Wednesday, August 10: A day of catching up on emails (230 of them – 90% rubbish).

Thursday, August 11: Wrote the editorial for Tidings‘ 300th edition, which comes out in November. I’ve been writing for this magazine now for nearly 30 years. Had a call from Proud, the gay and lesbian radio station, in Toronto asking me if I would like to meet them to discuss a possible collaboration. A meeting is set for next week. Tasted the following wines in the afternoon:

• Straight Up White 2010 (Ontario, a Vincor VQA wine –$13): Pale straw colour; indeterminate nose, sweetish and grapey; soft on the palate, sweet and most sticky mouth feel, rescued by the acidity that kicks in. (84)
• GreenLane Estate Old Vines Riesling 2010 (Ontario – $29.95): Very pale with a hint of green; lime, grapefruit rind and honey on the nose; light on the palate with nicely balanced flavours of lime, peach and white honey; finishes fresh but a little short. (87)
• François Lurton Les Fumés Blanches Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (Vin de France – $11.95, LCBO #472555): Very pale straw colour; herbaceous, green plum nose; soft mouth feel, gooseberry flavour with tart acidity. Good value. (86+)
• Southbrook Connect White 2010 (Vidal) (Ontario – $14.95): Pale straw colour; peach pit nose; dry, nicely balanced with good length. Ann Sperling has coaxed some fine fruit flavours from this hybrid grape. (87)
• Tilia Torrontes 2010 (Argentina – $12.95, LCBO #186403): Pale straw colour; intense nose of carnation, rose water, orange; dry Muscat-like flavour, perfumed, exotic and lingering. Good value. (88)
• Southbrook Connect Red 2008 (56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37.5% Cabernet Franc, 6.6% Merlot) (Ontario – $14.95): Solid ruby colour; cedar, green pepper, redcurrant nose (Cabernet Franc dominating); soft, fruit, easy drinking; well managed tannins, dry finish. (86)
• Tilia Malbec 2009 (Argentina – 12.95, LCBO #160945): Deep ruby colour; earthy, mocha and black cherry nose with an hint of oak; full on the palate, ripe tannins, black fruit flavours. Nicely balanced. (87)
• Tilia Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 (Argentina – $12.95, LCBO #163428): Deep ruby colour; cedar, smoky oak and red berry nose; dry, rather austere, with a medicinal, sour note in mid palate. (85)
• Catena Malbec 2009 (Argentina): Dense ruby-purple colour; high toned, black fruits, some sulphur; thick and viscous on the palate with vanilla oak backing the plummy fruit. (87)
• Parducci Sustainable Red 2007 (Syrah, Zinfandel, Carignane, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Viognier) (Mendocino County): Dense purple-ruby colour; earthy, leather, plum nose; dry, well made, plum and black fruit flavours. Well balanced, full bodied. (87)

Dinner, pan-fried salmon with La Cadierenne Bandol Cuvée Grande Tradition Rosé 2010 – the best rosé I’ve tasted this year.

Friday, August 12: A Vintages tasting this morning. The LCBO has a new signing-in system. We used to write our name in a book, time of arrival and whom we were going to see. Now they’ve computerized it. You give your name, your company and the name of your “host” and the security guard prints you off a Visitor sticker. At the bottom it reads “Escort Required.” On my way out I asked for my escort and what was her name. The guard replied, “One guy wrote ‘Armed’ on his.”

Chicken pasta in a spicy tomato sauce for dinner with a bottle of Tabali Reserva Especial Syrah 2008 – great match.