Tag: Wine

Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants 2024 Just Revealed

Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants List 2024 paints a vibrant portrait of Canada’s culinary scene. This year marks the 10th anniversary of Canada’s 100 Best.

“The quality of our list and the publication we build around it is better than ever. The result is an asset to discriminating diners – locals and travellers alike,” said Jacob Richler. “It’s a great time to be dining out in Canada.”

How restaurants are selected?
A panel of 150 judges is assembled to vote for restaurants based on the complete dining experience: service, décor, the depth of the cellar — and, above all else, food quality. Each judge must vote for a minimum of three restaurants outside of their home region. The panel includes informed culinary enthusiasts, food writers and critics, chefs, restaurateurs and other food-service professionals.

Here are some of the winners:

THE 2024 TOP 10 BEST RESTAURANTS:

Mon Lapin (Montreal, QC)
Edulis (Toronto, ON)
Alo (Toronto, ON)
20 Victoria (Toronto, ON)
Langdon Hall (Cambridge, ON)
Restaurant Pearl Morissette (Jordan Station, ON)
Published on Main (Vancouver, BC)
Beba (Montreal, QC)
Bar Kismet (Halifax, NS)
Kissa Tanto (Vancouver, BC)

THE 2024 TOP 10 BEST NEW RESTAURANTS:

Marilena (Victoria, BC)
Casa Paco (Toronto, ON)
Sushi Yugen (Toronto, ON)
Bar Prima (Toronto, ON)
Sabayon (Montreal, QC)
Casavant (Montreal, QC)
Espace Old Mill (Stanbridge, QC)
Buvette Daphnée (Ottawa, ON)
Parapluie (Montreal, QC)
Magari by Oca (Vancouver, BC)

Other Awards go to:

Best New Restaurant (sponsored by Tourisme Montréal): Marilena Café + Raw Bar (Victoria, BC)

Best Restaurant (sponsored by Nespresso Professional): Mon Lapin (Montreal, QC)

Best Sommelier team (sponsored by Lingua Franca): Vanya Filipovic and Alex Landry at Mon Lapin (Montreal, QC)

Best Pastry Chef: Kenta Takahashi, Boulevard, Vancouver (3 TIME WINNER)

People’s Choice Award (sponsored by Uber Eats): Änkôr (Canmore, AB)

Best Destination Restaurant (sponsored by Champlain at Fairmont Le Château Frontenac): Langdon Hall (Cambridge, ON)

Best New Restaurant Design: Bar Prima (Toronto, ON)

The American Express Award for Community Leadership: Paul Toussaint at Kamúy (Montreal, QC)

BEST BARS

The 2024 issue also includes Canada’s 50 Best Bars – useful reviews on where to sip across the nation – including a focus on summer patios. 

THE 2024 TOP 10 BEST BARS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE:

Bar Pompette (Toronto, ON)
Civil Liberties (Toronto, ON)
Cloakroom Bar (Montreal, QC)
Atwater Cocktail Club (Montreal, QC)
Bar Mordecai (Toronto, ON)
Library Bar at The Fairmont Royal York (Toronto, ON)
Dear Friend Bar (Dartmouth, NS)
The Keefer Bar (Vancouver, BC)
Cocktail Bar (Toronto, ON)
Proof (Calgary, AB)

Here is the link to all the winners:
https://canadas100best.com/

Source: Canadas 100 Best

How Climate Change is Changing Winegrowing Regions

In a recent study by Bordeaux Sciences Agro, Université de Bordeaux and Université de Bourgogne results were published in Nature Reviews Earth and Environment, showing 90% of coastal and low-altitude regions in southern Europe and California may no longer be able produce good wine in economically sustainable conditions by the end of the century if global warming exceeds +2°C. The study goes on to show that other regions could benefit: growing potential could increase in areas such as northern France and British Columbia (Canada), and rising temperatures could result in the development of new growing regions in countries as far as Denmark.

Grapes grown to make wine are sensitive to climate conditions such as temperature and extreme drought. These effects are already visible worldwide on yields, the composition of grapes and the quality of wines, with already and soon-to-be-observed consequences on the geography of wine production. Understanding shifts in wine production potential due to climate change is a major scientific concern. Based on their expertise and a thorough analysis of the scientific literature — over 250 publications in the last 20 years – a research team has established a global map of evolving trends in the threats and potential benefits that climate change brings to existing and new winegrowing regions. They did so by studying the effects of changes in temperature, rainfall, humidity, radiation and CO2 on wine production and exploring adaptation strategies.

Climate winners, climate losers
Winegrowing regions are primarily located at mid-latitudes where the climate is warm enough to allow grape ripening, but without excessive heat, and relatively dry to avoid strong fungal disease pressure. Rises in temperature – one of the most emblematic symptoms of climate change – accelerate vine development and the early ripening of grapes during the hottest periods in the summer. Harvesting in most vineyards now begins two to three weeks earlier than it did 40 years ago, with effects on grapes and the resulting styles of wines. Temperature increases, for example, can change how a wine tastes if grapes lose acidity, increase wine alcohol, and modify aromatic signatures. On a global scale, climate change could reduce growable surface area in current wine regions and increase it in others.

If global warming exceeds 2°C, some 90% of all traditional winegrowing areas in the coastal and plains regions of Spain, Italy, Greece and southern California may become unable to produce high-quality wine in economically sustainable conditions by the end of the century due to risks of excessive drought and more frequent heat waves. Conversely, higher temperatures could improve the suitability of other regions for the production of quality wines, including northern France, the states of Washington and Oregon in the United States, the province of British Columbia in Canada and Tasmania in Australia. They could even create new wine regions, in Belgium, Netherlands and Denmark.

Key Points:

• Climate change modifies wine production conditions and requires adaptation from growers.

• The suitability of current winegrowing areas is changing, and there will be winners and losers. New winegrowing regions will appear in previously unsuitable areas, including expanding into upslope regions and natural areas, raising issues for environmental preservation.

• Higher temperatures advance phenology (major stages in the growing cycle), shifting grape ripening to a warmer part of the summer. In most winegrowing regions around the globe, grape harvests have advanced by 2–3 weeks over the past 40 years. The resulting modifications in grape composition at harvest change wine quality and style.

• Changing plant material and cultivation techniques that retard maturity are effective adaptation strategies to higher temperatures until a certain level of warming.

• Increased drought reduces yield and can result in sustainability losses. The use of drought-resistant plant material and the adoption of different training systems are effective adaptation strategies to deal with declining water availability. Supplementary irrigation is also an option when sustainable freshwater resources are available.

• The emergence of new pests and diseases and the increasing occurrence of extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, heavy rainfall and possibly hail, also challenge wine production in some regions. In contrast, other areas might benefit from reduced pest and disease pressure.

Link to the full report:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s43017-024-00521-5

Sources: Bordeaux Sciences Agro, Université de Bordeaux and Université de Bourgogne

Scientists prove that drinking good wine will make you happier

Scientists prove that drinking good wine will make you happier, with the effect being further enhanced if you listened to jazz.

The National Research Council of Italy study reported March 5th, 2024 (in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture) can good wine impact the “pleasantness” of an experience.

A trial was undertaken at the 2022 edition of the Internet Festival in Pisa, Italy, where a social experiment with a reliable methodology, through wearable sensors, measured the emotions aroused in a live context on consumers by different kinds of wines.

Five wines were trialed, two of which the scientists described as “faulty” and three which were high-quality samples, on 50 consumers in an “arousing context” with live jazz music in the background.

Both explicit results through questionnaires and implicit results through electrocardiogram (ECG) recorded by the wearable sensors were recorded.

According to the research findings, study author Dr Lucia Billeci, of the National Research Council of Italy said wine “undoubtedly generates a significant emotional response on consumers” and that an answer is “multifaceted and attributable to the quality level of the wine tasted”.
The findings also state: “In fact, all things being equal, while drinking wine even untrained consumers can perfectly recognise good wines compared to products of lower quality.” and “High-quality wines are able to induce a spectrum of positive emotions, as observed by the analysis of ECG signals, especially when they are coupled with background music.”

In conclusion, the scientists reported that the framework, “certainly played to the advantage of good-quality wines” and produced “positive emotional characteristics on the palate even of some less experienced consumers”.

In addition it said there was a “dragging effect” towards a positive mood, which was generated by the surrounding conditions, i.e. good music in a beautiful location.

Link to Research:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38441204/

Sources: The National Research Council

Global wine consumption could see a ‘shift’ by 2027

Wine consumption trends could “shift” according to a new report analyzing the global wine market changes between 2022 and 2027. This new report was led by analysts at Research and Markets of which findings were brought together by multiple data sources, which collates data from over 107 countries.

The data showed that the global wine sector was valued at US$346.8 billion in 2022 and is expected to register a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.8% during 2022-27 to reach US$528.2 billion. Additionally, in volume, the findings show that the global wine market will reach 26.7 billion litres in 2027, up from 24 billion litres in 2022 with leading territories being Western Europe with a 49.5% market share, followed by the US with 21.6%.

The report also provides an overview of changes in the consumption of wine over 2017-27, at global and regional levels and has hinted that it pinpoints “high potential countries” for wine consumption as well as provides analysis based on market assessment, economic development, governance indicators, socio-demographic factors, and technological infrastructure. Offering a more-detailed analysis of each of the countries, analysts have revealed that the data covers the key challenges, competitive landscape and demographic analysis that can help companies gain insight into the country-specific nuances. The report also noted that the analysts have outlined how the findings will contain significant emphasis on the key trends that drive consumer choice and the future opportunities that can be explored to help the sector and wineries boost revenue.

The wine world has long been expanding as more regions come into the international limelight and new markets continue to develop.

Link to Report: https://www.researchandmarkets.com/report/wine

Source: Research and Markets

2024 Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris: The Report

The 5th Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris has turned the current economic challenges into strategic opportunities for the wine and spirits industry. This year, the event has established its credentials not only as a pivotal hub for business, but also as an influential platform, stepping up its decisive role in the business and political space globally.

2024 marks a turning point, with Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris making a sustainable economic contribution to the wine and spirits industry. Exhibitor numbers rose to 4,074, including 53% from overseas representing 48 producer countries, underscoring Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris’ enhanced appeal and international scope. Visitor attendance increased by 14% on the previous exhibition to 41,253 and included 41% international visitors from 137 countries, illustrating the event’s overall reach and growing influence.

Vinexposium’s commitment to business development was mirrored in the 30% rise in attendance by the main buyers from key markets. The top 5 nations represented after France were Italy, Belgium, the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany. The matchmaking service also reached a new performance milestone with 10,146 appointments between producers and buyers made online.

Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris, a place of influence

Placed under the high patronage of Mr Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris received visits by three French ministers and 27 ambassadors, including those from the United States, Italy, Portugal, Japan, Austria, Spain, Switzerland, China, New Zealand and Australia.

The 2024 Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris opening ceremony saw keynote speeches by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, Marc Fesneau, and the Minister of State for Public Accounts, Thomas Cazenave. The collaborative tone of the opening speeches, with input by Vinexposium CEO Rodolphe Lameyse, highlighted the event’s role as a strategic space where the industry can speak with one voice, share ideas and meet current challenges while also setting its sights on a sustainable future. The significance of international trade and the collaborative efforts required to cope with geo-economic risks were also underscored.

A visit by Frank Riester, Minister of State for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness, ended the third day by describing the event as a major exhibition for wine and spirits exports, stressing the importance of wines and spirits to France’s export trade balance. 2023 French export results were in fact announced at Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris by the FEVS.

The International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), with which Vinexposium works collaboratively, granted its patronage to the scientific sessions of the ON! programme. The event also offered a valuable opportunity for OIV, which took part for the entire three days, to meet many international industry personalities.

Even greater buzz for the ON! and OFF programmes

The ON! programme was enhanced in order to foster dialogue and provide the industry with food for thought. 126 sessions featured on the official programme, in addition to individual presentations hosted on exhibitor stands.

Paul Robinson, wine director at Robinson Wine Merchants, recounts: “As a buyer, it is my responsibility to prioritise business appointments at Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris, but I attended two panel discussions which I found extremely interesting. The ON! programme is one of the highlights of the exhibition”.

The OFF programme, which featured a selection of 200 restaurants and bars across the capital, encouraged attendees to continue their conversations after nightfall in a more relaxed setting.

Angelo Martelli, director at Super Buyrite, found inspiration there: “With so many appointments on stands by day, I particularly enjoyed being able to continue my business relations in the evening as part of the OFF programme. Paris truly is an ideal city for this and the selection was great. It’s that little extra that makes all the difference”.

Be Spirits, an enhanced range

In 2024, Be Spirits reached a whole new level with 26 producer countries exhibiting, an extra 47% floor spaced compared with 2023 and nearly 200 exhibitors, 54% of them new. Alongside the many French exhibitors, international attendee numbers soared by 92%.

The hall designed for spirits, no/lows, beers and ciders attracted buyers and mixologists from across the globe. The robust programme of debates and masterclasses aimed at deciphering markets, exploring the most revolutionary products and responding jointly to the business issues of the future attracted a full house.

Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris 2024 ends, but ushers in the next 12 months

Until the next Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris from 10 to 12 February 2025, the industry is invited to Hong Kong from 28 to 30 May for Vinexpo Asia, New York on 24 and 25 June for Vinexpo America, Mumbai on 16 and 17 September for Vinexpo India, and Amsterdam on 25 and 26 November for the World Bulk Wine Exhibition (WBWE).

Source: Vinexposium