In vino (virtual) veritas
In the Before Times, one of the highlights of writing about wine, beer and spirits for an established media outlet was the chance to visit one or two wine-producing regions a year on press junkets. In the last 15 years that’s meant visiting Austria, Chile, Australia, Germany, Portugal, Argentina, California, B.C./Ontario/Nova Scotia and more.
Needless to say, it’s been a while since I’ve set foot in a winery — my last trip was a November 2019 trek through Portugal’s Dão region with a couple other Canadians. I was slated to visit France’s Montlouis Sur Loire region in spring 2020, but that trip was scuttled, for obvious reasons.
When you visit wine regions, your phone quickly fills up with picturesque shots of vineyards like this one, taken in Portugal’s Dão region in late 2019. (Ben Sigurdson / Winnipeg Free Press)
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Wineries and wine region marketing boards (and distillers) have deftly adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions to get their wines in front of industry folks and the general wine-drinking public.
Over the last 15-ish months I’ve been virtually transported to Kentucky, Chile, Italy, California, Tennessee, Australia and more.
The Winnipeg Whisky Festival’s Old Smoky tasting, featuring a number of flavoured whiskies made in Tennessee, was a riot. (Ben Sigurdson / Winnipeg Free Press)
Local shops have been doing a great job at staying connected with customers since the outset of the pandemic. Many of the city’s wine stores have rolled out themed tastings led by whip-smart tasters, based on a grape, region, style of wine or some other fun theme.
JESSE BOILY / WINNIPEG FREE PRESRayna Debow of De Luca Fine Wines has led many a tasting for the Portage Ave. private wine store. (Jesse Boily / Winnipeg Free Press files)
Many of these tastings have seen hosts/organizers pivot to portioning out smaller quantities of their wares into sealable plastic pouches, an innovative way to send products to wine drinkers and keep prices (and breakage) down. They’re like juice boxes for grown ups.
A recent Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon virtual tasting featured samples of high-end reds portioned out in plastic pouches for participants. (Ben Sigurdson / Winnipeg Free Press)
The most recent virtual tastings I attended came courtesy of Vins D’Alsace, who hosted the first “digitasting” of its kind for those in the trade. Participants registered for the Millesime Alsace virtual event, held June 7-9, on the event’s website, selected producers from the French wine region from which to receive samples, then booked virtual appointments in 15- or 30-minute increments to taste the wines with the folks who made the stuff.
The Millesime Alsace ‘digitasting’ featured 30ml glass bottles of four wines from each of the participating French producers. (Ben Sigurdson / Winnipeg Free Press)
Of the countless virtual tastings I’ve done in the past 15-plus months, the Alsace event came closest to emulating the winery experience I so dearly miss.
No virtual event will ever perfectly capture the experience of seeing/touching/tasting grapes in the vineyard, hearing the stories behind a family-run vineyard, the smell of fermentation tanks/barrel rooms, etc.
When you visit wineries, your phone also gets filled up with photos of barrels. These ones, photographed in 2017, are filled with red Argentine goodness. (Ben Sigurdson / Winnipeg Free Press)
Having said that, here’s hoping you might join me for a couple virtual tastings that I’m hosting.
The first is on Thursday, June 17, as the Free Press launches the second Brew Box, this time featuring beer from local brewer Little Brown Jug as well as snacks from Tomahawk Chips and Decadence Chocolates.
I’ll chat with Little Brown Jug brewer Rob McWhinney, as well as other guests (including Rob Stansel, who created the brilliant Middle Tap map of breweries).
The Brew Box is $25 and includes beer, glassware, snacks and more. For details and to sign up, click here.
The Winnipeg Free Press Brew Box, which includes local beer and goodies. (Mikaela Mackenzie / Winnipeg Free Press)
I’m also quarterbacking a tasting with Ontario wine producers on Thursday, June 24. It’s free, and will feature wines available for purchase in our market and a chat with a few of Ontario’s most savvy wine personalities. To register and for more info, click here.
Virtual tastings have filled the gap, but there’s only so much sniffing, swirling and sipping you can do in front of a laptop before you feel like you’re going to lose it.
While I can’t wait to explore wineries in person again, I’ll settle for the opportunity to once again raising a glass in person (safely, outdoors) this weekend with a couple friends and maybe some family.
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