KevV

Thanks RR - I think what I was driving at was what you wrote in part of the other thread: We encountered this in our wine class but I couldn't remember the teacher's comments when I noted the garlic/onion thing going on yesterday. I knew it was something different - mercaptans, yes! Yesterday's wine did not smell of rotten egg or burnt matches.

In some cases you can smell sulfur in a wine. I know sulfites occur naturally, but I assume a sulfur smell would most likely be caused by added sulfites. Can anyone say if this is true? Also, what might cause a stale onion-garlicky smell in a wine? (Imagine an aroma beyond simple sulfur.) Would it be added sulfites again or some other sort of alteration? Yesterday, we had an economical Chilean Shiraz - a Caliterra 2001 - which I bought after a Tony Aspler (Canadian wine celeb) recommendation. It was quite good, I still think, if you could get past the onion/garlic aspect. (Incidentally, I don't think I noticed the aroma so much at first because there was plenty of real onion and garlic in the meal.) Would I be correct in assuming that other bottles would have the same problem? It would be too bad, because at CAD $9.95 or so it'd be a very nice buy. Kv

Just curious, Chris. I didn't see any French syrahs included in your tasting list. Was there a reason behind this?

My experience with distance learning courses is that they're much better if you know a fellow student you can discuss things with (and taste with in this case). However, I'm sure that with this type of subject you already know people who are willing to 'help'. Good luck with your course. I like being in class too, but home study still must be lots of fun. Kev

I believe the centre which runs WSET courses here in Toronto doesn't allow people without the Level 2 to go into Level 3 - possibly, unless they have some other type of qualification. Does your centre go by different rules? However, even though you've paid for 2 courses, jelainemiller - with wine courses, isn't it a case of the more the merrier?

Jeez, I've been out of country and then back to Ontario. Never hear of 'Crispy Cream' or whatever it was, nor 'Lees'. Tim Horton's all over the place here, though. I was stopped recently by someone: 'Hello, do you know where the nearest Tim Horton's is?' Sorry, I said. Guess it's a little like asking for the nearest pub in other countries. I have to go with the first couple of posters. Yuck - donuts and TH coffee don't compare with pastry and espresso, etc. And TH's is supposedly some sort of Canadian institution? I'm not sure if anyone has pointed out that it's owned by Wendy's, but it is. And they want to sell it. Anti-donut brigade , Kev

I enjoyed that too. Good picts, as well. Looking forward to more to the CB low-down. Kev

See [email=http://www.wset.co.uk/04_qualification/intro.html]http://www.wset.co.uk/04_qualification/intro.html There's L1 - Foundation, L2 - Intermediate, L3 - Adv, L4 - Diploma

Just a note here in case anyone looks this old discussion up in the future. Someone wrote... The curriculum has changed. I'm currently in the Int/Level 2, as of Sept 2005, and we're the first bunch to be doing the new curriculum, which emphasises varietals first, and regions 2nd. This gives a bit more scope to the new world regions, once the varietal characteristics and classic regions are covered. Cheers! Kev

Hello 'sackville' I'm curious to find out whether you've gone ahead with WSET Level 3? I'm currently in Level 2 here in Toronto. We're trying out the new curriculum for the first time, which is based more on varietals than regions. Great so far, and I manage to come home with a half bottle or two of leftovers after every class! Level 3 here is CDN $900 I think - about £400. I would love to take it from January and, fortunately, it should all turn out to be tax deductable (for career advancement, they say). Kev

I was going to joke that all that grub above was a bit too much for you alone. But in your 1st post you did mention 'dinner campanions' - and these, presumably, were people and not your many empty plates!

Whoa - all that is almost too much for my modest brain to take in!

Hi - thought I'd resurrect this discussion in case someone had something to add. Cataplana? Chiado? Perla? Any thoughts on TO's best Portuguese?

Just to pick up this discussion again, which has mostly been about Casa Barcelona and Embruja... Has anyone been to Segovia? I haven't been there, nor to Casa Bcn or Embruja, but I believe the chef/owner has had Segovia going for years, and he is in fact Spanish (from Galicia I heard).

A few other possible sausage places... Now that Elizabeth's is closed, there is another Hungarian shop farther along Bloor W - on the north side, in Korea Town between Bathurst and Christie. I don't think they have the variety of Elizabeth's, but their 'spicy' and 'non-spicy' chorizo-style sausages you'll see hanging along the right are good quality. Even farther, on the south side of Bloor W near Ossington, there is an Italian butcher - 'Gasparro's' I think - selling free range chickens and other more natural stuff. Their pork sausages are nice. I've heard good things about Cumbrae's Naturally Raised Fine Meats on Church St. And I've had a v.good lamb w/rosemary and feta sausage from there at someone's BBQ.

Cava Girl, There was a Portuguese wine show/tasting at the Windsor Arms this past Thurs. The 'Group of 7' were there - nothing to do with paintings, but instead 7 of the biggest Portuguese producers, like JP da Fonseca, Sogrape, Alianca, etc. I found out about it through the Indep Wine Education Guild, through which I'm doing an intermediate WSET course. I don't know how else you'd have found out about it, as I'm new to these things, but I guess people in the business tend to know. It was by invitation, and you needed to RSVP, but any lucky hotel guest could have just walked in. They just asked that you leave your card at the door. (Note to self: devise 'business cards' for future events. )

Sorry to say that Elizabeth's is now closed. You could try the Portuguese butchers around Dundas W and Dovercourt for Portuguese-style chourizo, but I don't know if I can say they are world class.