May 2020
The wine tasting club met on May 7th via Zoom. Since we were not able to host a meeting and taste the same wine as a group, we chose to select our own new or favourite wines and shared our findings with the group. Each wine was
accompanied by our favourite appetizers and cheese selections. Most of our wine selections periodically go on sale at the LCBO for a few dollars less.
Jennifer Roberts
The wine I had yesterday is Unwined Smooth White (Head Says Gym, Heart Says Wine) from Colio Estate Wines Ontario. It was $10.95 a bottle, with 12% alcohol. I would recommend this wine. It is smooth with a fruity flavour.
Tim Sulisz
My wine recommendation was “La Vieille Ferme”. It is a white wine blend from France, north of Avignon, that was produced in 2019 and has an alcohol content of 13%. The name means “the old farm”. It is produced by the Famille Perrin which has been making wine for five generations. It is a light crisp wine that goes well with Boursin soft white cheese on Mary’s crackers or salmon pate on crackers. I originally learned about “La Vieille Ferme” as a wine recommendation from the Toronto Star quite a number of years ago, who touted it as great value for the money and rated it over 90 out of 100. It has become one of my favourites. It normally costs $12.55 and is widely available from both the LCBO and Grocery Stores.
Linda Johnson
I chose Astica Malbec Rose from Argentina. This was a featured wine down in Ajicic, Mexico at an unbelievably low price of approximately $5.00 Cdn. I was only able to bring back one bottle from Mexico, and wish I could have brought more. This wine is available in the LCBO for $8.95.The wine is a little darker than most rose wines but still very light and refreshing. Alcohol content is 12% and it is a lovely sipping wine for a lazy afternoon on the patio or in the garden. From what I can make out in my limited Spanish, it is described as a a fruity wine with a robust aroma. I paired it with
savoury sun dried tomato and Asiago shortbread and a wonderful Morbier style cheese from Quebec. This cheese has the maple ash in the middle and is rich and creamy. I highly recommend this wine as an excellent choice for summer.
Joan and James Rayner
The wine that Joan and I had today was Berlinger Founders’ Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (California), 2018, 13.8% alcohol. Full bodied, deep berry, toasted oak, and vanilla spice. Price: $16.95. Price was good; I liked the taste, not overbearing but hearty. Nice spicy finish. Joan found that it wasn’t strong enough tasting for her.
Ruth Warren
The wine I chose was French, called Cote des Roses (2018) by the Gerard Bertrand winery. It is a crisp dry rose with vibrant citrus and herbal tones made with Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault grapes. It is recommended for just sipping or with mildly spiced ribs. As I said, on Zoom, I really liked the bottle. I know that a person in wine tasting is supposed to pick the wine for the wine and not the bottle. The bottle is streamlined, with a glass stopper and a cut out rose on the base. The price is $18.95.
Sylvia Newman
My wine selection for our Zoom Wine Tasting Club meeting of May 7th was a dry French Rosé from the Rhone Valley called “Ogier Cotes du Ventoux”. This refreshing and quite full-bodied salmon coloured wine is a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault grapes. It pours dry on the palate with hints of citrus and red pepper jelly, leading to a pleasant finish. I accompanied it with a Scandinavian style crisp bread, spread with mayonnaise infused with dill and lemon zest and topped with cooked small shrimp. The price of the wine is $14.55.
Mary Mulligan
I selected and highly recommend Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc. Stoneleigh is a wine producer based in the New Zealand region of Marlborough. It is best known for its Sauvignon Blanc wines, which are made in several styles at different price points. A passionfruit and gooseberry nose gives way to a palate sprinkled with ripe tropical fruit flavours, grapefruit and citrus. A full flavoured Sauvignon Blanc with great balance and a lengthy finish, it’s excellent with our scallops and chorizo bites. The region has a population of 48,800 (June 2018). Marlborough is known for its dry climate, the Marlborough Sounds, and Sauvignon blanc wine. It takes its name from the earlier Marlborough Province, which was named after His Grace General The 1st Duke of Marlborough, an English general and statesman. The price is $17.95.
Linda Hasler
My selection for our wine tasting was Babich, a classic Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc produced in New Zealand. It is clean, fresh and tropical, made with fruit from several vineyards situated throughout Marlborough. It has aromas of lemon blossom, lime and blackcurrent, apple and ripe citrus with juicy green notes and a gentle spice. It won the silver medal at the New York Wine & Spirits Competition 2019. It was quite delicious. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is my favourite. Price $17.95.
Pat and Murray Wood
We tasted wines that we made at Haus of Vine. Pat enjoyed an Italian Pinot Grigio, her favourite white wine which cost $7.11 per bottle. Murray tasted a red Spanish wine, Monastrell which also came in at $7.11 per bottle.
Margaret & Jack Markham
One of our wines was made at House of Wines the other was from OPEN. We have used House of Wines for the past several years and are pleased with them. Today Jack had a Merlot from them which has a pleasing aroma and is good in the evening before bed as it puts him to sleep & is better than a sleeping pill as long as it doesn’t become a habit.
Marg had a Pinot Grigio from OPEN with a bit of Soda Water which together had a pleasing taste. This is a new wine from OPEN. With our wine we enjoyed homemade sausage rolls & biscuits with cream cheese and homemade red pepper jelly.
This was our first experience with ZOOM and our Wine tasting group & we enjoyed seeing our friends & hearing how everyone was coping during these times.
Probus Club of Kingsway-Islington 