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A
Wine Lover's Guide to TIFF
Move over Body Snatchers
It's the Invasion of Tetra Paks
©
Michael Vaughan 2006
National Post
Weekly Wine & Spirits Columnist
Saturday,
September 9, 2006
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With this kick-off of Toronto's International Film Festival, I wanted to uncover what's hot, what's not. I was able to button hole a server I know at a preview. I ask: "so what's the scoop?" He gives me the eye, as in, do you really want to know? I prod. 'It's all about free drinks," my confidant says, "they drink just about anything!"
Well isn't that what parties are all about? Of course, what is being poured is determined by the TIFF drink sponsors. But unfortunately, because I haven't previewed anything being presented by the TIFF sponsors, I can't even tell you what's being served.
My
confidant then reveals that some attendees are sipping their own wine. I
am stunned and ask: "they are bringing their own wine?"
"Yep" is the reply; "it started last year with some fancy
small red cans of sparkling wine." He is referring to Sofia
Mini Blanc de Blanc, a carbonated, nondescript blend of
California whites that hit the Vintages in November 2004. Admittedly it
looked great. Four pop-top, metallic red cans accompanied by an
extendable, bendable, plastic-wrapped, fuchsia-coloured straw. Rotate the
can in the spotlights and various words would suddenly appear on the can's
surface: petulant, reactionary, fragrant, effervescent, etc.
Of course, there was the taste to contend with. Innocuous would be the best descriptor for Sofia - no Oscar here - even though it was "vented and canned" by Francis Coppola Presents. You see, film director Francis Ford Coppola is Sophia's father. And while the wine is OK, it certainly wouldn't do for anyone who had a predisposition for anything Champagne-like. Also at $29.95 for four 187 ml (6.6 ounces) cans, it was an extremely pricey affair and is no longer available.
But what an inspiration: drinking in the dark. I fanaticize about theatres filled with the sound of happy, muffled, slurps. And it's not Coke, it'wine! Of course, I never thought about taking wine to film night because, aside from being illegal, it was too inconvenient to lug a glass bottle to the theatre. The latter limitation changed last November with the launch of French Rabbit - the first of a series of portable, lightweight, unbreakable, tetra paks (prisma styled) that are now popping up at local LCBO stores like bunnies.
How to & Tetra Etiquette
Perhaps the greatest challenge facing moviegoers is how to drink your wine. There is no question that a wine tastes best out when sipped out of the appropriate glass. As theatres do not provide stemware, one is forced to improvise with a pop containers, or worse yet, straws.
My experience with straws has been mixed positive. They tend to highlight fruit flavours and bring out acidity, which tends to favour new world wine styles. As Georg Reidel has yet to introduce a series of specialty wine straws, we will have to make do with what's available. Make sure, however, that the straw you choose is long enough. There's nothing worse than seeing the straw slip from your lips and disappear into the container.
It is also best not annoy make adjoining patrons: keep your choice of beverages to yourself. One intrepid fan managed to bury a one-litre tetra pak into his bag of popcorn. Those using smaller paks might consider wrapping the container with the TIFF program using an elastic band.
While I was unsuccessful in trying to organize a comparative tasting of all tetra paks, I managed to wade through some two-dozen recent releases and come up with a short list of recommendations. For what its worth, here is my wine lover's survivor's guide for the TIFF.
Rosé
To begin with I tasted two rosé, both White Zinfandel from California.
One is the just-released Three
Thieves Bonnie White Zin (16899) at $13.95 for
four 250 ml containers, which has a $2 premium over the resealable 1-litre
package. It is fairly fruity and quite light bodied with some sweet
strawberry-melon flavours and has 9.5% alcohol. Pleasant and ready to
drink, it comes with an unresealable pull-top tab. If buying, make sure
you get something that is packed recently because they definitely do not
improve with age. This one has lot number L6203 meaning that it was
packaged on the 203 day (July 22) of 2006.
Better yet and highly recommended is the less expensive, very tasty,
gently sweet, bright, fresh strawberry-driven Beringer
White Zinfandel (614354) at $9.95 for 4 units
containing 187 ml each (equivalent to a 750 ml bottle). It was a winner
with hot buttered popcorn and is the only brand at the LCBO to come in a
convenient small screwcap plastic bottle, which is referred to as PET
(polyethylene terephthalate). It is a shame that the LCBO refuses to sell
these small packages individually so consumers could buy/try one at a
time. And wouldn't it be great to be able to buy one in movie theatres!
Huge quantities sell individually in the United States, but not here in
Ontario.
Whites
After
slogging through a wide array of whites - everything from Black Tower
German Riesling to a variety of Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio, I have come
up with a couple of top choices. From California, Vendange
Pinot Grigio (613638) is $7.00 and comes in a
conveniently-sized 500 ml tetra. It has a crowd-pleasing, gently spicy,
medium-light bodied, ripe lemon-apple-apricot flavours with a crisp
finish.
Better yet, from South Eastern Australia is Alice White 2005 Semillon Chardonnay (664597) at $8.00, also in a 500 ml tetra pack. This 60-40 blend really hits the spot with its fairly dry, slightly honeyed, rounded, bright, peachy-pear flavours. A versatile, easy drinking style that will go well with almost every film!
Reds
While some of the new world reds tend to be fruity and very faintly
sweetish, I had no problems with two just released Spanish reds. They come
in one-litre tetra packs and are better decanted and served at the table
than being sipped in a theatre. For my taste, at $12.95 they are as good,
if not better than the 750-ml bottles of Solaz, which is also made by
Osborne. Ducal
2004 Shiraz Tempranillo (11783) offers well
structured, ripe, plummy, cherry flavours with a lingering finish. At 14%
alcohol, this is something that you might want to serve in a decanter,
which will remove all packaging bias.
Reel Wine of the Week
Perhaps
the best tetra pak to hit the LCBO shelves this year, and certainly one of
the tastiest new Italian whites, is Fontana
di Papa Anfora 2005 Malvasia del Lazio (614925)
at $11.95 per litre (with $1 LTO to October 8). Made from Malvasia grapes from Lazio vineyards
adjoining the heart of Italy - Rome, it has attractive, very tangy, dry,
gently spicy, ripe pear flavours with refreshing, ready-to-enjoy finish.
2001-2002-2003-2004-2005-2006
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