TASTING: Feb 5, 2010 -- Ontario Chardonnay: Seriously Cool Tasting

The Time and Date: Friday, February 5, 2010  11:20 AM to 1:30 PM

The Event: a tasting of "Ontario Chardonnay: Seriously Cool Tasting".

The Venue: LCBO, Scrivener Square

The Target Audience: Wine Writers' Circle of Canada

The Availability/Catalogue: just about all wines are available, except for most of the Library wines.

The Quote/Background: Bill Redelmeier of Southbrook Winery had organized a tasting of Ontario chardonnay wines in London, UK. He needed a tasting panel to choose the wines through a blind process. He offered most of these wines to the WWCC for a special tasting (not blind). They were arranged by flight, from the stainless through the woodies, with a special flight of older library wines.

The Wines: These rankings reflect my own personal tastes. Two wines were corked, one library wine had a faulty cork, and two non-library wines had evidence of madeirization.

 

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

-Coyote's Run Estate Winery Unoaked Chardonnay 2008 Niagara, $14.95

-Chateau des Charmes Chardonnay Musque Estate Bottled 2008, $16.95

-Malivoire Moira Chardonnay 2005 Beamsville, $36.95

-Tawse Winery Robyn's Block Chardonnay 2007 Beamsville, $42

-Closson Chase S. Kocsis Vineyard Chardonnay 2007 Unfiltered Beamsville, $44.95

-Malivoire Chardonnay Moira 2007 Beamsville, $39.95.

-Norman Hardie Chardonnay Unfiltered 2008 Beamsville, $35

-Southbrook Triomphe Chardonnay Organic 2008 Niagara, $21.95

-Coyote's Run Estate Winery Black Paw Vineyard Chardonnay 2008, $22

-Malivoire Moira Chardonnay 2004 Beamsville, $64.95 (5 cases left)

-Cave Spring Cellars Chardonnay CSV Estate Bottled 2003 Beamsville, N/A – my fave wine of the tasting.

-Southbrook Poetica Chardonnay 1998 Niagara, $154 magnum

 

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

-Colio Estate Vineyards Chardonnay Musque 2007 LENS, $15.35

-Hidden Bench Estate Chardonnay 2007 Beamsville, $35

-Hidden Bench Tete de Cuvee Chardonnay 2006 Beamsville, $45

-Southbrook Poetica Chardonnay 2005 Niagara, $56

-Rosehall Run Chardonnay Rosehall Vineyard 2007 PEC, $29.95

-Creekside Estate Reserve Chardonnay 2007 Niagara, $26.95

-Peninsula Ridge Chardonnay Reserve 2007 Niagara, $24.95

-Tawse Winery Quarry Road Chardonnay 2007 Beamsville, $35

-Lailey Vineyard Winery Brickyard Chardonnay 2008, Niagara, $30

-Hidden Bench Estate Chardonnay 2008 Beamsville, $35

-Peller Estates Signature Series Chardonnay Sur Lie 2008 Niagara, $30

-Hillebrand Winery Trius Chardonnay Barrel Fermented 2008 Niagara, $18.95

-Hillebrand Winery Showcase Chardonnay Wild Ferment 2008 Niagara, $35

-Peninsula Ridge Estates Vintners Private Reserve Chardonnay 2003 Niagara, N/A

-Huff South Bay Vineyards Chardonnay 2007 PEC, $29.95

 

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

-Colio Estate Vineyards Chardonnay 2006 LENS, $15.35

-Reif Estate Chardonnay Reserve 2006 Niagara, $19.95

-Henry of Pelham Family Estate Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2007 Niagara Escarpment, $19.95

-Flat Rock Cellars The Rusty Shed Chardonnay 2008 Niagara, $24.95

-Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery Chardonnay 2008 Niagara, $24

-Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery Chardonnay Reserve 2008 Niagara, $38

-Rosehall Run Vineyards Chardonnay Cuvee County 2008 PEC, about $17.95

-Black Prince Winery Chardonnay Terroir Elite 2008 PEC, $29.75

 

The Contact Person: sdarby@rogers.com

The Marketing Effectiveness (numerical grade): 91.

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com AND http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com