Every year, I eagerly anticipate the California Wine Fair. Located at the Royal York Hotel in downtown Toronto, the walk-around tasting is a great way to spend a few hours discovering this diverse state. It really has it all - sun, surf, tech, stars and most important - wine.
Wines of Grgich Hills
2008 Cabernet Sauvignon
This year I had the chance to attend the afternoon event for trade and media. I was excited because I would be sharing the same spit buckets as some of the city's most respected sommeliers, writers, agents and buyers. You know, spitting wine is actually an acquired skill - one that I have yet to master as I always somehow manage to get whatever's in the bucket on myself. Bleh.
Alessandro from Profile Wine Group
Pouring J. Lohr wines
The public tasting is always held in the evening. There is a modest entrance fee. I say modest because for the quantity and quality of the wines, it's well worth it. This event gives you the opportunity to taste some wonderful examples of what California has to offer. This year, there were over 100 wineries participating. I'm sure you've seen some of the names before in your local LCBO store:
Profile Wine Group pouring
Signorello wines
J. Lohr Winery
Beringer Vineyards
Roert Mondavi Winery
Francis Ford Coppola Winery
Sterling Vineyards
Grgich Hills Estate
Heitz Wine Cellar
... and luckily for us, the list goes on!
Tara Colaneri of Colaneri Winery
and Ontario Winemaker of the year -
Andrzej Lipinski
An event like this can be quite over-whelming as there are just too many wines to physically try. You can't do it all. Well, you could try but probably wouldn't get very far before being head first in one of those spit buckets. Trust me, I learned the hard way one year. That's all I'll say about that. What I recommend is to do some research on the participating wineries. The list is always posted well before the event. It helps to have a game-plan. Divide and conquer.
Miner Family Winery
2008 Wild Yeast Chardonnay
On the hunt for varieties other than Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, it didn't take long to stumble (maybe not the best term to use for a wine-related post) upon the other darlings of California such as Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Zinfandel. Of course, what I always start with is some sparkling wine. This year, it was the bubbly of Gloria Ferrer. Sparkling wine is a great way to prepare the palate for a taste-a-thon.
Flowers Pinot Noir is
always a hit
Having spent quite a bit of time there for work, I've developed quite the affinity for California. I had the opportunity to visit many wineries in Santa Barbara County, Sonoma County and Napa Valley. Hopefully on my next trip, I'll explore Paso Robles - home of some fine Zinfandel and various Rhone varietals.
Zaca Mesa 2009 Viognier was
a great new discovery
California is a state with approximately 1300 km of coastline. The state's topography and soil variances leads to diverse growing conditions which of course come out in the wines. The cool air from the Pacific ocean acts like a giant air conditioner for vineyards - especially those closer to the coast. Plenty of sunshine to properly ripen the grapes, cool fogs and breezes from the ocean to cool them down - this is why the state can have such a flourishing wine industry.
www.discovercaliforniawines.com
Whenever I visit a particular California wine region, I always find the people to be warm and welcoming. They're excited to share not only the wine, but the passion and knowledge that goes with it. It really is quite infectious. Sure, some regions can be slightly more touristy than others but I can guarantee that you'll always have an enjoyable visit.
Dierberg Family of Wines
California is usually at the forefront of research and innovation. Did you know that the state actually grows 100 different grape varieties? Experimentation with winemaking techniques, technology along with flexibility in creating unconventional blends is like none other in the world.
The wines of Peju
The growers and winemakers are also leading the way for sustainable winegrowing practices. That could be a whole other article: Sustainable, Biodynamic and Organic Farming. For brevity's sake, let's just say that they're trying to create products that have the least amount of environmental impact right from practices in the vineyard itself to those inside the winery. Sustainability - from grape to bottle. Just remember, sustainable does not equal organic.
Packed with eager tasters
For more information on sustainable winegrowing in California:
I urge you to check out the California Wine Fair when it's back in town next year. In one evening, you can discover what the Golden State has to offer. You can, in the meantime, begin your research by picking up some California wine on your next visit to the LCBO. Coincidentally, one of themes for the current Vintages release is "California Legends".
When I heard about the Vinho Verde tasting in Toronto, it peaked my curiosity. I've heard about this region and the topic was touched upon in some of my wine classes but I didn't know anything about it really. This tasting would provide an excellent way to travel the region - one wine at a time. Normally when one thinks of Portugal, port wine comes to mind. Portugal also produces still, sparkling and sweet wines. It's up to us consumers to get out there and explore what the country has to offer.
Lush and green
Vinho Verde is located in the hilly northwest portion of Portugal. Known for cool, wet weather and lush green vegetation, Vinho Verde translates to "green wine" although it really means "young wine". Having the largest area under vine in the country, the wines coming from this region are characterized as being fresh, crisp and aromatic with lots of mineral notes. Perfect for light-style foods and activities such as white fish, poultry, salad, sushi and my favourite, summer patio sipping!
Some say the designation "Verde" (green) owes its origin to the wine's acidity and freshness, resembling unripe (green) fruit. Others affirm that "Verde" comes from the region's vegetation, which imparts a green tone to the soil, even in winter. -winesofportugal.info
A friendly face from Vinho Verde
Antonio Oliveira Monteiro
of Quinta Das Arcas
From a viticultural point of view, cool wet weather will make ripening of grapes more difficult, leading to fruit with much higher acidity. Suffering from a poor reputation over the years, the region is going through a rebirth. Early exported wines were extremely tart, acidic and fizzy (carbon dioxide left over from fermentation). This led to the the region's unpopularity. With the modernization of both viticultural and vinification practices in the region, wine quality has greatly improved and continues to evolve. I really enjoyed many of the wines that I had the opportunity to try. You could say that I was pleasantly surprised. Only some of the whites had a bit of that prickle (carbon dioxide) which is now deliberately added during bottling, to give homage to the history of the style. Other whites, especially those made with the Alvarinho grape (same grape as the Spanish Albarino) displayed an elegant, fuller body, some with oak influence. One thing is sure, Vinho Verde is focusing on producing quality-driven wine while showcases its indigenous grape varieties. Even though the region is predominately known for its whites there is also plenty of red being produced as well. We just don't see much of it here.
Delicious wines from
Quinta de Carapecos
Vinho Verde is still distinguished by its high acidity. Flavour depends on the grape varieties used - floral Loureiro, steely Trajadura, mineral Arinto (known here as Pedernã), creamy and mineral Avesso, and the fine, mineral, subtly fragrant Alvarinho. Azal Branco is hard to ripen and declining in popularity, and in any case tends to get blended with more aromatic grapes. Most white Vinho Verde can be relied upon to be light, crisp and aromatic, often with a light prickle of fizz, sometimes with a touch of sweetness. -winesofportugal.info
Wines of Vinho Verde
Conde Villar line by
Quinta das Arcas
At the event I had the opportunity to speak with Carla Cunha, a spokesperson for Vinho Verde. I asked her to describe in her own words, the essence of the region and its wines.
"Vinho Verde means a young wine. It's a young style of wine in one way. The other, it comes from a very very green region and that initially gave the name to the wine region and to the wine. The climate has Atlantic influence. The wine is very young and fresh." For more information about this exciting region: www.vinhoverde.pt Desfrute dos vinhos de Vinho Verde!
Sponsored by Woodman Wine and Spirits, the latest WineAlign event featured the wines of Spanish winemaker, Alvaro Palacios. The evening was held at the Spoke Club, located in the trendy downtown Toronto King West district.
The flight - get ready!
This was a more formal structured tasting of ten wines from three regions of Spain, followed by a tapas reception. We were in for a treat because Alvaro himself conducted the tasting. He kept all of us eager vinophiles engaged as he explained, in great detail, the wine history of Spain and his journey towards becoming a winemaker. Afterward, the reception provided an opportunity to meet the charming winemaker and other WineAlign members. While chatting with Alvaro, I discovered that he and I share an affinity for wine books (mine is really an obsession). Being the wine-book nerd that I am, I lugged my most recent purchase to the tasting and had him sign it. He gladly did with a sparkly silver marker. By the end of the night I found him sitting at a table flipping through the book admiring the pictures. Ah wine books...I just love them! If only I had time to read them all. In the meantime, they look very scholarly sitting on my bookshelf...
The Yummy Grape meets
Alvaro Palacios, one of Spain's most
respected winemakers
David Lawrason of WineAlign
introducing the wines of
Alvaro Palacios
After studying oenology in Bordeaux, and training under Jean-Pierre Moueix at the renowned Chateau Petrus, Alvaro returned to Spain and helped revolutionize Spanish wine. He credits his experience in Bordeaux for much of his winemaking philosophy. It showed him the “importance of great wines” and provided him with a key reference point for his own endeavours. His wines have won him cult status and are highly respected by the wine press. The Wine Spectator has called Alvaro “Spain’s Most Exciting Winemaker”, in 2003 Wine & Spirits Magazine named him their “Winemaker-of-the-Year” Decanter has called him “Spain’s most talked about winemaker”. - www.woodmanwineandspirits.com
Rioja
From the influence of the Romans thousands of years ago to the innovations brought by Bordeaux, present day Rioja is the region most synonymous with Spain. Here, the Tempranillo grape is king of the reds and Virua exists as queen of the whites.
Priorat
www.online.wsj.com
Alvaro Palacios
Camins del Priorat
Priorat
This region become famous only recently. Old vines and steep terraces not only give way to picturesque views but the wines, modernized and re-invigorated by a group of young winemakers a couple of decades ago, are now highly sought after. Red wines are Grenache-based and often blended with Carignan. The use of international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon is often used as well in blending.
Alvaro Palacios, son of the Rioja family of the same name, was the most successful one of a group of pioneers who planted vines on the inhospitable slopes around Gratallops in the late 1980s.
In doing so, he helped to change the perception of Priorat's wines forever. - Eyewitness Companions "Wines of the World"
Bierzo
www.winesfromspain.com
Bierzo
Situated in the northwestern part of Spain, this is one of the hot upcoming regions. The rugged landscape and high elevation suit the red Mencia grape which is often found on very old vines.
This wine comes through
Vintages so keep
an eye out
Alvaro Palacios built his legend on the stunning wines he has crafted from the farthest reaches of Spain, from Priorat to Bierzo. Palacios’ latest project features another rising star — the obscure Mencía grape. In the Bierzo appellation, perched in the Northwest corner of Spain, ancient Mencía vineyards emerge from the steepest of hillsides, their roots deeply set into unique, mineral-laden soils. Under the skilled hands of Palacios and his nephew, Ricardo Perez Palacios, the forgotten black grape (believed by some to be a cousin of Cabernet Franc), has achieved new heights. The 60- to 100 year-old vines yield less than one ton per acre, resulting in a most concentrated, unique expression of this variety and of the Bierzo terroir. - www.woodmanwinesandspirits.com
www.winealign.com
I urge you to join WineAlign. With excellent reviews by both critics and consumers, it's a one-stop resource for all present and past wines at the LCBO. Plus the articles and videos are cool too! www.winealign.com
Me encanta el vino!
Check out the great portfolio of Woodman Wines and Spirits, including the wines of Alvaro Palacios: www.woodmanwinesandspirits.com
"Meet the Winemaker" on the DebraMasterofWine YouTube channel
