Archive for the ‘Events’ Category
Le sacre du printemps… à la grècque
Our friends at oenopole and SAT’s Foodlab are again joining forces to celebrate the arrival of spring and of winemakers from five of Greece’s top domaines: Argyros, Mercouri, Papagiannakos, Tetramythos and Tselepos. The city’s top terrasse will be open, the grill will be blazing, wines from the featured estates will be available by the glass and bottle at unbeatable prices and the menu is sure to please (loukaniko, lentil soup, lamb burger, whole grilled fish, horta, grilled octopus, sauteed nordic shrimp and roasted potatoes, last I heard). What’s more, the forecast couldn’t be better: sunny with a high of 25°C.
PRINTEMPS GREC
Thursday, May 7, from 6 p.m. on
SAT Foodlab
1201 St. Laurent Blvd., 3rd Floor
COS and company @ Nora Gray
Among the myriad events taking place this week in the wake of Les Turbulents, one that stands out is the winemaker’s dinner with Giusto Occhipinti from COS to be held at Nora Gray on Thursday, April 16, at 7 p.m.
The six-course meal, including appetizer and dessert, will feature seafood, pasta and braised and grilled meat dishes, all tailored to an impressive series of wines: Champagne Jacques Lassaigne to start, then COS’s Rami, Frappato, Nero di Lupo, Cerasuolo di Vittoria and Maldafrica, with La Stoppa‘s delightful sparkling Malvasia accompanying dessert.
If rumours are true, the all-inclusive price is a more-than-reasonable $125 a head, though you might want to confirm that when making your reservation.
We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming…
…to bring you the following public service announcement.
Normally I’d wait until all the notes from the MWG’s February tasting were up before posting this one. Why the rush? Because Domaine des Huard’s owner-winemaker, Michel Gendrier, is in town and will be pouring this and other wines at the excellent Le Comptoir charcuteries et vins tomorrow evening (Monday, March 9). And if that weren’t inducement enough, he’ll be joined by fellow Loire winemakers Étienne Courtois and Nicolas Grosbois. For details about this Romo love-in, see here.
Cour-Cheverny 2008, François 1er, Vieilles Vignes, Domaine des Huards ($24.45, 12476452)
Huard’s top-of-the-line dry Cour-Cheverny. 100% Romorantin from organically and biodynamically farmed vines averaging 75 years old. Manually harvested. Two-thirds of the grapes are immediately pressed, one-third are macerated on the skins for 15 hours before pressing. Fermented with indigenous yeasts at between 18 and 20°C. Matured on the lees for five months. Cold-stabilized before bottling in the September following the harvest. 13% ABV. Quebec agent: La QV.
Honey, straw, chalk, dried lemon, browning apple, faint white spices and an even fainter whiff of kerosene. Medium-bodied but with a dense, bordering-on-unctuous texture. Ripe-sweet on entry, the fruit is nicely soured by a surging undercurrent of acidity before slow-fading into the long finish, revealing the mineral substrate and leaving behind a very dry, light astringency and a hint of nuttiness and coriander seed. A lovely, layered, elegant wine deserving of a dry goat cheese or a fine piece of fish (you’ll find a couple of recipe ideas after the jump). Available as a private import, the 2007 was a Loire lover’s must-buy at $32. At under $25, this 2008 is a certifiable bargain. (Buy again? Absolutely.)
Wine Bar Barbara x Small Secrets
The special events, they keep on coming.
On Sunday, as part of Restaurant Day Montréal Carnaval Culinaire, MWG member Jonah and one of his pals are organizing a pop-up wine bar in Little Italy. A small but enlightened selection of biodynamic, natural and otherwise just crazy good wines, including private imports from Importation Soif, will be available by the glass at unbeatable prices. Nibbles too.
Small Secrets x Bar Barbara
“Drink wine, warm up, chill out, repeat. / Venez boire, mais boire encore lorsque meurt la lumière.”
33 Shamrock Ave.
Montreal
Sunday, February 15, 2015
18:00 to 01:00
Sausage love, 2015 edition
Forget those overpriced Valentine meals prepared by bored chefs and served by jaded waiters in stuffy restaurants. On February 14, sausage lovers, wine lovers and just plain lovers will be heading to Nouveau Palais for a hit of Pork Futures goodness (herb sausage sandwiches with a choice of sides and toppings) and glass after drinkable glass of — what else? — San Valentino and other wines poured by oenopole.
The fifth annual Valentine’s Sausage Party
“Because nothing says love like sausage…”
Saturday, February 14, 2015
17:30 to midnight (or until they run out)
Nouveau Palais
281 Bernard St. West, Montreal
Aïoli monsters, unite!
While the weather forecast may not be particularly Provençal, you can be sure the food, wines and atmosphere will be when the Foodlab holds its annual aïoli monstre tomorrow. The garlic-rich menu features vegetables from Birri and rosés from oenopole stalwarts Gros’Noré, Breton and Thymiopoulos. Be there or be square!
Aïoli monstre par oenopole
Thursday, August 14, 2014, from 5 p.m. on
SAT Foodlab
1201 St. Lawrence Boulevard, 3rd floor
Le plus gros BBQ de l’été
The summer’s biggest barbecue is happening at Foodlab this Thursday.
What’s the draw?
- A special grill menu concocted and cooked by chefs Gabrielse and Marek with their usual flare and featuring meats from Boucherie Lawrence.
- Grill-friendly wines from oenopole‘s portfolio, including three whites, one of them a sparkler, from Sébastien Brunet and two reds from Le Coste.
- Affordable prices, a convivial atmosphere, a perfect weather forecast and the SAT’s fantastic rooftop terrace.
Unmissable!
Le plus gros BBQ de l’été
Thursday, July 17, 2014, from 5 p.m. on
SAT Foodlab
1201 St. Lawrence Boulevard, 3rd floor
Greek Spring!
Montreal’s Greek Spring climaxes on Wednesday, May 14, with a Printemps Grec dinner at the SAT’s Foodlab in the company of four visiting winemakers: Thymiopoulos, Argyros, Tselepos and Papagiannakos. Tasty and affordable Greek wines by the glass and bottle, a selection of mezze specially prepared by chefs Gabrielse and Marek, the newly opened terrasse complete with outdoor grill and an encouraging weather forecast – what more could you ask for? Oh, all right: rumour has it the hockey game will be shown on a big-screen TV. Now you really have no excuse not to go.
Le printemps dézippé
RASPIPAV, the more exciting of Quebec’s two wine agency associations, is holding a spring edition of its private import expo, this Monday, April 28, at the Marché Bonsecours. Dubbed Le printemps dézippé (unzipped spring), the expo is reserved for restaurateurs between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. (free admission though preregistration and presentation of a business card at the door are required) and open to the general public from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. ($20 admission, which gets you a glass and ten tickets exchangeable for pours). A number of the most interesting local agencies will be present, offering tastes of their wares. The expo has a great track record, so this is virtually guaranteed to be fun.
Sausage love, 2014 edition
Forget those overpriced Valentine meals prepared by bored chefs and served by jaded waiters in stuffy restaurants. On February 14, sausage lovers, wine lovers and just plain lovers will be heading to Nouveau Palais for a hit of Pork Futures goodness (sweet or spicy sausage sandwiches with fries and coleslaw or sauerkraut) and glass after drinkable glass of — what else? — San Valentino wines poured by oenopole.
The fourth annual Valentine’s Sausage Party
“Because nothing says love like sausage…”
Friday, February 14, 2014
17:30 to midnight (or until they run out)
Nouveau Palais
281 Bernard St. West, Montreal
Brett happens 