Monday, August 3th: Worked on a new novel. Really enjoyed writing fiction for a day. Rewarded myself with an evening tasting of two wines that Doug Gilmour has put his name to, produced at Karlo Estates in Prince Edward County:

• Gilmour Orus Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Grigio 2012: very pale colour; minerally, grapefruit and white peach nose; medium-bodied, dry with a light floral note. Good length. (88)
• Gilmour Corazon Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Cabernet Franc 2012: high toned, cedar, blackcurrant nose; medium-bodied, dry, blackcurrant and redcurrant flavoured; firmly structured with lively acidity. (86).

Tuesday, August 4th: Went to my doctor to get the results of a blood test. Spent the rest of the day working on the novel. Dinner wine with salmon: Maverick Sauvignon Blanc 2014 from BC (pale straw colour with a grassy, green plum nose and a herbal note; medium-bodied, dry, passionfruit and nectarine flavours; beautifully balanced with great length (91)).

Wednesday, August 5th: Participated in a VQA tasting at The Thoroughbred Restaurant on Richmond Street West. There were 16 of us – winemakers, sommeliers and wine writers – and we had to blind-taste four Ontario varietals (Chardonnay, Rieslings, Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir, all 2014 vintage) and group them into styles. Interesting exercise. Unfortunately I won’t be there next week to see the results, as I’ll be judging in a wine competition in Michigan. Dinner wine with hamburgers: Luis Felipe Edwards Guardian 2012 (Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Merlot, Cabernet Franc – from Chile: deeply coloured with a nose of cedar, pencil lead, tobacco and black fruits lifted with a floral note; full-bodied, dry, savoury currant and blackberry flavours with a licorice note on the finish (89)). Great value at $13.60.

Thursday, August 6th: Wrote my ON the GO magazine wine reviews. A meeting at George Brown College to discuss the possibility of holding the Ontario Wine Awards judging and medal presentation ceremony (linked with a consumer tasting) at that venue. Then a late afternoon meeting to discuss the menu and logistics of the Gaia Gaja dinner (a fund-raiser for Grapes for Humanity) with Chef Massimo Capra. Came back home and tasted the following wines:

• Le Clos Jordanne Chardonnay Village Reserve 2012 (Ontario – $30): pale straw colour; minerally, apple with a nutty note; medium-bodied, dry, creamy mouth-feel; lemony, green apple flavour. Lively acidity with a touch of bruised apple on the finish. (88)
• Le Clos Jordanne Chardonnay Claystone Terrace 2012 (Ontario – $40): pale straw colour; minerally, nutty, apple nose; medium-bodied, dry, richly extracted apple and peach flavours; well integrated oak, soft mouth-feel, beautifully balanced with good length. (90)
• Le Clos Jordanne Vineyard Chardonnay 2011 (Ontario – $40): pale straw colour; light floral nose with apple and pear notes, evident oak; medium-bodied, dry, spicy, apple and pear flavours. Rich and full on the palate with good length. (91)
• Le Clos Jordanne Le Grand Clos Chardonnay 2011 (Ontario – $65): pale straw colour; toasty oak, macadamia nut and apple nose; dry medium-bodied, vanilla oak, apple nose; richly extracted apple and pear flavours backed by creamy oak. Good length. (92)
• Maverick Pinot Gris 2014 (BC): pale straw colour; minerally, peach nose; medium-bodied, dry, richly extracted peach, pear and citrus flavours. (91)
• Masi Bonacasta Valpolicella 2014: deep ruby colour; cherry nose with a touch of leather and cedar; medium-bodied, dry with a lovely, fruity cherry flavour carried on lively acidity to a lightly tannic finish. (89)
• Henry of Pelham Cabernet-Merlot 2010: (Ontario – $24.95) deep ruby; a bouquet of cedar, vanilla oak sitting on top of blackcurrant fruit; medium-bodied, dry, cassis flavour; nicely balanced acidity and tannin. Give it a couple of years for the oak to integrate. (89–90)

For dinner, I prepared a Thai green curry prawn with rice and polished off the bottle of Maverick Pinot Gris while watching the Blue Jays beat Minnesota. All very satisfactory.

Friday, August 7th: A Vintages release tasting for August 22nd.