2008 California Wine Fair, Toronto, April 28

 The Time and Date: Monday, April 28, 2008   2PM to 5 PM
The Event: 2008 California Wine Fair
The Venue: Fairmont Royal York
The Target Audience: wine press, wine trade.
The Availability/Catalogue: the catalogue contained good information on
names and addresses, wines served, and the like. Prices would have been
useful.
The Quote: "This is the 28th annual tour of the CWF. About 100 wineries
were here, with about 400 wines to pour.
The Wines: I did not try any wines I had had at the media preview or
earlier in the day. Agent's name is after the wine.

 

**** Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Artesa Chardonnay Carneros 2006 $22.95 July 19 Vintages
-Artesa Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2004 $42 Aug 16 Vintages
-Dolce Estate Bottled Late Harvest Napa 2004 (Trilogy)
-Far Niente Estate Bottled Chardonnay Napa 2006 (Trilogy)
-Far Niente Estate Bottled Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Napa 2005
(Trilogy)
-Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2003 $62 (Lifford)
-Justin Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles 2005 (The Vine)
-Landmark Overlook Chardonnay 2006 (Lorac)
-Miner Family Chardonnay Napa Valley 2006 (Barrique)

 

***1/2 Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Leaping Lizard Chardonnay 2006 Napa $17.95 Vintages July 19
-Arrowood Merlot Sonoma 2004 (Gibson)
-Benziger Family Chardonnay Carneros (Lifford)
-Cartlidge & Browne Chardonnay 2006 (B & W)
-Clos du Bois Chardonnay North Coast 2006 (Diamond Estates)
-Clos LaChance Ruby Throated Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 $17.95 (Maxxium)
-DeLoach Chardonnay Russian River 2006 (Select)
-Freemark Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2002 (Kylix)
-Geyser Peak Chardonnay Alexander Valley 2005 (Maxxium)
-Greg Norman California Estates Chardonnay Santa Barbara 2005
(Foster's)
-Heitz Trailside Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 (Lifford)
-Heitz Chardonnay Napa 2006 (Lifford)
-JanKris Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles 2005 $16.95 (Merchant
Vintner)
-Marimar Don Miguel Chardonnay Russian River 2006 (Pacific Wine &
Spirits)
-Robert Mondavi Chardonnay Napa 2005 (Churchill Cellars)
-Rodney Strong Chalk Hill Estate Chardonnay 2006 (Mark Anthony)
-Silverado Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2005  $43.15 (Kylix)
-Silverado Cabernet Sauvignon SOLO Stag's Leap District 2005 $72.45
(Kylix)
-St.Francis Chardonnay Sonoma (Rogers)
-Stags' Leap Chardonnay Napa 2006 (Foster's)

 

*** Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Concannon Chardonnay 2006 (Mark Anthony)
-JanKris Estate Divinity White Paso Robles 2006 $16.95 (Merchant
Vintner)
-Newton Chardonnay Napa/Sonoma 2005 (Charton-Hobbs)
-Rodney Strong Sonoma Vineyards Chardonnay 2006 (Mark Anthony)
-Rosenthal Chardonnay Malibu-Newton Canyon 2006 (Trilogy)

 

The Food: breads, cheeses, pates, fruit.
The Downside: the trade show got crowded in a hurry – everybody made a
beeline for Far Niente and Heitz. And why not?
The Upside: a good variety of wines were available for sampling.
The Contact Person: paula@praxispr.ca
The Effectiveness (numerical grade): 88.

 

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com