From a Tuscan Vineyard

The Institute’s second annual wine tasting event was filled to capacity with over $8,000 raised to support the mission and mandate of the organization. It was an opportunity for friends and associates to learn about a tradition of wine making dating back centuries and catch up on things dating back days or weeks. It was a truly social event that will be remembered fondly for years to come.

Each year, a specific region of Italy is selected and wines from that region are featured. As this year’s name implies, Tuscany was selected as the focus for 2008. Chianti is the wine most associated with the region of Tuscany but there is far more variety than one may think. The Sangiovese grape used to make Chianti is predominant, but some of the most acclaimed (and pricey!) wines are the Brunello’s. Tuscany is best known for it’s red wines but a few quality whites do exist.

With this framework, wines not typically available at the local LCBO store were acquired and set out to be sampled. After registration, guests were able to walk around to various wine stations, sample and compare wines as well as mingle with other guests. You could feel the energy level in the room escalate as people greeted one another, compared wines, shared stories and generally enjoyed themselves.

After the sampling portion of the evening, guest were ushered into the banquet room for an elegant Italian meal chosen to compliment the wines sampled. The staff at Whitewater did a superb job and everyone left with pleasant memories and a full stomach.

With the success of this year’s event, next year is likely to be even more popular and a new region of Italy will be chosen!

Date: Nov 20, 2008

Location: Whitewater Golf Course