March 12/10 Tasting: Closson Chase and Pre-Released Wines in Ontario

The Time and Date: Friday March 12, 2010 10:30 AM to 2PM
The Event: March tasting of the Wine Writers' Circle of Canada
The Venue: LCBO Scrivener Square at Summerhill
The Target Audience: WWCC members.
The Availability/Catalogue: this was a tasting of pre-releases, plus (in a
double-header) a tasting of six Closson Chase wines, led by Keith Tyers.
The Quote/Background: Closson Chase has been making wines since before 2001.
Although making wine in Prince Edward County, they use both PEC and Niagara
fruit. Their impressive Chardonnay is derived from their own Aberdeen
vineyard and the Steve Kocsis vineyard - both in Niagara.
So - Closson Chase Chardonnay 2001 (mature, 13.8% ABV, not available
anymore; three stars), 2004 (definitely Burgundian in style, $75; three and
a half stars), 2005 (nutty tropicality, now drinking well, $48; four stars),
2006 (over-the-top caramel-orange, $42; four stars), and two treats from the
storied 2007 vintage - one from the Aberdeen Vineyard ($44.95, three and a
half stars), and one from the S. Kocsis Vineyard ($44.95, four stars because
of its longer finish). These Beamsville Chardonnay vines are now twenty
years old.

The Wines: Sadie had set up some 45 wines. Here were my scores --

**** Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Taittinger 2004 Brut 2004 12.5% alc $79.95 #989905 Vintages March
20/10
- Ram's Leap Shiraz 2007 14% alc $14.95 # 165795 Release May 1/10
NSW Australia Palatine Hills Gewurztraminer Proprietors Reserve VQA
NOTL 2008 13% #101493 $13.95
- Palatine Hills Riesling Traminer VQA NOTL 2008 12.5% alc #58602
(Craft) $13.05

***1/2 Three and a Half Stars (88 - 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Domaine de Vedilhan 2008 Viognier 13.5% alc $12.95 #162081 Pays d'Oc
France
- Vina Lomas de Cauquenes Las Lomas Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 13.5%
alc Vintages June 26/10 $12.95 #917922 Maule Valley Chile
- St Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 14% alc #58263 $34.95 April 21,
2010 Coonawarra
- Wyndham Estate George Wyndham Founder's Reserve Shiraz Tempranillo
Adelaide Hills 2007 13.5% alc #159830 $22.95 Avail May 5, 2010
- Palatine Hills Chardonnay VQA NOTL 2008 13% alc #168443 (1.5L)
$17.95
- Palatine Hills Cabernet Merlot VQA 2007 #168450 $19.95 1500ml NOTL
Ontario
- Tilia Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 13.5% #163248 $12.95 April 2010 Mendoza
Argentina
- San Polo Bodega & Vinedos Auka Malbec 2008 13.9% alc #68401
$11.95 July 2010 Mendoza Argentina
- Loron & Fils Bourgogne Blanc Montvallon 12.5% alc #167155 $13.95
Release March 2010
-Castellani Chianti Docg Riserva 2005 12.5% alc # 970707 Vintages
release May 1, 2010.

*** Three Stars (85 - 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
- Bodegas Callia Callia Alta 2008 Malbec 13.8% alc Valle De Tulum, San
Juan, Argentina.
- Rafale Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 13.5% alc # 159160 $8.90 Pays d'Oc
France
- Rafale Syrah 2008 13% alc LCBO #157891 $8.90 effective March 2,
2010 Pays d'Oc
- Tenuta di Burchino L'Antico di Burchino Chianti Docg 12% alc
Biodynamic Vintages Apr 17. 2010 #160457 $15.95
- Cantine Sardus Pater Kanai Carignano del Sulcis Riserva 2005 14%
Vintages July 10/10
- Graffigna Centenario Shiraz Reserve 2007 13.5% alc #164731 $12.95
Avail June, 2010 San Juan Argentina
- Wyndham Estate George Wyndham Founder's Reserve Shiraz Cabernet 2006
Limestone Coast 14.5% alc # 107912 $22.95 Barossa Australia
- Trivento Tribu 2008 Syrah 13% alc #145292 $8.95 Argentina
- Trivento Tribu Malbec 2008 14% alc #145284 $8.95 Argentina
- Pierre Andre au Chateau de Corton Andre Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2008
12.5% alc #168427 $15.95 Release April 2010
- Little Yering 2008 13% alc #145318 $14.95 Yarra Valley Australia
- Trivento Fair Trade Malbec 2008 13.5% alc #160994 $9.95 Argentina
- Tilia Malbec 2008 13.5% alc #160945 Mendoza Argentina

The Contact Person: sdarby@rogers.com, keith@clossonchase.com
The Marketing Effectiveness (numerical grade): 90.

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