Apr 26, 2010

Bin End Dinner, May 18, 2010

Every few years, Toronto Vintners Club offers its members a rare occasion to relax and enjoy a surplus collection of premium vintage wines from our extensive cellar, combined with a gourmet dinner prepared by one of Toronto’s foremost chefs.  We usually refer to this type of event as our "Bin End Dinner" or "Cellar Cleaning" as it helps to clear out the cellar to make space for new wines.  As a result - and this year being TVC’s 35th anniversary so why not celebrate? - you have an opportunity to taste some sensational wines left over from past events which didn’t sell out.  Our loss is now your gain!

We will host our spring Bin End Dinner at Trevor Kitchen and Bar in downtown Toronto.   Trevor Kitchen and Bar was voted one of the top ten Toronto restaurants in 2008 and 2009.  Chef Trevor Wilkinson has prepared a unique menu of sensational creations specifically for the Toronto Vintners Club to accompany the array of wines from our cellar.

Our cellar is brimming with scores of single bottles from all around the world and in particular, we have an overabundance of leftover Bordeaux and Burgundy!  Here’s just a small sampling of what we’ll be enjoying with dinner.  From France: 1999 Dauzac,5e (Margaux), 2004 Chateau Troplong Mondot St Emilion Grand Cru; 1999 Pavie Decesse, St Emilion; 2000 Vosnee Romanee Suchots; 2000 Nuits St George Les Boudots Rodet; 1999 Santenay 1cru Maladiere L Muzard; 1999 Antonin Guyon   Volnay, Clos des Chenes, 1er Cru;  2002Meursault Les Genevrieres 1er Cru, Michel Coutoux.  From Italy’s Super Tuscan region: 2000 Solaia; 2000 Ornellaia;  2000 Ardingo Calbello, Cantina Costanti.  From California:  2001 Cline Cellars, Big Break Zinfandel; 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon, The Hess Collection (Napa); 2002 Chardonnay 'Les Pierres', Sonoma, Sonoma-Cutrer. From Australia:  2001 Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon, Leeuwin (Margaret River);  2001 Shadrach Cabernet Sauvignon, Grant Burge (South Australia);  2002 Chardonnay Picadilly Valley, Petaluma.  From Germany: lots of Rieslings from Mosel and Reingau.  From Canada:  2001 Osoyoos Larose (BC); 1998 Pinnacle, Sumac Ridge (BC); 2006 Le Clos Jordanne  Grand Clos Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (ON).  From Spain: 2004 Alion, Ribera del Duero Tempranillo; 2004 Costers del Siurana  Clos de L'Obac. From South America: 1998 Quebrada de Macul, Domus Aurea; 1999 Chateau Los Boldos, Requinoa; 2006 Clos De La Siete.  And to finish our dinner, we will serve a glass of fine Port.

So how will this work when we may have only one bottle of a wine?  Each table will receive several bottles with the style or grape and quality as comparable as possible to other tables, to pair with the menu Trevor has prepared.  But if you see something better at another table, create some fun and meet more people by bartering or trading your bottle or a glass for another!  We’re sure you will find something fabulous to rave about for years to come and there is plenty of exceptional wine to go around, we assure you. Space is very limited and there are not many tickets left.


menu dégustation spéciale for Toronto Vintners Club
May 18, 2010

foie gras reuben with onion choucroute & russian dressing
Champagne
*
smoked duck terrine with vanilla poached apricots & duck fat brioche
Chardonnay and German Riesling
*
ricotta gnocchi with venison ragout, sage & reggiano
Burgundy and Bordeaux
*
smoked beef shortribs with potato crusted sweetbread, soft polenta & naturel jus
Full bodied reds from California, Italy,Australia, S. America
*
goat cheese cake with concord grape compote & rosemary caramel
Port

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
chef de cuisine: jesse vallins  executive chef: trevor wilkinson

Event Details
Theme: Bin End Dinner
Date: Tues. May 18, 2010
Time: 6:30 PM
Price: Members: $95 Guests: $120 (all inclus.)
Buy Tickets Note! All ticket sales are final.
VenueTrevor Kitchen &Bar, 38 Wellington St. E., Toronto, ON M5E 1C7
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Apr 24, 2010

N Rhone Rankings

A glitch with the courier company resulted in our Rhone wines being delivered late to our tasting, but thankfully they did arrive!  We are grateful to the staff at the Faculty Club for allowing our attendees to browse their Group of Seven works of art and savour appetizers while the late arrival wines were being poured.  And also a big thanks to our guest speaker, Daniel Beiles for sharing his insights and knowledge about Northern Rhone reds and to the patience and understanding of our attendees regarding the circumstances.  Here are the rankings of the wines from the evening.


Name of Wine (in order poured)


Group
Ranking


Guest
Ranking


 A.  Leon Barral, Faugères Jadis 2004

1

2

B. Franck Balthazar, Cornas Chaillot 2006

3

4

C. Franck Balthazar, Cornas Chaillot 2005

5

4

D. Jamet, Côte-Rôtie 2004

6

1

E. Jamet, Côte-Rôtie 2005

4

3

F. Domaine Yves Gangloff, Côte-Rôtie La Barbarine 2003

2

6

G. Domaine De Trevallon 2003

8

7

H. Domaine De Trevallon, 2001

7

8

Apr 2, 2010

The Rhone Ranger - Northern Rhone Reds

This month, Toronto Vintners Club returns to the Rhône wine region in Southern France, situated in the Rhône river valley. Northern Rhône is characterized by a continental climate with harsh winters but warm summers and is influenced by the mistral wind, which brings colder air from the Massif Central. Northern Rhône is therefore cooler than southern Rhône, which means that the mix of planted grape varieties and wine styles are slightly different. The primary grape used in northern Rhone wines is Syrah which is often powerfully flavoured and full-bodied. Aroma characters can range from violets to berries (usually dark as opposed to red), chocolate, espresso and black pepper. No one aroma can be called "typical" though blackberry and pepper are often noticed. With time in the bottle these "primary" notes are moderated and then supplemented with earthy or savory "tertiary" notes such as leather and truffle. We will be tasting some rather exclusive and expensive wines at this event. Click here for a full listing of the wines and tasting notes.  Since our French wine events tend to be extremely popular, you are advised to register early.  Please note that all ticket sales are final!

 
April Event Details
Theme: The Rhône Ranger - Northern Rhône Reds
Date: Tues. April 20, 2010
Time: 6 PM
Price: TVC Members: $80; Guests: $95
 
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Location: Faculty Club, U. of Toronto, 41 Willcocks St. Toronto, ON M5S 1C7
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Apr 1, 2010

Change in Venue

It was announced at the March Chianti Classico event, that the TVC Board has decided to move to the University of Toronto Faculty Club for future events unless we can find another location that suits our needs.  While we enjoyed the central location and modern setting of the Toronto Board of Trade for the past few years, the fees charged to hold our wine tastings had become increasingly expensive. At the Faculty Club, our events will generally include appetizers and no corkage fees and we have received very favourable feedback about events we’ve held there in the past.  Thus, we feel we will be able to provide our members and attendees with a more pleasurable wine tasting experience and better value at the Faculty Club.  We hope you’ll agree!

The Faculty Club, located at 41 Wilcocks Street, Toronto, Ontario, is well serviced by a streetcar that stops right at the corner of Willcocks & Spadina from the Spadina Subway station and once you know where the public parking is, the Club is easy to get to.  We will provide links to directions and parking with each event posting.


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