#TOWineDinner at The Miller Tavern on Bay - June 2013

On June 10th, I joined fellow food and wine folks at The Miller Tavern on Bay for the thrice yearly(?) #TOWineDinner. The event was organized by @TylerOnWine, and in attendance were @EssexWineReview, @GrapeSelections, @KristaLamb, @WhitbyFoodie, @WhitbyWino, @WineGPCi and @YYZdesign. And crashing the party towards the end, we welcomed @Vinetopia.

The format was very casual, we ordered whatever we liked off the menu for our appetizer, main, and if we were up for it - dessert. We also indulged in a charcuterie platter to start the night.

Everyone who attended brought (at least) one bottle of wine to share with the group and also shared their story about how they came to own that bottle of wine. One story seemed entirely made up, and provided 100% entertainment value. =) Wines were opened one at a time, over the course of the evening. We talked about the wine at great length before moving on to the next bottle. In all, there were 10 bottles of wine.

This was my first #TOwinedinner, and, reflecting back, it was a fun night overall. Everyone got to taste some wines that they otherwise probably would not have had the chance to taste. We laughed, wined, dined, and enjoyed each other's company. As always, it was great to meet some new winos! I am sure planning for the next #TOwinedinner is already in the works and I personally can't wait to do it all over again. Below you will find tasting notes along with food pairings.

The first bottle of the evening was a Cremant Sparkling Wine and was sabered by Tyler Philp outside on the patio. Here's my video recording:

LOUIS BOUILLOT PERLE D'AURORE BRUT ROSÉ CRÉMANT DE BOURGOGNE (NV) - Burgundy, France (#048793) (XD) - $18.95

Grapefruit and lemon rind aromas. Fine mousse with balanced aroma replays on the dry palate. Mid-palate is a little bumpy, while the finish is long and quite smooth. Score: 87+ pts

For my appetizer, I ordered the Fried Mozzarella sticks with Marinara dipping sauce. A rather simple dish, with simple flavours, but it paired really well with the dry Chardonnay. The sweeter Gewürztraminer and Riesling Spätlese both offered good acidity to allow it to pair well with the fried cheese, but flavours in the wines were more conducive to sipping them on their own on this night.

BURROWING OWL CHARDONNAY 2009 - VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada (#208694) (XD) - $35.95
Medium-intensity and inviting aromas of smoke, pear and hints of sweet fruit. Creamy mouthfeel and medium to full bodied, this white wine has flavours of butterscotch and orchard fruits. Laser-focused acidity and medium-long finish. One of my favourites of the evening. Score: 90 pts

JOSMEYER GEWÜRZTRAMINER BRAND 2004 - AOC Alsace Grand Cru, France (#) (D) - $????
Lovely peach, lychee and hints of honey and lime aromas. Creamy and oily viscosity. Lychee and peach on the palate with a lingering, dry finish. Aromas are much sweeter than palate would suggest. Good acidity and well-balanced. Is ageing gracefully and could last a few more years. Score: 91 pts

REICHSGRAF VON KESSELSTATT PIESPORTER GOLDTRÖPFCHEN RIESLING SPÄTLESE 1999 - Mosel, Germany (#313502) (MS) - $19.95
Medium intensity beeswax and mineral aromas with hints of petrol. Nice floral notes off the mark, with balanced aromas replays following. Quite sweet, but the high acidity really cuts the sweetness down. Finish is medium-long. Score: 89 pts

My main meal of the night was the Adobo Chicken Taco. These were soft taco shells wrapped in grilled chicken, roasted poblano & sweet peppers, goat cheese, sour cream and Adobo sauce. Except for some mild smokiness, there were no strong, intense flavours from the tacos, thus lending itself to be paired quite nicely with all of the red wines.

ALAIN HUDELOT-NOELLAT CHAMBOLLE-MUSIGNY 2005 - Burgundy, France (#979252) (XD) - $59.95
Medium-intensity aromas of sour cherry, red fruits and hints of earth. Sour cherry, bramble and red fruits on the long-finishing palate. Mouth-watering acidity and good tannins. Will continue to drink well 3-4 years from now. Score: 91 pts

ROSEWOOD MERLOT 2010 - VQA Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#211896) (XD) - $22.00

First tasted (and enjoyed) last Fall, this red wine now has medium-high intensity inky, cedar and blackberry jam aromas. Medium-bodied with crisp acidity, palate is spicy with blackberry, black fruits and oak. Score: 87 pts

TULIP SYRAH RESERVE 2009 - Upper Galilee, Israel (XD) ~ $28
Quite intense aromas of fresh black and red fruits, ink and oak. Medium-bodied and very spicy on the palate with flavours of black fruits, violets and a steely quality. Good acidity for pairing with foods, and firm tannins will reward with 2-3 years cellar time. Finish is medium-length. Score: 89 pts

CREEKSIDE LOST BARREL RED 2007 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#) (XD) - $65

From the great 2007 vintage, this red wine was crafted from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Shiraz, and Malbec (exact quantities unknown). Intense aromas of lovely black fruits, cedar and plum. Medium-bodied dark fruits, plum, cassis, blackberry and some eucalyptus flavours. Complex. Big wine with very grippy tannins. I would cellar this another 2-3 years. Favourite red of the evening! Score: 91+ pts

I paired the final two wines of the evening with the daily dessert special - a large and decadent Chocolate Peanut Brownie topped with Ice Cream. Both wines were sweet and delicious by themselves, but could not hold their own against this very sweet creation.

STONEY RIDGE PASSION 2009 - VQA Ontario, Canada (#) (MS) - $24.95
Fortified wine made with 50% Cabernet Franc Icewine, and the rest Baco Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon. Rich, dried fruit with a mix of blackberry/strawberry jam aromas. Very smooth on the medium-full bodied palate with flavours of blackcurrant, cassis and sweet black fruit. Long, smooth finish. Delicious! One of the favourites of the evening. Only available at the winery. Score: 90 pts

ROYAL TOKAJI 5 PUTTONYOS TOKAJI ASZÚ RED LABEL 2007 - Hungary (#959031) (S) (500 mL) - $41.00
Medium-high intensity and charming aromas of honey, apricots and hints of orange marmalade. Medium-bodied palate with notes of orange, apricots and honey. Sweet, but has good acidity so as to not feel cloying. Very clean, smooth and lengthy finish, while showing great balance throughout. Score: 91 pts