Taste Ontario trade show (Wine Country Ontario) Oct 10/13 report

The Date and Time: Thursday, October 10, 2013  11AM to 5PM

The Event: Taste Ontario, from Wine Country Ontario and Vintages

The Venue: ROM

The Target Audience: wine trade

The Availability/Catalogue: all wines are available, either through the LCBO or through the winery.

The Quote/Background: This is the annual major promotion for Ontario wines, especially to the trade. The media were fortunate enough to have about 3 hours off on their own to taste most of the wines in the show.

The Wines: I did not taste every wine, preferring to try only most of the red and white still table wines. Most of the wines were from Niagara, so for clarity, I added PEC or LENS after other wines. Prices listed are retail consumer unless otherwise specified.

 

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

-Cattail Creek Estate Winery  Creek Riesling    2012  +2415 $13.75     

-Charles Baker Wines Charles Baker Picone Vineyard 2011 $35.00

-Chateau des Charmes 'Old Vines' Cabernet Merlot Estate Bottled 2010 +222372     $19.95

-Closson Chase    South Clos  Chardonnay  2011  PEC   $39.75

-Henry of Pelham  Baco Noir Reserve 2010  +461699     $24.75

-Colio Estate Wines     CEV Sauvignon Blanc LENS 2012 779373 $15.75

-Cooper's Hawk Vineyards Cabernet Merlot Reserve 2008 LENS +328013 $19.95

-Coyote's Run Estate Winery Red Paw Vineyard Pinot Noir 2011 +79228 $22.75

-Kacaba Vineyards & Winery Single Vineyard Syrah      2010  $39.95

-Kacaba Vineyards & Winery Cabernet Franc Reserve     2010 $44.95

-Norman Hardie Winery County Chardonnay   2011 PEC $35.00

-Norman Hardie Winery Pinot Noir Unfiltered 2010 PEC $39.00

-Stratus Vineyards      Stratus White     2009        $44.00

-Thirty Bench Wine Makers Small Lot Wood Post Riesling 2006 $30.00

-Thomas Bachelder Saunders Vineyard Chardonnay  2011  $44.95     

-Thomas Bachelder Wismer Vineyard Chardonnay    2011  2011  $44.95

-Viewpointe Estate Winery Ideal Pointe Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2008

LENS +274712      $24.75

 

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

-Viewpointe Estate Winery Cabernet Franc Essex Region 2008 LENS $18.75

-Thirty Bench Wine Makers Winemaker's Riesling  2012  $18.75

-Thirty Bench Wine Makers Winemaker's Red 2011  +320986     $24.20

-Tawse Winery     Quarry Road Chardonnay  2011  +111989     $35.95     

-Tawse Winery     Grower's Blend Pinot Noir     2010  $26.95

-Stratus Vineyards      Tollgate Chardonnay     2011  $19.95     

-Stratus Vineyards      Tollgate Red      2009  $19.95

-Stratus Vineyards      Stratus Red 2008  Red   $44.00

-Reif Estate Winery Gewurztraminer Reserve      2012 $18.95

-Reif Estate Winery     Cabernet Franc Reserve  2012  $21.95

-Reif Estate Winery     1st Growth Merlot 2007  $44

-Jackson-Triggs Winery  Grand Reserve Shiraz    2011 $24.75

-Jackson-Triggs Winery Grand Reserve White Meritage   2012 $24.75

-Konzelmann Estate Winery Chardonnay Barrel Aged      2008  $14.00

-Konzelmann Estate Winery Riesling Traminer     2011        $25.00     

-Peninsula Ridge Beal Vineyards Reserve Inox Chardonnay 2010 $16 licensee

-Peninsula Ridge AJ Lepp Vineyards Reserve Merlot 2011 $16.63 licensee

-Peninsula Ridge Arcanum 2010 [syrah/merlot/cabsauv] $25.21 licensee

-13th Street Winery     Pinot Noir Essence      2010        $44.75

-Le Clos Jordanne Village Reserve Chardonnay    2010  $29.80

-Le Clos Jordanne Claystone Terrace Pinot Noir  2010 $44.80

-2027 Cellars     'Wismer Vineyard' Riesling   2012  $25.00     

-ANGELS GATE WINERY     MOUNTAINVIEW RIESLING   2009 $16.75

-ANGELS GATE WINERY     MOUNTAINVIEW PINOT NOIR 2010 $23.80

-Thomas Bachelder Bachelder Niagara Chardonnay 2011   $29.95           

-Thomas Bachelder Lowrey Vineyard Pinot Noir 2011 $44.95

-Malivoire Wine Company M2 Small Lot Pinot Noir 2009  $19.95

-Cattail Creek Estate Winery  Small Lot Series Barrel Fermented Chardonnay      2010  +348987     $24.75

-Cattail Creek Estate Winery  Estate Series Pinot Noir 2010 +257303    

$18.75

-Cattail Creek Estate Winery Creek Series Cabernet Merlot 2011 +344135 $13.75

-Vineland Estates Winery Cabernet Franc   2011  +594127     $13.75     

-Niagara College Teaching Winery Dean's List Chardonnay 2010 $27.95

-Niagara College Teaching Winery Balance Pinot Noir   2011  $18.95

-Niagara College Teaching Winery Dean's List Cabernet Franc 2010 $27.95

-Mike Weir Winery Sauvignon Blanc 2012 +686972 $14.75

-Mike Weir Winery Meritage    2010  Red   $24.75

-Generations Wine Company Union Squared White   2012 $17.95

-Generations Wine Company Union Noir      2012 $15.95

-Generations Wine Company Union Gold 2011 +351049 $14.95   

-Cave Spring Cellars Riesling CSV Estate Bottled 2010 +566026 $29.75

-Cave Spring Cellars Chardonnay CSV Estate Bottled 2010 +529941 $29.75

-Cave Spring Cellars Pinot Noir Estate Bottled  2011  +246561 $34.75

-Charles Baker Wines Charles Baker Ivan Vineyard 2012 $27.00

-Closson Chase Closson Chase Vineyard Chardonnay PEC 2011   $29.75

-Cooper's Hawk Vineyards Merlot Cabernet  2011 LENS +358074 $16.95     

-Coyote's Run Estate Winery Black Paw Vineyard Pinot Noir 2011 +116442 $29.75

-Diamond Estates EastDell Estates Black Label Shiraz  2011  $16.67

-Diamond Estates Lakeview Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2010 $24.95

-Inniskillin Wines      Single  Vineyard Series Montague Vineyard Pinot Noir  2011 $29.75

-Inniskillin Wines      Single Vineyard Series Montague Vineyard Chardonnay  2012  $24.75

-Fielding Estate Winery Cabernet Franc 2011 +36194    $21.95

-Flat Rock Cellars      Gravity Pinot Noir      2011  $29.95

-Foreign Affair Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 $34.95

-Lailey Vineyard Wines  Cabernet Franc    2011  $25.00     

-Rosewood Estates Winery Semillon   2012  $18.00

 

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

-Vineland Estates Winery Chardonnay Unoaked 2012 +669374    $12.75

-Thirty Bench Wine Makers Small Lot Chardonnay  2011 +203703 $30

-Viewpointe Estate Winery Auxerrois 2011 +327239 LENS $14.75

-Pelee Island Winery Chardonnay Vinedressers LENS 2012 +700400 $17.75

-Tawse Winery     Grower's Blend Cabernet Franc 2011 +284570 $26.95

-Tawse Winery     "Spark" Riesling  2011 $19.95

-Rosewood Estates Winery Sussreserve Riesling   2012  $15

-Rosewood Estates Winery Pinot Noir 2011  $22.00

-Rosewood Estates Winery Merlot     2011  $22.00

-Pillitteri Estates Winery Exclamation Reserve Cabernet Franc 2010 $38

-Reif Estate Winery     White Meritage    2010  $18.95     

-Le Clos Jordanne Village Reserve Pinot Noir 2010 $29.80

-Malivoire Wine Company Pinot Gris  2012  $19.75

-Malivoire Wine Company M2 Small Lot Chardonnay 2011 $19.75

-Lailey Vineyard Wines  Chardonnay 2011   $20.00

-Lailey Vineyard Wines  Cabernet Merlot   2011 $15.00

-Lailey Vineyard Wines  Cabernet Sauvignon      2011  $25.00

-Niagara College Teaching Winery Gewurztraminer 2010  $13.95

-Mike Weir Winery Riesling    2010  +229286     $14.75

-Mike Weir Winery Barrel Fermented Chardonnay   2012  $24.75

-Jackson-Triggs Winery  Delaine By Jackson-Triggs Cabernet Merlot 2011 

$29.75

-Organized Crime Winery Break-in Pinot Noir     2012  $20.03 lic

-Organized Crime Winery Chardonnay  2010  $26.42 lic

-Kacaba Vineyards & Winery Unoaked Chardonnay   2012  +326975 $14.95

-Kacaba Vineyards & Winery Single Vineyard Merlot 2010 $18.95

-Inniskillin Wines Discovery Series P3 2012     Red $19.75 

-Peninsula Ridge Reserve Meritage 2011 $19.38 licensee

-Palatine Hills Estate Winery Neufeld Vineyard Meritage 2010 $29.95

-13th Street Winery     Gamay  Sandstone Reserve      2011  $29.75     

-13th Street Winery Chardonnay Sandstone Reserve 2011 +23086 $29.75

-2027 Cellars 'Queenston Road Vineyard' Pinot Noir 2011 $35.00

-2027 Cellars     'Falls  Vineyard' Riesling   2012  $18.95     

-2027 Cellars 'FoxCroft Vineyard' Chardonnay 2011 $30.00

-Hidden Bench Vineyards and Winery  Bistro Red  2012  $19.95

-Hidden Bench Vineyards and Winery  Bistro Chardonnay 2011 $17.95

-Hidden Bench Vineyards and Winery  Estate Pinot Noir 2010  $38.00

-ANGELS GATE WINERY     UNOAKED CHARDONNAY 2011 $13.75

-ANGELS GATE WINERY     MERLOT      2011  +107722     $13.75

-Casa Dea Estates Winery Chardonnay 2010  PEC $15.95 

-Casa Dea Estates Winery Cabernet Franc Reserve 2009  PEC $24.95

-Casa Dea Estates Winery Pinot Gris 2010  PEC $18.95

-Casa Dea Estates Winery      Pinot Noir  2010  PEC   $19.95

-Cave Spring Cellars Cabernet Franc Estate Bottled 2011 +72751 $24.75

-Chateau des Charmes Chardonnay, St. Davids Bench Vineyard  2010 +430991 $19.95

-Closson Chase    Watson Pinot Noir 2010 PEC    $39.75

-Closson Chase    Brock Chardonnay  2011 PEC    $23.75     

-Colio Estate Wines CEV Pinot Grigio 2012 LENS +779373      $15.75

-Coyote's Run Estate Winery Red Paw Vineyard Pinot Gris 2012 +116582

-Konzelmann Estate Winery Merlot Barrel Aged    2012        $19.75     

$17.75

-Diamond Estates EastDell Estates Black Label Chardonnay Sur Lie 2012

$16.67

-Norman Hardie Winery County Pinot Noir Unfiltered 2012 PEC $35.00

-Norman Hardie Winery Pinot Gris    2012  PEC $25.00

-Dover Vineyards Smoke & Gamble Reserve Cabernet Merlot 2011 South Shores $18.95

-Dover Vineyards Smoke & Gamble Chardonnay Reserve 2012 +345637 $17.95 South Shores

-Dover Vineyards Frisky Beaver Red 2011 South Shores +345611      $14.95     

-Dover Vineyards Frisky Beaver White 2012 +345629 South Shores    $13.95     

-Fielding Estate Winery Gamay 2012  $17.95

-Fielding Estate Winery Estate Bottled Chardonnay 2012 +355842 $21.95

-Fielding Estate Winery Estate Bottled Riesling 2011 +251439 $18.95

-Henry of Pelham  Pinot Grigio 2012 +250217     $14.75

-Henry of Pelham  Family Tree Red   2010  +247882     $18.75

-Flat Rock Cellars      Pinot Noir  2011  $19.95

-Flat Rock Cellars      The Rusty  Shed   2011  $24.95

-Foreign Affair Winery Riesling     2010  $24.95     

-Foreign Affair Winery  Conspiracy  2011 $19.95

-Foreign Affair Winery Sauvignon Blanc    2010 $27.95

-Grange of Prince Edward Vineyards and Estate Winery GPE SELECT Pinot Noir      2009 $15.83 licensee

 

The Food: virtually a repeat of the Chilean adventure, with charcuterie, pate, cheeses, baked ham, and the like, from Daniel et Daniel. The media also got fed salads and sandwiches.

The Downside: there was a major sherry tasting right afterwards across the street at the Gardiner Museum, I needed to clean my palate.

The Upside: there was a media room, with peace and quiet, to allow for concentration. Also, we could sit down.

The Contact Person: Magdalena@winesofontario.org

The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 92.

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com