TNs: American Thanksgiving in Canada at Antler: Burgundy, Cali Monster Reds and SGN Riesling

Winos and Foodies,

The Toronto Wine Elitist Cabal ™ got together at Antler Kitchen and Bar in Toronto to celebrate American Thanksgiving here in Toronto, Canada. TWEC member Jay Shampur’s friend and dual citizen the honorable Bernard Schwartz, a presiding judge in California, came up specifically for both Jay’s birthday and to visit his own family who reside here in Toronto for the long 4 day weekend.

In fact, there were actually 4 birthdays (or as I like to call them, contraction of lifespan days) to commemorate: Jay, myself, member Linda Sinozic, and member Mike Grammer’s. We were also joined by member Michael Wright and professional somm, restaurant manager and member Heather MacDougall who arranged for a full family-style tasting menu on short notice and the staff came through in droves. So much so that we unanimously felt that they were undercharging for what they were giving us and were compensated with generous individual tips accordingly. We are particularly grateful to the beautiful Laura who take care of most of our service for the night and knew me by name first before Jay and referred to him generically as “Sir” for most of the night at my behest.

For this special occasion, everyone chose a special bottle to bring from their own personal collections. Mike, Jay, Bernie and Heather actually brought two each… but as you will shortly, see that doesn’t mean we had every bottle. Let me whet your appetites with some food first:

The first course consisted of the house made Charcuterie with house made pate and pickles. The charcuterie board consisted of wild boar mortadella, venison heart, tongue, water fowl terrine, and rabbit terrin with duck foie. It was adorned with homemade grainy mustard and pickled gherkins, pearl onions, carrots and cauliflower.

For this serving, our flight consisted of Linda’s contrib of the Moet & Chandon Imperial NV Brut Champagne. Bright gold color, lots of bubbles. Frothy but very light mousse. This was a very clean and crisp sparkler that was very lemony and fruity rather than the standard green apple flavors and had really fresh but not heavy toasty lees flavors. Really high quality on this one, at times it reminded me a Cristal even for scant seconds at a time. Very nice. I really enjoyed this.

The appetizer course came next. First up were Assorted Charcoal Grilled Yakitori: chicken thigh, wild mushroom and duck hearts all basted with a sweet soy glaze.

Next was a Jamaican Venision Patty, a fusion of Carribean and Canadian with Jamaican spiced venison ragout baked inside a perfect, and I mean perfect, puff pastry. It was so good that Jay, who does not eat red meat, actually enjoyed the pastry itself on its own. A house made hot sauce was served on the side.

Next was a Wild Mushroom Tarte Tatin, a savory pastry tart filled with wild mushroom ragout. The tart shell was quite buttery and complemented the mushrooms perfectly.

The last appetizer was the Harvest Salad, a mix of roasted local veggies, pumpkin seeds, quinoa, walnuts, baby kale and local apples topped with wild sumac vinaigrette.

For our next wine flight, we went for some reds starting with Jay’s contrib of a magnum of the 2007 Quinta do Muoro. This beautiful red was all smoke on the nose and very smooth on the palate, with all tannins receded and a soft mouthfeel. Flavors of dried cherries, smoked raspberries, and tobacco leaf. This was fruity but still very dry and went beautifully with the meat and game in our appetizers.

Next we opened Mike G.'s first contrib, something I was really looking forward to, the Paloma 2000 Merlot. This was to be a learning experience, but not in a good way: the wine was corked and I mean CORKED. I literally have never smelled cork spoilage as strongly ever before from a bottle that I did from this one. Our server Laura actually recoiled from opening the bottle as soon as she got a whiff. We passed around the bottle and a small glassful of the spoiled wine for everyone to verify. Out of sheer curiosity, both Heather and I did taste the wine – Heather so she could see what beauty lay underneath, I did to catalogue what spoiled red wine tastes like in my memory. I actually did detect a beautiful wine underneath just before gagging a bit on it. Sadness.

Due to an initial bit of confusion, we believed this corked wine was actually Heather’s contribution before we got it straightened out. When we realized it wasn’t, we went straight for her contrib: the Calera 2005 Thirtieth Anniversal Vintage Mills Vineyard Pinot Noir. This well aged Pinot was somewhat reminscent of a Belle Glos in that it was quite big for a Pinot but it had aged very well, with big pencil lead, sweet black cherry, and tobacco flavors. Very rich. Burgundy fans might have a heart attack but I really enjoyed this.

Next was our first white, the Pearl Morissette 2009 Chardonnay. Heather brought this as a backup to her wine and we ended up using it as Mike G.'s backup. This is holding up nicely, with balanced butter and flint aromas on the nose and tastes of fresh cream and crenshaw melon on the palate. Still very fresh and tastes like it was bottled last year instead of 7 years ago. Speaks well to what Ontario wines can do.

The next course was the pasta course, which actually consisted of two homemade pasta dishes and a rice dish. The Ricotta Cavatelli with Wild Boar Ragu consisted of exactly what it sounds like and was topped with fresh Parmesan and basil leaves. This was served alongside the Pappadelle which was cooked with braised rabbit and buttered leeks. The Wild Rice Bowl (not pictured) was a nice mix of artisanal wild rice, lentils, almonds, veggies, butternut squash and salsa verde.

Next came the showstopping trio of mains. First up was a Spice Ash Crusted Rack of Deer, a Canadian take on the ubiquitous French styled Rack of Lamb. This was quite substantial as you can see in the pic.

Next was an astonish Roasted Duck Breast that was the absolute favorite of Mike G., Michael W. and myself. Perfect roasted rare duck breast was served with wild blueberry compote and jus and accompanied by braised duck chorizo and kale. Yes, duck chorizo.

After the game proteins came a house specialty, the wild BC Rainbow Trout (not pictured) which was lightly cured and then flash seared and served with more salsa verde.

For this next flight, we opened some bombs for wines and two of them actually sent Jay running for cover. The first was Mike G.'s second contribution, the Switchback Ridge 2011 Ridge Peterson Petersen Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a really big and bold Cali Cab with deliciously huge ripe blueberry flavors that hit you like a baseball bat to the head. Needless to say, I really enjoyed this but on its own as opposed to with the food. It was just killing the duck.

A funny moment happened when Jay offered the rest of his Switchback to Bernie and accidentally poured it into the wrong glass which still had the Calera in it. Not one to miss a beat, Bernie tasted it and then offered the “blend” to everyone.

Next was the first of Bernie’s contribs, the Clos Selene 2014 Fleur de Selene. Rather than the Cali fruit bomb I was expecting, this was a very nice Syrah that was expectedly big on red fruit but was also quite delicate in body and very soft texture with nary a tannin despite being so young. Research showed that this mailing wine list was created by Bordeaux native Guillaume Fabre which explains the intriguing mix of power and delicacy. Very impressive.

The last red was our second atomic bomb of the night, the Herman Story 2014 Milk & Honey. The gentle title belies the insane amount of power this blend of Tempranillo, Cab Sauv and Syrah possesses. This wine is like the champion boxer who wears pink gloves and trunks. High heat and really, REALLY BIG blueberry and plum compote flavors with a touch of cedar spice. Completely unapologetic and kicked the absolute crap out of the Switchback. This was basically a dry port and has to be sipped on its own. Tremendous accomplishment but definitely not a food wine. Could easily be passed as a dessert wine, it’s so bold.

Before the dessert course, we had a palate cleanser of White Spruce Sorbet and Blueberry Compote. Now you’d think that cedar isn’t exactly a flavor that would go with a sorbet but this was actually very refreshing and the cedar flavor definitely worked in the cool icy sorbet.

Our final course consisted of a couple of deserts. First was the White Spruce Scented Ricotta Cheesecake. This was essentially the cheesecake version of the above sorbet and was even topped with the same blueberry compote.

Last up was the Warm Chocolate Brownie with milk chocolate mousse that was cleverly served up like a charcuterie board.

where’a the Burgundy?

The final two wines of the evening were Michael W.'s and my own contributions. Michael brought the Louis Jadot 2010 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Abbaye de Morgeot
Almost like a flat version of the Moet & Chandon from earlier in the night, and I mean that as a compliment. Very creamy texture filled with flintiness, brioche and Meyer lemon flavors in great balance. Very nice Montrachet and it would’ve been interesting to compare to the Pearl Morissette. I felt it was much more balanced and fruiter than an equally high quality Meursault.

My own contribution was of course the dessert wine, natch. In this case, it was the René Muré 2007 Vorbourg Clos. St. Landelin SGN Riesling. After this was poured and everyone had their first sip, there was actually a silence across the table as everyone contemplated this little marvel. This actually looked a touch brown in the glass suggesting some maderization, which worried me. I needn’t have bothered.

A poached pear and apple pie nose leads to some sublime lemon lime chiffon pie flavors. In case any of young uns have no idea what a chiffon pie is, it’s what you get when you make a standard lemon meringue pie but mix the lemon curd into the airy meringue instead of having them as separate layers and then add in some whipped cream to lighten the mixture even further while giving it some creaminess. And that is exactly what this tasted like. Crystalline lemon-lime flavors with a clean sweet backbone evaporate on your tongue leaving a trace of clean acidity. In fact, the finish is surprisingly flinty which is rarely if ever something you get in a sweet wine. As Mike G. described it, the wine is ethereal. Thank God I have one more bottle left. No, I’m not sharing.

Thus concluded our American Thanksgiving in Canada birthday food and wine extravaganza. Our thanks to Heather for making all the arrangements, the chefs for their superb cooking, and once again to Laura as well as the rest of the staff for the amazing service on what turned out to be a surprisingly busy night.

Thanks for starting the thread Tran, and as always for your unbridled enthusiasm, thoroughness of notes and great pictures. Service was very, very good in a busy resto and they gave us way too much food, all of which was of very high quality. The venison Jamaican patties, in particular—I could have had 4 of those and just called for the bill.

My b-day was a month earlier, but I put up with all these Scorpios (read: Libra wannabes)

Moet & Chandon NV Brut

Light apple blossom nose, a “pretty” nose. You can use the same descriptor for the palate. Easy-leesy, not profound but enjoyable by any reckoning.

2007 Quinta Do Mouro

This was out of mag and starts off meaty with plenty of blackcurrant and some kerosene sniffs. Surprisingly soft and very approachable dans la bouche, a pepper-tinged red fruit profile with tomato leaf a bit and more meats. I liked this.

2000 Paloma Merlot – corked, great sadness, as I had hoped to show some of the assembled the wonders of this winery.

2005 Calera Mills Pinot

Potpourri scents interweave with brightish red berries and light baking spices. This is young yet, just coming into its window, but plenty rich–it has that socal sunshine about the profile and some enjoyable sweetish graininess. Very good in its style.

2009 Pearl Morissette Cuvee Dix-Neuvieme Chard

Racy nuzzie with pear and florals. This is so in line–a very certain wine to taste with follow-throughs and a touch of bitter ginger which really frames it and adds an obscure class. Probably my #3 tonight, I love how this has aged, the best bottle of about 4 of these that I’ve tried–thanks Heather!

2012 Switchback Ridge Peterson Cabernet

I had understood from Jay that Bernie liked his big boy wines, so I thought this should emerge from my cellar. Chocolate-drenched cherry wafts up the glass, and on the tongue, this starts by rolling your eyes back with cherry jubilee and milk chocolate. A monster, the 14.9% listed ain’t close. But it is ultra-smooth with tons of stuff and really does have potential—just needs 10 years.

2014 Clos Selene Fleur de Selene

First time from this winery for me. This one is about 65% syrah with CF and Petit Verdot in the mix. Earthy, with black fruit and dark chocolate in the aroma. Very solid stuff here, it does have a heat but that is folded into rich currant, plum, cocoa and meat flavours. This has some heft but it also has depth and balance and matches really nicely across a number of the food dishes. My #2, a fine discovery.

2010 Louis Jadot Chassagne Montrachet Abbaye de Morgeot

As I’d opened a 2012 Duc de Magenta about a week and a half earlier, this was fun to compare. It is nicely open with an apple peel note on the bouquet, bit of marzipan and very light matchstick. In the mouth, it’s nice, with some white “terroir” of mineral and lemon. It is missing extra levels or authority but it is good, and also missing any sweetness that I’ve sometimes found as a distracting element in some 10 whites.

2014 Herman Story Milk and Honey

Tempranillo, Syrah, PV and Grenache. Big-boy wine. BIG BOY. All blue and purple fruit. It does fold itself wonderfully into the rack of deer and the chocolate dessert, but it is rocket-fuel big. 16.2% listed

2007 Rene Mure Vorbourg Clos St. Landelin SGN Riesling

Aromas of poached pear and apple peel get into your nuzzie. And this is nothing short of excellent on the palate–electric acidity pairs with tremendous length–rhubarb, a cinnamon tinge and the base of tart yellow and white fruit from which any sweetness fans out. Best I’ve ever had from this house, 93. It is that good, so alive, maybe sneaks into the WOTY discussion.

Salud and a wonderful night of fun, laughs, friends and great food and wine.

Mike

got in at the nick of time.

Does the TWEC accept new members?

The TWEC ™ does indeed accept new members! One not even need be an actual native of Toronto to be christened in. We have several honorary American members as well as Canadian members residing in (shudder) non-Torntonian hellholes like Ottawa and the Maritimes. All we ask is you show up with good wine and pay a fair share of the bill. On the downside, you will have to put up with bei g relegated to a generic “Sir” by any waitstaff while in the presence of member Jay Shampur.

Just saw this reply … Mike Grammer has my info. Hope to meet you guys soon.

Also any of you guys going to the LCBO Union des Grand Crus de BDX event in January?

Amazing photos and notes, Tran!!! Thanks!

I am drooling at the images of the venison and the duck. The Clos Seline and the Tempranillo blend from Herman Story sound like unique wines.

I am not sure if I would want to match Spruce-flavored desserts with wine. I guess it worked out fine!

You reminded me that I have to get a ticket for it, Tim, but I plan to go.

And also Go TFC!