Highlights from Villa Maria Dinner with Josh Hammond

A sold out crowd of 80 guests joined us for last week’s tutored tasting and dinner event with Josh Hammond, Villa Maria’s Marlborough winemaker.

Hammond grew up in the Marlborough region, in a grape growing family who sold grapes to this most award winning winery and one of the largest in the country. With over one million cases produced at the Marlborough facility, four winemakers to manage, and an intense Canadian tour schedule, Hammond certainly has his hands full and we appreciate the time he took to enlighten us regarding this exciting cool-climate region.

We had the opportunity to taste the Private Bin series of Sauvignon Blanc and Gewurztraminer as well as the Vineyard Select Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. Lastly, we were treated to the Single Vineyard Series Southern Clays Pinot Noir showing remarkably well with a rich unctuous texture and an exciting depth of flavour. Minimalist intervention and careful bunch selection are the hallmark of these wines.

A very sumptuous, thematic and keenly paired menu was offered by the team at Rosewater Supper Club which featured duck prosciutto and roasted rack of New Zealand lamb (ensuring that Hammond didn’t feel so far from home). Thank you to the teams at Philippe Dandurand Wines and Villa Maria for helping to make this event so successful. For information on availability in your area, simply type “Villa Maria” into the Google custom search on WineAlign. We look forward to seeing you at the next exclusive WineAlign tutored tasting.

About Rosewater

Minutes from Toronto’s Financial and Theatre districts, the Rosewater offers a fresh and unique dining experience. From the intimate setting of the upper mezzanine level, which overlooks the main dining room, to the self-contained supper club on the lower level, this building lends an air of romance and casual decadence when dining on a fusion of modern classics.

Our winemaker events have been consistently and quickly selling out.  If you are interested in attending one in the future we advise you to purchase your tickets as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Photos courtesy of Dan Trcka, GrapeSelections.com