Giveaway - Win Tickets to Hamilton's Food & Drink Fest

I am giving away Two (2) General Admission tickets (valued at $30/pair) to Hamilton's Food & Drink Fest that is taking place from Friday, November 9 to Sunday, November 11 at the FirstOntario Centre in downtown Hamilton. These tickets are valid for any one day of your choosing. Your chance to win tickets to #FoodandDrinkFest and contest entry form is at the bottom of...

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Cantina di Negrar Corvina 2016 (Veneto) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a General List product that is widely available at the LCBO and sells for under $10! This red wine is produced by Cantina Valpolicella Negrar, a co-operative that was founded in 1933 and is located just a few kilometres from Verona, near Lake Garda, in northeastern Italy. The people of Cantina Valpolicella Negrar includes 230 families of winemakers...

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Mauro Molino Barolo (Piedmont) Wine Tasting

At the beginning of October, I was invited to a special tasting of some very fine Barolo wines from Piedmont's highly acclaimed Mauro Molino. The tasting was held at the Fine Wine Reserve on King St. W. in downtown Toronto. Mauro Molino was born in Piemonte and graduated from Alba Winemaking School in 1973. After a few years of making wine in Emilia-Romagna, he returned...

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Wine Picks LCBO VINTAGES Release Oct. 27, 2018: Italy + Whisky

The parade of premium wines we head into the busy holiday season continues with the October 27, 2018 LCBO VINTAGES Release. Featured in this Release are impeccable wines from Italy as the main theme, while the mini-theme features whisky from three continents. All of the lovely wines from this Release will be on LCBO VINTAGES shelves across Ontario this Saturday. We'll begin...

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McWilliam's Mount Pleasant Elizabeth Semillon 2006 (Australia) - Wine Review

Something really special, tonight's wine review is an aged Hunter Valley Semillon that was purchased from an LCBO VINTAGES Release 4 years ago. Hunter Valley (in Australia, just north of Sydney) is known for producing outstanding Semillon that can be enjoyed young or admired when allowed to age gracefully. Let's see how this is tasting tonight! Tasting Note: MCWILLIAM'S...

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Cave de Roquebrun La Grange des Combes Saint-Chinian-Roquebrun 2010 (Midi) - Wine Review

Tonight's beverage is a lovely red wine blend that I purchased 5 years ago from the March 30, 2013 LCBO VINTAGES Release. I also have the 2013 and 2015 vintages of this wine, which would've made for a nice vertical tasting, but alas, only the 2010 is opened tonight. The latest vintage (2016) of this delicious wine can be found in the LCBO VINTAGES section for a couple of...

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Giveaway - Win Tickets to Gourmet Food & Wine Expo 2018

I am giving away Two (2) pairs of ELITE Pass tickets (valued at $100/pair) to the upcoming 2018 Gourmet Food & Wine Expo that is taking place from Thursday, November 22 to Sunday, November 25 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in downtown Toronto. These ELITE Pass Tickets grant you front-of-the-line access through the special ELITE entrance and are valid for any one...

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Wine Picks LCBO VINTAGES Release Oct. 13, 2018: Bouquet List + Wine Wisdom

As we head into the busy holiday season, the VINTAGES Releases tend to get larger with an emphasis on pricier wines. The main theme of October 13, 2018 LCBO VINTAGES Release is titled "The Bouquet List", while the mini-theme is titled "Wine Wisdom". All of the wines from this Release will be on LCBO VINTAGES shelves across Ontario this coming Saturday. We'll begin with...

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Pierre Sparr Réserve Pinot Gris 2016 (Alsace) and Vieni Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 (Niagara) - Wine Reviews

Opened up these two delicious wines last night to celebrate Thanksgiving long weekend. The Pinot Gris was purchased from the recent September 15 LCBO VINTAGES Release, while the Cabernet Sauvignon is from an excellent 2010 Niagara vintage and was purchased when visiting the winery in June 2016. Tasting Notes: PIERRE SPARR RÉSERVE PINOT GRIS 2016 - AC Alsace, France (#983395)...

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Momo Organic Sauvignon Blanc 2016 (New Zealand) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is the delicious white wine companion to the red 2016 Momo Pinot Noir that I enjoyed recently, It was released into LCBO VINTAGES on April 28 and is virtually sold out at the moment, but will be coming back to shelves as part of the October 13 LCBO VINTAGES Release. This organic white wine is produced by Seresin Estate, a leading organic and biodynamic...

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