Canada’s top wine writers and sommeliers gathered in the nation’s capital recently for an extraordinary tasting of Ferrari wines, Italy’s benchmark sparkling wine producer. Matteo Lunelli, president of Ferrari, explains in the video above how the Ferarri winery survived unscathed during World War II and out of that fortunate chaos, founder Giulio Ferrari discovered longer aged vintages. Click on the arrow to play the video. With the help of a slide show, Matteo shares the beauty of the countryside at Villa Margon. As well as being a wine growing area during the summer months, there is […]
Wine Tasting Event
Ruffino Wines: A Taste of Tuscan Life, Sun and Soil
Canada’s top wine writers and sommeliers gathered in the nation’s capital for an extraordinary tasting of Italian wines from Ruffino, a winery nestled in the heart of Tuscany. In the video above, Ruffino Global Brand Beppe d’Andrea shares the story on how, in 1861 Ruffino Ducale Riserva Chianti Classico got its name and how the term ‘Reserva’ came into being. Tania Thomas Wine Expert, Rogers Daytime Television It’s impossible to imagine Tuscan life to be anything but pure bliss. With all the fabulous food and wine, culture, history and art, it’s a place for living la dolce vita. We […]
Toronto Wine Tasting Shows Wide Diversity of Styles
By Mymi Myriam The wow factor as I walked into the sumptuous lobby of the Governor’s Room in the heart of the Exhibition Place is high. This is not just any room, it is a lavish, opulent and enormous ballroom. I proceeded through the enormous ornate wooden doors. Upon entering, I was warmly welcomed by a lovely lady who handed me an empty wine glass and my journey started. The Profile Wine Group is a coalition of three wine merchants: Barrique Wine Imports, VinVino Wine Merchants, and Du Chasse Wines and Spirits. They are one of Canada’s premier wine and […]
Kim Crawford Wine Tasting: Blending with an Eye Dropper
By Mymi Myriam The room at Frank at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) was flooded with light entering from large panel windows on a late weekday afternoon as I sipped on a glass of the Kim Crawford Fizz Methode Traditionnelle 2009. I took my place at the table and was quite puzzled at finding an eye-dropper amongst my tasting glasses. What kind of experiment would we be conducting? Our host for the event was Anthony Walkenhorst, Kim Crawford’s senior winemaker, who led us through the most memorable wine tasting I have ever attended. In front of each attendee were […]
Eat, Drink and be Wary: The Prose & Cons of Wine Shows
The Ottawa Wine and Food Show is the opposite of the Betty Ford Center: lots of booze and free advice, but no beds. (Why isn’t there a napping booth?) It arrives just in time to launch my fall re-toxification program: I come from a long line of hard drinkers, and a summer of sound sleep, diet and exercise has made me irritable. In the exhibit hall, gastronomic gusts waft up and over me from different corners — some carrying alcohol laced with spicy meatballs, others sweat and cheese, new leather and yeasty crackers, perfume and vanilla waffle cones. Sounds, too, […]
Jane’s Gems: Valpolicella Wine Tasting Tour 2015
A Taste of Italy, Romeo and Juliet, Shoe Shopping in Verona and Our Little Dessert By Jane Staples I went shoe shopping last week. It wasn’t just any shopping spree, for, to begin with, I was in Verona, Italy. Any woman who loves shoes will agree that Italy is the place to be if you want to buy shoes. Now this was in fact a business trip, so my time was limited. I had 4 days of intensive classes and our group stayed on an Agroturismo farm just outside the city (that is to say, not near any shoe stores). […]
A Tasteful Wine Journey from Provence to Paris
Town centre of Beaune By David Skinner Provence stands as Southern France’s glorious gateway to the viticultural and gastronomic treasures awaiting discovery along the Rhône River Valley. A river cruise from Provence to Burgundy is likely one of the best ways to experience these famous wine regions and cruising is the most leisurely and convenient way to uncover abundant appellations and epicurean adventures. Of course, one of the attractions of seeing the countryside by boat is that you only unpack once and this simply eliminates the worry of transportation and lodging, granting more time to create memories of fabulous food, […]
Free-Spirited New Zealand Tasting Pairs Nobilo Wines with Adventurous Foods
Photo Credit: Melissa Pulvermacher By Melissa Pulvermacher A huge trend in the Canadian wine market right now is not only New Zealand wines, but more specifically, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc with its grassy notes and aromas of gooseberry and tropical fruit. It’s been pretty easy to identify for consumers and the demand from the LCBO is still on the incline. Trends exist for multiple reasons, but there is something to be said about a wine that easily identifies with a large group of people. A beautiful aromatic wine that finishes refreshing and clean obviously isn’t very difficult for everyone to enjoy. […]
La Ferme Du Mont Wines: Harvesting Grapes for Energy
By Mymi The Singing Sommelier You open a bottle of wine, pour yourself a glass, sniff, and slowly take it in… While sipping, it’s natural to focus on the flavors of the wine and how the alcohol feels floating through your veins, but how often do you get the chance to taste a wine with the person who actually made it? I was thrilled to have that opportunity and enjoy a luncheon organized by Eurovintage with Stéphane Vedeau, vigneron from “La Ferme Du Mont” in the Southern part of Les Côtes du Rhône. His estate is comprised of 50 hectares […]
Kim Crawford Wine Pairs Well with Milestones and Birthdays
By Melissa Pulvermacher A 25th birthday should be celebrated with several bottles of wine and a great dinner. That’s exactly how the summer-long festivities began for Milestones at their Dundas Square location in Toronto, with General Manager André Barrett, Head Chef Jason Rosso and Kim Crawford’s New Zealand Portfolio Director Matthew Deller. As expected, Rosso hit it out of the park immediately with a table full of Crab Salad Crostini, Crispy Halibut Tacos and Mini Spinach Dip Taco Bowls. The food was on the table, but a great meal needs wine pairings to take it to the next level. Matt […]
