Winetasters@Home Event Series
Toronto Winetasters’
Holiday Toast to Niagara
With Thomas Bachelder
Wednesday, Dec 16, 6:30 PM
Now Open to Non-Members
Price (including HST) :
  • $65 to taste all 7 wines (limited to 48 packages).
  • $48 to taste the 4 2018 wines only (limited to an additional 24 packages).
We are delighted to invite you to join us for what should be an exciting tasting experience. We have lined up some great Ontario wines with an outstanding speaker and enthusiast – Thomas Bachelder, oenological raconteur par excellence. He will lead us through a tasting featuring three of the original Clos Jordanne cuvées, as well an exploration of Niagara terroir manifested in four of his current Bachelder Niagara Wines. Those who know Thomas will know that this will be a terrific evening combining great Ontario wine with his unparalleled story telling and enthusiasm for, and deep knowledge of, Niagara wine.
Starting out as a wine journalist, his interest in the subject took him to work in the vineyards of Burgundy, and subsequently Oregon. He burst onto the Ontario scene in 2004 as the founder winemaker at Le Clos Jordanne. This was a joint venture with the French négociant, Boisset. The focus was on a Burgundian approach to terroir and wine making and it clearly showed in the bottle. In 2009/2010 he handed on the reins at Clos Jordanne and ventured out on his own (well not exactly alone, as his next venture was a family affair with his wife Mary and their daughters) making wine in Burgundy and Oregon as well as Niagara.
We will be tasting seven wines tonight. The first three, which will be presented blind, are Pinots Noirs from the original Clos Jordanne. Toronto Winetasters has been nurturing these in its cellar and they should be fully mature, and we are bringing out our last few bottles of these:

  • 2004 Village Reserve – the entry level wine that was a terrific value
  • 2005 La Petite Vineyard - it’s became the core of Domaine Quelylus
  • 2009 Le Clos – the heart of the original estate
We will taste these blind which will give you a great chance to make your own conclusions about the similarities and differences between them.

The second part of the event will be a mini guided tour of four Niagara Terroirs. First, two Chardonnays from Wismer vineyards which are among the best sites in Niagara:

  • Wismer Foxcroft "Nord" Chardonnay, VQA Twenty Mile Bench, 2018
  • Wismer Wingfield "Ouest" Chardonnay, VQA Twenty Mile Bench, 2018
Although just a thousand metres apart, these are quite different terroirs, as you will see. Many consider Chardonnay to be the premier grape for serious Ontario wine, and as such it has gained international acclaim.

We will follow with a pair of Pinots, but this time 30 odd Kilometres apart, from the Vineland Bench and St Davids Bench

  • Wismer-Parke Pinot Noir, VQA Twenty Mile Bench, 2018
  • Lowrey Old Vines, Pinot Noir, VQA St. David’s Bench, 2018
With Thomas as our guide, we expect some lively discussion. This will be an outstanding event, so sign up early to be sure of your place, it will sell out quickly.
This will be a Zoom event of course.

Price (including HST) :
  • $65 to taste all 7 wines (limited to 48 packages).
  • $48 to taste the 4 2018 wines only (limited to an additional 24 packages).

First come, first served for current paid up Winetasters members. Will open this up to non-members on Wednesday, December 9th.

Just a reminder, no food in these packages, so you can experiment with your own matchings.

In the box will be a 2 oz sample of each wine (enough for two to share, carefully! - or for one to make a more “thorough evaluation”). There will also be a tasting sheet for your personal notes and optional score.

We have two locations where the wines may be picked up, between 10 am and 4 pm on Wednesday 16th Dec.
 
Downtown – off Queen & Church:
Rick Wood
33 Lombard St, Unit 2206, M5C 3H8
 
Avenue Road and 401 (Just north of the 401)
Peter Wood
95 Sandringham Dr, Toronto, ON, M3H 1E1

If you are unable to pick up the wine from either of these locations. We have a very small number of volunteers who are able to make a few deliveries (GTA only). Therefore, on December 16 we are counting on our members & guests to use one of the pickup locations.

To sign up for the event, email Richard Flack at richardflack@rogers.com. Cut and paste the following in the email & fill in the details:
  • Name:
  • Contact Phone:
  • Number of 7 wine tastings:
  • Number of 4 wine tastings:
  • Address, including postal code:
  • Pick-up location:

When we get your email, we will reply with payment instructions, and the password to order the Holiday Case should you wish. Pick up / delivery info to follow once we assess the distribution of the orders and what our volunteers can do.

Event registrants will also be entitled to a discount on Bachelder wines. Here is a link to the offer, password required to order which will be provided to those who register for our event.


Date: Dec 16 Time: 6:30