Even though I last attended university during the Mulroney administration, autumn always puts me in a studious mood.
To teach this old dog some new tricks, I enrolled in Pinot Camp with Norm Hardie, the second instalment of Hart House's 2009 Tasting Series. Let's just say it was a lot more fun than Multivariable Calculus 203B. (Yes I took that course and many like it in ye olden days.)Learning about pinot noir - my favourite wine grape - from the salt-of-the-earth Norm Hardie, owner of Norman Hardie wines in Prince Edward County and maker of some of the finest pinot noir in Canada, is like a hockey fan being taught how to stickhandle by Alexander Ovechkin. It was awesome!"Once you get bitten by the (pinot noir) bug, it's all over," said Hardie, opening the two-hour class. "It's a more expensive habit than crack, because you've got to go through 10 bad ones to get one good one. But what makes pinot so special is that it has both a delicacy and a richness."He went on to explain why pinot noir is notoriously difficult to grow, earning it the moniker "heartbreak grape": "Unlike most other grapes, pinot noir forms small, tightly knit clusters of tiny berries. It's also thin-skinned, which makes it very susceptible to diseases and sensitive to sunburn."There were seven pinots to try that night; premium bottles from France, New Zealand, South Africa, Oregon, California and two from his own winery. It was fascinating to see how each wine expressed its terroir - what the French call the "taste of the earth". Co-hosting the "class" was the ebullient Afrim Pristine of the Cheese Boutique, who expertly paired each wine with a delectable nibble from his family's legendary shop. The match of the night was clochette, a raw goat's milk cheese from France, with the smoky Bouchard Finlayson Galvin Peak 2006 from Walker Bay, South Africa. Interestingly enough, the chalky, tangy chevre bullied all the other pinots including the Burgundy.I hate bragging about a fabulous event after the fact - "I got my ice cream! You didn't get none!" - but fortunately there are still three classes left on the calendar. Running Thursdays at 7 p.m. in the Music Room at Hart House at the University of Toronto, here what's in store:* Nov. 19, Wines from New RegionsTaste unique wines from emerging regions around the world with sommeliers Shelia Person and Stephanie Kern.* Nov. 26, Tea TastingExplore the wonderful world of tea with Karen Hartwick of Tea Leaves in Stratford.* Dec. 3, Billy and BubblesLearn about sparkling wine from Billy Munnelly with hors d'oeuvres provided by acclaimed chef Jonathan Gushue of Langdon Hall in Cambridge. Each class costs $50, and you can buy tickets at www.uofttix.ca or 416-978-8849. Visit www.harthouse.ca/tasting for details.