Sept 16/11: Taste Ontario! in Toronto

The Time and Date: Monday, September 19, 2011  1PM to 4PM

The Event: Taste Ontario! Toronto

The Venue: Ritz-Carlton Toronto

The Target Audience: wine trade

The Availability/Catalogue: all wines listed in the catalogue are available through the winery, although some might be at the LCBO. The trade show had 203 wines, while the consumer show in the evening had 104 wines. I did not attend the consumer show which featured some different wines and was run by Wine Country Ontario and Vintages, with several options to buy wines onsite.

The Quote/Background: This as the third annual Taste Ontario Toronto, with 54 wineries. The exhibits were arranged alphabetically (Lake Erie North Shore through Prince Edward County) both by region and then by winery. The catalogue had size and vintage details, as well as licensee prices and space for making notes.

The Wines: I did not try every wine, nor did I try every winery. ALL PRICES ARE LICENSEE except where noted.

 

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

-Cave Spring Cellars Blanc de Blancs CSV 2004, $33.51

-Flat Rock Cellars Gewurztraminer 2010, $19.37

-Hidden Bench Vineyards Estate Chardonnay 2009, $27.02

-Tawse Robyn's Block Chardonnay 2009, $32.65

-Chateau des Charmes Sparkling Rose 2008, $21.30

-Coyote's Run Estate Black Paw Vineyard Pinot Noir 2009, $26.53

-Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Entourage Silver Series 2006 Methode Classique, $16.82

-Stratus Vineyards White 2007, $32.70

-Closson Chase South Clos Chardonnay 2009, $33.56

-Hardie Wines Chardonnay Unfiltered 2009, $25.97

-Huff Estates Pinot Noir 2009, $17.48

 

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

-13^th Street Brut Rose, $20.80

-Alvento Emilie 2006, $17.57

-Alvento Elige 2007, $14.48

-Cave Spring Cellars Riesling Dolomite 2009, $12.85

-Creekside Estate Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2009, $20.69

-Creekside Estate Broken Press Syrah 2008, $29.52

-Creekside Estate Laura's White 2007, $13.83

-Featherstone Gewurztraminer 2010, $16.84

-Fielding Estate Pinot Gris Estate Bottled 2010, $18.53

-Fielding Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, $37.95

-Flat Rock Cellars Gravity Pinot Noir 2009, $25.28

-GreenLane Estate Old Vines Riesling 2010, $21.38

-Hidden Bench Vineyards Estate Riesling 2009, $20.26

-Hidden Bench Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir, $32.08

-Malivoire Gewurztraminer 2010, $17.48

-Peninsula Ridge Estates McNally Vineyard Proprietor's Reserve Pinot Noir 2009, $18.46

-Peninsula Ridge Estates Meritage 2009, $16.97

-Ridge Road Estate Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2009, $16.95 RETAIL

-Rockway Glen Estate Reserve Chardonnay 2007, $14.73

-Rosewood Semillon 2010, $13.27

-Foreign Affair Temptress 2008, $33.44

-Thirty Bench Winemaker's Red 2009, $17.90

-Vineland Estates Cabernet Elevation 2009, $18.50

-Chateau des Charmes Old Vines Riesling 2008 Estate Bottled, $12.34

-Chateau des Charmes Cabernet Franc 2007 St. David's Bench Vineyard, $19.06

-Coyote's Run Estate Red Paw Vineyard Pinot Noir 2009, $26.53

-Coyote's Run Estate Pinot Noir 2009, $14.58

-Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Gold Series Merlot 2090, $16.07

-Konzelmann Estate Riesling Grand Reserve 2009, $18.39

-Konzelmann Estate Heritage 4^th Generation 2007, $20.92

-Lailey Vineyard Chardonnay 2009, $14.75

-Mike Weir Cabernet-Merlot 2008, $14.14

-Ravine Vineyard Estate Reserve Cabernet Franc 2008, $42.74

-Reif Estate Meritage 2007, $17.48

-Reif Estate Chardonnay Reserve 2009, $14.82

-Southbrook Vineyards Triomphe Syrah 2009, $18.32

-Southbrook Vineyards Triomphe Cabernet Merlot 2007, $16.82

-Stratus Vineyards Tollgate White 2007, $14.58

-Vintage Ink Rite of Passage Chardonnay 2010, $13.04

-Pelee Island Winery Vinedresser Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, $16.69

-Closson Chase CCV Chardonnay 2009, $20.89

-Closson Chase Church Side Pinot Noir 2009, $43.73

-The Grange of Prince Edward Vineyards Diana Block Pinot Noir 2007, $25.82

-The Grange of Prince Edward Vineyards Brut 2008, $22.06

-Huff Estates Cuvee Peter F. Huff Sparkling 2008, $26.33

-Huff Estates South Bay Chardonnay 2008, $18.70

 

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

-13^th Street White Palette 2010, $12.44

-Alvento Vio 2008, $14.58

-Cave Spring Cellars Riesling CSV 2008, $25.12

-Creekside Estate Laura's Red 2007, $14.58

-Fielding Estate Pinot Noir 2009, $21.06

-Flat Rock Cellars Chardonnay 2008, $14.31

-GreenLane Estate Riesling 2010, $15.48

-Henry of Pelham Family Tree White 2009, $14.30

-Hidden Bench Vineyards Roman's Block Riesling 2008, $28.70

-Kacaba Vineyards Reserve Cabernet Franc 2007, $33.58

-Kacaba Vineyards Reserve Meritage 2007, $33.58

-Kacaba Vineyards Reserve Merlot 2007, $32.09

-Malivoire M2 Small Lot Chardonnay 2010, $13.09

-Peninsula Ridge Estates Beal Vineyard Reserve Merlot 2009, $16.22

-Tawse Grower's Blend Pinot Noir 2009, $23.69

-Tawse Meritage 2008, $43.16

-Foreign Affair Dream 2008, $21.90

-Foreign Affair Conspiracy 2008, $13.98

-Vineland Estates Brut Reserve 2008, $16.67

-Wayne Gretzky Estate Gewurztraminer 2010, $16.59

-Wayne Gretzky Estate Cabernet Merlot 2007, $17.48

-Wayne Gretzky Estate Shiraz Cabernet 2008, $20.13

-Inniskillin Winemaker's Series Montague Estate Vineyard Chardonnay 2010, $13.83

-Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Delaine Vineyard Syrah 2008, $24.29

-Konzelmann Estate Chardonnay Barrel Fermented 2009, $25.14

-Mike Weir Sparkling 2008, $20.89

-Ravine Vineyard Estate Redcoat 2009, $13.83

-Ravine Vineyard Estate Riesling 2009, $20.59

-Riverview Cellars Estate Salvatore's Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, $42.01

-Riverview Cellars Estate Angelina's Reserve Chardonnay 2009, $16.67

-Stratus Vineyards Red 2007, $32.70

-Stratus Vineyards Tollgate Red 2007, $14.58

-Closson Chase CCV Pinot Noir 2009, $33.56

-Hardie Wines County Pinot Noir Unfiltered 2009, $25.97

-Rosehall Run Vineyard Chardonnay Cuvee County 2009, $16.25

-Rosehall Run Vineyard Pinot Noir Cuvee County 2009, $16.25

 

The Food: there were four food stations (see below) paired with Riesling, and cheeses (Beaufort, Asiago, Brie, Gruyere, Munster) with appropriate breads.

The Downside: it got crowded really fast, so I took the media option and retired to a quiet space with my writer colleagues.

The Upside: there were four food stations emphasizing Riesling wines with food, in a variety of styles from dry to sweet. Crab cakes were paired with 30 Bench Riesling 2010, pork loin with Fielding Riesling Estate 2010, vegetable sushi with Featherstone Black Sheep Riesling 2010, and a mini-quiche rectangle with Wildass Riesling 2009.

The Contact Person: Magdalena@winesofontario.org

The Marketing Effectiveness/Execution of the Event(numerical grade): 94.

 

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