"Big Cheese"

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Thursday evening, January 22, the local Stonetown Beefsteak and Burgundy wine club held it's regular January dinner and tasting event at the Flour Mill here in St Marys. The picture at left shows Derek, our wine tasting champ (the "Big Cheese" for 2026), along with our wine steward Jere and member Dwayne joining in on the laughs. I shared the table with them.

The January tasting has become a regular yearly event for our club; we call it the "Wine Tasting Challenge" and this year Derek (who hosted our summer event on his Thamesview Farm) was the "Big Cheese" winner of the challenge. I seem to recall that it was Mark who started the "Big Cheese" designation. Richard, who was at the table with me, is excellent at identifying white wines and has sometimes won the challenge. For me? Meh! I always lose.

Jere, who picked the wines for the challenge, had us try to identify wines in two tasting flights — first four whites, then four reds. To make it easier (it's never easy, trust me) he had prepared a tasting sheet which listed out the characteristics of about 8 different wines which might appear in each tasting. You know the kind of wine descriptions: flinty, floral, robust, long finish, chocolate and pencil shavings, a wine for laying down and avoiding, bouquet like an aborigine's armpit, etc. (See Monty Python skit). Over the years I've been to lots of tastings at BS&B wine clubs here and in Australia. It's very difficult for me and most people to identify wines with any accuracy. I'm pretty good at being able to say, that's a red or that's a white but only if I can see the wine and beyond that I do very poorly; as do most people. I'm luckily one of those guys who likes all wines that are put in front of me.

For our apertif, while getting settled in and greeting one another, we shared a sparkling wine, Wolfberger Brut Crémant d'Alsace (a pleasant blend of several whites) from France. 

The whites, in the tasting challenge, were in the $20-$25 range. If correctly identified:

• Tiefenbrunner Pinot Grigio (2019) from Italy;
• Reif Reserve Gewürztraminer (2023) from Ontario  
• Tawse Quarry Road Organic Riesling (NV) from Ontario
• Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc (NV) from New Zealand

The reds, in the tasting challenge, were in the $16-$25 range. If correctly identified:

• Clos Baltasar Granacha (2021) from Spain 
• Boccantino Primitivo/Susumaniello (NV) from Italy
• Viña Tarapacá Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon (NV) from Chile
• Quarisa Mrs Q McLaren Vale Shiraz (NV) from Australia

For the dinner we shared a Michele Chiarlo Palas Barolo (Nebbiolo) from Italy.  That's a very big wine in the $40 range. All of the wines Jere selected, apart from the Sauvignon Blanc and the Barolo, were recent "Vintages Listings" from the Ontario LCBO. I was especially fond of the Sauvignon Blanc, the Primitivo and (of course) the Barolo.

Ps. I've written NV for the vintage not because the wine didn't have a vintage, more that it wasn't recorded by me or in Jere's notes.

The Flour Mill catered this event last year. Unfortunately, we were travelling and missed it. However, Kate and I sometimes go there for the Sunday brunch and we had them cater our wedding anniversary last summer. Their food is really excellent, chef quality. The dinner tonight was to die for:

• Foccacia and Marinated Olives
• Organic Greens with Fennel and Citrus
• Pasta Rotolo with Prosciutto, Cheese and Spinach in Bechamel and Sugo
• Torta Caprese — Italian Flourless Cake with Cream

Many thanks to Claire and the BS&B executive for arranging this event, thanks to Jere for the wine selection and tasting challenge, and many thanks to the Flour Mill. They are kind and patient souls to put up with this rowdy bunch. I look forward to dining here again — with Kate at Sunday brunch and hopefully next January when this event is repeated.

I understand the "Big Cheese" will be responsible for the wine selections at next year's January dinner and tasting event. If nothing else, this blog documents that fact for those who will surely forget.

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I have been a member of this BS&B wine club for many years — actually too many to recall. I have made some good friends, had some fun and tasted a lot of wine. I was also the president for a couple of years around 2016/17 (after Dwayne, before Harald).

Russell & Nellie Dixon

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Our cousin Dianne, she lives nearby in Stratford, brought to our attention a recent posting in the Markdale Standard Memories Facebook group by Helen Ward. We both follow the group but not faithfully. It's a newspaper article from the Owen Sound Sun Times, dated December 18, 1963, on my maternal grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary. 

The caption under the newspaper photo reads:

"MARKDALE COUPLE CELEBRATE — Reeve Russell Dixon and Mrs. Dixon of Markdale, pictured with their golden wedding anniversary cake. Reeve Dixon has been active on Township and County Boards for many years and is now retired after being in business in Markdale for years. A reception, family dinner and presentations marked the event. (Sun-Times Staff Photo)"

The body of the article reads as follows (with my insertion/corrections in [brackets]):

"MARKDALE Reeve Russell Dixon and Mrs. Dixon [nee Nellie MacKay see below] celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Tuesday December 17th at their home on Main Street.

On Sunday members of the family presented their parents with a large oil painting, by Mrs. Bruce Peebles of Markdale. On Tuesday evening Mr. and Mrs. Dixon entertained members of their family to dinner at the Barhead Lodge Hotel. The head table was centered with a three tier anniversary cake, flanked with gold candles. The flowers were keeping with the golden anni-versary motif. Their son in-aw Maurice Quinton [my father] was the master of ceremonies and a toast to the bride and groom was given by their son Mac Dixon [Dianne's father]. 

Mr. Dixon is the present reeve of Markdale, now serving in his 11th year. He has been in municipal office for past 28 years, serving 14 years in the Holland Township council, has served on many local Boards and committees and been chairman for many municipal events also serving on official boards in the County. Mr. Dixon farmed the Dixon homestead on the 10th line of Holland township until 1930 when he purchased a garage business in Walter's Falls from William Rennie. He also did custom-threshing for many years. In 1941 Mr. and Mrs Dixon moved to Markdale, Mr. Dixon becoming the superintendent of the Grey County Home. Three years later he purchased the feed mill property on Toronto Street, North Markdale from the late A. W. Caswell. In 1945 when his son Mac returned from overseas he joined his father in the business. Later they bought the Barrhead feed mill from the late Fred Peters. In 1962 Mr Dixon sold his interest in both mills to his son and is now retired. Mr. Dixon was born in Holland Township near Walter's Falls and is the son of the late William Dixon and Eliza Seabrook. Mrs Dixon the former Nellie McKay is a daughter of the late Robert McKay and Eileen Taylor and was also born in Holland Township. 

Mr. and Mrs. Dixon were married December 17 at St. Paul's Rectory Chatsworth by Rev. W. G Reilly. "It was a beautiful autumn" said Mrs. Dixon, "no snow of any асcount. Mr. and Mrs. Dixon had six of a family: Grace, Mrs. Carson Wheildon, Holland Centre: Margaret, Mrs. Maurice Quinton, Walters Falls. William (Mac) Dixon, Markdale; Iva Mrs. E. Genoe, Flesherton. One daughter Edna, Mrs. U. Sutcliffe and a son lt. Sgt. Walter Divon are deceased. There are 17 grandchildren and one great. grandson. 

Open house was held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Dixon. Their granddaughters Nancy Dixon and Jane Genoe were in charge of the guest book and welcoming the guests. Mrs. Mac Dixon. Mrs. Sam Caswell and Mrs. Roy Rae assisted the daughters in serving the guests. On Monday evening following the final council meeting for 1963 the town officials and their wives gathered at the home of the clerk JA. Dunlop, and Mrs. Dunlop to honor the Reeve and Mrs. Dixon. Councillor D. McGee read an address of good wishes and Councillor Norman Burritt presented Mr. and Mrs. Dixon with and electric coffee pot and a lamp. Mrs. Bruce Peebles presented a bouquet of red roses to Mrs. Dixon. Mrs. Dunlop served a buffet supper.

Many gifts, telegrams and cards of congratulations were also received by the honored and esteemed couple."

Many thanks to Helen Ward for sharing this bit of history.

I have written before on this anniversary event using an article from the Markdale Standard and will not repeat myself. See Russell & Nellie Dixon (2022) in this blog.