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Shorter Reviews and Notes: Recent posts appear on the top right hand corner of each page. Here is the latest:
Three fortified wines and wine styles from the Wines of Portugal Grand Tasting
... a Tawny Port, a Moscatel de Setúbal and a Sercial from Madeira.
Posted May 11, 2013
Wine Thoughts Posts
Blind tasting at the Somm Factory
The Somm Factory is an ongoing blind tasting clinic hosted by Master Sommelier Bruce Wallner. While it is meant to provide training for sommeliers and other wine industry insiders, and I certainly don't qualify on either count, Bruce is kind enough to let me participate. (Continue)
David Gleave on modern Italian winemaking
At the recent Hobbs & Co. portfolio tasting, David Gleave presented a seminar on modern Italian wines. The topic was whether modern winemaking techniques have improved traditional regional Italian wines, or whether they have destroyed a great tradition. (Continue)
Just another ordinary great day in Niagara!
Tasting wine is always a pleasure. But at industry tasting events I am usually serious about making notes, learning and thinking, and of course I may be gathering material for an article. The pleasure remains, but I have to be very focused, and sometimes it is even stressful!
But when we take visitors to wine country, the goal is to introduce our friends to great wine, to chat and gossip, and generally to relax and enjoy the day — the disciplined approach can take a back seat for a while. So on Saturday (which was a glorious day for a drive) we hopped in the car, picked up some friends, and headed out for the highway.(Continue)
25th Annual Cuvée Festival: Grand Tasting Gala and Experts Tasting
This year's Grand Tasting Gala featured an interesting change in format. The goals remain the same: to promote Ontario VQA wine and food, and to support a local charity, the Niagara Community Foundation. But this year the traditional VQA wine competition was dropped. Instead of pouring their competition entries, each participating winery poured just one wine, ostensibly the current favourite of the winemaker. (Continue)
Some Good Value Wines from California
The California Wine Institute is a very active promoter of California wines, and it has established a significant presence in Canada generally and specifically in Ontario. In addition to the annual California wine fair usually held in April (see my post for the 2012 version), it is preparing a massive Ontario promotion in March of 2013 that will feature more than 100 wines in the LCBO and Vintages. The promotion ... (Continue)
The BC Wine Institute presented a selection of 19 BC wines at a recent promotion related to a mini-release by the LCBO here in Ontario. The event was a small walk-around tasting, follwed by a lunch. The BC Wine Institute has evolved from its roots ... (Continue)
Rosewood Estates Winery Portfolio Tasting
I believe that I first visited Rosewood in early October of 2009, as I accepted an invitation to help pick a small block of estate Pinot Noir. Since then I've enjoyed watching the growth and development of the winery. Today's portfolio tasting in Toronto, at the Chef's House at George Brown College, was a fine opportunity to taste across the current offerings, and I'd like to briefly share some of the highlights. (Continue)
Argento Wines present a new Bonarda
Over an excellent and convivial dinner I caught up with winemaker Silvia Corti and members of the global marketing team of Argento Wines. I was particularly interested because I had heard a rumour that there might just be a new Bonarda to try, and I'm always up for the chance to taste varieties with which I'm less familiar. (Continue)
The annual Taste Ontario event is the most comprehensive showcase of Ontario wines held under one roof. This year trade and media were treated to an afternoon tasting, with public access in the evening. 182 wines from 49 wineries were poured, representing most of the varieties, styles, and price–quality levels produced in Ontario. (Continue)
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