Michael Pinkus Wine Review - On the Road with the Grape Guy

Preview of The Niagara-on-the-Lake 2010 Taste the Season Event October 2010

07 Oct 2010

Details: Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy

This year, as I have done for the past half dozen or so, I will be touring the wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake for the Taste the Season event (details can be found here) – this is one of the premier tasting and touring events in the region. In the past I have brought my girlfriend / fiancée (now wife) along and in some years mom has come with – usually separately, though we have done the tour together once. This year we’ll be touring together again through the back-roads of Niagara-on-the-Lake in search of the best wine and food pairings as well as the best wine and food individually.

This year’s list of pairings has already been posted on the Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake website and I invite you to take a look and pick out your potential favourites, because that is exactly what we did this year. I printed off the list and gave one to mom (Gloria) and one to my wife (Erica) and asked them to pick, independently, their “potential” top 5 choices they are most looking forward to … I want to see if the expectations of what is written on paper is matched by what we receive in person, or will there be a surprise that no one saw coming. Then, after our tour of the wineries and tasting of the pairings, when I write my review, we’ll see who lived up to the hype, who did not and who surprised us with their efforts.

Below is what we’re thinking will be the top pairing of the weekend (in alphabetical order): - see which wineries pairings look good on paper

To read about more interesting adventures thru the world of wine check out the On the Road With the Grape Guy blog.

Report from - Amore di Amarone ... October 4, 2010

06 Oct 2010

Details: Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy

This afternoon it was an Italian wine lovers wet dream as the big names in Amarone came to town for the first ever appearance of ‘Famiglie dell’Amarone d’Arte. The Italians are known on American shores for the 5 families (that is in thanks in no small part to the Godfather movies), but there are 12 families that make up this group from the Veneto region (where Amarone is king and where Valpolicella and Ripasso also play a part). The goal of these families is “to establish fundamental guidelines that will ensure Amarone remains one of the world’s most iconic wines.” Today they took that message out to the media and masses of Toronto (at the downtown King Edward hotel) and while many in attendance didn’t need the reminder it is always good to be re-introduced to old friends.

6 wines seemed to stand out from the 26 that were poured this afternoon – 3 bubbled under the 3 best – here are the wines, with a little snippet about each house that makes it (as taken from the tasting book): (to read about my top 6 click here)

To read about more interesting adventures thru the world of wine check out the On the Road With the Grape Guy blog.