Bordeaux After Work Party @ Crush Wine Bar

The 4th party!

Crush Wine Bar

We've finally reached the fourth and final installment of the Bordeaux After Work Party series. Held at the popular Crush Wine Bar on King Street in downtown Toronto, it was the largest yet! I'm sad that this series has concluded. I looked forward to heading out after work to the party. It was so much fun to mix and mingle after work at various wine bars around Toronto. This series of events was a fun way to promote the wines of Bordeaux.  Maybe we'll see more events in the near future? Bordeaux After Work Party Part Deux? (wish list!)

Keep those tunes coming dj!

Largest crowd yet!

I don't know if it was because Halloween was in the air and people were in the mood to get out and celebrate, but for a weeknight, this event was packed! It was great to see so many people coming out to try Bordeaux wine. Like the last event at Eight Wine Bar, there was a sommelier station set up so you could sample a taste of each of the wines on the menu before choosing your free glass of your preference.

Le Menu

The way the event worked was the first 100 people would get a drink ticket for a free glass of wine of off of the list of those wines featured for the event. After that, each additional glass was $5. Good deal! 

The mission of these events was to showcase the diverse wine region of Bordeaux. People always associate Bordeaux with $$$$. That's not always the case! Yes, you easily spend a lot of money for a wine from one of the grand Chateaux but there are some terrific wines to be had for not very much money.

Chilling Whites

Sommelier Station

White
2008 Chateau Fontaine $16.95
2008 Chateau Coucheroy Blanc $16.95

Red
2008 Chateau Fayan $18.95
2008 Chateau Timberlay $15.95
2003 Chateau Toumilon $19.95

The Red Lineup

To wrap things up, this series in my opinion, was a great success! Once a month we (the wine-loving public) all got to get together at a trendy wine bar to learn about the delicious wines of Bordeaux. So what exactly did we learn?

1. Wines from Bordeaux are most often a blend of several grape varieties.

2. Whites from Bordeaux are a blend of two grapes:  Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Sémillon adds body to the wine while Sauvignon Blanc adds the aroma and crisp freshness.

3. Bordeaux reds can be classified in two categories: Left Bank and Right Bank.

Grab a glass and taste!

4. Wines from the Left Bank are Cabernet Sauvignon dominant in the blend. Cabernet Sauvignon is a thick-skinned grape that gives structure and in some wines, excellent aging potential.

5. Wines from the Right Bank are Merlot dominant in the blend. Merlot provides the wine with body and that silky softness that we all love.

6. Sauternes is a luscious, delicate sweet white wine made from the Sauvignon, Sémillon and Muscadelle grapes. It has a unique feature in that a special "rot" called botrytis causes the grapes to shrivel.  The grapes then have extremely concentrated and unique flavour. It's like a piece of heaven. :) Also look for similar wine styles from the Barsac region.

7. Wines from Bordeaux come in different styles and price points. You can definitely find a wine for any budget.

Thank you Bordeaux Wine Council and iYellow Wine Club for hosting these Bordeaux After Work parties!

For more information about Bordeaux Wines: www.bordeaux.com

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