The Event: One Spanish Grape – Two Processes

The Date and Time: Wednesday, April 22, 2015  6PM to 9PM

The Event: One Spanish Grape – Two Processes

The Venue: Victoria Lofts

The Target Audience: clients and wine writers

The Availability/Catalogue: the commercial wines are available through 30.50 Imports wine agentcy, while the made-in-Toronto wines come from Fermentations.

The Quote/Background: Charles Fajgenbaum has been making Toronto wine from frozen grape must imported from Mas de la Cacadora in Montsant Sapin. In fact, Fermentations uses only these grapes in its Spanish wine production. Through Grapemasters, Charles sells must to home winemakers. Joan Pujades, the winery owner, came along for the 30.50 portfolio show the following Monday (see below), and also this Fermentations/Grapemasters event, and poured his wines at Charles' place, in a semi-blind fashion.

The Wines: We began with Rosa La Guapa 2010 (carignan, grenache noir, merlot), $30.95, a dense fruit driven-with-oak wine. Then there was Quom de Montsant (merlot, cab sauv, grenache noir) more of an international blend, $29.95. Then we had "Grapemasters" Toronto wine (grenache blanc: very solid; tempranillo: beefy, and grenache noir: still tight). There was also the rustic syrah blend (60%, with 40% grenache noir) from 2013. My fave wine was the Lo Mur Red (garnaxta and samso, 15% ABV, $33). There was also Larmari Monjos (carignan, grenache nor, and cab sauv). The wines scored very well, probably because they were served in a very convivial atmosphere.

The Food: homemade tapas (shrimp, eggs, tortilla, and the like) plus olives, sausages, meats, cheeses, fruits. All went well with the wines.

The Downside: it began getting chaotic because a stream of late arrivals meant that Charles had to constantly begin at the beginning again, and consequently put off going through the tasting of the latter part of 8 wines.

The Upside: nevertheless, I appreciated the cooked tapas from Charles's wife, France.

The Contact Person: charles@fermentations.ca; norma@theresultsgrouppr.com; nelson@3050imports.com

The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 91.

 

Chimo! www.deantudor.com