Lost in Translation?

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 had to do with the names of certain grapes in German. I started the afternoon trying whites, so when I read Weissburgunder on a label, drawing on my high school German, I silently translated that to White Burgundy, which made me think it might be a blend of grape varieties that grow in Burgundy.

Boy was I surprised when I tasted it and realized it was a Pinot Blanc. Who knew? I guess I always assumed that most winemakers simply used the French (or Italian – or at least some phonetically similar) name for the most well-known grape varieties. Well, that’s not the case in Germany.

Another example you’re likely to see is Grauburgunder – that’s Pinot Gris! The other white grapes commonly used in Germany – Riesling, Rivaner, Silvaner, Kerner, Bacchus, and Scheurebe – are called the same in German and English.

Similarly, on the red side, Pinot Noir is called Spätburgunder and Pinot Meunier is Schwarzriesling in German. The other red grapes commonly used in Germany – Dornfelder, Portugieser, Trollinger, Regent, and Lemberger – are called the same in German and English.

So, next time you see a Weissburgunder, Grauburgunder, Spätburgunder, or Schwarzriesling on a German wine list – you’ll have to do your own translation!

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.OWA Logo Darker-no year-1

In addition to the separate categories they choose an overall red and white wine of the year, as well as naming a winemaker of the year, a label design category, and a wine journalist award.

Here’s the complete list of winners:

Sparkling Wine Award

  • Gold: Huff Estates 2010 Cuvée Peter F Huff
  • Silver: Colio Estate N/V Lily Sparkling
  • Bronze: Konzelmann Estate N/V Methode Cuve Close Rosé

Dry Riesling Award

  • Gold: Thirty Bench Wine Makers 2013 Riesling
  • Silver: Stanners Vineyard 2012 Riesling
  • Bronze: Two Sisters Vineyards 2013 Riesling
  • Bronze: Flat Rock Cellars 2014 Nadja’s Vineyard

Semi-Dry Riesling Award

  • Gold: Flat Rock Cellars 2014 Riesling
  • Silver: Vieni Estates 2013 Riesling Semi-Dry
  • Bronze: Kacaba Vineyards 2014 Reserve Riesling

Dry White Varietal Award

  • Gold: Inniskillin 2013 Reserve Viognier
  • Silver: Cornerstone Estate 2011 Stoned White
  • Bronze: Pillitteri Estates 2013 Viognier

Gewurztraminer Award

  • Gold: Trius 2013 Showcase Outlier Gewurztraminer
  • Silver: Thirty Bench Wine Makers 2013 Small Lot Gewurztraminer
  • Bronze: Pillitteri Estates 2013 Gewurztraminer

Pinot Blanc/Pinot Gris Award

  • Gold: Konzelmann Estate 2013 Pinot Blanc
  • Silver: Konzelmann Estate 2013 Pinot Grigio
  • Silver: Kacaba Vineyards 2014 Jennifer’s Pinot Gris
  • Bronze: No Bronze Awarded

Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon Award

  • Gold: Peller Estates 2013 AP Signature Series Sauvignon Blanc
  • Silver: Niagara College Teaching Winery 2013 Balance Sauvignon Blanc
  • Bronze: Jackson-Triggs 2013 Grand Reserve Sauvignon Blanc

Oaked Chardonnay Award ~ Under $20

  • Gold: Flat Rock Cellars 2012 Chardonnay
  • Silver: Magnotta 2013 Chardonnay Limited Edition
  • Bronze: Keint-he 2013 Voyageur Chardonnay

Oaked Chardonnay Award ~ Over $20

  • Gold: 16 Mile Cellar 2011 Civility Chardonnay
  • Silver: Huff Estates 2012 South Bay Chardonnay
  • Bronze: The Foreign Affair 2010 Chardonnay
  • Bronze: Ravine Vineyard Estate 2013 Chardonnay

Unoaked Chardonnay Award

  • Gold: Konzelmann Estate 2013 Unoaked Chardonnay
  • Silver: Kacaba Vineyards 2014 Unoaked Chardonnay
  • Bronze: Two Sisters Vineyards 2013 Unoaked Chardonnay

Rosé/Blanc de Noir Award

  • Gold: Henry of Pelham Family Estate 2014 Rosé
  • Silver: Flat Rock Cellars 2014 Pink Twisted
  • Bronze: John Howard Cellars of Distinction 2014 Rosé

Gamay Award

  • Gold: Vieni Estates 2012 Gamay Noir
  • Silver: 13th Street 2013 Gamay Noir Sandstone Vineyard
  • Silver: Château des Charmes 2013 Gamay Noir, Estate Bottled
  • Bronze: No Bronze Awarded

Pinot Noir Award

  • Gold: Huff Estates 2013 Pinot Noir
  • Silver: Domaine Queylus 2012 Pinot Noir
  • Bronze: Stanners Vineyard 2012 Pinot Noir Four Mile Creek

Red Hybrid Award

  • Gold: Pelee Island 2013 Baco Noir Reserve
  • Silver: Hernder Estates 2012 Baco Noir
  • Bronze: Henry of Pelham Estate 2013 Baco Noir
  • Bronze: Sandbanks Estate 2013 Baco Noir Reserve

Cabernet Sauvignon Award

  • Gold: Trius 2012 Showcase East Block Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Silver: Thirty Bench Wine Makers 2012 Small Lot Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Bronze: GreenLane Estate 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Franc Award

  • Gold: Thirty Bench Wine Makers 2012 Small Lot Cabernet Franc
  • Silver: Trius 2012 Showcase Red Shale Cabernet Franc
  • Bronze: Pillitteri Estates 2012 Exclamation Cabernet Franc

Merlot Award

  • Gold: Kacaba Vineyards 2010 Reserve Merlot
  • Silver: Thirty Bench Wine Makers 2012 Small Lot Merlot
  • Bronze: Jackson-Triggs 2012 Grand Reserve Merlot

Syrah/Shiraz Award

  • Gold: Jackson-Triggs 2012 Delaine Syrah
  • Gold: Magnotta 2013 Shiraz Limited Edition
  • Silver: No Silver Awarded
  • Bronze: Jackson-Triggs 2012 Grand Reserve Shiraz

Meritage and Cabernet/Merlot Blends Award

  • Gold: Thirty Bench Wine Makers 2012 Benchmark Red
  • Silver: Calamus Estate 2012 Meritage
  • Bronze: Wayne Gretzky Estate 2012 Estate Series Cabernet Merlot

Late Harvest Award

  • Gold: Peller Estates 2013 Private Reserve Late Harvest Vidal
  • Silver: Pillitteri Estates 2014 Select Late Harvest Vidal
  • Bronze: Trius 2013 Showcase Late Harvest Vidal

Vidal Icewine Award

  • Gold: Château des Charmes 2012 Vidal Icewine, Estate Bottled
  • Gold: Sue-Ann Staff Estate 2012 Vidal Icewine
  • Silver: No Silver Awarded
  • Bronze: Konzelmann Estate 2010 Vidal Icewine
  • Bronze: Jackson-Triggs 2012 Grand Reserve Vidal Icewine
  • Bronze: Marynissen Estates 2013 Vidal
  • Bronze: Inniskillin 2013 Vidal Icewine

Vinifera Icewine Award

  • Gold: Inniskillin 2012 Riesling Icewine
  • Silver: Hinterbrook Estate 2012 Cabernet Franc Icewine
  • Bronze: Vieni Estates 2011 Cabernet Icewine
  • Bronze: Willow Springs 2012 Riesling Icewine
  • Bronze: Jackson-Triggs 2013 Grand Reserve Cabernet Franc Icewine

Appassimento Red Award

  • Gold: Pillitteri Estates 2010 Riserva Famiglia Cabernet Franc
  • Silver: Reif Estate 2012 Kiln Dried Syrah
  • Bronze: Angels Gate 2012 Bin XCV

Blended Red Award

  • Gold: The Foreign Affair 2012 Petit Verdot
  • Silver: Kacaba Vineyards 2012 Cabernet Syrah
  • Bronze: EastDell Estates 2011 Black Label Cabernet Shiraz
  • Bronze: Inniskillin 2012 Reserve Shiraz Cabernet

Red Wine of the Year Award: Pillitteri Estates 2010 Riserva Famiglia Cabernet Franc

White Wine of the Year Award: Peller Estates 2013 AP Signature Series Sauvignon Blanc

Best Label Design Award

  • Gold: Sue-Ann Staff Estate 2013 Fancy Farm Girl Foxy Pink
  • Silver: Two Sisters Vineyards 2012 Vidal Icewine
  • Bronze: Trius 2013 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay

Wine Journalism Award: Evan Saviolidis

Winemaker of the Year Award: Emma Garner — Thirty Bench Wine Makers

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 an hour to get to the NOL region. A few exits after we hopped on the expressway, we saw a sign warning of slow traffic. My friend’s GPS traffic monitor concurred – but we continued on, thinking that it was just some minor slow-down. After all – it was a Sunday afternoon. Well, traffic didn’t let up. If anything, it increased – a lot – the further we went.

As we crawled along, I suggested that we alter our plan and instead of going to NOL, we hit some of the wineries that are closer to Toronto. My friend didn’t really realize that there are wineries en route to NOL, so he was fine with my suggestion.

Ridge Road Estate Winery  IMG_2251We got off the QEW (the main highway) at Fifty Road. We follow the wonderfully curvy road (lots of hairpin turns – it’s one of the routes ideal for motorcycles, though I should warn you that it’s a bit of a rough road) to the top of the Escarpment to Ridge Road Estate Winery. (Look for their signs and you’ll find it no problem.)

It’s a lovely spot, high up on the top of the Escarpment. They had a $3 Flight & Bite sample. The flight included their 2013 Intersection, which is a Viognier-Chardonnay blend paired with a rosemary shortbread, their 2014 Riesling, paired with aged cheddar on a rice cracker, and their 2011 Call Me a Cab, which is red blend. It was the perfect way to de-stress after two hours (YES, 2 hours!!) in the car.IMG_2900

From there we headed back down the hill to Highway 8 (that’s the road that curves along the bottom of the escarpment – it’s lovely) to a Leaning Post Wines. Ilya Senchuk and his wife Nadia just opened last summer. They were hosting a wedding celebration in a tent out back – but they tasting room was open and Ilya and Ryan were pouring and happy to tell us about their wines.

IMG_2903 The Senchuks have planted their own grapes, but they’ve been a virtual winery for a while with grapes from other vineyards. One of the things I loved about their wines is that they specify which vineyard they sourced the wines from. We tried two of their whites – both of which are from the Foxcroft vineyard: their 2013 Riesling and The Fifty, which Ryan described as an “unoaked, oaked Chardonnay”.

IMG_2912They also had three Pinot Noirs – a 2011 and 2012 from grapes from the Lowrey Vineyard (the vineyard tended by Wes Lowrey of Five Rows Craft Wine) and a 2012 from McNally Vineyard. The opportunity to taste the same variety from different years and different vineyards is a great treat! It is very interesting to taste the two Lowrey’s from different years (2012 being the more spectacular year in Niagara) and then compare it to the 2012 McNally. The McNally was our favourite and my friend brought home a bottle (I didn’t drop any hints about sharing it with me sometime… but I’ve got my fingers crossed). I left with a bottle of The Fifty, which I’m putting away for an afternoon with some other friends who I think will really enjoy it.IMG_2911

From there we continued along Hwy 8 to Peninsula Ridge. We were hoping that their restaurant was still serving – but they had stopped serving brunch at 3 and we were there closer to 4. We did, however, try some wines and, though I was very disappointed with their 2008 Fume Blanc, we loved their 2012 Syrah and my friend took some of that home too. After that, since it was already late, we called it a day and headed home.IMG_2918

 

 

Driving home I realized that despite the fact that the traffic was horrendous and we didn’t make it to our originally planned destination – we had a terrific day. In fact, the day really was the epitome of what exploring Ontario wine country is all about: getting off the main roads and following the signs and simply stopping in at a few wineries and trying the wines!

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 the wineries seem to have taken the idea to heart more than in the past, as they have truly tried to serve something that has a BBQ component.

Niagara Teaching College Sip and Sizzle IMG_2624Niagara College Teaching Winery was my first stop and I loved the sign that they had out front with some terrific ideas for Mother’s Day. They are serving their 2010 Dean’s List Pinot Noir with smoked salmon rillette on grilled zucchini. I was curious as to what this would look like and the appetizer was just beautiful. The grill marks on the zucchini are not visible in the photo, but they were perfection and the perfect bed for the rich smoked salmon mouse mound. The wine, one of the older vintages featured in this year’s Sip & Sizzle, went very well with the salmon. Niagara Teaching Winery Sip and Sizzle 2015 IMG_2627

 

 

 

 

 

Having started with a Pinot Noir, I decided to stop at Between the Lines to try their 2012 Pinot Noir, which they paired with a grilled tortilla served with pulled pork and a tropical fruit salsa. Perhaps it was the pairing, but I preferred the 2012 Between the Lines Pinot Noir to the Niagara College’s 2010 and it was a bargain at $15.95.

The biggest surprise of the day came at Palatine Hills Estate Winery. They deserve kudos for their creativity in terms of how they got the grilling element in — it was bacon. I know, bacon may not seem too unusual, but it was the crumb topping on a cone of Avondale Maple Ice Cream! Yuck, you say? Well — I say, give it a try. It was delicious!  And then, they get even more credit for pairing it with their 2012 Riesling. It was a fabulous combination.  It is sure to surprise and delight!  Oh — and they even did a great job with the ice cream shop theme at the tasting booth. Well done!!Paletine Hills Winery Sip and Sizzle 2015 IMG_2634

Those are just some of the highlights of the day.  There were many other tasty combinations — but the best thing to do is go out and explore for yourself. And don’t worry — there’s no way you’ll get to all of them today — but the passport is good for Fridays-Sunday for the whole month — so you can always go again and stop at the ones you don’t get to today!

 

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 don’t slavishly follow any “rules”. Indeed, to me part of the fun of wine tastings that have food components is to try different wines with the cheese or the oysters, or olives, or whatever is being served.

That said, this afternoon at a New Wines of Greece tasting I had the chance to find out first-hand how some foods can absolutely ruin your palate, causing very lovely wine to seem awful. IMG_2614

I had just tried Wine Art Estate’s 2014 Techni Malagousia, a lovely white made of 100% Malagousia. I enjoyed it and was asking Akis Papadopoulos, the winemaker, about their wines. (Unfortunately Wine Art Estate’s wines are not currently available in Ontario – they are looking for a wine agent to represent them.)

Akis had another white that he was pouring – their 2014 Techni Alipias White, which is 80% Sauvignon Blanc-20% Assyrtiko. He poured me a sample and when I asked him which of the two whites he preferred, he said he prefers the Alipias White. So, I was anxious to compare the two.

Akis Papadopoulos, winemaker at Wine Art Estate
Akis Papadopoulos, winemaker at Wine Art Estate

I hadn’t yet tried the Alipias when a server came by and offered a lovely-looking deep fried artichoke heart. As soon as I took a bite, I realized that though I love artichokes, they are not a drink friendly food. Their high iron content has a way of taking over your taste buds.

As I swallowed, I apologized to Akis, as I suspected that given what I had just eaten, I probably wouldn’t enjoy the Alipias. Unfortunately, I was right. After that little morsel of artichoke, I could not enjoy the wine at all. Embarrassed, I promised I would return when my palate had cleared a bit.

Later I went back and sheepishly asked for another sample of the Alipias. Akis was happy to oblige, and sure enough, it very nice. I had no idea that Greece grew Sauv Blanc and the blend with the Assyrtiko, a grape native to Greece, was perfect. I could imagine it on a hot summer day…

I left the wine tasting with an appreciation for the many varieties of wines made in Greece (there is way more than Restina out there) and a stark reminder that though many different wines pair with different foods, there are definitely some foods that you should avoid if you want to enjoy your wine…

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 Baker, Cave Spring Cellars, Flat Rock Cellars, Hidden Bench, Hinterland, Malivoire Wine, Norman Hardie, Southbrook Vineyards, Stratus, and Tawse. The group has done a good job of promoting to restaurants and if you notice one of them on a wine list, it’s likely you’ll see other Somewhereness wines on the list too.

The group had a trade tasting in Toronto recently and, in addition to many of their best known wines, there were a few surprises.

Most Unusual

The most unusual offering was a new wine produced by Southbrook Vineyards called: 2014 Small Lots Estate Grown Orange Wine. Nope, that’s not a typo. The wine, which is to be released in May, is, in fact, a light orange colour with a distinct un-filtered haze. (It looks more like a very light beer than a wine.) It’s made of 100% Vidal and it is made with whole clusters of grapes. Rather than try to describe it, here’s a video of Paul DeCampo, Southbrook’s Director of Marketing and Sales, explaining how it was made.

Other Delightful Finds

In terms of premium-priced wines, my favourite was the 2012 Bachelder Wismer Chardonnay ($44.95).

One of the biggest surprises for me was Cave Spring Cellars’ 2012 Pinot Noir Estate ($34.95). Cave Spring Cellars is so well known for its whites, it’s easy to overlook their reds. Don’t. If you’re a fan of Pinot Noir, give this a try.

The 13th Street 2012 Pinot Gris ($19.95) was very nice – well balanced and crisp.

I love bubbly and I was wowed by Tawse’s 2103 Spark Limestone Ridge Riesling both in terms of taste and price ($19.95 and available at Vintages). It’s made using the traditional method and it’s definitely something that fans of sparkling will enjoy.

And finally, an Ontario wine tasting wouldn’t be complete without a dessert wine. The biggest discovery at the dessert wine table was 13th Street Winery’s 2013 13 Below Zero Riesling. It’s a blend of 40% Riesling icewine and 60% off-dry Riesling. At $19.95 for 375 ml. it’s a bargain!

Cuvée’s Grand Tasting: A Sensory Thrill

IMG_2482Well, 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 surprised at how many people were in black tie attire. (I have to say – the women looked spectacular – the men, well, let’s just say they weren’t as consistently formal as the women.)IMG_2487

Walking into the Grand Ballroom was like walking into a beautiful dream. The room, which is basically black, was magically lit with vibrant purple and white lights shining on different food stations with chefs in their crisp white jackets and toques. And, in every direction you look there were magnificent floral arrangements.

Throughout the room there were seven oasis-like stations with six to eight wineries at each. Each wine station featured wineries pouring only reds or only whites. That made it easy to compare, and it also made it easy to find a wine to pair with whatever you were eating.

IMG_2473The 13 food stations (as well as a Canadian cheese station) were interspersed between the wine stations. At each station a myriad of chefs were carefully plating each dish. It was wonderful watching them lovingly layering each component. It’s clear that today’s chefs take the old adage that you eat with your eyes very seriously. They also take their ingredients seriously and because they were right there, you had the unusual chance to chat with them and ask them how they prepared the dish, or why they chose each component.IMG_2471

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Hands down the biggest surprise for me and my sister was how delicious Chef Downs’ pickled tongue slider was. The tongue was cooked to perfection and the combination of the pretzel bun, the horseradish aioli and the fried egg was amazing. Chef Downs’s other entrée – rare seared tuna, chilled octopus salad, and pickled kumquat with chili-lime vinaigrette – was also a delightful surprise to me because it featured one of my favourite ingredients: sea asparagus. (You don’t see that too often around here.)IMG_2485

I also adored Chef Parsons’ wild boar sausage with braised leek, gold fingerlings, Sir Laurier cheese (one of my favourite Canadian cheeses) and black garlic gratin. My sister’s favourite entrée was Chef Tim Mackiddie’s fried veal croquette, which was served with snails sautéed in garlic and icewine. And both of us loved Chef Taylor’s pepper crusted bison tenderloin, served on a bed of parsnip puree with some king oyster mushrooms on top.

IMG_2483And of course, the desserts were the grand finale. It was hard to choose between the white chocolate-coated cakes, the Croque en Bouche, the truffles, and the torts. Fortunately, Chef Del Priore was only too happy to let you have all that you like. (My favourite was the white chocolate cake with the hazelnut filling.) Chef Vergalito’s gelato was also a hit – who ever heard of mojito flavoured gelato? Yum!

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As you might expect when each winery is pouring the winemaker’s favourite, there were many lovely wines, and some interesting stories behind the selections. Josephs Estates’ winemaker, Katherine Reid, had an especially interesting reason for choosing their Chenin Blanc 2011. She explained to us that the 2011 vintage is the last one there will ever be from those vines because they were damaged over a couple of winters and they ended up tearing them out.

Pillitteri Estates Winery was pouring their Riserva Famiglia Appassimento Cabernet Franc 2010. This is the first appassimento style Pillitteri has made and given that they only label wines from their very best vintages “Riserva Famiglia”, you know that this is a very special wine.

In terms of our favourite wines that evening, my sister loved the Rennie Estate G Assemblage 2012, an appassimento style Bordeaux blend. My favourite wine of the evening was Kacaba Vineyards’ Cabernet France Reserve 2010.IMG_2506

And, just when we thought we had had had we could eat and drink, they opened a side room for the Apres Cuvee party. The after party featured a live band and two additional wine stations serving a variety of Ontario bubbly and Icewines. And, for those who had had enough wine, this year they also had stations serving Ontario craft beer.IMG_2510

What the Winemakers Served at Cuvée

IMG_2476The 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.IMG_2467

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s a list of what each winery was pouring last night:

  • 2027 Cellars Ltd. – Wismer Vineyard “Fox Croft Block” Chardonnay 2012
  • Big Head Wines – Chenin Blanc 2013
  • Cave Spring Cellars – Riesling CSV 2012
  • Chateau des Charmes Wines Ltd. – Merlot 2012, St. David’s Bench Vineyard
  • Colaneri Estate Winery – Insieme 2012
  • Coopers Hawk Vineyards – Cabernet Franc Reserve 2012
  • Cornerstone Estate Winery – Cabernet Franc 2012
  • Coyote’s Run Estate Winery – David Sheppard Vintage 30 Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
  • Creekside Estate Winery – Broken Pass Syrah 2011
  • Domaine Queylus – 2012 Pinot Noir Reserve 2013
  • EastDell Estates by Diamond Estates Winery – EsatDell Estates Black Label Riesling 2013
  • Flat Rock Cellars Ltd. – The Rusty Shed Chardonnay 2012
  • Foreign Affair Winery – Petit Verdot 2012
  • Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery – Chardonnay, Speck Family Reserve 2013
  • Inniskillin Wines – Riesling Reserve 2013
  • Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Winery – Grand Reserve Merlot 2012
  • John Howard Cellars of Distinction – Megalomaniac – Megalomaniac Grounded Reserve Merlot 2010
  • Josephs Estate Wines Inc. – Chenin Blanc 2011
  • Kacaba Vineyards Inc. – Cabernet Franc Reserve 2010
  • Konzelmann Estate Winery – Cabernet Merlot Family Reserve 2012
  • Lailey Vineyard Winery – Impromptu 2012
  • Lakeview Cellars by Diamond Estate Winery – Lakeview Cellars Sauvignon Blanc 2013
  • Le Clos Jordanne Wines – Village Reserve Pinot Noir 2012
  • Legends Estates Winery – Semillion Terroir 2013
  • Magnotta Winery Estates Ltd. – Enotrium Gran Riserva 2011
  • Malivoire Wine Company – Stouck Meritage 2011
  • The Marynissen Estates – 2013 Pinot Gris
  • Mike Weir Wine Inc. – Chardonnay 2013
  • Niagara College Teaching Winery – Balance Pinot Noir 2013
  • Nyarai Cellars – Cadence 2011
  • Pelee Island Winery – Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot Vinedresser 2012
  • Peller Estates – Peller Estates Private Reserve Gamay Noir 2013
  • Pillitteri Estates Winery Inc. – Riserva Famiglia Appassimento Cabernet Franc 2010
  • Pondview Estate Winery Ltd. – Bella Terra Pinot Gris 2013
  • Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery – Ravine Vineyard Chardonnay 2013
  • Reif Estate Winery – Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2012
  • Rennie Estate Winery – G Assemblage 2012
  • Ridge Road Estate Winery –  Riesling 2014
  • Riverview Cellars Estate Winery – Angelina’s Reserve Gewurztraminer 2013
  • Rockway Vineyards – Wild Ferment Red 2012
  • Southbrook Vineyards – Triomphe Chardonnay 2013
  • Stoney Ridge Cellars Ltd. – Riesling 2013
  • Strewn Inc. – Strewn Cabernet Sauvignon Terroir 2012
  • Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery – Fancy Farm Girl Frivolous White 2012
  • Stratus Vineyards Limited – Stratus White 2012
  • Thirteenth Street Wine Corp. – Gamay Noir Sandstone Vineyard 2012
  • The Thirty Bench Wine Makers – Thirty Bench Small Lot Pinot Noir 2012
  • Trius Winery at Hillebrand – Trius Grand Red 2012
  • Two Sisters Vineyards – Cabernet Franc 2010
  • Vieni Estates – Chardonnay Reserve 2012
  • Vineland Estates Winery Ltd. – Cabernet Franc Reserve 2012
  • Westcott Vineyards – Estate Chardonnay 2013

And remember – Cuvee continues all weekend with:

IMG_2469Cuvee en Route – a passport tasting program with over 30 wineries serving special themed tasting flights.

Cuvée en Route Dining – with the following restaurants serving special prix fix menus created especially for the weekend:

  • Benchmark Restaurant – the restaurant at the Canadian Food and Wine Institute, which is on Niagara College’s campus.
  • Peller Estates Winery Restaurant
  • Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery Restaurant
  • Trius Winery Restaurant
  • Kitchen76 – the restaurant at Two Sisters Vineyards

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 the list features wineries mainly from the Niagara region, the Lake Erie/Pelee Island region is represented by Coopers Hawk Vineyards and Pelee Island Winery.

Here are the wineries that will be there. Note that the Cuvée organizers have not released information about the wine winery will be pouring – but it’s supposed to be the winemakers’ favourite. (I’ll report on what they’re serving as soon as the list is released.

2015 winery partners 

  • 2027 Cellars Ltd.*
  • Big Head Wines
  • Cave Spring Cellars
  • Chateau des Charmes Wines Ltd.
  • Colaneri Estate Winery
  • Coopers Hawk Vineyards
  • Cornerstone Estate Winery
  • Coyote’s Run Estate Winery
  • Creekside Estate Winery
  • Domaine Queylus
  • EastDell Estates by Diamond Estates Winery
  • Flat Rock Cellars Ltd.
  • Foreign Affair Winery
  • Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery
  • Inniskillin Wines
  • Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Winery
  • John Howard Cellars of Distinction – Megalomaniac
  • Joseph’s Estate Wines Inc.*
  • Kacaba Vineyards Inc.
  • Konzelmann Estate Winery
  • Lailey Vineyard Winery
  • Lakeview Cellars by Diamond Estate Winery
  • Le Clos Jordanne Wines
  • Legends Estates Winery*
  • Magnotta Winery Estates Ltd.
  • Malivoire Wine Company
  • The Marynissen Estates*
  • Mike Weir Wine Inc.
  • Niagara College Teaching Winery
  • Nyarai Cellars
  • Pelee Island Winery
  • Peller Estates
  • Pillitteri Estates Winery Inc.
  • Pondview Estate Winery Ltd.
  • Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery*
  • Reif Estate Winery
  • Rennie Estate Winery
  • Ridge Road Estate Winery
  • Riverview Cellars Estate Winery
  • Rockway Vineyards
  • Southbrook Vineyards
  • Stoney Ridge Cellars Ltd.
  • Strewn Winery
  • Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery
  • Stratus Vineyards Limited
  • Thirteenth Street Wine Corp.
  • The Thirty Bench Wine Makers
  • Trius Winery at Hillebrand
  • Two Sisters Vineyards*
  • Vieni Estates
  • Vineland Estates Winery Ltd.*
  • Westcott Vineyards

*these are wineries that were not at the Grand Tasting last year.

Tickets are still available for the Grand Tasting ($200, with a Cuvée en Route pass thrown in for added fun the rest for the weekend). (Rumour has it that tickets will be available at the door, but to avoid the possibility of disappointment, it’s best to buy your ticket in advance on-line.)

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 at Cuvée, It goes without saying that the goal is to impress (or, as Chef Del Priore put it: the Wow factor). But that’s not the only factor the chefs mentioned as being important. Using unique ingredients was key for Chef Downes. (I think it’s safe to say that his choice of pickled tongue fits the unique ingredient criterion!) Local ingredients – and the challenge of sourcing them in the dead of winter – was a consideration Chef Midgley mentioned.

MVI_2441-001For Chef Jason Parsons, Executive Chef at Peller Estates Winery, the choice of cooking technique also played an important role in deciding what he’d serve. When he learned he’d been invited to participate in Cuvée this year, he quickly decided that sous vide was the way to go. The technique, which Parsons admitted can sound like boil-in-a-bag, allows the chef to bring the food to a certain temperature and then maintain it without overcooking or changing the taste or texture. As a result, it’s a great way to ensure that every guest gets a serving that’s cooked to perfection, regardless of whether they are the first person served or the 700th person served.

Parsons and his team will be serving two dishes at Cuvée: a sous vide salmon and a wild boar sausage.

Here’s a short video of Chef Parsons talking about Cuvée – and extolling the virtues of sous vide cooking!