les Amis du Fromage

Growing up in South Africa I often enjoyed fortified wines such as sherry and port as an aperitif before or after a meal.  These days I  tend to associate port with pampering, perhaps because on long flights in executive class, port is usually offered after dinner, together with a cheese plate.  I have never thought to question what type of port was being served on these occasions - just savored the richness of the wine on my palate and enjoyed the resulting relaxation that helped the flying time be more tolerable.

Then earlier this year at the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival I went to The F-Word Wine Seminar, to learn more about fortified wines. Among the fortified wines we tasted there was a Fonseca Guimaraens Tawny Port and a Quinta do Crasto 2008 Vintage Port, both of which appealed to my palate much more than the ultra dry Fino sherry that we also tasted there.

So when I saw the invitation from les amis du Fromage to a Blue Stilton cheese tasting paired with a tasting of outstanding Port wines, this was an opportunity not to be missed.

It would  also be my first time visiting the East Hastings Street location of les amis du Fromage, as I had only previously shopped at the smaller location on West 2nd, near Granville Island.

Our taxi to the shop got there much quicker than we had anticipated so there was time to check out the wines before other guests crowded the tables.