Wines of Northern Rhone

Theme:  Wines of Northern Rhone
Date:      Tuesday, February 19/13
Time:      6 PM
Where:   41 Willcocks St., Toronto, ON (U of T Faculty Club)
Cost:      TVC Members:  $85;  Non-Members/Guests:  $100  (includes reception wine plus light appetizers with the wines)
Buy tickets  Note:  All ticket sales are final. No refunds will be offered unless we sell out and have a wait list.


On February 19th, Toronto Vintners Club features eight reds from the Northern Rhône region, including three from the northern-most Côte-Rôtie, two from Hermitage and three from Cornas. Our Côte-Rôtie selection includes a 2003 Domaine Yves Gangloff, and a 2004 and 2005 Domaine Jamet. From Cornas we will taste a mini vertical of Franck Balthazar from 2005 and 2006 and a 2006 Arènes Sauvages.  Finally from Hermitage we will taste a 2006 E Guigal and 2007 Ferraton Père & Fils. Given the diversity across the region and the quality of the wines, this tasting is not to be missed.  As always, we will start our evening with a reception wine.  We will first taste the 8 wines blind and then light appetizers will be served once we’ve had a chance to nose and sample the wines.  Non-members and guests are always welcome!

2006 Burgundy - Guest Speaker

Our Guest speaker for the evening will be Julia Tingarov.

Coming from a Chemical Engineering background, Julia was naturally drawn to the Food and Beverage aspect of the Hospitality Industry. Years of working in fine dining establishments followed, including 11 years at the prestigious King Edward Hotel in Toronto. To satisfy her many varied interests Julia has had a catering business, a radio show and traveled extensively. Her passion for wine and her quest for knowledge finally won over and in 1996 she was accepted and graduated with honors from the coveted Jacques Marie Sommelier Program at George Brown College. Since her appointment to Sommelier Julia has worked in and consulted for a number of the top restaurants in the city. She has taught a wine appreciation course at George Brown College and has done numerous lectures and presentations for both corporate and private clients. For the past eight years Julia has sat on the advisory board and been an integral part of organizing the Grand Cru Culinary Wine Festival, which has raised more than 12 million dollars for the Toronto General and Western Hospital Foundation. Julia is currently employed as a consulting Sommelier and sales associate with Halpern WineEnterprises.

The reception wine that will be served tonight will be a 2011 Remoissenet Pere et Fils, Macon Villages Chardonnay.

The Macon is a small region of Saone-et-Loire sitting on part of the eastern edge of the Massif Central. The limestone subsoil of the Maconnais region is ideal for growing Chardonnay grapes. Remoissenet's  foray into the Macon has been led by former Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Burgundy critic (and Washington, DC native) Pierre Antoine Rovani, who put down his pen in 2006 to take up his dream of making great Burgundy. The results so far have been impressive, starting with Remoissenet's entry-level 2010 Macon-Villages. This 100% Chardonnay is clear and bright, light yellow with greenish tinges. It has a delicate bouquet with floral fruity nuances, suggesting acacia, peach and apricot, woven together nicely in a fabric of minerality, verve, and brisk acidity, the latter being a hallmark of the fine 2010 Burgundy vintage. Well balanced with good length on the finish. Serve as an aperitif or to accompany hors d'oeuvres, mussels, fish or goat's cheese. Best drunk young and fresh within 3 - 4 years of the vintage.