Tasting, etc.

i4C Preview

Published on by Ingrid Sapona

Depending on who you ask, International Chardonnay Day is either always on a (late) Thursday of May (like  Beaujolais Nouveau is in November) in which case it’s May 22 this year), or it’s on May 23th each year. Why quibble? I say celebrate it both days!IMG_1709

Anyway – in celebration of International Chardonnay Day and in anticipation of the International Cool Climate Chardonnay (i4C for short) celebration in July, some of the wineries that’ll be participating in i4C held a “pop-up” tasting in Toronto today.

This year 58 wineries from around the world will be at i4C and of the handful of wineries at today’s event, there wineries terrific examples from South Africa, France, Spain, Argentina, Chile, and Ontario.

I have to say, the differences – some subtle, some quite distinct – was remarkable. I’ve always thought that one of the best ways to learn about a varietal is to try different examples of it – and at i4C you’ll be able to try Chardonnays from cool climate growing regions around the world. Can’t wait!

IMG_1710i4C runs from June 18-20, 2014. Information about the events happening over the three days (and ticket information) can be found at: coolchardonnay.org.

Reif’s Taste the Terroir Experience

Published on by Ingrid Sapona

As I noted recently, last Saturday a girlfriend and I were taking in Sip & Sizzle and one of our stops was Reif Estate Winery. The winery was hopping but the tasting room/retail area was large enough to handle the crowd, and they had plenty of knowledgeable staff on hand. IMG_2459

To round out our day, we had booked a formal tasting with Archie Hood, one of Reif’s sommeliers. I’ve had the pleasure of being guided by Archie on a tasting at Reif before and I thought my friend would enjoy it. Reif has a few different tastings to choose from and the one we were doing was Taste the Terroir.

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The formal tastings are set up on the back side of the tasting bar, which is nice because you have a bit of privacy to chat with Archie, but at the same time you have the relaxed buzz of people enjoying the winery. Archie started by explaining that we’d be sampling four wines paired with four different Ontario artisanal cheeses. The wines – the 2010 White Meritage (paired with Mountainoak Wild Nettle Gouda), the 2011 Chardonnay Reserve (paired with Gun’s Hill Farms’ Five Brothers, which is kind of a gouda/Swiss blend), the 2010 Merlot Reserve (paired with Thornloe Cheddar), and the 2012 Vidal Icewine (paired with Glengarry Celtic Blue Reserve) – were chosen because they’re representative of the terroir on which Reif’s grapes grow.

Archie gave us very specific instructions about the process he wanted us to follow in terms of tasting the wines and then the cheese – I’m not talking about the usual directions about holding up the glass and looking at the colour, then swirling it to open the bouquet, then smelling the nose, and so on. First we were to take a sip of the wine. Then we were to take a nibble of the cheese, chewing it for about 10 seconds. We were to then leave the cheese on the roof of our mouth and then take another sip of the wine, noting how the taste of both had transformed.IMG_2460

I don’t mind telling you I found the process a bit challenging and it took me a few tries before I got the hang of it. (My friend either fared batter, or was too embarrassed to admit finding it tricky.) As we proceeded through the flight, Archie explained different things about the wines, the cheeses and the science of what was going on with our taste buds and about why we were noticing different things. He was also more than willing to answer all matter of questions. For example, I asked about the selection of glassware, especially the fact that the Chardonnay was in a balloon glass.

The most delightful part of the tasting was the Ah-Ha moments each of us experienced. My personal Ah-Ha came when I had a mouth full of wine and cheese and I was clearly trying hard to notice the taste differences and Archie pointed to my mouth and encouraged me to swish the wine around. (I had kind of just been holding it in my mouth.) I did as he said and – oh man – what a difference! After swallowing I commented on it and Archie knowingly nodded. I knew immediately that this new “technique” (however simple it is) is something that would change my way of enjoying wine. Talk about a terrific learning experience!!

My girlfriend’s Ah-Ha moment came when she tasted Reif’s Magician, which Archie served us after learning that my friend and her family normally drink reds. The Magician is a Pinot Noir-Shiraz blend (60/40) with 30% of the grapes kiln dried. The way my friends face lit up on trying the Magician was nothing short of (pardon the pun) magic. When I saw her reaction, I had to spill the beans to Archie: I knew my friend liked reds but that she had a bias against Ontario reds. When she announced she’d be buying some to take home to her family, I knew that she was going to have to re-think her moratorium on Ontario reds. Talk about gratifying…

When we finished, I thanked – Archie for turning what could have been a very straightforward wine and cheese tasting into a memorable experience that I’m sure both of us will remember for a long time.

P.S. Don’t Forget: Sip & Sizzle continues this weekend and the last weekend of May!

Going Vertical

Published on by Ingrid Sapona

Yesterday I mentioned in a blog that 31 wineries are participating in the Cuvée en Route passport event this weekend. After looking through the brochure and really wrapping my head around the two different types of tastings the wineries were offering up: Vertical Tastings and Winemaker’s Selection, I decided to stop at a few wineries for some vertical tastings.

My decision to go vertical was very rewarding, as it meant I could compare different vintages of the same wine produced at each winery. So, for example, at Kacaba visitors have the chance to compare their 2009 Single Vineyard Syrah, their 2010 Reserve Syrah, and their 2011 Terrace Vineyard Syrah. Vadim, the knowledgeable assistant who led me through the tasting at Kacaba, was great at explaining which parts of the vineyard each vintage came from, and any difference is style.IMG_1591

Stratus decided to feature a vertical tasting of its Petit Verdot – a varietal that is not that common in Ontario. Passport holders can taste their 2006 Petit Verdot, their 2008 Petit Verdot, and their 2010 Petit Verdot, which has not even been released yet. After pouring the three the server also provided a thick-cut slice of sausage and recommended trying it between sips. She also pointed out the colour differences, which were quite remarkable, and described how, over the years, they have varied the style of the wine. She even explained the decision to offer the sample of sausage and how striking the wine changes when sipped before and after taking a bite of the sausage.  It was a terrific chance to experience how food and wine interact.

Trius Winery at Hillebrand is offering passport holds a rare opportunity to enjoy a vertical tasting of its Vidal icewines, including its 1996, 2006, and 2012. Just seeing the colour differences and the differences in nose between these vintages is reason enough, I think, to participate in the Cuvée en Route festivities. You don’t have to be an icewine lover (which I don’t mind admitting I am) to appreciate the chance to see, smell and taste these wines that are no longer widely available.

These are just a few of the terrific vertical offerings available as part of Cuvée en Route this year. And, if going vertical doesn’t appeal, check out the wineries that are offering Winemaker’s Selections, many of which are featuring limited edition wines and unique varieties.

Cuvée en Route continues today – so enjoy!

You can find a complete list of what each winery is serving in the Cuvée en Route brochure on-line.