Reported by Natale Lofaro

Wow! Joe Hatz organized a fabulous event, Brookstreet Hotel delivered a fabulous event. Veronique wowed us with  her tremendous knowledge of wine and all things Sommelier.

First, I would like to thank all the  individuals who contributed wine to this  event: Phil Nicholson, Vic Harradine,  Pierre Dupont, Peter Collis, Paul  Courtice, David Skinner, Luke Ambridge,  Natale Lofaro, and Joe Hatz.

Sixteen wines in all were had, along with  a tasting menu. The afternoon started off  with a taste of Lustau Oloroso Sherry –  Pata de Gallina. This was ethereal. It had  a deep amber color with beautiful aromas  of maple, walnut, smoke, spice, almond,  and caramel. Smooth with nutty flavors,  tangy acidity, and very long finish.

The first food flight was Sweetbreads with an Apricot  Crush. This was my first experience with sweetbreads  and they were delicious! The matching wines  included a 96 Riesling Auslese Nackenheim  Rothenburg. This wine exuded apricot, dried apple,  ginger, spice, mineral, and a light botrytis/honey  character. I thought it matched the sweetbreads  beautifully. However, the crowd favourite was the  1990 Ch. Suduiraut Sauternes. This was intense and  powerful. Deep amber colour with orange highlights  and dripping with aromas of botrytis and honey.

The second flight featured Beef Cheek Ravioli. Joseph Drouhin Clos des Mouches 2000 was served first. This was  elegant and perfumey with aromas of cherry and spice. Maybe The best match in the flight. Two Italian wines  followed. First a still tannic Barolo Boscareto by Principianco, which showed aromas of tar, licorice, spice and cherry.  The last wine in the flight was a 1999 Antinori Guado al Tasso (Cab/Merlot/Syrah) from Bolgheri. Very curranty  aromas, followed by cherry, spice, and vanilla, polished tannins with a long finish.

Flight three was called the WOW flight featuring four Second Growth. Bordeaux paired to a Lamb Noisette and  Chlorophyll Polenta. The lamb was incredibly flavourful. Maybe the best wine of the flight was a 1982 Gruaud Larose.  Deep brick red with aromas of smoke, game, tobacco, spice, and cigar box. Silky smooth with a very long finish. The  1983 Pichon Longueville paled in comparison. It had a brick colour and was fading. The best wine with the lamb was  the 1990 Pichon Longueville. Classic Bordeaux with aromas of currant, tobacco, spice, and herb. The wine still has  another decade of improving in it. The flight was capped of with a 1990 Ducru Beaucaillou. Classic currant, tobacco,  pencil, dill, and spice aromas. A shade lighter than the Pichon on the palette.

The blind tasting portion was next. Many were able to peg the Aussie wine, a few picked out the Rhone wine, but  nobody got the Jackson Triggs Okanagan Shiraz that took top Shiraz at the International Wine and Spirit competition  in London, England. This wine was deep purple/red and stained the glass as you swirled it. It had intense oak aromas  coupled with blackberry, plum, black pepper and floral. The Aussie wine turned out to be a 1998 Bin 389 Cab/Shiraz.  This wine screamed Australia—chocolate, mint, sweet spice, plumy and dried fruit. Big and jammy on the palette. The  final wine was a rare 2002 Ogier Cote Rotie. Intense cracked black pepper aroma coupled with smoke, with crisp  blackberry flavours and a long tannic finish

The finale—a Port lovers dream: a silky, nutty Fonseca  20 year old Tawny matched against a still young and  powerful 1994 Fonseca Vintage and for good measure  a 1995 Burmeister Vintage. The Ports were matched to  an airy Gorgonzola Soufflé.

Finally, the guild is proud to announce that we were  able to donate $2000 to Veronique to help her with the  finances involved in competing on the world stage at  the Sommelier World Championships in Spain. Guild  Governor, Phil Nicholson presented the cheque to  Veronique. Good luck Veronique, bring home the  Gold.

Flight 1

• Lustau, Oloroso Pata de Gallina Sherry, Jerez, Spain
• Gonzalez Byass, Amontillado Seco, Palomino, Jerez, Spain
• Gunderloch Nackenheim Rothenburg Riesling Auslese, 1996, Rheinhessen, Germany
• Chateau Suduiraut, 1990
• 1er Cru, Sauternes, Bordeaux, France

Flight 2

• Joseph Drouhin, 2000, Clos des Mouches, Beaune, Burgundy, France
• Ferdinando Principianco Barolo Boscareto, 1999, DOCG, Italy
• Antinori Gaudo al Tasso Bolgheri Superiore, 1999, DOC, Italy

Flight 3

• Chateau Gruaud Larose, 1982 Grand Cru Classe, St.Julien, Bordeaux, France
• Au Baron de Pichon-Longueville, 1983, Grand Cru Classe, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France
• Au Baron de Pichon-Longueville, 1990, Grand Cru Classe, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France
• Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou, 1990, Grand Cru Classe, St. Julien, Bordeaux, France

Flight 4

• Jackson-Triggs Grand Reserve Shiraz, 2004, Okanagan, Canada
• Penfold’s Bin 389, 1998, Cabernet Sauvignon–Shiraz, South Australia
• Michel & Stephan Ogier, 2002, Cote Rotie Northern Rhone, France

Flight 5

• Fonseca, 20 Years Old Tawny Port
• Fonseca, Vintage Port, 1994
• Burmeister, Vintage Port, 1995