Inaugural Meeting: November 29, 2007: Pinot Noir

Over the years, many great things have emerged from the diverse and interesting group of men who comprise the Withrow Park Ball Hockey League. Through online collaborations and face to face meetings over post-game beers have been born friendships, revolutionary ideas, business concepts, political policy, adventure travel, fitness regimes, etc.

A diverse, open-minded and tolerant organization, the WPBHL this winter branched out into the field of yoga in order to satisfy the fitness and health needs of a group of players who have played hard over the years.

In the spirit of this branching-out, three members, who also happen to be part of the Yoga Club (and were clearly not affraid to shed the macho label so erroneously attached to the world of hockey), took their shared interest in wine and converted it into a Wine Club.

The WPBHL Wine Club that is.

And the WPBHL Wine Club held it's inaugural meeting on Thursday November 29th.

Present were Pinot Paul, Stevie Sancerre and Johnny Vinovich.

The meeting was held at Johnny Vinovich's secluded tasting room--within spitting distance of the Withrow Park Rink.

Pinot Paul was the lead man in making the event happen. He suggested the focus on Pinot Noir, created the tasting sheets, brought the cheese, bread and numbered cups.

Stevie Sancere did the leg work in getting the getting the wines, bearing a cold Toronto morning to wait in line for the LCBO release the previous Saturday.

While Johnny Vinovich ensured that there were suitable Riedel glasses, sparkling water, plates, cutlery, etc. and of course suitably dimmed lights and jazz music in the background.

The outcome of the tasting was astounding.

Johnny Vinovich had prior to the tasting received a recommendation from his friend and Canadian wine superstar, Johnny Sommelier, to purchase Ontario's own Le Clos Jordanne "Vineyard". The Clos was included in the five pinots that were tasted:

1. Le Bourgogne Chanson 2005, France
2. Lawson's Dry Hills Marlborough 2005, New Zealand
3. Le Clos Jordanne Vineyard 2005, Canada
4. Marlborough Delta Vineyard 2005, New Zealand
5. Bourgogne Vicomte Recolte 2005, Doudet Naudin, France

After much sipping and note-taking here is how the three players rated the Pinots in what was an utterly and thoroughly BLIND tasting:

Pinot Paul:

1. Le Clos Jordanne Vineyard 2005, Canada
2. Marlborough Delta Vineyard 2005, New Zealand
3. Bourgogne Vicomte Recolte 2005, Doudet Naudin, France
4. Lawson's Dry Hills Marlborough 2005, New Zealand
5. Le Bourgogne Chanson 2005, France


Stevie Sancerre:

1. Le Clos Jordanne Vineyard 2005, Canada
2. Bourgogne Vicomte Recolte 2005, Doudet Naudin, France
3. Le Bourgogne Chanson 2005, France
4. Lawson's Dry Hills Marlborough 2005, New Zealand
5. Marlborough Delta Vineyard 2005, New Zealand


Johnny Vinovich:

1. Le Clos Jordanne Vineyard 2005, Canada
2. Marlborough Delta Vineyard 2005, New Zealand
3. Le Bourgogne Chanson 2005, France
4. Lawson's Dry Hills Marlborough 2005, New Zealand
5. Bourgogne Vicomte Recolte 2005, Doudet Naudin, France

And as you can see all three players chose the homegrown Le Clos Jordanne "Vineyard" as their favourite wine.

For those who might question Wine Club members loyalty to our national game (along with other questions about manhood, arrogance and intelligence) please don't forget that when it came to the Club's inaugural tasting, all three founding members chose Canada first. You might even conclude that Paul, Steve and Johnny are members of Team Canada.

For WPBHLers interested in joining this marraige between Canada's oldest past-time and hotest new industry, the Wine Club's next tasting will be in January, 2008.