The Luxury Chocolate Toronto Show with The Wine Ladies. Nov 6th, 2016
The Luxury Chocolate Toronto Show is the place to sample and buy your chocolate for the coming Holiday Season. Each of our participating chocolatiers, pastry chefs and confectioners are on hand to introduce you to their amazing creations. From bean to bar, from cocao to creation, this is the place to get your ideas for entertaining “chocolate-style” this season.
The Wine Ladies Present the Chocolate + Wine Tasting Salon
Chocolate + Wine pairing tables will be located on the upper pods of Roy Thomson Hall. Having the right wine to complement the right chocolate can be a match made in heaven! Sample wine and chocolate together. Samplings are available by ticket purchase.
What chocolate goes with what wine? Here you can sample wines with the chocolate that tastes best as a pairing with sampling tickets. THE WINE LADIES will be hosting scheduled Wine + Chocolate Pairing sessions throughout the day. Register at the bottom of stairs to pods in the South Lobby.
Some incredible wines will be featured from France, Italy, Chile and Argentina. All paired with BRIX Chocolate, the chocolate designed to pair with wine. These wines will be featured on this page over the next few weeks so stay tuned!!
Must be 19 years of age to enter this section and sample products.
Price per seminar is $15.00 per session and includes, chocolate wine and door prizes! (Does not include entry fee into the show) Buy your ticket the day of the show. Seminar times: 12:00pm, 1:30 pm, 3:00pm and 4:30 pm.
An example of some of the world class, highly esteemed wineries featured in the show include:
With winemaker Felipe Stahlschmidt and Export Director Julian Orti of esteemed winery Pascual Toso of Argentina, recognized as one of this countries oldest and prestigious wineries. A stunning tasting of 12 varietals, including Malbecs, Cabernet Sauvignon, red blends and the newly released Barrancas were tasted at the National Club,in Toronto hosted by EuroVintage Wines & Spirits.
This special edition Cabernet Sauvignon and Mabec blend was made to celebrate the wineries 125th anniversary. Only 125 bottles were produced. A selection of these stunning wines are available through LCBO and Vintages. They are exquisite. The high altitudes, warm temperatures and soils produce fruity, fresh and smooth wines.
One of Italy’s many claims to fame, is of course their very own sparkling wine, growing in popularity day by day. Not only is it a wine, but it is a place, and it is a grape and there is a bit of confusion out there about this delightful and delicious bubbly and that is Prosecco. There is much more to this bubbly, with an interesting history, than many might know. We are excited to share with everyone at the show a very special winery, located in the Friuli region in northeastern Italy, the wine Castel Pitars winery. Here is a wine producer that dates back to 1510, steeped in tradition, now run by four brothers producing an exciting array of wines, along with their Prosecco, wines of indigenous grapes, international varietals and unique blends. Pitars Wines imported and distributed exclusively by VDF Importers of Fine Wines.
Listen to Nicola Pitaro on The Wine Ladies radio show Episode WL at 05-11-2016
Founded in 1885 by François Rémy, Rémy Pannier is the Loire Valley’s single largest wine producer, accounting for about 15% of all Loire Valley wine production, and with markets in over 40 countries worldwide. This progressive winery offers three AOC wines including the best selling Rosé in Ontario – Rosé D’Anjou, Muscadet and more recently, Sauvignon Blanc. Remy Pannier wines imported by EuroVintage Wines & Spirits.
Listen to the Export Director,Julien Cothenet of Remy Pannier, a company with its roots firmly planted in the Loire, with a fascinating history, scrumptious story and wines.
Jose Curervo Tequila delivers on the Mayan Riviera.
Jose Cuervo
The Magic of Mexico… on the Mayan Riviera…
An invitation we couldn’t possibly turn down. A four-day quick get-a-way to Mexico’s Mayan Riviera and its beautiful beachfront city Playa del Carmen situated on the Yucatan Peninsula. Playa, as the locals call it, with its beautiful beaches is a casual, yet sophisticated city. A charming and exhilarating downtown offering up suburb Mexican fare and fine cuisine alike. Although a little less rambunctious than its neighbor to the north the city of Cancun, here too there is a bustling nightlife scene. As well as loads of great shopping a la NYC 5th Avenue. The center of town actually is on 5th Avenue, “Avenida 5” where all of the above and more can be enjoyed.
If one is in search of a premium resort accommodation the Riviera Maya easily obliges on that front too! For our last minute quick trip we booked at the El Dorado Seaside Suites, by Karisma, about 25 minutes south of the centre of Playa del Carmen. This is an all inclusive adults-only spa resort, with one of the largest spas in Riviera Maya, where we settled in for some of the best R &R we have had in quite some time!
Here are a few of the highlights we experienced on this all too brief visit to the Riviera Maya.
As we arrived at our destination the El Dorado Seaside we were overtaken with the anticipation of a few days of enjoying the sea, the sun, some delicious fresh food, delectable cocktails and some fun. The resort turns out to be beautiful, covered with lush tropical gardens and towering forests of palm trees and a private beach that spans over a mile with pockets cordoned off due to nesting turtles, a protected species. Our accommodations suit us just fine, tastefully decorated, in the new section, on the third floor overlooking one of five pools, equipped with a swim-up bar where we come to meet a diverse group of fun loving fellow vacationers.
Where to dine? Three nights and up to seven restaurants from which to choose our fave turns out to be the Klay Talay Oriental Cuisine, which we enjoy on our final evening.
Here we are seated in a private enclave where we have a full view of the action, while enjoying the ambiance and comfort of our private dining quarters. The restaurant is very hip and sleek while still warm and inviting.
A splendidly plated, generous “boat” of sashimi, sushi and assorted condiments is placed before us by our server who goes on to describe the various specialties we are about to enjoy. Our glasses of perfectly chilled Chilean Sauvignon Blanc arrive promptly, and are carefully attended to, with a continuous flow. We are feeling very special to say the least. The mains are presented equally as artistic and are sublime in flavor. Truly a delightful experience from the pre-dinner tequila cocktail at the thatched roof bar adjacent to the restaurant, to the supurb dishes and service, we give Klay Talay a resounding two thumbs up!
When it comes to local spirit, and local spirits there is no shortage here! At one of our favorite bars, we’ve come to know our bartender Jesus quite well and quite quickly where he routinely shakes things up showcasing his talent at mixology.
Here we enjoy a plethora of tasty cocktails with the starring act being of course the signature drink of Mexico tequila! Cuervo tequila is being poured, apparently the first producer of tequila in the world. We are chatting now with a “tequila aficionado” who has this to share on both Jose Cuervo and the story of tequila in general.
Agave plant being harvested.
“Tequila my friend, can only be called tequila if it comes from one of five states in Mexico. The most important being in the west central region of Jalisco” we are told. “And do not be fooled, it must also be made exclusively with the Blue Agave or Agave Azul plant. No agave grown outside this region, including other countries can be used for any product labeled as ‘tequila’. We go on to learn that the blue agave plant, takes six to twelve years to mature. That each plant is harvested only once. The harvesting of the blue agave is arduous work, which is done by the caretakers called “jimadores”. They first must chop off the leaves, thick spiny leaves that can grow to eight feet tall, followed by the core the source for the sap that can weigh up to 200 pounds!
We are on to the popularity now of tequila and the positioning it enjoys on top shelves in prestigious bars and restaurants around the world, not unlike Cognac and Scotch. Jose Cuervo is one such tequila, which we come to be quite well acquainted with and are happy here to share.
Jose Antonio Cuervo was the first producer of tequila in the world having been awarded the rights to cultivate a parcel of land from the King of Spain in 1758. Today Cuervo owns the largest holdings of agave in the world.
The Cuervo family has been making tequila for over 250 years now with recipes handed down generation through generation. They pride themselves on using the best agaves, and finest methods producing some of the world’s finest tequila, and are in fact the world’s best selling tequila.
Jose Cuervo Especial Silver Tequila
We enjoy the Jose Cuervo Especial Silver Tequila first, neat, and then both on the rocks and in this delectable cocktail!
Especial Silver Tequila (In our market $33.95)
It is clear in colour, has an aroma of citrus and touch of mineral. Dry and with a lime flavour with a smooth warm finish.
On another afternoon we enjoy a wine tasting, featured among other vinos, a couple that hail from Mexico! Yes, from the region of Baja California. The weather here is most suitable for wine grape growing including the noble varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Syrah. L.A. Cetto is one we enjoy with a fine selection of cheeses, fresh and dried fruits.
But we did more than indulge in fine tequila, the occasional glass of wine and delicious dishes all day long. We partook in classes of yoga, in karaoke singing and rounds of Black Jack, and we took to the water in motor boats and kayaks.
The resort was top notch, with so much to embrace, the sea, the sun, the wonderful food and drink and the people. And Playa still beckons, the shops and the cafes and bars, it’s not goodbye, simply so long for now, we will be sure to return.
As read in Power Boating Magazine.
Power Boating, Magic of Mexico,Tequila