The Event: Taste of Greece Grand Tasting: brilliant wines

The Date and Time: Sunday May 15, 2016   12:30 PM to 2PM

The Event: Taste of Greece Grand Tasting: brilliant wines

The Venue: ROM

The Target Audience: wine trade

The Availability/Catalogue: the wines were available through the LCBO, at the Danforth LCBO "Greek" store, Consignment, Private Order, etc. Some wineries were looking for agents. The catalogue was sorely lacking in details on terms of availability and prices, but it did have the names of agents.

The Quote/Background: I had a minimal amount of time since I was committed elsewhere later in the day (it was Sunday: who has a wine trade show on Sunday?). Consequently, I decided to skip all the wineries who were looking for agents and concentrated on the others. Even so, many of the agents were vague about prices.

The Wines:  I did not try every wine; I just sampled the ones that I thought would be the best.

 

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

-Monemvasia Winery 300 Red [mavroudi, agiorgitiko]2006, $40   Celebrity Wines

-Domaine Costa Lazaridi Amethystos Red 2012 [cab sauv, merlot] $23.95 +724831 Vintages

-Alpha Estate Red 2012 [syrah, xinomavro, merlot], $26    Eurovintage

-Domiane Glinavos Dryades 2007, $23.75    Intravino

-Papaioannou Estate Microclima 2005 Agiorgitiko $75  Kolonaki

 

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

-Semeli Nemea Reserve Agiorgitiko 2012, $26 PO  Artisanal Wine Imports

-Domaine Costa Lazaridi Oenodea Red 2012 [cab sauv, syrah] $19.95  Dionysus

-Domaine Costa Lazaridi Amethystos White 2015 [sauv blanc, assyrtiko] $19.95 +984864 Vintages Jan 18, 2017

-Hatzimichalis Estate Chardonnay 2015     Dionysus

-Hatzimichalis Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 +538074, $17.95 Vintages

-Alpha Xinomavro 2012, $18 Eurovintage

-Alpha Axia 2012, $17.75  +392282

-Domaine Porto Carras Ruby Heart 2013, $16.95  PO   Intravino

-Ktima Theopetra Tsililis Theopetra Red 2012, $26  Intravino

-Ktima Theopetra Tsililis Theopetra Limniona 2012, $28  Intravino

-Domaine Vassiliou-Nemeion Estate Hgemon Agiorgitiko 2007 $29.95 PO Intravino

-Mediterra Winery Mirambelo 2011 $16  Kolonaki

-Papaioannou Estate 2010 Agiorgitiko $21.95  Kolonaki

-Papaioannou Estate Old Vines 2010 Agiorgitiko $32.95  Kolonaki

-Domaine Papagiannakos Kalogeri Malagousia 2015  Majestic

-Domaine Sigalas Santorini 2015  Majestic

-Domaine Mercouri Estate Red [refosco, mavrodaphne] 2014 $18.90   Rubaiyat Wines

-Gaia Wines S 2014 [agiorgitiko, syrah]    Small Winemakers Collection

-Cavino Nemea Grande Reserve 2009 Agiorgitiko $17   United Stars Corp

 

The Food: Daniel and Daniel put out their usual charcuterie platter with international cheeses and dips, smoked duck breast, and other items.

The Downside: I was unable to taste most of the wines.

The Upside: the place was packed – who knew people were free on Sunday?

The Contact Person: gathanas@allaboutgreekwine.com

The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 88.

Chimo! www.deantudor.com