Happy 350th South Africa!

I really can't wait for this upcoming event on Saturday December 5th. Filled with birthday cupcakes, food and music, this will be a really great party. It's not only celebration but an educational tasting as well. With over 20 wines to try, the evening will showcase the talents of the South Africa terroir and the people behind the wine. This is the last iYellow social wine event of 2009 and it will be a good one! Happy 350th of making wine South Africa!

More information on South African wines:
www.wine.co.za
www.southafricanwinesociety.com
www.wineanorak.com/southafricanwine.htm


iYellow Wine Club & Wines of South Africa invite you to...

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
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Let’s Celebrate South Africa’s 350th Year of Making Wine
with a Bash!

WHEN:
Saturday December 5th
8:00pm - 10:30pm

WHERE:
Reds Wine Bar
77 Adelaide Street West

Birthday Party Includes:
>10 Wine Stations and 20 Wines
> Delicious Birthday Cupcakes
>South African Birthday Sounds
& Much Much More!

RSVP Today $30

http://www.iyellowwineclub.com/2009/11/happy-birthday-south-africa.html

Another glass of Knotty please!

I attended another fun evening hosted by the iYellow Wine Club back in September (I know, this post is really late!). The event was held at the Thrush Holmes Empire gallery on Queen Street West. This night was to showcase the launch of Red Knot wines of the Shingleback winery from Australia. Dj Dinamo was getting the crowd into a festive mood while they went from station to station, sampling different wines.

The winemaker, John Davey, talking about his winery and his wines. Specifically, the Red Knot label. His Australian accent was just charming!





More about John Davey:
http://www.shingleback.com.au/about-us/our-people?id=1245

Here is an interview John Davey with the people at Lifford Wine Agency:
http://www.liffordwine.com

The following is taken directly from the Shingleback website:

http://www.shingleback.com.au

""
The McLaren Vale region is located 45 minutes south of Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia. First planted with vines in the 1830's, McLaren Vale is best known today for its internationally acclaimed rich, flavourful Shiraz.

Red Knot
The Red Knot family of wines are designed for immediate enjoyment, full of ripe, fruit driven flavours. The style is bright, fragrant and varietal with the emphasis on fruit richness, giving the wine lover a delicious wine experience at an affordable price.

Shingleback
The white labelled Shingleback wines are hand-crafted primarily from the Davey's estate Shingleback vineyard and are made in a style that expresses the essence of McLaren Vale. These wines are lush, fruit-forward and food friendly, both appealing on release and worthy of cellaring.
""

There were various wines from the Shingleback portfolio that were sampled, including:
Sparkling Red Knot Shiraz
Pinot Grigio
Red Knot Cabernet Sauvignon
Red Knot Shiraz
Red Knot Shiraz Reserve
Shingleback Cabernet Sauvignon
Shingleback Shiraz

The wines that we can get here at our own LCBO are:

Red Knot Cabernet Sauvignon $17.95
Tasting Note from Shingleback:
"Deep red with purple hues. Blackberry and dark chocolate aromas, with hints of eucalypt and vanillan French and American oak. A medium bodied wine, filled with ripe berry and dark cherry flavours, subtly enhanced with toasty oak. Fresh acidity complements the long, sweet fruit finish, resulting in a wine with immediate appeal and varietal presence."

Shingleback Shiraz $23.95
This was my favourite wine of the night. Was it ever yummy! It's Full-bodied with lots of big fruit flavour with hints of chocolate and vanilla. Aged in French and American oak for 14 months, this wine has a lovely finish. For the money, it's a good wine.

Tasting note from Shingleback:
Deep red. Ripe blackberry and strawberry primary aromas are overlaid with with blueberry, chocolate and hints of vanilla. Fine-grained American and French oak subtly frame the rich berry mid palate. A full-bodied wine that is seamlessly integrated from the first taste to the long, lingering finish."

Tasting Notes - Nov 15, 2009

This week I didn't really do any formal tastings but I did have some enjoyable wines, two of which happen to be wines that I've been meaning to try anyways. Lucky day!

St. Francis Chardonnay 2007 $19.95
I discovered this wine from Sonoma last year which would have been the 2006 vintage release. I loved it...people loved it. The cases were flying off the shelves at my local wine shop. This year, the wine is just as good. However, it does have a heavier oak flavour than last year. If you love that big, buttery, oaky California Chardonnay then you'll enjoy this wine. The grapes were sourced mostly from the Russian River valley and the wine aged in both French and American oak. This wine is full-bodied, creamy and feels like golden butter going down. But don't let the oak scare you. It's not so full of oak that you can't enjoy the fruit.

Pierre Amadieu La Grangeliere Vacqueyras 2007 $21.95
This wine is from the Southern region of France, specifically, the Rhone. I think this is one of my favourite wine regions. Vacqueyras is located not to far from the famous Chateauneuf-du-Pape village. I find that wines from Vacqueyras and Gigondas are nice alternatives to the more expensive Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Although, Gignondas wines can be a bit on the expensive side nowadays. This wine is a blend of Grenache and Syrah. 50% of the wine was aged in new oak and you can really tell by the intense aroma.

Amity Vineyards Pinot Noir $23.95
A friend of mine opened this for us girls during a small house-warming get together. Let it sit for a few minutes just after opening and you'll be delighted. It's a nice Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley in Oregon. Too bad I accidentally knocked over a glass. I hope the floor enjoyed it. This wine is medium-bodied with all those flavours typical of a Pinot Noir such as strawberry, cranberry and cinnamon spice. Oregon is known for their fabulous Pinot Noir. Next time you're in your wine shop, see if you can find something from this region. I don't think that you'll be disappointed.

Organized Crime and the Foreign Affair

On a visit to the Twenty Valley, my favourite wine region of Ontario, I decided to try a new (well, new for me) winery called Organized Crime. I have to admit that I've driven past this winery a few times and have never bothered to go in. Well, that was certainly my loss and I will never make that mistake again. Lesson learned: never make a snap judgment because you could be missing out on something good. Organized Crime is a small boutique winery located what's known as the "Beamsville Bench" of the Niagara Peninsula. The tasting/shop area is small but very cozy, with a nice display of the wines and various pieces of artwork on the wall. It was just my luck that the winemaker himself happened to be there! It was fate. The wine gods wanted me to continue my adventure of fine-wine drinking. It also happens to be that he's Polish, as are the owners, of the winery. What a coincidence...that's a part of my heritage! The wines were smooth, soft and delicious. Each variety of wine was labeled with a part of the Organized Crime story. The winemaker also makes wines for another winery called Foreign Affair. He took us there for some more tastings after our visit at Organized Crime.

The name of the winery is from local history. Sometime in the 1900s, there were two Mennonite churches who were in an argument with eachother over the acquisition of a pipe organ. When the one church acquired the musical instrument, the members of the other church stole it and tossed it down an embankment. Needless to say, the organ was destroyed. The winery has a very diverse portfolio with wines made from varieties such as Pinot Gris, Viognier, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Sryah just to name a few plus two blended reds that are just fantastic. Some of the wines have interesting names such as "The Download" which is their signature red.

http://www.organizedcrimewine.com

The consultant winemaker for Organized Crime, Andrzej Lipinski, also makes the wines at Foreign Affair. The wine labels of Foreign Affair are also like small pieces of artwork. Each label features an animal such as a moose or a polar bear. What's interesting about both winery bottle labels is that the labels are textured and feel neat when running your fingers over them. An interesting fact with the production of these wines is that they are made in the Apassimento method (grapes that air-dried after harvest). This gives the wines body and lots of flavour. Shazam!

http://www.foreignaffairwine.com


Back in September, Andrzej was in Toronto pouring his wines at a tasting event at the Fine Wine Reserve on King Street. I think he brought almost every single wine in the Organized Crime portfolio! After spending some time with him over a couple of dinners and more than a few bottles of his wines, the passion that he has for his craft is inspiring. The way that he describes the wines and the various methods that went into their production, make me appreciate them even more. It's interesting to hear him talk about his past and the path taken to where he is today. Having stumbled into winemaking has proven to be a treat for anyone who drinks his wines! I am a huge fan.


A great article about Andrzej Lipinski:
http://www.snooth.com/articles/commentary/canadian-wine-people-o-andrzej-lipinski

Twenty Valley consists of the areas of Beamsville, Vineland and Jordan. There are some fantastic wineries in this area that are definitely worth visiting. The area is before Niagara-on-the-Lake and only about an hour from Toronto. For more information on the Twenty Valley:
http://www.twentyvalley.ca

I love the NightLife

Last week, I attended a wine event (I know, shocking!) brought to you by the iYellow Wine Club (a free wine social club in Toronto so sign up!). This event featured wines from Napa, California. The night started off with a bang as I acquired a head injury even before entering the event. My head made friends with a large metal door. A perfect way to soothe a head bump is wine of course and I certainly was on my way to the right place. The event took place in the historic Great Hall, on Queen Street West. I love this area of Queen Street. There are so many galleries and interesting stores...not to mention good restaurants.

http://www.thegreathall.ca

I love the way the Great Hall was decorated for the evening. Dj Dinamo and Dj Sam EfSharp Flemming were playing some good tunes (as usual, I busted a move on the dancefloor after a few...um...samples). There were 20 wineries sampling their wines at this event. I have to say that the wines that stood out for me this night were the Syrahs and the Sauvignon Blancs. Of course, there was plenty of Cabernet Sauvignon to go around! No California wine show would be complete without the great King Cabernet Sauvignon.

The setup for the evening was one which had all the wineries along the perimeter of the hall, allowing people to freely mix and mingle. There were tables in the center, along with tasty bites to eat. Angela, the lovely lady behind the iYellow Wine Club was sporting some great boots. I love her sense of style. Great taste in wine and fashion go a long way in my books.

The picture to the left is one of Angela and myself showing off our boots at the end of the event. Below is yours truly taking a break from dancing. This time I had some fellow wine tasters join me!


For myself, the wines that stood out were:

Chimney Rock Elevage Bordeaux Blend
This wine is made in the tradition of wines from the right-bank of the Bordeaux region.
www.chimneyrock.com

Peju Sauvignon Blanc Persephone Vineyard 2008
Interesting fact about this wine is that the grapes are harvested in three stages of ripeness to create a complex blended wine.

Peju Cabernet Sauvignon Persephone Vineyard 2005
www.peju.com

Cuvaison Pinot Noir 2007 Los Carneros
One of the only few Pinot Noirs of the night, but always a pleaser.
www.cuvaison.com

Frias Syrah 2006
I have a bottle of the 2005 in my wine rack. I can't wait to drink it. The 2006 was also super.
www.friasfamilyvineyard.com

John Anthony Syrah 2006
The winemaker himself was pouring the wines and I enjoyed tasting each of them!
www.javwine.com

Toronto is fortunate to have dedicated organizations like the iYellow Wine Club to bring these types of events to the city. I love California wines and the NightLife event provided a way to showcase the region.

For more information on Napa Valley:
www.napavitners.com

Maybe one day I'll be blogging from Napa! I can't wait.

Event Alert!
The Gourmet Food & Wine Expo is coming up in a few weeks here in Toronto. It's always a lot of fun. Sadly, I won't be pouring wines this year. I'll be on the floor tasting! :)
For more information: http://www.foodandwineexpo.ca

Purchase VIP tickets with the iYellow Wine Club and save money on the VIP evening:
http://www.iyellowwineclub.com/2009/10/gfwe-iyellow-vip-green-room.html

This year, the wines of Portugal will be featured. See you there!

Tasting Notes - Nov. 4, 2009

I've finally recovered from Hallowe'en. You know what's not spooky - wine! Well, depends on what kind of wine we're talking about. There have been some wines that made me want to scream in fright. Maybe next year I'll celebrate October 31st dressed up as a grape. Or better yet, a French oak barrel. :)

Here are some nice picks that I've recently had. Hopefully they'll provide you with a ghoulish delight!

Beronia Reserva 2005 $17.95
From Rioja, Spain, this wine will warm you up in these cooler months. This is a great quality wine for the money. It has all those typical flavours and aromas that are associated with Rioja wines like black fruit, vanilla, mocha and spice. Made from the Tempranillo grape (a native grape variety of Spain), this wine has seen some extra aging (the word Reserva indicates that the wine has seen a specific amount of aging).
Enjoy this wine for a few more years! It's got a lot of life and love to give.




Belle Glos Meiomi Pinot Noir 2007 $27.95
Wow! This is my favourite wine of the week. It's just delicious. This is a Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast, California. It's like drinking silk...if silk were a liquid. It has wonderful aromas of red berries and spice. The flavour is full with that great earthy taste that is often associated with fine wines from Burgundy. This wine is simply easy to drink (could be a dangerous thing!) and has a very nice finish. It is a bit on the high side for price, but it's well worth the money. Normally I find a lot of California Pinots to be too fruity. This one is more my style. It's a great balance between earth and fruit.



Domaine De Nerleux Brut Crémant de Loire $18.95
I just love Crémants. They're sparkling wines from France made in the Champagne style (which is also known as the traditional method). Because this wine isn't from Champagne, it can't be called Champagne. This one comes from the Loire region of France. This wine is great as an aperitif. It's quite dry (the word Brut means dry) with good fruit and very bubbly. Champagne taste on a Crémant budget! Great value.


Simi Chardonnay 2008 $19.95
This wine comes from the Sonoma region of California. It's an easy going wine that's ready to drink now. It's a nice California Chardonnay for just under $20.









Event Alert!
The Gourmet Food & Wine Expo is coming up in a few weeks here in Toronto. It's always a lot of fun. Sadly, I won't be pouring wines this year. I'll be on the floor tasting! :)
For more information: http://www.foodandwineexpo.ca

Purchase VIP tickets with the iYellow Wine Club and save money on the VIP evening:
http://www.iyellowwineclub.com/2009/10/gfwe-iyellow-vip-green-room.html

This year, the wines of Portugal will be featured. See you there!