Fine Wine Face-Off with Wilco Fine Beverage

Fine Wine Face-Off with Wilco Fine Beverage

One of the best ways to explore the world of wine is to compare two wines side by side. In this Fine Wine Face-off, Master of Wine and Vintage Conservatory member Louise Wilson Cormier selects wines from her Wilco Fine Beverage portfolio to illustrate the impact of winemaking, grape variety and terroir on how the wine tastes in the glass. The Wilco Fine Beverage portfolio celebrates high-quality wines with a point of difference, creating new tasting experiences for wine lovers.

A Master of Wine, or MW, is a beverage industry professional with exceptional wine business expertise. To become a member of the Institute of Master of Wine, each candidate must pass a rigorous exam that tests the candidate’s wine tasting ability and knowledge of wine theory, in addition to completing an original research paper. There are currently 416 Masters of Wine based in 31 countries worldwide. Louise is one of ten Masters of Wine in Canada and one of four in Ontario.

Round 1: Winemaking

Nizza Silvano Roero Arneis 2023 vs Canta Rainette Elegance Chardonnay 2022

How does winemaking create one wine with a rich buttery toast flavour and another with bright citrus fruit flavours? How does using oak barrels change a wine's aromas, flavours and weight? What exactly is lees aging or malolactic fermentation? How can we know how a wine was made by tasting it?

Round 2: Grape Variety

Weingut Schloss Englar Leon Vernatsch Alto Adige DOC 2019 vs Zoppi Cristina Ruche di Castagnole Monferrato DOCG 2021

Different varieties of apples all have signature characteristics that make them taste different from other apple varieties. You know what to expect from a Granny Smith apple before you bite into it. Grape varieties are the same. Some have an aromatic signature, while others are more subtle. Some are fruit-focused, while others are more savoury. Some grapes produce very tannic wine and need time in the cellar before they are ready to drink, while others with softer tannins are approachable in their youth. With thousands of different grape varieties to explore, why not try something new?

Round 3: Terroir

Cascina Barisel Barbera d’Asti DOCG 2022 vs Nizza Silvano Barbera d’Alba DOC 2022

Where vineyards are planted immensely impacts how a wine will taste. The various environmental inputs of a specific place are called a wine’s terroir. These include the climate, the soil, the altitude and the aspect of a vineyard, among other factors. The wines in our Round 3 Face-off are made in the same vintage, from the same grape variety, with very similar winemaking - at wineries that are less than a one-hour drive from each other. It is fascinating to taste them side by side to see how different they taste. That’s terroir!