winefind.ca
If you want to buy a wine, just click on the wine name below and you will instantaneously connected with the LCBO database. The wine name will appear in blue and all you have to do is click on the name again and then the next screen will provide details along with the store search. Just click on the search. The number of bottles in each store is updated nightly. You should call the store first to see if stock still remains (each store phone number is provided).

Move over Film Festival, the fall wine tasting madness is upon us. Much like the celebration of celluloid, the next two months sees a constant stream of events and visiting personalities. First off the mark was Prevedello & Mathews International who kicked off this year’s wine rush with a portfolio tasting Cantine Ascheri Giacomo Piedmonte wines.

Held at the new Summerhill LCBO, it featured visiting winemaker Matteo Ascheri. It was like a breath of fresh air as he debunked those precious producers who swear by incredibly low yields, nothing but the best oak and extremely high prices. Instead of power and extract, Ascheri aims for balance, finesse and natural flavours, which reflect the specific terroire. This enables him keep prices at bay.

While his Barolos are the order of the day, I was most impressed with the wonderful Aschieri 2000 Montalupa Bianco Viognier with its seductive, dry but honeyed, ripe Anjou pear purée flavours and lingering finish. This whopper has 14.3% alcohol and yet maintains perfect balance through high total acidity. One quarter of the juice was aged for four months in new French oak meaning that the fruit still shines through. For information call 416-979-9153.

Although unable to attend last weekend’s Niagara Food & Wine Classic, I did squeeze in a quick visit to Pilliteri Estates winery who was celebrating their 10^th anniversary. If there ever was a family winery this is it. It is the culmination of Gary Pillitteri’s dream. He arrived from Sicily in 1948 and today lets his son Charlie, daughter Connie and son-in-law Jamie Slingerland, along with winemaker Sue-Ann Staff, keep everything afloat.

I was stunned to see how rapidly the winery had grown since my last visit just a few years ago. If I had to choose my favourite it would be the impressive Pillitteri 2001 Chardonnay Family Reserve (winery only - $22.95), which is wonderfully toasty with gently smoky, lingering, key lime pie flavours. A readily available LCBO best buy is Pilliterri 2002 Gewurztraminer Riesling (349126 - $9.95) - a very spicy, fresh, honeyed, crowd pleaser. The best red is Pilliterri 1999 Merlot Family Reserve (winery only - $39.95) with fine, rich, ripe plum, black currant and cherry flavours. 

I was amazed to discover that Pilliterri is now the world’s largest producer of estate icewine – over 50,000 litres were produced in 2002. Those lucky enough to have scooped up the Canadian International Wine Challenge Gold medal winning Pillitterri 2001 Vidal Icewine (435727) at only $19.95 have a terrific bargain on their hands. Having tasted all six of their 2002 icewines, I would make a beeline to Pillitterri 2002 Riesling Icewine (winery only - $24.95/200 ml). For information contact the winery or agent Colin Halpern at 416-593-2662.

This week also saw the start of wine club tastings, which continue in earnest until next May. On Wednesday there were two simultaneous events Toronto Winetasters (416-690-0281) featured a comparative blind tasting 1993 Burgundies, while the Spanish Wine Society (416-927-9464) focuses on Navarra’s Bodegas Ochoa. There are plenty of other clubs vying for your attention: Ontario , South Africa , Portugal , American, Vintners, etc. A full list of all these groups and upcoming events along with e-mail addresses is posted on my website.

There are also various wine club dinner tastings. On Friday, September 19, there is a joint Portuguese-South African Wine Society wine dinner featuring ten wines. It takes place at Adega Restaurant ( 33 Elm Street ) at 7:00 pm and tickets are $80 per person (416-977-4338).

Last Thursday I had a chance to taste a number of undiscovered Spanish wines at Piatto Restaurant (located on the south side of Dundas just east of Mississauga Road ). It was part of a Festival of Spanish Food & Wine celebrating the launch of a new agency called Spain Only 1, which is headed by chef Fernando Garcia. The wines were extremely interesting, my favourites being Pedro Escadero 2002 Fuente Elvira Verdejo a delicious, fresh ripe Anjou pear flavoured 100% Verdejo from the Rueda ($38 on the menu). Another find was the fresh, fruity, well-balanced Vinhos Jeromin 2002 Puerto de Alcala Joven, a 100% Tempranillo from the Madrid denomination. These and other wines are available at under $20. Call Craig Gambarotto-McKay at 905-726-3865.

The five course menu ($48) highlights were a lovely Carpaccio de Setas con Bacalao Frito and a most inventive Gazpacho. Medallion of beef tenderloin was the order of the day. It all takes place from September 15 to 27. To see the detailed menu and wines served click here. For information call 905-896-9111.

Also in attendance was Hazel McCallion who was first elected Mayor of Mississauga in November, 1978, and is the longest serving Mayor in the city’s history. She was acclaimed in 1980, re-elected in 1982 and 1985, acclaimed again in 1988 and re-elected in 1991, 1994, 1997 and 2000. Born in Port Daniel on the Gaspe Coast of Quebec, this remarkable senior citizen kicked things up with chef Garcia.

A number of wine specific fairs are also planned for the fall. Last night saw the kick off the 52nd Niagara Grape & Wine Festival, which brings you more than 100 events and continues until the September 28th. While many of the events are family oriented with parades, children's programs, handicrafts, aerial displays, etc., there are dozens of winery seminars, tours, special tastings and dinners. Brochures are available in LCBO stores.

Also this week is the Australian Wine Experience on Wednesday, September 17^th at the CBC Atrium from 7:00 to 10:00 pm. Some 50 Australian wineries will be pouring a wide range of wines. Tickets must be purchased in advance for $60 (plus service charge) at TicketKing.com (416-872-1212).

On Thursday, October 2^nd the Sonoma Wine Affair will feature the wares of 30 wineries. Held at Hilton Toronto from 7:00 to 9:30 pm, tickets are $45 for wine club/$50 for guests. Call 1-800-558-2675 for further information or click here.

Various wine related fund raising events are also in full swing. The TSO (416-593-7769) presents a series of on-going events culminating in their charity auction and tasting on October 2 at the Ontario Club. Another particularly worthwhile event is Eat to the Beat (the major fundraiser for Willow Breast Cancer Support) on Tuesday, September 30 at Roy Thomson Hall starting at 7 pm. It features gourmet cuisine by Ontario's leading women chefs paired with the wares of local wines and brews. Tickets are $135 and one should contact Shana Coppen at 416-778-6314 ext. 229.

Perhaps the best-kept wine event secret takes place on Friday, September 26. The annual Canadian Wine Awards dinner will be held at the Metropolitan Hotel at 108 Chestnut Street starting at 6:30 pm. Tickets are $175 per person – call 416-597-6318. Now in its third year, the competition pits BC vs. Ontario and the results are generally recognized as being the most credible in the country.

Check out our winefind.ca tasting notes database

Our tasting note database goes back to January 1, 2001 and covers every Vintages release product for the past 31 months. There are approximately 5,000 notes in the database data. Just enter the name of the product, supplier name or CSPC number. Or you can search by type of wine, country of origin, even wine agent! Nothing could be easier. When you get your search results (starting with the most recent release), click on the item name and you will instantaneously connected to the FBTI Vintage Assessments database. You will see our tasting note along with the name of the agent. You can get information on the agent by clicking on the agent’s name. Also, you can check LCBO store inventory by clicking on Check LCBO Availability. It will automatically take you to the item you want to search.

To use our winefind.ca Tasting Notes Database: click here

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September 2003 InStore Discovery

Copyright Food & Beverage Testing Institute of Canada 2004
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Contact Michael Vaughan at
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