The Time and Date: Wednesday, November 11, 2009 7:30 PM to 10 PM
The Event: Kosher wine tasting from the portfolio of Mazel wines.
The Venue: Baycrest Centre
The Target Audience: wine writers and clients.
The Availability/Catalogue: all wines were available for purchase, some
by private order.
The Quote/Background: the wines and food matches were presented by Irv
Wolkoff and Sheila Swerling-Puritt, both Toronto-based wine and food
writers. Rabbi Tzvi Heber from Kashruth Council of Canada explained
kosher and mevushal wines. Flash pasteurization to 185 degrees
Fahrenheit is used. Some principals in attendance included Julius
Hafner (Hafner Winery) and Amotz Teperberg (Teperberg Winery).
The Wines: we tasted some wines BEFORE and AFTER a sitdown tasting, so
I'll put them all together. Sheila had arranged for some complementary
food to go with each of the sitdown wines. There was a short intro on
why North American wines were made only from Concord grapes.
The Event: Kosher wine tasting from the portfolio of Mazel wines.
The Venue: Baycrest Centre
The Target Audience: wine writers and clients.
The Availability/Catalogue: all wines were available for purchase, some
by private order.
The Quote/Background: the wines and food matches were presented by Irv
Wolkoff and Sheila Swerling-Puritt, both Toronto-based wine and food
writers. Rabbi Tzvi Heber from Kashruth Council of Canada explained
kosher and mevushal wines. Flash pasteurization to 185 degrees
Fahrenheit is used. Some principals in attendance included Julius
Hafner (Hafner Winery) and Amotz Teperberg (Teperberg Winery).
The Wines: we tasted some wines BEFORE and AFTER a sitdown tasting, so
I'll put them all together. Sheila had arranged for some complementary
food to go with each of the sitdown wines. There was a short intro on
why North American wines were made only from Concord grapes.
**** Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Cantina Gabriele Moscato Italy, 6% ABV, $16.15
-Cantina Gabriele Moscato Italy, 6% ABV, $16.15
***1/2 Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Hafner Pinot Noir Reserve Austria, 13% ABV, $26.40
-Cantina G. Montepulciano Italy, $16.95
-Cantina Gabriele Chianti Tuscany 2007, $18.35
-Efrat Israeli Merlot 2007, 13%, $16.05
-Cantina Gabriele Pinot Grigio 2007 Italy, 12%, $18.35
-Teperberg Silver Late Harvest White Riesling Israel, $20.65 half-
bottle
-Hafner Pinot Noir Reserve Austria, 13% ABV, $26.40
-Cantina G. Montepulciano Italy, $16.95
-Cantina Gabriele Chianti Tuscany 2007, $18.35
-Efrat Israeli Merlot 2007, 13%, $16.05
-Cantina Gabriele Pinot Grigio 2007 Italy, 12%, $18.35
-Teperberg Silver Late Harvest White Riesling Israel, $20.65 half-
bottle
*** Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Hafner Zweigelt Austria, $13.95
-Collage Chardonnay Semillion Israel, $14.25
-Efrat Israeli Chardonnay, 13%, $17
-Hafner Late Harvest Muscat Ottonel Austria, $16.45
-Hafner Zweigelt Austria, $13.95
-Collage Chardonnay Semillion Israel, $14.25
-Efrat Israeli Chardonnay, 13%, $17
-Hafner Late Harvest Muscat Ottonel Austria, $16.45
The Food: with a Hafner Gruner Veltliner, we had beets. Tuna
accompanied Efrat Israeli Chardonnay. The Cantina Gabriele Chianti came
with bruschetta. A salmon accompanied Hafner Pinot Noir Reserve. Before
and after the sitdown, we had a mélange of appetizers, mainly chips and
dips (tortilla chips, pita breads, crackers, toasts, couscous,
tapenade, salsa, baba ghanoush, and hummus). Fresh fruit and cookies
plus coffee were served at the end.
The Downside: we unofficially milled about for over a half hour, and I
was not sure if the tasting session was supposed to be open. Certainly,
it was not announced, and I expected to be tasting these wines after
the main event.
The Upside: there was a marvelous exhibit of rare old wines dating back
to the late 1920s. These were accompanied by notes assembled as
handouts to take home.
The Contact Person: badler@mazelwines.ca
The Marketing Effectiveness (numerical grade): 85.
accompanied Efrat Israeli Chardonnay. The Cantina Gabriele Chianti came
with bruschetta. A salmon accompanied Hafner Pinot Noir Reserve. Before
and after the sitdown, we had a mélange of appetizers, mainly chips and
dips (tortilla chips, pita breads, crackers, toasts, couscous,
tapenade, salsa, baba ghanoush, and hummus). Fresh fruit and cookies
plus coffee were served at the end.
The Downside: we unofficially milled about for over a half hour, and I
was not sure if the tasting session was supposed to be open. Certainly,
it was not announced, and I expected to be tasting these wines after
the main event.
The Upside: there was a marvelous exhibit of rare old wines dating back
to the late 1920s. These were accompanied by notes assembled as
handouts to take home.
The Contact Person: badler@mazelwines.ca
The Marketing Effectiveness (numerical grade): 85.
1 comment:
Nice blog. Enjoyed it very much. Tasting Wines is a Fun and Delicious Learning Experience.
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