I always enjoy my experience at Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar in Toronto. So it's a Friday night and traffic will be too heavy on the way home to Niagara. Why not stop in and see what's on the wine list?  Settled in with a couple... Had a great little chat with general manager Laura Cleland, who was off to catch the Journey/Heart concert, and floor manager Aron Mohr, who was helpful and cheerful as always.

JK has one of the most trustworthy wine lists in Canada. I know that every single wine on their current list or back list is always a stunner. Excellent-wines-only. Last time I was here with Hans Nagl of the Austrian Business Association, we both had a Chateau des Jaubertes 2005. Tonight it seemed fitting to savour a Chateau Montaunoir Bordeaux White (see earlier blog) and a Weingut Hiedler Grüner Veltliner Löss 2007. I personally import this wine.  Sommelier Jamie Drummond was so impressed at a recent tasting that he had to have it for his Austrian wines feature this month.

The Wine:

Weingut Hiedler Grüner Veltliner Löss 2007

An elegant and refined wine with a full and fresh, fruity bouquet. Slight buttery nose. Flavours of grapefruit rind, soft tree fruit, spice and fresh honey with a clean and creamy finish. Gentle mineral characteristics that Kamptal is famous for. Amazing harmony. Stylish liquid delight!  As I savour the wine I remember what Maria-Angeles Hielder told me just 4 weeks ago in Austria about Hiedler's minimalist winemaking philosophy: "When Ludwig makes a wine, he tells it "Try for yourself - become what you are meant to be." These words resounded with me, because this wine has confidently become what it was destined to become.

My visit to Weingut Hiedler