News + Events
Tom Hlasny, Export Director Americas from Domaines Paul Jaboulet Aîné – Château La Lagune Visits Western Canada
May 7 – 11 2012.
Maison Paul Jaboulet Aîné was created through the magical conjunction of a fertile land on a hillside by the Rhone and a family with a passion for winemaking. Founded in 1834 by Antoine Jaboulet (1807-1864) in Tain l’Hermitage, at the foot of that hill, our estate was to really take off under the leadership of his sons, Paul and Henry. Their descendants then followed one another in presiding over the destiny of these unique and demanding vineyards. In 2006, the Freys, a family of long standing in t he Champagne region and owners of Chateau La Lagune in Bordeaux, took over Maison Paul Jaboulet Aîné. Caroline, the eldest daughter of the family, who has a degree in oenology from Bordeaux, is working with her teams in a single-minded quest for perfection. They are convinced that, with scrupulous care for vines grown i n exceptional terroirs and cutting-edge winemaking, the greatest vintages are yet to come. The wines are aged in French oak barrels in the VINEUM, a wine store whose Gallo -Roman molasse sandstone tunnels date back more than a thousand year s. The jewel in the Maison Jaboulet collection is the legendary ‘La Chapelle’ Hermitage, a great red wine made purely from Syrah, which owes its name to the famous little Sainte Christophe chapel, which overlooks the Hermitage vineyards. ‘La Chapelle’, which has been solely owned by Paul Jaboulet Aîné since 1919, is made by blending the best terroirs in the appellation (le Méal, les Bessards, les Rocoules etc). ‘La Chapelle’ Hermitage 1961 was ranked among the twelve greatest wines of the 20th century and racked up the third highest price ever recorded worldwide for a 12-bottle lot sold by Christie’s.
Scott Nagle, Director of Sales & Marketing from TRISAETUM VINEYARDS Visits Western Canada
March 14 – 16 2012.
Representing premium wineries internationally for 9 years combined with 14 years of experience working in the luxury hotel market, Scott brings a strong working knowledge and passion for food and wine to Trisaetum. When Scott is not cooking for friends, you will most likely find him skiing in the near by mountains or biking through the beautiful Willamette Valley he calls home.
In early 2006, James Frey, with help from noted winemaker Josh Bergstrom, began work on the design of Trisaetum’s winery. From the outset, the goal was to construct a facility that allows a winemaker to blend old world tradition and new world innovation.
After several months and nine drafts, a floor plan and design philosophy were eventually turned into the 13,000 square foot facility that exists today. The winemaking team of James Frey and Greg McClellan are fortunate to have at their disposal a wide array of tools to craft Trisaetum’s distinctive Pinot Noir and Riesling.
Armand de Maigret of JONATA WINES Visits Western Canada
November 9 – 10 2011.
Jonata, meaning “Tall Oak” is situated on 600 acres of a former cattle ranch in Ballard Canyon in the Santa Ynez Valley Appellation. Ten Rhone & Bordeaux varietals thrive across 83 acres, including over 50 blocks and sub-blocks.
From its very inception, Jonata has been an ardent endeavor that would conjure up the names of our most acclaimed wines: “La Sangre de Jonata” Syrah (The Blood of Jonata), “El Alma de Jonata” Cabernet Franc (The Soul of Jonata) and “El Desafio de Jonata” Cabernet Sauvignon (The Defiance of Jonata). With a commitment to Syrah and Cabernet in particular, these impeccably crafted, chiseled masterpieces of tannic structure and true varietal characteristic have inspired a devoted following that sense something special is happening at Jonata.
At the helm of it all is winemaker, Matt Dees. Well-appointed with a degree in soil science, an experimental and gregarious personality by nature, Matt truly is a “salt (or soil) of the earth” winemaker. Employing cutting edge viticulture and producing upwards of ten wines under the Jonata label, Matt seamlessly orchestrates veritable oeuvres of hypnotic and simply staggering varietal amalgams, the likes of which have garnered favorable notice from the world’s foremost critics year after year.
Yoav Gilat of ALIAS and CANNONBALL WINERIES Visits Western Canada
October 17 – 22 2011.
The Cannonball dive is a dive for the people. It doesn’t discriminate against body type, race, religion, political affiliation, social status, or fashion sense. And if you’ve never done a Cannonball then you’d better just shut down this computer, go find a body of water, and dive in! When you’re jumping into the water on a beautiful summer day, with nothing on your mind except leaping high, balling up tight, and making a splash that is going to get as many people wet as possible, that moment you’re in the air might be the best feeling you can have with your swimsuit on.
Now you may think that a wine company called Cannonball is not very serious. True, we try not to take ourselves too seriously, but that’s because wine should be enjoyable. Now don’t get us wrong. We’re serious about quality, honesty, and enjoying life. And, we’re dead serious about spreading our love and passion for wine by offering great wines at great prices. That means we want every wine you taste from us to be a WOW wine. If you’re going to pay $12-60 for a bottle of wine, it better hold some WOW.
So while the swan dive might be graceful, a back one-and-a-half somersault-tuck might be impressive, and a cliff dive is just ballsy, if you do them right, they don’t make a splash. So follow our instructions on how to Cannonball and we hope you find our wines as enjoyable and memorable as those summers you spent as a kid doing Cannonballs. And don’t forget to share the splash with friends.
James Sichel of Mason Sichel Vist’s Western Canada
September 13 – 16 2011
Catherine Faller of Domaine Weinbach visit to Calgary
May 24 and 25, 2011
For two days, lucky restauranteurs, sommeliers and retailers will get to taste the amazing wines of Domaine Weinbach. Domaine Weinbach is one of the great domains not just of Alsace, but of the world. Blessed with some of the regions best vineyard sites, Colette faller and her daughters Catherine and Laurence have not been content to let this be their greatest distinction. Instead they have maintained a quiet determination to make the finest possible wines vintage after vintage no matter what the cost.
Wine Summit 2011: Harlan Estates and Domaine Weinbach
May 26th to May 29th 2011
George and André Schwarz, owners of the Relais & Châteaux Post Hotel, invite select guests to a remarkable gathering: the Seventh Annual Wine Summit Lake Louise, May 26th to May 29th 2011, in Banff National Park.
Harlan Estates is among Napa’s elite wineries, producing one of California’s most remarkable Cabernet Sauvignon. Harlan Estates is California’s ‘First Growth’.
Many consider wines of Domaine Weinbach to be the greatest in Alsace, and anyone who has consumed them over a period of time knows they are among the greatest white wines in the world.
An event not to be missed!
Paul Roberts of BOND ESTATES to visit Western Canada
May 9 – 13 , 2011
BOND: A portfolio of wines that are diverse in their geographic representation and ‘Grand Cru’ in quality, all under the umbrella of one philosophy, one team, one mark. Sourced from select hillside estates, the Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines of BOND vividly demonstrate the range of Napa Valley’s finest terroirs. From the more than sixty vineyards we have worked with over the past quarter century we have slowly and vigilantly selected five sites. BOND became our covenant and shared commitment to produce only the best expression of the land. Early in our winemaking partnership, before the advent of Harlan Estate, we worked with over sixty top growers and vineyards throughout the Napa Valley. By way of this valuable experience, we had the opportunity to identify select properties that we felt had the potential to define the “Grand Crus” of Napa Valley. These small, hillside Cabernet vineyards, ranging in size from 7 to 10 acres became the basis for the wines of BOND.
Michael Dinn of JOIE FARM to visit Alberta
April 19 – 21, 2011
For 3 days in April, Edmonton and Calgary will get a ‘first taste’ of the upcoming 2010 vintage from JOIE FARM. Also, for many, it will be a first opportunity to taste the Reserve Chardonnay and the PTG. “JOIE FARM is interested exclusively in the grape varieties of Alsace and Burgundy which excel in the cool-climate, desert landscape of the Okanagan Valley.”
Alvaro Palacios Technical Tasting in Calgary
March 29, 2011
Alvaro walked 40 lucky wine lovers through a ‘trade only’ technical tasting of 6 of his wines; 2 Rioja, 2 Bierzo, and 2 Priorat. The wines were remarkable and Alvaro’s passion filled the air…and the glasses. This event took place in the beautiful Teatro Opera Room.
Alvaro Palacios - Participating at this years Vancouver International Wine Festival
2011 March 28 – April 3 2011
“With bodegas in Rioja, Priorat and Bierzo, Palacios is one of the defining personalities in Spanish wine today. In just 20 years, he has established a formidable reputation as a dynamic pioneer, generating global praise for his wines – in particular, those from the forgotten regions of Spain he has been so active in promoting. You can tell he’s different – he rejects the usual winery and tasting tour when I visit him in favour of conversation – in fluent English and colourful Spanish – in his immaculate vineyards around Gratallops.” - Decanter.com
Vertical of Chateau Palmer, May 29, 2010
James Sichel, owner of Chateau Palmer, will be hosting a technical tasting of 10 vintages of Chateau Palmer, and four vintages of Alter-Ego, the estates second label. The tasting will take place at the picturesque Post Hotel in Lake Louise, as one of the featured events during the 2010 Wine Summit.
The vintages to be tasted are:
- Alter Ego 2005 and 2000
- Palmer 2005, 2004, 2002, 2000, 1999, 1989 et 1983
- And a special treat: Chateau Palmer’s XIXth Century Historical Blend.
BC Christmas Dinner – Dec 2009 – Dream Wines Condo Vancouver
Starting with some BILLECART – SALMON and followed by some out standing wines from the Dream Wines Portfolio which included 1995 LEROY Chambolle-Musigny “Les Fremiers”, 1998 HAUT-BRION, 2001 CHATEAU PAVIE , 2002 DAVID ABREU “Madrona Ranch” and 2005 AMUSE BOUCHE to name a few… A rustic dinner, that included a Wilted Spinach Salad, Wild Mushroom Risotto and Braised Lamb and Veal, was prepared by the Dream Wine team with the direction of Brian “Gunny” Gunsten our VP and Chef de Party. Attended by Vancouver’s top on premise and private retail accounts!!!
We are looking forward to the 2010 Year – Cheers
Chateau d’Yquem Vertical Tasting – Friday, February 15th, 2008
Dream Wines is pleased to announce an exclusive tasting of 15 vintages of Chateau d’Yquem hosted by Mr. Pierre Lurton, owner of D’Yquem and Cheval Blanc.
The following vintages of Chateau d’Yquem will be poured; 1893, 1921, 1929, 1945, 1947, 1959, 1967, 1975, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1997 and 2001.
The tasting will be followed by an incredible dinner showcasing some of Bordeaux greatest treasures.
The event will be held at The Post Hotel & Spa (Relais & Chateaux and holds Wine Spectator Grand Award), nestled in beautiful Lake Louise, just two hours west of Calgary, Alberta in the Canadian Rockies.
Cost: $7895/person
(Includes 15 vintage d’Yquem tasting, dinner, 1 nights accommodation and breakfast)
For further information please contact Brian Gunsten at info@dreamwines.ca.
