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 
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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.

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 
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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)

40 Years of Bordeaux Tastings!

Toronto Vintners Club turned 40 years in June of 2015 and we’ve celebrated throughout the year.  TVC’s inaugural event was a tasting of Bordeaux wines in 1975 and we’ve hosted a Bordeaux event every year since then.  The initial occasion cost $6.50 per person ($7 at the door). The average cost of the wines consumed that evening was $5.82.  Mind you, they weren’t top Bordeaux by any means.  The club served a Colona Sommet Rouge for $2.15 (it was once the world’s biggest selling wine) and the priciest was the 1966 Chateau Rauzan Segla at $17.70. A 1966 Rauzan Segla would set you back about $325 if purchased today and if you still want a Sommet Rouge, you’ll have to travel to BC to buy it where it sells for $6.50/litre.  Oh we’ve come a long way baby!!!

On Monday, September 28, we'll be tasting a line-up of 2006 red Bordeaux. We have 2 Grand Cru Classé (GCC) wines and second (2e) to fifth (5e) growth wines mainly from the Left Bank.  The average cost of the wines for this tasting is $79 (based on futures’ prices) compared to $6 in 1975!

Theme:  2006 Bordeaux
Cost:  Members $90; Guests / Non-Members:  $120  - includes light appetizers
Date:   Monday, September 28/15
Time: 6:00 PM for reception wine; formal tasting usually starts at 6:20
Location:   Faculty Club, Univ. of Toronto, 41 Willcocks Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1C7  - Map 
Register / Buy Tickets  Please note that all ticket sales are FINAL; we cannot provide refunds unless we are oversold and have a wait list.

Barolo vs Barbaresco, May 12

Barbaresco and Barolo communes are situated in the Piedmont area of Italy about 10 miles apart and both produce wine from 100% Nebbiolo grapes.  Yet, despite the proximity of these two wine producing zones that use the same grape, they produce two distinct styles.  Many refer to Barolo as ‘masculine’ and the Wine of the King and Barbesco as “feminine” and wine of the Queen. Or to draw from the title of a popular book, “Barbaresco is from Mars, Barolo is from Venus”.

On May 12, Toronto Vintners Club explores these two communes with 8 wines (5 Barolos and 3 Barbarescos) from the 2004 vintage, a year described as "excellent" and "classic" with the wines expected to age for several decades.

Theme:  Barbaresco vs Barolo (2004 Vintage) Open this link for more information about the areas, wines and the list of wines we'll be tasting
Date: May 12, 2015
Time: 6 PM
Location: Faculty Club, Univ. of Toronto, 41 Willcocks Street, Toronto
Fee: TVC Member: $82; Non-Members/Guests: $110
Register / Buy Tickets 
Note: All ticket sales are FINAL.  We cannot refund any ticket sales unless we are sold out and have a wait list.

Chilean Reds Tasting March 17th

On St. Patrick’s Day evening, 40 members of Toronto Vintners Club and guests gathered at the University of Toronto Faculty Club, not to drink pints of Guinness or glasses of whiskey but to taste 8 great Chilean reds. The wines promised to provide a real treat – new world wines, many influenced by old world Bordeaux techniques and blending styles. Today Chilean reds are considered some of the best in the world, even beating out top French wineries for top honours in 2004. Of the 8 Chilean’s in the tasting, 4 were from the 2007 vintage which according to our guest speaker Howard Kaman of Charton Hobbs, was considered a vintage of the century.

Guests were also treated to a bonus, as part of the Club’s 40^th anniversary, a 9^th mystery wine which turned out in the end to be a 1997 Chateau la Croix duCasse, Pomerol. It was a fitting end to the tasting and provided a real contrast to the younger Chilean wines in terms of nose, palette and colour. Such was the contrast, the group didn't have much difficulty identifying it as the mystery wine.

Following a brief introduction to Chile by Howard where he identified some of the regions and the grapes primarily used in the production of its wine, the group got down to the business of the tasting. 

The wines in pouring order were;

1.      2005 Altair Tinto. Cachapoal Valley. $ 42

“From a small, very classy winery focused on high end blends only, this combines 85% cab sauvignon with syrah and carmenere. It’s a super rich red with a saturated nose of cassis/rhubarb jam, mincemeat and chocolate fudge. It’s full bodied, very dense, soft and supple with great fruit. Chilean to its core. Excellent to outstanding length. It should age well for a decade but it’s not a requirement for enjoying it. (They need to lose the overweight bottle). Best 2012 to 2020. Tasted February 2011. 94 pts.” David Lawrasson, www.winealign.com

2.      2006 Perez Cruz, Quelen Special Selection. $49

“. . . blend of Petit Verdot, Cot (Malbec), and Carmenere. It offers up an inviting nose of licorice, tar, espresso, black cherry, and blackberry. Dense, rich, and muscular on the palate, this is a large-scaled effort with impeccable balance and exceptional length. It will require 4-6 years of additional cellaring to reveal its full potential but has the balance to become something special.” 94 pts”. Jay Miller, erobertparker.com, #192, Dec. 2010

3.      2010 Santa Rita, Casa Real. Maipo. $60

Cabernet Sauvignon “After a rooty, spicy opening that includes aromas of tree bark, leather, marzipan and ripe berry fruits, this perennial winner shows superb balance, mouthfeel and overall integration. Flavors of cassis, cherry, plum, dry spice and chocolate finish long, lightly herbal and with complexities. Drink through 2020. 93 pts.” Michael Schachner, Wine Enthusiast, Dec. 31, 2013

4.      2007 Montes Alpha, Alpha M. Santa Cruz. $79

“Blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, with the balance Merlot and Petit Verdot aged for 18 months in new French oak. It exhibits a striking perfume of pain grille, pencil lead, herbs, spices, a hint of balsamic, and assorted black fruits. Dense, structured, and incipiently complex, this velvety textured wine conceals enough structure to evolve for another 5-6 years. It offers a drinking window extending from 2017 to 2027.” 94 pts Jay Miller, Feb. 2012, erobertparker.com

5.      2007 Concha y Toro, Don Melchor, Puente Alto. $80

“Blend of 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc aged in French oak (78% new) and one-year old oak. It has a rounded, smooth tobacco and cedar scented bouquet with plush red fruit. The palate is full-bodied with chalky tannins, smoky black tarry fruit and a reserved, slightly austere finish with dark chocolate lingering on the aftertaste. It has Old World sensibility and is well crafted. Drink now-2016. 90 pts.” Neal Martin. erobertparker.com #204, Dec. 2012

6.      2009 Viña Errázuriz, Don Maximiano Founder's Reserve, Aconcagua Valley. $80

“Blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Carmenere, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc from the Maximiano vineyard, aged for 20 months in new French oak. It has a more elegant, fresher nose than the 2008 with a red rather than black fruit profile: wild strawberry, raspberry, kirsch and a touch of shortcake. The palate is medium-bodied with finer tannins than the 2008, with ripe graphite infused black fruit and a masculine, tannic finish that is still continuing to show too much oak in proportion to the fruit. Drink 2015-2022. 88 pts.” Neal Martin. erobertparker.com

7.      2007 Viña Seña, Aroncagua Valley. $85

“57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Carmenere, 12% Merlot, with the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It puts forth an enthralling bouquet of sandalwood, underbrush, exotic spices, incense, floral notes, blueberry, and blackcurrant that borders on kinky. Already remarkably complex on the palate, with layered flavors, a plush palate feel, and precision balance, this beautifully rendered offering will evolve for another 6-8 years and provide a drinking window extending from 2016 to 2032. 96 pts.” Jay Miller, erobertparker.com, #192, Dec. 2010

8.      2007 Cousiño-Macul, Lota. Maipo. Blend $ 87

“Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot. The “LOTA” project started in 2003, when the Cousiño family decided to create a world class wine to celebrate the 150th anniversary. “The 2007 Lota, again raised entirely in new French oak, has a ripe blueberry and cassis nose augmented by orange zest and shoe polish. There seems to be a little more volatility here. The palate is sweet and peppery on the entry. It has ripe, plump tannins, plenty of spicy fruit and aniseed. It is endowed with a dense, oaky finish that is balanced and clean, offering a sweet kirsch-tinged aftertaste. Drink 2015-2025. 88 pts.” Neal Martin. erobertparker.com #204, Dec. 2012

Pour Order	Name	Group Rank	Speaker Rank
1	Altair Tinto	8	7
2	Perez Cruz	3	8
3	Santa Rita Casa Real	5	4
4	Montes Alpha	6	5
5	Concha y Toro Don Melchor	7	3
6	Vina Errazuriz	1	6
7	Vina Sena	2	1
8	Cousino-Macul Lota	4	2
9	97 Ch La Croix du Casse (Pomerol) Mystery Wine	9	NR *

* No rank

The assembled group agreed that all of the Chilean wines were well balanced and structured with no faults. All were drinking well now but still had a number of years of good drinking left in them. The same however could not be said about the mystery wine which the group ranked last out of all the wines. May be it was a result of being overpowered by its far fresher Chilean predecessors, but the majority of the room felt this Pomerol was past its prime in terms of drinkability.

Chile beats Bordeaux once again!!!

About the guest speaker

Howard Kaman has worked in the wine industry for over 20 years, the past 10.5 years as the Specialty Brands Manager (or Vintages Specialist) at Charton Hobbs – agents for Perez Cruz winery whose Quelen we are tasting this evening. He has worked as a Cellar Hand in both the Languedoc (at Mas de Daumas Gassac) and in the Willamette Valley in Oregon (at Amity Vineyards), and also spent a year in Niagara as an Assistant Winemaker and two years in Harrods’ Wine Department, in London England. He is a graduate of the Diploma program of the Wine & Spirit Education Trust.

Tasting of Chilean Bordeaux Blends

Chile’s wine history has been most profoundly influenced by the French, particularly Bordeaux. The result is that today Chilean reds are considered some of the best in the world. In January 2004 at what became known as the Berlin Tasting featuring 2000 and 2001 vintages (this tasting was fashioned along the lines of the Judgement of Paris pitting French Bordeaux against California), Chilean reds took 1st, 2nd place beating out Ch Lafite Rothschild and Ch Margaux. Second place went to Chile’s Viña Seña, one of the wines in our lineup. In 9th place was Don Maximiano, another wine in our tasting, which beat Ch Latour. In 2011, Chilean wineries earned a total of 206 gold metals from 10 prominent international competitions. Consistency is the hallmark of great wine making and the vintages from our Chilean tasting event demonstrate the world class quality of these wines. Our 5 different vintages are rated as “Excellent” to “Outstanding” by Robert Parker: 2005 – 90 pts; 2006 – 89 pts; 2007 – 88; 2009- 88 and 2010 – 90. 

Toronto Vintners has amassed some of the very best red wines from Chile. Light appetizers will accompany the main tasting portion of the event. The wines we are featuring are:

2005 Altair Tinto. Cachapoal Valley
2006 Perez Cruz, Quelen Special Selection
2007 Viña Seña, Aroncagua Valley
2007 Montes Alpha, Alpha M. Santa Cruz
2007 Concha y Toro, Don Melchor, Puente Alto
2007 Cousiño-Macul, Lota. Maipo
2009 Viña Errázuriz, Don Maximiano Founder's Reserve, Aconcagua Valley
2010 Santa Rita, Casa Real. Maipo

For tasting notes on these wines and more about our event, please visit: www.torontovintners.org/2015/ChileanReds.html 

Theme:  Chilean Bordeaux Blends
Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Time: 6:00 PM
Location:  University of Toronto Faculty Club, 43 Willcocks St., Toronto ON   Map
Cost:  TVC Members:  $77; Non-Members & Guests:  $97
Register / Buy Tickets - NOTE that all ticket sales are final. No refunds can be issued.

'07 Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Nest month on February 17, Toronto Vintners Club will sample 8 red Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines from the outstanding 2007 vintage. Robert Parker Jr., a Châteauneuf lover, wrote: "This is the greatest vintage I've ever tasted in the southern Rhone." He called the 2007’s “a truly historic and profoundly great vintage.”  This vintage has received many, many accolades not just from the wine critics such as Parker and Jancis Robinson, but from the winemakers themselves from such esteemed producers as Rasteau, Perrin, and Guigal.  Similarities have been made to the outstanding 1999 and 2001 vintages in N. Rhône and 2000, 1998 and 1990 vintages in the South.

If you're into ratings, all 8 of our wines have received 90+ points.  Château de la Gardine was acquired in 1945 by the Brunel family, active in winegrowing since 1670.  Patrick Lesec ‘s operation is artisanal, small, focused, and consistently reliable.  Cuvee du Vatican’s vines are over 100 years old but the Diffonty family’s agricultural roots go back to the 17^th century.  Domaine Giraud started in 1974 after the owners changed from the distillery business to wine making.   Clos St. Jean began in the 20^th century and its fame took off following Robert Parker’s evaluation of their ’03 wine.  Domaine de la Cote de l’Ange is quite young but the wife’s family previously owned the esteemed Monpertuis domaine.  Domaine la Roquète was taken over in 1986 by the rising stars, Daniel and Frédéric Brunier,  whose family produces the celebrated Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe.  Lastly, we have Beaucastel, one of the great estates of the Rhone Valley, owned by the Perrin family.

We're very excited not only to have wines of this calibre but also to have what might be an historic vintage to sample.

Date:  Tuesday, Feburary 17, 2015
Time: 6 PM (our event starts with an informal gathering and a reception wine)

Location:  Faculty Club, Univ. of Toronto, 41 Willcocks Street Toronto, Ontario

Fees:  TVC Members:  $74; Non-Members & Guests:  $94

Register/Buy Tickets  Please note that ALL ticket sales are final and we are unable to issue any refunds unless we are sold out and have a waiting list.

If you would like to JOIN or RENEW your membership in the Toronto Vintners Club, please click on the links on the side bar (right side).

N. Rhone Reds - Fresh Starts & Rising Stars

On November 18, Toronto Vintners Club features wine producers who are rising stars, new owners or innovate/fresh ventures that have all established enduring or recent reputations for producing quality wine in N. Rhone. From Côte-Rôtie, we feature Maison Michel Chapoutier and Patrick Jasmin. Chapoutier has produced wine for over 200 years but during the 1980s after son Michel took over, quality really improved and by the late 1980s, Chapoutier had started to receive considerable international attention for its wines. Their labels are distinctive because they include Braille. Jasmin Cote Rotie's first vintages date back to 1910 and current owner, Patrick who took over in 1999, is a fourth generation winemaker in his family. Jasmin deliberately produces very low yields to maintain high quality; as a result, the winery produces a mere 2,400 cases/yr. and only 1,200 cases of Côte-Rôtie of outstanding wines. The three AOC's of St. Joseph, Hermitage and Crozes Hermitage are represented by Ferraton Père et Fils, a small family-owned business with its roots in a tiny vineyard holding in Hermitage. A friendship between Michel Ferraton and Michel Chapoutier led to a joint venture in 1998. Ferraton operates independently but under the Chapoutier expertise and finance with resulting increases in wine quality. From Cornas, we have wines from 3 producers. Johann Michel is a rising star whose family includes renowned winemaker Robert Michel. Johann Michel is one of the smallest AOCs in France, comprised of only 288 hectares. Johann started his winery in 1997 and produces only about 20,000 bottles/year. Delas Frères was founded 160 years ago and in 1993, was acquired by the Champagne house of Louis Roederer where today, Delas wines are crafted by an expert panel managed by renowned winemaker Jacques Grange. Delas wines have been lauded for their intensity of flavour and excellent value. Courbis is the most southern domaine from the border of AOC Cornas. Brothers Laurent and Dominique Courbis now operate the family estate which dates back to the 16th century.

Toronto Vintners has acquired 8 wines from 5 appellations d'origine contrôlée (AOC) in Northern

Rhône : Cote Rôtie, St. Joseph, Hermitage, Croze Hermitage and Cornas.

Date: November 18, 2014

Time:  6 PM

Location:  Faculty Club, Univ. of Toronto, 41 Willcocks Street Toronto, Ontario

Fees:  TVC Members:  $67; Non-Members & Guests:  $87

Register/Buy Tickets  Please note that ALL ticket sales are final and we are unable to issue any refunds unless we are sold out and have a waiting list.

Our guest speaker will be Zoltan Fekete of Kylix Wines.

Review of S. Italian Red tasting on Oct. 21

As attendees arrived, they were treated to a wonderful reception wine, Tatone Montepulciano from Abruzzo, Italy, provided by Vinaio Wines of Toronto.  It’s a medal winning wine carried by Vintages and labelled a Vintages Essential which means it’s available all-year round from Ontario’s Vintages stores and for the modest price of $15.95.  Everyone who sampled it was very impressed with its full body, great depth of flavour and were stunned to learn the price. A few people even preferred this wine to those we tasted the rest of the evening! It’s from central Italy and so growing conditions are a bit different from the hot south from where our 8 wines originated. Thanks to Vinaio Wines for supplying such a fantastic wine to Toronto Vintners Club!

Over the course of the evening, TVC members and guests discovered how generally well-made all the wines were that we tasted from different grapes and a variety of areas throughout S. Italy. Summer heat is a big factor and so wine makers have now taken to making their wines in climate controlled conditions which has resulted in a vast improvement in quality. Our guest speaker, Vince Liberatore of Vinaio wines informed us that a lot of juice used in making the more famous and more expensive Northern Italian wines actually comes from S. Italy!

We started our pouring order with wines from the islands of Sardinia and Sicily, the latter which ranked #3 over all by the group! Our guest speaker, Vince Liberatore of Vinaio wines found wine A, the 2010 Argiolas Perdera, Monica di Sardegna DOC from Sardinia to be an easy drinking wine and ranked it 5th.  The group agreed also ranking it 5th; my table ranked it 8th but still found it to be a good wine with medium weight and finish, and smoky tarry flavours.

Wine B was the ’06 Ceuso for $35. I found there was a hint of oak and smokey tones on the nose; the wine itself was big, intense and had a long finish. Our table ranked it 4th, the group overall had it in 7th and our guest speaker ranked it 3rd.

Wine C, was distinctly different from all the rest in the lineup. The nose was a bit floral and it was on the lighter side both in colour and in style.  Vince thought it unbalanced and not well made. It was the 2009 Leone de Castris from Puglia and the 2009 vintage was awarded Silver from the International Wine & Spirit Competition.  Interestingly, Vince told us that this wine is rated [one of] the best price points for quality. Both Vince and I ranked it 8, our table ranked it 7th and the group had it in the middle at 4th.

The fourth wine poured, D, was another from Puglia - the ‘07 Appolonio Terragnolo, made from the Primitove grape which is related to the Zinfandel grape. The nose was very floral; there was lots of vanilla and it had gobs of fruit and a touch of sweetness on the palate; the legs were long. After a while, it got to be too much to drink because of its being somewhat unbalanced.  While I, our table and the guest speaker all had this wine ranked 5th or 6th, the rest of the crowd really liked it and ranked it their Number 1! Perhaps this wine was the closest in familiarity to what we’re used to drinking in N. America (being related to Zinfandel) and maybe that’s why people like it.  Anyway, if you loved it, it’s a bargain at $19!

Wine E’s nose was initially closed but I started to get a hint of dark plums which carried through on the palate.  The flavour was complex and intense; legs were very long and it was a very well made wine. Here’s where the group and I differed; I ranked it 3rd and the group had it 8th – last place. Vince put it in the middle at 4th.  It was the 2007 Azienda Vincola Rivera, Puer Apuliae, Apulia for $37.

The colour on the sixth wine, wine F, was almost black. It was very dry, intense and concentrated.  Vince found it very elegant, with great depth, oak and dark chocolate on the palate.  In fact, he loved this wine and ranked it his #1 as did my table. I really liked it too but found the dryness to be a little much to handle without food so I ranked it 4th. The group had it in 6th place. It was a wine that really cried out for food. It was the most expensive of the lot at $49 and was the 2008 Elena Fucci, Aglianico del Vulture Titolo, Basilicata.

Wine G had people all over the map. I loved this wine; it was complex with lots of flavours of dark fruits, inky dark colour. Vince on the other had found it unbalanced and he didn’t enjoy it that much.  My table and our attendees overall ranked this as their 3rd favourite wine. It was the 2008 Villa Raiano Taurasi,  DOCG from Campania for $24.

With Wine H, the last wine poured, we finally had some agreement on a wine!  I, my table, our guest speaker and the group ALL ranked this as their second favourite wine. It was the oldest wine in the line-up – the 2004 Odoardi Vigna Garrone from Calabria for $37. While the nose had a slight stinkiness to it, the palate had plums, figs, leather, some stewed fruit and meat. It was intense and gorgeous!

Overall, this was a great tasting as it exposed many of us to wines and grapes that we would probably not have experienced otherwise. Some of these wines could be called the poor man's Barolo or Amarone because of their more modest prices. So it was great to find a couple of real bargains in the line-up.  With thousands of grapes now being cultivated in Italy and an obscure labelling system, it can be very difficult to wade through Italian wines and decide which one to buy.  This tasting certainly gave us all a better understanding of what to look for.

Thanks to all who came out for the evening. It was 2 short of a sell-out!! And a big thanks to Vince Liberatore and Vinaio Wines for helping to make our evening very successful!

And below is a summary of the wine rankings.  If you want tasting notes from our notice, please visit http://www.torontovintners.org/2014/Southern_Italian_reds.html

Sylvia Dorosh
President

Name of Wine (in order poured)	Group Ranking	Guest Ranking
A - 2010 Argiolas Perdera, Monica di Sardegna DOC, Sardinia $18	5	5
B - 2006 Ceuso, Scurati Rosso, Sicily  $35	7	3
C - 2009 Leone de Castris, Salice Salentino DOC, Riserva, Puglia $19	4	8
D - 2007 Appolonio Terragnolo, Primitivo, Puglia, $19	1	6
E - 2007 Azienda Vincola Rivera, Puer Apuliae, Apulia  $37	8	4
F - 2008 Elena Fucci, Aglianico del Vulture Titolo, Basilicata $49	6	1
G - 2008 Villa Raiano Taurasi,  DOCG, Campania  $24	3	7
H - 2004 Odoardi Vigna Garrone, Calabria  $37	2	2