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Thursday, May 1, 2014

The Event: a portfolio tasting of FWP: Food Wines of Portugal, www.winesofpotugal.ca April 28/14

The Date and Time: Monday, April 28, 2014   6:30 PM to 7:30 PM
The Event: a portfolio tasting of FWP: Food Wines of Portugal, www.winesofpotugal.ca.
The Venue: Via Norte, College Street
The Target Audience: wine buyers of Portuguese wines.
The Availability/Catalogue: everything is available mainly through FWP.
The Quote/Background: it had been some time since Portuguese wines were featured in Toronto. Arlindo Beca, who has been operating FWP for over a decade, decided to have a portfolio tasting of wines ranging from about $15 to $75 a bottle.
The Wines:
 
**** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Costers Del Sio Celistia Tuerra White 2011, $15.50 – my fave white
-Crasto Superior 2011 Red, $28.95 – my fave affordable red
-Julio Bastos J.B. Dona Maria Red 2011, $28
-Quinta Do Mouro Estromoz, $52
-Curriculum Vita CV Douro 2010, $135
 
 
***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Campolargo Sparkling Espumante NV, $25.35
-Caves Transmontanas Vertice Cuvee Sparkling 2010, $25
-Sao Domingos Sparkling NV, $20
-Carm Maria de Lourdes Red 2008, $60
-Costers del Sio Celistia Estrellas Red 2009, $24
-Costers del Sio Celistia Tierra Red, $16.45
-Fea Cartuxa White 2011, $26
-Fonte de Paredes Herdade Grand Reserva 2009, $37
-Fonte de Paredes Herdade Reserva 2007, $22
-Julio Bastos J.B. Dona Maria White 2012, $23.85
-Lixa Pinho Real 2012 Vinho Verde, 9.5% ABV, $11.80
-Malhadinha Red 2011, %75 – still too young at this point
 
*** GOOD -- Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Fonte de Paredes Herdade Santa Ana Red 2011, $15.61
-Chocapalha Mar de Lisboa Red 2011, $18
-Chocapalha Mar de Palha Red 2009, $25.75
-Grous White 2012, $28.25
-Malhadinha Peceguina White 2012, $25
-Mouro Agil Red 2012, $14.29
-Passadouro Passa White 2012, $19
-Passadouro Passa Red 2011, $21
-Quadrus Douro 2010, $28
-Alento Reserva 2010, $27
 
The Food: the food that guys crave – fried calamari, fried shrimp, fried sardines, fried cod and potatoes, fried spring rolls – all along with appropriate sauces. And  food that ladies crave (if I may be allowed to stereotype) – rolled sushi with soy sauce. Unfortunately, the food went better with sparklers and white wines, which were just one-third of the show.
The Downside: waiting 20 minutes in bad weather for the College streetcar.
The Upside: a chance to reconnect with Portuguese wines, sorely lacking in Ontario promotional marketing.
The Contact Person: fwp@winesofportugal.ca
The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 91.

Chimo! www.deantudor.com

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