SHINE {ON} Ontario wine promotion, July 25, 2013

The Date and Time: Thursday, July 25, 2013  6Pm to 8PM

The Event: SHINE {ON} with Ontario wines.

The Venue: LCBO Summerhill

The Target Audience: wine press

The Availability/Catalogue: all wines are part of the LCBO promotion running Sept 15 through October 12.

The Quote/Background: Astrid Brummer, product manager of Ontario wines, and Sue-Ann Staff, local winemaker, spoke to the wines. This is the largest annual promotion of Ontario wines, with adverts, highlights of 167 products from 55 Ontario wineries, new wines, new Essentials listings, extensive use fo social media, and many interviews with winemakers. It all begins Sept 14 with www.lcboourwinecountry.com and culminates with the big wine show at the ROM, October 10, 6:30 onwards (100 VQA wines, 30 wineries, $65).

The Wines: We were given good tasting sheets with technical data, but the wines were not presented in that order, so there was some to-ing and fro-ing through the pages.

 

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

-Konzelmann Gewurztraminer 2011 VQA, +392357, $14.95 – great with oysters

-Cattail Creek Cabernet Merlot 2010 VQA, +344135, $14.95 – very good Bordeaux-like quality.

-Sketches Merlot Cabernet 2011 VQA, +130252, $19.95

-Tawse Grower's Blend Pinot Noir 2010 VQA, +130989, $31.95

-Honeysuckle Seyval Vidal VQA 2011, +91934, $12.95

-Union Gold VQA 2011, +351049, $14.95

-Flat Rock Good Kharma Chardonnay 2010 VQA, +681247, $16.95

-Sue-Ann Staff Merlot 2010 VQA, +347651, $17.95

-Southbrook Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, +193573, $22.95

-Bachelder Niagara Chardonnay VQA 2011, +302083, $29.95

 

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

-Angels Gate Pinot Gris VQA 2011, +331215, $13.95

-Pillitteri Pic'd White VQA 2012, +317263, $12.95

-Small Talk Burning Ambition White VQA 2010, +310433, $13.95

-Cattail Creek Riesling VQA 2012, +241547, $14.95

-Local Squeeze White VQA 2012, +357418, $13.95

-Reif The Empress Chardonnay VQA 2011, +346791, $12.95

-Sprucewood Shores Riesling VQA 2011, +326249, $13.95

-Mike Weir Pinot Noir VQA 2009, +686972, $16.95

 

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

-Pondview Harmony White VQA 2011, +308718, $14.95

-Brickyard Riesling VQA 2012, +346866, $13.95

-Coyote's Run Pinot Noir VQA 2011, +53090, $19.95

-Pondview Harmony Red VQA 2010, +336495, $14.95

-Sandbanks Gewurztraminer VQA 2011, +343350, $14.95

-Earth & Sky Riesling VQA 2011, +343350, $14.95

-Kacaba Unoaked Chardonnay 2012 VQA, +326975, $14.95

-Mike Weir Sauvignon Blanc 2012 VQA, +686972, $16.95

-Wayne Gretzky Pinot Grigio VQA 2012, +326256, $14.95

-Small Talk Faux Pas Riesling Sauvignon Blanc VQA 2011, +343384, $14.95.

-Cottage Block Riesling VQA 2012, +346601, $12.95

-Sandbanks Dunes Red VQA 2012, +346445, $16.95

-Earth & Sky Pinot Noir VQA 2010, +343368, $15.95

-13^th Street Cuvee Rose VQA, +147504, $24.95

 

The Food: Farmhouse Tavern (Junction Triangle) provided the food – oysters, gravid lax, bacon, veggies and pickles, duck heart tartare – which were presented as food matches.

The Downside: it was a small group, but…

The Upside: …that gave us more time and scope to mingle and enjoy food and wine.

The Contact Person: Lauren@wolffpublicrelations.com

The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 87.

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com