The world is coming to Toronto this November when five of the most iconic wine regions unveil their top offerings at this year’s Gourmet Food & Wine Expo. Wines from Germany, South Africa, New Zealand, Spain and California will be joining home-grown Canadian varietals at the Gourmet Food & Wine Expo, bringing a new international wine focus to the festival of food and fun.

Running from November 17-20 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, the Toronto staple will be back with more than 1,500 wines, beers, spirits and gourmet foods to experience. Journey around the globe with cooking pros, talk one-on-one with industry experts and taste the newest dishes and drinks everyone is raving about.

“We’re incredibly excited about the wide range of international wine available at this year’s Expo,” says Christopher Waters, Wine Expert at the Gourmet Food & Wine Expo and Editor of VINES Magazine. “From German Rieslings, to South African Sauvignon Blancs, all the way to Californian Cabernet Sauvignons and Zinfandels, there are so many superstar wines and wineries to try from around the world at this year’s Expo. There is nowhere else in Canada where you can taste this much world-class wine all under one roof.”

This year’s Gourmet Food & Wine Expo is also welcoming several special guests from the winery world, including the German Wine Queen and New Zealand’s top wine maker Ollie Powrie from Villa Maria Estate. While several countries will be showcasing their top talent with samples on the Expo’s show floor, the intimate Tutored Tasting seminar sessions will return once again. Hosted by the top minds (and palates) in the wine world, Expo attendees can learn from the experts, including the Thirsty Traveler Kevin Brauch, Editor of VINES Magazine Chris Waters and Sommeliers John Szabo and Zoltan Szabo. Tickets for the Tutored Tastings seminars are available for purchase in advance here.

The Gourmet Food & Wine Expo runs November 17-20 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Visitors can sample more than 1,500 wines, beers, spirits and gourmet foods. For more information and to buy Tutored Tastings or Admission tickets please visit FoodAndWineExpo.ca. Tickets often sell out at the door, so don’t miss out on Toronto’s biggest cocktail party.

The Gourmet Food & Wine Expo will also be hosting its inaugural TD Canada Trust Pride Night Social during the VIP Preview on the Expo’s opening night, Thursday, November 17th between 6pm and 10pm.  The Pride Night Social is hosted by TD Bank, along with co-partners Pride at Work, 519, the National Post and of course, the Gourmet Food & Wine Expo. It’s the first year for this event, so it should be an exciting evening of entertainment to celebrate Toronto’s diversity and the LGBTQ community. The evening’s entertainment will include performances from some of Toronto’s top performers, including Sofonda Cox and Sandy Duperval.  

Check out the Gourmet Food & Wine Expo on Twitter at @GFWE & #GFWE16 and follow it to stay up to date with the latest news about the Expo.

Gourmet Food & Wine Expo:

Thursday Nov. 17th, 2016, 6-10pm VIP Preview Evening

Friday Nov. 18th, 2016, 2-10pm

Saturday Nov. 19th, 2016, 12-10pm

Sunday Nov. 20th, 2016, 12-6pm

Location: Metro Toronto Convention Centre, North Building, 255 Front Street West, Toronto

Tickets: foodandwineexpo.ca

Sexy, Sassy , Sensational, Sofonda Cox is Toronto’s Fabulous Queen!!! For 16 years she has reigned supreme as Toronto’s hardest working queen, who can be seen everywhere. She is an actor who has done appearances in Film and Television such as Cake , Soldier’s Girl and Queer As Folk. Apart from being the resident queen and host at establishments like, Woodys, Fly2.0 nightclub, Zipperz, El convento Rico, and the pride PRISM festival, she has been booked all over the world in countries like the US, Brazil, Malaysia, and all over Mexico. Known for her props, she has also recently garnered Worldwide appeal with her puppeteer performance as Destiny’s Child which went viral on Facebook , boasting over 1.5 million views all over the world. Her recent Lemonade Tribute video went viral as well, now at 250k. Earning Sofonda the title of ” Canada’s Viral sensation. She has even caught the attention of LOGOTV, NEWNOWNEXT and even Rupaul. You can always find her stirring up the news feeds and social media outlets. She is also TD bank’s pride ambassador. Follow her on Instagram @sofondacoxto or on Facebook. 16 years and still going strong, this Canadian Queen is definitely on Fire and her flame is not going out anytime soon.

Since 2008, singer/DJ/producer Sandy Duperval has been steadily working hard and gaining notoriety in the world of electronic music as a DJ and singer, playing in several countries such as Germany, France, United States, Thailand, Taiwan, China and Dubai. Her performances have been touted as a one of a kind experience. By mixing live vocals over her DJ sets, Sandy leaves crowds from across the globe buzzing over the positive vibes that resonate after each and every engagement.
As her star continued to shine, Sandy flourished and worked at some of the most respected clubs in Canada such as New City Gas, Circus HD, Club Unity, and Maison Mercer to name a few. Working at the aforementioned establishments only brought about opportunities to solidify spots as an opening act for world renowned DJs such as Bob Sinclar, Showtek, Ruby Rose, Lil Jon, Carnage and many more. In 2015, Sandy returned to her early beginnings by launching her first official single and video entitled “All Night”. Her latest single “Addicted” released last August reached the iTunes Top 100 within 24 hours of its release.

About the Author

Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist with a focus on travel, lifestyle, entertainment, and hospitality. He has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors, and other public personalities. He enjoys discovering delicious eats, tasting spirited treats, and being mesmerized by musical beats. Reach out - bryen@thebuzzmag.ca