What to do, What to do? It would seem that Toronto's best party is once again upon us from Nov 17th to 20th.

 I am hoping to enjoy the show again this year. It's been a good time in the past. Now if  I could just find someone to go to it with? Anyone up for it?

The purpose of life, after all is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear

~Eleanor Roosevelt ~

I remember seeing the trailers for this film last year. My wife and I wanted to go then but it was a very limited release, only one theater (downtown Toronto) Although it looked like a fun film we decided to take a pass and wait for the DVD. A couple of weeks ago we were thinking a night out for mom and dad would be a good idea and we went to take in a movie. This gave us a second chance to view the film. Getting to AMC 20 minutes early was almost not enough time to get a ticket as the film sold out and we had to sit in the 4th row.

As a wine lover to start with, I was pretty sure that I would enjoy the flick even if the masses panned it. I am also a big fan of Paul Giamatti (Miles) ever since I saw him as "Pig Vomit" in Howard Sterns "Private Parts" .

The movie was very entertaining, and had some great laughs in it. The character "Miles" is quite pathetic but as the film goes on you warm up to him. Thomas Hayden Church "Jack" probably best known as "Lowell Mather" from the T.V. series "Wings" was hilarious in his role as Miles buddy. Soon to be wed "Jack" wants to get as much Sex as he can in the pre wedding, week long romp through wine country  with his best man "Miles"

The film has some great moments and one of  my favorites is when "Miles and Maya" (Virginia Madsen) are discussing why they like wine. The two do a fantastic job on this exchange of dialogue and make you want to buy a bottle of pinot.  

A great deal of the film is dedicated to character development and I found myself forgetting I was watching 'actors' on several occasions.

If your looking for a fun romantic comedy I think you will find just that in "Sideways". I will be adding it to my DVD collection when it is released.  9 out of 10

The Toronto Food and Wine Expo is over. This year my wife and I were joined by another couple which gave us the opportunity to sample a lot more wine as we shared the taste of the grape many times with each other. Each wine sample has a ticket price (tasting tickets are .50 cents and the cost of a sample ranges from 2 tickets up to 25 tickets for some of the premium vintages) and by the end of the evening my friend Ford would describe the wine sample by the # of tickets the sample cost.

me: "what's this one called"

Ford: "9 tickets"

Because this was my second time at the show I was able to avoid a lot of the faux pas that I had made the previous year. Like parking at the back of the convention center as oppose to the front as to avoid the 10 mile walk to the exhibit. Getting their early before the masses came which made it easier to sample more stuff. I was able to try a cheese flight from the "Cheese Boutique" which was very cool as the cheese guy selects your samples based on the wine your going to drink with it. Not cheesy at all :) I also got to speak with Derek Barnett again.

 I met Derek at the Wigamog Inn during our summer vacation. The Inn had a food and wine pairing and Lailey Vineyard's (Derek is the wine maker for Lailey) supplied the wine. This was very cool as he remembered me. I asked him if he had any of the award winning Cab Franc 2001 left but unfortunately it was sold out. He did however have a private stash that was not on the menu and he was gracious enough to give me a sample (very nice) I will be making a point to visit Lailey next year.

Their was also an exhibitor (a builder) who was looking for an Innkeeper for the refurbished Keefer Mansion in Niagara. Now there is a lifestyle change if your looking for one. No Vineyard though. Only 7 G's a month lease and your inn.

My wife and I are having our second annual wine tasting party at our house in December. Last year's party was a great time and very educational, not only from a wine tasting experience but also from a planning perspective. (only sample 1 kind of wine or your guests will be too impaired to care about the other one) Our testing wine this year is Cabernet Franc, not the most popular grape variety but a very old one with lots of global coverage. Last year we had invited about 10 couples but because it was so close to Christmas less than 1/2 were able to attend. This year I fired out/am in the process of sending out 12 invites and it looks like we will set a new attendance record!! 

On another related note The Gourmet Food and Wine Expo 2004 at the metro convention centre is only 2 weeks away. I just went to the website and you can now buy your tickets and more importantly you can print off your $3 off coupon. It runs from Nov 25 through to the 28th and if you like food and wine you will really enjoy this show. We are planning on attending Saturday Night so let me know if you going and I might stagger into you. If you want to get a better idea of what to expect at the show check out my post from last years show.

When I first set eyes on this book at the public library I thought about the wine I had made the previous year at my local brew your own swill joint. I thought about how excited I was to make my own vino (all 60 bottles of it) and about how disappointing the end product eventually turned out to be. I decided it was time I understood why my Syrah tasted like a stinky wet dog and my Chardonnay tasted more like lemon-aid than the buttery oakey flavor description on the box of juice I bought. 

This book was a very long read. Not because it was difficult or uninteresting. Quite the contrary, it was informative and engaging, often encouraging the reader (in a suggestive kinda way) to whip out to the liquor store and grab a bottle of Cabernet Franc or Baco Noir. Not for the pleasure of the drink but strictly for study purposes. I mean how one can expect to fully comprehend the information with out correlating it to the product you're studying is behond me.

This constant necessity to acquire study material, as you can imagine, caused numerous distractions when trying to read. And lets not forget the effects of the beverage and the way it makes you want to impart your newly acquired knowledge on anyone who will listen.

Upon completion of the book, I can now say with confidence that I know far more about wine than I did pre read. I can also say with great conviction  that by learning how much information exists on the subject, 'I still know very little about wine.' I did however aquire enough information to advise my younger brother on future 'can't go wrong' wine purchases in one word. Inniskillin.

This book inspired me to:

check out the cost of vineyards in southwestern Ontario, find a place to buy fresh grapes and fresh juice for this years batch of home brew, find a place to buy grape vines and

 a place to plant them. (thanks Scott)

In closing here is an excerpt about Ordering Wine in a dining establishment:

"Your server should place the cork on the table beside you so that you can examine it. The end that has been in the bottle (referred to as the business end) Should be swollen and wet. This tells you the wine has been stored on its side. A wet and swollen cork seals off the bottle more completely, leaving little room for air to get in and oxidize the wine. You should also sniff the cork to check for moldy smells that indicate a bad bottle."

 

Gourmet Food and Wine Expo 2004 -

Torontos Best Party!!

November 25 - 28th 2004 At the metro Toronto Convention Centre. California is this years theme region. - See you there!

A tasty, full bodied, little French table wine I found in the Vintage section of the LCBO. Under $10 a bottle while supplies last. (going to get some for my wine cellar me thinks)

Here is the LCBO blurb on it.

719286  DOMAINE DE L'AMEILLAUD  2002   $  9.95
	Vin de Pays de Vaucluse  (D)  750 mL (S.C.E.A. de l'Ameillaud)
Usually a blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 20% Carignan, this is a consistent summertime favourite with Vintages customers. Robert Parker Jr. recognizes this as "a high quality estate located in the village of Cairanne".
Food match: grilled vegetables, grilled veal chops.

And more data...

2002 Vin de Pays de VaucluseThe fruit is from 40-60 year old vines, vinification is done in massive concrete tanks & there's not an oak barrel to be found on the estate.

And....

Along the banks of the Aygues and the

Ouvèze the soils are richer,the water table

higher,and the vines,as a consequence,

more vigorous.Wines from those areas,

though they ’re mostly made from the same

varieties and grown in the same climate,are

classified as Vin de Pays de Vaucluse.The

ones from the best growers represent great

value.

Santa Picks GREG NORMAN ESTATES Limestone Coast SHIRAZ 2000

Last Saturday night we had our first annual wine tasting party. I think the event was inspired partly because we have made our own wine 2 years in a row and we wanted a reason to make our friends drink it and partly because we haven't had a party in a while and it seemed like a good idea. I printed up a lot of invitations because the date of the event was so close to Christmas I though we would get a lot of "sorry we can't make it because of....." . Which is totally understandable as it is a very busy time of year. Half of the invitations requested the guest bring a bottle of Shiraz and the other half Chardonnay (that’s what we made this year). I bought a bunch of not bad wineglasses at Home Outfitters (12 for $9.99) and a “glass pen” from the “WineKitz” stores (a pen that writes on glass not a pen made of glass). Instead of using wine charms we wrote everyone’s name on their glass and they got to take it home with them as a gift. We ended up with about a dozen guests, 5 bottles of red and 8 bottles of white.
I handed out notepads and pencils and wrapped each bottle in a brown paper bag and numbered them.
All that was left to do was to drink:) First off, the wine we made sucked. It's not something I was aware of until I compared it to good wines of the same variety. I think hope its because its only a few weeks old young. We ended up trying the Shiraz first and then moved on to the Chardonnay. Amongst the red there was no stand out winner but 2 bottles seemed tied for 1st and 2nd with everyone seeming to like one or the other. They were Greg Norman Estates Limestone Coast Shiraz 2000 and Riddoch Coonawarra Shiraz 2000
Amongst the whites there was no clear-cut winner and it was quite obvious that our tasters taste buds were becoming impaired. It turned out that bottles 1 & 2 were the same wine:) and by the time our tasters got to bottle #8 it was a nice white blur. (Next year I think I will just pick one type of wine) The food was simple yet fun with lots of different types of cheese, crackers, lots of berries, Christmas tangerines, pecans, cookies, veggies, chicken wings, Prochuto and pate. I think a good time was had by all and I'm looking forward to the 2nd annual wine tasting party. I highly recommend an event like this to anyone who enjoys wine. Cheers!

I had the pleasure of trying this Chardonnay at the "Gourmet Food and Wine Expo" It was a little pricey and I have to admit, I tried it because of that fact. (costs more, must be better) and... it was very nice. Price $36.95 a bottle.

"Earthy, Mushroomy scent, Oak, Orange and Lime flavors"

(on the label) I was eating sweetbreads in a mushroom sauce while I sampled this Vintage which made the wine just that much more enjoyable.
If your looking for a Chard to try, you wont be disappointed with this choice.

Cuvaison Chardonnay 2000, Carneros, Napa Valley, Calf. a>

Found this little treat at the liquor store this week while looking for the Leasingham Shiraz/Malbec 98
It's made byCheviot Bridge - Long Flat Wines, South Eastern Australia and is a Cabernet (80%), Shiraz (10%), Malbec (10%) blend.
At $10.05 a bottle it can definitely hold its own with some of the higher priced vintages.

"This outstanding dry red combines the full flavor of Cabernet with the richness of Shiraz and perfumed aroma of Malbec. A delight to drink now with grilled meats, pasta and Mediterranean dishes"

Last summer I was at the liquor store and wandered into the vintage section. Not knowing what I was looking for I choose to purchase "The wine of the month". "Shiraz/Malbec 1998 Clare Valley, South Australia” (Leasingham Wines) This bottle of wine transformed me from a "take it or leave it" wine drinker into a "I really like this red/white stuff" kind a guy. This is one of the best Wines I've tasted to date. Fortunately I had the good sense to take a little card that describes the wine or it would be nothing more than a sweet obscure memory. Unfortunately I tossed the card into the paper junk pile which I’m sure resides in every household. Today while cleaning a neglected kitchen cupboard I found the "card" and decided "Never again". I now have a new category in my blog "wines I like" where I can put information like this. I hope to add lots of other tasty treats over time as I live in the Niagara region of Ontario and since I quit smoking I have the ability to appreciate this beverage on a new found level.

On November 24th I will be celebrating my 13th wedding anniversary with my beautiful, smart, sexy (hi honey) wife. Each year we exchange a gift and try and do something together like see a concert, catch a movie or go out to dinner. While looking for SIMON & GARFUNKEL tickets this year (which are sold out) I came across an interesting alternative event "The Gourmet Food & Wine Expo" At the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. I sent my wife the link, she agreed and it was a date. We parked on Front Street for 5 bucks, which seemed like a great deal. It was several blocks away from the Convention Center but our destination was within eye shot so we decided to save some money and we walked. Five minutes later we entered the North West doors, 20 minutes, 6 escalators, 2 football field size corridors, 5 floors, and 3 separate venues later we arrived at the Food & Wine Expo. If you're going to the Toronto Convention Centre-South, make note "SOUTH" means far away from the NORTH. You would think after dozens of trade shows, hauling computers, flyers, swag and other trade show stuff over this daunting distance due to a poor parking decisions I would remember to check for the word "south" Doh! Once we arrived we had to stand in line to pay admission ($15.00 but if you printed off the website coupon you got $3 bucks off) and buy Sample tickets (.50 cents a piece). As the lines were long we decided to each stand in a separate line and race (so to speak) to the ticket wicket. We both arrived at aprox the same time (she won by 15 seconds) so it made little difference in the end. Just before you walk in you’re given a wineglass, this is never a bad thing. As I entered the Expo I felt like a young boy in a candy store and headed straight to the nearest wine vendor where I grabbed a glass of Witt’s End South East Australia Shiraz. Next stop FOOD! Over to EDO for some delicious but overpriced Sushi. Continuing down the isle I had to make a pit stop at the Campbell’s Gourmet Soups booth. They had 2 soups (Red Pepper Black Bean and Butternut Squash) of which I tried both, twice. I'm going to buy some of the Butternut Squash with my .50 cent off coupon, it was DA bomb. Next stop, La Forge Estate Chardonnay 2002 and over to Luigi the butcher guy who gave us at least 10 samples of various kinds of sausages (delish). We walked away with $35 worth of sausage,. Kobasa and Proschuto
Next over to the Cheese Boutique for a roast beef sandwich which squirted juice on me while he carved it, very tasty. We sat and watched Chef Kevin Gaskin/Left Bank make sweet potato Gnocchi while I devoured my 1/2 pound roast beef sandwich. Next it was off for some summer squash risotto with Parmesan and balsamic and for desert, a marshmallow run under a milk chocolate fountain (this was awesome) and of course "more wine". As we meandered through the show we also enjoyed "Sautéed Sweet Breads in a Mustard Sauce" While sipping "Cuvaison Chardonnay 2000, Nappa Valley" and listening to a jazz band (with a harp) play "I'd rather be a hammer than a nail - SIMON & GARFUNKEL" We finished the evening with fresh oysters from Oysters r' Us. ;)
If you like food and wine this is a show that’s worth the time, maybe I’ll see you there next year!