With pork ribs
Monday, February 16th: Dinner – pork ribs with a bottle of Trillium Cellars Cabernet Franc 2019. This wine is a collaboration between George Brown College and Niagara College Teaching Winery. The label was designed by Surzayon Ghosh.
Tuesday, February 17th: Dinner: pasta with Wolf Blass Shiraz 2025.
Wednesday, February 18th: Dinner: Grilled salmon with Leyda Sauvignon Blanc Reserva 2024 (Chile).
Thursday, February 19th: Dinner invitation from friends in the neighbourhood (Lake Erie Pickerel followed by Sticky Toffee Pudding). I brought along an aperitif wine: Holland Marsh La Lumière Sparkling 2021.
Friday, February 20th: Jill Troyer arranged tastings for us at Trius and Andres – for a Friends & Family discount of 25%.
At Trius, we tasted Trius Brut, Icewine Classic, Signature Series Riesling 2022, * Showcase Wild Ferment Sauvignon Blanc 2024, * Showcase Wild Ferment Chardonnay 2022, Private Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2024, Gamay 2024, * Reserve Syrah 2020, Cabernet Franc 2022, and Estate Red 2022. (Ended up buying two bottles of the wines asterisked.)
At Peller, tasted and bought two bottles of Peller Signature Series Sauvignon Blanc Semillon and Signature Series Cabernet Franc 2022. Then back to Jill and Don’s for dinner (crusted salmon) and more wines: Bachelder Wismer-Foxcroft Gamay Noir 2019, Mason Vineyard The Landed Cabernet Franc 2022, Five Rows Sauvignon Blanc 2022, Malivoire Pinot Gris 2024, Bachelder L’Ardoise Chardonnay 2022 and Domaine Queylus Reserve du Domaine Pinot Noir 2019. A joyful wine-filled day!
Saturday, February 21st: Dropped into Siris Tasting Room in the old location of Archive wine store on St. James Street in St. Catharines. It’s Fred and Margarita DiProfio’s new wine bar/restaurant. Debbie Trenholme had invited us to celebrate Derek Barnett’s 75th birthday. Since Derek’s wine, Meldville Barrel-Aged Pinot Noir 2020, was on the wine list, we ordered a glass of that, before departing for dinner at home (pasta with chicken in tomato sauce) with Don David Reserve El Esteco Malbec 2024.
