If you're a wine-lover or looking to learn more about wine, you're going like this post. We were invited to one of iYellow Wine Club's classes last week in their new "wine cave" located on Queen Street West. We're so happy we attended because the wine class was not only informative, it was interesting and fun!
iYellow Wine Club is a social wine club in Toronto with over 10,000 members that provides wine-lovers events, tours, and classes to really build your wine confidence. It's not one of those snooty clubs where you should feel intimidated - it's a welcoming and interactive session where you taste wine from all over the world, learn about the various wines, and meet others with the same interest as you! We immediately felt at home in the Wine Cave even with our limited wine knowledge. It's very cozy and casual with the friendliest people!
The best part? Membership is free and you can pick and choose which events, tours and classes to attend, a la carte. Find out more here.
The class we attended was to explore various wines from Argentina. I tend to go for white wine such as German Reisling and Pinot Grigio, so I was excited to taste varities of full bodied reds from Argentina.
The WinesMasi Passo Doble 2011 $13.95Crios Torrontes 2012 $13.95Graffigna Centario Reserve Pinot Grigio 2012 $12.95Alta Vista Premium Chardonnay 2012 $14.95Salentein Malbec Reserve $17.95Trapiche Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon $16.95
Ange Aiello, founder of iYellow Wine Club, took our tastebuds on a tour through the marvels of Mendoza, Argentina. We learned the 5 ways to "taste" wine:
See
Swirl
Smell
Sip
Savour
It's so interesting to see/smell/taste the things that you would otherwise have overlooked.
An interesting tip we learned about "smelling wine". There is a sweet spot slightly over the rim of the glass where the wine will smell the best. As you smell deeper, the wine tends to become more alcoholic so beware!
Discovered a new favourite - malbec by Trapiche from Mendoza, Argentina. This wine spent 18 months in oak and it was very smooth, soft and supple with hints of ripe fruit like prunes and dark cherries. It tasted complex but elegant at the same time. It's a winner of many wine awards year and year and the wine maker is actually one of the top 10 in the world.
We had a special guest that night as well. None other than David Lawrason, Canadian Wine Journalist for Toronto Life, educator and tasting note collector.
He also introduced us to WineAlign, an app that finds the wine you're looking for based on price, taste, regions, you name it! It also tells you if your local LCBO has it in stock - amazing!
It's not a wine tasting without some tasty cheese & meat Charcuterie.
The Pairings from Sliced Gourmet
Piave, Brie, Chevre Noir, Aged Cheddar
Duck & Pistachio Pate, Locally Cured Prosciutto, Handmade Spicy Salami, Handmade Fennel Salami
Mediterranean Olives & Sundried Tomatoes
Handmade Crisps & Taralli
Our night in the Wine Cave was a memorable one. Not only did we enjoy the wine tasting, we discovered a new favourite, met great people and left with a newfound knowledge about Argentinian wines. iYellow Wine Club has 8 classes in one term that you can pick and choose. I thought this would be a great gift to a friend or family member that loves wine or even a fun party idea!
- This experience was complimentary but opinions are our own. -
Sounds like a fun night! I don't have a lot of wine knowledge, and I think learning a little more in a fun way is a great idea. Thanks for the info.
ReplyDeleteWe're in the same boat - I love drinking wine but was never one to have any "wine-knowledge". This class definitely is a fun way to learn about where the wine comes from and why it tastes that way! You should definitely check it out! Thanks for stopping by :)
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