New Blog

Dear Visitor,

Our newly redesigned website (https://www.torontovintners.org) contains a blog feature which we have so we encourage you to visit https://www.torontovintners.org/blog for updates and news about our events. This Blog will no longer be updated.

Thanks for your past support!

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

2009 Beaune vs Volnay, Jan 17_17

2009 Beaune vs Volnay

Date: Tuesday, January 17, 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: $78; Guests’/Non-Members’ Fee: $98 
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.

The wines you will taste come from Beaune and Volnay, which are but a few miles apart, but because of the geology produce wines of different character. You may expect the vineyards bordering Volnay to give the most Volnay-like, fragrant and ethereal wines.  But, the commune boundary marks a soil change, to one which is darker, with more iron, and that makes for an entirely different style – dark, heady and tannic.  The finest and most elegant red wines of the Côte de Beaune are grown in Volnay, a village which might be twinned with Chambolle-Musigny in the Côte de Nuits, for the high active chalk content in the soil and comparatively low clay content.  Whereas in earlier times Volnay was made in a particularly light, early drinking style, these days there are many producers making wines which age extremely well.  

Beaune reds are characterized by a smoother roundness and more “immediate” organoleptic qualities. They convey softness and finesse.  Will you be able to taste the differences?  Which region will you prefer?


Our speaker for the evening is Cyndi Grossman, owner of Mellecey Wine Group which specializes in Burgundy; she has spent a lot of time there while living in Europe. 

2001 Bordeaux Revisited, Sept. 20/16

2001 is considered a classic Bordeaux vintage, producing aromatic, fresh and well-balanced wines, not as heavy and concentrated as 2000 but significantly better that the vintages of the late 1990s (if you’re fortunate enough to be able to compare). The strong and rustic tannins are also a reminder of the more classic Bordeaux vintages. 

We tasted these wines back in 2012 and had some left over so back into storage they went for another four years of cellaring. According to E. Robert Parker, most of the wines in our line-up should be peaking now. They’re 15 years old now and we’ll be able to see how they have evolved.  If you attended our tasting in 2012, try to find your notes. It will be interesting to compare them to four years later.

Seven of our wines are from the Left Bank of the Gironde River while one is from the Right. What’s the difference? While red Bordeaux wines are blended together from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot grapes, Left Bank vineyards are dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, while the Right Bank ones focus more on Merlot. This means that the Cabernet-based Left Bank wines tend to be a bit more tannic, while the Merlot-based Right Bank wines tend to have more restrained tannins. From the Left Bank, we have four wines from Pauillac, two from St. Julien and one from Pessac-Leognan. Our one Right Bank wine comes from Pomerol. Pichon Baron from Pauillac earned a score of 94 points for its fruity, superbly concentrated and strong vintage.

For a detailed list and description of the wines we'll be tasting, please click here. 

Theme:  2001 (Red) Bordeaux, Revisited

Date:  Tuesday September 2, 2016

Time:  6 PM for reception wine; 6:20 PM for formal tasting

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

Fees:  TVC Members $82 ; Guests / Non-Members  $107  (includes reception wine, bread & light appetizers)

Note:  All ticket sales are final and cannot be refunded unless we are sold out and have a wait list.

Our guest speaker for the evening is Paul Sturgess of the Institute of Wines and Spirits.

Seating is very limited for this event.

BBQ & Zinfandel

For those who love grilled meats and vegetables in summer, pairing those foods with Zinfandel is a perfect combination.  So in view of our approach to summer weather in Ontario, the Toronto Vintners Club is hosting a Zinfandel tasting - all 8 wines for the fabulous 2012 vintage - along with appetizers.  All of our Zins have been sourced from California.  This is a great opportunity to try a number of different Zins that have been sourced from various counties in California: 5 from Sonoma, 2 from Lodi and 1 from Napa.  You may recognize some of the names and other wineries will be totally new. For more information about the wines and the wineries, click on the link below. 

Theme:  Zinfandel - It Must Be Summer!
Date: Tuesday, June 21(day after the summer solstice)
Time:  6:00 PM
Venue: Faculty Club, Univ. of Toronto, 41 Willcocks Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1C7  - Map 

Price: TVC Members: $64; Guests/Non-Members: $84  (includes a reception wine & appetizers)

Buy Tickets/Register:  NOTE: ALL ticket sales/reservations are final. Cheques must be received by Friday, June 17th. The cheque-payment option will be disabled at midnight Tuesday, June. 14th after which only credit card sales will be accepted until Monday June 20h or earlier if the event sells out. You will be sent an email confirmation after completing your registration. If you tried to register but did not receive your confirmation, please contact chris@torontovintners.org before trying to register again.

Red Wines of S. France - the Road Less Travelled

On March 22, 2016 we’ll explore an interesting and eclectic mix of red grape varietals that dominate the lesser known vineyards in Southern France and see how the final “assemblage” is translated into quite different styles of wine by some of the most accomplished winemakers in the region.   While these are likely to be bold wines, the winemakers’ restraint should shine through to ensure a well- balanced profile suitable for a wide range of accompanying food.

Date: Tuesday, March 22nd, 2016

Time: 6 PM

Price:  TVC Members: $70; Guests/Non-Members: $90 (includes appetizers & a reception wine)

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

Deadlines:

Mailed Reservations

         - Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2016

Online Payments

         - Tuesday, Mar. 22, 2016

Register / Buy Tickets 

(NOTE: all ticket sales are FINAL; no refunds issued unless we are oversold)

We have 7 red blends and one 100% Syrah from reputable winemakers.  Here are some snippets of information about four of the winemakers whose wines we'll be tasting in March

Domaine Léon Barral is a beacon of revolutionary winegrowing. Didier farms thirty hectares of vineyards with a team of cows, horses, and pigs which graze the cover crops in and around the vineyards. The simple act of grazing cultivates healthy microbiotic activity in the soil which in turn benefits the grapes, ultimately resulting in tremendously powerful, complex, and age-worthy wines. 

Domaine de Trevallon, located near the medieval town of Les Baux de-Provence, was bought in 1955 by René Dürrbach, painter, sculptor and friend to Picasso. His son Eloi now makes the greatest of all Provencal wines.

Michael Gassier has been in Wine Spectator’s top 10 French Wineries for Value every year since 2007. "A tireless champion of his native Costières de Nîmes in the southern Rhône, the dynamic Michel Gassier has transformed his family estate into a reputable source for value wines as well as world-class top cuvées, produced with the guidance of star consultant Philippe Cambie." Wine Enthusiast Magazine's 2013 Wine Star Award Nominees.  We will taste his Lou Coucardie.

Chateaux Bouscassé is the home estate of Alain Brumont, who also owns Château Montus. Few wine producers anywhere in the world dominate their region like Brumont does Madiran. Bouscassé produces what are, for Andrew Jefford of Decanter magazine, France’s most undervalued fine wines. He was a pioneer in Madiran and Côtes de Gascogne wines, bringing them to rank with the world’s best. The Brumont wines benefit now from an international recognition and remain at a very good value for money.  we'll be tasting his Madiran wine.

2006 Barolos - a Very Great Vintage!

The Nebbiolo grape is to Barolo what the Pinot Noir grape is to Burgundy.  Both grapes have made their wine-producing regions famous, for good reason since they both produce high quality, long-lasting wines.  While the Pinot Noir grape has made a successful transition to other wine-producing regions throughout the world – as TVC demonstrated in its New World PN tasting last month - the same cannot be said of Nebbiolo.  It’s extremely difficult to grow outside of north-west Italy and it’s rare to find it elsewhere because cuttings and clones are jealously guarded.  Hence, when we talk about Nebbiolo, it’s synonymous with Italy and as Italy’s greatest wine – Barolo - considered the King of Wines!  It’s a great wine variety, producing bigger, darker and more tannic wines than most other grape varieties, and consequently long-lived and very prized by collectors.

Barolo is a very robust red wine, full-bodied, tannic and very dry. It’s a “chewy” wine. The aroma is similar to ripe strawberries, tar, roses, violets and truffles. Barolos are not cheap, although not nearly as expensive as other benchmark wines like Bordeaux and Burgundy.

What about 2006 as a vintage? The wines can be described as of good depth, sturdy structure and fine elegance, already more open than the ’05s (which were rough-edged at this stage of their life) and which display appealing, snappy tannins and a nervy acidity. Robert Parker gives the 2006 Barolo vintage a 97/100!

More information on the wines

Date: Tuesday, February 23rd, 2016

Time: 6 PM

Price:  TVC Members: $84; Guests/Non-Members: $104 (includes appetizers & a reception wine)

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

Deadlines:

Mailed Reservations

         - Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016

Online Payments

         - Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2016

Register / Buy Tickets 

(NOTE: all ticket sales are FINAL; no refunds issued unless we are oversold)

New World Pinots

NEW WORLD PINOT NOIR TASTING

Does a New World Pinot Noir taste different from a Burgundian Pinot Noir? According to Jay Youmans, Master of Wine, “Yes” there are differences.  However, there are many New World winemakers who are employing traditional Burgundian winemaking techniques and we present several in our line-up on January 19, 2016.

From the N. Hemisphere we have 4 wines, 3 from the Willamette Valley of Oregon and 1 from Ontario. From the S. Hemisphere, we have 4 wines one each from Australia, New Zealand, S. Africa and Chile. Northern Hemisphere: Coyote's Run, located in Niagara-on-the-Lake produces wine in small batches from 100 percent Niagara-grown grapes, much of which are sourced from its 58-acre St. David's vineyard. Since its first vintage in 1990, Domaine Serene has produced award winning Pinot Noirs from six vineyard estates. In April 2015, the owners purchased a Burgundy wine estate in the Côte d’Or to expand their operation of producing fine Pinots. The Bergström Family uses biodynamic methods, and since 1999 has been a leader in the sustainable farming of wine grapes in Oregon. Argyle Winery, established in 1987, is "Grower First", focusing its attention at the source – continually improving viticulture on over 650 hillside acres sited on the very best vineyard locations in Oregon's Willamette Valley.

Southern Hemisphere: Bodega Chacra, is owned by the grandson of the creator of the famed Sassicaia winery in Italy and he’s now working in the” middle of nowhere” to produce stunning Patagonian Pinot Noir. Chacra doesn’t employ any mechanization in the production of their wines which results in their Pinots expressing the subtle, complex and finely textured tannins characteristic of very old vines. Hamilton Russell Winery is one of the most recognized S. African brands in the U.S. Their Pinot Noir is Burgundian in style, with subtle perfume, stylish texture and long, lingering, gentle flavors. A world search of the perfect conditions for viticulture, Schubert Wines. They use traditional Burgundian winemaking methods with extreme low yields, (3/4 ton per acre), extended macerations and the exclusive use of Burgundian cooperage for their Pinots. Lastly, from Kyoong Winery situated in the cool-climate Mornington Peninsula, 80km south of Melbourne Australia, winemaker Sandro Mosele has crafted a reputation for the very best representation of Australian Pinot and Chardonnay.

specially for Pinot Noir, brought Kai Schubert and Marion Deimling, graduates of the German Viticulture and Oenology to Wairarapa, New Zealand to start

 This will be a wonderful opportunity to sample and compare Pinots throughout the New World and also to compare the wines from the Northern Hemisphere against the Southern. Our evenings start with a reception wine followed by the formal, blind, sit-down tasting. Bread and light appetizers will be served with our wines. Plus we have a special BONUS for our registrants: an exclusive tasting of a Femme Fatale Pinot Noir from Cloud's Nest, a boutique winery in Sonoma, California presented in Canada by Great North Imports.  Great North Imports is also supplying our reception wine.

More information on the wines

Date: Tuesday, January 19th, 2016
Time: 6 PM
Price:  TVC Members: $70; Guests/Non-Members: $90 (includes appetizers & a reception wine)
Venue: Faculty Club, Univ. of Toronto, 41 Willcocks Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1C7  - Map
Deadlines:
Mailed Reservations
         - Tuesday, Jan. 12th, 2016
Online Payments
         - Monday, Jan. 18th, 2016
Register / Buy Tickets (NOTE: all ticket sales are FINAL; no refunds issued unless we are oversold)