Wine Tasting Before & After

Thanks to the very good folks at Groovy Grapes, I had the pleasure of attending the Wines of Ontario Ottawa Winter Wine Fair this past Wednesday evening.  Put on by the Wine Council of Ontario in partnership with 31 producers from the wine producing regions, this tasting opportunity was one of several Winterlude food & wine related events. 

There because of my new year’s resolution to learn more about wine, I confess didn’t know a lot going in.  Little more than the basics, really.  Despite more than a few forays into wine tasting, I never seem to absorb any of the specifics.  Instead, I get caught up in the moment, and my memories end up being more experiential than flavourful. 

This time wasn’t all that different, even after vowing to be more discerning in my learning.  Here is a bit about what I experienced, and what impressions I left with…

With more than 100 wine selections to choose from, it was no small accomplishment that I left with any memory at all!  From the outset, the fella and I planned to try only wines that were new to us, and to leave those widely available at the local LCBO to another time.  In the end, this proved to be the best approach for us.  While we may have savoured fewer samples, we definitely discovered a couple of big hits among the inevitable misses. 

Interestingly, our top picks were as much about the people behind the wines as they were about the wines themselves.  As delicious as many of the products were, it seemed that the winemakers’ enthusiasm helped to set their wines apart.  A true oenophile may care more about the grape varietal or the bouquet than how approachable or informative a winery representative might be, but I believe there are probably many more like me.  Perhaps it is ever- so- slightly less sophisticated, but I just want to know why I am enjoying a particular taste or flavour, and I want to be free of the feeling that I should be able to exhibit some kind of expertise. 

So, to my mind, it is the winemakers who  put people at ease, help them to understand, and inspire a better appreciation that make the most memorable wines. 

Stratus Vineyards was exactly this kind of winery.   Makers of only two very distinctive signature wines, Stratus artfully combines several grape varieties into an “assemblage” , or blend.  These two wines, aptly named White and Red, were presented with passion by the lovely Suzanne Janke from Stratus and the charming Carlo Buffone, an Ottawa-based wine agent specializing in only the best boutique brands, and owner of Mama’s Boy Wines. 

Carlo Buffone & Suzanne Janke at the Wines of Ontario Winter Wine Fair

Both were warm, engaging, and totally into it.  Positivity and pride oozed as they lovingly described the wine and instructed us on their qualities, without even a hint of pretention.  In short, these two highly personable enthusiasts made it easy to understand, appreciate, and to remember Stratus wine. 

And, as it turns out, Stratus wines happen to be very well known and respected among “those in the know”.  Perhaps our palates aren’t so plain after all!  

The Stratus vineyard limits the number of grape clusters grown per cane, and hand picks the fruit before the winemaker ages the wine in French oak barrels.  What doesn’t quite make the cut gets blended to create Wildass Red and White, a slightly less pricey – but still very tasty – alternate offering.   The  Stratus winery is also LEED (Leadership in  Energy and Environmental Design) certified by the Canada Green Building Council, and is the first winery in the world to achieve this designation.  It even features an award winning tasting room by interior designer Diego Burdi of burdifilek, demonstrating an uncompromising commitment to excellence in all that the winery does.  Fittingly, the Stratus brand promises to be “the future of tradition”, which of course appeals enormously to this vintage living girlaboutOtown. 

While Stratus is not available at the LCBO, it can be purchased direct from the winery or through Carlo at Mama’s Boy Wines (for commercial and private clients).  And, when around town, keep your eyes open.  You can find this wonderful wine at renowned local fine-dining establishment Beckta, which recently co-hosted a Taste of Winterlude Winemaker Dinner with Stratus, and at Stephen Beckta’s new restaurant Play Food & Wine, which featured Wildass at their Winterlude Winemaker Dinner.

Anyway, for a few other yummy and sometimes hard to find wines, try:

• 2007 Counterpoint by Lailey Vineyard
• 2006 Baco Noir by 20 Bees
• 2007 Pinot Noir by Tawse Winery

Or, if you want to learn more, the LCBO‘s current promotion is Red Wine 101, and offers wine appreciation basics, serving tips and even food pairing advice.  Check out their website and podcasts here.

And last but not least, if you are looking for some truly amazing cheese to accompany your wine, try anything from Fifth Town Artisan Cheese Co., available in Ottawa at Nicastro’s and La Bottega on York St.  This environmentally and socially responsible cheese producer in Prince Edward County offers up gourmet, hand made cheeses of fresh goat and sheep milk.  This stuff was simply sublime.