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Before, During and After Dinner Wines - Tuesday, September 17, 2002  

Bill Redelmeier of Southbrook Winery will be our guest speaker at this special tasting event. He and Jim Warren wrote the Quality Certified (QC) standards for fruit wines using the VQA rules and regulations as their model.

Some of you may think of fruit wines as sweet and only for after dinner. You may be suprised to learn that many of the fruit wines are dry and made specifically to go with food. Also, you will learn what is classified as a "fruit" and becomes a fruit wine.

Spiegelau Glass Tasting - October 2002  

Viva Vincor - November 2002  This will be a wine fair of Vincor's Ontario and British Columbia Estates - Inniskillin, Jackson-Triggs, Hawthorn Mountain and Sumac Ridge.

Icewine Weekend - January 2003  

Rieslings of the World - February 2003  

Mail: P.O. Box 519, Station K
Toronto, Ontario
M4P 2G9

Voice Mail: 416 921 9798

E-mail: contact@ontariowinesociety.com

Web: www.ontariowinesociety.com

by Ken Burford

This annual tasting event of the Ontario Wine Awards winners, formerly the Air Ontario Wine Awards, was led by wine writer, editor and judge, Konrad Ejbich. Konrad has been involved in the Canadian wine industry for more than 20 years, most recently as the editor of Wine Tidings magazine. Konrad has been a judge since the start of the Ontario Wine Awards event.

In his usual "no holds barred" style, Konrad described what he found in each wine that warranted the winning of a gold medal. He also helped attendees expand their appreciation of each wine's aromas, tastes and textures using examples and anecdotes. This resulted in an extremely enjoyable and educational evening. The wines tasted were:

• Cilento, non-vintage, Riesling Brut
• Creekside, 2001 Sauvignon Blanc
• Strewn, 1999 Pinot Blanc
• Daniel Lenko, 2000 Unoaked Chardonnay
• Cilento, 2000 Chardonnay Reserve
• Thirteenth Street, Sandstone, 1999 Gamay Noir Reserve
• Hernder Estates, 1999 Cabernet Franc
• Chateau des Charmes, 1999 Merlot, St. David's Bench
• Jackson-Triggs, 1999 Proprietor's Grand Reserve Meritage
• Magnotta, 2000 Cabernet Franc Limited Edition Icewine

Chilling Out - August 31
Explore how temperature affects taste in wine with our Dry Riesling, Cabernet and Chardonnay Reserve, each served at various temperatures. Please call 905 562 3581 for reservations. $5.00 per person.

Weather Report - September 7, 14, 21 & 28
An in-depth discussion on how weather conditions affected the `97, `98, `99 and `00 vintages. Examples of Rieslings and Chardonnays from these vintages will be tasted. Please call 905 562 3581 for reservations. $5.00 per person.

Niagara Wine Festival - Blind To Wine - September 21 & 22, 11:00 am & 3:00 pm
See how the different aromas and tastes of Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Gewurztraminer can be ascertained `blind'- that is, in a blind tasting. Please call 905 562 3581 for reservations. $5.00 per person.

Niagara Wine Festival - Seeing Red - September 28 & 29, 11:00 am & 3:00 pm
Taste our Gamay, Merlot, Cabernet/Merlot blends and Pinot Noir, and engage in a discussion on the growth and development of red wine in Niagara. Please call 905 562 3581 for reservations. $5.00 per person.

Patio Sizzle Weekends: Every Saturday & Sunday in July, August, & September, 12:00pm to 7:00pm
Bask with friends in the warm country atmosphere on our fieldstone patio while listening to the sounds of live jazz. Indulge yourself in our fabulous a la carte menu. Seek out, taste & discover that special wine that makes an afternoon slip away. For full details and menu selections please visit us on-line at www.hernder.com/online/pages.cfm?Directory=28.

Artisans-at-the-Vineyard - September 21 & 22, 10am to 5:00pm
Featuring one of a kind works of art by Canadian artists, set amidst the backdrop of the Stone Road Vineyard. Complimentary admission.

Mondavi/Riedel Tasting - Advanced Notice. Wednesday, October 2, 2002, tutored tasting: 6:30pm to 8:30pm, reception: 8:30pm to 9:30pm, Royal York Hotel, Canadian Room
Tickets are now on sale for the return of Georg Riedel, famed Austrian wine glassmaker, with special guests Michael Mondavi, Chairman of Robert Mondavi Wines, and Donald Ziraldo, President and Co-Founder of Inniskillin Wines.

Georg Riedel will take attendees through an 'Extreme' tutored tasting featuring Vinum Extreme stemware, including the Vinum Extreme Icewine stem, with premium wines of Robert Mondavi and Inniskillin.

For tickets call Vintages Customer Service at 416 3655767 or toll-free at 1 800 266 4764, or for more information visit www.vintages.com or inniskillin.com. This event sold out very quickly last year.

Vine to Wine Tasting - Saturday September 21,28, 1:00pm to 4:00pm
You will have the opportunity to sample and experience Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from our own Montague Estate Vineyard. Tasting the grape, fermenting juice, and finally the finished wine. Minimal fees apply.

Winemaster's Luncheon - Sunday, September 22, 1:00pm
Join Herbert Konzelmann for a three course Winemaster's Luncheon, and experience his passion and appreciation of wine, food and life. $45.00 per person. Seating limited. Reservations required.

How 'Grand' It Is! - September 23 - 28, 3:00pm
Join us for a winery tour and taste new releases to our Winemaster's Collection. Featuring Riesling 'Grand' Reserve, Riesling Traminer 'Grand' Reserve and Merlot 'Grand' Reserve. $10.00 per person. Reservations required.

Harvestfest 2002 - September 28, 11:00am to 4:00pm
Join us at Niagara's Exclusive Lakefront Winery and enjoy an outdoor BBQ featuring authentic German Oktoberfest sausage paired with a glass of a 2000 Vintage wine. $5.00 adults, $3.00 kids - sausage and pop.

Elaine Carlson - Sunday, August 11, 1:00pm to 4:00pm
Enjoy live entertainment from a local singer-songwriter while sipping a delightful glass of your favourite wine on our patio. The duo features some of Elaine Carlson's original compositions and guitar accompaniment by Jay Reed. This songbird's creations, being aired on many different radio stations across the country, are yours to hear.

Fibre Arts Weekend - September 7 & 8
Haldimand Art Works from Cayuga will be at the winery with various displays, including silk screening, weaving, etc.

Visual Art Weekend - September 21 & 22
Haldimand Art Works from Cayuga will be at the winery with various displays, including paintings, oil, watercolours and acrylic plus photography.

Barbecue Class With Ganesh Mohan, Sommelier/Owner Of Solo Grill In Toronto. Saturday, August 24, 1:00pm
Ganesh will be here with his old fashioned barbecue and will give wonderful and delectable tips on barbecuing and cooking ideas. Please join Stan & Marilyn at their new cottage winery just off the Glendale exit to Niagara-on-the-Lake in welcoming Ganesh. Seating is limited. Please call Marilyn for reservations at 905 685 8486 or email vyntnr@vaxxine.com.

Soft Jazz With Katrina Zorn, Accompanied By Jim Kenzie And His "Over The Hill Band". Saturday, September 28, 2:00pm
Katrina has sung in California and countries around the world for 15 years to audiences including Ambassadors, Queen Elizabeth and the Prince of Wales. This is the last weekend of the 2002 Niagara Grape and Wine Festival Seating is limited. Please call Marilyn for reservations at 905 685 8486 or email vyntnr@vaxxine.com.

September 20 - 29
Niagara's 51st annual celebration of Ontario's internationally acclaimed grape and wine industry. More than 100 events, including winery tours, concerts, Niagara cuisine, seminars, family entertainment and the Grande Parade. For more information call 905 688 0212 or visit www.grapeandwine.com

6th Annual, "Harvest Festival" - September 21 & 22, 10:00am to 5:00pm
Family event. Guided orchard, vineyard and winery tours. Music. No charge. Tour groups please book in advance at 905 985 9924

Twilight Tours - Starting in July, Sunday through Thursday at 7:15pm and Friday and Saturday at 7:15pm and 8:15pm
Visit Peller Estates Winery during the relaxed calm of the evening for a guided tour through the vineyards and the barrel aging cellar. Afterwards, enjoy a sampling of Peller Estates' VQA wines. Twilight Tours are offered complimentary.

Trolley Tour and Tasting - September 21, 22, 28 & 29, 12:00pm, 1:00pm, 2:00pm and 3:00pm
Enjoy a guided trolley tour through Pillitteri Estates vineyards followed by an educational tasting of three VQA wines in our new barrel cellar. $10.00 per person. Reservations required. Please call 905 468 3147.

Weekend Barbecue - September 21, 22, 28 & 29, 11:00am to 6:00pm
Choose from grilled Italian sausage or chicken breast served with a fresh side salad and glass of Pillitteri Estates award winning wine. $10.00 per person. For further details, please call 905 468 3147.

Pig Roast Dinner - Friday, September 6 & 20

Prime Rib Beef Dinner - Friday, September 13

Limited Seating. Reservations are required. 905 832 2548.

Weekend BBQ Lunch - May to October, Saturdays and Sundays, 12:00pm to 3:00pm
"Echelon Catering" is grilling up scrumptious BBQ fare outdoors on our patio all summer long! $8.95 per person plus taxes. 905-935-3535

Star Gaze Craze - Saturday, September 28
Goes on Rain or Shine. You keep coming back for more ... and we've got MORE. More stargazing that is, for the 4th big year in a row -with knowledgeable astronomers to answer your every question as you peer through their telescopes on our lawns. Stars in the sky, BBQ on the patio and wine in your glass! Admission $5.00 per person. $10 per family. 50% of all gate proceeds go to the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS). No charge for admission for this event in case of inclement weather...indoor program continues. BBQ & wine priced separately. Informative slide show in the barrel cellar by RAS.

From Vine to Wine - September 20 - 30, 11:00am to 4:00pm
Stoney Ridge invites you to taste excellence from the Bench vineyards to the resulting premium wines. A variety of varietal grapes will be offered with the corresponding wine.

A Nose by Any Other Name... September 21 & 22, 11:00am
This Chardonnay aroma seminar and tasting will heighten your sensory experience to new levels. A variety of limited vintage Chardonnays will be sampled during this special seminar. Reservations are required. $5.00 per person

Vins et Fromage - September 21, 22, 28 & 29, 11:00am to 4:00 pm
Savour a selection of our acclaimed wines paired with a variety of gourmet cheese. Nominal charge.

Toronto Life, Wine and Food Experience - Monday, September 30. Hors D'oeuvres at 6:00pm. Dinner at 7:00pm.
This event will be co-hosted by James Chatto and Margaret Swaine. The menu will be created by Executive Chef Stephen Perrin. Ontario wines will be highlighted with either two Ontario wines per course or one Ontario and one international

$175 per person plus taxes. Gratuity is included. 8199 Yonge St., Thornhill, 905 731 6161.

Market Highs And Lows   Reprinted, with permission, from the OGGMB's July 10, 2002 newsletter.

The market for Ontario wine sales through the LCBO continued to decline last year. However, due to the overall market increase for wine sales in the province, the total volume of Ontario wines sold through the LCBO still managed to increase.

Sales of wines through the Winery Retail Store System were up 10.8% over the previous year. White wine sales increased by 13.8% while red wine sales were up 20.2%. Winery Retail Store System share of Ontario wine sales increased from 35.9% to 37.4%.

Direct delivery of VQA wines to licensees were up 46.5% over the previous year. These sales now account for 5.4% of all Ontario wine sales.

The following shows the changes in Ontario wine sales from last year.

Share of Total Wine Market In Ontario:

Share of Ontario Wines Market:

Master Architect, Frank Gehry, Presents Design Plans For Le Clos Jordan Winery In Canada's Niagara Peninsula Town of Lincoln, Ontario, July 15, 2002

During a special presentation held on July 9, 2002 in the Town of Lincoln in the Niagara Peninsula, the principals of Canadian-based, Vincor International and Boisset, La Famille des Grands Vins, of Nuits-St-Georges, France provided updates on their new vineyard estate, Le Clos Jordan. In addition to a progress report on the viticulture, which is devoted exclusively to producing ultra-premium VQA wines from Burgundy's classic Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grape varieties, the partners invited world renowned architect, Frank Gehry, of Frank O. Gehry & Associates, Inc., to present the design for the proposed new winery.

Winery Form and Function

The winery would be sited at the centre of Le Clos Jordan's principal 35-acre vineyard, on the gently sloping Jordan Bench of the Niagara Escarpment, near the Town of Lincoln. Surrounded by environmentally protected forest and woodlands, the winery would be hidden from view, 1,500 feet from the nearest road. As visitors drive around the edge of the vineyard, the winery would slowly reveal itself, complementing the landscape as a gently flowing structure with softly curving white plaster walls and an undulating metal roof, reflecting the natural landscape and the sky.

The winery would operate on multiple levels both above and below grade to take advantage of the natural gravity flow within the winemaking process. Sections for each of the key stages in wine making, including grape crushing, destemming, pressing, tank and barrel fermentation, together with a tasting lounge, a wine boutique, and a glass enclosed gathering area in the red wine cellar, would be organized around a central, great hall from which each area would be clearly visible. The current design for the great hall calls for a series of floor-to-ceiling columns soaring dramatically from their base in the underground cellar.

Designed to both accommodate and inspire the process of making exceptional red and white wines, the building would also provide an exciting and informative experience for visitors who would be guided through all areas of the winery unobtrusively via suspended catwalks and pathways at and below ground level.

A Labour of Love

Speaking on behalf of a team of 14 architects that have been working on the Le Clos Jordan winery project, Frank Gehry was enthusiastic about the results. "We have been guided by the passion that our clients at Vincor and Boisset have for wine and winemaking," he said. "We've worked to create a precedent-setting facility in which they'll produce wines that will be among the best in the world. Some aspects of the design have been a breakthrough for us. And, on a personal note," he added, "I am very excited at the prospect of working in Canada."

Born in Toronto in 1929, Frank Gehry moved to the United States in 1947 and established his own Los Angeles-based architecture firm in 1962. Since then he has built a career that has spanned four decades and produced innumerable public and private buildings in America, Europe and Asia. His most noted include the Nationale-Nederlanden ("Ginger and Fred") Building in Prague, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, and the Experience Music Project, in Seattle, Washington.

"We are absolutely thrilled with Frank's design plans for our winery," said Jean-Charles Boisset, Vice-President, Boisset. "Frank and his team have shown great sensitivity to the natural beauty of the vineyard by creating shapes that grow gently out of our unique 'terroir.' They have also embraced every stage of the wine making process with an extraordinary understanding of the characteristics of both Burgundy and Canada."

Echoing the same sentiments, Don Triggs, President and CEO, Vincor International added that working with Frank Gehry has been "a dream come true. The process took many twists and turns and is still evolving," he said. "However what we see today is a very real expression of what we expect from our Le Clos Jordan wines - it is a real feast for the senses. As our wines pleasure the palate, so the design of the winery, both inside and out, will be a beautiful experience for our eyes and our imagination."

Ground breaking for the new winery is anticipated to take place following the receipt of all the necessary development approvals.

Le Clos Jordan is designed to bring global attention to the Niagara Peninsula and to the super- and ultra-premium wines it produces. The presence of Le Clos Jordan wines in the international marketplace is also expected to enhance the reputation of Canada's VQA system of quality control.

Boisset, La Famille des Grands Vins owns controlling interests in some of the oldest and most renowned wine houses in the world, including Le Domaine de la Vougeraie, along with Bouchard Ainé et Fils, Jaffelin, Ropiteau Frères, Pierre Ponnelle, Mommessin, F. Chauvenet, J. Moreau & Fils, Thorin, Morin Père et Fils, Charles Viénot, Les Domaines Bernard and Boisset Méditerranée. Publicly traded on the Paris Stock Exchange, Boisset was established in 1961 by the company's Chief Executive Officer, Jean-Claude Boisset.

Vincor International Inc. is North America's fourth largest producer and marketer of wines, with leading brands in all segments of the market. Publicly-traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange, the company's premium brands include Inniskillin Wines, Jackson-Triggs Vintners, Sumac Ridge, Hawthorne Mountain Vineyards, R.H. Phillips, Toasted Head and Hogue Cellars.

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