A couple weeks ago I was at a German wine tasting sponsored by Wines of Germany. It featured 36 wineries from most of Germany’s major wine regions and showcased winemakers of the so-called next generation – those under 35-years-old. The afternoon had a more than a few surprises for me – the biggest of which […]
Ingrid Sapona
2015 Ontario Wine Awards
The 2015 Ontario Wine Awards were announced earlier this month. The OWAs were started by Tony Aspler in 1995 to showcase Ontario VQA Wines. There are 25 different categories judged and this year 79 Ontario wineries entered. In addition to the separate categories they choose an overall red and white wine of the year, as […]
When in Stuck in Traffic … Get Off the Highway and Enjoy!
Sunday a friend and I headed to Niagara-on-the-Lake for Sip & Sizzle. It was a beautiful day and I had the list of participating wineries and a bit of a plan about which we might stop at. My friend picked me up at 11:30 and we headed out. From here it normally takes just under […]
Sip and Sizzle May 2015
Sip and Sizzle is an annual passport event that over two dozen wineries in the Niagara-on-the-Lake hold in May. As the name implies — the idea is to inspire folks for the summer barbeque season with a sample of something from the grill and a great Ontario wine. I love the idea and this year […]
Food and Wine (Mis) Match
In the food and wine world, there’s a lot of talk about food and wine pairings. For those less into the food and wine scene, such talk can cause serious eye-rolling. I’m not particularly ridged about trying to match foods and wines. I listen to the experts and take their suggestions under advisement, but I […]
Somewhereness… Something Special
A group of a dozen Ontario wineries have banded together into a group they call Somewhereness. The name is meant to invoke the idea of the special qualities attributable to terroir and the wineries in the group pride themselves on their stewardship and quality. The wineries in the group are: 13th Street Winery, Bachelder, Charles […]
Cuvée’s Grand Tasting: A Sensory Thrill
Well, once again this year, the Grand Tasting was excellent. My sister came in from the States and it was terrific to be able to buy a ticket at the door. My sister had never been to a wine gala and, though I told her the crowd would be well dressed, I think she was […]
What the Winemakers Served at Cuvée
The idea behind the wines served at the Cuvée Grand Tasting is that each winemaker serves his or her favourite. If you weren’t able to attend the Grand Tasting last night – don’t worry – you can stop in at any of the wineries and try them – and buy them – there. […]
Wineries at the Cuvée Grand Tasting 2015
I’ve blogged a bit about some of the chefs who will be serving at the Cuvée Grand Tasting on Friday night (Feb. 27th) – but of course, the evening is also about celebrating Ontario wines and winemakers. So, I thought it only fair that I report on the 52 (!) wineries that’ll be there. Though […]
For Chef Parsons, it’s all in the technique …
In talking with some of the chefs that will be cooking at Cuvée 2015’s Grand Tasting (Friday, Feb. 27th) I was struck by how calm they are about cooking for hundreds and hundreds of guests. What I also found interesting was the different factors they considered when designing the dishes they’ll be serving. When cooking […]