Wine Dinner at Barnsteiner's

Barnsteiner’s Welcomes -Toronto Vintners Wine Club

May 16, 2017, 6:30 PM

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Reception

Whipped Goat Cheese, Roasted Red Pepper, Basil Pesto on Crostini

Prosecco (Ruffino D.O.C.)

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Classic Lobster Bisque

Roasted Cauliflower, Brown Butter

Pernod Chervil swirl

White Wines 

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Spring Vegetable Risotto

Morels, Green Peas, Fava Beans, Asparagus

Light Reds

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Boneless Braised Beef Short Ribs

Bordelaise Red Wine Jus,

Whipped Yukon Gold Potato,Candied Onion Jam

Full-bodied Red Wines

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Homemade Shortbread

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Toronto Vintners Members:  $140 (all inclusive)

Guests / Non-Members:  $165 (all inclusive)

Register / Buy Tickets

Communicate allergies or food sensitivities to Shauna Sexsmith (shauna@torontovintners.org) by May 9.

Founding member, Brian Johnston

Brian Johnston

1944 - 2017

Toronto Vintners Club was saddened to learn of the untimely death earlier this month of long-time and founding member of the Toronto Vintners Club, Brian Johnston. He was an avid wine lover, wine collector, distinguished in his appearance by his height and long, bushy / curly hair and beard, and a great sense of humour.  He didn't attend many tastings in the last few years but those who attended last June's Zinfandel event will recall that he generously donated all the wines to our club for that event.  Brian was laid to rest yesterday.  He will be missed.

http://www.cassidyfuneralhome.ca/obituary_notices.html

http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/Deaths.20170413.93387417/BDAStory/BDA/deaths

Cellar Clear Out Dinner

On occasion, Toronto Vintners Club offers its members an occasion to enjoy its surplus collection of premium vintage wines with a gourmet dinner prepared by one of Toronto’s foremost chefs.  Our “Bin End Dinner” or “Cellar Clear Out” helps use up single and double bottle leftover from past tastings to create space for future events.  In May, TVC hosts a cellar clear out dinner at Barnsteiner's Restaurant.  Our wine dinners are always popular (that's hardly a surprise because we have fabulous wines in our cellar) so you are advised to register early to avoid disappointment.  Capacity is 80 seats.

Theme: Cellar Clear Out Wine Dinner

Location: Barnsteiner's, 1 Balmoral Ave, Toronto, ON M4V 3B9  Map

Date:  Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Time:  6:30 PM  (Note the start time!  Please arrive promptly.)

Fees: TVC Members $140; Non-members / guests $165 (includes all taxes and gratuities) 

Buy Tickets 

Meritage Reds - Ontario vs British Columbia

Meritage (from Merit & Heritage) is the name coined in 1988 in Napa Valley for red and white Bordeaux-style wines. Meritage is pronounced like ‘heritage’; don’t say it like it’s a French word - the Americans coined it after all!

In April, we'll be sampling 8 Canadian Meritage wines: four from Ontario and four from BC, the two regions that produce the best red Meritage wines in the country. The winemaker at Stratus (ON), J-L (Jean-Laurent) Groux, is a native of France’s Loire Valley who learned his craft in the vineyards of Burgundy and Bordeaux. Tawse, voted Canada’s Winery of the Year in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2016, is dedicated to producing terroir-driven wines of exceptional elegance, depth and character. Hidden Bench’s (ON) Terroir series is produced in very limited quantities and represents the very best premium

wines that the Beamsville Bench and Hidden Bench can produce; their winemaker studies viticulture in Stellenbosch, S. Africa. Marc Bradshaw joined the team at Strewn Winery (ON); originally from Australia, Marc has a wine-related PhD and hands-on experience in South Africa, France, Germany, Australia and Canada. Le Grand Vin of Osoyoos Larose (BC) is the pride of their winery and made by winemaker, Mathieu Mercier, who grew up in the vineyard at his family’s estate in Cognac. Culmina, a family-owned wine estate in BC, works with exceptionally talented Viticulture and Oenology professionals all hailing from France. Dirty Laundry in Summerland BC has produced many award-winning wines. Laughing Stock’s (BC) Portfolio Meritage is a stunning, spectacular wine of incredible depth and length combining Old World structure and New World power.

Our guest speaker will be Marlize Beyers, Winemaker at Hidden Bench Winery.

Date: Tuesday, April 18th, 2017

Time: 6 PM

Formal Tasting: 6.20 PM

Price: Members: $61; Guests / Non-Member: $76  (includes reception wine, appetizers, bread and our 8 wines)

Venue: Faculty Club, Univ. of Toronto, 41 Willcocks Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1C7  - Map 

NOTE: ALL ticket sales/reservations are final. 

Buy Tickets

More Information 

Review of Sauvignon Blanc tasting

Here's a recap of our Sauvignon Blanc Judgement tasting which took place Tuesday March 21.

Great tasting last night. Britnie Bazylewski and Josh Kelly of Creekside Winery brought along a fruity sipper from Creekside. The 2016 Creekside Sauvignon Blanc set the stage for an evening of grapefruit and gooseberry.

We experienced a lot of similarity between the wines with familiar gooseberry, grassiness, tropical fruit showing up all over. There was also a lot of variation in the amount of oak influence, juicy fruitiness, and acidity across the range of wines. There was definitely a wine for every taste in this high-calibre collection of white wines.

Possibly the most active group discussion about wines we’ve ever had at the end of the tasting. This was probably mostly due to how effectively Britnie coaxed comments from members as she gave her impressions of the wines. It was a really fun and active discussion at the end of the evening.  One of our members commented that Britnie was the best speaker TVC has ever had.  Thank you!

Group results:

2013 Henri Bourgeois La Bourgeoise Sancerre (Loire) $44; Group #1; Guest #8 and #1

2013 Clouds Rest Forbidden Sauvignon Blanc (California) $50; Group #2

2013 Creekside Reserve Sauvignon Blanc (Ontario) $27; Group #3

 2016 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand) $35; Group #4

2014 Spottswoode Sauvignon Blanc (California) $47; Group #5

2013 Schiopetto Sauvignon Blanc (Italy) $33; Group #6

2013 Château Olivier Blanc (Bordeaux) $59; Group #7

2013 Henri Bourgeois d'Antan Sancerre (Loire) $59; Group #8

Sauvignon Blanc "Judgement"

Oh no! Another 'judgement"?  YES!

In preparation for the warmer months (yes, spring will be back soon!), we feature Sauvignon Blanc wines from six regions of the world.  These regions are: Bordeaux, Loire, Italy, Niagara, New Zealand and California so you can hold your own "judgement" as to which region you prefer as they should be quite distinctive because of their terroir.  Our guest speaker is Britnie Bazylewski, Hospitality Manager & Winery Sommelier from Creekside Winery whose wine is also featured in our lineup.  Hope to see you there!

Theme:  Sauvignon Blanc Judgement

Location: Faculty Club, Univ. of Toronto, 41 Willcocks Street, Toronto ON M5S 1C7 Map 

Date:  Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Time:  6:00 PM

Fees: TVC Members $63; Non-members / guests  $78 (includes reception wine, bread, & light appetizers in addition to our main wines)

Buy Tickets  Please note that all ticket sales are final and we cannot offer refunds unless we are oversold and have a wait list.  

Aglianico–The Jewel of S. Italy, Feb, 21/17

Aglianico–The Jewel of S. Italy 

Experience Aglianico, a red grape and southern Italy’s answer to Nebbiolo (the famous grape in Barolo and Barbaresco wines)! 

We feature Italian wines produced from the red Aglianico grape (pronounced ah-L’YEE’AH-nee-koh). Never heard of this grape before? You're not alone! Italy grows some 3,000 grape varieties so you are forgiven if you're not familiar with it. It's actually been around for a few thousand years.  Aglianico was the principal grape of the prized Roman Falernian wine and was praised by the Latin poet Horace.  Now it's Southern Italy's answer to the Nebbiolo grape which is used to make Barolo and Barbaresco.

Our guest speaker is Aaron Bick of Wine Online (www.wineonline.ca), the importer of three of the wines we’ll be tasting. He will also be providing a lovely 2012 Barbera d'Alba Superiore DOC wine as our reception wine.  Please refrain from wearing scented products to the tasting. The price of our event includes the reception wine, bread, light appetizes and our main wines. 

Date: Tuesday, February 21, 2017 
Time: Reception Wine: 6:00 PM, Formal Tasting: 6:20 PM 
Where: Faculty Club, Univ. of Toronto, 41 Willcocks Street, Toronto 
Fee: Members’ Fee: $69; Guests’/Non-Members’ Fee: $89 
Buy Tickets
Event Details

NOTE: All ticket sales are final and we are not able to offer any refunds unless we are sold out and have a waiting list.

Review of 2009 Beaune vs Volnary

The 2009 Burgundys were drinking quite well.  Beaune wines presented noticeably different from the Volnays so it was a very educational comparison.  In general the Beaunes seemed lighter and more floral and the Volnays seemed firmer and more earthy.

The reception wine was Domaine Lucien Jacob Cremant de Bourgogne supplied by our guest speaker Cyndi Grossman from Mellecey Wine Group. The cremant is available as a special order at  $36.95/bt and it comes in a case of 12.  It can ordered directly from Cyndi cyndi@melleceywinegroup.com or online www.melleceywinegroup.com

Here's how our group and guest speaker ranked the wines.  The group and guest speaker were polar opposites for the #1 and #7 ranked wines and ranked two of the wines similarly. Both ranked the most expensive wine, the $75 Latour-Giraud (poured last in the line-up) as their 2nd favourite and the Albert Morot, Beaune 1er Cru Les Teurons as their fourth place wine. 

Order Poured	Wine	Group Ranking	Speaker Ranking
1	2009 Jadot, Beaune 1er Cru Clos Des Couchereaux $50	5	8
2	2009 Albert Morot, Beaune 1er Cru Les Teurons $50	4	4
3	2009 Albert Morot, Beaune 1er Cru Bressandes $59	6	3
4	2009 Prieur, Beaune-Grèves 1er Crus $73	1	7
5	2009 Guyon, Volnay 1er Cru Des Chènes $65	7	1
6	2009 Dublère, Volnay 1er Cru Les Pitures $59	8	6
7	2009 Jadot, Volnay 1er Cru Clos De LaBarre $78	3	5
8	2009 Latour-Giraud, Volnay 1er Cru Clos Des Chênes $75	2	2