The Ontario Wine Awards panel judging sparkling wines – Linda Bramble, Michael Godel, Andre Proulx and Konrad Ejbich
Sunday, April 5: Suzanne, Guy and Sasha came to dinner and Sasha showed us her engagement ring, a beautiful sapphire. I cooked a boneless leg of lamb, scalloped potatoes and French beans. Opened my last bottle of Domaine de la Vougeraie Clos Vougeot 2006 (which was magnificent).
Monday, April 6: My sister Shirley was in town and Deborah and I met her for breakfast at the Park Hyatt, then drove her to Union Station for her Montreal train. Wrote my 680News wine reviews. For dinner with (cold lamb), Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Merlot 2012 (dense purple colour, a nose of blueberry pie with vanilla oak; full-bodied, sweet blackcurrant and blueberry fruit with lively acidity (90)).
Tuesday, April 7: Recorded my 680News wine reviews, then down to the LCBO for a tasting of the April 14th Vintages release, which I had missed because of my Edmonton trip. Ordered in Chinese food for dinner. Not very good.
Wednesday, April 8: A miserable rainy day. Wrote up my Wines of the Week and spent the rest of the day entering the Vintages wine reviews onto my site. A laborious and time-consuming job.
Thursday, April 9: Wrote my Lexpert column on wine gizmos and gadgets (how totally useless most of them are). Grilled salmon for dinner with Douglas Green Sauvignon Blanc 2013 from South Africa (herbaceous, green pineapple flavours (87)).
Friday, April 10: Spent the day preparing for tomorrow’s Ontario Wine Awards judging and putting together lots for Grapes for Humanity’s silent auction on May 7th. Deborah was going to her dance class party so I opened a magnum of Fuzion Shiraz Malbec 2014, poured myself a glass and gave the bottle to her for her party. Good to see that this Argentina blend – that took the market by storm – is back to the quality that it originally was when it was first released. (Deep ruby colour; earthy, spicy, black cherry and pencil lead nose; dry, savoury, tobacco and licorice flavours with a cherry pit finish and fresh acidity. Good value. (87))
Saturday, April 11: The first day of judging of the Ontario Wine Awards at Crush on King Street. Traffic and construction meant a slow trip down. The most unexpected success was a flight of red appassimento wines.
