Looking for a different party idea for friends or for a business networking event? We have some wonderful Savvy Sommeliers on our Team and we are called on frequently to create a special gathering for family & friends or businesses call us to design a way to thank clients & employees. No matter what the occasion the events we create are fun.
A few weeks ago we 
hosted a client appreciation event for a local business to celebrate summer. It was one of those sweltering, steamy days during the mid-July heat wave that you really need to have a chilled Ontario rosé in your hand, or better yet an ice-cold craft beer to help unwind after a busy day. Held at the picturesque Ottawa Rowing Club overlooking the Ottawa River, our guests were treated to the latest & greatest wines from across Ontario in addition to some thirst-quenching craft beers made in Ottawa.
Our guests enjoyed summertime hors d’oeuvres made by The Mixing Bowl Catering that were paired with the various drinks. And we had a Savvy Cheese Bar with a variety of artisan cheeses from Ottawa & Quebec that our Cheese Sommelier Vanessa especially selected.
To tempt your tastebuds & give you an idea for your next party, here's what we served...and we continue to receive rave reviews!
~ On Arrival: Sparkling Wine ~
Palatine Hills Romeo Blanc de Noir Sparkling VQA
Special Savvy Bin Ends price $22.95 (regular $29.95)
Popping the cork is a great way to begin any event. This sparkling wine made in Niagara-on-the-Lake is our top selling Savvy Bin Ends wine. Your guests will be Wowed with the light salmon colour & outstanding taste. Made with 100% Pinot Noir grapes, this bubbly is a perfect way to celebrate summer. Refreshing with the zippy acidity & elegant mousse (winespeak: bubbles) with citrus, strawberry & apple notes.
Suggested food pairings: Served well chilled, this wine is lovely on its own, with shrimp or paired with light appetizers.
Chef Scott Lucas at The Mixing Bowl created a Chili citrus marinated watermelon with garlic feta cheese & pickled rind to go with this bubbly.
~ Refreshing White, Rosé Wines & Craft Beers ~
FEATURED WINES:
Keint-He Voyageur Vidal VQA 2011
One of Prince Edward County’s hidden gems! This boutique winery is so small that you won’t find them at the LCBO. We are delighted to showcase their wines in our Savvy Selections wine of the month club.
Vidal is the same grape that is often reserved to make icewine. In this case, this wine is not sweet at all, rather it is dry, crisp & refreshing. There are loads of delicious aromas & tastes that may remind you of fresh fruit salad in a glass! Our Savvy Sommeliers picked this wine for our Savvy Selections subscribers to enjoy as it is perfect to unwind in a deck chair at the cottage or back yard deck with a good book.
Suggested food pairings: BBQed pork tenderloin
Daniel Lenko White Cabernet VQA 2011
A unique wine using grapes from some of the oldest vineyards in Niagara, especially a unique Rosé made with Cabernet Franc & Cabernet Sauvignon grapes!
Suggested food pairings: Aromas of wild strawberry, pink grapefruit & peach that follows into the taste. Delicious chilled on its own, with grilled salmon or beef & strawberry spinach salad.
Daniel Lenko wines are hard to find & we are delighted to offer them this month for Savvy Selections - our wine of the month club - the best way to have Ontario wines delivered to your door every month!
Our Savvy Sommeliers chose 3 wines that are ready to drink now – at the cottage, at a campsite or on a deck chair in your backyard. In addition to this unique Rose, our subscribers received bottles of these delicious Daniel Lenko wines:
Old Vines Chardonnay VQA 2010 – a classic, finely-balanced Chardonnay barrel aged in French oak
Old Vines Merlot 2008 – a BIG fruit filled red wine.
Sign up now & have great Ontario wines...delivered!
FEATURED CRAFT BEERS:
Beyond the Pale Pink Fuzz
This is a refreshing wheat beer that the brewmaster (who remarkably doesn't like fruit of any kind!) concocted by adding grapefruit zest and pulp at different points in the beer making process to insert a zippy character of grapefruit into the beer. The hops were carefully selected to specifically emphasize the citrus notes in each pint.
Big Rig Raspberry Ale
Brewmaster Lon Lodell tapped the keg of his first-of-its-kind creation at Big Rig in time for us to showcase at this corporate event. Our guests were treated to this brand new wine! A refreshing cold one with subtle raspberry - we heard many 'yum' followed by nodding heads of approval were heard at the event. This brew certainly made an impression
HORS D'OEUVRES SERVED:
Roasted asparagus-risotto cake with herb mascarpone cream
Honey date chicken roulade on a sweet potato coin
~ Red Wines & Craft Beers ~
FEATURED WINES:
Lailey Vineyard Canadian Oak Pinot Noir VQA 2008
There is a fantastic story about how winemakers where talking shop over beers at a summer backyard BBQ & created a new way of aging wine…with native Canadian oak. Read this story in our Savvy eZine - our mini magazine for our Savvy Selections subscribers.
When plans were made for Bank of Canada’s Mark Carney’s final Board of Governors dinner, I was called on to be the Sommelier for this VIP event & it was easy to select this truly Canadian wine crafted in Niagara-on-the-Lake by Lailey's renowned winemaker Derek Barnett.
Suggested food pairings: Pinot Noir could be served lightly chilled (10 mins in the fridge) with BBQed salmon, pork chops or portabello mushrooms.
Kacaba Cabernet-Syrah VQA 2011
Now this is a BIG red wine! Whenever I am asked to find a bold red wine from Ontario…Kacaba Vineyards of Beamsville Bench (aka Niagara Escarpment) will always impress. They are consistently crafting outstanding red wines that turn heads & win awards. Few of their wines are available at the LCBO, so we showcased their big red wines in our Savvy Selections wine of the month club early this year.
Suggested food pairings: Fire up the BBQ & uncork this wine to enjoy with steak, lamb, burgers…and ribs too!
FEATURED CRAFT BEERS:
Kichesippi Hell or Highwater
This is the summer seasonal beer from Ottawa's first brewery. Only brewed until mid-August, be sure to visit the brewery to get some of this Bavarian Lager. Brewed with a combination of German malts, German noble hops and a genuine Munich yeast, this is a good example of the 'session beers' enjoyed in Bavarian beer gardens...or your back deck in Ottawa!
Beyond the Pale Hop on your Face
A uber hoppy beer, this brew has strong aromas & tastes of hops. This big beer loaded with high alcohol at 7% is the cold one you want to have with heavier foods - think BBQed steak, ribs or thick pork chops.
HORS D'OUEVRES SERVED:
Olive stuffed meatball crusted with parmesan & tomato coulis
Wild mushroom gallette with avocado pesto
~ Savvy Artisan Cheese Bar~
Have you had cheese & wine - absolutely! How about cheese & beer? Our Savvy Cheese Sommelier Vanessa selected these cheeses from across Canada that she thinks are great to nibble on during the summer:
Bonnechere
Raw sheep's milk made by Back Forty Artisan Cheese located in Lanark County, Ontario
Interesting Fact: Pressing a cheese during the cheesemaking process expels more whey and gives the paste a firm, dense texture as found in Bonnechere.
Migneron de Charlevoix
Pasteurized cow's milk made by Madison D'Affinage Maurice Dufour, Baie-Ste.-Paul, Quebec
Interesting Fact: Washed rind cheeses age or ripen from the outside in, and the inside out, contributing to both the complexity of the aging process as well as the flavors and aromas of the cheese itself.
Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar
Raw cow's milk made by Cow's Creamery, Charlottetown, PEI
Interesting Fact: Roughly 100 liters of Holstein cow milk goes into making 1 wheel of Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar
Chèvre Fatale
Pasteurized goat's milk made by Fromagerie Les Folies Bergères, Sainte-Sixte, QC
Need a hand planning your party?
Call on us anytime. Whether you're planning a surprise birthday celebration, a family get-together, a client appreciation event or corporate team building, we can make all of the arrangements for you. Whether wine, beer, cheese or catering is required, every event we design is customize & will suit your budget.
Give us a call at 613-SAVVYCO (728-8926) to talk to Amanda our event manager extraordinaire or email her on amanda@savvycompany.ca . We are ready to help make your next event a memorable one!