I’m starting to post my wines of the week! This will feature one red and one white. Hopefully I truly will do it every week. 🙂 I’ll try to post more of value wines that I taste. You know, the stuff that’s great for the $$. On the main page, you should see a link labeled “Wine of the Week”. Hopefully you’ll enjoy my picks! I’m working on a few other posts as well. One is all about VQA (vee-q-wha?) and the other article is a recap of the Cool Climate Chardonnay tasting that I attended last week. On a side note, I’ve been dealing with a death in the family so my blogging hasn’t been very active but hopefully I’ll post something soon.
Viva Argentina
Last week was a busy week in the Toronto wine world! I attended the iYellow Argentine BBQ at 99 Sudbury. I love this venue. I was wondering how the night would go considering it was one of the hottest days of the year! The venue looked amazing for the night. The djs were spinning some funky beats…perfect to get this party started.
| This was my hangout |
This was table 11. The wines were being poured by Lifford Wine Agency. I just stood by this table all night long, like a wine groupie. They had two of my favourite wines of the show: Humberto Canale Black River Torrentes (white wine) and Humberto Canale Estate Malbec (red wine) . Too bad these two wines are by consignment only. I would love to get my hands on that Torrentes. It was spectacular. You have to purchase a case (12 bottles). It’s very tempting though because it’s only $11.99 a bottle. Great price for this gem!
| My favourite of the event Black River Torrentes 2010 |
.The place was packed with people and we all had a common bond – the record breaking heatwave plaguing Toronto that day and our love of Argentinian wine. The food was delicious. There were meat and veggie kabobs, empanadas and sliders.
Asado is a term used both for a range of barbecue techniques and the social event of having or attending a barbecue in Argentina.
| mmm meat! |
My picks of the night:
Humberto Canale Estate Malbec 2010 $14.99
Humberto Canale Black River Torrentes 2010 $11.99
Luigi Bosca Reserva Malbec 2008 $17.95
Don Cristobal 1492 Chardonnay 2011 $12.95
Kaiken Ultra Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 $19.95
Malbec is the signature grape variety of Argentina but not the only!
| They made it look so easy |
| Ole! |
There was a tango performance by dancers directly from Argentina. Very sexy! I tried Tango once in my living room. Didn’t work out so well. I have to say that the iYellow Wine Club events are getting bigger and better.
I really want to go to Argentina. It looks like such a beautiful country with a rich culture, beautiful scenery and of course, delicious wine.The first vines were planted in Argentina about 400 years ago. Today the industry is thriving as the country has many diverse geographical regions and modern wine making methods. All this mixed with rich heritage and passion, no wonder the popularity of Argentinian wine continues to grow. The thing I like about Argentinian wine is the value. You get enjoyable wine at a great price point.
| Vintage One Wines |
Did you know that Toronto has a city winery? In the picture on the right is Alejandra De Miguel (in the white dress). She is the chief winemaker at Vintage One Wines. She, herself, is from Argentina and was a guest speaker at the event. She is gorgeous! I had no idea such a place existed in Toronto. They source the grapes and create wine right in Toronto. What an idea! I’m going to check them out.
“Vintage One is a city winery designed to bring the spirit of wine country to your doorstep. Visit our winery and it will feel like you’ve escaped to wine country. Surrounded by oak barrels and stainless steel fermenting tanks, the vast winery is unlike anything else in the city. It is a perfect setting for any festive occasion.
Become a winemaker. Join our family and experience how a city winery can add richness to your urban life.” – http://www.vintageonewines.com
www.vintageonewines.com
www.facebook.com/vintageonewines
Vintage One Wines on Vimeo.
For more information about Argentinian wine:
Check out the iYellow website for future events:
Bordeaux After Work @ Maraben
| Let’s get the party started |
| Me behind the decks |
Tuesday night I attended the second edition of the Bordeaux After Work Party series. This time, the event was held at Marben, located in the trendy King and Spadina. It was a fantastic evening. The venue was packed with eager wine lovers and the music, of course, was amazing…not only because I was the dj!
| iYellow team |
What a great way to spend an otherwise drab Tuesday night. I just love summer patio weather. Marben has delicious food and friendly staff. The place has a really great vibe. I have to say that this event was bigger than the first! Lots of eager Bordeaux wine drinkers came out. I definitely heard a lot of French spoken which made me feel like I was in La France, even if for just a moment…
| Wines for tasting |
There were four wines of the menu. Two reds and two whites. The way the event worked was that your first glass was free and any other glasses were $9. Not too bad considering the pours were 5 oz.
| The menu |
What I like about this event series is that they’re introducing the general public to good value wines from Bordeaux. There’s a misconception that Bordeaux wine is too expensive, but that’s not true. You can find some lovely wine for every budget.
| Marben entrance |
I was eager to continue my tasting of the 2009 vintage. So far, I’m impressed. Out of the four wines featured, I preferred:
White
Chateau Fayau Blanc 2009
This was a nice Sauvignon Blanc blended with Semillion. Sauvignon Blanc showed through on both the nose and palate. Great minerality. I liked this one a lot!
Red
Chateau Courteillac 2009
Smooth and easy to drink. Light tannin and vanilla with some red fruit. This was a general crowd pleaser. This wine would be great for a BBQ or a party.
I’m enjoying Bordeaux After Work. It’s a great way to kick back and relax after a hard day at work. We’re having great patio weather this summer. It’s a wonderful way to spend time with friends while discovering the diverse wines that Bordeaux has to offer. Next Bordeaux After Work Party is September 20th so keep posted to find out the location.
www.enjoybordeaux.com
www.iyellowwineclub.com/blog/bordeaux-after-work-party
To make sure you get invited to each of these events, become a fan of Bordeaux Wines on Facebook here
Twitter Hashtag:
#bordeauxafterwork
Bordeaux Party @ Origin
| Let’s discover |
Last month I went to the Bordeaux After Work Party at Origin Restaurant, downtown Toronto. Today, is the second installment of this series and will be located at Marben Restaurant.
www.iyellowwineclub.com/blog/bordeaux-after-work-party
| Yummy cheese! |
The Bordeaux After Work Party is a series of small after work gatherings at different locations in an effort to explore the diverse wines of the Bordeaux region. Good wine, good food – totally what I need after a hard day at the office!
| La Sélection |
The tasting bar out on the Origin patio. At these events, your first glass is free and any other glasses are sold at a decent price. Thank goodness I came a bit hungry. There were some delicious appetizers and cheese plates being served.
| Origin patio |
| A view from inside Origin |
The event was a full house! I snapped these pictures before the event opened. Origin is located in the St. Lawrence Market area. What a great way to spend a summer evening.
| Wine selection |
The fine selection of Bordeaux wines. Two reds, two whites and a rose. I was loving the whites as they were two very different styles. The Chateau Bonnet was a dry, crisp wine with lots of citrus notes and lively acidity. This white is from the Entre-Deux-Mers region of Bordeaux. The other white (I have to admit, was my favourite of the night) comes from the Graves region. It was Chateau Boyrein 2009. It’s $16.95 a bottle at the LCBO. There was slight oak and great minerality. This was my view on Wine Align for this wine:
“I was at a “Bordeaux After Work” tasting event tonight at Origin in Toronto and this was one of the wines on the menu. I liked it! A great patio wine from Bordeaux. A blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillion and Muscadelle, it’s a fine sipper. Good minerality, acidity and flavour. For the price, I think it will be a crowd pleaser.”
| Let’s learn! |
I love the literature on Bordeaux wine and region. This booklet gives you all the information you need to know. I’m such a nerd. I carry this around with me now for some extra reading.
| My glass |
The great thing about Bordeaux wine is that you can find something for every occasion. You can find every kind of style and price. Bordeaux wine is basically what you want it to be! There are some fantastic wines for not much money. There are also sparkling wines coming from the region as well.
I can’t wait for the next event tonight! There will be four new wines to discover. See you at Marben Restaurant. www.marbenrestaurant.com
Cool Chardonnay
ABC. Not only are these the first three letters in the English alphabet, these three letters also signify a horrible acronym meaning “Anything but chardonnay”. It’s time to rid the wine world of this “ABC” attitude and change it to mean “All about chardonnay”. Wait, wouldn’t that be AAC?
Why has chardonnay gotten such a bad rap? Well, I think it’s because the market has been saturated with so much bad chardonnay that it’s given the grape a bad name. Lots of overly oaked, flabby wine has deceived the public that this is the only style of wine that this grape can make. Totally not true! I myself am a HUGE lover of chardonnay. Like our friendly grape – Riesling, Chardonnay can really show off it’s “terroir” – that is, it’s sense of place…where it comes from….it’s expression of the land. It’s such a versatile grape that can be made into many different styles.
“It’s time for the re-birth of Cool…” – www.coolchardonnay.org
“Not all chardonnay is created equal. Add in a bit of cool – cool by altitude, by latitude, by marine influence or by climatic conditions – and you have an entirely different experience. Chardonnay vines that are grown in cool climates and encouraged to allow asense of place to shine through can produce a wine that is balanced, refreshing, complex and elegant. And when done right…cool climate chardonnay can be a magical wine. ” – www.coolchardonnay.org
The weekend of July 22-24, Niagara wine country is having a Cool Climate Chardonnay celebration and we’re all invited! For three days, many of the wineries are going to have various events from parties, lunches to tastings. Sunday July 24, in Toronto, LCBO Vintages will be hosting a large tasting at Roy Thompson Hall. For three hours you can walk around and taste cool climate chardonnays from all over the world. It’s expensive at $95 per ticket, but it should be a great tasting. See my “hint” at the end of this post to get cheaper tickets.
“Thirty Ontario wineries started the International Cool Climate Chardonnay Association – a not-for-profit group devoted to reinstating the dignity of chardonnay. The i4c is a “coming together” of the finest examples of cool climate chardonnay in the world – a casual but in-depth weekend celebration of wine, food and learning, with an eye to reinvigorating a seriously cool wine.” – www.coolchardonnay.org
If you want to go to the tasting at Roy Thompson Hall in Toronto, visit this site to purchase cheaper tickets:
www.coolchardonnay.org/content/blend-your-own-chardonnay-celebration
Grape Growers of Ontario
The Grape Growers of Ontario association is launching a campaign to introduce the grape growers to us, the consumer. The passion and dedication of these growers is helping fuel our growing wine industry. It’s important to know who they are and what they do. We should be proud of our wines and the people behind them. When I tell people from other countries that Canada makes wine, their eyes open wide and they ask “Really? Canada makes wine?”. I eagerly respond, “We do and it’s delicious!”.
Yes our winters here in Ontario are harsh but what makes successful wine production possible is the proximity of the vineyards to large bodies of water – the great lakes. The wine growing areas of Ontario are near Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. The lake acts as a temperature regulator.
This is Debra Marshall. Her and her husband, Thomas, grow Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir grapes on 10 acres of land in Prince Edward County. They own and run Robert Thomas Estate Vineyards and Winery Inc. in Cherry Valley, Ontario. The farm has been in Debra’s family for four generations. In the video she says that her favourite wine to drink is pinot noir. That’s one of mine too. I love her quote: “I figured if I planted what I loved to drink myself, I would take very good care of it”.
| Thomas and Debra Marshall, grape growers |
Prince Edward County (“The County”), is Ontario’s newest wine growing region. It was officially established as a wine appellation in 2007. Only 2.5 hours from Toronto, it’s a beautiful picturesque, rustic destination. If you’ve been to the Niagara wine region, The County is quite different. The region is the most northerly wine growing area in Ontario. The wines show the minerality from all that limestone in the soil. I highly recommend visiting and of course, sampling the wines. Prince Edward County specializes in cool climate grape growing. Common varietals are chardonnay, pinot noir and cabernet franc.
Grape Growers of Ontario:
www.grapegrowersofontario.com
“Like” The Grape Growers of Ontario on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/Grapegrowersofontario
Prince Edward County Wine Region, including information about the wineries:
www.thecountywines.com
For more information about the Prince Edward County Appellation:
www.vqaontario.ca/Appellations/PrinceEdwardCounty
A great site about the Ontario wine regions:
www.winecountryontario.ca
Do I pick bad wines?!
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| http://www.corksandcaftans.com I just love this pic. |
I was at the tasting bar at Summerhill last week (aka. my hangout) and a young man walked in wanting to try some wines that were available for sampling. He was looking for some whites. I offered up my opinion in what whites I enjoyed. I was really excited about two that I urged him to try. One was a Vouvray and the other was a Pinot Gris from Alsace. I was convinced that he would love them as well! Why wouldn’t he right? It turns out that he hated the Pinot Gris that I suggested and was “undecided” about the Vouvray. I think his exact words were “I need to think about that one”. Gasp! How could I have absolutely loved these wines and this person not! Well, I decided not to beat myself over it. This is the nature of wine. Every person is different. Doesn’t make one’s taste any better or worse. Of course, the more you try different wines, the more you get a sense of what you may or may not like and what styles of wine you prefer. Have you ever bought a wine based on high score given by a wine critic, only to take it home and hate it? I have. This is what makes wine so versatile. There is a wine for every discerning taste. I’ve heard people say “I hate Chardonnay” or “Do you like red or white wine”. I find these statements quite funny because it’s like saying “I hate comedies” or “Do you like creme brule or chocolate mouse”. How can you choose? There are great examples grape varieties and blends and wine styles from every region on the planet. You can’t blacklist an entire variety or limit yourself to just one colour of wine. Maybe you don’t like overly oaked Chardonnay…maybe you prefer a Chablis. It’s the same grape just made in a different style. It took me a few moments to get over this one guy not liking my wine picks. I was redeemed when lots of other people loved those sames wines. Whew! 🙂
I don’t know how critics do it!
Who wants to go to Bordeaux after work?
I do! There is a new event series starting up in Toronto called “Bordeaux After Work Party”. This series is hosted by the iYellow Wine Club and the Bordeaux Wine Council. Funny, as I’m writing this, I just saw a commercial on TV about which beverage is better to have a dinner party. In the shot they had someone fumbling to open a Bordeaux wine bottle and another person making some sort of mixed drink using a tomato based beverage (I won’t say the name). I think they were really trying to sell the tomato-based beverage as the ideal candidate for a party. I’ve never seen anyone have as much trouble as this actor opening a wine bottle. Personally, I would prefer to have wine at my dinner party – especially a nice wine from the Bordeaux region.
There will be five events throughout the summer in Toronto, each at a different trendy location. During these events, five wines from every region of Bordeaux will be featured. The first glass will be free and anything else after that will be available for a reasonable price. These events will offer you the opportunity to learn more about the Bordeaux region and the many different wine styles associated with with it.
These two sites are very informative and interactive. They have maps, videos and food pairing suggestions: www.enjoybordeaux.com and www.bordeaux.com
I personally have been to the old port City of Bordeaux. Sadly, I didn’t make it to the wine regions while I was in the area. I was passing through on my way to a wedding. Having explored many of the other wine regions of France, Bordeaux still remains a key area that I must visit!
Here is a map of the various wine regions of Bordeaux. It may seem complicated at first but the more you learn about this area, the less daunting it will be. I highly recommend learning about Bordeaux by tasting your way through it. 🙂
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| http://www.terroir-france.com |
If you’re not familiar with Bordeaux wines, then here are some key facts to get you started:
- Bordeaux produces a wide range of wines from red, dry white, sweet, semi-sweet, sparkling and rose
- Wines from Bordeaux are labeled by region and not by grape variety
- In general, Bordeaux wines are blends. This means that you’ll rarely see a wine from Bordeaux made from one grape variety. The main winemaking feature of the Bordeaux region is the creation of a balanced wine made from the blending of the various grape varieties
- The major red grape varieties which are in general, blended, are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc (sometimes Malbec, Petit Verdot and Carmenere are used)
- The major white grape varieties are Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon
- Some wine lingo:
- “Left Bank” (refers to the area left of the Garonne river) – wines are usually Cabernet Sauvignon dominant in the blend
- “Right Bank” (refers to the area right of the Dordogne river) – wines are usually Merlot dominant in the blend
- Sparkling wine from Bordeaux is Cremant de Bordeaux
- Delicious sweet wines come from Sauternes, Loupiac and Barsac
- Key feature of sweet wines coming from areas such as Sauternes is “noble rot” which gives the wine a unique flavour. Don’t worry, it’s a good thing and it’s delicious
- Looking for a dry white? Try something from the region of Graves, Pessac-Leognan or Entre-Deux-Mers
- A good introduction to the entire region as a whole would be to find a wine labeled as Bordeaux or Bordeaux Superieur. These wines can be made from grapes from anywhere in Bordeaux
- A wine from Bordeaux doesn’t have to be expensive to be enjoyable. There is something for every price point
As you taste wines from Bordeaux, make note of the region that it’s from. Whether it’s a general Bordeaux Superieur, Pomerol, Margaux or one of the many others, each region offers it’s own unique stamp to its wine.
| http://www.smith-haut-lafitte.com |
How to read a Bordeaux wine label interactive tutorial:
www.snooth.com/articles/commentary/how-to-read-a-bordeaux-label
The following dates for the Toronto “Bordeaux After Work Party” events are as follows: July 19, September 13 and October 25.
For more information about up-coming wine events in Toronto:
Also check out Bordeaux Wine on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/bordeauxwine
The main thing to take away from this post is that you can find a wine from Bordeaux for any occasion and to pair with any type of food. The options are endless! C’est magnifique.
My Birthday with Beringer
| Laurie Hook and myself |
I recently celebrated my birthday and what better way than to spend it tasting Beringer wines with the head winemaker herself! Happy birthday to me! Hosted by Wine Align, the event was located at the trendy Yorkville restaurant Sassafraz. The event was featuring wine with tapas-style food. Ok, tapas it was not. It was like a five-course dinner! The food was delicious and there was a lot of it. Good thing my dress was stretchy.
| Love the place setting |
The chief winemaker for Beringer is Laurie Hook. She made the tasting very casual and really gave us a sense of Napa throughout the ages. She’s a real history buff so she described what the Napa Valley looked like millions of years ago geologically speaking and what makes it so unique. She discussed everything from the growing of the grapes to the wine making methods at Beringer. After the tutored tasting, she made sure to go to every table to talk to people. She was super. No attitude and very approachable. 🙂
| Fancy Shmancy! |
Wines Tasted:
2009 Nappy Valley Chardonnay
2008 Beringer Private Reserve Chardonnay
2009 Napa Valley Pinot Noir
2008 Napa Valley Merlot
2008 Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
2007 Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
A surprise on the menu: 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon
Some examples of what treats were on the menu:
* Spice rubbed lamb chops with olive jus
* Buffalo mozzarella and aged asiago ravioli, tomato basil broth and chiffonade of Swiss chard
* Seared beef tenderloin with shallot confit pommes royale, sauteed shitake and asparagus fricasse, lobster butter
Lobster butter?! I love these two on their own…and now, combined!
| Delicious Food…yum |
It was such a great way to spend my birthday. At the end of the tasting, Executive chef, Bradley Macdonald, came upstairs to see how we liked the food. Of course, we all clapped. The food was delicious. We asked him how he liked the wine. When he said that he wasn’t allowed to try any on the job, we made sure that the situation was rectified. He joined us for a glass. What really topped off the night was the celebrity sighting downstairs in the restaurant: Collin Ferrel, Bruce Willis, Jessica Biel and Ethan Hawk sitting at a table. They were in Toronto filming Total Recall. I heard that the Beringer winemaker, Laurie, gave the table signed bottles of wine.
Beringer Website:
www.beringer.com
I strongly urge you to join Wine Align. It’s an online community where you can get tasting notes on what’s in the LCBO and read both reviews of professional critics and regular people.
www.winealign.com
An iYellow Aussie Revolution
| Aussie! |
The last iYellow event, “Revolution – Taste the New Australia”, was the largest event to date! It was located at the cool 99 Sudbury event space in Toronto. There were over 100 wines available to try. That’s a lot of tasting to do. I went to the event with a game plan. I was going to try to stay away from red wine. Mainly, Shiraz. Nothing against the grape. I just wanted to seek out other grape varieties from “down under”. Luckily for me, there were some nice finds.
| Wine lovers! |
I had a wonderful time at this event. This was a great way to spend a Friday night. I have to give it to Angela Aiello of iYellow Wine Club. She is bringing wine to the people! If you’re reading this and have never attended an event, I strongly urge you to come out to the next one in June – South African Braai. It will be at the chic C Lounge in downtown Toronto. I guarantee that you’ll have a blast.
| Winemaker at Plunkett-Fowles |
I spoke with a few of the winemakers who were pouring their wines. They had such cute accents! Well, I guess we have the accents according to them. 🙂
I didn’t even taste half of the wines that were available. It was hard to find the time between eating and talking with people. There was an oyster bar, a pig roast and lots of hors d’oeuvres. Sigh. I know, hard life.
Yabby Lake Cooralook Pinot Gris $14.95
James Oatley Tic Tok Sauvignon Blanc $14.95
Pikes Clare Hills Riesling $14.95
McWilliam’s Hanwood Estate Moscato NV $13.95
Australia doesn’t only offer Shiraz and Shiraz blends. There are some great whites to be savoured such as Pinot Gris, Riesling, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. As I’m writing this, I’m going through the booklet that was given to us with a list of all the wines. There were many wines that I didn’t get to try. Too bad for me. I’ll have to seek them out at the wine shop. I’m also reading about A+ Australian Wine. They partnered the event with iYellow to give us this fabulous night. I like what they have to say on the inside cover of the booklet:
“Just being ‘good’ and saying ‘Australia’ on the label is no longer enough to tell the true story of Australian wine” – www.australiaplus.com
Enjoy some pictures I took throughout the night. Hard to capture good pictures with an old iPhone camera. It’s all I had with me. 🙂
The Yummy Grape 