Sip 'n' Savour Ontario Local Food and Wine, Oct 4/12, Distillery District

 The Date and Time: Wednesday, October 4, 2012   5:45 PM to 9 PM

The Event: Sip 'n' Savour Ontario; the ultimate local wine & food experience.

The Venue: Fermenting Cellar, Distillery District.

The Target Audience: consumer show, but I was invited as an OWA wine judge.

The Availability/Catalogue: most wines are available, either at the LCBO or through the winery.

The Quote/Background: this wine show emphasizes the OWA prizewinners, and is run in support of Houselink.

The Wines: I did not try every wine.

 

**** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):

 

-The Grange of Prince Edward 2008 Brut Estate Bottled

-Chateau des Charmes Chardonnay Musque Estate 2010, $16.95 +322016

-Huff Estates Cuvee Peter F Huff 2008, $39.95, +198754

-Jackson-Triggs Entourage Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc 2008, $29.95

-Konzelmann Estate Gewurztraminer 2010, $17

-Lailey Cabernet Franc Unfiltered 2010, $30.20

-Lailey Syrah Unfiltered 2010, $27.20

-Nyarai Cellars Sauvignon Banc 2011, $19.95

-Rosewood Estates Natalie's Sussreserve Riesling 2010, $15

-Southbrook Vineyards Triomphe Cabernet Franc 2010, +275958, $21.95

-Southbrook Vineyards Poetica Chardonnay 2010, $49.75

-Good Earth Vineyard Chardonnay 2009, $19.95

-Vineland Estates Dry Riesling 2009, +167551, $13.95

 

***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):

 

-Burning Kiln Chardonnay 2010, $14.95

-Burning Kiln Cab Frank 2011, $24.95

-Cattail Creek Estate Reserve Cabernet Merlot 2007, $24.95 +271825

-Cattail Creek Estate Reserve Chardonnay 2009, $24.95

-Chateau des Charmes Brut Estate MC NV, $22.95 +145409

-Colchester Ridge Posh Cuvee 2011 [white], $12.80

-Colio Estate Chardonnay 2011, $17.95

-Coyote's Run Red Paw Pinot Gris 2011, $17.95 +49775

-Hinterbrook Estate Franc Blanc 2011, $22

-South Bay Chardonnay 2010, $29.95

-Jackson Triggs Grand Reserve Shiraz 2010, $19.95

-Kacaba Reserve Cabernet Franc 2007, $44.95

-Kunzelmann Estate Merlot Family Reserve 2010, $27

-Lailey Cabernet Sauvignon Unfiltered 2010, $30.20

-Mike Weir Cabernet Merlot 2008, $16.95 +109

-Nyarai Cellars Viognier 2011, $20.95

-Pondview Bella Terra Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, $34.95

-Reif Red Meritage 2010, $29.95

-Southbrook Vineyards Whimsy Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, $34.95

-Southbrook Vineyards Triomphe Chardonnay 2010, +117572, $21.95

-Sue-Ann Staff Estate Riesling Loved by Lu 2011, +258632, $16.95

-Sue-Ann Staff Estate Riesling 2011 $18.95

-Tawse Grower's Blend Cabernet Franc 2010, +284570, $26.95

-Tawse Sketches of Niagara Chardonnay 2010, +89037, $19.95

-Tawse Riesling 2011, $19.95

-Good Earth Vineyard Pinot Noir 2009, +282384, $25

-Good Earth Vineyard Dry Riesling 2010, $19.95

-Vineland Estate Riesling St. Urban 2009, +38117, $19.95

-Vineland Estate Chardonnay Unoaked 2011, +669374, $12.95

-Vineland Estate Elevation Cabernet 2009, +173609, $24.95

 

*** GOOD -- Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms):

 

-Casa Dea Chardonnay Reserve 2009, $24.95

-Colio Estate Small Lot Syrah 2010, $24.95

-Jackson-Triggs Delaine Vineyard Gewurztraminer 2011, $25.95

-Kacaba Single Vineyard Syrah 2009, $29.95

-Rosewood Estates Merlot 2010, $22

-Rosewood Estates Pinot Noir Reserve Wild Ferment 2009, $40

 

The Food: half of the show is about Ontario food, so there were breads from Stonemill, water from Q Water, and dips from Summer Fresh. The show also had a student chef presentation and panel discussion, with three student teams from the Canadian Association of Foodservice Professionals Student Branch (George Brown College, Humber College and Ryerson University). The teams all prepared food and presented a business plan for marketing that new food product. Other demonstrations later that evening came from Carl Heinrich (Richmond Station), Trista Sheen (Crush), and David Chrystian (Victor). Outside in the tasting venue, Chrystian gave the wine show a duck liver ice cream treat, Sheen gave us smoked trout, the Boiler House had white fish and lentils, Reds had smoked salmon and lentil hummus, El Gastronomo Vagabundo had an excellent lamb pasta and cream, while Houselink had a polenta dish. The Dairy Farmers of Canada served up Albert's Leap brie-type cheese from Quality Cheese, Guernsey Curds from Upper Canada Cheese Company, and Maple Cheddar from Black River Cheese.

The Downside: it was a consumer show with too much noise and bouncing bodies. And of course, numquam spuemus.

The Upside: great local food

The Contact Person: tony.aspler@sympatico.ca

The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 90

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com