Okay so after drooling over those out-of-my-league Bordeaux at the LCBO in my last post, I went to Crush Wine Bar for the last Bordeaux After Work Party to get my fix on. And what a PARTY it was. You know when you hear someone say they went to a wine tasting event and you think la dee da, and assume it’s all stuffy and pretensious and intimidating? Well these wine events are NOTHING like that. They make French wine as accessible as a pint of craft beer: you know what you’re drinking is amazing, but it’s also friendly and fun and you can’t believe you were ever afraid to order it before.
The wines we were sipping at Crush – all at a cost of $5 per glass, and $30 per bottle – included:
Chateau Toumilon 2033
AOC Graves
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc
Soft yet rich, with a light touch, fresh fruits, silky tannins and persistent finish. Scents of raspberry, blackberry and prune mixed with cedar and spice. Dry. Lovely.
Chateau Fayan 2008
AOC Puisseguin Saint-Emilion
Merlot, Cabernet Franc
Depth, complexity, balance. Plums and vanilla meet leather notes. Tannic. Scored 90pts in the Globe this year.
Chateau Timberlay 2008
AOC Bordeaux-Superieur
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc
Bright ruby colour. Fine but intense and complex. Fruity with light oak, it is soft on the palate. Vanilla, spice, leather mixed with red fruit. A great value.
Chateau Coucheroy 2008
AOC Pessac-Leognan
Sauvignon Blanc
Rich, fresh and lively. Lemony and tropical, toasty – with aging will develop hazelnut aromas. Very clean and dry.
Chateau Fontaine 2008
AOC Sauternes
Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc
Medium yellow colour. Mango, melon with sweet grass and honeycomb. Medium sweetness. Elegant and fresh. Incredible aromatic finish.
My fav red was the Timberlay, and white the Fontaine! Crush also offered guests – which totalled over 300 – great discounts on apps (the delicious kind, not the tech kind). Like pulled pork poutine. And lobster rolls. Oh my.
I’m quite sad that this promotion by the Bordeaux Wine Council, in partnership with iYellow Wine Club, has come to an end. It just seemed like each subsequent event they held was bigger and better than the last! The party at Crush was so lively and popular that I didn’t even get a chance to share a toast with the host(ess). Ah, but that’s the sign of success ;o)
Can’t wait to see what’s next.
Cheers!
x