A Very Special Release: Tawse David's Block Chardonnay 2010 in Support of Second Harvest. Now Available at Nota Bene Restaurant

Barrel of Wine Benefits Toronto's Food Rescue Program

TORONTO, Feb. 7, 2012 /CNW/ - In the summer of 2011, Tawse Winery donated a barrel of wine to Second Harvest for auction at Toronto Taste, an annual culinary fundraiser. The barrel raised enough funds for Second Harvest to rescue 26,000 pounds of excess food. The wine is now available exclusively at Nota Bene restaurant.

The Wine

This was the first time Tawse Winery created a wine exclusively made from this small block of vines on the Estate. The vineyard is meticulously maintained using organic and biodynamic methods, and the vines are carefully leaf-thinned and crop-thinned by hand. The fruit is also gently harvested by hand, then sorted before being whole bunch pressed. The wine is fermented and aged in French oak. After about a year in wood, it spent another 6 months aging in tank to mature before bottling.

David's Block Chardonnay 2010 exhibits classic characteristics, combining luscious apple and citrus fruit with mouth-watering acidity and flinty minerality. Everything lingers during the lasting finish. This wine is certified organic and biodynamic, and consequently it demonstrates extraordinary flavour, balance and complexity. www.tawsewinery.ca

The Winemaker

Paul Pender, joined the Tawse team in 2005 and took on the role as head winemaker in 2006. Paul is a firm believer in 'terroir' and that great wine starts in the vineyard. Paul has seen Tawse through the process of Ecocert Organic and Demeter biodynamic certification, and in 2011 he was named Winemaker of the Year at the Ontario Wine Awards.

The Cause

Toronto Taste is Second Harvest's annual culinary fundraiser. Funds raised at the event keep Second Harvest trucks on the road, collecting excess perishable food, that would otherwise go to waste, and delivering that food to community agencies across the city.

This was the first barrel of wine auctioned off in Toronto. Nota Bene restaurant purchased the barrel at the live auction, providing enough funds for Second Harvest to deliver 26,000 meals to people in need. www.torontotaste.ca

Availability

Tawse David's Block Chardonnay 2010 is available exclusively at Nota Bene restaurant in Toronto for a limited time. Only 300 bottles are available. www.notabenerestaurant.com

About Second Harvest

Second Harvest is the largest food rescue program in Canada. Since 1985, Second Harvest has been picking up donated, excess food, which would have otherwise gone to waste and delivering that food to community agencies in Toronto. Every day Second Harvest delivers enough food to provide 18,000 meals to over 200 community agencies in Toronto. Recognized for efficiency and impact of services, independent research group Charity Intelligence Canada has named Second Harvest a Recommended Charity for the past three years.

Image with caption: "The Tawse wine barrel at Toronto Taste 2011 (CNW Group/Second Harvest)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120207_C9914_PHOTO_EN_9702.jpg

For further information:

Tonia Krauser, Director of Communications, Second Harvest
416.625.6774
[email protected]
secondharvest.ca