop in the city, Bottles & Barrels brings exceptional taste directly to you.
Orange Wine has recently become increasingly popular in North America, but the practice itself is over 8,000 years old. It is made by taking white wine grapes but producing them in a "red wine style" which means allowing the juice to sit with the grape skins for longer periods. This particular wine is from the Chioccioli family estate which is organic and biodynamic certified. It is the perfect white wine as the weather gets colder.
Pair it with: white meat and cheeses perfectly. Making it a great option for turkey dinners, and cheese platter starters. (hint hint)One of my favourite red wines. San Filippo is an estate that is situated in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Brunello di Montalcino. It has been a vineyard for 600+ years, and will continue to be a vineyard for the rest of history. This wine is medium bodied, harvested slightly earlier than some of it's counterparts in nearby communes.
Pair it with: white or red meats, rich vegetable dishes, lighter cheeses, and family reunions.The Negroni is a classic Florentine cocktail that originated from the Capital of the Renaissance in the 1940s. It is made with equal parts Dry Gin, Sweet Vermouth, and Bitters. Traditionally Campari is used, however; that is a spirit heavily concentrated with sugar. The True Tuscan Negroni kit is the only Negroni made with all 3 ingredients distilled in Florence, and is also 100% natural - meaning no headache when waking up to a house full of family.
All wine can be aerated. All great wine should be aerated and why open anything other than a great wine over the holiday weekend. The Final Touch Decanter blends functionality with style and is easy to hold, pour, and clean.
To me, the fabled corkscrew is a tool that gets worse with innovation. Adding batteries, buttons, and lights to a tool that has been around for hundreds of years doesn't improve functionality. This classic style serving corkscrew is the perfect tool for opening a bottle with a little flair - bringing the decadence of service at a high end restaurant into your home for only $20.
A Final Note
Drinking good wine with good food in good company is one of life's most civilized pleasures.
Until next time,
Part of The Cottage Almanac Family
