"Then sit us here,
And speak of food and wine.
Perhaps Gamay or Chardonnay
Would suit us as we dine,
On wild asparagus or leeks,
That you prepare so fine."

Dear Friends;
With Earth Day, April 22nd, fast closing on us, today’s topic is… asparagus.  Yes, asparagus; also known depending on where you live, as “esparrago”, “aspharagos”, “asperge” or “sparrow grass”.  What’s that got to do with Earth Day?  Please read on ...

As the various names suggest, asparagus has been a world-traveler.  Native to western Asia, northern Africa and Europe, and enjoyed as a food since ancient Greek times, it was introduced to North and South America during the 17th century.

As a food, asparagus has seen a revival of interest from health-conscious consumers who know that it has virtually no fat or cholesterol, is low in sodium and calories (less than 20 per average serving), and high in beneficial antioxidants, fibre and potassium.  Some claim that asparagus has aphrodisiac endowments.  We’ll discuss that another time (maybe Valentine’s Day).

There are things that endear asparagus to us at this time of the year.  It’s available now, and it’s fresh.  When those tender, delectable “spears” break ground each spring, there is no better time to enjoy them.  Furthermore, there is no tastier asparagus than what grows locally in Ontario, and can come to your table without the need for hundreds of miles of carbon-emitting transportation.  A fitting complement to your Earth Day menu, wouldn’t you say?  Especially when enjoyed with a cleverly-chosen bottle of locally-grown wine.
We have a simple, yet tasty way to enjoy this local seasonal treat.

1998 was a critical year for Malivoire. It was the year of our first commercial vintage, when our initial offerings of Chardonnay, Ladybug Rosé and Old Vines Foch were harvested.

Along with our 1998 Moira Vineyard Gewurztraminer, these were also the first grapes to be crushed at our (then) new winery, which was still in the final stages of construction.

Plan to join us the weekend of May 31st and June 1st, for a Malivoire-style tour of our evolving grounds and winery, intriguing foods and a preview of some future wine releases.  Tours are conducted by winery staff and run every 1/2 hour, with the last tour at 4:30pm each day. Call the winery at 1-866-644-2244 to reserve your place on the day of your choice.

Please remember that our dress code is “practical” due to the physical nature of this tour - walking and stair-climbing will be involved inside and outside of the winery - rain or shine.

At this event, we will be offering samples of a new cheese that has been aged in our own 2006 Melon by Toronto's Cheese Boutique. The Globe Bistro in Toronto has already unveiled it for customers to rave reviews.

This is your opportunity to show us how creative you are - we will be asking for suggestions from customers to "Name the Cheese". We are looking for a suitable, Malivoire-inspired name for this cheese. Click here to read a review of the cheese you will be sampling.

Malivoire at Somewhereness

This highly praised showcase for Ontario wines and foods is back for its second year.  This year’s gathering, on Tuesday April 22nd, finds its way to a new venue, the Coupe Space; an appropriately original event site within the Toronto Beaches headquarters (998 Queen Street East) of Coupe Magazine.  Last year’s five sustainably-farmed Ontario wineries, Flat Rock, Malivoire, Norman Hardie, Stratus and Tawse, are all returning to offer some of their brightest new releases to the accompaniment of foods from four of Niagara’s finest restaurants.  To reserve your $75 pass, please follow this link to the Somewhereness website.

A New Vintage Awakes ...

As you know, the fruit quality of last year’s Niagara Peninsula wine harvest was superb, but the size of the yield was seriously below average.  This spring finds us in a good place.  A tough winter has passed without causing significant damage, and the higher-than-usual snowfall guarantees that our vines will at least begin their growing season with ample moisture.  We anticipate that bud break, which we usually look for in the second week of May, will fall a little later this year.  This will be an exciting season for Malivoire, as we proceed with our energetic CFIA-certified organic farming programme.

People Are Talking About Malivoire ...

"Lawrason on Wine - blog March 19, 2008" - David Lawrason (PDF)

"The Buzz from Wine Country (Toronto Star - March 20-08)" - Gord Stimmell (PDF)

ORDERING IS EASY

To place your order, use online order form or call us Monday to Friday at
1-866-644-2244.

FEATURED RECIPES: Two fresh, tasty Asparagus recipes with sauces, paired with our very own
2006 Chardonnay:

"Dan's Sauce"
1/4 cup honey
1/4 tsp whole grain mustard
4 tsp tamari soy sauce
Mix together in a saucepan and heat through. Serve with steamed or grilled asparagus.

"Debbie's Sauce"
1 tsp lemon zest
2 tbl fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1 tbl Dijon mustard
1 tbl sherry vinegar (or red-wine vinegar)
1 tblsp honey
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste.
Mix all ingredients together and chill for at least 2 hours. Serve along with blanched or grilled asparagus.

OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS

Malivoire will appear in many places this month. April 21st takes our Proprietor, Martin Malivoire, to Toronto’s Cheese Boutique. Ours will be the featured wines at that evening’s Festival of Chefs Media Day launch.  Ten chefs will prepare foods to match.

Good Earth Cooking School “Sealed With a Twist”, April 26, 2008 (event sold out). This will be one of those smaller, more intimate activities that we like to engage in from time to time.  A dozen fortunate participants will gather at our winery for a tour and tasting in the company of our Winemaker, Shiraz Mottiar.  The evening will end with a five-course dinner at Beamsville’s Good Earth Cooking School, hosted by its celebrated Proprietor, Nicolette Novak.

We will participate in the 3rd Anniversary of Whole Foods’ Market - Oakville location(May, 2008) at 301 Cornwall Rd. east of Trafalgar Rd. on Wed. May 7 as they present "Dinner in the Café" – Join them as they turn their Café into an elegant dining area.  We are pleased to have Chef Michael Killip of the Twisted Fork join forces with the Prepared Foods Chef to showcase a meal that will knock your socks off!  Each course will be paired with a wine from Malivoire.   Tickets are $35.00 per person, all proceeds to be donated to Halton Trauma Centre. 

 

 

COMING ...
For a limited time, visitors to LCBO Vintages will find our 2006 Pinot Gris. 

Our rapidly-vanishing 2005 Pinot Noir will also appear in Vintages, beginning May 10th.

 

GOING ...
On the subject of vanishing, we are on the verge of exhausting our supplies of 2005 Gamay and 2007 Chardonnay Musqué. 

The Gamay has an ample replacement; our very inviting 2006 vintage is ready to pour.  Musqué lovers, however, will have to wait until next February.