Tonight was miserable and rainy, but we enjoyed our evening nonetheless thanks to good food and good company in the form of an old friend (and student of Lucy's) and his partner. Showing off their culinary skills and new rings (they are very recently married) our hosts also produced a couple of special selections from their cellar to add to this special evening. First up, Gravlax with cream cheese and capers (from Scandinavia) along with what I will call North Toronto ceviche (marinated scallops) were outstanding nibbles and very well matched with the 2009 Stoneburn Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough in New Zealand. The classic grassy flavours of this wine with its hint of lime zest set just the right tone.

A little Italy came next in the form of a green salad with parmesan and figs, and then Lucy's favourite: roast duck with green beans, accompanied by wild rice. For this, our hosts' cellar was tapped for the Coldstream Hills Pinot Noir. A Billy's Best Bottles pick, this pinot from the hills northeast of Melbourne in the Australian state of Victoria, was produced by the winery once owned by James Halliday, former lawyer and the author of the leading text on Australian wines. What a choice this was! Full, rich and long. Classic pinot nose, earthy black cherries on the palate and plenty of depth--a wonderful combination. And to top it all off, this great meal seemed to stop the rain as we returned home. Spring is in the air...