By Melissa Pulvermacher We all think of pairing food and wine, but have you ever thought of pairing music with wine? Charles Smith, a self-taught winemaker, has brought a new element to the world of wine – soul. Smith is undoubtedly a full-bodied personality with a genuine passion for both music and wine. The only way to truly describe the experience of Charles Smith and his wines is to crank rock music and pour yourself a big glass of red or white… or both and just enjoy. During a 1999 road trip, when Smith was managing rock bands and concerts, […]
Wine Tasting Event
Chateau Palmer Tasting: Bordeaux Wine Seduces and Satisfies
Château Palmer By Melissa Pulvermacher Château Palmer is a much-respected winery in the Margeaux appellation d’origine contrôlée in Bordeaux, France. You may recognize Palmer better as one of the classified Third Growths of Bordeaux. Palmer has been known as one of the most popular of this classification and some even argue that its consistent delivery of quality held up against First Growth, Château Margeaux. I was given the opportunity to taste several of the Palmer wines at an organized tasting at The National Club in Toronto, Ontario. After tasting the 2004, 1999, 1995 and 1983 vintages up against one another, […]
Pairing Wine and Lunch in the CBC Fridge for the Food Bank
CBC All in a Day host Alan Neal and I sneak into the CBC kitchen to snoop into employee lunches and pair them with wine. You can listen to our chat above from the drive-home show. It’s actually not as weird (or creepy) as it sounds … we’re kicking off the final 3 days of Food Fantasy fundraising for the Food Bank, with prizes like having a sommelier come to your home and pair wine and food for you and 11 friends. In addition to being your personal sommelier for an evening, I’ll also bring along 12 signed copies of […]
Pierre Sparr Wines: Alsace Value and Taste Pair Well
Maison Pierre Sparr By Melissa Pulvermacher We’re all on a constant search of high-value wines for a great price. I always say that your chance of getting a great quality wine for a large price tag is high, and although the odds are less consistent, it feels great to find a killer bottle of wine that doesn’t break the bank. Maison Pierre Sparr, founded in 1680 by Jean Sparr, is a winery and brand located in Alsace, France. Sparr owns 15 hectares of their own Domaine, while also sourcing grapes from 130 hectares of trusted farmer-owned vines, to produce their […]
Dominus + Napanook Wine Tasting 2011 to 1991 Vertical
Dominus Estate By Olivier deMaisonneuve Montreal Passion Vin is the annual rendez-vous when the Fondation de l’Hopital Maisonneuve-Rosemont invites wine lovers to open their wallets for a good cause. They also get the unique chance to taste world renowned wines and meet the actors behind those famous labels. This year funds were raised for a new integrated cancer treatment center. Tod Mostero, director of viticulture and winemaking at Dominus Estate, was presenting a few vintages of the two wines produced by this domaine, born by the joint venture of Christian Moueix and the heiresses of the Inglenook Estate, one of […]
Dom Perignon Champagne1998 Vintage Wine Tasting Sparkles
By Melissa Pulvermacher When I think about Dom Pérignon Champagne, I think of luxury and pleasure. Now, more-so than ever, that opinion has amplified beyond pleasure into absolute bliss. After attending a private tasting of the soon to be released to Ontario, Dom Pérignon P2-1998 with Chef de Cave, Richard Geoffroy, I have an entirely new excitement for the potential of Dom Pérignon Champagne. Dom Pérignon is always a vintage Champagne, which means production only occurs in ideal years. 1998 was one of the rare years that led a triple vintage where 1998, 1999 and 2000 were all great years […]
Oyster Bay Wine Tasting: Fresh and Food Friendly
Oyster Bay By Matt Steeves New Zealand’s High Commissioner to Canada, Mr. Simon Tucker, hosted a lovely tasting of Oyster Bay wines at his official residence recently. A small group of trade professionals attended to sample and assess the portfolio of New Zealand wines that Delegat Canada Limited (agent and owner of Oyster Bay) were showcasing. Jason Hands and Camille Gemmell Johnston of Delegat kindly walked us through the tasting of their Oyster Bay portfolio. My overall impression from the tasting was that each wine Oyster Bay produces is done very well, and sold at a very reasonable price point […]
Stem Wine Group Gala Tasting at Ottawa’s Museum of Nature-October 22, 2014
By Jane Staples The Stem Wine Group organized a very polished and elegant wine tasting event which took place at Ottawa’s Museum of Nature on October 22. This was Stem Group’s 10th anniversary and they have a great deal to celebrate, having gone from representing 9 wineries in 2005 to over 50 wineries at this year’s event, with over 125 wines featured. Italy dominated the scene, California had several wines on offer and Australia, New Zealand, France and Argentina were also represented. I started with a taste of the Veneto region in northern Italy. I tried Matto’s Pinot Grigio 2013. […]
Pairing Wine with Chocolate: Follow Your Nose
By Jessica Nagy Pairing wine with chocolate is about more than just rich desserts and powerful Ports or Amarones; it’s a subtle art that can have a big impact on the entire meal if done well. I recently spoke with Sommelier Rebecca Meïr-Liebman about how she takes on this challenge in a series of Sweet & Savoury chocolate-inspired dinners that she hosts with her husband, Chef Eyal Liebman, in Toronto. The next dinner will take place November 8 with all proceeds going to support Second Harvest. “I start by choosing the winery,” says Rebecca. In this case, it’s Niagara’s Henry […]
Win a Cooking Lesson with Top Chef Canada and Wolf Blass Wine Tasting
Sponsored Post Want to cook one-on-one with a Top Chef Canada and attend a wine tasting event with lots of terrific Australian wines from Wolf Blass? You could win: Enter now! One winner from Ontario and one winner from Western Canada will get a celebrity chef experience with Top Chef Canada winner Matthew Stowe, consisting of a cooking lesson with Matthew and tickets to an exclusive Wolf Blass event. Top Chef Tested Recipes Braised Beef Short Rib with Celeriac Purée and Red Wine Jus Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Sautéed Granny Smith Apples, Toasted Hazelnuts, Parmesan Foam Get the Recipes […]
