Monday, June 2: Caught up most of the day with Grapes for Humanity stuff relating to “Chile Uncorked” – writing thank-you notes to sponsors, getting tax receipts for wine donations and spending some time with our accountant.
Master Cortador Pedro Marin
In the evening Deborah and I were invited to Cava to meet some Spanish food producers and taste their products with Rioja wines. Pedro Marin, a Master Cortador, hand cut Serrano ham matched with Ostatu Rioja Blanco 2013. The menu:
Escabeche of Shrimp with Sea Asparagus, radishes and pearl onions, with Basilio Izquierdo “Acod” 2010
Roast Copper River Sockeye with pomegranate, wheat berries and broccoli, with Bodegas Tobia Rosado Fermentado en Barrica 2012
Iberico pork tenderloin roasted with fennel pollen and wild ginger, wild greens, valdeon croquet and sidra sauce, with Muga Reserva 2009
Couldn’t stay for dessert because we had to get back to walk Pinot T. Wonderdog. (It was Monte Eenebro “Mel y Mato” with local honeycomb, wild plum compote, figs and Idiazabal crackers, with Remelluri Reserva 2009.)
Tuesday, June 3: Bought the wines for my Executive Wine Experience seminar on Thursday. In the evening to the Toronto Cricket Club for a celebration of the life of Shirley Dunlop. A very moving event with many speakers reminiscing abut Shirley. Ran into a lot of old friends in the wine trade there. For dinner BBQ steak with Wolf Blass Gold Label Malbec 2012 (dense purple colour; blackberry nose with a floral note; ripe fruit, dry, herbal, blackberry fruit with a savoury finish. Definitely not Argentina! (89)).
Wednesday, June 4: To the Gardiner Museum for a tasting of wines from the Consortium of Montefalco wineries put on by the Italian Trade Commission. Seven producers showing Montefalco Rosso (a blend of Sangiovese (60–70%), Sagrantino and sometimes Colorino or Merlot) and Sagrantino. My top scores for the Rosso went to Arnold Caprai Montefalco Rosso 2010 and Perticaia Montefalco Rosso Reservea 2009. Top scoring Sagrantinos: Antonelli San Marco Sagrantino 2007, Scacciadiavoli Montefalco Sagrantino 2007 and Arnoldo Caprai Collepiano Sagrantino 2008. For dinner, with grilled salmon, Cono Sur Bicicleta Pinot Noir Rosé 2013 (orange-pink in colour with a nose of watermelon and cranberry; dry, easy-drinking and great value at under $10).
Scacciadiavoli Montefalco Rosso 2009
Thursday, June 5: Dropped in at the opening of the sip & Savour Ontario Farm & Artisan Market (Avenue Road and Rowe Avenue), a new farmers’ market to be held every Thursday afternoon until October. Ran into Eddie Shack there. Bought apples, cheese, basil plants and cremini mushrooms.
Soap seller at the farmers’ market
Honey in the afternoon
Great apples!
Edward Steven Philip Shack
Market entertainers
In the evening I conducted my second Executive Wine Seminar. The wines:
- Cattier Champagne Brut
- Thirty Bench Steel Post Riesling 2008
- Leyda Sauvignon Blanc Lot 4 2013
- William Fèvre Champs Royaux Chablis 2012
- Remoissenet Chassagne-Montrachet 2006
- Les Tourelles de Longueville 2006
- Jadot Beaune Boucherottes 2006
- Inniskillin Riesling Icewine 2007
Friday, June 6: A tasting of newly released wines at the LCBO. In the evening we went to The Oxley in Yorkville for dinner with my sister Shirley and my New York cousins, Roz and Paul and my nephew Mark and his wife Dawn. Mark and Dawn rent a house in Hazelton Avenue and pointed out the house that Adam Sandler has rented while he’s filming in Toronto. On our way back to the car we saw Adam Sandler in the garden.
