JULIAN HITNER - TORONTO WINE CONSULTANT
Welcome to the official website of Julian Hitner, independent Toronto wine consultant and professional scholar of wine history! I am delighted to share my knowledge of wine and offer my Toronto wine-based services to those who are interested in everything that is wine. Feel free to explore the many features my site has to offer. There's lots to see! If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, just contact me at julianhitner@hitnerwine.com
Be sure to visit often!
FEATURED THIS MONTH
Allow me to set the stage. Our character is an idealistic young man, who has recently become a wine sommelier. The future looks bright for our vinous hero, filled with innumerable opportunities for partaking of fine food and drink, as well as for enjoying unceasing adulation from grateful ‘wine civilians,’ eager to take full advantage of his knowledge of food-and-wine pairings, not to mention his advice on what wines to procure at local shops --- READ MORE
PHOTOS OF FRANCE AND ITALY (OCTOBER, 2007) --- In the past, I have refrained from taking pictures while traveling abroad, always gaping in amazement at other tourists around me who are snapping photos non-stop and never really leisurely taking in their surroundings. This time, however, I decided that a few photos here and there might be nice for my growing audience of true wine enthusiasts. Most of the pictures came out superbly --- HAVE A LOOKPHOTOS OF AUSTRALIA (MARCH-APRIL, 2008) --- Wandering through some of the most famous winegrowing regions of Australia was a real treat. Not only was the scenery beautiful, I was able to capture some excellent shots of both various landscapes, wineries, and even fermentation vats. And yes, the wines were also terrific --- HAVE A LOOK
A LITTLE 'WINE HUMOUR' ANYONE?
WHAT I'VE BEEN UP TO
Haven't heard from me in a while? My apologies: for the past five months, I've been hard at work with Michael Vaughan, one of Canada's most respected wine commentators.
A collaboration for the 'wine ages,' I'm happy to report that I've become the unofficial apprentice of Michael, publishing my articles on his website www.vintageassessments.com. If you haven't been to his website, you've been missing out!
My articles are published under 'Sommelier Selects' (good title), and they are just as controversial as they've always been.
A collaboration for the 'wine ages,' I'm happy to report that I've become the unofficial apprentice of Michael, publishing my articles on his website www.vintageassessments.com. If you haven't been to his website, you've been missing out!
My articles are published under 'Sommelier Selects' (good title), and they are just as controversial as they've always been.
WHAT I'VE BEEN DRINKING THIS MONTH
(PRICES QUOTED ARE THOSE OF THE L.C.B.O., IF PURCHASED AT ONE OF THEIR STORES)
POSTED ON 23 AUGUST 2009
POSTED ON 23 AUGUST 2009
Is is just me, or are Toronto wine enthusiasts drinking less rosé this summer? In every LCBO outlet I frequent, product consultants keep telling me they're stuck with actual skids of 'blush' wine they can't seem to get rid of!
The reason? Lousy weather. For my part, I've probably cracked open only about eight bottles of rosé this entire summer. Normally, I keep an open bottle of rosé in the fridge, just to have some on hand for sipping on the patio late in the afternoon. But not this summer: rain, cooler temperatures, garbage, and wasps!
However, this is not to suggest I've deprived myself of some good wines this summer, even though I might be missing out on some tasty rosé. Two weeks ago, I hosted a sensational French wine tasting at my house for my fellow sommeliers. Here is what we had:
(1) 2002 Domaine Leflaive, Puligny-Montrachet AOC, Burgundy (picked up several years ago at Harvey Nichols in London): still extremely young, with a complex bouquet of white flowers, lemon, and hazelnuts; very nervy structure, superb balance, and finesse. 91
(2) 2005 Domaine Dujac, Morey-Saint-Denis AOC, Burgundy (picked up at an LCBO outlet several years ago for around $68.00): toasty, with beautiful dark cherries, rhubarb, a hint of white mocha, and spice; wonderful fruit, fine tannins; sensational balance, purity, and breed. 92++
(3) 2003 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, Saint-Julien AOC, Bordeaux (bought on futures in the spring of 2004): Exceedingly elegant notes of toast, earthy mocha, currants, plums, and spice; still very firm, refined fruit; quite robust, yet refined; stupendous wine --- I still have two more bottles of this. 95
ANYTHING INTERESTING HAPPENING ON THE TORONTO WINE SCENE?
With summer about to wind down, the Toronto Wine Scene is set to resume. On September 24, the Sonoma Wine Fair (which can actually be great fun, especially for enthusiasts of Pinot Noir) is set to take place at from 7:00 to 9:00 P.M. Unfortunately, the venue for this event is still not known (I'll be sure to post it as soon as I'm made aware of it). Contact Rick Slomka at 905.336.8932 for more details --- click here for more information on the Toronto Wine Scene.
UPCOMING WINE EVENTS I'LL BE ATTENDING
For wine writers, the summer months tend to afford us much-needed time to catch up on our notes!
But with September now under way, the media tastings are about to start up again. Not that I mind, of course. Many of these 'media tastings' I very much enjoy, so long as the wine is good (the company, with exception, I actually care very little about).
On 9 September, I shall be attending a 'Chilean Wine Media Preview Tasting' --- don't ask me where this is being held because (at least right now) I really don't know!
WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT
THE TORONTO WINE SCENE?
JUST LET ME KNOW!
COMING TO MY WEBSITE
NEW ANNOUNCEMENT: My website now features all sorts of new topics, from a notably-intellectual 'Wine and Art' page to a just-plain-fun 'Wine and Humour' column! Also, my website is going to soon have a page dedicated to Toronto cheese shops --- keep an eye out for it.
ANY QUESTIONS?
Email me at julianhitner@hitnerwine.com
OR
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OR
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