Canadian Wine from a Hotel in Toronto

Canadian Wine from a Hotel in Toronto – Episode #761

October 30, 2009

Gary Vaynerchuk tastes a Canadian wine from the mini bar of his hotel.

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Comments on this episode(333) Leave a comment ›

“I’m Canadian and have driven across Canada twice. I love it. Every pro…” by Jay Brock
“Canada = Best damn country on the face of the planet.
Toronto = Ni…” by IPv6Freely
View all 333 ›

Wines tasted in this episode:

2007 Cave Spring Cabernet / Merlot

Links mentioned in todays episode.

333 Responses

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November 25, 2009

Jay Brock
I’m Canadian and have driven across Canada twice. I love it. Every province has something amazing…mountains, rivers, crazy animals, wonderful people, killer food…

But Toronto? I hate it.

Don’t make me bust out the list of reasons… the first 3 million being Leafs fans, of course.
November 15, 2009

IPv6Freely
Canada = Best damn country on the face of the planet.

Toronto = Nice, but I prefer my small home town (120k+), Barrie. GO LEAFS AND JAYS GO!
November 13, 2009

andrew
Huge Niagara on the lake fan. Have been several times, visited a lot of great vineyards…… great fun to taste…. some fantastic things here, including the famous icewine….
but… one of my favorites – had one just the other day — 2007 Konzelman pinot blanc… fantastic! crisp, fresh, minerality… i score it 91. and for under $15.
November 13, 2009

Jonathan
Canada is great, never been anywhere aside from Niagra Falls and Montreal, but those were good!

Last wine was the Smoking Loon 2007 Merlot… it was good! and at $6 a bottle you don’t mind not finishing it! Rating it, I don’t know… 86?
November 9, 2009

Martin Espericueta
Good show Gary. Miss you too bro!

QOTD: Kendall Jackson 2007 Sauvignon Blanc, and it was a 88+ for me!
November 9, 2009

Jeff
Azur Rose 2007
the BEST cali rose I have ever tasted!
92+ very very provence oriented!
check it out; their sav blanc is very loire like as well!
November 7, 2009

Greg
2005 d’Arenberg High Trellis Cab. I gave it a 90.
November 7, 2009

Don Komarechka
I’ve had some great wines from Ontario, especially the Niagara area which Toronto is very close to.

One of my faves is the 2007 or 2008 Inniskillin Pinot Grigio. Good acidity, pear and melon notes. I had it with pork and it was delicious.

And Canada, definitely not without its faults but one of the best places on Earth.
November 7, 2009

pj
Ha, I’m actually working at CS right now for harvest. I have to agree with your rating of this wine, which I had last week. If anything, I’d say you were generous. However, they do great things with Riesling here, and I’m sorry you weren’t fortunate enough to taste one of those.

Toronto is awesome.

QOTD: 2007 Cave Spring Chardonnay – scored it 85, and thought it was better than the 2006. Very easy to drink and good with food.
November 6, 2009

michele
i grew up in niagara, live in toronto and so am totally biased – i love it here and couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. gary, looking fwd to seeing you at democamp in december.

QOTD: niagara wines are improving, the reds are pretty inconsistent but there are some spectacular whites, esp from folks like strewn, tawse, stratus, etc.

QOTD: actually tawse winery, riesling, 2007. nomnomnom.
November 5, 2009

Adrian a.k.a Adogg
Sup Gar! I am officially not a “Lurker” anymore! Love your shows!

I dunno if you remember us from your Corte Madera book signing at the Book Passagem I was leading the way with the group of Vayniaks in the back with the wristbands! I know you remember me! I bought a few bottles of the Dancing Hares and all i gotta say is…. “I’ll be darned!”

Peace!!!
November 5, 2009

Dan Manu
Never been to Toronto but love BC as I lived there for a little while…

Last wine I had was a Sangiovese from the Hunter Valley near Sydney in Aus and although I was pretty excited about it, could only score it in the low 80’s… I’ll say 83. It was a bargain but I wasn’t feeing it but i’ll try the rest of the bottle with dinner in a few hours and see what it can bring to a meal.
November 5, 2009

zonk
QOTD

I Love Canada, after all it’s my home and native land.

Last wine was Peter Lehmann, Barrossa, Clancy’s Legendary Red 2005 Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot, I liked it
November 5, 2009

MRPysnik
I really loved visiting Vancouver a few years back. Great city vibe, great people. I’d like to go back sometime soon.

Also, you didn’t check for Canadians in the hotel closet. Just sayin’.

Last wine: Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs NV champagne last week in Maui watching the sunset with the family. Great bottle, great moment.
November 4, 2009

Sean McCann
I was born in Toronto and love the city. I am actually thinking about moving back before the end of the year.
November 4, 2009

Jerry Kottelenberg
Niagara Penisula is one of my favorite wine regions (and it’s not just because I original came from Canada. Lots of great wines. I’m especially partial to Vineland Estates. I get a case from there every time I’m in Canada which is at least twice a year.

Also have some 2004 Cave Spring Reisling, Strewn Cab blend, Stratus Cab Franc (great vineyard as well)
November 4, 2009

Kittysafe
Toronto is nice, haven’t been back in awhile.
QOTD: Last wine I had was a little blind test I gave my sister
actually, between Emeritus and Dry Bones Red.
Emeritus one-punch knocked out the Elks River red wine
without even trying. The Emeritus is delicious.
I Score it a 92+
November 4, 2009

Helge Hagener
Toronto: never been there.

Last bottles I had were from the Newzealand winery of he Germany-based winemaking-family “Johner”:
Johner Cabernet-Merlot&Malbec 2007 – 88+ points
Johner Pinot Noir Wairarapa 2008 – 84 points
November 4, 2009

Sam
glad to see you up north Gary… i’d love to introduce you to a new canadian wine region.. vancouver island, on the western-most point of the country.. really interesting stuff happening out here in the past few years.. in answer to your question.. 3 local wines that you should definitely try (which i’d be happy to arrange for you..) alderlea vineyards reserve pinot noir, zanatta winery “damasco” white blend (ortega-siegerrebe) and venturi-schulze’s natural brut..
so.. ya.. big fans out here.. see your show everyday..sorry about the yankees the other night.. i had my hopes in the 9th. love to try and hook you up with some of our amazing island wines.. would definitely take care of any accomodations and food if you wanted to visit our little neck of the woods.. writing here from tofino, vancouver island, british columbia… but in the mean time, if i can arrange to send you some wines let me know how…
right on buddy.. take care and keep up the great work… good luck on the road with the book tour, and please know that us on the far pacific north-west are lovin’ what you’re doing to the wine world and we’re right there with ya…
take it easy buddy!
sam
maitre’d
shelter restaurant
tofino, bc
November 4, 2009

Andy Roberts
Hi mate,

Good episode – I love the idea of doing the hotel wine. As someone who has done lots of business travel on my own I can fully sympathize with you about the whole missing family. I also know the feeling of eating on your own and going to hotel rooms wrecked to get ready for the next day. Hang in there.

QOTD1: Canada is somewhere I REALLY want to go and my wife lived in Woodstock near Toronto for a year (before she was my wife). She loved it!

QOTD2: Wynn’s Coonawarra Michael Shiraz 1998 – Best wine I have ever drank. Would love to know what you think and am happy if you don’t like it – everyone is different
November 3, 2009

J Crazy
Love me that Canada but haven’t been to Toronto. Need to change that.

Last wine I had was Johnny Walker Black and I gave it a 105pts.
November 3, 2009

jboy
no more lurking here…loving the short sweet episodes!
finishing up a 2008 Luzon from Jumilla, a Jorge Ordonez selection that is an absolute steal at 7 bones. gotta be somewhere in the 87-89 range.
November 3, 2009

Annette
Gary, I could tell you missed us…and having someone else in the room to talk to. I swore you went mad in that epidsode!!! I think you were hoping to find someone to talk to under the bed. Hope you get some good family time soon =)

QOTD: second and third cousins, great aunts/uncles who i don’t see often, i should facebook’em up!

QOTD: last wine was sunday evening, after a day filled with wine tasting with my friend from cleveland who came to visit me in portland, OR. The wine we bought and opened was Dragons Bluff – Quiotee’s Lair, 2007 Pinot Noir from White Rose Winery. Loved it!
November 3, 2009

StephenRJRoxor
Over the past two days I have been drinking from a bottle of Columbia Crest Merlot of the (I believe) 2008 vintage, but since then I’ve lost the bottle. I haven’t mastered my palette yet so I can’t report much more than that it tasted like a very soft and muted (almost green-y) Merlot-ish wine. It was very much a Post-Saturday-Night-Halloween-Daylight-Savings-Sunday calmed down Welcome To November of a wine. It felt very characteristically Washington State in that it was quiet and unpretentious, not at all unpleasant but a little unexciting.
That particular wine would pair well with that Marlon Brando movie On The Waterfront or Primer. 80 points.
November 3, 2009

Mimere
Gary, traveling is always enjoyable, but let’s face it, Dorothy was right, there’s no place like home. Especially when you have a beautiful family there waiting for you!

Welcome home.