German Wine Fair – Welcomes Trade and Consumers – May 28

Riesling & Co. World Tour stops in Toronto on May 28th at the Arcadian Loft

To highlight their wines’ surprising flavours and top level food friendly versatility, the Riesling & Co. 2013 German wine fair returns to Toronto this spring.

On May 28 over 25 celebrated German winemakers and winery principals, offering 100+ wines, will assemble at the Arcadian Loft to offer guests the most extensive German wine tasting in Canada.

The “walk about” trade fair is open for attendance by professionals from the retail, media, and hospitality sectors during the day and by consumer wine enthusiasts during the evening. (See special offer for Wine Align subscribers below)

“What better way to discover the versatility of German Riesling and Pinots, than when matched with the passion of the visiting winemakers,” notes Ulrike Lenhardt of the German Wine Institute, who will be in Toronto for the event.

German Wine Queen and winemaker Julia Bertram

Winemaker Julia Bertram German Wine Queen

Guests will also have an opportunity to meet a real live QUEEN – German Wine Queen and winemaker Julia Bertram who will be attending to educate visitors on German wines!

German wines are generally heralded as great food friendly wines. This is a very bold statement, but most sommeliers and other food and wine professionals will agree.

Germany’s wines, while following strict wine laws, offer among the most variety, and one can find a wine for any occasion, matching any food and satisfying almost anyone.

The not-really secret here is the variety in styles (dry to sweet, sparkling or still), grape varieties (Riesling and Pinot Noir, to name the top ones of either white or red) and the distinct levels of richness (light to full, to honey-like) plus, based on the cooler climate, the wines generally have a good amount of acidity (considered vital for a great food wine) and lower levels of alcohol than warmer climate peers.

Another great thing about German wines with the higher acidity levels is that the wines last better than any other wines after they are opened. Hence don’t hesitate to open more than one bottle, taste and decide what will be the best for the occasion and return the other opened bottles to the refrigerator for later enjoyment.

“If you don’t love German wines, you just have not yet found the right one for you.”

Much has been written about food and wine pairing suggesting what goes and what does not go together. In the belief that enjoyment of food and wine is a very personal experience, we encourage everyone to experiment -and what better place than at the German Wine Fair!

To add to the fair, food pairings will be catered by Oliver and Bonacini and live music will be styled by BELLOSOUND.

And as an added incentive to join us, all trade and consumer registrants are eligible to win Rimowa Luggage valued $595.

Date and Location:

Tuesday, May 28th  – Arcadian Loft, 8^Th Floor, 401 Bay Street, Toronto

Trade Tasting

2:00PM to 5:00 PM

Media and Trade professionals interested in attending the walk-about are encouraged to register at: www.germanwinefair.ca

NEW: Consumer Tasting

Calling all wine lovers! Meet over 25 winemakers and winery principals  and taste over 100 wines with food pairings by Oliver & Bonacini

7:00PM to 9:30 PM

Tickets $65 — all food and wine samples included

Wine Align subscribers receive $10.00 off the regular ticket price of $65.00.
Enter promo code: winealign

Order Tickets Here

Wine lovers are encouraged to visit: www.germanwinefair.ca for more information.

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Filed under: Events, News, Wine, Events, Germany, Riesling, Wine

Tutored Tasting with Stoneleigh Winemaker – Jamie Marfell

WineAlign is pleased to present an exclusive tutored tasting with Stoneleigh Chief Winemaker – Jamie Marfell

Stoneleigh Chief Winemaker, Jamie Marfell

This summer, Stoneleigh will introduce Canadians to Stoneleigh Latitude, the latest addition to the Stoneleigh family from New Zealand’s highly-regarded ‘Golden Mile’. To celebrate, Stoneleigh will break open its vault for WineAlign members during a special tasting with Head Winemaker Jamie Marfell.

What makes Stoneleigh so unique? Produced in the Marlborough region, Stoneleigh vineyards are scattered with stones left by an ancient riverbed. The stones soak up the warmth of the sun’s rays by day and radiate that heat to help ripen the grapes by night. This natural phenomenon, coupled with the free-draining stony soils, inspires a distinctively crisp, fresh and elegant wine.

Join WineAlign to preview Latitude with winemaker Jamie Marfell, and taste some of Stoneleigh’s other award-winning wines – some of which are not available in the Canadian market. Tickets are available now for $30 including wine tasting and appetizers.

Joining Stoneleigh Chief Winemaker Jamie Marfell will be our own David Lawrason.

Wines to be tasted:

- Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc
- Stoneleigh Pinot Noir
- Stoneleigh Latitude Sauvignon Blanc
- Stoneleigh Latitude Pinot Noir
- Rapaura Sauvignon Blanc
- Rapaura Pinot Noir
- Rapaura Chardonnay 2003
- Stoneleigh Chardonnay 2005

Event Details:

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Location:  Crush Wine Bar (455 King St. W)

Reception: 6:30pm

Tutored tasting: 7:00pm – 8:30pm

Enjoy remaining wines with appetizers: 8:30pm – 9:00pm

Order Tickets online: $30.00 ($35.64 after taxes and fees)

About Stoneleigh

Stoneleigh’s distinctive sunstones

The natural environment of Stoneleigh vineyards, Rapaura soils and distinctive sunstones create a wine style that is elegant and crisp, yet intense – the flavour of Stoneleigh. It is these sunstones and the unique stony riverbed soil structure that are renowned for delivering quality and flavour to Stoneleigh wines.

Started by nature and finished by the talents of the Stoneleigh winemakers, whose philosophy of minimum intervention in the winery ensures that the vibrant flavours of Stoneleigh are captured in each and every bottle.

The Stoneleigh team is committed to sustainable practices and is accredited under the Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) scheme.

About Jamie Marfell

Winemaking was an inevitable career choice for Jamie who grew up on a farm overlooking a valley of grapevines in Marlborough and whose holiday employment was usually spent planting or pruning vines, depending on the season.

Following the completion of a degree in agricultural science and a postgraduate diploma in viticulture and oenology at the University of Lincoln, New Zealand, Jamie began his career as a trainee winemaker with Pernod Ricard, in 1990.

Based in his hometown of Blenheim for the first two years of his career, Jamie moved to Auckland and worked on the company’s acclaimed sparkling wine range. This was interspersed with vintages in Gisborne, Marlborough and several vintages in Germany’s Mosel and Rhine Hessen wine regions.

In 2002 Jamie returned to Stoneleigh, Blenheim, to concentrate on crafting distinctive Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.

About Crush Wine Bar

Located in Toronto’s trendy King West entertainment district, CRUSH Wine Bar offers a blend of casual fine food and winning wines in a vibrant atmosphere.

From organic meat, fresh fruits and vegetables from surrounding local farms, Executive Chef Trista Sheen constructs a menu rooted in the French style but highlighted with continental flair. Sommelier Tiffany Jamieson-Horne is on hand to guide guests through the extensive wine collection to enhance the flavours of Chef Sheens’ simple yet stunning dishes.

Our winemaker events have been consistently and quickly selling out.  If you are interested in attending then we advise you to purchase your tickets as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

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Filed under: Events, Wine, David Lawrason, Events, Jamie Marfell, Stoneleigh Vineyards, Wine Tasting

The County Comes to the City

A Terrific Try before you Buy event returns to Toronto

David Lawrason

The winemaking folk of Prince Edward County like it there – tucked far from the madding crowds on their “virtual island” offshore in Lake Ontario just west of Kingston. It’s a place that moves to its own rhythms. It is governed by the slow march of history, and the seasons, and how different one season is from the next. A few of the County folk have grown up there, but most have actually moved from the city (Toronto or Ottawa) and they are now even more fervent about the County than the locals.

So they must be feeling some anxiety in returning for the second annual “County in the City” tasting this Thursday at the Berkeley Church on Queen St east of Sherbourne St. The location may seem odd to city folks – an historic church remade into an event space. But the County folks will surely be more comfortable in this rustic setting, east of Yonge Street, and closer to home. Most will likely high tail it down the 401 in the darkness as soon as the event closes at 9 pm.

But this event is a commercial necessity. For as attractive as the County has become to citified agri-tourists – with almost 40 wineries, its craft brewery (Barley Days) and new distillery (Gilead); its very fine restaurant scene; its myriad small inns and B&Bs; and its twice-yearly wine events in Picton’s “Crystal Palace” – it is still, after over ten years on the wine map, unknown to a large swath of urbanites.

And more importantly this year, the Berkeley Church event will allow guests to try the wines then place orders on the spot. No, you still can’t walk out with bottles under your arm, but the wineries will arrange free direct deliveries to your home and office. And most are wines you will never see at the LCBO.

At last count, 15 wineries were signed on to pour, and they represent an interesting cross-section of the larger, more well established wineries like Grange of Prince Edward, Huff Estates, Rosehall Run and Norman Hardie,  plus newer, tiny operations like Exultet, Stanners, Devils Wishbone, Lighthall and Half Moon Bay. But they all share the same  MO – incorrigible idealists who worked themselves to the bone to hew vineyards out of the tough, limestone gravel strewn soils, all in order to make tiny amounts of light bodied, fragrant and elegant pinot noir, chardonnay, pinot gris and perhaps sparkling wine from vines with impossibly low yields.

So if you have not experienced the County and its wines, and you find yourself with time on Thursday between 5pm and 9pm, click here for tickets. It is $39 all in – the cost of one fine bottle of County pinot – with an opportunity to try dozens of wines, have a bite to eat and enjoy some live music as well. And if you can’t make it Thursday, set aside the weekend of May 25 to visit the County itself for the annual Terroir event in Picton.

Cheers,

David Lawrason
VP of Wine

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Try & Buy Great Prince Edward County Wines

Back for its second year, County in the City is a great “TRY and BUY” event. Many of these wines are not available in Toronto retail outlets. All wines purchased at this event will be delivered right to your door – with FREE shipping.

And it gets better – all wine samples are included in the ticket price!

Here are the details you need to know:

Event Name: County in the City

Date: Thursday, April  25, 2013

Time: 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 pm

Venue: The Berkeley Church, 315 Queen Street East, Toronto

Tickets are available now: $39 in advance (online tickets sent as a PDF in a confirmation email), $50 at the door (subject to availability)

Order Tickets Now

Have a look at some of the amazing Prince Edward County wineries who will be pouring at the event:

By Chadsey’s Cairns
Casa Dea
Closson Chase
Devil’s Wishbone
Exultet Estates
Grange of Prince Edward County Vineyard and Estate Winery
Half Moon Bay Winery
Huff Estates Winery
Karlo Estates
Keint-He Winery and Vineyard
Lighthall Vineyard
Norman Hardie
Rosehall Run
Sandbanks Winery
Stanners Vineyard

Follow County in the City on Twitter @winefestival

Filed under: Events, Featured Articles, Wine, County in the City, David Lawrason, prince edward county, Wine Tasting

WineAlign presents County In The City

Bringing Prince Edward County to You!

On April 25th you don’t need to travel to Prince Edward County to try the region’s most spectacular wines – because ‘The County’ is coming to YOU!

County in the City will be held at the Berkeley Church in Toronto. Come out and enjoy samples of more than 50 different wines that will delight the palate and introduce you to some of the most enticing flavours of Prince Edward County. Hors d’oeuvres made from locally sourced and seasonal ingredients will be served throughout the evening. While you mix and mingle, you’ll be entertained by live music with Shawn Brady on guitar along with an accompanying pianist.

Ontario’s hottest wine growing region

“Prince Edward County…20-plus wineries in the small zone, are creating wines that range from very promising to downright spectacular.” Matt Kramer, Wine Spectator

“A whole bunch of lovely wineries – you can just go from one to the next and have a fantastic time.” Konrad Ejbich, CBC Radio, Ontario Today

“Canada’s newest wine region may soon be on everyone’s lips.” Patrick Désy, Cellier Magazine, Quebec

Try & Buy Great Prince Edward County Wines

Back for its second year, County in the City is a great “TRY and BUY” event. Many of these wines are not available in Toronto retail outlets. All wines purchased at this event will be delivered right to your door – with FREE shipping.

And it gets better – all wine samples are included in the ticket price!

Here are the details you need to know:

Event Name: County in the City

Date: Thursday, April  25, 2013

Time: 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 pm

Venue: The Berkeley Church, 315 Queen Street East, Toronto

Tickets are available now: $39 in advance (online tickets sent as a PDF in a confirmation email), $50 at the door (subject to availability)

Order Tickets Now

Have a look at some of the amazing Prince Edward County wineries who will be pouring at the event:

By Chadsey’s Cairns
Casa Dea
Closson Chase
Devil’s Wishbone
Exultet Estates
Grange of Prince Edward County Vineyard and Estate Winery
Half Moon Bay Winery
Huff Estates Winery
Karlo Estates
Keint-He Winery and Vineyard
Lighthall Vineyard
Norman Hardie
Rosehall Run
Sandbanks Winery
Stanners Vineyard

Follow County in the City on Twitter @winefestival

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After attending the County in the City event, you may decide that you have to see the Prince Edward County region with your own eyes. Not to worry, the County has the next event all lined up for you.

Terroir: A County Wine Celebration

Terroir at The Crystal Palace is an annual showcase for new County wines presented by Prince Edward County Winegrowers Association. Many County wineries will introduce their new spring releases and serve their own unique wines paired with delicious cheeses and other gourmet food tastings.

Visit the Terroir Tasting Tent; learn from Master Sommelier John Szabo as he leads a discussion on the comparisons between Prince Edward County and other winemaking regions; attend a WineMakers Roundtable Hosted by Ange Aiello, iYellow Wine Club; and more.

Date: Saturday, May 25, 2013

Time: Noon – 6pm

Venue: The Crystal Palace, Main Street Fairgrounds, Picton

Tickets are $35 in advance (including wine samples and three food pairings), $40 at the door (Subject to availability)

For more information visit: Terrior – A County Celebration or Click here to for your Terrior Tickets.

Follow Terrior on Twitter @CountyTerroir

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Filed under: Events, News, Wine, Ontario Wine, prince edward county, Wine Tasting

Win FREE tickets to Malbec World Day

Win FREE tickets to this popular Argentina Wine Tasting Event

Wines of Argentina is giving away 5 pairs of tickets to this walk around tasting event – a $130.00 value! Read on for more information on how you can win.

On Tuesday April 16, discover wines made from Argentina’s popular signature grape Malbec, as well as wines from Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Bonarda, Chardonnay and Torrontes. This popular VINTAGES event is being held in Toronto at Roy Thomson Hall, 20 Simcoe Street.Enjoy fabulous wines, a tango demonstration, Argentina-inspired finger foods and music at this preview of 46 wines that will be available in stores in the coming months.

For more information and to purchase tickets go to www.vintages.com/events or call 416-365-5767 or toll-free at 1-800-266-4764.

For a chance to win a pair of tickets, click the link below and answer the following question:

Did you know that Argentina has desert-like conditions in most of its wine growing regions, with many vineyards planted at cooler high altitudes. Which mountain range has the most influence on Argentine vines? 

Enter the Contest here

5 winners will be randomly selected from correct answers submitted by noon on Monday, April 8. Each of the 5 winners will receive a pair of tickets to the event. A $130.00 Value.

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Filed under: Events, Wine, Argentina, Malbec World Day, Vintages, Wine

25th Anniversary Cuvée Weekend Wine Experience • Exclusive WineAlign VIP access

Exclusive WineAlign VIP Access to Cuvée’s 25th Anniversary Party

Celebrate Ontario’s finest at the Cuvée Grand Tasting Gala and Après Cuvée

Ontario’s hottest wine event kicks off on Friday evening, March 1st, with the Grand Tasting Gala at the Niagara’s Fallsview Casino Resort. New features have been added in 2013, making the gala event more buzz-worthy than ever before. Over 40 winemakers will play favourites and each will pour a wine for which they feel most proud of.

As always, guests have the opportunity to mingle with the winemakers as they sample locally inspired cuisine prepared at live cooking stations by 10 of Niagara’s top chefs. Après Cuvée is returning in 2013, so as the Grand Tasting winds down, the party keeps going with live music, dancing, an Icewine and Bubbles Bar and Craft Beer.

Cuvée en Route

Each Cuvée ticket is also your passport to Cuvée en Route, which allows guests to tour and taste along Niagara’s Wine Route from Friday through Sunday. En Route participants will enjoy exclusive tastings, special meals and menu items at participating wineries and restaurants. Cuvée en Route guests have the exclusive opportunity to shop for featured Cuvée wines direct from the wineries.

Pre-Gala VIP Tasting for WineAlign members

As part of an exclusive offer, WineAlign members are invited to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Cuvée in style with VIP Access.

In addition to the Grand Tasting Gala, Après Cuvée and Cuvée en Route, WineAlign Members are invited to come early (5:30pm) to attend the pre-event VIP Gala tasting – which until now has only been open to wine writers and Ontario wine industry leaders.

To take advantage of this exclusive WineAlign VIP offer, you can order your tickets on-line, by phone at (905) 684-8688, or download and fax this this order form.  If ordering by phone, don’t forget to mention that you are a WineAlign VIP!

Ticket Info:

WineAlign VIP Access Ticket • March 1 to 3 • $200 per person
Includes access to the VIP Pre-Gala Tasting, the Grand Tasting Gala, Aprés Cuvée and Cuvée en Route

Schedule for Friday March 1, 2013:

WineAlign VIP Access Tasting – 5:30pm to 7:30pm
Grand Tasting – 7:30 pm to 10 pm (black-tie optional)
Après Cuvée – 9:30 pm to Midnight

Schedule for the week-end, March 1 – 3, 2013:

Cuvée en Route: Visit the wineries at your leisure, Friday through Sunday

For more information on Cuvée 2013, including a list of participating wineries and chefs, our sponsors and special rates on accommodations, visit Cuvée 2013.

Making Our Community Stronger

A tax receipt will be issued for a portion of the ticket price. Proceeds will go to the Niagara Community Foundation, which builds and manages income earning endowment funds to support charitable activities. 

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Filed under: Events, News, Cuvée, Cuvée Awards, Grand Tasting Gala, Ontario Wine

Enjoy Award Winning Wines with guest Padma Lakshmi

On November 2nd, The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and WineAlign present an epicurean wine tasting dinner celebrating the winning wines from the 2012 Royal Wine Competition.

Special Guest – Padma Lakshmi

Mix & mingle over a glass of wine with Padma Lakshmi and other food & wine aficionados in the Royal Vineyard from 8:00-8:30 pm.

Emmy nominated Padma Lakshmi is known internationally as a food expert, television host, model and award-winning author. Lakshmi can be seen on the Food Network as the host of “Top Chef”.

At 8:30 pm, head to the Royal Court Restaurant, where gourmet cuisine will be paired with winning wines from the competition. Master Sommelier John Szabo – Head Judge of the 2012 Royal Wine Competition – will lead the tasting and speak to the elements of the competition and the wines that came out on top.

These exclusive tickets are priced at $100 for a three course meal including wine pairings.

Our wine dinner events have been consistently and quickly selling out. If you are interested in attending then we advise you to purchase your tickets as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

First Course

Roasted heirloom beet caprese salad with mozzarella di buffala, pistachio pesto, shaved candy cane beets

Main Course

48 hour braised beef short ribs with cauliflower mash, carrot bundle, pickled honey mushrooms, parmesan frico, port jus

Fish alternative

Grilled steelhead trout, mustard and parsley crushed celery root, bacon wrapped celery bundle and salsa verde

Dessert

Dark and white chocolate terrina with nutella and toasted hazelnut brittle

Coffee & Tea

Date and Time:
November 2, 2012.
Mix and Mingle - 8:00pm in the Royal Vineyard
Dinner – 8:30 in the Royal Court Restaurant

Location: 
Heritage Court – Direct Energy Centre – Exhibition Place
100 Princes’ Boulevard, Toronto, Ontario M6K 3C3

About the Royal:

The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair (RAWF) is a 10-day long event, starting November 2^nd, 2012.  “The Royal” began as the largest and most prestigious agricultural exposition in North America.  It has since evolved into a multi-faceted event with four primary focuses, touching Canadian and international communities:  competition, entertainment, commerce and education.  The Royal also maintains a strong focus on “farm to fork” and agricultural sustainability.  More than 300,000 visitors are welcomed annually, and with The Royal celebrating its 90^th anniversary in 2012, this year’s Fair will be a massive party reaching all corners of Toronto and Canada. Visit us at www.royalfair.org

About Padma

Emmy nominated Padma Lakshmi is known internationally as a food expert, award-winning author, television host, model and actor.  Lakshmi can be seen on the Food Network as the host of “Top Chef”.

Lakshmi established herself as a food expert early on in her career, having hosted two successful cooking shows and writing a best-selling cookbook Easy Exotic, for which she won the International Versailles Event for best cookbook by a first time writer.  Lakshmi followed this success with the publication of her second cookbook, Tangy, Tart, Hot & Sweet, released by Weinstein Books which has over 150 recipes from around the world alongside intriguing personal memoirs. In addition to her food writing, she has contributed to such magazines as American Vogue, Gourmet and British and American Harper’s Bazaar.  Visit: www.Padma Lakshmi.com

Filed under: Events, News, Wine, John Szabo, Padma Lakshmi

Chilean Wine Festival returns to Toronto with an Exclusive offer for WineAlign members

Wines of Chile and the Trade Commission of Chile (ProChile) present their 9th annual grand tasting and celebration of wine and food – the Chilean Wine Festival. An outstanding set of 30 wineries bring 150 wines for this tasting. In a casual yet sophisticated setting, guests can mingle with winemakers while sampling from an array of red and white varietals and a selection of food pairings and gourmet cheeses.

Explore the Regions

Chile’s outstanding diversity of wines stems from the country’s extraordinary geography and unique climate. Regionality is the key to Chile’s stylistic development and winemakers are striving to reflect the different terroirs that the country can offer, especially in the cooler coastal areas and in the Andean foothills.

Avid wine consumers today recognize the names Casablanca, Maipo and Colchagua, but these are just the beginnings of a host of appellations. It is this mosaic of terroirs and wineries that composes Wines of Chile.

Meet the Winemakers

The 2012 Toronto tasting will feature two focus tables: Chile: The Natural Choice and 9th Annual Wines of Chile Awards Winners and the following participating wineries:

Apaltagua, Arboleda, Caliterra, Carmen, Concha Y Toro, Cono Sur, Cousino Macul, De Martino, Dos Andes, Emiliana, Errazuriz, Los Maquis, Maipo, Montes, Mont Gras, Morandé, Pérez Cruz, Requingua, San Esteban, San Pedro, Santa Alicia, Santa Carolina, Santa Ema, Santa Rita, Seña, Siegel, Valdivieso, Ventisquero, VIA Wines and Vistamar.

Exclusive Offer

WineAlign readers are invited to discover the wines of Chile with an exclusive offer. Purchase your tickets using the promotional code WINEALIGN and you will get $10 off the regular admission price of $75.

Date & Time:

Tuesday October 2nd, 2012 Toronto, Ontario
Walk-About Tasting – 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm

Venue:

Royal Ontario Museum, Peter F Bronfman Hall, 2nd level
100 Queens Park, Toronto

Price: $75 regular, $65 with the promotional code WINEALIGN

Click here to purchase tickets

Filed under: Events, News, Wine, Chile, Wines Of Chile

Paired tasting dinner at Barque with Boekenhoutskloof winemaker Marc Kent

B O E K E N H O U T S K L O O F (bow-ken-howts-cloof): Once you’ve tried it, the name rolls off the tongue…

Marc Kent

Founded in 1776, Boekenhoutskloof experienced a re-birth in 1993 when Marc Kent took over and initiated extensive new vineyard plantings that better suited the farm, including Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Grenache, Semillon and Viognier.  Marc’s skill as winemaker soon shone bright and he started to catch the eyes of wine lovers and writers around the world, garnering the only FIVE star rating for a South African winery from the esteemed Robert Parker.  In addition, Boekenhoutskloof was recently awarded “2012 Winery of the Year” by Platter’s South African Wine Guide.

Already known and loved for his Porcupine Ridge and The Chocolate Block, we are thrilled to have Marc in town to celebrate the launch of his Wolftrap White and Wolftrap Red labels, which will be widely available at the LCBO in a few weeks.

Join Marc for an exquisitely paired tasting experience at Barque (Toronto Life, Best New Restaurants 2012: No. 6 Barque) with a lineup of 8 of his wines that will quickly convert those new to South Africa.   What could be more compelling than a Canadian influenced, South African “braai” paired with show-stopping wines?

The WineAlign co-host for the evening will be the always engaging Zoltan Szabo.

Click here to purchase tickets

Date & Time:

September 18^th, 6:30 -  10:00 PM

6:30 Reception

7:00 – 10:00 Wine Tasting and Food Matching

Venue:

BARQUE Smokehouse

299 Roncesvalles Avenue Toronto

Price:

$99 a ticket all in including fees & HST

Wines and food* pairings:

Wolftrap Rose – Shrimp with tarragon crème fraiche, garlic chips

Wolftrap White – Salad of warm fior de latte, heirloom tomatoes, basil and reduced balsamic

Porcupine Ridge Sauvignon Blanc – BBQ Chicken and Goat Cheese croquettes

Boekenhoutskloof Semillon – White Fish En Papillote leeks, oyster mushrooms, lemongrass broth

Wolftrap Red – Pulled Duck Tacos , pickled carrots, scallions, ahoy sauce

Porcupine Ridge Syrah – BBQ Brisket with hush puppies

The Chocolate Block – Braised Short Rib, creamy polenta, green peppercorn jus

Boekenhoutskloof Syrah – NY Striploin with black pepper dumpling

* Food pairings may change due to produce availability

Click here to purchase tickets

IMPORTANT:  Our winemaker events have been consistently and quickly selling out.  If you are interested in attending then we advise you to purchase your tickets as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Filed under: Events, Barque Smokehouse, Boekenhoutskloof, Marc Kent

An Exclusive Event with Etude’s Winemaker Jon Priest – May 16th, Sassafraz, Toronto

WineAlign is delighted to offer its members an exclusive tutored tasting and reception with Winemaker Jon Priest of Etude Wines. Join us for a rare opportunity to try Etude’s portfolio of wines – each based on sustainable vineyard management and minimal winemaking intervention.

With varieties modeled on the best from Burgundy and Bordeaux, these wines speak clearly of their contemporary California origins, combining rich, ripe fruit with an elegant structure and opulent mouthfeel. Etude’s Pinot Noirs, including a highly esteemed bottling made from rare heirloom selections and single-vineyard offerings, are vinified from grapes grown on the Etude Estate Vineyards in the cool Carneros region.  Fruit for the winery’s Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from the warmer, northern half of the Napa Valley. The consistent high quality of grapes Etude grows and sources, combined with the skill and experience of the winemaking team, explains why Etude wines consistently earn the highest accolades from consumers, trade and wine critics, resulting in wines with authentic varietal expression.

“Is Jon Priest one of California’s great unsung winemaking stars?  On a recent 23 winery tasting tour through California his Etude pinots and chardonnays topped my charts, and his cabernet is mighty fine too.”
- David Lawrason

The sit-down tutored tasting will held at Sassafraz and co-hosted by WineAlign’s Master Sommelier, John Szabo. Enjoy the great Sassafraz food in an informal tapas style.

Purchase tickets here.

IMPORTANT:  Our last few winemaker events have sold out in a matter of hours.  While we’ve increased capacity for this event we still expect it to sell out quickly.  If you are interested in attending then we recommend you purchase tickets as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

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Event Details: 

Winery: Etude Wines
Winemaker:  Jon Priest
Quote:  “Inspired grape growing diminishes the need for winemaking intervention.”

Date: Wednesday May 16th, 2012
Time: 
6:00pm Reception with hors d’oeuvres
6:30-7:45pm  Tutored Tasting
7:45-8:30pm  Tapas – served family style
9:00pm  Event concludes.

Venue: Sassafraz restaurant, Yorkville, Toronto
Seats: 60
Fee: $65 (+HST)

Wines: 
Etude Estate Pinot Gris, Carneros
Etude Estate Chardonnay, Carneros
Etude Rosé of Carneros Pinot Noir
Etude Estate Pinot Noir, Carneros
Etude Deer Camp Pinot Noir, Carneros
Etude Heirloom Pinot Noir, Carneros
Etude Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Purchase tickets here.

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Filed under: Events, Wine, Etude, John Szabo, Jon Priest, Sassafraz, WineAlign