Organizers staged the first Cuvee in 1989 as a fundraiser for local charities but the event has evolved to lavish celebration of Ontario wines and foods.

The first Cuvee event attracted 350 guests and 16 wineries participated. Today well over 800 attend and 57 wineries pour their best wines, in the new Fallsview Casino’s lavishly furnished ballroom.

Many famous and local chefs demonstrate their culinary inventions to the delight of participants and wineries eagerly pour their award winning wines.

All Cuvee wines are blind tasted over three days by winemakers, with a panel of moderators and experts to break ties, or settle disputes.

Toronto Wine Writers are given an opportunity to taste the winners. The sit-down tasting is held in a quiet room, of the head office of a bank on the 68th floor of the First Canadian Place in downtown Toronto.

Although a range of white (dry and sweet) and red wines are poured, this year I decided to focus on red wines.

All are produced in very small quantities and generally available at the winery store or by mail in Ontario and for export.

If you are interested in any of the wines listed below contact the winery at your earliest convenience.

Here are my selections:

Merlot Reserve, 2007, Cattail Creek Estate Winery – vibrant red, subtle fruit aromas (cherries/berries) and long aftertaste. Cellar for two years.
90/100 $ 40.00

Onyx, 2007, Featherstone Winery – composed of 60 per cent cabernet franc, and 40 merlot. The wine exudes cherry aromas, is of a medium body and possesses a depth of flavour.
92/100 $ 29.95

Impromptu, 2007, Lailey Vineyard – a full bodied and balanced wine blended of syrah (68 per cent), malbec (12), petit verdot (12), and cabernet sauvignon (8). Excellent mouth feel with a long and satisfying aftertaste.
92/100 $ 45.00

17th Street Vineyard Pinot Noir, 2007, Tawse Winery – this single vineyard pinot noir from the Bench was fermented in large oak barrel and aged in 30 per cent new oak. Dark red, smells of strawberries, creamy texture, with depth of flavours and long aftertaste.
92/100 $ 58.00

Small Lot Benchmark Red, 2007, Thirty Bench Winemakers aged for 24 months in French oak this brilliant red wine, exudes ripe fruit aromas, is elegant and balanced. It would be excellent with a medium rare grilled steak or pepper steak.
91/100 $ 60.00

Estate Series Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007, Wayne Gretzky Estates a fine wine from the 2007 vintage, considered to be one oft eh best in the century so far. Vibrant red, smells of berries intermingling with oak, pencil shavings. Medium-bodied and well balanced.
Excellent value.
91/100 $ 22.95

Note : Clos Jordanne and Stratus wines were not presented, possibly all wines are sold out.

It is surprising that so many red wines of such high quality were produced and vinted in a province better known for its white and sweet wines.

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Tags: Ontario, Wine

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