The Event: Annual tasting of Fortified Wines by the Wine Writers’ Circle of Canada

The Date and Time: Monday, October 6, 2014 10:30 AM – 1:30 PM

The Event: Annual tasting of Fortified Wines by the Wine Writers'

Circle of Canada

The Venue: WWCC World Headquarters

The Target Audience: WWCC members

The Availability/Catalogue: most items are at the LCBO or Vintages,

some are at the winery, others are special orders or samples.

The Quote/Background: There were only 15 ports plus 24 other fortified

wines. The tasting was done by 10 wine writers.

The Wines: I did not taste every wine. The following scores are mine

alone and NOT a total of the writers at the tasting.

 

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

-Warre's Otima 10 yrs $22.95 +566174 500 mL LCBO

-Fonseca 2012 Vintage Guimaraens 375mL Family Wine Merchants

-Alvear Fino Montilla $12.45 +112771

-Graham's 10yr Old Tawny Port- LCBO Wines- $28.45- 206508    

-Graham's 20yr Old Tawny Port- LCBO Wines- $37.45- 620641                

-Bodega Osborne    n/v    Osborne Bailen Oloroso Sherry    $16.95 +746453 Vintages

 

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

Rating terms):

-Williams & Humbert Walnut Brown Rare Old Sherry    $13.45    43746   

-Graham' Late Bottle Vintage 2008- LCBO Wines- $16.95-191239                

-Bodega Osborne    n/v    Osborne Pedro Ximenez 1827 Sweet Sherry    $17.95    479440

-Duca Di Salaparuta 2010 Florio Vecchioflorio Marsala Superiore     $14.95    371321

-UNION 2007 FORTE $16.95 +361758 500 mL Vintages Nov

-Quinta do Noval Fine Tawny Port $17.70 +309765

-Quinta do Noval 10yr Old Tawny Port +954503  Nov Vintages

-Taylor Fladgate 2009 Late Bottled Vintage Porto $18.45 +46946

-GONZALEZ BYASS TIO PEPE $16.90 +231829

-Alvear Amontillado Med Dry $12.45 +112789

-Alvear PX Solera 1927 $19.95 +112771  375ml  Nov LCBO

-Sandeman 1997 VAU Vintage $11.80 +297614 375mL

 

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

-Bodega Osborne    n/v    Osborne Santa Maria Cream Sherry     $12.45    31120   

-Taylor Fladgate    nv    First Estate Reserve    $16.55    309401           

-De Sousa Wine Cellars    NA    Seasons Tawny Port    $39.95     347302   

-KWV SA    n/a    Paarl Cape Ruby    $9.95     28951    South Africa    Western Cape

-Williams & Humbert    Dry Sack Sherry    $13.30    13565       

-Southbrook Whimsy! The Anniversary [fortified chardonnay from 2001/2], $19.95

-Fonseca Bin 27 $15.95 +325506

-Fonseca White Port $15.95 +276816

-Sandeman 2000 VAU Vintage $19.95 +25109

-Sandeman Ruby $15.45 +23366

-Sandeman 2009 LBV $16.95 +195974

-GONZALEZ BYASS CROFT Fine Pale Cream Sherry $16.95 +73452

-Osborne Santa Maria Cream Sherry $12.05 +31120

 

The Downside: we were disappointed in the low turnout of sherries and

other fortified wines.

The Upside: some great ports and even a few sherries.

The Contact Person: deantudor@deantudor.com

The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 90.

Chimo! www.deantudor.com