Win Tickets to 2016 Austrian Wine Fair in Toronto

On April 14 in Toronto, over 30 vintners present up to 165 wines at the Austrian Wine Fair in cooperation with the Austrian Wine Marketing Board and the Austrian Trade Commission. Traditionally known for its white wines, did you know that a third of Austria’s vineyards are made up of red wines?

‘Austrian Wines - A Taste of Culture’ is a public tasting event that is open from 4:30 to 6:30 pm. Wine lovers will enjoy not only Austria’s unique grape varietal, the beloved Grüner Veltliners, Rieslings, Sauvignon Blancs, but also the three red aces, the indigenous grape varieties Zweigelt, Blaufränkisch and St. Laurent, complemented by our liquid gold, Austria’s sweet wine. This tasting is accompanied by hors d’oeuvres and live piano music. Book your tickets here.

Event Details:

Austrian Wines - A Taste of Culture
Where: Snell Hall & Library at St. James Cathedral - 65 Church Street, Toronto, Ontario
When: Thursday, April 14, 2016 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Admission:

$55 (includes all wine samples and hors d’oeuvres)
Click here to purchase your tickets

Contest:

Here's your chance to WIN a pair of tickets to the Austrian Wine Fair.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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EastDell Estates Black Label Cabernet Merlot 2013 (Ontario) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine is the 2nd in my recent series on wines from EastDell Estates (the first wine being the 2014 EastDell Estates Black Label Viognier that I tasted last week).

The 2013 vintage season was an interesting year in Niagara with some significant weather variations throughout the growing season. Temperatures were close to normal, while precipitation ranged from normal to a bit wet. Spring was cool and wet with some isolated late frosts, but then moved quickly into hot weather. Towards the end of the growing season in September and October, temperatures were higher than normal and helped produce a relatively large crop, allowing harvest season to stretch well into November.

Already available for purchase online and at the winery, Diamond Estates, this quaffable wine will also be at the LCBO next month as part of the May 14, 2016 VINTAGES Release.

Tasting Note:

EastDell Estates Black Label Cabernet Merlot 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#443630) (XD) - $19.95
Relatively equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon (38%), Merlot (33%) and Cabernet Franc (29%). Medium intensity nose of blackberry, chocolate, leather and peppery aromas in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with supple, dusty tannins and ripe fruited flavours that echo the aroma profile. It has juicy acids ideal for pairing with meals. Good length on the cocoa-dusted finish. Enjoy over the next 3-4 years. Score: 87 pts

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Win Tickets to 2016 County in the City presented by WineAlign

The 5th Annual “County in the City” presented by WineAlign takes place on Thursday, April 14, 2016 at Berkeley Church (Toronto). Sample more than 70 different wines from at least 14 wineries from Prince Edward County - one of the world’s fastest growing wine regions. Many small-batch and family-owned wineries will showcase their pride and joy - including new vintages and specialty wines.

Many of the County wines showcased at the event are not available at retail wine outlets in the GTA, so you are strongly encouraged to take part in the “Try and Buy” program and have delicious County wines delivered right to you door. Mix and match bottles from different wineries and receive FREE shipping (minimum 6 bottles).

Confirmed Wineries:

Broken Stone Winery, Casa Dea Estates Winery, Closson Chase, Grange of Prince Edward County Vineyards and Estate Winery, Huff Estates Winery, Karlo Estates, Keint-He Winery and Vineyard, Lighthall Vineyards, Norman Hardie Winery and Vineyard, Rosehall Run Winery, Sandbands Estate Winery, Threedog Winery, Trail Estate Winery, and Traynor Family Vineyard.

Bonus 2-for-1 Tickets:

With every ticket purchased for County in the City presented by WineAlign, guests receive a complimentary ticket to the Thursday session of the Wine & Spirit Festival on June 16th at Sugar Beach! These tickets will be received upon entry to County in the City.

Event Details:

County in the City presented by WineAlign
Where: Berkeley Church - 315 Queen Street East, Toronto, Ontario
When: Thursday, April 14, 2016 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Admission:

$49 (includes 2 food samples and all wine samples)
$99 (same as $49 ticket + beautiful Zalto Universal Wine glass)
Click here to purchase your tickets

Contest:

Here's your chance to WIN a pair of tickets to County in the City presented by WineAlign:


a Rafflecopter giveaway

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EastDell Estates Black Label Viognier 2014 (Ontario) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine is a delicious Ontario Viognier that is already available at the winery, but will also be released into VINTAGES on April 2nd.

EastDell Estates was founded in 1999 and sold to current owner, Diamond Estates, in 2005. The EastDell logo depicts a blue heron, which has a natural migration path across their vineyards. I'm generally not one to comment on labels, but really do like the foil blue heron on this label - it's quite intricately designed and definitely catches the eye when hitting the light. Including tonight's Viognier, the wines of EastDell are typically made in an easy-drinking style that pair well with meals.

The grapes for this wine were sourced from high quality Ontario vineyards and then gently pressed in pneumatic bladder style presses. It was then cool-fermented in stainless steel before being aged in stainless steel tanks.

Tasting Note:

EASTDELL ESTATES BLACK LABEL VIOGNIER 2014 - VQA Ontario, Canada (#443622) (D) - $17.95
Screw cap. Inviting nose of orange blossom, white flower and peach aromas. The palate is full-ish with vibrant, refreshing acids. It is just off-dry (i.e. slightly sweet) with juicy floral, orange peel and white peach flavours. Finishes dry with orange peel and peach notes. Quite well-balanced overall. A fine Viognier with substance that can be enjoyed on the patio, or better yet, with chicken or a mildly spiced dish. Score: 88 pts

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April 2 VINTAGES Release: Europe vs New World

The mono-themed April 2, 2016 VINTAGES Release will be on LCBO shelves across Ontario this coming Saturday. It is titled "Double Exposure" and compares the original European wines with their New World renditions.

Of the 18 wines featured, 6 wines are included among my wine picks and the majority of these are (somewhat surprising to me) from the New World. First up is a New World Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand that is consistently good year-after-year. Next is a California Chardonnay, also New world, but made in a style that's more in line with the Old World - less buttery, vanilla-infused, smoke and more mineral, lemon/lime. You will also find a very nice Malbec from Argentina and a single vineyard California Cabernet Sauvignon whose vines are located up in the Sonoma Mountain. Lastly, the only comparison where both the Old World and New World wine is included in my wine picks is Riesling; a solid example from Ontario and Germany are both featured, with the German Riesling being the sweeter of the two if you prefer your wines sweet.

From the rest of the release, in red wines you will find Mas des Bressades is a 90/10 blend of Grenache/Syrah, while the South African red is a blend led by Cabernet Sauvignon, but also contains Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The next vintage of the organic Emiliana Coyam arrives as a blend of 39% Syrah, 32% Carmenere, 17% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Mourvedre, and 1% Malbec. Lastly, the Palazzo Red is a blend of 68% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and only available in VINTAGES Flagship Stores (FSE).

In white wines, the Bordeaux white is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Muscadelle.

That's it for this release. Enjoy my wine recommendations. Cheers!

Red Wine:

• MAS DES BRESSADES CUVÉE TRADITION 2014 - AP Costières de Nîmes, Rhône, France (#143099) (D) - $16.95
• NORTON RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012 - Mendoza, Argentina (#663120) (XD) - $17.95
• DRAKE HEATHCOTE SHIRAZ 2013 - Heathcote, Victoria, Australia (#440008) (XD) - $18.95
• FABRE MONTMAYOU RESERVA MALBEC 2013 - Mendoza, Argentina (#261867) (D) - $18.95
• STELLENRUST TIMELESS 2011 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#443325) (XD) - $19.95
• EMILIANA COYAM 2012 - Colchagua Valley, Chile (#063891) (D) - $29.95  reviewed here
• KENWOOD JACK LONDON VINEYARD CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012 - Sonoma Mountain, California, USA (#944843) (XD) - $39.95
• BURROWING OWL SYRAH 2013 - BC VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada (#073072) (D) - $40.95
• JEAN-LUC COLOMBO TERRES BRÛLÉES CORNAS SYRAH 2012 - AC, Rhône, France (#448837) (XD) - $72.95  FSE
• PALAZZO RIGHT BANK RED 2009 - Napa Valley, California, USA (#423194) (XD) - $92.00  FSE

White Wine:

• CHÂTEAU HAUT PHILIPPON 2014 - AC Entre-Deux-Mers, Bordeaux, France (#445171) (XD) - $14.95
• KÖNIGSCHAFFHAUSER VULKANFELSEN TROCKEN PINOT GRIS 2014 - Erzeugerabfüllung, Qualitätswein, Baden, Germany (#450726) (XD) - $16.95
• HENRY OF PELHAM ESTATE RIESLING 2012 - VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#557165) (D) - $17.95
• DR. HERMANN FROM THE SLATE RIESLING 2013 - Qualitätswein, Mosel, Germany (#446617) (M) - $17.95
• DEU LA DEU ALVARINHO 2014 - Monção e Melgaço, DOC Vinho Verde, Portugal (#040642) (D) - $19.95
• LOIMER LANGENLOIS GRÜNER VELTLINER 2014 - DAC Kamptal, Austria (#142240) (XD) - $21.95  reviewed here
• STONELEIGH LATITUDE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2015 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#324228) (XD) - $21.95
• DOMAINE MILLET CHABLIS 2014 - AC, Burgundy, France (#447193) (XD) - $26.95  reviewed here
• CLOS DU BOIS CALCAIRE CHARDONNAY 2013 - Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California, USA (#421941) (XD) - $29.95  reviewed here
• SYLVAIN MOSNIER CÔTE DE LÉCHET CHABLIS 1ER CRU 2013 - AC, Burgundy, France (#318139) (XD) - $35.95  FSE

Fortifieds:

• DOW’S QUINTA DO BOMFIM VINTAGE PORT 2004 - DOP, Portugal (#008193) (S) (375 mL) - $29.95

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Domaine Millet Chablis 2014 (Burgundy) - Wine Review

Opened up this clean, delicious Chablis (Chardonnay) last night and it paired well with one of my favourite Indian dishes - large shrimp with onions and tomatoes.

The story of Domaine Millet begins when farmer Philippe Millet settled a piece of land called "la Ferme de Marcault" in the mid-1960's and since some of those lots where he cultivated cereals were eligible for AOC Petit Chablis, the winery was formed in the early 80's. Later on, Philippe acquired vines in AOC Chablis. The grapes for this wine come from these vines which are 30 years old and sit on a geological landscape that is from the Kimmeridgian stage.

Philippe handed the family business to his two sons, Paterne and Baudouin, several years ago. Today, the two sons continue the desire of their father to cultivate the best vines, produce excellent Chardonnay grapes and offer fine wines that are elegant and reflect the terroir that Chablis is known for.

This white wine will be available at the LCBO as part of the upcoming April 2 VINTAGES Release.

Tasting Note:

DOMAINE MILLET CHABLIS 2014 - AC, Burgundy, France (#447193) (XD) - $26.95
Aromas of clean lime and citrus with hints of stone from the cork. Vinified in thermal regulated tanks, in the glass this offers aromas of lemon/lime, stone fruits with some herbal and stony minerality adding interest. The palate is light-to-medium bodied with crisp, balanced acids and flavours of lemon, peach, chalk along with hints of minerality and butter. Peach and orange notes really show through as it warms up in the glass. A clean Chablis that's refreshing with good length on the finish. Enjoy over the next 2-3 years. Score: 89 pts

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Seriously Cool Red 2012 and Seriously Cool Chardonnay 2015 (Ontario) - Wine Reviews

Southbrook Vineyards is proud to launch these two new wines produced by internationally-acclaimed winemaker Ann Sperling. Created from Niagara-grown grapes that followed Sustainable Winemaking Ontario standards, these Seriously Cool wines also support the local economy by using bottles made in Ontario using recycled glass. The labels are also designed and printed locally.

As part of a series, each wine is bottled under three different labels designed by Laura Wills, an award-winning designer that has also designed labels for other Southbrook wines.

These wines were released last month and at the time of this post are only available at the winery. However, I wouldn't be surprised to see both of these wines on LCBO shelves in the near future. Both of these easy-drinking wines are now available at the LCBO!

Tasting Notes:

SERIOUSLY COOL CHARDONNAY 2015 - VQA Ontario, Canada (#457481) (XD) - $15.95
Screw cap. Floral, ripe tropical fruit notes, green apple and poached pear aromas emanate from the glass. The palate medium+ bodied with a lush, round mouthfeel and sweet fruited flavours similar to the aroma profile, along with lime notes. It has bright, balanced acids and good length on the finish. This is a crowd pleaser and perfectly suitable for (upcoming) patio weather. Blend of 65% Chardonnay Musque, 26% Chardonnay and 9% Riesling, with 80% of the harvest coming from vineyards that are transitioning to Organic. Score: 87 pts

SERIOUSLY COOL RED 2012 - VQA Ontario, Canada (#453639) (D) - $15.95
Stelvin screw cap. Blend of 85% Gamay, 10% Pinot Noir and 5% Zweigelt. Bright red fruits and cherry give way to earthy and cedar aromas of medium intensity. The medium-bodied palate is rounded with soft, smooth, and ripe tannins. Sweet fruited flavours of cherry, red licorice, sweet vanilla, cedar, and hints of smoke. It has juicy acids and good length on the finish which shows hints of pencil lead. Should be a favourite at parties. Score: 87 pts

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