Sip and Savour Ontario

I'm super excited to be attending the 9th annual Sip and Savour Ontario event on Wednesday! This fabulous and fun evening raises money for Houselink - an important charity that provides homes and local opportunities to people recovering from mental illness.

Sip and Savour Ontario brings together chefs cooking locally grown gourmet cuisine with Ontario VQA wines - so it's right up my alley! It's associated with Tony Aspler's Ontario Wine Awards, so you know the best of Ontario will be showcased. Plus, it gives me an excuse to spend more time in the Distillery District, which I always love. I live so close and yet we hardly ever get there - it's a shame because I always have a great time when we do.

After last week's #ONWineChat about what Ontario wine we'd like to see on restaurant wine lists, I'm looking forward to another example of how well local wine and food go together. Shawn is super jealous that I'm going without him because chef Tony Starratt from Barque Smokehouse will be there and we just watched their episode of You've Got to Eat Here. Chef Tony is just one of many great local chefs participating - you can find out all about the others at the Sip and Savour website.

Interested in attending? Tickets are $85 and there are still some available. You can purchase them here: http://sipandsavourontario.ca


Wednesday, June 19, 2013
7:30 pm to 10:00 pm
The Distillery Historic District
Fermenting Cellar
28 Distillery Lane, Toronto
www.fermentingcellar.ca

http://sipandsavourontario.ca

https://www.facebook.com/pages/sip-Savour-Ontario/231808340190807

https://twitter.com/sipandsavouron

Wines of New Zealand

Until recently, I’d never attended an international wine trade show, so when I decided to buy a ticket to the Wines of New Zealand, I had no idea what to expect. Thankfully, I had my wonderful wine friends Rob and Sophie to help make my first wine fair a fun one.

As you’d expect, there was a lot of fabulous Sauvignon Blanc on display at this show – New Zealand is known for its Sauv and it’s a well-deserved recognition. I couldn’t believe the quality of their Sauvignon Blanc and just how different each wine was, while still retaining the qualities of the grape. I think that’s one of the most interesting things about attending a show like this – you get to try so many different wines and can really taste how the winemaker and the terroir affect the wine.

So what were some of my favourite discoveries?

I tried Astrolabe Wines 2012 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and really liked it – a lovely, fruity nose with lychee, melon and good minerality. But the Astrolabe Valleys 2012 Sauvignon Blanc was totally different – it was very green, with asparagus, garden veggies and even soil on the nose. On the palate, the greenery continued. It was so unique and interesting – like drinking a garden! I think I’d pass on this one right now, but I’m really curious about how it would be after a little aging. I thought the wine was completely fascinating and a great example of why these shows are such a great opportunity to taste.

Elephant Hill drew us into their booth with their fantastic signage and the wines were worth staying for. Their 2012 Sauvignon Blanc was light, fruity and fresh – one I’d definitely want to try again. I liked their 2011 Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay, but the surprise standout was the Central Otago 2011 Pinot Noir – lots of candied fruit, cherry and sweet red fruit on the nose of this one.

Looking back at my reviews for Hunter’s Wines I can only assume that the ‘Yum!!!’ I noted for the 2012 Sauvignon Blanc was an indicator that I’m definitely hoping to try that one again. I also enjoyed their MiruMiru Sparkling. I found the te Pa 2012 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc to be a winner – very fresh with great acid and Waimea’s 2012 Spinyback Sauvignon Blanc and 2010 Viognier were fabulous. Both of those should be available at the LCBO in August and I’ll be looking out for them.

There were some great botrytis-affected wines at the show too. I thought that Marisco’s Sticky had a fun name (their whole line-up of wines actually does) and I found it to be a tasty dessert wine. I also really enjoyed Konrad’s 2011 Noble Riesling/Sauvignon Blanc – a delicious sweet, but not too sweet, wine.

So, other than a lot of wine, what can you expect at a wine fair? Well, at the New Zealand one there was lots of great food available (though I’m told this isn’t the case at all of these shows) and an opportunity to learn more about the region from the New Zealand wine rep. It was a nice, relaxed vibe and while it got a bit crowded at times it wasn’t overwhelming like some of the other non-wine specific shows I’ve attended.

I also wanted to add a mention of The Village Press Olive Oil, which is made with Hawke’s Bay olives and is completely delicious. I picked up a three-pack at the show and have been really enjoying it. Those in Toronto can find it at Olive and Olives or at A Bisket-A-Basket. It's also available at Olive & Kiwi in Hamilton or at The Wandering Locavore in Niagara. It's worth seeking out.

For more information on the wines of New Zealand: http://www.nzwine.com/ 

Wine School Update

So, I spent my weekend doing a little light reading...

Apologies for the lack of updates recently – it seems that while wine is my major writing inspiration, it’s also the cause of my lack of time to blog! It turns out that Wines II is about ten times harder then Wines I, so I’ve been spending my evenings and weekends with my nose buried in wine books. Not the worst fate in the world, but I’m starting to miss my life just a little.

I’m not sure why I struggle so much with wine classes. I mean, I covered some of the reasons in my Wine Overwhelm post, but I definitely spend more time than most of my classmates studying, yet they seem to be ‘getting’ it a lot quicker. How do they remember all the wine communes in the Medoc so easily when I spent a week cramming just to get those down? And some of them can remember the Chateau too!! I really should have paid more attention in French class. Not to mention that I’m still figuring out the whole tasting part. I mean, lanolin is a hard concept in wine! Not to mention all those other things…

We’re moving on to Italy now, which I suspect will be even harder, so we’ll see how that goes. I may get a lot of flack for saying this, but I’m not a huge fan of Italian wines (at least the ones I’ve tried so far). There were no wines in our Southern Italy class that made me go ‘wow’ and other than a very good Valpolicella I had at Sugo recently and an amazing Amarone I got to try at a #TOWineDinner, I haven’t been blown away. I’m told that once I try some especially good ‘big Bs’ I’ll change my mind, so I’m open to the fact that I may come around. Please feel free to leave your suggestions in the comments section because I’d really like to know what I’m missing.

While I’m very much enjoying my current course and have been lucky enough to get a really good instructor, I still wish there was a great Ontario or Canadian wine program available. We don’t really cover Canada in my current course and, realistically, if I ever end up working in wine it will be in Canada. I’ve certainly done my fair share of tasting and learning here, but it would be nice to have a class I could take that focused on Canadian viticulture. Anyone have tips on that? In the meantime, I guess I’ll just have to keep pestering the winemakers with questions (and luckily they’re a friendly and informative bunch).

Regularly scheduled posts should be back this week – I’ve got lots to cover, including my first international wine trade show and our upcoming trip to Ottawa, where I’m treating Shawn to a few days of beer tourism in return for all the time he’s spent driving me around wine country. Thanks again for reading and keep those wine suggestions coming.

Pillitteri Estates Pic'd White

At a recent Wine Align blogger event, we were discussing the influence that wine labels have on purchases. I confessed that I’d chosen a wine based on its label on more than one occasion. Sometimes, this is a fun way to try something different and I’ve been pleasantly surprised a time or two that the creativity spread from label to bottle. Other times, well, that cute kitten cartoon didn’t really translate into a great wine experience.
Maybe that's one of the reasons I was intrigued when I heard about Pillitteri Estate's new Pic'd White. The wine, a blend of Riesling (70%) and Gewurztraminer (30%), is a refreshing summer sipper. The nose shows nice minerality along with green apple, tropical fruit, grass, and citrus. The tropical fruit notes translate onto the palate, for a fruity finish.

But Pic'd has an even more interesting story, as each label features a photo or image 'pic'd' by the winery. Like Jones Soda, Pillitteri is inviting fans of their wines to send in photos to be featured right on the wine label. The photos are collected from Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and email submissions and the first release of the wine features over 300 images that were submitted through these channels.

While the winery can't promise that you'll be able to find the bottle of wine featuring your pic, it's certainly fun to think that a photo your submitted is sitting on someone's dinner table right now as they enjoy a glass of Pic'd. Of the samples I received, I was impressed by how beautiful the images were and how inviting. These labels may be crowd-sourced, but they are certainly as eye-catching as the ones designed by a marketing company.

Interested in submitting? Visit Pillitteri's site to read the submission instructions and rules: http://www.pillitteri.com/pages/Picd.cfm

Pic'd is available at the LCBO

* I received samples of Pic'd to try, but all opinions are my own. 

Adventures in Cooking - Guacamole and Riesling Edition

Avocados are a major staple of my diet – to say that I love them would be an understatement – so when I was asked to try and make an avocado recipe with Mexican avocados, I was happy to give it a shot.

One of the very cool things about doing this blog is that I’ve had the opportunity to try my hand at a whole lot of things I haven’t done before. Cooking has never been my strong suit, but since I started blogging I’ve made my own marshmallows (that one was harder than it looked), fancy walnuts (super easy and super delicious) and now classic guacamole.  

I know, I know, for most people guacamole isn’t something you brag about making, but as a confirmed kitchen-phobe, this was a great option for me. It’s easy enough not to scare me off, but it does take some skill to get the details right. I ended up chopping the onion a little too thick, so that’s a good lesson for the next time. Shawn also determined that for our tastes we should have used a whole lot more jalapenos – we ended up adding some Frank’s Red Hot to spice things up nicely.

This is a nice option for a (somewhat) healthier snack (we halved the recipe since there was only the two of us). An avocado has more potassium than a banana and lots of good cholesterol, not to mention lots of vitamins and minerals, so we enjoyed this as dinner one evening with some whole grain tortilla chips and on another occasion added it to chicken tacos. Definitely still a sometimes food (you might want to cut down the portion even more if you’re watching your calories), but this is a super delicious alternative to processed guacamole.

Oh, and of course, I can’t forget the wine. Spicy food tends to pair well with Riesling or Gewurztraminer, so I thought an Alsace Riesling was a good option. The acid and a hint of sweetness nicely compliment the kick of jalapeno here.

Want to try this recipe yourself? You can check it out here: http://missavacado.ca/recipes/classic-guacamole/

And you can find even more avocado information and recipes here: http://missavacado.ca/

Some photos from my guacamole adventure:

Yummy Mexican avocados



All the ingredients you need to make this recipe



Mixing it up



Almost ready...

Ready to eat!

The fine print: Mexican Avocados provided me with the recipes and a gift card with which to purchase the needed ingredients to make this recipe. All opinions are 100% my own.

Guest Post - A Bordeaux Travel Guide

I recently did a piece on Prince Edward County for Winerist.com - a U.K. site full of wine travel information. In return, they offered to do a post on one of the areas they had recently visited - Bordeaux! I hope you'll enjoy Diana's piece below about things to see to do in this beautiful wine region. She has also included some info on the wine tour options offered by Winerist, should you be interested. I haven't had the opportunity to try one of these tours, but I'd love to hear from any of you who have in the comments.

A Bordeaux Travel Guide 

By Diana Isac, Winerist.com

Having just returned from Bordeaux, the land of Castles, Crus, and Claret, we can still taste the ripe tannins of the regions’ rich reds and remember vividly the stunning wine estates, the relaxing hotels and perfectly organized tours for you and your loved ones.

Why Bordeaux?

Bordeaux is all about exceptional wines, magnificent Chateaux, perfect day tours, great shopping and some of the friendliest people you will come across. When such great wine is produced on the doorstep, it is virtually impossible to be unhappy.

The magnificent chateaux of Bordeaux

Where to stay?

In the City

Le Boutique Hotel right in the heart of Bordeaux is one of the quaintest hotels you will find in a big city. Located on small side street, it is only 50m away from some of the best Brasseries, shopping streets (Bordeaux is truly one of the best shopping destinations so beware!) and great wine bars. The white bedrooms, luxurious bathrooms and the stunning courtyard sheltered by big trees with its own wine bar and sommelier make this hotel perfect for both a short city break or for a longer stay.

In the Vines

Stay at Pavillion Villemaurine for a peaceful escape amongst Saint Emilion’s vines. This old part of Bordeaux is mesmerising with some of the most beautiful Chateaux – you can walk to Angelus, Ausonne, Petrus and Cheval Blanc. More importantly, you will be able to enjoy the hospitality of the family which owns this small boutique hotel and winery.

By the Dunes

Many of you will not know about the beautiful dunes of Arcachon, a place where the white sand emerges out of the vines onto a most surprising and beautiful white sandy beach. Chateau Leognan, one of our selected places to stay offers comfort and French style, only minutes away from the Dune du Pyla. This B&B has its own chateau and the winemaker will be keen to introduce you to the wines in the beautiful Chateau cellar!

Breakfast room in Chateau Leognan: a chic B&B and winery in Bordeaux

What to do?

Tasting Wines and Chateaux Visits

For magnificent Chateaux visits and lunches at Chateaux, try our Medoc Morning or Perfect Afternoon Wine Tour!

Oysters, Beaches and Boats

Visit the Arcachon Bay on a tour of wine, oysters and boat rides. Bike and beach tours are available which will let you take in the fresh sea air, enjoy boat rides and oysters accompanied by local wines. Sounds perfect to us!

Saint Emilion Indulgence

The famous town of Saint Emilion provides the most incredibly romantic setting for a wine discovery. You can discover this UNESCO classified town, its history, and the chateaux that surround it in an afternoon wine tour or a whole day tour. The full day tours provide an extra boost of tastings, regional delights and history walks. They are both very special experiences!

Views of the historic town of Saint Emilion

We cannot wait to go back to Bordeaux this July, the month when the City becomes a most favourite destination for wine breaks as well as short escapes into the vines and to the beach. If in doubt as to what will make the perfect Bordeaux break, get in touch with our team. We are happy to build the perfect wine escape for you! Info@winerist.com

The Wines of Prince Edward County

Prince Edward County is one of my favourite places – not only is it beautiful, full of incredible artists and brimming with amazing food, there are almost 40 wineries. It’s pretty perfect.

In March, I participated in the #IndulgePEC blogger meet-up and got to experience some of the County’s best wines and then just last week I attended County in the City where I had the chance to sample even more – as always, the winemakers of Prince Edward County did not disappoint.

A few of my top picks from my recent tastings are below. Forgive the newbie tasting notes (I know they're far from perfect at this point), it's safe to say that the ones that made my list were the ones I liked and that I think you might just enjoy too.

From #IndulgePEC

Keint-He 2009 Chardonnay – With vanilla, white peach, honey, green and yellow apple and citrus on the nose, this is a medium-bodied sipper that paired perfectly with my gourmet grilled cheese featuring chevre, Maple walnut praline and sliced green apples from The Agrarian.

Norman Hardie County Chardonnay Unfiltered– A nice oaked Chardonnay, this had great buttery, toasty notes on the nose. Good acid, a lingering finish and a great hit of fresh citrus on the palate.

Karlo Estates 2009 Pinot Noir – I love chatting with Richard Karlo and his partner Sherry Martin, especially since Sherry always has the best wine descriptors. She calls their Pinot, “a cowboy in a glass,” which seemed perfectly appropriate. This has great notes of tar, leather and tomato vines along with lovely spices like cassis. The tannins are soft and the wine is fruit forward with a great mouth-feel. Delicious.

Rosehall Run 2010 Cuvee County Pinot Noir – Stewed fruit, cherry, violets and spice all come alive on the nose of this great barrel-aged Pinot. Nice, chewy tannins, great dark fruit flavours and wonderful heat on the palate make for a fantastic wine.

From County in the City:

Lighthall Vineyards 2012 Progression Sparkling – My pick for white wine of the night (though the competition was steep), this is one of my favourite wines. It’s a great, light sparkler with green apple and a hint of peach and pear on the nose. This is a dry wine that’s perfect for brunch or to kickstart your palate before a meal.

Sandbanks 2012 Rosé – I’m a fan of many of Sandbanks’ wines, but I especially enjoy their rosé and this vintage didn’t disappoint. Sandbanks makes great, crowd-pleasing wines that are perfect for entertaining or relaxing on the patio – I look forward to enjoying more of this one, with it’s hint of ripe strawberry on the palate, over the summer months.

Casa Dea 2010 Cabernet Franc – This wine hadn’t been released when I did the tasting and it was only available in a very limited way (thanks to @whitbywine for the hook-up), but it was hands-down the best wine I tasted all night. While I could wax on about this one for pages, all it really comes down to is one word – yummy. This wine was like an explosion of amazing flavours on my palate and I can’t wait to try it again after its Mother's Day weekend release. This is made in the apassimento style and then barrel aged for two years - it’s very fruit-forward and vibrant, but I expect that with a few more years aging this will open up and be a totally different, equally delightful experience.

For more about my adventures in PEC, be sure to check out my review of the area at Winerist. 

Winerist is a UK-based website that makes wine travel simple – well worth checking out!