Highlights: Gourmet Food & Wine Expo

Give yourself a stretch. The weekend is almost here! Rejoice! And that can only mean one thing: The Gourmet Food and Wine Expo is on.

I had a chance to check out the VIP preview last night and I left with a fuzzy head and a bag full of goodies.

I started off with a lovely sample of Le Clos Jordanne Le Grand Clos Pinot Noir 2007. I savoured Le Clos Jordanne's delicious Chardonnay on a visit to Frank @ AGO and it was recently named the world's best Chardonnay in a blind taste test  (a feat that was previously only achieved by Europeans.) The winemaker, Thomas Bachelder, was recently named 'Winemaker of the Year' at the 2009 Ontario Wine Awards.

All this said, I was amped to try the Pinot Noir, as it's my favourite kind of wine and the 2007 vintage is universally considered to be the best ever produced in Ontario. Oh, it stood up to it's reputation. To say I enjoyed it would be an understatement. It was rich, smooth and deep. Simply lovely. The muscle comes from the clay soil where the grapes grow. It's got Canadian wine connoisseurs in quite a tizzy! ($70, available at Vintages locations from November 21 onward)

Joy of all joy, the fine people at La Maison Alexis de Portneuf were there. I sampled and immediately purchased their award-winning semi-ripened goat cheese, Le Cendrillon (Cinderella, $5) also known as the BEST CHEESE IN THE WORLD. Luscious and creamy, covered in a distinct ash colour, I sighed happily as I tried it. The girl next to me found it salty. (Gasp! but to each their own.)

If vintages aren't elite enough for you, make your way over to the super-special-sequestered rare and obscure section. The wines in this area are not available for purchase in retail locations. I tried a rosé from Australia courtesy of Hemispheres Wine Guild. For the oenophile in your circle, they offer a variety of international fine wines (not available in stores) for $100, $167, $200, or $334 per month ($4000 in full.)

I needed something to pair with my wine. Luckily, Brix chocolate was right next door. Chocolate? Yes, they offer 40, 60, and 70 per cent cocoa bars to pair with wine ($10 - show price). Since I was drinking a rosé, the women suggested I try it with milk chocolate. They shave the chocolate off a brick so that it's texture mimics that of a hard cheese.

Procedure: drink a sip, bite chocolate, let it melt a bit, sip again.

I was astonished at how well it paired. The formula is specially designed to complement wine and draw out the fruity, earthy nuances in the flavour. Milk chocolate and rosé. Who knew? I bought their medium dark chocolate for pairing with lighter fruit-flavoured wines like Zinfandel, Syrah Rhone, Merlot or Shiraz. I look forward to eating it. Wine and chocolate together. Finally.

I asked the lovely ladies at the booth why they were placed in such a coveted place amongst the obscure, fancy wines. They responded that the show's organizers had loved their product and decided placement. I might go back to the show just to get some more.

The expo was pretty awesome over all. I ate sushi from Edo, a mini pulled pork sandwich with blue cheese emulsion from Splendido, sampled Gold Patron, had a mango margarita. I had some French Heritages Cotes du Rhone, La Crema Russian River Chardonnay from 2007, and Mount Riley Sauvignon Blanc 2008. I also sampled sampled stout beer and Crystal Head vodka by Dan Akroyd.

Lastly, I was quite impressed with Lisa Rotenberg at Rocket Fuel Coffee. They specialize in premium rare coffees and offered me a sample of Mysore Nuggets. I hesitated. Jamaican Blue caught my eye ($24). Rare, special. I asked about it and was pointed to the even more rare Esmerelda coffee ($55). My eyes widened. She told me about another one that only came up for auction twice a year, but I staggered away in search of more drinks and food. :)

The Gourmet Food and Wine Expo runs from November 19-22 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, South Building:
Friday, 2-10 PM
Saturday, 12-10 PM
Sunday, 12-6 PM

Admission, $15, must be 19 years of age or older
Puchase tickets here.