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22 - THE OAKVILLE BEAVER ' " · Friday October 13, 2000 Oakville Place The colour purple r i§H 1 -j l Mi l/m. A L E X E B E R S P A E O H E R Wine Cellar Now Independently Owned & Operated! Prices valid from October 14 to October 2 0 , 2 0 0 0 Butcher's Pride Roasting Chickens Fresh! Canada Grade " A ", Jumbo, 2.84 kg P.E.I. Potatoes Product of Canada Canada No. 1, 4.54 k g / 1 0 lb. Bag ea. H abitant Soups Selected Varieties 796 mL Tin 1 C re a m y Yogurt Selected Flavours 175 g Cup Douro River, Portugal... My feet and legs are purple, aching and very tired because I was foolish enough to agree to stomp grapes. I've done this before but there is quite a difference between stomping a few grapes in a tub in front o f cameras at a publicity event, and doing the real foot-treading, the lagare method, as is done in this northern Portuguese region. Port wine has always been som e thing very special, so it should not have come as a surprise to me that the production o f the wine was unlike anything I have ever seen before. I had been here before and I fell in love with the inhospitable region. Now, as it was then, I am still wondering why anybody lives here, let alone makes wine. It is hot and dusty, and nobody can even rem em ber when it rained the last time. Some believe it was last M arch, but when temperatures often go above 40 degrees C elcius, rain becom es a mirage. Here, in the upper reaches o f the Douro, m ost o f the wines are ju st young table wines that still have some sweetness. A fter a partial fer m entation, these w ines are then shipped down to the town of Vila Nova de Gaia, across the river from Porto. Here alcohol is added and the now-fortified wine begins its life, usually in barrels, as one o f the greatest dessert wines, the real Port. As isolated and inhospitable as the Douro may be, even here tim e does not stand still and more and more of the Quintas, as the wineries here are called, produce the Port right here in the cellars among the steepest vine yards anyw here in the world. There is white port that is often blended with tonic w ater and a slice o f lemon or lime as an aperitif. The youngest and fruitiest o f the ports are the Rubys, followed by the Tawnys, ports that are aged in barrels, and then there are the LBV s, the Late Bottled Vintage Ports followed by the exclusive Vintage Ports. Luckily for me, only the LBVs and the Vintage Ports are usually stom ped by foot. Even so, I lasted no more than half an hour in the lagare last night, far short o f the regular four hour shifts the locals do, and that is after they have been picking grapes all day long! W hen I get back to Canada I will take a look at what is available there and let you know, but that must wait as I cannot not go home with purple legs. In the m eantim e, ju st take my word for it that the 2000 vintage will be one o f the best ones in many years. I can feel it all over. Free T rip to Virginia! Are You between the ages of 12 and 17 years? Would you like to learn how to sail, play sports, learn first aid, go on adventure weekends and attend free summer camps across Canada? "Oakville Sea Cadets" :K H ig h Liner S o le o r " B ig " G " B o sto n B lu e Fillets Presweetened Cereals Frozen 400 g Pkg. | § Selected Varieties 375 - 430g Box free prog 1 Welcomes You to O ur ra m OPEN HOUSE /> f 'r e e r ° S r Q fn i on Wed., Oct. 18th/00 Between 7 pm-9 pm Location: Halton Regional Building 1151 Bronte Rd.,Oakville C om e S a il w ith U s! For more info: Call Linda Gignac 8 4 9 - 6 4 2 7 or contact us at our website: www.bravozulu.nu haldimandmotors.com An on-line inventory search service OVER 250 VEHICLES IN STOCK H flU H M flU ea. ea. U P D A TE D D A IL Y 3 times a week WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO LIMIT QUANTITIES. ADVERTISED PRICES DO NOT INCLUDE TAXES. Oakville Place IGA 2 4 0 Leighland Avenue O a kville Open: Mon. to Wed. - 8:30 A.M. to 9 P.M., Thurs. & FH. - 8:30 A.M. to 9:30 P.M., Saturday - 8 A.M. to 6 P.M., Sunday - 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. tS S S S - * iS H Look for our flyer in today's Oakville Beaver for one of our TH E CfcKVULE BEAVER