Judy’s Fall Pick

Wine Pick


Tommasi Ripasso Valpolicella Classico Superiore

Valpolicella Ripasso is made by adding the grape skins remaining from the production Amarone to Valpolicella wine at the end of the fermentation process. This “repassing” of the Amarone grape pommace in the wine creates a richer version of Valpolicella often displaying darker fruit notes such as black cherry, blueberry, mocha, earth and spice.

Food Pairings

A tasty treat with veal parmigiana, osso buco or beef fajitas. It’s a wine with sufficient stuffing to go with hearty foods such as stews, braised red meats, game and aged cheeses.

As the temperature drops the need for heartier comfort foods increases making this choice of wine a seasonal favourite.

Beer Pick


No Boats on Sunday

No Boats on Sunday’s name stems not only from Nova Scotia’s tradition of taking Sundays as a day of rest, but also uses the crossed oars on its logo as a means of telling its drinkers that today is not the day for hard work and it’s time to temporarily “put up the oars” and enjoy a refreshing cider.

Using only locally grown apples fresh from Nova Scotia’s orchards and quality hops from the province’s farms, the cider boasts 100% locally-resourced ingredients. These high quality products make a perfect craft cider that is medium-bodied with a crisp, lasting finish.

Food Pairings

Try matching No Boats with Sunday with pork roast, sausages and pork chops.

Cider is surprisingly good with food. Lighter, crisper, drier styles are great served with a pre-dinner charcuterie board featuring fresh cheeses such as goats milk cheese, Chevre or a local quark. Dry ciders can also be used to make a tangy vinaigrette which would be perfect for a simple salad. Medium-dry ciders can go with fuller flavours. They’re great with fish such salmon but also strike a great balance with similar sweetness of pork.


Hard Cider Sangria : Judy’s Cocktail Recipe

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup quartered and thinly sliced unpeeled green, yellow and red apples
  • 1 navel orange—quartered and thinly sliced crosswise
  • 8 oz apple juice, chilled
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 oz apple brandy (Calvados Boulard Pays d’Auge)
  • 500 mL Bottle No Boats on Sunday

DIRECTIONS

  • In a pitcher, combine the apples with the orange, apple juice, lemon juice and brandy. Just before serving, add the hard cider. Serve in tall glasses over ice.

Spirit Pick


Oban Scotch

Oban is the frontier between the West Highlands and the Islands; the meeting place between land and sea. A perfect, sheltered harbour makes it the principal seaport for the Isles and the capital of the West Highlands.

It has a mild, temperate climate, warmed by the Gulf Stream and washed (too often, some might say) by the soft rain that often falls hereabouts. This misty, briny character, with a background of heather and peat, is perfectly echoed in the malt whisky produced at Oban.

Oban is made using only the finest barley, malted to the distillery’s own particular specification. Partly germinated barley is gently dried in a kiln where a light peat smoke gives the malt a distinctive character and taste. The result is the smoky, malty dryness in the flavour and finish of Oban.

Food Pairings

Oban is simply lovely with chicken satay or even crystallized ginger. The perfect addition to a warming maritime cocktail to warm hearts on a cool fall night.

Taste style: Medium. Quite malty and sweet opening, with a medium body and a generous dry finish. A hint of spiciness perhaps, and seashore on the nose.


Rusty Nail: Judy’s Cocktail Recipe

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 1/2 oz Scotch Whiskey
  • 1/2 oz Drambuie
  • 1 twist lemon peel

DIRECTIONS

  • Pour the scotch and drambuie into an old-fashioned glass almost filled with ice cubes. Stir well. Garnish with the lemon twist.