Women in Wine…Megan Schofield, Vitalie Taittinger, Louise Engel and Susana Balbo all connected by the vine.
Amazing structured tasting and luncheon at George Restaurant, Toronto. The Women in Wine. Left to right: Megan Schofield, Robert Mondavi Winery, Vitalie Taittinger, Champagne Taittinger, Georgia, Jennifer Huether, Master Sommelier, Susanne, Louise Engel, Featherstone Estate Winery and Susana Balbo, Susana Balbo Wines.
Happy Mother’s Day
We spent a beautiful Saturday afternoon in May just before Mother’s Day at George Restaurant in Toronto. What an amazing treat!
A pre Mother’s Day event celebrating mothers and some super wines made and marketed by some very accomplished Women in Wine from around the world. The afternoon consisted of a formal structured tasting moderated by Jennifer Huether, Canada’s first Master Sommelier who did an outstanding job! Followed by a 4 course luncheon created by Executive Chef Lorenzo Loseto, GEORGE Restaurant
Structured Tasting
First up one of The Wine Ladies favourites, Champagne. And this was no ordinary Champagne. The Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Champagne 2006 VINTAGES#: 55277 $229.00 per bottle. A stunning Champagne, with fine integration of the wonderful bight acidity, rich mineral character and creamy palate of glazed apricot, biscuit and passion fruit flavours. Superb.
Birds of a feather to flock together! The Featherstone Black Sheep Riesling 2017 VINTAGES#: 80234 $16.95 per bottle from Niagara. Lovely bright notes of lime blossom, lemon zest and flint. Considered by many critics among the best Riesling made in Ontario. Loved it!
Just coming off of Malbec World Day, April 17th, we were delighted to see another beautiful Malbec to enjoy. This one did not disappoint. The Susana Balbo Signature La Delfina Altamira 2013 VINTAGES#: 127514 $75.00 per bottle. Exploding aromas of blackberry, black cherry, and violets framed by hints of oak. This is a rich and ripe style of wine, reigning in the fruit and focusing it into a long finish. Salud!
Last but definitely not least the Robert Mondavi Winery Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 VINTAGES#: 670463 $149.00 per bottle From Napa, California this Cabernet showcases beautifully with its concentration of dark cherries and blackberries. Long and lingering luscious finish. Excellent!
Structured Tasting included: Taittinger Comtes de Champagne 2006, Featherstone Black Sheep Riesling 2017, Susana Balbo Signature La Delfina Altamira 2013 and Robert Mondavi Winery Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
Jennifer Huether Canada’s first Master Sommelier moderates the structure tasting with the Women In Wine. Jennifer represents California’s Jackson Family Wines in Canada.
Reception after the structured tasting featured the Featherstone Rose 2017
Louise Engel
Co-owner, Featherstone Estate Winery
Before entering the wine game in 1999, Louise and her partner, David Johnson, ran a gourmet specialty shop in Guelph. Louise and David have consistently taken an eco-friendly approach to farming. In 2003, Louise became a licensed falconer, working with birds of prey to deter nuisance birds in the vineyard. In 2007, Louise and David pioneered the use of lambs in vineyards in Canada; their top -selling signature wine, Black Sheep Riesling, is named for this natural vineyard practise.
Reception after the structured tasting featured the Taittinger Brut Reserve Champagne
Vitalie Taittinger
Communication and Marketing Director, Champagne Taittinger
Vitalie graduated from the Emile Cohl School of Art, in Lyon, in 2001. In 2004, with Gilles Bernard, she published a monograph on the surrealist painter Alfred Courmes. Since 2015, she has been working as the head of Taittinger communication and marketing department and is responsible for ensuring that the Taittinger name remains front and centre, the world over, in any discussion of Champagne. As though life were not busy enough, Vitalie is also the mother of four children.
1st Course: AHI TUNA with curry and zucchini. Prepared by Executive Chef Lorenzo Loseto, Executive Chef, GEORGE Restaurant. The dish was paid with the Taittinger Prestige Brut Rose Champagne.
Susane Balbo
Owner and Chief Winemaker, Susana Balbo Wines
The first female winemaker in Argentina, Susana graduated cum laude with a degree in oenology in 198. In 2012, she was the only Argentinian named among the “50 Most Powerful Women in the Wine World” by the British magazine The Drinks Business. In 2015, she was awarded Women the Year 2015 by the same magazine. Susana is also a national congresswoman and in 2017 was elected by the president of Argentina to be part of the W20.
2nd Course: Salmon with avocado cream and cucumber.Prepared by Executive Chef Lorenzo Loseto, Executive Chef, GEORGE Restaurant. The food was paired with 2 choices… Robert Mondavi Winery Reserve Fume Blanc 2014 and the Susana Balbo Signature Rose 2017.
Megan Schofield
Winemaker, Robert Mondavi Winery
Megan grew up in St. Catherines, Ontario surrounded by grapes, but paid little not. She enrolled in Brock University in Ontario as a biotechnology student but was soon intrigued by the excitement around a new program being offered in oenology and viticulture. Her interest piqued, she applied, and was one of only 10 students accepted into the program. Before becoming a winemaker at Robert Mondavi Winery in 2015, Megan worked for Beringer and Buena Vista.
3rd Course: Cornish Hen with sweet potato and aged cheddar. Prepared by Executive Chef Lorenzo Loseto, Executive Chef, GEORGE Restaurant. We had two wines with this course. The Featherstone Cabernet Franc 2016 and the Susana Balbo Signature Malbec 2015.
Heartbroken! We missed dessert! It was a Lemon Tart with Italian meringue and pine nuts paired with the Robert Mondavi Winery
Moscato D’Oro 2015.
Darn it!
Selfie time with Megan Schofield, winemaker Robert Mondavi Winery! We had a blast! Adieu until we meet again!