Viva Argentina

Last week was a busy week in the Toronto wine world! I attended the iYellow Argentine BBQ at 99 Sudbury. I love this venue. I was wondering how the night would go considering it was one of the hottest days of the year! The venue looked amazing for the night.  The djs were spinning some funky beats...perfect to get this party started.

This was my hangout

This was table 11. The wines were being poured by Lifford Wine Agency. I just stood by this table all night long, like a wine groupie. They had two of my favourite wines of the show: Humberto Canale  Black River Torrentes (white wine) and Humberto Canale Estate Malbec (red wine) . Too bad these two wines are by consignment only. I would love to get my hands on that Torrentes. It was spectacular. You have to purchase a case (12 bottles). It's very tempting though because it's only $11.99 a bottle. Great price for this gem!

My favourite of the event
Black River Torrentes 2010

.The place was packed with people and we all had a common bond - the record breaking heatwave plaguing Toronto that day and our love of Argentinian wine. The food was delicious. There were meat and veggie kabobs, empanadas and sliders.

Asado is a term used both for a range of barbecue techniques and the social event of having or attending a barbecue in Argentina.

mmm meat!

My picks of the night:

Humberto Canale Estate Malbec 2010 $14.99

Humberto Canale Black River Torrentes 2010 $11.99

Luigi Bosca Reserva Malbec 2008 $17.95

Don Cristobal 1492 Chardonnay 2011 $12.95

Kaiken Ultra Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 $19.95

Malbec is the signature grape variety of Argentina but not the only!

They made it look so easy

Ole!

There was a tango performance by dancers directly from Argentina. Very sexy! I tried Tango once in my living room. Didn't work out so well. I have to say that the iYellow Wine Club events are getting bigger and better.

I really want to go to Argentina. It looks like such a beautiful country with a rich culture, beautiful scenery and of course, delicious wine.The first vines were planted in Argentina about 400 years ago. Today the industry is thriving as the country has many diverse geographical regions and modern wine making methods. All this mixed with rich heritage and passion, no wonder the popularity of Argentinian wine continues to grow. The thing I like about Argentinian wine is the value. You get enjoyable wine at a great price point.




Wines of Argentina on Vimeo.

Vintage One Wines

Did you know that Toronto has a city winery? In the picture on the right is Alejandra De Miguel (in the white dress).  She is the chief winemaker at Vintage One Wines. She, herself, is from Argentina and was a guest speaker at the event. She is gorgeous! I had no idea such a place existed in Toronto. They source the grapes and create wine right in Toronto. What an idea! I'm going to check them out.

"Vintage One is a city winery designed to bring the spirit of wine country to your doorstep. Visit our winery and it will feel like you’ve escaped to wine country. Surrounded by oak barrels and stainless steel fermenting tanks, the vast winery is unlike anything else in the city. It is a perfect setting for any festive occasion.

Become a winemaker. Join our family and experience how a city winery can add richness to your urban life." - www.vintageonewines.com

www.vintageonewines.com
www.facebook.com/vintageonewines





Vintage One Wines on Vimeo.

For more information about Argentinian wine:

www.winesofargentina.org

www.facebook.com/winesofargentina

Check out the iYellow website for future events:

www.iyellowwineclub.com

Bordeaux After Work @ Maraben

Let's get the party started

Me behind the decks

Tuesday night I attended the second edition of the Bordeaux After Work Party series. This time, the event was held at Marben, located in the trendy King and Spadina. It was a fantastic evening. The venue was packed with eager wine lovers and the music, of course, was amazing...not only because I was the dj!

www.marbenrestaurant.com

iYellow team

What a great way to spend an otherwise drab Tuesday night. I just love summer patio weather. Marben has delicious food and friendly staff. The place has a really great vibe.  I have to say that this event was bigger than the first! Lots of eager Bordeaux wine drinkers came out. I definitely heard a lot of French spoken which made me feel like I was in La France, even if for just a moment...

Wines for tasting

There were four wines of the menu. Two reds and two whites. The way the event worked was that your first glass was free and any other glasses were $9. Not too bad considering the pours were 5 oz.

The menu

What I like about this event series is that they're introducing the general public to good value wines from Bordeaux. There's a misconception that Bordeaux wine is too expensive, but that's not true. You can find some lovely wine for every budget.

Marben entrance

I was eager to continue my tasting of the 2009 vintage. So far, I'm impressed. Out of the four wines featured, I preferred:


White
Chateau Fayau Blanc 2009
This was a nice Sauvignon Blanc blended with Semillion.  Sauvignon Blanc showed through on both the nose and palate. Great minerality. I liked this one a lot!

Red
Chateau Courteillac 2009 
Smooth and easy to drink.  Light tannin and vanilla with some red fruit. This was a general crowd pleaser. This wine would be great for a BBQ or a party.

I'm enjoying Bordeaux After Work. It's a great way to kick back and relax after a hard day at work. We're having great patio weather this summer. It's a wonderful way to spend time with friends while discovering the diverse wines that Bordeaux has to offer. Next Bordeaux After Work Party is September 20th so keep posted to find out the location.



www.enjoybordeaux.com
www.iyellowwineclub.com/blog/bordeaux-after-work-party

To make sure you get invited to each of these events, become a fan of Bordeaux Wines on Facebook here

Twitter Hashtag:
#bordeauxafterwork

Bordeaux Party @ Origin

Let's discover

Last month I went to the Bordeaux After Work Party at Origin Restaurant, downtown Toronto. Today, is the second installment of this series and will be located at Marben Restaurant.

www.enjoybordeaux.com

www.iyellowwineclub.com/blog/bordeaux-after-work-party 

Yummy cheese!

The Bordeaux After Work Party is a series of small after work gatherings at different locations in an effort to explore the diverse wines of the Bordeaux region. Good wine, good food - totally what I need after a hard day at the office!

La Sélection

The tasting bar out on the Origin patio. At these events, your first glass is free and any other glasses are sold at a decent price. Thank goodness I came a bit hungry. There were some delicious appetizers and cheese plates being served.

Origin patio

A view from inside Origin

The event was a full house! I snapped these pictures before the event opened. Origin is located in the St. Lawrence Market area. What a great way to spend a summer evening.

www.origintoronto.com

Wine selection

The fine selection of Bordeaux wines. Two reds, two whites and a rose. I was loving the whites as they were two very different styles. The Chateau Bonnet was a dry, crisp wine with lots of citrus notes and lively acidity. This white is from the Entre-Deux-Mers region of Bordeaux. The other white (I have to admit, was my favourite of the night) comes from the Graves region. It was Chateau Boyrein 2009. It's $16.95 a bottle at the LCBO. There was slight oak and great minerality. This was my view on Wine Align for this wine:

"I was at a "Bordeaux After Work" tasting event tonight at Origin in Toronto and this was one of the wines on the menu. I liked it! A great patio wine from Bordeaux. A blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillion and Muscadelle, it's a fine sipper. Good minerality, acidity and flavour. For the price, I think it will be a crowd pleaser."

Let's learn!

I love the literature on Bordeaux wine and region. This booklet gives you all the information you need to know. I'm such a nerd. I carry this around with me now for some extra reading.

My glass

 The great thing about Bordeaux wine is that you can find something for every occasion. You can find every kind of style and price. Bordeaux wine is basically what you want it to be! There are some fantastic wines for not much money. There are also sparkling wines coming from the region as well.

I can't wait for the next event tonight! There will be four new wines to discover. See you at Marben Restaurant. www.marbenrestaurant.com