It started out on the ground floor of the new Wildfire Steakhouse and Wine Bar at the Cosmopolitan Hotel (8 Colborne in Toronto) and then moved upstairs where we met the winemaker, drank some of Cono Sur's newest wines and ate great food.
The dinner was hosted by Authentic Wine and Spirits Merchant (agent) and Cono Sur's winemaker Matias Rios and featured some iconic wines from Cono Sur: 20 Barrels, Ocio and their newest baby, Silencio, a Cabernet Sauvignon of the highest quality and limited availability; but before we get there let's take a look at what came before ...
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| Evening starts with a glass of one of the best value sparkling wine - and it keeps getting better. The Rose is 100% Pinot Noir; while the Crut has dropped the Riesling from the blend and is now 92% Chardonnay and 8% Pinot Noir |
The Icon Wines and Dinner ...
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| Grilled Salmon with a light sweet and spicy glaze |
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| Paired with the 2013 version ('12 shown) of the Reserve Especial Chardonnay ($12.95) ... a two estate blend from El Centinela, for its mineral character, and El Marco, for its fruitiness. Only 15% of the wine sees barrel. Nose is white fruit dominated with peach along with lemon pith and vanilla; palate is crisp with mineral, hint of vanilla, apple and a medium-length finish with good acidity (****+) |
Results of the pairing: 2013 Chardonnay was too light, but the 2012 (which was also poured) - comes from a hotter vintage and the wine is fuller, oakier and more butterscotch, which paired well with the salmon - the 2013 just seemed to get lost - but I would prefer sipping the 2013 over the '12.
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| Ahi Tuna with mango salsa |
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| Ocio 2012 Pinot Noir Another dual vineyard selection. 85% are grapes taken from 35+ year old vines from the El Triangulo estate aged 14 months in barrel - all new French. Nose is black cherry and cranberry cocktail; taste is lovely with acidity that helps to power through all that fruit, and there is plenty of dark fruit here; cassis, black cherry, a little graphite, anise and gentle spice (****) |
The Ocio Pinot Noir is not very Pinot-esque, but it is a good wine and very food friendly ... but it is more Merlot than Pinot.
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| Rack of Lamb with roasted sweet potato puree |
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| 20 Barrel 2012 Syrah First made in 1996 (it was a Pinot Noir) and was a real 20 barrel selection (2012 Syrah was a 43 barrel selection). Syrah was the last of the six wines that are now made in the 20 Barrels line (in order of being made: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah) Nose is cassis, white pepper, smoke, bacon fat, black cherry and raspberry. Palate is juicy, delicate and elegant with great acid balance - very flavourful with chalky tannins and shows awesome age-ability - dark fruit dominated with raspberry, black cherry, cassis and smoked vanilla. Absolutely delicious (**** 1/2) |
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| (The Anything-But-Petite) Petite Filet Mignon with mushroom ragu, rosemary roasted potatoes, seasonal vegetable |
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| Silencio 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon This Cabernet Sauvignon comes from 4 vineyards, plus there is 2% Carmenere from another vineyard ... vine age tops out at 50 years. Grapes are from the Maipo Alta (high Maipo), and is best barrel selection from the vineyards used. Picked ripe and then aged 22 months in new medium-toast French barrels. A 13-barrel selection for this year's vintage (the first). Name of the wine comes from the want/need to let the wine speak itself, without shouting. Nose is raspberry, cassis and sweet blueberry; palate is quite complex with pepper, mocha, chalky tannins but with good acidity and a long finish. Balanced, delicate and elegant - it's not an over the top Cab, but one that keeps giving: spiced raspberry, cherry, and balsamic strawberries ... with more to come. (**** 1/2+) |
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| Berry Stack layered cake, mixed berries, whipped citrus custard |
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| Consecha Noble 2012 Late Riesling Has that sweetness you find with a late harvest wine, but it's the weakest of the night; hey, we live in Ontario and sweet wine (ice and late harvest) are a specialty ... this one is sweet and pretty and good for dessert (*** 1/2) |
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