culture
Unwined: the Toronto Food and Drink Show
Drinking our way around Ontario's three (yes, you read that right) wine regions.
Sparkling wine is something that is near and dear to my heart, so I was happy to attend a seminar on the subject at the Toronto Food and Drink Show. Hosted by wine personality Mark Oldman, the seminar demonstrated how to sabre a bottle of sparkling wine (that is, open a bottle of wine with a sword) and guided through different affordable sparkling options from around the world. The best part of the seminar was that it was extremely eye level and easy to understand for even the most novice of wine lovers. It’s always good to remind people that wine doesn’t have to be scary!
The event’s grand tasting pavilion was exceptional for those looking for something new to drink, off the beaten path. The wineries of Ontario were well represented with tables from all three of the province’s wine-growing regions: nearby Niagara, and slightly further-afield Prince Edward County and Lake Erie’s north shore. Wine highlights from the event included tasting the amazing syrah from Rancourt, and the pinot noir from Adamo. Both Rancourt and Adamo’s wines are not available at the LCBO, so you will need to visit the wineries to taste them but, I assure you, they’re worth the trip.
Needless to say, regardless of venue, I am looking forward to checking out the next Toronto Food and Drink Festival. This event definitely stood out from other food festivals in the city if you are looking for something to sip.
In the meantime, here a few things currently available in the Vintages section.
2012 Chateau des Charmes Gamay Droit – Vintages 346742 – $16.95 – ****+ – I think many people underestimate the aging potential in gamay. The year 2012 was a very hot summer, giving us near-perfect growing conditions for the Bordeaux reds. You will find blackberry and dark cherry on the nose and in the glass, with a nice and earthy finish that has just the slightest hints of pepper. Best of all, while it’s completely drinkable right now, it also has nice tannin and acidity, which means it should age three to eight years easily. At this price, there is no reason to not stock up on a few bottles.
2013 Calamus Barrel Kissed Chardonnay – Vintages 330613 – $16.95 – ***1/2 – Soft on the palate and begging to be paired with food, the name of this wine is perfectly apt because it’s very fruit driven with peach, apple, lemon, and just a kiss of vanilla and baking spice on the finish. The brilliant acidity on the finish of this wine makes it one of the most versatile chardonnays I’ve tasted from Ontario. Pair it with grilled or roasted chicken, or creamy pasta dishes.
2013 Coffin Ridge Back from the Dead Red – Vintages 260463 – $19.00 – **** – For all you deep red lovers out there, this wine is made with marechal foch, baco noir, cabernet, merlot, and gamay. It has the heavy red fruit flavours you would expect from baco or foch but the cabernet, merlot and gamay help cut through some of the finish you get from the hybrid grapes. This would make a great match for barbecue of any kind.
2014 Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc – LCBO 415745 – $16.95 – **** – I love New Zealand sauvingnon blanc. I love New Zealand sauvignon blanc even more when I don’t need to spend a lot of money for it. I realize that this is still north of 15 bucks, but it’s as good as any $20 New Zealand sauv blanc. The nose is limey-citrus, with nice herbaciousness and grassy notes mingled in. The flavours are bright and crisp, with a clean finish. This is a perfect seafood wine; pair with grilled halibut or cod or freshly shucked oysters.