The Italian Trade Commission to Canada held its 20th annual Toronto wine seminar and tasting this week at Roy Thomson Hall. The academic seminar was conducted by Professor Attilio Scienza of the University of Milan, who led a group experts and sommeliers through a presentation called The Wines of the Viceroys. The focus was on the wines from what was once known as The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, with it’s capital in Naples and its territory including the wine growing regions of Campania, Calabria, Puglia and its namesake Island. To lead us through tasting eight very different wines, was GFR’s very own Jamie Drummond, who drew comments and observations from the crowd.
Here is a quick photo essay of some of the fine people I spotted at the seminar and later on the floor for the big tasting of wines from all over Italy.
Jamie and Professore Scienza (whose name literally translates to Professor Science) after the seminar.
George Restaurant’s Christopher Sealy catches up with Gianna Sami and Anna Mammoliti from Cavinona wine importers (whose Outis Etna Rosso featured in the seminar).
Zinta Steprans from The Living Vine, an importer of biodynamic, organic and naturally made wines gets ready to go inside Roy Thomson Hall.
Planeta’s great brand ambassador and export manager Penny Murray catches up with a friend in between pouring from the family’s six wineries across Sicily.
Umberto Biasiotto, here representing his family’s premium and blue bottled Prosecco, Foss Marai, with a friend.
The dynamic duo of Sommelière Rebecca Meïr-Liebman and Chef Eyal Liebman (a.k.a. Chef & Somm) get things started at the Planeta table.
Wheeling and dealing? Noble Wine Estate’s Geoff McFadzean gets collegial with Von Terra’s Andrew von Tiechman on the floor of the show.
Bring on the Barolo: sausage and salumi crafter and wine expert Angelo Bean with a friend from Piemonte. Inerio Cinque of J. Cipelli Wines. (Following Angelo around a wine show is always a good idea. And thank you, Charles Steven Trenholme for the correction.)
Bar Hop Brewco’s Chef Mark Cutrara visits Tanya Vicoli at the Deliella table (another selection from Sicily).
Much activity at the Lifford Wine & Spirits booth, as founder Steven Campbell (centre) looks on and your photographer avails himself to a tasting through the Còpetrone line-up.
At Le Sommelier’s booth, Bernard Stramwasser and Steven Campo introduce the lovely wines of Emanuella Gianfreda from Jorche in Puglia.
The ever dapper sommelier, consultant and sometimes GFR contributer Jay Whiteley is on the hunt.
Last but not least, everyone is very pleased to see the Porchetta Lady.
Malcolm Jolley is a founding editor of Good Food Revolution and Executive Director of Good Food Media, the company that publishes it. Follow him on Twitter or Facebook.
