On the Road with the Grape Guy

On the Road with the Grape Guy is a on-going feature that follows me from event to event ... I post my thoughts, feelings and reviews of what happened and what I tasted ... basically it is here that I review the events I attend and the things that thrilled me.

Report from - Bb33 Dinner with Wayne Gretzky Estate Winery ... April 27, 2010

02 May 2010

Tonight it’s another dinner at Bb33 at the Delta Chelsea Hotel in downtown Toronto.  In attendance is the International Wine and Food Society, who are holding their monthly dinner here; tonight, the wines are from Wayne Gretzky Estate Winery and they are being represented by their Australian-born winemaker Craig McDonald, who had quite a few bon mots this evening:

The Quotes …(see what was said and what we ate, plus the best wine of the evening - with pictures)

 

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

 

 

Report from - Vincor Exposé Tasting ... April 26, 2010

26 Apr 2010

Amazing how a reputation precedes you.  I’m not sure how many people asked me, jokingly I hope, “how did you get in the door?” – I think I lost count at about half a dozen.  My battle with Vincor is well documented and seems to run long and deep (like the new gash on my leg I got from a wood box of wine), but I left that battle at the door today, as I was there to see what was being offered by Canada’s largest foreign owned winemaker.

The tasting was held at the Art Gallery of Ontario in the Baillie Court (3rd Floor), where I am finding a lot of tastings are being held these days … Vincor had separated the wines into a variety of art themes: Masters, Classics, Pop Art and Realism.  The Pop Art section was where you could find the coolers and other assorted summer fizzy drinks – I stuck with the tried and true table wines.

Masters:  “Our winemakers revel in the utmost splendor of their craft to create these award winning estate wines …”

I’ll start off by telling you that the Canadian wines, be they from B.C. or Ontario, really stood out amongst all these other international brands, and I mean that in a good way.  I’m not just saying that with some kind of jingoistic pride about my country, Canada really did shine alongside the Hogues, Mondavis, Hardys, Kim Crawfords and other well-known and scarcely known wines of the world.  Here are my Masters section selections; wine fans should recognize all of my recommendations ...(find out the top three wines of the tasting and click through for a review of an elegant Syrah)

 

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

 

 

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