May 4/11 Tasting of new Australian General List wines from LCBO

The Time and Date: Wednesday, May 4, 2011   2PM to 5PM

The Event: Wine Australia Media Tasting

The Venue: Sassafraz Restaurant

The Target Audience: wine media, sommeliers

The Availability/Catalogue: about 43 wines were presented, and all are on the General List.

The Quote/Background: These are label/brand replacements for some wines that were not meeting their LCBO quotas. This was also taken as an opportunity for a category re-launch.

The Wines:

 

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

-De Bortoli DB Family Selection Traminer Riesling 2009 $12.95 207381

-Heath Wines Lizard Flat Cabernet Merlot 2008 $9.95 195776

-Pikes Clare Hills Riesling 2009 $14.95 215111

-Xanadu Next of Kin Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2009 $14.95 212621

-Yering Station Little Yering Chardonnay 2009 $14.95 145318

 

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

-De Bortoli Deen Vat 4 Petit Verdot 2008 $14.95 222265

-De Bortoli Emeri Pink Moscato NV $14.95 229190

-Fifth Leg Shiraz Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 $15.95 212605

-Hardy's Chronicles The Gamble Chardonnay Pinot Gris 2009 $14.95 689455

-Hardy's Chronicles Butchers Gold Shiraz Sangiovese 2008 $14.95 605188

-Jip Jip Rocks Sparkling Shiraz NV $16.95 212472

-Kangarilla Road Shiraz 2008 $17.45 212738

-Plunkett-Fowles Stone Dwellers Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 $19.95 212761

-Shingleback Haycutters Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2009 $17.95 207365

-Xanadu Next of Kin Chardonnay 2009 $14.95 212647

-Yabby Lake Cooralook Pinot Gris 2008 $14.95 212712

 

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

-Barwick Estates Pinot Noir 2009 $13.95 +215194

-Barwick Estates Crush Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2009 $12.95 +215673

-Yellow Tail Reserve Chardonnay 2010 $14.95 234591

-De Bortoli Emeri Pinot Grigio Sparkling NV $14.95 222224

-Fifth Leg Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2010 $15.95 212613

-Heath Wines Lizard Flat Chardonnay 2008 $9.95 195685

-Henry's Drive Morse Code Shiraz 2009 $12.95 207399

-Jacob's Creek Reserve Riesling 2010 $16.95 212704

-Kangarilla Road Charlie's Blend Shiraz Cabernet 2008 $12.95 212720

-Knappstein 'The Insider' 2010  $14.95 212746

-Long Flat Shiraz Viognier 2009 $11.95 220426

-McWilliam's Hanwood Estate Moscato NV $13.95 212696

-Mitolo Junior Shiraz 2008 $14.95 183947

-Peter Lehmann Barossa Blonde 2009 $14.95 197871

-Peter Lehmann Weighbridge Shiraz 2008 $14.95 219170

-Pikes Lenswood Hills Pinot Noir 2010 $16.95 215095

-Pikes Clare Hills Shiraz Cabernet 2008 $14.95 215103

-Robert Oatley James Oatley Tic Tok Sauvignon Blanc 2009 $14.95 187039

-Robert Oatley James Oatley Tic Tok Chardonnay 2009 $14.95 187104

-Robert Oatley James Oatley Tic Tok Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 $15.95 187179

-Robert Oatley James Oatley Tic Tok Shiraz 2008 $15.95 187187

-St. Hallett Gamekeeper's Shiraz Cabernet 2008 $14.95 212670

-Thorn-Clarke Terra Barossa Merlot 2009 $15.95 218826

-Xanadu Next of Kin Shiraz 2008 $14.95 212662

-Yalumba Y Series Riesling 2009 $14.95 212753

-Yering Station Little Yering Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2006 $14.95 145326

 

The Food: platters of lamb rilettes, seared duck breast on brioche, spiced rub lamb lollipops, spicy tuna tartare on lotus root chip, wild rice croquettes, vegetable samosas, and seared beef on toast. Each serving was paired with a different wine. Most of the time the selection worked.

The Downside: this was an enormous food pairing, some seven foods with 14 wines. It was necessary to swallow since there were no "food" spittoons. I stopped quickly once I felt a buzz.

The Upside: a good chance to taste a wide variety of Australian wines at around the $15 price point.

The Contact Person: www.apluswines.com or trina.hendry@lcbo.com

The Marketing Effectiveness/Execution of the Event(numerical grade): 91.

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