TRADE TASTING: Sonoma Wine Affair, Toronto September 18, 2008

The Time and Date: Thursday, September 18, 2008   2:30 – 5 PM

The Event: the 2008 Sonoma Wine Affair

The Venue: Arcadian Court, The Bay

The Target Audience: wine media, wine trade, sommeliers

The Availability/Catalogue: wines were all over the map, with access through Vintages or Consignment or Private Order.

The Quote: "Nice, quiet little show, no feel of being rushed. It was 5 PM before I even knew it. What happened to E & J Gallo? They were only in Vancouver".

The Wines: I did not try all the wines. Notable with their absence from Toronto were Gallo and Geyser Peak, plus Schug Carneros and Sonoma Cutrer.

 

**** Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):

-Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cepages 2004 $105

-Chateau St. Jean Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

-Chalk Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 $80 Vintages March 2009

-Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Blancs 2004 Vintages sparkler

-Landmark Overlook Chardonnay 2006 $39.65 Lorac

-Rodney Strong Chardonnay Chalk Hill Estate 2006 $26.99 Mark Anthony

-Rodney Strong Symmetry Meritage 2005 Mark Anthony

-Seghesio Family Home Ranch Zinfandel 2006 $45 Dionysus

 

 

***1/2 Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):

-Arrowood Vineyards Reserve Chardonnay 2005 $49.95 Vintages

-Chalk Hill Chardonnay 2005 $45 Vintages March 2009 Authentic

-Ferrari-Carano Winery Chardonnay Alexander Valley 2006 $40.25

-Flowers Winery Chardonnay Sonoma Coast 2006 $66  Rogers

-La Crema Chardonnay 2006

-Landmark Steel Plow Syrah 2006 $39.65 Lorac

-Pedroncelli Winery Chardonnay Dry Creek Valley 2006 $14 Grape Expectations.

-Ravenswood Barricia Zinfandel 2005

-Rodney Strong Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 2005

-Sebastiani Vineayrds Secolo 2006 Vintages February 2009

 

*** Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms):

-Blackstone Winery Sauvignon Blanc 2007 $16.95

-Arrowood Chardonnay 2005 $37.95 Consignment John Gibson Agencies

-Chateau St. Jean Chardonnay 2007

-Ferrari-Carano Winery Fume Blanc 2007 $23.95 Authentic

-Francis Ford Coppola Director's Cut Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 2006 $26.50 Lifford

-Francis Ford Coppola Director's Cut Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 2006 $26.50 Lifford

-Kendall Jackson Vintner`s Reserve Chardonnay 2006

-Murphy-Goode Chardonnay 2006 The Vine

-Trentadue Merlot Alexander Valley 2005 $31.20 John Gibson

-Trentadue La Storia Zinfandel Alexander Valley 2004 $35 John Gibson

 

 

The Food: cheese and pate, crackers, lots of fresh veggies left over.

The Upside: a chance to taste some really great wines – it has been three years since the Sonoma team came to Toronto.

The Contact Person: paula@praxispr.ca

The Marketing Effectiveness (numerical grade): 90.

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com