opimian society
the montreal - based opimian society acquires wines that are not available in stores .
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opimian society visit to blue mountain winery. it was great to have you at blue mountain vineyard and cellars. we hope you enjoyed your # bcwine tas… | pinteres…
a guy at work is a member of the opimian society. i' ve looked through the offerings a few times, but never saw anything of real interest .
# in the interest of full disclosure, i am a member of opimian, a former area representative, and currently serve on the board of directors of the society .
if you’re like me, you’re always on the hunt for new wines to try. the opimian society might just be the cellar key you’re looking for. founded in 1973, opimian is a non - profit wine purchasing cooperative with nationwide purchasing power .
the opimian society membership fee for ontario is $ 116. 63 and it includes a one - time only initiation fee of $ 40, annual dues of $ 69 and applicable taxes .
michelle, an avid wine enthusiast, has also completed her advanced sommelier certification via the prestigious wine and spirits education trust. she was recently named the volunteer area representative for the calgary chapter of the opimian society of canada (canada’s wine society). michelle resides in calgary with her husband jason .
the exclusive nature of the wines masters picks is appealing, too. opimian wines aren’t available to garden - variety consumers through provincial liquour boards; they can only be acquired through the society .
if you think you' d like to become a member of the opimian society, let me know and i' ll refer you. and yes, for every new member i refer to opimian i will receive a reward i can spend on wine; so will you .
members of the wine club opimian society with some of their products in montreal on wednesday july 6, 2016. from left: alexandre guay, frank ianni, , patrick bolduc and anna tarzia zappia .
however is good, typical basic chianti with some charm and better flavour depth. full information on the society can be found at
understanding the needs and expectations of members proves useful in her role as wine consultant to opimian .
opimian members have access to wines from around the world that are either exclusive to opimian or not available to everyone, everywhere. this is exciting for me here on the west coast of canada ;
do you have questions about wines, wine tours or the opimian selection? contact our wine concierge .
the opimian society is “canada’s wine club” and offers some 500 wines to 15, 000 members across the country each year. all wines are selected by master of wine, jane masters, and sourced from suppliers from all the major wine regions of the world. wines are ordered and delivered to members via the liquor boards or equivalent in each provincial and territorial jurisdiction (except nunavut). disclosure: i am a former member of the board of directors of the opimian society and former area representative .
even so, the society is evolving and embracing more new world wine regions — particularly california — and even some canadian offerings are starting to appear .
i have a confession to make: when i received a kind invitation earlier this month to attend a dinner celebrating the 40th anniversary of the opimian society, i fully expected it to be some dreary affair, packed with aging wine snobs putting on airs .
update: since posting the story above, the opimian society has advised that theitalian selection is not from their may offering, but from an offering lastyear (which explains the older vintage of pinot bianco). the wines are notavailable but we leave the notes posted for those who may have samples stillon hand. watch for further opimian reviews in the weeks ahead .
when you become an opimian member, you open the door to an experience unlike any other in canada .
cultivate your curiosity for the world of wine with opimian. become a member now and take advantage of :
and while many members join just to buy exclusive vino, it is worth noting opimian is more than a not - for - profit wine - buying co - op. the society also organizes local and overseas wine tours, and regularly puts on educational events and dinners with guest speakers .
membership peaked at about 21, 000 in 2010, says pierre chanzonkov, who took over from sambrook in 2005 and managed opimian until last year, when he moved over to become publisher of quench, the wine magazine distributed to opimian members .
rather, the opimian anniversary dinner was an opportunity for self - professed wine nerds to geek out with like - minded oenophiles .
now in its 40th year, opimian is increasingly accessible and affordable, broadening its appeal to a new generation of wine lovers .
randie kushnier, winnipeg - based president and chairman of the opimian society, a canadian wine - buying co - operative, notes that most canadian wine sellers, both independently run wine stores and provincial liquor control boards, are well aware of current consumer interest in wine and are training their staff to help shoppers .
the opimian society is a non - profit wine buying co - operative offering members a vast selection of wines not available through government liquor outlets like the lcbo. in addition to discovering new and delicious wines, members can attend any of the 160 events each year from educational tastings to dinners offered across the country .
fwiw i had an awesome german gewurzt from a family members friend who received the wine through this society. the wine was good enough to give me interest in the society, but atlas the wine is not available to albertans. so i will not be joining, as i see nothing else of interest and from most peoples comments this appears to be a crap shoot at best .
best described as a buyer’s club for both casual wine drinkers and connoisseurs, the montreal - based opimian society acquires wines for its members that are not available in stores. that has been its main selling point over the past 43 years and remains its foremost strength as it prepares to reposition itself in the market with a major rebranding initiative .
speaking of lcbo alternatives, the opimian society chugs along with over 3, 000 members active in three chapters in the gta alone. founded in 1973, when canada’s liquor monopolies were even more antiquated and restrictive, it has morphed into a nationwide wine buying co - op with a full range of tasting / social events, tours and publications including
better still, i was seated next to jane masters mw, wine consultant to the society. the mw appended to her name stands for master of wine, of which there are only a few hundred in the world .
niagara has always played a large part in the opimian society with their annual weekend wine tour hosted by yours truly and through the acquisition of some of niagara' s finest wines. in the past, they' ve purchased cases of rare wines from lenko vineyards and stoney ridge cellars. currently, ontario offerings include three wines from coyote' s run winery in st. davids .
if there is a downside to opimian wines, it’s that there is a preponderance of old world offerings from established countries, such as france, italy and spain .
you can take the opimian wine educational course, all about wine or simply browse through their magazine tidings, canada' s food and wine magazine published eight times a year. for non - members, tidings can be purchased from any magazine rack, but without the insert of opimian news, the member' s private newsletter .
it' s not a secret wine society, but it doesn' t make a lot of noise on its own behalf. i am, however, very happy to be a member and very happy to help spread the word .
black prince winery was conceived by john sambrook (general manager of the opimian society) in 2000, who wanted to establish a winery in this lovely, picturesque area of prince edward county. this region has the viticultural landscape to produce first - rate wines with the vineyards located on a fertile, sandy loam ridge the black prince was an edward (edward county), eldest son of edward iii .
here are some of my thoughts on the current opimian offering, based on my past experience with some of these wines and suppliers, and of course, based on my own tastes! austria höpler wine from höpler has always been a favourite opimian offering for me. their grüner veltliner is a revelation of the possibilities of [ … ]
“you don’t have to be wealthy or an expert, ” says steve hutchinson, opimian’s area representative for victoria. “you just need to have an appreciation for wine. ”
travel around the world with the opimian society to tour new and old world wine regions. this past february, a group returned from a tour to tasmania and victoria, australia, ending up with an exciting day in the city of sydney. the next tour will head to germany and the alsace region of france at the end of may before a journey to the italian regions of tuscany and piedmont in september .
you will receive a 5% off the least expensive case when you decide to receive two cases from the same wine programs or sign up for two different programs. there’s nothing you have to do. the 5% discount will be issued in the form of an opimian credit. credits will be automatically issued within one week from the closing date of each cellar offering and deposited directly into your opimian account to be used on any opimian activities including wine orders, attending an event, renewal of your membership and more .
here are some of my thoughts on the current opimian offering, based on my past experience with some of these wines and suppliers, and of course, based on my own tastes! austria höpler wine from höpler has always been a favourite opimian offering for me. their grüner veltliner is a revelation of the possibilities of [ & # 8230; ]
this winery on the outskirts of picton and originally conceived by opimian society founder john sambrook and geoffrey webb, opened its doors in 2003. named after edward iiis eldest son  the black prince, it makes its own line of wines and also acts as an incubator for other aspiring wineries without their own facilities. geoff leads its winemaking team  that use both their own grapes as well as those from other ontario dvas .
if you are interested in becoming an opimian area representative or simply wish to learn more about the role, click here and someone from the membership experience department will be in touch .
“our goal is to cover costs, ” ianni says of opimian’s non - profit structure. “all proceeds are reinvested into the club to help members learn more about wine. ” part of this includes the expert guidance of jane masters, a u. k. - based master of wine who tastes and advises opimian on all the wines it offers its members .
as for your insinuation, i just returned from the opimian celebration of the retirement of our original mw, ken christie, and never heard any reference at all to what you are referring to. while opimian has lost some of its competitive advantage from those days, it is still relevant as a alternative source of great wine and, more important, education .
“in the 1980s, some of the liquor boards weren’t too happy, ” chanzonkov says. “they saw opimian as competition and tried to shut it down. there were some rough patches over the years because the liquor boards weren’t quite sure what opimian was. it wasn’t an agent — most of the wines you find in stores are acquired through agents — but now that’s completely changed. the club is now probably the biggest private order buyer in every province, so the boards are ok with that. they just see opimian as another customer. ”
that is attractive to many members, because who among us doesn’t enjoy one - upping the joneses now and again? in fact, many wines the society has introduced to canada over the past four decades have influenced the buying decisions of several provincial liquor boards .
are any of the canadian forumites members? if so, any recommendations (for or against) on their suppliers or their wines, which i gather tend to repeat from year to year? (the opimian society is a non - profit wine club that lets you select which, if any, of their offerings you wish to buy. i understand that they will only ship within canada. their website, for those interested, is urltoken) .
back in january folks were asking about opimian society in canada. i' ve been a member for just under 2 years and will be quitting once i' ve received the last of my orders. the descriptions in the offerings turn out to be imaginative marketing and the wines mostly suck. when parker has been quoted they' ve extracted positive statements and failed to mention the negative. i' ve had more success buying wine at random in the local liquor store .
as in any alcohol - based venture, all business is conducted under the strict auspices of the provincial liquor boards. this, chanzonkov points out, has not always meant smooth sailing for opimian’s administration .
the opimian society # is “canada’s wine club” and offers some 500 wines to 15, 000 members across the country each year. all wines are selected by master of wine, jane masters, and sourced from suppliers from all the major wine regions of the world. wines are ordered and delivered to members via the liquor boards or equivalent in each provincial and territorial jurisdiction (except nunavut). as a long - time member of opimian i have had some experience with many of the wines and suppliers, and even visited some of their wineries. some current (or prospective) members might find my comments helpful in making their own selections – keeping in mind everyone has their own tastes and preferences !
“our membership plateaued a few years ago, but now we expect another increase, ” ianni says. “that’s one of the reasons why we’re rebranding opimian — so it can be positioned well for future growth. ”
i agree and disagree with the comments previously made. i have been a member since 2009 and give opimian mixed reviews on the wines that i have purchased so far. nonetheless, i have mixed reviews about the offerings at the lcbo and the “gems” that opimian have offered outway the indifferent wines that i have purchased. on balance i thinkopimian are doing a creditable job and i look forward to each “offering” with great anticipation .
i tried to be cool, but had to stop myself from swooning like a groupie more than once. fortunately, her down - to - earth manner (she went by the nickname champagne jane in university) allows masters to speak to society members at any level, be they expert or beginner .
with 16, 000 - plus members across canada (475 in victoria), the society has considerable purchasing power and masters employs it to good effect — visiting wineries all over the world and sampling hundreds of wines, from which she compiles select offerings in a range of styles and price points for members .
re: opimium society my wife' s cousin joined 5 or 6 months ago. he' s not really a wine guy, but he tells me he saved a ridiculous amount of money on his car insurance just by being a member of the society. i' ve read over some of their literature, and he tells me he gets some free wine for joining, but neither the literature nor the list he gets to choose his freebies from, struck me as being special. imagine, saving money on car insurance by joining a wine club! just another one of those things that lets you go
hmmmmmm
hi keith, i’m the newish area representative for opimian in vancouver, and would love to have you come along for some of my future tastings. we have a new master of wine for the society, jane masters (great name !) and she is actively new wines all over the world with great value for members. please e - mail me sometime when you would like to come to an event - i hope to change your mind! cheers, and thanks for writing about us, even though it was negative! kerri
a supplier for opimian for perhaps fifteen years now, vinoselección was responsible for building our strong offerings from spain. the labels have changed over the years, and the ones that stand out in the current offering, for me, are
“master of wine is the highest certification in the wine business; there are only about 300 in world, ” ianni says, adding that masters’s predecessor, ken christie, had been advising opimian since its inception. he retired in 2011 .
tomorrow one of our functions is for the opimian wine society. one of the courses features three types of starch. two of these being a sundried tomato gnocchi and a spinach fettuccine made in house. the final being a lobster risotto... and i' m not good at forming arborio rice grains haha. so today pretty much everyone in the kitchen got a chance to try making pasta. coady our jr. sous made the sundried tomato gnocchi... and everyone made the spinach fettuccine. so i asked chef for his recipe for the fettuccine and coady for his gnocchi .
i have been a member since 1975 and have been completely satisfied with the opimian society. to say that the wines are “lacklusture” is ridiculous, you get what you pay for. the black prince winery mess is unfortunate, but it doesn’t have anything to do with the rest of benefits offered. frankly, i am on the side of the club on that one; why should we take the advice of members who probably don’t know the whole story? people take on the administratiive jobs of such an organization because they are committed to it; they read the documents, they discuss matters with knowledgeable people, and their opinions are therefore more reliable. opimian has to satisfy the preferences of many levels of buyers; i have purchased wines at both ends of the price range and have never been disappointed. you are a whiner, keith, and now a former member who really has nothing to offer. personally, i am not going to get my shirt in a knot over the society’s logo or the b. p. winery. i just placed an order for what looks like a delicious, very reasonable priced spanish wine and i can’t wait for its arrival. odds are it won’t be “unsavoury. ”
opimian has been dealing with hook and ladder for a few years now, but that time frame has corresponded with poor exchange rates, and i have not ventured to purchase anything. i have, however, heard other members speak highly of these wines, notably
the stone valley label from kautz has made regular appearances at many of the opimian dinners and events i have attended across the country. these are simply well - priced, tasty wines in the california style. although i would recommend any of them, i would highlight
this is a great example of how the internet allows for misinformation to be deployed on the internet. as a former area secretary in toronto, in the late 70’s early 80’s, when the society had total relevance (and ultimately forced the 11 wine countries that are canada to improve their purchasing) i take extreme exception to your blog. of course you can buy anything competitive now !
mr. graham warren - chief financial officer graham warren is a senior financial executive with over 25 years of experience with emerging companies in the oil and gas, mining, environmental, biotech and software sectors. he has extensive operations, international business, corporate finance and public market experience. based in toronto, mr. warren has a private consulting firm, graham c. warren consulting, and has served as chief financial officer of umedik inc. and medtech environmental ltd, a subsidiary of stericycle inc. . he is a past director hanfeng evergreen inc (tsx: hf), where he served as chairman of the audit committee. mr. warren also serves as chief financial officer of changfeng energy inc (tsxv: cfy) and exile resources inc (tsxv: eri) and is a director of active control technology inc (tsxv: act). mr. warren also serves as the chairman of the audit committee for the opimian society. he holds a b. comm. degree from concordia university and a c. m. a. designation from the society of management accountants .
alternative method wine distribution club, the opimian society is currently in the process of tearing itself apart due to a fight between the clubs board of directors and dissatisfied members. (full disclosure; i am a former member, i recently resigned due not to the infighting, but rather dull and expensive offerings that have become standard over the past few years .) to make a complex story simple, the club had invested in an ontario winery, and now wants to divest itself of its investments as the winery is a constant money loser. current members are the majority shareholders in black prince winery in prince edward county, ontario, and want to use their influence to delay the sale .
i have been a member of opimian for about 6 years now i guess and have to say that i disagree. the members have been made aware of a pending lawsuit against the board however despite whats happening at the board level, everyhting is status quo in terms of my membership .
ianni, a veteran food industry executive of italian descent — “wine has always been a part of my family, ” he quips — points out that although opimian’s office is on sherbrooke st. w. in n. d. g. , most of its 16, 000 members reside outside quebec .
this dark, dense and ripe pinot is bright and generous with intense blackberry, currant, cherry and spice flavours. is beautifully balanced with a zing of acidity on the finish. it' s sold out at the retail store, but their may be a few bottles left in the opimian reserves .
well, that thought has crossed my mind, as i’m sure it has many of you. whether you have 300 bottles, a $ 12, 000 cellar or a special 2, 000 - bottle $ 100, 000 cellar, the questions remain: should you insure it and how should you insure it? a friend was lucky enough to have his problem solved in a unique way when he was broken into and most of his wine cellar was stolen — a horrible situation, i know, but take your hands slowly off your eyes and read on. as it turned out, his insurance adjuster was a member of the opimian society, and he was naturally both sympathetic and understanding. the claim was settled quickly and fairly .
our members come from all different backgrounds, from across the country. our passion for wine connects us – even so, we understand that everyone is at a different place in their wine journey. opimian exists to help wine lovers learn more about wine and experience as much as possible, conveniently and easily .
i’ve been a fan of spanish brandies for quite some time, and am happy to see opimian is finally able to offer one again. i have sampled some of perez barquero’s brandies and rum, and they are simply marvellous. i don’t recall tasting this particular one, but i am purchasing it from this offering .
opimian is a canada wide non - profit wine - purchasing cooperative with more than 16, 000 members from coast to coast to coast. all members benefit from its nationwide purchasing power regardless of their province of residence. it offers its members exclusive access to wines that are not available through any of the provincial liquor boards .
really? i have to tell you that i have had the opposite experience with opimian. i admit that when i read the offerings pretty much every wine sounds fantastic so it is hard to decide what to order but in my 5 years with the club i have yet to have a poor wine. and it’s not like i am only ordering the more expensive wines. i don’t remember the exact amount but this year i spent maybe $ 500 - 600 on 4 cases and again every wine i have had has been great. maybe opimian is not for you but i certainly have no complaints about it and would gladly recommend them to anyone .
originally posted by thatwineguy: really? i have to tell you that i have had the opposite experience with opimian. i admit that when i read the offerings pretty much every wine sounds fantastic so it is hard to decide what to order but in my 5 years with the club i have yet to have a poor wine. and it’s not like i am only ordering the more expensive wines. i don’t remember the exact amount but this year i spent maybe $ 500 - 600 on 4 cases and again every wine i have had has been great. maybe opimian is not for you but i certainly have no complaints about it and would gladly recommend them to anyone .
“we really like the great selection of wines that you cannot get at the lcbo or saq, ” says ste - agathe resident eric von colditz, who has been an opimian member for more than 30 years. “we enjoy wines from around the world, and we’re not stuck on one wine or another. we enjoy the variety. ”
wines from italy are often found on our dinner table, so this offering is one of the most anticipated of the year. i will comment on some of our previous purchases and taste experiences, and muse on possible purchases. the wine people the wine people were a new supplier to opimian last year and we [ & # 8230; ]
spanish wines have become quite common on our table over the past decade. this is a reflection of both their overall quality, and the improved access to a variety of quality wines from the country from both opimian and the nlc. portuguese wines have enjoyed a similar growth, but to a lesser extent. at a [ & # 8230; ]
if you like sherry style wines, or have an interest in learning about that style of wine, you must invest in this range from pérez barquero (noting they are not actually sherry !). i visited the winery about five years ago (before opimian was involved) and was so impressed i arranged for a private order for my friends and i .
bordeaux, bergerac, beaujolais, & australia the region of bordeaux is synonymous with wonderful wine! although it can be quite expensive for the famous labels, its 7, 000 wine producers cover a wide range of values and prices in regional output that dwarfs most wine - producing countries. each year opimian tries to assemble value selections from this vast [ … ]
one interesting wine tasting week after another! spain, provence, and scotch were the main features this week, including robbie burns birthday of course. a couple of more wine fest wines are on the list as well, along with a south african label from opimian. starting with spain we have the montgó old vines monastrell 2015 [ & # 8230; ]
wine - buying co - ops like opimian (named after the wine - guzzling roman politician) exploit a loophole in our draconian liquor laws that allows them to buy in bulk and offer members access to wines that aren’t available through the lcbo. there’s no price advantage: you still have to pay the liquor board’s markup. but opimian offers upward of 60 special, rotating bottles (like gardet champagne) as selected by the club’s master of wine jane masters, a former wine buyer for marks and spencer who splits her time between london and the south of france. the annual fee is $ 125, and members get a 15 per cent discount at iron gate, a state - of - the - art storage facility in leaside .
opimian’s wines are produced by 55 vineyards around the world, all of which deal exclusively with the club. members order by the case through the catalogue, cellar offerings, which is currently sent out eight times per year. orders are shipped from the vineyard to the member’s local provincial liquor board outlet for pickup. this process can take several months, ianni says, depending on the product .
bordeaux, bergerac, beaujolais, & # 38; australia the region of bordeaux is synonymous with wonderful wine! although it can be quite expensive for the famous labels, its 7, 000 wine producers cover a wide range of values and prices in regional output that dwarfs most wine - producing countries. each year opimian tries to assemble value selections from this vast [ & # 8230; ]
castoro has been a long time supplier to opimian and i have had the opportunity to sample many of their wines over the years. the zinfandel and cabernet sauvignon on this offer represent my two favourite varieties from this producer. the cab will reward you with that big cal cab profile. the zin is the real deal as a wine, and not the fruit bomb some of these can be .
just this past january i happened to go on my first wine visit to washington and oregon with some opimian friends. while we experienced a range of qualities, overall i was very impressed with the wines we tasted in both states (see my comments here and here). that quality seems to come with a corresponding price, as i found many wines to be relatively expensive, even at the wineries .
mountain view has been with opimian for longer than i have been a member, and has had its ups and downs. the last number of years, under new direction, it has certainly been on an upswing, while amazingly still offering attractive pricing. if you like a good taste of california from time to time, but don’t want to spend too much, you should start here. my picks would be
just wondering if the verdict on opimian is the same as when this thread was started 10 years ago. always looking for new sources for good wine and since i don' t go to the u. s. , i' m stuck with the lcbo or ordering through wine clubs like this one or other importers. i had heard good things and thought of joining but this thread made me rethink ...
right now, ianni isn’t giving away too much about opimian’s current rebranding initiative, which is scheduled to be fully unveiled in october. but he says the new system should reduce wait times, which in some cases may be fast - tracked to one month. he also allows that cellar offerings will soon be coming out 10 times per year, and the club’s continuing efforts to help educate members on wine theory will be enhanced considerably .
before vinoseleccion started working with opimian we had rather poor selections from spain and portugal. since then we have enjoyed some wonderful selections from some great wineries. i am not familiar with any of the specific wines in their listings, although the sanz label is quite familiar. i have regularly purchased the sanz verdejo which has been excellent, so i can imagine the sauvignon is a quality product as well. if i want verdejo the one offered might just do .
another long time opimian supplier where the quality of the wine has been up and down over the years. the company has been in new hands for a little while now, and has stepped up their game. many new opimians got a start with the california white and red, and i am no exception – but that was a long time ago now! butterfly ridge is another familiar label. i need to sample some of there recent efforts to see how they have progressed .
bruce cunningham really gets opimian and makes the extra effort we often need from our suppliers. he was even in st. john’s to showcase his selections back in 2006 when we hosted the national area reps meeting. the last wine we purchased was the cambridge and sunset sauvignon blanc 2011 which i can say did not last very long around our place! unfortunately, that one’s not in this offering, but if any of these are as good as that one, they will be quite enjoyable .
i love good wines and joined opimian thinking i would be exposed to wines i wouldn’t otherwise taste. as a member for less than a year, i purchased 7 different cases. one was good. three were bad. two were undrinkable. and we are (still) waiting for the last one. if this club spent more time thinking of the members and making better choices everyone would be getting what they expect. i sure didn’t get what i expected. this club is a mess .
opimian’s annual usa offering has always featured some very good wines and this one looks to follow the tradition. finishing the ordering year with a second chance at some good spanish values is a nice bonus. the combination of pricier wines, the us dollar, and living in one of the highest wine markup jurisdictions makes it unlikely i will be ordering much this time! i have tasted some of these offerings in the past though, and will pass on my experiences, based on my own preferences of course !
living in northern manitoba, just one govt. booze outlet and 8 hr drive from private wine stores in wpg, opimian looked pretty good. specially liked the idea that an
expert
( mw) would give descriptions so wouldn' t be buying blind... . turns out, far as i can see, the descriptions are pretty imaginative, as mentioned before, so the appeal fades away... as to financial statements, they do an annual report but there is no detail to speak of. the general manager (presumably a salaried position) provides all the office services through his private company, categorized loosely. no way to know how reasonable any of it is. and with the same guy performing oversight as provides the services, it is a poor structure. may be a saint, for all i know... . i don' t regret joining as it fired up my interest and got me trying lots of wines. once i subscribed to ws and decanter and my buddy signed up for the parker database i guess i outgrew it... . anyone living where there are good wine selections via public or private stores does not need opimian, far as i can see ...
in 2002, marc russell, a mining executive, received a cellar - worthy bottle of port for his 40th birthday and had nowhere to put it. a quick search of high - end cellaring facilities in the gta turned up slim pickings, so russell and a few silent partners built their own: a high - tech storage facility complete with biometric fingerprint technology, infrared motion - activated digital cctv and other spy - like security measures. (annual membership fees start at $ 800). fwr is where small - lot, globe - trotting winemakers present their portfolios to the city’s top sommeliers and collectors. it’s also home to the scarlet - robed and - hatted members of la confrérie des chevaliers du tastevin, a society devoted to premier and grand cru burgundy (kevin o’leary is a member of the local chapter). a new fwr storage space opened in north toronto in march .
opimian has been and continues to give wine buyers an alternative to our monopoly suppler in ontario. the select case program gives new wine lovers a wonderful way to experience 48 different wines chosen by our master of wine, six each offer through out the year. the founders series chooses six exceptional red wines eight time a year. both series offer exceptional value wines selected for members, one at 17 the other33 dollars per bottle. no need to even choose the wines. anther 500 wines are made available to members as well. i have had few concerns and the office is at our service should concerns arise. when your wines arrive its xmas all over again! !
tio pepe palomino fino * * * * ($ 14. 35, lcbo )
is the brightest, friendliest dry fino sherry on the block. traditionalists may miss the rancio, nutty and salty tang rife in other brands like domecq la ina, osborne fina quinta or hidalgo la panessa, but modernized tio pepe is still the best bet to attract new consumers to the category. as of june 3, dozens of lcbo stores had showed remaining stock at
, so you may be able to stock up this week at a store near you, while waiting for tio pepe to re - appear at vintages in the weeks ahead. you can contact woodman wines and spirits (416 - 767 - 5114) for updates. serve it chilled this summer long with all manner of salty snacks—smoked salmon, shellfish, sushi / sashimi, olives, cold veggie plates, nuts, corn chips, even ruffles and dip .
is quite rich, fruity, almost opulent and still good thanks to a big vintage. it’s still evolving, though, so drink up by christmas this year .
are not recommended at an average cost of $ 15. 65 / bottle .
ontario’s short cropped but high quality 2005 vintage takes the spotlightthis weekend in wine country during new vintage niagara. 25 wineries areshowcasing new bottlings at a gala saturday, june 10, 7 p. m. at the st. catharines golf & country club. for more information :
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the storehouse is a curated group of businesses we believe in. they are independent small businesses and individuals—among them are artisans and small food producers, restaurants, design houses and local shops, resorts and great wineries. let eat help you to find the very best .
members pay an annual fee (ranging from $ 114 - 125 depending on province) to gain access to the ever - changing catalogue of international wines, from the simple to the sophisticated. all wines have been tasted and selected by master of wine kenneth christie, and complete tasting notes and cellaring advice are included for each selection. there is no minimum order and wines are delivered to your door .
here are a couple of recent wines that arrived in the mail (so convenient !) .
true to name, this is a threesome of sauvignon blanc, sémillon and verdelho. citrus crisp, with an oily texture and pleasant finish .
is a wine writer, editor, judge, consultant and certified sommelier, and has been with eat magazine for over a decade. in addition to her work with eat, she is a wine critic and national judge for winealign, ...
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“a benefit for the belfry theatre at the inn at laurel point” the belfry theatre’s annual fine wine auction returns to the inn ...
coast to coast – ontario & nova scotia wines shined at the vancouver wine festival .
at the vancouver wine festival 2017 only six attendees at a standing room only coast to coast media and trade seminar who, when asked if anyone had ...
what comes to mind when you hear “madeira wine “? if anything, it’s likely to be a dusty bottle sitting alongside the marsala, balsamic vinegar ...
the 2017 vancouver international wine festival celebrated canada’s 150th anniversary with canadian wines at the core. punters lined up for a taste ...
select british columbia and ontario vqa wines are headed to the big apple for a seriously cool chardonnay media tasting on march 8. 54 wines from 31 ...
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discover more than 500 exclusive wines from around the world hand - picked from our master of wine, through 9 cellar offerings per year .
at the time of your order, the wines are still at the producers’ wineries. from the moment they are bottled, partners and provincial liquor boards take care of the shipment .
we' ll let you know when and where you can pickup your wines .
* * * please note that prices shown in this section are for ontario residents. prices vary according to your province of residence and will be adjusted once you are logged in .
château du pin, aoc bordeaux, 2016, scea vignobles j. - m. constans
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maintain contact with liquor store managers to ensure the delivery process is as smooth as possible .
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i imagined myself sandwiched between thurston howell iii and his wife over dinner, feigning interest in bordeaux first growths i could never afford .
i just hoped there would be enough free - flowing wine to make it all bearable .
to be sure, flip - flops and beach shorts were absent at the posh anniversary dinner at the oak bay beach hotel on june 12, but it was by no means an elitist affair .
it is an extraordinary achievement to become one, and those inducted into the institute of masters of wine enjoy rock - star status in the wine world .
having one speak at your anniversary dinner is like having the rolling stones perform at your wedding .
conversing with the elegant and erudite masters over exquisite food and wine was a tremendous privilege .
“we focus a lot on quality and value for money, ” remarked masters. “just because you enjoy fine wine doesn’t mean you can drink it every day. some days, you just want something simple to go with baked beans on toast. ”
indeed, the prospect of having an mw hand pick wines to pair with everything from filet mignon to frozen pizza has a certain cachet .
masters does more than just pick value wines for members, though. each and every bottle has a story to tell, and she is adept at relating where each selection comes from, how it was made and the long traditions and personal stories behind each producer .
that’s not a bad thing, but a number of exciting new world regions get overlooked as a result .
in doing so, the organization provides a broad social network for oenophiles in victoria and across canada .
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opimian is a canadian nonprofit wine purchasing cooperative based in montreal , quebec . established in 1973 , the wine club was created by a quartet of british-born canadians who felt that the selection of wines available in canada was a poor representation of the quality of wines available worldwide . marketed as “ canada ’s largest wine club , ” opimian has grown since its inception , now acting as canada ’s largest wine buying group with 20,000 members ( and growing ) . 
opimian is a canadian nonprofit wine purchasing cooperative based in montreal, quebec. established in 1973, the wine club was created by a quartet of british-born canadians who felt that the selection of wines available in canada was a poor representation of the quality of wines available worldwide. marketed as “ canada ’s largest wine club, ” opimian has grown since its inception, now acting as canada ’s largest wine buying group with 20,000 members (and growing).
opimian is a canadian nonprofit wine purchasing cooperative based in montreal, quebec. established in 1973, the wine club was created by a quartet of british-born canadians who felt that the selection of wines available in canada was a poor representation of the quality of wines available worldwide. marketed as “ canada ’s largest wine club, ” opimian has grown since its inception, now acting as canada ’s largest wine buying group with 20,000 members (and growing).