(Dec. 12, 2012) — Mayan prophets and their calendar don`t give much time before the poles flip and the party’s over! December 2012 is coming so let’s celebrate the last days together by tipping our bottles and glasses at Casa Loma. As always we’ll do it with style and taste, great food and stellar wine from our club’s cellar! Remember how amazing the food was last year? All of those beautiful wines from all reaches and times! Your close friends and colleagues will appreciate and will owe you one when they get to attend the event of the year as your guest!

Each year we search out wines for the club and many eventually make their way to the party. They may be cellared for months, years or–in many cases–decades. Be assured we will cover all the bases whether you enjoy young or old, new world or old world, bold or subtle, red or white, sweet or dry, and of course Scottish! As always we will feature Bordeaux, Napa Cabs, Barolos, Rieslings, Sauternes and more! We have a well balanced offering that will help us balance the poles and keep us from drifting off the globe! We searched the edges of the earth for this year’s marquee wine and we found something very special! We’ll be pouring a limited number of servings of the 1912 Barbeito Reserva Velha Bual Madeira. A century in the making, it will be well worth the wait!

As per our tradition, we are attempting to keep the majority of wines in a 5 or 10 year anniversary cycle. Last year among more than 100 different wines poured were a 1961 Château Léoville las Cases, a 1976 Grains Nobles Hugel Gewurztraminer and a 1978 Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. In the past, to help manage the crowds, we did not advertise any specific wines but on the outside chance that the prophets are correct and the world will end on December 21, 2012, we are providing a few highlights: a 1947 Domaine Bourillon Dorleans Vouvray Moelleux from the Loire; a 1952 Doural Colheita Port; a 1964 Romanée-Saint-Vivant – Remoissenet; and, from Pauillac, a 30th Anniversary 100 pointer, the1982 Château Mouton Rothschild.

As always, normal tasting-size portions of each wine will be served. Throughout the evening as selections are exhausted, they will be replaced with unadvertised wines. The identity of replacement wines will be prominently displayed at the various serving stations as the wines appear. Toward the end of the evening you can expect delicious dessert-style selections to appear, including Ports. We have also noted that people are definitely moving towards quality (rather than quantity) so we are encouraging you to continue that trend to drink better, not more and be safe getting home.

We recommend transportation to Casa Loma be provided by the TTC, a taxi, other exotic livery service or perhaps have a designated driver collect you.

Again this year we are not self catering as the exclusive caterer to Casa Loma has lifted standards and been very successful. This leaves us the club free to concentrate on the wines and you! Expect to see the same level of quality as last year with food served at separate stations mixed among wine stations. Your club directors are excited for us and everyone in anticipation of the quality of food and assistance in service. We are confident this year you’ll be impressed once again.

And some traditions will continue unchanged. Expect to see a bubbly red-suited character rewarding people for being good.

This is also an opportunity to discover treasures that are relatively unknown. Talk to the other attendees – they’ll tell you about some ‘discovery’ they’ve made here. Typically people split between ‘old’ and ‘new’ world – but we encourage you to try something new as well as some familiar favourites.

Something special is available for those celebrating significant events or anniversaries. Anybody celebrating an anniversary from any of the years 1947, 1952, 1962, 1967, 1972, 1982, 1987, 1992 1997, 2002 and 2007 will find something of interest (as well as many other vintages).

The main reason for coming is to socialize with your fellow WINETASTERS, in the perfect seasonal setting. So, come on out and bring your friends; that way you can share your ‘discoveries’ with them. This is our biggest and best social function of the year, and there will be many wines that suit your palate, and maybe a few will knock your socks off!. This is the perfect opportunity to relax with old friends and meet our newer WINETASTERS.

Smoked Turkey and Toupee Ham Station, Breads and Flatbreads
Fresh Rolls and Creamery Butter
Medieval Sauces
Maple Glazed Toupee Ham
Whole Smoked Turkey

Seasonal Selected Cheeses
A bevy of Domestic and International Cheese, Fresh and Dry Fruit, Crackers and Flatbreads
An Evolution of Cheeses: compare the cheeses of ‘Days Gone By’ matched with their more modernized versions

Dessert and Coffee Station
Seasonal Selection of Miniature Desserts and Pastries

As always with tastings please ask your guests not to wear aftershave, cologne or perfume. We do get many first-timers at Casa Loma who are not familiar with our etiquette.

Please click here to open a pdf version of the event description if you wish to mail in your reservation.

Cancellations accepted up to December 7, 2012. See the event form for cancellation contact details. No reservations by phone, please. No confirmations will be issued — you will be contacted only if we are sold out. There is no attendance limit, but supplies of the 1912 Barbeito Reserva Velha Bual Madeira are limited and will be allocated to the earlier respondees.