The Event: Artisti per Frescobaldi: Toronto launch of the limited edition 2011 Tenuta del Castello di Nipozzano ``Montesodi``

The Date and Time:  September 6, 2016  5:30 PM to 7:30 PM

The Event: Artisti per Frescobaldi: Toronto launch of the limited edition 2011 Tenuta del Castello di Nipozzano.

The Venue: Spoke Club

The Target Audience: cultural opinion makers and wine media.

The Availability/Catalogue: The Montesodi Vendemmia Dedicata 2011 (Castello di Nipozanno) is available through private order of Philippe Dandurand Wines. It comes in a cardboard box of three separately oak-boxed magnums, special bottle shape, and a special label created by three different artists and numbered out of 333 for each artist. $800 for a wooden case of three. ($133.33 per 750 mL)

The Quote/Background: Tiziana Frescobaldi, artistic director for the company, made the presentation, showing us the process of finding three emerging artists for the labels. Part of the proceeds goes to a prize for the winner, and part of the proceeds goes to Kunstlerhaus Bethanien in Berlin. She announced that one artist will come from Canada for the next round of labels.

The Wines: We tasted five wines, beginning with the Montesodi.

 

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

-Aristi per Frescobaldi Tenuta del Castello di Nipozzano "Montesodi" Vendemmia Dedicata 2011 [all sangiovese] $800 for 3 x 1.5 L + wooden box.  PO Dandurand

-Frescobaldi Lamaione 2011 IGT Toscana [all merlot] $100 PO Dandurand

 

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

-Frescobaldi Mormoreto 2012 Toscana IGT [bordeaux-styled blend] $63.95 Vintages

-Frescobaldi CastelGiocondo 2011 Brunello di Montalcino DOCG [all sangiovese] $50.95 +650432 Vintages

 

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

-Frescobaldi Nipozzano Chianti Rufina Riserva 2012 $21.95 +107276 LCBO

 

The Food: there were platters of sausages (dry and cured, hot and savoury), toasted focaccia with Tuscan bean dip, grilled veggies, olives, and blue cheese. There was also a great greens salad [but slow mover]. Servers gave us risottos (one truffled, one milanese), tomato and water buffala skewers, figs and cream, and more

The Downside: It was very hot and sticky at the Spoke, so I left after the presentation and missed more platters of food (as if I needed more food).

The Upside: this was the opening gun for the Fall 2016 wine and food trade shows/portfolios/launchings, and what a big one it was!

The Contact Person: melanieanne@elevatorinc.com

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

Chimo! www.deantudor.com