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Monday, November 15, 2010

Oct 21/10: Tasting "Sonoma in the City" wines, Harbour Castle Westin

The Time and Date: Thursday, October 21, 2010  1Pm to 4:30PM

The Event: "Sonoma in the City", Toronto tasting tour of about 90 wines.

The Venue: Westin Harbour Castle Conference Centre

The Target Audience: wine trade in the afternoon, with a Vintages show for consumers in the evening (with slightly different wines that were not available for trade tasting).

The Availability/Catalogue: wines were available for ordering by the public, or at Vintages/Consignment, etc.

The Quote/Background: There was a seminar, a basic Sonoma 101 discussion on terroir, with eight wines sampled. There were different wines at night, but I pulled together what prices I could from a range of sources.

The Wines: I did not try all the wines; I favoured Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

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

-Chateau St. Jean La Petite Etoile Fume Blanc Russian River 2008, $29.95

-Davis Bynum Chardonnay Russian River 2007, $24.95

-Ferrari-Carano Chardonnay Sonoma 2008,

-Gary Farrell Chardonnay Russian River 2008, $39.95

-Geyser Peak Chardonnay Alexander Valley 2008, $16.95

-Geyser Peak Reserve Alexandre Meritage 2006, $56.95

-Rodney Strong Symmetry Alexander Valley 2007, $49.95

-Landmark Lorenzo Chardonnay 2007, $49.95

 

***1/2 Three and a Half Stars (8890 in Quality/Price Rating terms):

-Arrowood Winery Chardonnay Russian River Valley 2008, $35.95

-Arrowood Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County 2006, $37.95

-Buena Vista Carneros Chardonnay 2008, $22.95

-Buena Vista Ramal Estate Carneros Chardonnay 2007,

-Chalk Hill Estate Chardonnay 2006,

-Clos du Bois Briarcrest Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 2005,

-Clos du Bois Marlstone Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 2006, $49.95

-Ferrari-Carano Fume Blanc Sonoma 2009 (Feb 2011 Vintages)

-Flowers Winery Andreen Gale Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2007

-Francis Ford Coppola Director's Cut Chardonnay Russian River Valley 2008,

-Geyser Peak Merlot Alexander Valley 2006, $21.95

-Geyser Peak Block Collection Walking Tree Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, $28.95

-Thomas George Estates Viognier Russian River 2009, $28.95

-Pedroncelli Mother Clone Zinfandel 2008 Dry Creek Valley, $15.95 Consignment

-Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve Chardonnay 2007

-Landmark Damaris Reserve Chardonnay 2007, $39.95

-Matanzas Creek Chardonnay Sonoma Valley 2007, $37.95

-Ravenswood Old Hill Zinfandel Sonoma Valley 2007,

-Seghesio Family Old Vine Zinfandel Sonoma County 2007,

-Seghesio Family Home Ranch Zinfandel Alexander Valley 2008

-Simi Chardonnay Russian River 2007

-Sonoma-Cutrer Les Pierres Chardonnay Sonoma Valley 2006, $49.95

-Stonestreet Fifth Ridge Blend Alexander Valley 2006, $44.95

 

*** Three Stars (8587 in Quality/Price Rating terms):

-Chalk Hill Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2006

-Chalk Hill Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

-Clos du Bois Calcaire Chardonnay Russian River 2007, $39.95

-DeLoach Hawk Hill Vineyard Chardonnay Russian River 2008, $54.95

-Ferrari-Carano Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 2007

-Francis Ford Coppola Director's Cut Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 2007, $36.95

-Matanzas Creek Merlot Bennett Valley 2006, $42.95

-Patz and Hall Dutton Ranch Chardonnay Russian River 2008, $49.95

-Patz and Hall Chardonnay Sonoma Coast 2008, $44.95

-Rodney Strong Reserve Chardonnay Russian River 2008, $34.95

-Schug Carneros Merlot Sonoma Valley 2007,

-Schug Carneros Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Valley 2007

-Sebastiani Foley Family Chardonnay Sonoma County 2008, $24

-Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Ranches Chardonnay 2008

-Simi Landslide Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 2007. $44.95

-Stonestreet Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 2006

 

The Food: cheeses, breads and fruits.

The Downside: the seminar ran over, so I left in order to get to the main show. My wine choices were folded into the listings above.

The Upside: nice room, lots of space, the trade people seemed more oriented to serious chatter than in the past.

The Contact Person: paula@praxispr.ca

The Marketing Effectiveness (numerical grade): 89.

 
 
 

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