Not too much experience with Canada,and none with Toronto. I spent a weekend in Montreal and a weekend in Quebec City, and skied Mt. Saint Annes, had a great time both times. Also no experience with Canadian wine, I’ve had a few icewines, but that’s it – good to see another promising region coming up though and I’m excited to try some juice from my northern neighbors.

The last wine I tried was an obscure varietal that I bought precisely for that reason, the Domaine Thierry Tissot Bugey Mataret, Bugey being a region in France near Savoie and the Swiss border, and the varietal being 100% Mondeuse. The color was an interesting shade of purple, with a bluish tint to it, but thin, not like Petite Sirah inky. Very grapey on the nose with a mesquite spice thing going on and then almost like an auto-body shop component – not the common burnt rubber smell that you get on a lot of Old World style reds, and not the petrol you get on Rieslings, but like a burnt fuel type thing. On the palette the wine was bone-dry with a lot of acidity but not too tannic, tart cherries being the most obvious flavor, pomegranate, and almost like a Sweet Tart character on the finish, but again not too tannic and extremely light body. Overall it was kind of an awkward little wine, I’d give it an 83-84, and probably wouldn’t buy it again but it was worth tasting for the experience. I went back to the wine a little later and had it with Bleu Cheese, which was an awesome pairing, the cheese mellowed out the more obnoxious aspects of the wine and the wine was able to hold up to the strong flavors of the cheese, so maybe it deserves a few extra points for that, 85 [and pan to #85 jersey]

You are The Shit, Gary 😀

QoTD: Last wine I had was the 2005 Monti Montepulciano d’Abruzzo… Scored it a 92 due to QPR… At 14 bones, it doesn’t get much better.

Even though I’m from Atlantic Canada (New Brunswick), I’ve never been to Toronto… Should probably go sometime 🙂

QoTD: Last wine I had was the 2005 Monti Montepulciano d’Abruzzo… Scored it a 92 due to QPR… At 14 bones, it doesn’t get much better.

Even though I’m from Atlantic Canada (New Brunswick), I’ve never been to Toronto… Should probably go sometime 🙂

hey welcome to the city 🙂 ontario really shines in rieslings . it’s a bit more work to find great bottles in other varietals. check out http://www.thirtybench.com/ if you ever get a chance… great winery.
qotd: just came back from Rome, so a lot of really nice house reds 🙂

I know how you feel with first Halloween’s Gary, though this is my daughters second. She was a bit frazzled for her first and didn’t get to go out, so I guess technically this is her first legit Halloween.

QOTD: Never been to Canada sadly, been on the list. Would like to visit a few places up yonder, though leaning more toward Alberta area. You know, the allure and draw of friends you’ve never met in person. That sort of thing going on.

I know how you feel with first Halloween’s Gary, though this is my daughters second. She was a bit frazzled for her first and didn’t get to go out, so I guess technically this is her first legit Halloween.

QOTD: Never been to Canada sadly, been on the list. Would like to visit a few places up yonder, though leaning more toward Alberta area. You know, the allure and draw of friends you’ve never met in person. That sort of thing going on.

I grew up in upstate NY (Rochester), so I do love the area and always enjoyed Toronto. It is such a beautiful and fun city that is so excessible. Can’t say I have had much wine from there but will need to search for it.

QOTD – Fenn Valley (MI) Late Harvest Vignoles 2005. 87 pts. great color and apricot on the nose and pallette. It was a bit random for a Thursday night, but finished off a nice salmon dinner.

Arright gary, I’m coming out of the woodwork, first time in a while.

QoTD: ’99 chateau de ricaud; no idea how much it cost, a friend picked it up more or less at random. meh. certainly not bad, but not great, or surprising in any way. tasted it over a couple days, started with a very shy strawberry that disappeared by day 3 and gave way to a nice nuttiness. Couldn’t find anything else, just tasted… bland; not a casper-act, but… bland.

HOWEVER, got a Drappier carte blanche for a dinner tonight; been told it’s quite nice, looking forward to that.

Arright gary, I’m coming out of the woodwork, first time in a while.

QoTD: ’99 chateau de ricaud; no idea how much it cost, a friend picked it up more or less at random. meh. certainly not bad, but not great, or surprising in any way. tasted it over a couple days, started with a very shy strawberry that disappeared by day 3 and gave way to a nice nuttiness. Couldn’t find anything else, just tasted… bland; not a casper-act, but… bland.

HOWEVER, got a Drappier carte blanche for a dinner tonight; been told it’s quite nice, looking forward to that.

Lurker no more!! Yes Gary this is the first post. I’ve watched you for a few months now and I learned about WLTV from a Web2.0 video I saw on you tube. All in all since I’m in Western Canada I’m a bit anti-toronto, the leafs suck especially this year, and western Canada is the best the snowboarding can’t be beat.

As for Canadian wines I’m liking the desert wines from BC a lot and I’m still continuing my invasion on the South American section of the liquor store as I have a few bottles left to go. I’m loving wine, wish I got into it earlier as it’s mostly what I drink now with dinner after work.

QOTD: 2008 Hacienda Merlot. The score is 85. This has been my everyday wine for 15 years because it is cheap ($6) and tastes fine, but I’m beginning to lose the love for it b/c I’m noticing the oak a lot more than I used to. Too much Gary influence on me, I guess.

QOTD: 2008 Hacienda Merlot. The score is 85. This has been my everyday wine for 15 years because it is cheap ($6) and tastes fine, but I’m beginning to lose the love for it b/c I’m noticing the oak a lot more than I used to. Too much Gary influence on me, I guess.

I love toronto’s china town. Spadina street, or avenue, how about just Spadina. There’s a dumpling place on the left (if you’re going away from queensway.) Dumpling house, LOVE IT.

Lamadrid Malbec Reserva.
That was the Malbec I most recently tasted, very tasty. Gave it a happy 88-89.
Here’s to making it to 1000.

Love Toronto. used to go there for work every few months. shocked that everyone was so nice.

qotd: 2006 Chaddsford Syrah
http://corkd.com/wine/view/63352-2006-chaddsford-syrah

Love Toronto. used to go there for work every few months. shocked that everyone was so nice.

qotd: 2006 Chaddsford Syrah
http://corkd.com/wine/view/63352-2006-chaddsford-syrah

Did you hit the hockey hall of fame while you were there?

Last wine was the 06 Columbia Crest H3 Merlot, 90 pts, solid.

Only second time for a reply since the beginning (you know what that means). Last champagne series, great, I almost fell of my seat when show 1 stopped just before “tasting”. Keep bring in single producer products. You have changed my wine world along with some very nice wines.
Thanks for all your work.
Last Wine: Harushika “Daigingo” Sake – very floral nose, sweet and floral on opening, nice mild acidity, good sake. I’d give it a 90+.

Only second time for a reply since the beginning (you know what that means). Last champagne series, great, I almost fell of my seat when show 1 stopped just before “tasting”. Keep bring in single producer products. You have changed my wine world along with some very nice wines.
Thanks for all your work.
Last Wine: Harushika “Daigingo” Sake – very floral nose, sweet and floral on opening, nice mild acidity, good sake. I’d give it a 90+.

Gary, you should be thinking about the 2000th episode, not the 1000th…

QOTD: what do I think of Canada? That I want to go there!

Am drinking and reviewing a 2003 Baron De Ley Club Privado Reserva Rioja. A very nice wine, 88/100 I think. (That;s a very good score for me).

Gary, you should be thinking about the 2000th episode, not the 1000th…

QOTD: what do I think of Canada? That I want to go there!

Am drinking and reviewing a 2003 Baron De Ley Club Privado Reserva Rioja. A very nice wine, 88/100 I think. (That;s a very good score for me).

QOTD: Never had a Canadian wine, and was last in Toronto when I was something like 8 years old.

Last wine I had and my rating: my first vintage sparkler. Of course, we’re talking about a 2005 Cava that only set me back 14 bones. Don’t remember the name but it was a Jorge Ordonez selection so you know it’s good. Rating? Definitely well-made and enjoyable, but bubbles a little too coarse and a tasted a little too dry for my palate. I’ll go with an 86.

Gary, you should be thinking about the 2000th episode, not the 1000th…

QOTD: what do I think of Canada? That I want to go there!

Am drinking and reviewing a 2003 Baron De Ley Club Privado Reserva Rioja. A very nice wine, 88/100 I think. (That;s a very good score for me).

Unfortunately I have only seen Canada from the US side of Niagara but going to visit within the next two years. Alexander Valley Cabernet. Don?t know if it was the atmosphere or being we were celebrating a little that evening but Alexander Valley Cabernet 2006 blew me away. I gave it 92.

Hey Gary I just wanted to say that I thank you because I have always really liked wine but have really been more of a beer drinker. I recently found out that I might be allergic to wheat gluten. So I am on wine now. I have always been a little wary about it because I really never knew much about it. Thats where you and your show come in. I have a palate for beer and can pick up subtle hints of fruit, but when it come to wine I get Clorox like you got on the Moscato and I get weird smells like candy and now I know after watching your series it is not weird and even you get that. So I love your show and the way it makes me excited about wine. I am a first time commenter and the last wine I had was Xplorador Carmenere and I thought it was acidic but not enough that you couldnt just drink it by its self. It was a medium bodied wine with a smooth finish that got better by the last glass. Should of decanter-ed. Nice fruit under tones, berries I like it alot and would drink again. I would give an 87. Please respond if you can