‘Twasting’ packs them in at Chateau des Charmes

What: Twitter Twasting 1.0
Where: Chateau des Charmes, 1025 York Road, Niagara-on-the-Lake
Why: To bring users of the social networking site Twitter together for a wine tasting
Niagara wine people on Twitter: There is a large and growing community of Niagara wine lovers, wineries and industry wine people utilizing Twitter in one way or another. Here are some Niagara wineries using Twitter (sorry if we missed anyone) to spread the good word on local wine: Tawse (@paul_pender or Tawse_Winery), Riverview (@RiverviewWinery), Chateau des Charmes (@MBosc), Pilliterri (@Pillitteriwines), Vineland Estates (@benchwineguy), Rosewood Estates (@Krysssie or @Rosewoodestates), Creekside Life Is Good (@lifeisgoodwines), Ridgepoint (@Ridgepointwines), Wayne Gretzky (@99wine), Nyarai Cellars (@NyaraiCellars), Ravine (@AlexRavine), Hidden Bench (@HiddenBench), Coyotes Run (@coyotesrun), Kacaba Vineyards (@KacabaVineyards), Fielding Winery (@FieldingWinery or @RichieWine), Mike Weir Wines (@MikeWeirWine), Stratus (@stratuswines), Malivoire (@MalivoireWine), Marynissen (@MaryYnmaker or @Marynissen), Dan Aykroyd (@danaykroyd or @DanAykroydWines), 20 Bees (@20Bees), East Dell Estates (@EastDellEstates), Jackson Triggs (@delrollo), Creekside (@CreeksideWine), Southbrook (@SouthbrookWine).

By Rick VanSickle

The invitation was simple enough:

TWASTING 1.0
Calling all Tweeps. (Friends of Tweeps allowed). Join @MBosc for an exclusive tasting of limited release wines paired with Canadian artisan cheeses. Meet other Tweeps and put faces to @’s.
Saturday March 27, 2010. Any time from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.

It was an invitation beamed out to the 330 people who follow Chateau des Charmes’ marketing director Michele Bosc on Twitter — an unusual and intriguing invite that brought a steady flow of wine lovers, mostly young, certainly social media savvy and also very connected to a network of other consumers who were fed instantaneous messages via Twitter all talking about the wines at Chateau des Charmes.

Beyond the impromptu Twitter gatherings that occur on any given weekend in Niagara, usually unbeknownst to most wineries, Bosc’s organized “Twasting 1.0” (her term) was the first of its kind in Niagara and, judging by the lead up to the event, the chatter on Twitter on the day of the event and the followup “buzz” it won’t be the last.

This is the new frontier. A virtually effortless and free networking site that can help draw the most interested and engaged consumers. Afterall, subscribers follow certain people on Twitter for a reason, so a Twasting is bound to find success with a captive audience thirsty for knowledge and eager to purchase wines.

And, by all accounts, it was a success. Not only for Bosc and Chateau des Charmes, but also for all of Niagara as guests crammed into cars, trains and car-pooled mostly from the GTA for an entire day of tasting and buying in wine country.

Chateau des Charmes was the main destination, but these new consumers also added a list of other wineries to their day, most of them “Twitter friendly” venues which have built up their own stable of followers.

Many Niagara wineries have found Twitter to be a useful tool for finding new customers and engaging them in conversation on a one-to-one basis. The medium allows dialogue with your consumers, a way to communicate quickly and succinctly which, hopefully, translates into sales.

Bosc’s tasting last Saturday was a study in how a series of messages (no longer than 140 characters) on Twitter can be converted into a tangible experience. For a lot of the “twasters” who visited Chateau des Charmes, where a special room was set up with limited release wines and a nice selection of cheeses, it was their first time coming face to face with other Twitter followers with similar tastes in wine.

The conversation was engaging, and centred on the intricacies of the wines chosen for the event. But there was also a lot of discussion about social media and the opportunities that can be mined when leveraged correctly.
Michele Bosc soaked it all in while mingling her “peeps.” She has been a quick study with new media and has embraced the platform with open arms. After last weekend’s first successful twasting, the next one won’t be far behind. You can count on that.

Here’s a couple of wines poured at the first Niagara Twasting 1.0 that I enjoyed:

Chateau des Charmes Paul Bosc Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007 ($35, winery only, 4 stars) — Just over 200 cases of this single-vineyard Pinot were made in the great 2007 vintage. The nose reveals spice-laden red fruits with touches of cedar and earth. The red berries on the palate are lifted by mocha spice all on a bed of fine tannins. Could cellar for three-to-five years.

Chateau des Charmes Paul Bosc Vineyard Equuleus 2007 ($40, winery, Vintages TBA, 4.5 stars) — This is the winery’s flagship red, a classically styled blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc and 25% Merlot produced in only the best vintages. The spice and oak notes jump from the glass in this tightly wound wine with cassis, plums and other dark fruits following. It’s beginning to open up on the palate with ripe, rich dark fruits that fold into hedonistic chocolate and spice flavours. This is a big, concentrated wine that will reward with patience in the cellar.

Here are a few reviews of other wines tasted recently:

Mike Weir Chardonnay 2008 ($16, Vintages, 4 stars) — A big nose of pear and tropical fruits all lifted by vanilla and oak. Shows a bit a citrus and a whole lot of tropical fruits in the mouth to go with a creamy texture and nice balance. In screwcap for first time.

Sibling Rivalry 2009 Pink ($14, LCBO, 3.5 stars) — The Speck brothers from Henry of Pelham have rolled out this latest wine from their popular value series. Pink is a refreshing blend of Cabernet, Syrah and Gamay done in a rose style. Loaded with red summer berries with some oomph on the palate. Overall, a lovely, crisp summer sipper.

Ravine Vineyard Riesling 2008 ($28, winery only, May 24 release, 4.5 stars) — I’ve been following the evolution of this wonderful, small-batch St. Davids Riesling as it has developed, slowly, in the bottle. This is always a fascinating wine with 20% of the fruit botrytised and then made in a sussreserve style. The end result is an even better effort then the 2007 Riesling. Peach, wild honey, grapefruit and lime combine with gorgeous minerality and zingy acididy. It’s a balanced wine, low in alcohol, that comes in layers. Heady stuff. Only 300 cases made.

Enjoy!