Canadian Wino(s)

Exposing and Celebrating Napa Valley’s Crush on Toronto!
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Tuesday October 27th, 2009
The Great Hall (1087 Queen Street West)
8pm-10:30 pm
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Taste 22 Napa Valley Wine Stations
Meet California Winemakers
Socialize with other iYellow Wine Club members
Enjoy the sounds of Toronto House DJ – DJ Dinamo
Explore Queen West’s Vintage Venue The Great Hall
hor’s Deourves provided by On the Move catering company
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$48+gst
*first 50 people to purchase tickets receive a Napa Valley Reusable shopping bag

WANT LIMITED VIP ACCESS?
7pm-10:30pm
Enjoy a VIP Winemaker speed tasting Hour to Meet Winemakers 1:1
limited to first 48 people
$58+gst
* All VIP ticket holders receive a Napa Valley Gift Bag

Limited Tickets Available
Portion of Proceeds will go to Rebecca’s Hope for Leukemia Research

Oregon Pinot Noir dates back to the 1960s. Over the years, Oregon has developed a reputation for Pinot Noir, with some touting it as producing wines on par with Burgundy. Nature has helped out, giving Oregon a cool climate similar to that of Burgundy. Oregon has used some savvy self promotion by holding the annual ‘International Pinot Noir Celebration’, now in its 23rd year. Unfortunately, not too many Oregon Pinots seem to make it into our market. Vintages has brought in a few for this release. If you like Pinot, and Pinot from Burgundy, it is worth giving Oregon Pinot a try. The Willamette Valley is the top area for Pinot, but you may also find some good ones elsewhere. As with Burgundy, Oregon is susceptible to vintage variance. Delicate Pinot, the ‘Heartbreak grape’ is known for susceptibility to weather influences from vintage to vintage. 2006 is rated as a good vintage, with 2007 being weak.

Oregon Pinot

2006 Andrew Rich Cuvee B Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, $33.95

Drink now – 2013
Grapes: Pinot Noir
92 Wine & Spirits
Light ruby colour, earthy nose with red berries and white/green peppercorns. Medium bodied and very smooth on the palate – comparable to a lighter Burgundy ¬Village¬ wine. Nice light acidity and very soft tannins on the finish. Delightful now or over next couple of years. 90 -RM
‘…fresh woodland berry scent…spice mix, sassafras, and pink pepper….ripe fruit pulled into line by fine acidity and the clean grip of fruit tannin. For roast chicken’ – Wine & Spirit 127043

Ontario – Chardonnay

2006 Le Clos Jordanne Le Grand Clos Chardonnay. VQA Niagara Peninsula, $65

Drink now – 2014
Grapes: Chardonnay
Clos Jordanne has modeled its wine nomenclature somewhat after that of Burgundy: Village (Village Reserve), Single Vineyard (Clos), and Grand Cru (Grand Clos). Now in their only their 3rd vintage, they are recognized as producing Burgundy quality and styled Pinot and Chardonnay, and have raised the bar for other Ontario wineries. We tasted the Village Reserve and Claystone Terrace Chardonnay at the recent Ontario Tasting:big Chards with nicely balanced oak. Both were very good. The Grand Clos is Jordannes’ take on a Grand Cru Chardonnay, expensive but tasty, barrel aged and good for a bit of bottle ageing. -RM
‘…Pale lemon gold colour…aromas of white flowers and apricots…Flavours of apricots and ripe citrus…hint of peach…silky textured..lively tangy acidity…’’ – Vintages 662601

California – Sauvignon Blanc

2008 Clos du Bois Sauvignon Blanc, North Coast, $16.95

Drink now
Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc
Clos du Bois is a reliable mid range California producer. At $17, this Sauvignon Blanc could be a good value. -RM
‘…easy drinking…grapefruit, lemon-lime, and sweet herb aromas and flavours. Lighter bodied and quaffable…great match for pan-fried fish (shore lunch?) and steamed asparagus’ – Vintages 146258

California Fumé Blanc

2007 Robert Mondavi Fumé Blanc, Napa Valley, $22.95

Drink now
Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc
Robert Mondavi coined the term Fumé Blanc for his lightly oaked Sauvignon Blanc from California. It is a bit fuller bodied and flavoured that its unoaked counterpart. -RM
‘…aromas of kiwi, dried grasses and hay, plus a nice layer of oak…refreshing core of acidity…plush mouthfeel…long crisp finish…grilled salmon… Vintages 221887

Chile – Cabernet Sauvignon

2006 Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon, Colchagua Valley, Apalta Vineyard

1500 ml $43.95
750 ml $20.05
Drink now -2013
Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon
90+ Gordon Stimmell, Toronto Star
90 Jay Miller (WA)
This is big and dark with a big ripe nose of dark berries, cassis, and blackberry, typical of Chilean Cabernet. Very smooth with good mouthfeel. Could age short term but good now. 88 – RM
‘Purple coloured…aromas of cedar, spice box, tobacco, black currant and blackberry. Layered but elegant… enough structure to age 2-3 years.’ JM (WA) 670539

Bordeaux – Left Bank 2005 Cru Bourgeois

2005 Chateau Clarke AC Listrac, $39 Value cellar pick

Drink now – 2020
Grapes: 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot
89 James Suckling (WS)
90-92 Robert Parker (WA)
In 2006 we had the 2001 Clarke at a backyard tasting and it did quite well – soft and smooth with good fruit. Now the 2005 is here and it is worth a try if you like Left Bank Bordeaux. Try a bottle now and put a few away (I have a few in the cellar now) if you like it. It will probably be at its best from about 2012 – 2018. -RM
‘Dark ruby in colour, with licorice, black coffee and ripe berry. Full bodied, with velvety tannins and mineral and berry flavours….lovely texture…bright acidity…’ – JS (WS) 503904

France – Vin de Pays – Viognier

2008 Beauvignac Viognier, AC Vins de Pay d’Oc, Sud de France, $14.95

Drink now – 2010
Grapes: Viognier

Viognier is a wine of Southern France, from the Rhone right through the Languedoc. It is a rich and aromatic white. Pan seared scallops would be a good match. – RM

‘…pretty aromas…apricots, pear, peach and lime…pleasantly round and fruity. Incredible versatile, it can stand on its own or with…grilled cod with lemon and garlic, to seared scallops, to a selection of fine cheeses. – Vintages 525295

Spain – Rioja

2004 LAN Reserva DOC Rioja, $23.95 Great value

Drink now – 2012
Grapes: 80% Tempranillo, 10% Mazuelo, 10% Garnacha.
90 – Tomas Matthews (WS)
#52 on Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines or 2008

The wines of Rioja are typically aged longer than other regions. You can get a good, smooth, medium bodied red that is ready to drink at a reasonable price. As a Reserva, this LAN gets 12 months in oak, then 2 years in bottle before release. Now at 5 years it should be drinking very nicely. – RM

‘A silky texture…flavours of black plum, violet, licorice and smoke…focused, balanced red. Good intensity yet remains vibrant and accessible. – TM (WS) 042929

Cheers, Ross

Don’t miss our Annual Canada Day BBQ!

Celebrate the holiday with us at the winery and enjoy wines aged in the very patriotic Canadian Oak as well as local pork and sausage and of course, s’mores cooked over some of our “decommissioned” barrels.

Remember tickets are just $10 per person but reservations are required.

To purchase your ticketsphone 905.468.0503 or email christine@laileyvineyard.com.

To order the wines of this vertical and tasting dinner go to: http://www.vintages.com/vmail/bertani.html

Wine tastings generally fall within two categories: vertical and horizontal.  Horizontal tastings are most common with wines of a similar vintage but from different wineries, vineyards, regions, etc.  A vertical tasting consists of several different vintages of the same wine.  Although there may be a small vertical opportunity (2 or 3 vintages) at many tastings, extensive vertical tastings are rare.  When they do take place, a vertical tasting can provide great insight into the difference between individual vintages and how a given wine develops as it ages over time.

Amarone is a big, full bodied wine that is typically capable of significant aging.  Even though some modern styled Amarone may drink well young, many really start to shine after about 10 years.

On May 25 I attended the Bertani structured tasting and dinner with some friends at Mitsura.  The central focus was a tasting of a 14 vintages of the Bertani Amarone della Valpolicella Classico dating from 1962 to 2001 prior to dinner.  There was not enough time to taste, compare, and make notes for all of the wines in the vertical.  However some years stood out, and we were able to get a good sense of how this great wine ages over time.

Unfortunately, we did not have time to taste all the wines in the vertical as thoroughly as we would have preferred.  A couple did stand out, especially the 1962.  At close to 50 years old, one could be skeptical as to how much fruit and flavour would be left.  We did not have the 62 until dinner after the vertical tasting.  We started the vertical with the 1964 and 1967.  The 64 was softer on the nose, with the 1967 jumping out on the nose:

1964: Soft on the nose, more elegant than the 1967.  Licorice, tar, smooth, light on palate, plum.

1967: Jumps out on the nose.  Go with this if you like a bigger wine.  Does taste old – madeirized, oxidized.  More powerful than the 64.  Bitter orange peel –Seville orange, plume and prune.

I preferred the 64 while a good friend who was with us preferred the 67.

Due to time limitations we raced through the rest of the vertical.  The limited notes are due to time, not to anything lacking in the wines. By now we were just picking out highlights or how they differed from one year to the next.

1972: Bitter orange – the better of the two from the 70s.

1975: More bitter

1980: More balanced and smooth – very good.

1981: Bill’s mid age favorite.  Very good.

1986: Bitter with green herb

1998: More fruit, less dark ageing character.

1998 seemed to be the turning point for ageing.  1998 and younger had more young fruit while wines older than this showed less of the youthful fruit character and more darker signs of ageing (and smoothened out).  This fits with my other experiences with Amarone and a general conclusion that most really start to hit their stride at about 10 years.  After that a combination of style (modern vs. traditional), length of barrel ageing, and vintage will determine how well and how long they will age.

Dinner:

We were served several wines throughout the dinner:

2006 Bertani Ripasso Valpolicella Classico Superiore DOC: Very good, light and bright, sharper than the Rosso but more structure.  Great with the gnocchi.

Bertani Catullo Rosso 2006 IGT: Smoother than the Ripasso, but less structure.  More of an easy drinker, a high quality easy drinker.  Smooth and elegant.  Drink now.  This red blend is a step up from $15 quaffers

2005 Amarone Villa Arvedi della Valpolicella DOC:  This is Bertani’s modern styled Amarone, getting about 3 years barrel ageing vs. the 6 years that the Classico gets.  This is an excellent modern styled Amarone and will benefit from short term cellaring (another 3-5 years or more).

1962 Amarone Classico:  BEST OF THE NIGHT! The 62 has the darker older tones of age but also has retained some of its original fruit and character.  This is a beautiful old wine that still shows some of what it had in youth.  It was delightful with our main entrée.  If you are looking for a very old bottle and only want to buy one vintage – buy this one.  This still has a few years to go.  I would love to open a bottle in 2012 when it is 50 years old!

2001 Amarone Classico:  With 6 years of barrel ageing and 1 year of bottle ageing this is the youngest of the Classico Amarone that is available.  It was very good but we could tell that it needs time.  While this could start drinking well at 10-12 years, the evening’s tasting demonstrated that this can be cellared much longer.

2006 Recioto Della Valpolicella Valpantena DOC:  Valpantena is the area, Recioto is the style.  Recioto is the sweet dessert wine from Valpolicella.  The grapes are dried on mats for about 3 months as with Amarone to concentrate the flavour and sugar.  Fermentation is stopped before all the sugar is converted into alcohol.  The result is a wine that is sweeter with less alcohol than Amarone, but with the big fruit flavours.  Not as sweet as Icewine, Recioto is great with berry or chocolate desserts.  We had it with an Italian biscuit that was like an almond shortbread.  The combination was simple but wonderful.  The biscuit/cookie complimented the Recioto beautifully.  The 2006 was great.  I don’t see the need to age Recioto.  It drinks well young and there will be more produced next year.  Order some and enjoy!

CONCLUSIONS:  My thoughts of Amarone hitting its stride at about 10 years were confirmed.  The difference between modern and traditional Amarone is that the modern ones may be at their best from 10-15 years or 10-20 years while the traditional ones may cellar much longer depending on the vintage. I found that once the Classico got to be about 20 years old, the difference seemed to be more due to vintage influences than age.  This wine evolves slowly.  With the very old wines, it was vintage influence plus age to create 3 quite different wines all from the 1960’s and all good.

Bittersweet: Lorenzo Boscaini, Export Manager for Bertani, was on hand to talk about Bertani and its wines.  He described Amarone as both bitter and sweet.  Amarone starts of a very big and intense wine then softens and mellows with age.  The sweetness is an implied sweetness, not from actual sugar content.  The 1962 was the best example of this with hints of sweetness similar to dried fruit or candied fruit.  As the big fruit of youth diminished with age the bitter flavours, like the Seville orange peel of the 1967, show on the palate first.  Then they may be followed with a subtle sweet tone, depending on the age and vintage.

If you are looking for an anniversary bottle for someone’s birth year, this is your best shot at getting something good.  On the other hand, if you would simply like to try something much older – here is your chance.  Pick a year that fits your budget and go for it!

Cheers,   Ross

Lifford Wine Agency, in partnership with Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation and Prostate Cancer Canada, is pleased to host the third annual Boys’ Night Out event. Proceeds will benefit prostate cancer research at PMH.

It’s a celebration of guy’s stuff cleverly disguised as a sophisticated wine tasting.

Hot cars, boats, golf, fine wine, steaks, live entertainment, oysters, motorcycles, music, celebs, bbq, auctions, and much, much more – this is the stuff of Boys’ Night Out!

Fermenting Cellar,
Distillery District
Thursday, July 9th,
7 pm to 10 pm
Tickets are $100.

The Great

(good just doesn’t cut it)

• The weather – Saturday was great, wish I could have made it that day too – Sunday the rain held off, and the sky was clear – good view of Toronto from Thirty Bench.
• The Wine – Lovely whites, roses, and even reds that impressed me.
  • Peninsula Ridge – I enjoyed and bought the 2006 McNally Vineyards Syrah Rose, and 2007 Wismer Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc(very smooth, nice citrus flavors), tried the Chardonnay but wasn’t quite buttery enough for my tastes.
  • Thirty Bench – Walked out of there with 2007 Thirty Bench Red, and 2008 Riesling(really could see myself drinking this one weekly), and many reasons to go back.
  • Angel’s Gate – I probably would have bought their Riesling if I hadn’t discovered the one at Thirty, and there were too many wines, and too little time, that I didn’t want to rush through them, will have to return to this one later this summer.
• The Food – Great selection, very tasty, would have loved to have a little from each winery – perhaps a day tasters pass next year.
• The Music – Nice variety
• The Crowds – every winery I went to, people were asking about the graze the bench event, seems like it was a success
• The Audis – R8 and A5…

The Bad

• The hours – it was so much fun, wish it would have started earlier, and ended later.. only had time to enjoy 3 wineries – was hoping to do at least five and ideally all 8. And with some of the wineries shutting down the food/music at 4, left me with no choice other then to go to Copcabana, near the falls.
• The lack of kid friendly food, saw quite a few children running around, and wasted a good half hour making a wendy’s run for some chicken nuggets, would have been nice to have some hotdogs, or corn on the cob, or chicken and fruit…
• Probably would have been a good idea to receive a tasting sheet when you received your glass at the start of the day, to see what each winery was offering and base your day off the type of wines you mind find interesting.

The Ugly

• Wineries charging 8$/glass – 5$ would have been more reasonable.
  You could go inside and taste for free or pretty close to it…
  Or you could buy a glass for 10$ which included a Riedel glass.
  Didn’t seem to make any sense to pay 8$ for just the wine.
  The way we go through wine glasses – it made more sense to just get a new Riedel glass each time, and start a collection.

All in all, looking forward to next year.

Thanks Beamsville!

Graze the Bench is an event for Wine and Food lovers to experience the Beamsville Bench wineries as they never have before. It is a week-end of casual and elegant grazing amongst the boutique wineries of the Beamsville Bench. We are offering our guests a chance to visit the lifestyle of the wine people who are passionate about all things wine, food and music.

This small but passionate group of winemakers and winery owners are opening their doors for one week-end a year. This is an opportunity for our guests to have some expertly prepared local cuisine along with a glass of wine in a picturesque vineyard setting whilst listening to the sounds of soulful music—designed to relax and re-invigorate.

www.grazethebench.com (continue reading…)

Tuscany:  Chianti, Brunello; Super Tuscans.  They are all good but vary in style and character due to location and variety.  Sangiovese is the dominant indigenous grapes, showing up as Chianti, Brunello (clone), and blended with other indigenous grapes (Canaiolo, Alicante…) or non indigenous grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot to make Super Tuscans.

Super Tuscans (from Bolgheri and Maremma generally) can be:
Blends which generally have Cab, Merlot or both, plus Sangiovese and others (e.g. Ornellaia, Solaia, Tignanello, Saffredi etc.)
Straight Cabernet Sauvignon (e.g. Sassicaia) or
Straight Merlot (e.g. Masseto).

Quality indigenous grapes get the DOCG designation while the non indigenous garner the IGT designation.  Both DOCG and IGT indicate quality; IGT was introduced to accommodate the non indigenous Super Tuscans that did not fit the local grape requirements for DOCG status.

What this all means is that there are lots to choose from.  Chianti and Brunello reflect more traditional Tuscan wines while the Super Tuscans have become sought after collectibles designed to compete with the best of Bordeaux.

Super Tuscan

2004 Fattoria le Pupille Saffredi 2004 IGT Maremma, $114.95 – Collectible

Best from 2012 – 2022
Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Alicante
97 James Suckling (WS)
95 WA
95 Wine Enthusiast
This Super Tuscan from Maremma has been scoring in the 90s since the mid 1990s but really hit the mark in 2004 getting 97 from the Spectator and 95 from the Wine Advocate and Wine Enthusiast.  2004 was a good year for Super Tuscans.  With a production of only 1750 cases (6 packs) this all adds up to a very collectible wine.  Expect a full bodied but balanced and smooth wine.  There are still a few cases and bottles in stores.  Putting some down for 5-10 years should be rewarded nicely.
‘…very ripe nose with rose, berry and hints of meat.  Full bodied and powerful, with chewy tannins and a long, long finish.  Massive yet balanced….’ – JS (WS) 074435

Chianti

2005 Barone Ricasoli Rocca Guicciarda Chianti Classico Riserva, DOCG, $24.95

Best from 2010 – 2015
Grapes: Sangiovese
4/5 Decanter
Chianti is the wine that is known to stand up to tomato sauce due to its acidity.  It is a great wine to go with food.  In fact, it is probably best with food.  If opening now, decant.
‘Complex and intriguing: cherry, tobacco, and oak/vanilla scents with flavours integrating nicely’ – Decanter 943613

Veneto

2006 Cormi Merlot/Corvina IGT, Veneto, $19.95

Drink now -2010
Grapes: Merlot, Corvina
Corvina is one of the main grapes of Veneto that is blended into Valpolicella, Ripasso, Amarone, and Recioto.  It typically has low tannin, and high acidity.  I recently had a straight Corvina which showed the typical cherry flavours of Veneto reds with some bitter cherry.  The Cormi Merlot/Corvina was smooth and easy drinking with good bright fruit, and good with food; a step up from $15 quaffers.
‘…typical floral (honeysuckle) and ripe peach aromas…dry medium full body with juicy fruit flavours…amazing value…’ Vintages 734533

2006 Monte del Fra Corvina, DOC Garda, $15.95

Drink now – 2010
Grapes: Corvina
If you like Valpolicella or Amarone and have not tried Corvina on its own, pick up a bottle.  It is good to try less common single varietals so that you can get an idea of what they add to blends.  Sometimes, as with Petit Verdot, one can see why the grape is generally better off in a blend but also gain an appreciation for what characteristic it adds to the blend.  This makes picking blends that you like easier.  Garda, near Lake Garda, is where one of my favorite Veneto producers, Monte Zovo.
‘…aromas and flavours are dominated by sour cherry, citrus and green plum.  Fresh and enticing.  Serve with grilled steaks or roast beef’ Vintages 116996

California Cab

2006 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, $89.95

Drink 2010 -2015
Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon
92 – James Laube (WS)
Looking for a big California Cabernet?  Here it is.  Decant though if drinking now and give it a good hour.
‘Full blown, ripe and rich, with intense and sharply focused dried currant, wild berry and blackberry fruit that’s still fairly tannic at this stage…’ JL (WS) 222877

2005 Dominus Estate Napanook, Napa Valley, $53.95

Drink now – 2015
Grapes: 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, 10% Petit Verdot
91 Robert Parker (WA)
This blend is from a big name and old established estate that predates Dominus.  It’s a bit easier on the pocket book than the Caymus.  I like the addition of Cab Franc and Petit Verdot.  The Cab Franc adds complexity while the Petit Verdot intensifies the fruit.  If only picking one from California this time, I’d pick this one.
‘…dark ruby purple-hued…big, spicy tobacco, black currant, sweet cherry, new saddle leather…attractive fruit…soft round full bodied mouthfeel…beautiful complexity as well as balance…’ RP (WA) 063065

2005 Sebastiani Merlot, Sonoma County, $25.95 Good Value

Drink now
Grapes: Merlot plus small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Malbec, Petit Syrah, and Cab Franc
Sebastiani is a reliable producer of good wines at this price level, hence good value.
‘Deep garnet hue.  Ripe plum and cherry aromas…supple ripe cherry fruit with a note of bakers chocolate…’ The Wine News 219162

Beaujolais

2006 Domaine de Penlois Juliénas AC, $18.95

Drink now
Grapes: Gamay
The AC of Juliénas is said to get its name from Julius Caesar.  A bit lighter than Moulin-a-Vent, this Gamay should be light, bright, and smooth with earthy cherry flavours.  Try a bottle and go back for more if you like it.  Match with chicken, veal, or pork tenderloin. 112532

Piedmont – Barolo

2004 Borgogno Francesco Brunate Barolo DOCG, $49.95

Drink now – 2014
Grapes: Nebbiolo
This is a modern styled Barolo that should be drinking nicely now.  Try a bottle before loading up to see if the value is there at $50, and decant an hour or more it to give it some air.  I always enjoy Barolo and pesto.  Truffle risotto is another good match.
‘…ripe berry fruit and truffle aromas…dry and fruity…gentle caressing tannins…match, after decanting, to grilled game bird with truffle or wild mushroom risotto…’ – Vintages 112581

Cheers,   Ross

Drove down to Niagara on the Lake for Lailey‘s event… Tried a little bit of everything.

• 2007 Cabernet Franc (bronze medal winner at Ontario Wine Awards) 30$
• 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon $30
• 2007 Meritage $30
• 2006 Zweigelt $14
• 2007 Counterpoint  $25
• 2008 Chardonnay, Unoaked $16
• 2006 Chardonnay, Niagara River  $25
• 2008 Vidal  $14
• 2007 Vidal Icewine $28

After tasting some more in the tasting room, I ended up buying the 2007 riesling icewine(another ontario wine award winner),  2 bottles of the 2007 Syrah that I had tried at Winecamp Toronto, 1 bottle of 2006 Pinot Noir, 1 bottle of 2007 Pinot noir, and 1 bottle of 2007 Pinot Noir – canadian oak.  Probably should have picked up a couple bottles of the Vidal for 14$ for visitors this summer or for the bbq I’m planning in a couple weeks.

Anyhow..ttyl

P.S. The directions on the web site aren’t as clear as they should be… once you take exit 38b, turn left at the hilton, then right at the first intersection (airport rd), follow that to HWY 55, then their instructions are great from there on.