A Fresh Experience With FRESH Wines

I am a total sucker for beautiful design. This should come as no surprise considering my emphasis on aesthetics in my food photos, as well as my extensive and, what some may consider obsessive, pinning on Pinterest. I believe that good design can be an effective tool in helping brands deliver their message and tell their story, which was why I was so intrigued to attend A Fresh Experience, an event celebrating the launch of the FRESH Wines rebrand put together by my friends at the iYellow Wine Club. The event, which was held at CB2 on Queen West, showcased five new FRESH VQA wines, with each wine reflected in a corresponding food pairing installation. The installations, which were designed and executed by event and design agency Love By Lynzie, were thoughtfully created to reflect each of the wines with which they were paired. 

I was happy to have my friend Alex Orlando by my side to stroll through each of the installations with me and take in all of the sights, sounds, and tastes of the night. As we entered the buzzing CB2 space, we were immediately greeted by the smiling iYellow team and were handed a glass of FRESH Wines Sparkling Rosé, with notes of raspberry, cherry, apple, and pink grapefruit. What may have been the most striking of all the installations, the food pairing for the Sparkling Rosé featured a backdrop of vibrantly-coloured balloons, to reflect the bubbles in the sparkling wine, as well as freshly-spun cotton candy "clouds," and big, fluffy peonies. 

My favourite wine of the evening, the Sparkling Riesling, came next as we made our way to the white peg board, studded with citrus slices and paper bags of citrus and Granny Smith-flavoured candy corn. The peg board was created to allow the fragrance of the citrus to waft through the area, reflecting the notes of tangerine, green apple, mineral citrus, and lemon-lime zest that the Sparkling Riesling featured.

Before making our way up the grand staircase to the second level of the space, we took in the stunning fruit salad station, which illustrated the tasting notes of fruit salad, citrus, peach, floral, and pear in the FRESH Moscato that was being poured. Though I'm not normally a fan of moscato, finding it a little too sweet for my palate, I actually really enjoyed this one as it was more on the off-dry side. 

The feminine and vibrant theme from the first level of the food installations took on a more seductive and romantic vibe with the final two wines of the event. The FRESH Satin Red (with notes of red berries, mild oak, and light pepper) installation emulated the tone of evening passion, with a dramatic bed dressed in sequinned black sheets, and dangling, lip-stained wine glasses.

The final installation for the FRESH Crisp White, showcased the lively "adventure" quality that the wine embodied, with mouth-watering cheese boards resting atop vintage suitcases. The Crisp White exhibited bright notes of honeysuckle, green apple, and pear.

Both Alex and I had a great time at the event, and felt so inspired by all of the installations. You'll be glad to know that FRESH Wines is available at the LCBO, with each bottle sold at a very approachable price, particularly for VQA wines! I hope to grab a bottle of that delicious Sparkling Riesling to ring in this long weekend! Cheers to Ontario VQA wine!

To learn more about FRESH Wines and to check out each of the gorgeous new labels, be sure to visit the FRESH Wines website! 

Listening To:
Mike Will Made It - Nothing Is Promised (ft. Rihanna)

How To Be A Food Hero - Freeze Leftover Wine

As my age creeps higher and higher towards the big 3-0 I've found both myself and my friends beginning to care a little bit more about what we put in our glasses. Suddenly that $9 bottle of Pinot Grigio isn't as appealing as it once was, giving my poor abused taste buds a welcome break, while my wallet inevitably takes a bit of a hit. With more of my hard-earned cash going towards sipping from the Vintages section at the LCBO, it's no longer acceptable for that little bit of wine that so often gets left over at the bottom of the wine bottle to be poured down the drain. I mean, if the wine was hardly palatable the previous evening, it sure isn't going to be very tasty after spending the night oxidizing on your kitchen counter, but with delicious wine made with care making its way into my home, I now have to take a little more care in how I treat this luxury. 

Before anyone has a chance of pouring those few last sips of wine down the drain in my home, I make a point of emptying the remains into an ice cube tray to freeze. Once frozen, I pop the wine cubes out and transfer them to a freezer bag to have on hand when needed. Not only am I rescuing precious wine that could have easily been thrown out, I am also making my life so much easier in the future when a recipe calls for a splash of red or white wine. I no longer have to open up an entire bottle just for that splash! I can simply thaw out a wine cube or two and I'm good to go! 

Listening To:

Justin Bieber - Where Are You Now 

(I don't know who I have become now that I'm listening to Bieber, but this song is so damn catchy I just can't stop!)

Sip & Shuck with Stoneleigh

The idea of a wine tasting for a novice wine drinker often conjures up the image of cold dispositions, upturned noses, pretension, and comments on legs and notes (are we talking about stockings and music sheets here?), not to mention the fear of humiliation at the thought of making an improper judgement or comment on a particular wine. Years ago I would have said that that description is absolutely accurate, having had my share of experiences at wine tastings that left me feeling awkward and out of place. That was until I was introduced to the iYellow Wine Club. 

Back then Toronto's hottest wine club was just finding their footing in this competitive industry of food and wine, making a statement at each event with their eye-catching "I♥Ontario Wine" T-shirts. Today founder Angela Aiello has truly made a name for herself in the industry, known for shattering the myth of wine tasting snobbery, and instead creating a welcoming environment that both experienced and amateur wine tasters can feel at home and comfortable in. That welcoming and comfortable environment was surely put to the test last week when I, a confidence-lacking wine drinker and often socially awkward klutz, was invited to the newly launched iYellow Wine Cave to Sip & Shuck with Stoneleigh Wines. 

So excited to spend an evening in the Queen West wine cave that I had heard so much buzz about, sipping wine and slurping back my favourite mollusks, I had skimmed through my invite, not noticing that I was indeed given a +1. Let the awkwardness ensue! It was apparent from the moment I entered the graffiti-splashed alleyway door of the cave that I was the only solo wine taster in attendance. Lucky for me, this was not any old wine tasting, it was an iYellow one! Phew! I spent the first few minutes of my arrival walking around the cozy and stylish cave, taking in all of the eclectic little details from the mismatched lighting fixtures, chalkboard walls, vintage bookshelves, and old paintings in antique frames. I was wowed by the attention to detail and care in which the cave was decorated, giving attendees the feeling of walking into your parents basement...that had been taken over by their fixie-riding, craft beer-drinking, plaid-donning grown-up children. It was that laid-back atmosphere that put me at ease, and made me feel comfortable striking up a conversation with friendly-faced strangers...and I'm sure that first glass of Stoneleigh white didn't hurt either. 

I had the pleasure of sharing my first glass of wine with the lovely Erin from the blog College Street Closet and her friend Katie from the new blog Torontoholic. We sipped the bright and fresh tasting Stoneleigh white label Sauvignon Blanc while we chatted about our love of oysters and cheese. Although Erin is an East Coast gal, her and Katie had never shucked oysters before, a sin that had to be corrected immediately. We made our way over to the oyster sucking station, that encouraged attendees to slip on a pair of protective gloves and try their hand at shucking oysters themselves. Having shucked many an oyster myself, I took on the role of photographer as Erin and Katie shucked their very first oysters with ease! That called for another glass of wine!

We headed over to the red wine station where Ange just happened to be pouring and sharing her knowledge on the two pinot noirs being featured. The first was Stoneleigh's white label pinot, which Ange told us was a great intro-to-pinot wine with approachable soft and supple tannins and flavours of ripe, dark berry fruit and cherry with lingering fruit sweetness. I enjoyed the white label, but it was the grey label pinot that stood out for me, with a rich and fleshy palate of black doris plum, dark chocolate, and berry fruit. 

With liquid confidence surging through my veins, I turned into little miss social butterfly and found another two drinking and oyster-slurping buddies in the sweet and hilarious Sarah from the blog Metamorphocity (which I highly recommend reading!) and her friend and analogue photographer Emma. We shared restaurant horrors and recommendations while laughing and sipping on the black label Sauvignon Blanc, which featured a palate of honeydew melon and grapefruit with nuances of zesty citrus (my kinda white!). It was then that my regret over not bringing a +1 subsided, so pleased to have gotten the opportunity to have met such wonderful, like-minded individuals. This is precisely what makes iYellow wine events so unique. I walked into the event nervous and tense, unsure of whether I would feel comfortable flying solo at a wine tasting, and walked out with a skip in my step, feeling confident and inspired, after having such a wonderful time with complete strangers, who in that short amount of time I had learned so much from. I predict that I will become very familiar with the iYellow Wine Cave, eager to attend many more events and tastings in the future! 

Listening To:

Tune Yards - Water Fountain

12 Days Of Wine Country Ontario Contest Winner!

Thank you everyone who participated in the 12 Days Of Wine Country Ontario giveaway! Congratulations to Genevieve Anderson our lucky winner who will receive a gift certificate to the Shaw Spa for a relaxing Grape & Wine Exfoliating Treatment! I hope you enjoy your Wine Country Ontario experience! Please email me at GingerRoseFood@gmail.com with your home address so we can send you your gift certificate as soon as possible! 

Listening To:

Nick Drake - Pink Moon

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Give The Gift Of Wine Country Ontario - CONTEST!

With only one week left until Christmas Eve, the pressure is building to grab hold of those creative last minute gifts for your friends and loved ones. I always say that as much as I adore unwrapping a gift, and making use of it as early as Christmas morning (nothing like cozying up in that new sweater while enjoying Christmas Day!) I appreciate the gift of 'experience' more than anything! I'm lucky to be one of those girls that is often thought of as "the girl who has everything", which makes gift giving for me pretty tricky. Giving me something to experience means giving me the gift of a memory, rather than junking up my dresser more than it already is. 

The key to giving the gift of experience, is personalizing it for that particular person. Take myself for instance, just by glancing at my blog it's easy to see that I am a fan of wine and, with my many blog posts on visits to Wine Country Ontario, there's no doubt that visiting Ontario's wine region is something I immensely enjoy. Why not give the gift of Wine Country Ontario to a wine loving friend or loved one by registering them for a winery tour, or perhaps give a gift certificate to a winery with a fabulous restaurant! With the stress of the holidays and inevitable dry skin this time of year, one of my favourite Wine Country Ontario gifts are gift certificates to the spa in wine country! Sure you can get a massage or an exfoliant treatment pretty much anywhere, but when in wine country, go for something interesting! I LOVE the sound of a Grape and Wine Scrub such as the one they have at the prestigious Shaw Spa in Niagara. The Shaw Spa's Grape and Wine Scrub Treatment scrubs away that dry Winter skin by using the extracts from the grape seed, leaf, stems and wine, leaving your skin smooth and perfectly hydrated! What better way to end a day of winery touring, than relaxing at the spa!

Wine Country Ontario has been kind enough invite me to be apart of their #12DaysWCO, a 12 day celebration of the season! Each day a different wine loving blogger will suggest one of their favourite Wine Country Ontario gifts to give under $100 and, even better, Wine Country Ontario will send one lucky reader that very gift! So, how can you win a Shaw Spa Grape and Wine Scrub Exfoliating Experience? All you have to do is comment on this post, describing your favourite Wine Country Ontario Experience, or, if you've never had the chance to experience Wine Country Ontario yourself (what's wrong with you?), comment and tell me why you would like to! So what are you waiting for? Share your Wine Country Ontario experience with me! Good luck! 

* One comment = one entry. One entry per person.
* A winner will be selected at random on Friday December 21st!

Listening To:
John Lennon - So this is Christmas

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Make your vote count!

Want to be an online judge for the Ontario Wine Awards? Now you can! Make your opinion known and vote on the Best Label Design for this years awards! As a thank you for your vote, you will automatically be entered into a contest for a chance to win two tickets to sip & Savour Ontario, taking place on October 4th at Steam Whistle Brewery.  Let the voting begin! Vote now!

Listening To:

Diplo ft. Nicki B - Express Yourself

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sip & Savour Ontario Wrap Up

That's it folks! After months of preparation, sip & Savour Ontario 2011 has come to an end. It's amazing how something that you can put so much time and energy into can fly by in a wink! After a week of recuperation and me time, I now owe you a little sip & Savour Ontario wrap up to fill you in on all of the excitement that took place from our Exclusive Blogger Preview Event, to the big event sip & Savour Ontario, and lastly the Ontario Wine Awards Niagara winery tour that was organized as a thank you for the Ontario Wine Awards (sip & Savour Ontario's partner) sponsors.

Prior to sip & Savour Ontario, an Exclusive Blogger Preview Event was held at Longo's stunning new Maple Leaf Square location in their beautiful Corks Beer and Wine Bar test kitchen and lounge. This preview event was set up exclusively for some of Ontario's influential food and wine bloggers to give them an opportunity to learn more about sip & Savour Ontario and learn firsthand from our talented hosts, renowned wine writer and Order of Canada recipient Tony Aspler and Longo's Chef David Ashlee, how to pair Ontario's VQA wines with local Ontario produce. The event began with a sparkling wine reception in the lounge where our bloggers got to greet and mingle with one another while sipping on Peller Estates NV Ice Cuvée Rosé, the Sparkling Wine Award gold medal-winner at the 2011 Ontario Wine Awards. Guests were then ushered into the fully equipped test kitchen where Tony took over to talk a little about the history of sip & Savour Ontario and it's new partnership with Houselink Community Homes, an organization that provides a home, community, and opportunity for people living with mental illness. Houselink representative Brain Davis then took the stage to elaborate on Houselink, while Luke Bowden from Houselinke delivered a candid and moving speech about his own personal experience with mental illness and the significant role that Houselink played in helping to guide him to be in the place he is today. With mouths watering, David Ashlee eagerly began preparing the three dishes that he was pairing with our Ontario VQA wines that day, while providing the guests with helpful tips and tricks and Tony interjecting with notes on the wine. The menu and wine pairings were as follows:

First Course

Salmon Ceviche Green Tea Crepes Stuffed with Avocado Jicama and Wasabi

OWA Gold Medal Winner White Wine of the Year Château de Charmes 2008 'Old Vines' Riesling Estate Bottled

Second Course

Frenched Lambchops with Stuffed Grape Leaves in a Red Wine, Shallot Reduction

OWA Gold Medal Winner Cabernet Franc Award Kacaba 2007 Cabernet Franc Reserve

Third Course

Chilled Cucumber Soup with Icewine Mascarpone Whip and Blue Cheese Shortbread Cookie

Konzelmann 2008 Vidal Special Select Late Harvest

Sure, I was expecting to taste some yummy food that day, but Chef Ashlee went above and beyond "yummy" with his absolutely delicious and expertly paired menu of unique, skillful, and local dishes. As each dish was served you could hear a chorus of satisfied "mmm's" around the room as the guests took their first bites. Coming from someone who was involved in making the Preview Event happen, I have to say that I was totally blown away by the execution and attention to detail that both Chef Ashlee and the Longo's team brought to the table that day. What a pleasant experience that was. I expect this won't be the last time we'll collaborate with them. We ended the event by sending off our guests with a bottle of Ontario VQA icewine and Ontario goat cheese provided by Longo's, and hopes that our bloggers would spread the word about sip & Savour Ontario and the importance of Houselink. For more photos of the Exclusive Blogger Preview Event click here!

Only a few weeks after our Exclusive Blogger Preview Event, the big event, sip & Savour Ontario was held at the unique space at Steam Whistle Brewery. The event featured 29 Ontario VQA award-winning wineries, with representatives each pouring numerous wines to give guests a true feel of the winery, terroir, and people behind the wine. Scattered about the space were stations set up by six of Ontario's top chefs who had created delectable local food pairings to go along with the wines being served. Click here to see the entire menu from the evening. An exciting addition to the event were two gourmet food trucks El Gastronomo Vagabundo and Cupcake Diner (the much anticipated Gorilla Cheese was sadly a mysterious no-show) to draw attention to and support Ontario's growing food truck movement. Throughout the evening guests were invited upstairs to take part in four live cooking demos presented by Maria Carino from Houselink, Chef Keith Bundock from As You Wish Catering, Chef Adam Hynam-Smith from El Gastronomo Vagabundo, and Chef David Ashlee from Longo's, with each demo paired with a specific wine being poured. With Houselink as our charitable partner, there was also a silent auction that was held throughout the event, giving guests the opportunity to bid on an array of exciting items, packages, and tours that were kindly donated to raise funds for Houselink. All in all the event was a wonderful success, drawing in a great crowd and raising awareness of Ontario's food and wine excellence and Houselink Community Homes. Click here to see more photos of the event!

To wrap up all of the excitement, a private Niagara winery tour, tasting, and luncheon was held for the Ontario Wine Award sponsors as a thank you for helping to make the awards possible, and, in turn, allowing sip & Savour Ontario to be possible. The informative tour began at Niagara Teaching Winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake where we were taken into one of the beautiful tutorial rooms and got to taste the OWA Sparkling Wine Award gold medal-winner Peller Estates NV Ice Cuvée Rosé, a sparkling wine that is topped up with a dosage of Ontario icewine, giving the sweet drink a distinct and unique strawberry flavour. As we were taken into the vineyard, we learned all about the teaching program and just how hands-on the students are able to get in producing the wine. It was great to hear that the winery takes advantage of the unique opportunity that Ontario has to produce icewine, by allowing their students to take part in picking and producing icewine as well. Right in the midst of the harvest, it was so cool to be right in the action watching this years Cabernet Franc grapes get picked. To warm ourselves up from the vineyard, we headed back inside to taste a selection of Niagara Teaching College wines and then proceeded to the wineries Benchmark Restaurant to enjoy a delicious and comforting meal prepared and served by the students at the college. The menu and pairings were as follows:

Hand Cut Bitter Greens Salad with Scallion-Ginger Vinaigrette, Toasted Hazelnuts, Crumbled Smoked Bacon, and Caramelized Niagara Pears

NC Semi Dry Reisling 2009

or

Good Earth Rose 2009

Spinach and Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Supreme with Sweet Potato Galette, Seasonal Vegetables, Caramelized Onions, and Red Wine Jus

NC Sauvignon Blanc 2009

or

Fielding Pinot Gris 2010

or

NC Cabernet Franc 2008

or

Les Clos Jordanne Pinot Noir 2008

From there, we hopped back onto the Niagara Air Bus and headed over to the stunning Tawse Estate Winery, where winemaker Paul Pender received the OWA 2011 Winemaker of the Year award for his hard work and creativity. We were taken inside to see the process in which the wine is aged in the steel vats and learned about the natural approach they take to their winemaking, utilizing the topography of the vineyard and estate to allow gravity to guide the wine within the facility. We then went down into the cellar where more wine was tasted and we were lucky enough to get to meet the man himself, Moray Tawse.

Tired, tipsy, and in need of a cozy blanket, the tour had come to an end, and proved to be a great treat and learning experience to top off this whole sip & Savour Ontario adventure! Thank you to everyone who helped to support sip & Savour Ontario! Your participation is helping to support the continued education and funding for Ontario's talented and passionate winemakers, farmers, and chefs as well as Houselink, an organization that I have come to have a great deal of respect for. This was such a wonderful learning experience for me and I can't wait to do it all again next year!

Listening To:

The Rolling Stones - Gimme Shelter.MP3

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sip & Savour Ontario 2011 Menu

Chef Adam Hynam-Smith from El Gastronomo Vagabundo who will be hosting one of four Live Culinary Demonstrations

As you know now from my Save the Date blast about sip & Savour Ontario coming up THIS Wednesday October 19th, I am right in the midst of all the action helping to organize this exciting event. Being up close and personal with such a great event certainly has its advantages, and of course for me food is always at the top! Advantage numero uno: Obtaining the menu for the food pairings for sip & Savour Ontario allows for me to day dream and salivate about all the delicious dishes that I will be able to feast on in less than a week! Lucky for you, I'm generous and willing to share this just released menu with you all so you can get as excited for this event as I am! If you haven't ordered your tickets yet...ummm we can't be friends! So what the heck are you waiting for?! Get your tickets to the hottest local wine and food event that Ontario has to offer!

Chef Tim Dunnill

The Old Mill & Spa

Heirloom Tomato Tart Tatin with Braised Ontario Beef Cheeks

Wine Pairing: Cabernet Sauvignon

Chef Anne Yarymowich

FRANK Restaurant / AGO

Lamb and Rosemary Meatballs on Potato Parsnip Puree

Wine Pairing: Syrah

Chef Anthony Rose

The Drake Hotel

Smoked Pastrami Salmon with Cranberry Bean Toast and Hot Mustard Pickles

Wine Pairing: Chardonnay

Chef Kevin McKenna

Globe Bistro

TBA

Wine Pairing: Riesling

Chef Andre Walker

The Boiler House Restaurant

Smoked King Cole Duck Breast, Ontario Black Plum Chutney, Crostini

Wine Pairing: Sauvignon Blanc

Chef David Ashlee

Longo's

Spicy Pulled Pork with Braised Red Cabbage and Double Smoked Bacon

Wine Pairing: Pinot Gris

Chef Adam Hynam-Smith

El Gastronomo Vagabundo

Rendang Curry, Chicken Thigh, Thai Basil, Kaffir Lime, and Coriander

Wine Pairing: Sauvignon Blanc

Gorilla Cheese

An Assortment of Sandwich Samples

Wine Pairing: Riesling

Cupcake Diner

Variety of Mini Cupcakes

Wine Pairing: Sparkling

Like sip & Savour Ontario on Facebook!

Follow sip & Savour Ontario on Twitter!

Get your tickets today!

Check out pics from sip & Savour Ontario 2009

Listening To:

Modest Mouse - Float On

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SAVE THE DATE: sip & Savour Ontario

I know my posts have been few and far between lately, and I am very happy to say that that is absolutely not from hopping off the productivity train, but actually from hopping on it! For the past few months I have been helping to work on Toronto's ultimate local wine and food experience, sip & Savour Ontario, an event dedicated to Ontario VQA wines and regional cuisine in support of Houselink. This is an event that I have had the pleasure of helping out with for several years now, and my love for this event has only grown over the years! If you have never been to sip & Savour Ontario before, you've been missing out on one of the most exciting, informative, and social food and wine events that Toronto has to offer. If you have been to sip & Savour Ontario before, you'll want to be grabbing tickets again as this year as we're switching things up with a new date (right in the midst of Harvest season), venue, and were even amping up the excitement by bringing in three gourmet food trucks! The event is fast approaching so pick up your tickets now before it sells out!

sip & Savour Ontario

WHEN

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

7:30-10:00 PM

WHERE

Steam Whistle Brewing, The Roundhouse

WHAT

Ontario Wine Award medal-winning VQA wines from more than 30 Ontario wineries will be joining forces with top Toronto area chefs who will be creating samples of regionally prepared cuisine to tantalize your taste buds.

Get up close and personal during our live culinary demonstrations featuring a selection of Toronto's elite chefs. An experience you won't want to miss!

Our event will give you a taste of Ontario's home-grown excellence and inspire you to help fund the continued enjoyment of Ontario's finest foods and VQA wines for years to come!

SILENT AUCTION

Proceeds to benefit Houselink, which provides housing solutions for people living with mental health challenges and at risk of being homeless. Visit www.houselink.on.ca for more information about their cause.

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Listening To:

	The Sheepdogs - I Don't Know .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

LCBO GoLocal Niagara Wine Tour

Harvest time is known to be the best time to visit wine country, so as soon as I felt that first chill in the air, I joined my fellow Ontario food and wine bloggers on the LCBO GoLocal Niagara Wine Tour, a day dedicated to learning and experiencing what makes Ontario VQA wine and Ontario wine country so special.

We began our wine country experience by hopping on the exclusive LCBO GoLocal VIA train (that's right, we got our very own train for the tour! SWAG!) where we got to mingle and catch up with the other bloggers in attendance, while munching on our VIA first class breakfast. During the speedy train ride into Niagara, we were introduced to three guest speakers who educated us on the significance and advantages of producing cool climate wines, understanding terroir in Ontario, and the importance of creating a deeper connection to the wine through visiting wine country.

Although we often associate warmer climate regions with successful wine making, Ontario, as a cool climate wine producing region, is actually at an advantage. An obvious advantage is the length of the growing season, as a cool climate allows for our grape growing season to be extended. A cool climate also allows for the natural sweetness and acidity of the grapes to be released, resulting in a more natural flavour and no need for modification. This leads into Terroir, which, as you have learned from my previous entries on Bordeaux wine, "refers to the vineyard-specific environmental differences (such as soil types, drainage, local micro-climates, and sun exposure). Terroir is the biggest difference as to why the same varietals all taste differently from around the world and even from back to back vineyards." (wines-france.ca). Climate is one aspect of Terroir, but one that, in turn, affects all of the other factors of Terroir, such as soil. Ontario's cool climate results in a fantastic soil for grape growing. Ontario wine makers are now paying close attention to their vineyards terroir, and even the environmental differences from one side of their vineyard compared to the other. Consider the many environmental differences within the Niagara region where you will see all different types of soil from sandy gravel to heavy clay. It's through touring these wineries, and getting to speak directly with the winemakers that you get a much better sense of the wine, as you can experience first-hand all the many environmental factors each winery is working with, as well as get to know the characters and stories that helped create the wine. This will not only give you a better sense of the wine and why it tastes that way, but also helps to build a personal relationship with that winery and specific wine and help to develop a story, because let's face it, wine drinking is about so much more than just tasting the wine. And let's not forget the many fantastic restaurants that our Ontario wineries have created. Many Ontario wineries today are known just as much for their culinary achievements as they are for their wine.

When we arrived in St. Catharines we were split up into two groups, with each group visiting a different winery and tasting a different selection of wines that reflected the theme they were given. The group themes reflect the way in which Ontario wines are going to be organized in the LCBO to help people track down their favourite Ontario VQA wine with ease. My group headed to Coyote's Run Estate Winery with the theme Crisp and Zesty, where we got to meet representatives from not only Coyote's Run, but also Peninsula Ridge Estate Winery and Jackson Triggs Vintners. As we tasted each of the seven wines, the representatives elaborated on the terroir that helped to create the wines we were drinking, as well as told us helpful (especially so for a newbie like me!) tasting notes for each one. The wines from this tasting that stood out the most for me were:

Peninsula Ridge Estate Winery - 2009 Sauvignon Blanc

• Peninsula Ridge is known for their Sauvignon Blanc wines.
• This particular one was cold fermented in stainless steel with a wide variety of yeast, with the lees contact for almost a year.
• Flavours of greenery, gooseberry, pineapple, and passionfruit.

Coyote's Run Estate Winery - 2009 Red Paw Vineyard Pinot Noir

• Red Paw vs. Black Paw refers to the two different types of clay found on the vineyard.
• Traditional maceration and fermentation in small open-top fermentors and aged 14 months in French oak barriques.
• Bouquet of violets, strawberry jam and cedar. Flavours of strawberry, cranberry with a velvety texture and sweet oak tannin.

After all that wine tasting, we had definitely worked up an appetite. I was thrilled to learn that the surprise lunch that was kept secret from us all morning was supplied by two food trucks! Both El Gastronomo Vagabundo and Gorilla Cheese were parked outside Creekside Estate Winery, ready to serve! I could not wipe the smile off my face! After just missing out on El Gastronomo's tacos that I had heard so much about at Food Truck Eats, I was one of the first in line to get my hands on them this time around. I placed an order for their Fish Tacos with local corn salsa, Bajan hot sauce, and sour cream, as well as their Local Heirloom Tomato Salad with watermelon, jalapenos, Upper Canada Cheese, basil pesto, and sumac. Both dishes were off the charts delicious! The fish in the tacos was perfectly flakey with a light and crisp batter, complimented by the contrast of the sweet corn and spicy hot sauce, all wrapped up in a warm and soft homemade tortilla. The tacos were great, but WOAH that salad was one of the best and most unique salads I have had the pleasure of tasting. A flavour explosion in my mouth, I couldn't get enough of this gorgeous salad, jam packed with bold flavours, once again contrasting both sweet and spicy. Of course lunch wouldn't be complete without more wine! Creekside set up a little tasting bar for us where they had a selection of wine pairings based on what we had ordered at the trucks. El Gastronomo 's menu was paired with:

Creekside 2010 Sauvignon Blanc

• Sauvignon Blanc is the varietal that made Creekside famous!
• This wine is classically fresh and zesty with grassy gooseberry aromas with a touch of citrus.
• Bright acidity makes this wine truly refreshing.

Creekside 2008 Shiraz

• Medium bodied with ripe plum and black pepper spice.
• An intriguing mix of elegant and robust.
• Displays the vintage's bright acidity and intense structure, making it cellar worthy for years to come!

The wine tasting continued after lunch where we were once again split up into two groups, with new wineries and new themes! This time my group headed to Malivoire Winery with the theme Ripe and Smooth. Just like at Coyote's Run, we were again greeted by representatives from Malivoire, Strewn Winery, and Cave Spring Cellars. I enjoyed a number of the wines I tasted at the final tasting of the day, but my standout pick for not only the final tasting, but out of all the wines I tasted throughout the day was:

Cave Spring Cellars - 2009 Pinot Noir Niagara Peninsula

• Lighter colour, which tend to be more light in flavour and harmonious when they're young.
• Silky textures on the palate, with light and delicate tannins.
• More angular than the other wines tasted.
• Flavours of strawberry, sweet cherry, and rose.

I can honestly say that I gained more knowledge on Ontario wine in that one day than I have in all the years I have been learning about Ontario wine combined. Sure, this is largely due to my maturation since first visiting Ontario wine country years ago, but our fantastic hosts, representatives, wine makers, and bloggers that were so kind and generous in sharing their experience and knowledge on the subject throughout the day, were absolutely essential in enriching the whole experience. I can give you no better advice than to go and visit Ontario wine country yourself and experience the excellence our province has to offer!

Listening To:

Beastie Boys - Intergalactic

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Bordeaux After Work at Marben

Last Tuesday was the second Bordeaux After Work party presented by the Bordeaux Wine Council in partnership with the iYellow Wine Club, and let me tell you, after having such an incredible time at the first party celebrating Bordeaux wines, my expectations were sky high. With such high expectations it would have been really easy for Bordeaux After Work at Marben to pail in comparison, but to my delight the second party was just as lovely as the first!

(Some friends (new and old) and myself, Danielle Rose)

Unlike at the first party where I attended alone, I brought some back up with me this time, two friends who, like me, did not know much about Bordeaux wine prior to the event. I always get a little nervous bringing new friends to the events that I get invited to, scared that I may be dragging them out to a dud event. So after keeping my friends waiting for me for 15 minutes in the blistering Toronto heat, I started to feel that pressure. After no more than a minute from arriving at Marben, I knew that this event was far from a dud! No more than 20 minutes after the event had begun, the patio was already packed with a smiling, well dressed crowd, happily sipping on the different wines that were being showcased that evening. We promptly grabbed some glasses and filled them up with a light and refreshing Bordeaux white. We then began doing the rounds, saying hello to the wonderful new friends I had met at the previous Bordeaux After Work Party at Origin, and checked out the venue, looking for a prime place to plant ourselves so that we would be able to try all three of the appetizers that Marben was pairing with the wines. We found the best spot the whole patio had to offer, right smack in the middle between a wine station and a food station! Bingo! Although my friends and I all loved the Crab Cakes (almost like little soft shell crab nuggets!) and Pulled Beef on Crostini that were being paired with the wines, I think we can all admit that Rodney's Oysters were definitely the highlight for us in terms of food. But the real highlight of the whole night was undoubtedly the fantastic Bordeaux wine.

With four wines being poured it was easy to take the time with each wine and follow iYellows 5 steps to wine tasting:

These five steps help to breakdown exactly what you should be looking for when tasting each wine. This time around I was lucky enough to get my hands on the list of Bordeaux wines served that evening, and better yet, the list was accompanied by tasting notes, essential for a newbie wine drinker! The 4 wines being served were as follows:

Mouton Cadet 2008 AOC Bordeaux Sauvignon Blanc

Château Fayau Blanc 2009 AOC Bordeaux Sauvignon and Semillon

Calvet Reserve 2008 AOC Bordeaux Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon

Chateau de Courteillac 2009 AOC Bordeaux Merlot/Cabernet

I enjoyed every single wine, but of course, we all have our favourites. The two standout wines for both myself, my friends, and many of the guests that we spoke to (you can't go to a wine tasting without making new friends) were:

First Place:

Château Fayau Blanc

This wine was awarded a Gold Medal at the esteemed 2010 Concours Général Agricole in Paris. A refreshing, floral nose welcomes you to lovely notes of melon, grapefruit, gooseberry and citrus with a bit of grassiness. Lots of ripe fruit in this nicely balanced, crisp white. Perfect for poached salmon in a lemongrass/citrus sauce, or pesto pasta with asparagus and artichokes.

Second Place:

Chateau de Courteillac

Mostly made of merlot with a bit of cabernet, this medium-bodied, easy-going red is fresh and fruity, with hints of raspberries and tart cherries. Also rustic, robust red with a touch of vanilla and spice. Dry, light body, well balanced with a smokey-oak finish.

(Me, Danielle Rose and Project Manager at Premier Productions, Rita Choi)

All in all, I'd say the second Bordeaux After Work party was a wild success. I had a wonderful time, the wine and food were both fantastic, and I truly feel like I am building on my knowledge of not only Bordeaux/French wine, but wine in general. I can't tell you how wonderful that is to say after feeling so shy about my lack of knowledge in the past. I can't stress it enough how helpful these Bordeaux After Work parties really are for those who may be new to wine tasting or just don't know much about French wine. I don't want this Summer to end, but at least I have two awesome parties to look forward to this Fall for parts 3 and 4 of Bordeaux After Work! I hope to see you there!

Listening To:

Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

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Bordeaux After Work at Marben is Just Around the Corner...

Bordeaux After Work Party #2

Presented by the Bordeaux Wine Council in partnership with the iYellow Wine Club

July 19th

6-8PM

Marben

488 Wellington Street West

Fantastic Bordeaux Wines, great food, killer music, and always a lively hip crowd! With free entry and a free drink ticket for the first 75 guests ($9 a glass after that) why wouldn't you check out this spectacular event?

Tickets are free! Just become a member of the iYellow Wine Club for free, then RSVP to the event on Facebook.

Alright folks, the second of four Bordeaux After Work Parties is coming up this Tuesday July 19th at Marben, so this means it's time to brush up on some of your Bordeaux wine knowledge! If you remember from my entry on the first Bordeaux After Work Party, I walked into my first experience with Bordeaux wine having done some research on the basics of Bordeaux wine (I call this my homework), a step that I am now learning is crucial when attending a wine tasting. With that basic knowledge I was able to walk into the first Bordeaux After Work party confident and extraordinarily excited to actually get to taste some wines from this world renowned wine region. I had originally planned on taking notes all throughout the party, expanding on what I already knew, but with the music pumping, wine sipping, hands shaking, and lots of new friend to meet, my note taking got side tracked. I realized that taking notes isn't what a wine tasting should be about. The actual event should be about tasting the wine, enjoying each and every sip, and using the wine as an opportunity to socialize and meet new people, which inevitably leads to discussing the wine. And truly, from experience I can tell you that as long as you have done your "homework", the only "work" that needs to be done at a wine tasting is simply:

1. Reading the labels. Know what wines you are drinking.
2. Jotting down no more than a few words on the wines you have tasted to trigger your memory after the event. Include what you liked/disliked, the price, and perhaps some flavours that you picked up.
3. Putting yourself out there and introducing yourself to strangers. No this isn't exactly work, but it is a valuable step that many feel uncomfortable taking, but is crucial if you want to make the most of the event.
4. Discussing the wine with others in as much detail as you like or see fit. What do other people think of the wine you are tasting? What do they like/dislike about it?

Because you have done your homework, the event will allow you to subtly apply what you have learned, and act as a test for yourself to see what areas you are still unfamiliar with. I've been out of school for just over a year now, but I haven't forgotten just how awful homework can really be. So I decided to take on the role of tutor for you guys, giving you a little cheat sheet on what you should know about Bordeaux before attending Bordeaux After Work at Marben...you're welcome!

First learn some basic points on Bordeaux here in the "What I Learned" section of the post. Below I will be expanding on some of those basic points.

"Terroir refers to the vineyard-specific environmental differences (such as soil types, drainage, local micro-climates, and sun exposure). Terroir is the biggest difference as to why the same varietals all taste differently from around the world and even from back to back vineyards." (wines-france.ca)

So how do I know do I know if a vineyard has a particularly good terroir?

The French term Cru, which is often mentioned on Bordeaux wine labels (Cru bourgeois, Cru classé), is an indication of the quality of the particular estates terroirs and grape varietals, and of the producers talent and know how.

Bordeaux is very fortunate be in a prime location which has a climate and various different soil types within both the left bank and right bank, which encourage vine growth and has resulted in making Bordeaux the worlds major wine industry capital.

Bordeaux wine is known for blending various different types of grapes and amounts of each grape to create their unique and distinct wines. Because of the complexity of the process of blending the varietals, the blended wine is of a distinctly better quality than the individual qualities of the original single variety wines.

What varietals are commonly found in Bordeaux wine?

Red

Merlot - the most widely grown variety

Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Franc

White

Sémillon - one of the most popular and well established out of the white varietals

Sauvignon Blanc

Muscadelle

(and their percentage of surface areain Bordeaux vineyards as of 2008)

Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur 47.2%

Médoc and Graves 17.2%

Saint Emilion / Pomeral / Fronsac 10.5%

Red Côtes 14.1%

Dry White 7.9%

Sweet White 3.1%

What years were particularly spectacular for Bordeaux wine?

2009 - magnificent vintage

2008 - high quality vintage

2007 - good quality vintage

2006 - high quality vintage

2005 - exceptional vintage

2004 - high to very high quality vintage

What should you be pairing with your Bordeaux wine?

Bordeaux Dry Whites

Chicken, fish, seafood, and salad.

Red Bordeaux

Red meat (beef, lamb), grilled veal, game, poultry such as grilled turk pastas, and cheeses such as Camembert, Brie, and Roquefort.

Sweet Wines

Dessert, foie gras, and blue cheese.

Listening To: Wash - Bon Iver