ISSUE NO. O5 • APRIL 2017
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Easter Edition
April Wine Review • Focus on Hare Wine Co. Cuvée 2017 • Guide Spotlight • Cheese Secrets • Easter Egg Hunt
THAnk You! We are getting very close to the upcoming busy season, so I thought I would take this time to send a HUGE "Thank You" to all of our guests that have joined us over the years, and also a warm welcome to the guests we will be privileged to serve on upcoming experiences this year. We are just finishing celebrating our 10th Anniversary and are headed into our 11th year in business and our 25th year in the Food and Wine service industry! We are ranked as the #1 Wine Tour in Niagara Wine Country for a 10th consecutive year and have been the Top Rated Professional Wine Experience Company in Canada for that same time span. We are so grateful to all of our visitors and clients who have given us the opportunity to share our high level of customer service. It is because of you that we have won major global awards and maintained our unparalleled track record on Trip Advisor. It has been a long road to get to this point: a tremendous amount of travel, and a huge amount of work and sacrifice. I’ve spent the past 25 years working at various jobs to learn the absolute ins and outs of the Food and Wine industry. From bus boy, to dishwasher, to waiter, to lead server, to Sommelier, to Restaurant Manager, to Winery Manager, to Tour Guide, Event Manager and Wine Tour Owner/Operator. All of these experiences span 3 countries and caused my 25 different relocations across Canada and abroad in only 20 years’ time. I have met amazing people and have made friends from every corner of the globe who have influenced what we do and how we treat our guests. Today, we have proven that we have set the national bar for unique experiences in the industry. We are the most copied wine tour company in the country! However, we still strive to innovate and create new and unique experiences for our guests. It’s what we have and will continue to do best!
It's not all sparkling wine here at Niagara Vintage Wine Tours. There have been times of doubt and exhaustion in the pursuit to provide elite customer service. But at times when we truly feel that we are at the end of our rope, amazing things happen that keep us going. Things like getting a phone call from a guest who has been on our tour wishing to speak with me directly just to say “Thank You” for our services and the unforgettable experience they had with our company. Sometimes these calls can be very emotional. Some call to tell us that the tour has brought them and their loved ones closer together or that the time away helped them to overcome a personal struggle or hardship. These calls and personal connections remind us here at Niagara Vintage Wine Tours that we have the ability to bring people together through a platform that can temporarily help our guests forget the anxieties of the crazy world we live in. I am proud to have the most talented staff members and Wine Smart Guides in the industry. All of whom are extremely knowledgeable about the wine industry, but equally as understanding of what it takes to give one’s utmost in customer service. They truly care about the guests and their experiences in Niagara Wine Country. At Niagara Vintage Wine Tours, we celebrate the pairing of food and wine and how it is a force to bring people together to celebrate. We are a company that genuinely cares about the feelings of our guests and the influence we can have on their experiences. We hope that as ambassadors of Niagara Wine Country that we have enlightened our guests about the local wine industry and the passions that drive it. We strive to give our guests an experience that they will share with others and remember for a lifetime. Again, thank you for all of your support and patronage over these past 10 years. With your kind words and referrals, you have allowed us to grow and to continue to create a better experience for all of our guests year after year! Enjoy! Cin Cin
Christopher Fuccillo Founder Niagara Vintage Wine Tours INC THE WINE SMART PEOPLE!
GUS BAGAROZZA NVWR SPOTLIGHT
NIAGARA VINTAGE WINE SMART GUIDE
His other passion is traveling. Having visited at least 30 countries, and with more traveling planned in the future, Gus is definitely a globetrotter. Where he travels, he cycles. He has cycled through Czechoslovakia – from Prague to Vienna – and also cycles on food, beer and wine trails in Arizona, Prince Edward County, and the Niagara Area. He is also the founding and original member of “Amici Per La Vita” (Friends for Life), a cycling club that was the first of its kind in Niagara. Because of this, Gus has personal relationships with several winemakers in Niagara On The Lake and he is an avid reader of all things pertaining to wine. You can ask him anything! As an educator, Gus taught for 34 years. He graduated from both the University of Windsor and Western University (Althouse College of Education) with a major in French and minors in English and Italian. For those 34 years he taught core language classes to grades 1 through 13.
Gus’ life revolves around three distinct professions: amateur wine maker, avid traveler and cyclist, and educator. As an amateur winemaker, Gus started making wine with a group called “The Son’s of Bacchus” or the “SOB’s”. (Gus’ Riesling is definitely a wine to add to your collection)! This group has an annual amateur winemaking contest that encourages other young winemakers to achieve better results. This group has raised the level of winemaking of area amateurs by sharing their knowledge and offering this competition.
Now that he’s retired from teaching, Gus spends his time educating relatively new Canadian wine drinkers and expanding their knowledge about all things wine. Having worked for two other wine tour companies prior to joining the NVWT team, Gus is glad to be a part of Niagara Vintage Wine Tours. Here he is able to impart his knowledge to our guests. He creates a new experience with every tour, and loves to continue educating outside of the classroom! Wine, 'fruit of the vine, work of human hands, let it be my eternal drink! Ciao, cheers, prosit, salud! NOMADIC
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g g E r e East Hunt! Niagara Vintage Wine Tours is giving you the chance to win tickets to the Niagara Food & Wine Expo!
We've hidden 6 Easter Eggs in this month's e-magazine. Each egg has a wine descriptor written inside. Can you guess which type of wine the eggs are describing?
Send us an email at tours@niagaravintagewinetours.com with your best guess, and you'll be entered to win a set of tickets for the Niagara Food & Wine Expo!
Here's one to get you started!
From France
Niagara Vintage Wine Review The Niagara Vintage Wine Review rates wines using a Diamond Standard of Excellence. This is partially in tribute to our logo design. All wine reviews are done by Chris Fuccillo, founder and president of Niagara Vintage Wine Tours. With over 25 years of experience in the food & wine industry, he is constantly exploring the Niagara Wine Region evaluating wines to better serve you.
88PTS RANCOURT BON BON ROSE
Who doesn't enjoy candy at Easter? This rosé is not very sweet but just sweet enough to have a nice, smooth after taste. It does have that red candied flavour of a strawberry lollipop and has a nice spice overtone for those of you who like red wines, This wine meets white wine lovers and red wine fans halfway as a nice aperitif before dinner, As Spring approaches, this would be a nice glass of wine to have while doing some gardening! $15.00
90PTS
COYOTE'S RUN SYRAH 2010
I had the opportunity to try this wine at the winery with my good friend, and one of Canada's leading sommeliers, Jay Whitely. As always, it did not disappoint. This wine, in my opinion, has always been a very consistent product from this winery. It starts off with that proprietary white pepper on the nose and has a distinct herbal back roundon the palate. It is very forward with firm, young, Oak tannins that indicate that this wine will age well, develop, and smooth out over time. It has a more old world tone with Southern Rhone flare and seems to be best suited to have with a full meal as opposed to as a sipping wine. Very herbaceous on the palate with a pomegranate and beet flavor profile. Lay this one in your cellar for a few years! $23.95
92PTS This product is a HUGE fan favorite of our tour guests. It's definitely a FAST seller, and if you don't get this wine at release or pre order it, sometimes you will miss the boat! I love this product! It's a white wine made from red grapes that has very good body and a swirly mouth feel, with very distinct flavors of Niagara orchard fruits such as pear apricot and peaches. It has a nice acidity to round out the full flavor and is a perfect balanced wine for a white wine with flare. This is a special wine and a crowd pleaser and is great with all types of fare. Pair with both leaner meats and Asian cuisine and you can add some spice to the mix as well! $22.95
90PTS
Raspberry
SOUTHBROOK CANADIAN FRAMBOISE I decided to throw something out there that was a little untraditional. Nevertheless, this is a truly enjoyable and unique product that has style and is overall truly yummy! This wine is a totally delicious sweet ending to any meal, or happy conversation, it is deep, rich and colourful, with red jam and caramelized raisin flavours. It gives a full mouth feel of flavor with its traditional raspberry overtones In order to preserve the fresh fruit characteristics in the finished wine, the fermentation is stopped with the addition of alcohol, leaving some residual sugar. The fruit macerates for three to four weeks in stainless steel tanks, after which it is pressed and sweetened, prior to bottling. To learn more about how to enjoy this product, click here: http://www.southbrook.com/recipes_details?news_id=82 $17.95
WEIVER ENIW EGATNIV ARAGAIN EHT
HINTERBROOK FRANC BLANC 2015
THE HARE WINE CO. It’s been a busy and exciting winter for Niagara -on-the-Lake’s newest winery. The Hare Wine Co. opened in October 2016 and hosted its grand opening celebration mid-November.
“The response from visitors and the community has been very positive” John Hare, Owner of The Hare Wine Co.
Though the Hare Wine Co. name is a hat tip to its owner, it is a symbol of fertility and good fortune honoring its natural and abundant agricultural history. The winery’s tasting bar and wine shop is opened daily from 10am-6pm with extended hours until 8pm during the summer season. Guests can enjoy a table wine tasting or specialty wine tasting which includes Late Harvest and Icewine.
Medium Body
“We have some exciting new releases planned for spring! This includes new vintages of some customer favourites as well as a few new wines that will be added to our portfolio." Alina Trefry, Sommelier and Assistant Cellar Master at The Hare Wine Co.
The winery has quickly become known for its exceptional customer experience and its quality wines. Their wine collections include the ever so popular Jack Rabbit Series, Crown Land Series, Frontier Collection and Noble Collection. The current portfolio is small but focuses on high quality wines that are true to their terroir. Shortly after opening, the winery’s most popular wine, Jack Rabbit Red, was announced the official red wine of the Ontario Legislature for 2017. The 2013 vintage is now sold out and the 2014 vintage will be released in the Spring. Along with their new wine releases, The Hare has a lot more up their sleeves starting this month. Starting before the building construction was even complete, the company has experienced an overwhelming response and request for weddings and events. The expanse and openness combined with the aesthetics of the space create a unique venue for weddings and private functions. The Hare can accommodate up to 140 people and has several space options available depending on needs.
Reviewed by Natalie Worden On the weekend of March 24th, Niagara Wine Country hosted its 28th annual Cuvée Grand Tasting event. Proceeds from the events of the weekend went towards research initiatives at Brock University’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI). As someone who is still finding their way in the world of Ontario wines, Cuvee 2017 was the perfect place to cultivate a deeper understanding of the passions and creations of the Niagara region. The Cuvée Grand Tasting itself was a showcase of wines, wineries, and winemakers. While there, I met winemakers who were truly passionate about their craft; who explained the details of the wines and their attributes, and shared their reasoning behind their wines of choice. Peter Rotar of G. Marquis Vineyards gets an honorable mention here for his ability to explain the nuances of his Silver Line Epic 2013 Red to even the most prosaic of palates. (By which I mean mine…) I approach wine a bit differently than most. With a slightly underdeveloped palate, my wines of choice may not resonate with others. However, the highlights of my evening included the shockingly crisp Small Talk Vineyards’ Big Ideas 2016 Riesling, and Stratus’ peppery 2012 Cabernet Franc.
With a smorgasbord of seafood, tons of tapas, and gelato galore, the food pairings at the event were drool-worthy. Executive Chef James Price of the Scotiabank Convention Centre showcased his innovative creations, including parmesan ice cream with mushroom paté and pickled spruce tips. Long lines formed for all of the food stations as the night went on, with the longest queue being for the Fallsview Casino’s Executive Chef Raymond Taylor’s pan-roasted scallops. They were truly worth the wait! Not being much of a seafood fan, I was surprisingly enchanted by Tide and Vine Oyster House’s selection of East and West Coast oysters. Although this could be due to the charming men working at the station…
The most memorable part of my evening was getting to know the attendees. Wine truly does break barriers and bring people together from all walks of life. I met many interesting people that evening, including an older gentleman named Joseph who radiated a zest for life. Having attended Cuvée countless times before, he was a very well-connected individual; shaking hands and chatting with many of the higher profile attendees. I took a breather from the main event to sit and drink some water in the foyer, and was joined by three couples. The couples consisted of a tech mogul and an owner of a consignment shop, two LCBO employees, and two general lovers of wine. Despite their varying knowledge of the industry itself, the topic of tasting and wine appreciation sparked a lengthy discussion.
The general consensus was that one’s personal palate is the most important part of the tasting process. Similar to how external smells can affect your perception of a wine (as made evident by the overzealous frying at a food station during the evening), so can external opinions. Ultimately, a wine that you love needs no detailed defense, which I think was truly the main theme of the evening. The wines at the Cuvée Grand Tasting were a selection of wines that resonated with the winemakers themselves. Some were expensive, some were affordable. Some were older vintages, some were younger. Some were complex, and some were very simple. But to the winemakers of the featured wineries, these wines brought joy to their palates, and to the palates of those attending Cuvée.
Bell Pepper Issue 27 | 234
CHEESE SECRETS The secret at Cheese Secrets is that we specialize in artisan cheeses from Canada, with new favourites coming in every week. We carry some very special international cheeses too, including Roquefort Carles, St. Agur and St. Andre from France, top quality Parmesan from Italy, Cave Aged Gruyere from Switzerland and some delicious cheeses from the UK as well. Local charcuterie (Pingue delish), relishes, mustards, jellies, olives, smoked salmon, and freshly baked bread are all offered for your pleasure.
Colleen and Eugene Johnson have owned Cheese Secrets, the only cheese shop in Niagara on the Lake, since April 1, 2009. A local chef and culinary arts teacher named Tony DeLuca started the original cheese shop called “DeLuca’s cheese” in the red barn on Highway 55, which is now the home to Oast Brewery. In 2008, the cheese shop was purchased from Tony and moved to King Street in Old Town and renamed “Cheese Secrets”. Within the year, it was sold to Colleen and Eugene who relocated the shop to its present location at 38 Market Street..
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Colleen and Eugene - as a side note Eugene is also known as “The Big Cheese” - moved to Niagara on the Lake in 2006 as they were looking to retire from their radio and television broadcasting equipment manufacturing company in Toronto. Cheese Secrets offers samples of cheeses and any of their cured meats so you can try before you buy. People come from near and far to sample and buy the wide range of cheeses and other goodies sold here. Cheese Secrets has become extremely popular with the media in the last few years. We have been featured on the food network including Christine Cushing’s show “Fearless in the Kitchen” and the Marilyn Dennis Show with Charles the Butler; as well as articles in the Toronto Star, Food and Drink, Bon Appetit and other media.
Garlicky Cave Aged Gruyere Cheese Dip Serves 8:
1 cup coarsely shredded high quality Gruyere cheese 1/2 cup Hellman's Real Mayonnaise 1/4 cup green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal 4 cloves garlic, minced Lots of freshly ground pepper Shred cheese into a mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients and toss to coat. Place in decorative serving dish and refrigerate until ready to serve. Place in center of cheese plate surrounded with assorted crackers and sliced crusty baguette. This dip also makes a great focal point on a large cheese board. Pile cubes of medium cheddar, jalapeno gouda, and a nice wedge of creamy blue on your platter and stand back! Recipe works great with Asiago or Emmentaler
Cassis
Corporate and Group Packages With over 25 years’ experience in the food & wine industry, Niagara Vintage Wine Tours prides itself in providing the Niagara region’s top-rated professional wine country experiences. Having hosted hundreds of Fortune 500 companies from all over the world, we are able to produce a superior product and service. This is due to the fact that our ownership are former winery Managers and Event coordinators who know what your company desires and needs to create that special event, here in wine country. We offer daily experiences surrounding food and wine programs, amazing intimate underground barrel cellar or vineyard dinners, and interactive team building events. Our success has been recognized as we celebrate 10 years as the #1 Professional wine country experience in Canada on TripAdvisor.
CONTACT US TO BOOK YOUR GROUP TOUR! WWW.NIAGARAVINTAGEWINETOURS.COM - 1 866 628 5428
Something BIG is coming This Spring...
"Hop" To our social media pages for updates
NIAGARA VINTAGE WINE REVIEW PUBLISHED BY NIAGARA VINTAGE WINE TOURS INC. CHRIS AND GABRIELA FUCCILLO
Tobacco
EDITOR (Creative & Design) — Natalie Worden CONTRIBUTORS: Chris Fuccillo, President & Founder of Niagara Vintage Wine Tours INC Gus Bagarozza, Niagara Vintage Wine Smart Guide Natalie Worden, Sales & Social Media Coordinator, Niagara Vintage Wine Tours Megan Voth, Marketing & Public Relations Coordinator, Hare Wine Co. Colleen & Eugene Johnson, Cheese Secrets
Niagara Vintage Wine Review is a publication under Niagara Vintage Wine Tours, Inc. No part of this publication may be distributed, reproduced or republished in any way without the sole permission of the publishers. For more information and exclusive content, visit www.niagaravintagewinetours.com. For inquiries, contact Niagara Vintage Wine Tours at: 1 866 628 5428 info@niagaravintagewinetours.com www.niagaravintagewinetours.com
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