Berserkers,
The Toronto Wine Elitist Cabal ™ returned in modified form to the Restaurant at Pearl Morissette out in Niagara Wine Country, Ontario, Canada. In my last post on this, I was asked to stop talking about this gem in order for it to remain a hidden jewel. Alas, word is definitely spreading as I met a foursome who drove all the way in from Buffalo, NY, USA just to dine. Since it’s no longer a secret hidden gem, I may as well report on it again.
Fellow board and TWEC ™ member Jay Shampur and I joined two of his relatives for dinner (hence the modification to the usual group) We couldn’t have picked a more perfect day as you can see from these beautiful pictures of the vineyards just outside the restaurant. This time, we did things a bit differently. We split the wine pairings ($160 CDN) and the non-alcoholic beverage pairing ($62 CDN). The latter is referred to as the Garden Pairing and is composed of juices and spritzers made using ingredients grown in the vineyard as well as other locally sourced ingredients.
After making our way in past the kitchen to our table, we started with their Sumac Spritz cocktails. This is a twist on a classic Champagne Sour cocktail. Pearl Morissette uses only ingredients that are sourced in Canada, so citrus is a no-no. Therefore, sumac is used for the sour flavor and acidity. This cocktail comes with the option of being made with traditional Champagne or a sparkling wine.
The others opted for the former and I opted for the latter. While normally this is made with a dry sparkling wine, on this summer date it was made with Podere Sottoilnoce Cattabrega 2022 Lambrusco. This is a biodynamic off-dry Lambrusco with minimal intervention. I had the original version last time and this changeup gives the cocktail a lighter effervescence and bright sweet floral and fruit aromas than a standard dry sparkling wine base would give.
Our first course was a Scallop and Lemon Verbena Panna cotta in Tomato Water. I could’ve happily eaten a whole bowl of this or drowned in a tub of it and died a happy camper.
Next was a Compressed Carrot Tuile filled with Scallop and Lobster Roe Pate.
Our first wine pairing was Pearl Morissette 2017 Cuvée Dix-Neuvieme Chardonnay. This has a gentle nose and a creamy entry on the palate. Tart unripe pineapple, a touch of salinity, a touch of phenolic bitterness. Really very good and a miracle culled from a rather average vintage in Ontario.
Next up was the Nova Scotia Peachwood Smoked Lobster served with a green onion herb sauce, cherry tomatoes, and nectarines. The latter two are from here in Ontario where they are currently in season.
Next up was a bread course featuring Sourdough Bread from Pearl Morissette’s own R^PM Bakehouse in Jordan. I’m not sure if this was open when we last visited because it wasn’t mentioned to us. Regardless, this was a hugely generous portion – the biggest bread course I’ve ever had at any restaurant – and delicious. I appreciated that this was the third course and not the opener as they treated it as respectfully as any other course which indicates the confidence they have in their baker and rightfully so.
Our next wine was the 2021 Luis Seabra Xisto Limitado. Luis Seabra used to be the head winemaker at Niepoort. This is fruit forward and very express, all lemon and dragonfruit with a touch of the phenolic. This was beautiful with our seafood and fish.
That was our next course, the Atlantic Cod with Tarragon Dill Roasted Jalapeno Sauce. Jay usually hates cod and he says this was exquisite and perfectly cooked.
Next as the Bereche et Fils NV Brut Reserve Champagne. A fraction of this Champagne is composed of a solera started in 1985. As such, it has a sweet fruity nose but on the palate is full of baked apple pie flavors with a generous touch of rancio from the solera. This does come off more off-dry to the palate as a result but is extremely flavorful.
Next was the Upstate Abundance Seed Potatoes poached in Smoked Butter and Egg Yolk Sauce dressed with caviar and caramelized cream. This was a simply spectacular dish. The potatoes were bred at Cornell University and grown in New York. Note that this goes against the ethos of PM’s locally sourced ingredients. They happily informed us they made an exception when they found this incredible potato and verified it was created through natural plant cross-breeding and not genetic tampering or manipulation in a lab. These are very high-end, extremely sought after, and priced accordingly. Feel free to Google them up.
Before the next courses came, we were given a preview of the non-vegetarian main course.
Next was the Birch Smoked Halibut in Onion Pure with an Aerated Butter Sauce and Pearl Onions. Another fish that Jay hates and he called this spectacular.
Our next wine was an amazing choice, the Yamagata Masamune Junmai Ginjo Usunigori Sake. This is a high ABV off-dry Sake that is essentially the Sake equivalent of a Port or Banyuls. This was just incredible. A sweet creamy vanilla flavor with high heat and a crystalline texture on the palate. I’m not a Sake drinker at all and I am definitely getting some of this. And what a fantastic match with both the lighter seafood and fish and heavier potatoes and protein courses.
Our next wine after this as we moved to the proteins was the McFarlane Wines Capitoline Wolf 2021 Red. This a blend of Cinsault grown in three different South African vineyards and a touch of Grenache. This is very fragrant rosewater on the nurse and quite fresh red fruit with a touch of salinity. Great with the food. Much lighter body than I was expecting, very similar to a Burgundy in texture.
Our first protein course was the Guinea Hen and Jus.
For Jay, he received the Cod Cheeks with Marinated Eggplant and Yellow Plums, also from Ontario and in season.
The next wine was the Morgon 2022 Beajolais. Another fragrant red, all red licorice on the nose and vibrant juicy red fruit on the palate. This has big Cal red fruit taste in a light Burgundy body.
That big red fruit was needed to stand up to the final protein courses. That pork roast from earlier yielded our portion of Linton Roast Pork which was farmed and raised in Linton, Ontario. This was served lobster mushrooms.
Jay received the Glazed Trout with Roasted Eggplant and Red Pepper Soubise.
With the savory courses done, the first of three dessert course arrived. The first was a Marinated Strawberry and Sake Leaf Mousse Rice Pudding Tart.
Our final wine was the G.D. Vajra 2023 Moscato D’Asti. Vajra is more well known for tis high end Barolos and Italian reds but they do in fact make a Moscato D’Asti. This was quite fresh, floral, and sweet. It’s light and refreshing and not as sugary sweet as some Moscato D’Astis I have previously had.
The second dessert was a Pear Pate Sucrée with Meadowsweet Ice Cream. The pears are locally grown.
The final dessert course was Hazelnut Ice Cream on Fermented Caramelized Barley Cookie. Fermented caramelized barley is probably best known as black koji and is normally used to make Japanese Shochu liquor once mashed and distilled. On its own, it simulates the taste of dark chocolate. This was of course an upscale ice cream sandwich and was a terrific finale.
TWEC ™ would like to thank our server Max who is originally from France, our sommelier Robert and the rest of the floor and kitchen staff at the Restaurant at Pearl Morissette. Check it out at https://restaurantpearlmorissette.com/ . Of course, we will return in the near future.
