The Event: Pre-Cuvee Tasting of Ontario VQA wines, Feb 11, 2009

 The Time and Date: Wednesday, February 11, 2009  10:30 AM to 2 PM

The Event: Pre-Cuvee Tasting of Ontario VQA wines

The Venue: BMO Executive Dining Room, King Street

The Target Audience: wine writers

The Availability/Catalogue: most of these wines are available only at the winery. 52 Ontario wineries entered the 21^st Annual Cuvee Awards, so we tasted 52 wines today.

The Quote/Background: for the fourth year in a row, the Wine Council of Ontario has sponsored a pre-Cuvee tasting of potentially winning wines. In order to provide a broad overview of the wines that will be poured at Cuvee, these wines tasted today represent each participating winery's top scoring wine from the Cuvee judging held in January. These wines are representative of the best wines from each winery that will be poured at Cuvee, but do not necessarily represent the award winning wines that are announced at the Gala on Friday, February 27, 2009. Cuvee Awards are only given to the TOP scoring wine in each award category.

The Wines: I've indicated which wines are at the LCBO – the others are only at the winery.

 

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

-13^th Street Gamay Sandstone Old Vines 2006, $25

-Calamus Estate Gewurztraminer 2007, $15.20

-Henry of Pelham Cuvee Catherine Brut NV, $29.95.

-Hillebrand Estates Showcase Sparkling Riesling 2006, $35

-Kacaba Vineyards Reserve Meritage 2004, $42.95.

-Lailey Vineyards Syrah 2007, $25.

-Lakeview Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2005, $24.95

-Niagara College Teaching Winery Dean's List Pinot Noir 2007, $32.95.

-Peller Estates Signature Series Chardonnay Sur Lie 2007, $30.

-Vignoble Rancourt Meritage 2004, $24.80.

 

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

-Cattail Creek Estate Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2007, $19

-Chateau des Charmes Chardonnay Musque 2007, $16.95

-D'Angelo Vineyards Pinot Noir 2002 Reserve, $30

-Harvest Estates Merlot 2006, $14.95

-Inniskillin Riesling Icewine 2007, $69.95 375 mL

-Maleta Estate View Old Vines Brut 2006, $27.95.

-Mike Weir Pinot Noir 2007, $22. also at Vintages

-Peninsula Ridge Estates Sauvignon Blanc Wismer Vineyards 2007, $18.95.

-Southbrook Vineyards Triomphe Chardonnay 2006, $21.95.

-Tawse Winery Sketches of Niagara Riesling 2007, $18.

-Thirty Bench Small Lot Cabernet Franc 2006, $35.

 

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

-Cave Spring Cellars Chardonnay Musque 2007, $15.75

-Colio Estate CEV Lily 2007, sparkling, $16.25, also at LCBO

-Creekside Viognier 2007 Reserve, $24.95

-Featherstone Onyx 2007 [cab franc, merlot], $24.95

-Flat Rock Pinot Noir 2007, $19.95

-Hernder Estates Twin Barrel Chardonnay 2006, $32.95.

-Riverview Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Icewine 2007, $59.95 375mL

-Wayne Gretzky Estates Shiraz Cabernet 2006, $22.95.

 

The Food: buffet luncheon of sandwiches and salads and sweets.

The Downside: I was looking forward to the view from the 68^th floor, but unfortunately, we were all fogged in today – it was a sea of white out there.

The Upside: two observations – there was not a single hybrid wine presented (except for Vidal in icewine), and there was not a single Late Harvest (or SLH) presented.

The Contact Person: linda.watts@winesofontario.org

The Marketing Effectiveness (numerical grade): 92.

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com