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Sunday, October 7, 2018

The Event: the Annual (18th) Sparkling Wine tasting by the Wine Writers' Circle of Canada, held Sept 25, 2018

The Date and Time: Tuesday, September 25, 2018  3PM to 7PM
The Event: the Annual (18th) Sparkling Wine tasting by the Wine Writers' Circle of Canada.
The Venue: WWCC Clubhouse
The Target Audience: members of the Wine Writers' Circle of Canada.
The Availability/Catalogue: all of the 80 or so wines are available in Ontario through the usual distribution channels, including "consignment" or "Ontario winery only". The intent is to showcase to our members what wines would be available for the upcoming Holiday seasons.
The Quote/Background: The WWCC has been holding this tasting every Fall in order to give its members a chance to taste what is in the marketplace for the upcoming Holiday Seasons (Thanksgiving through New Years and St. Valentine's Day) and to write about them. Writers would turn up over the course of a day for the walk-around and taste at their own speed. We the WWCC would like to thank our industry partners (plus Drinks Ontario and WMAO) for the opportunity to sample these wines.
The Wines:  What follows are grape-based wines; the ratings here are MINE ALONE and NOT those of the WWCC group. Each writer rates or writes separately, and there is no cumulative total or averaged rating. This is not a judging competition. My own system divides all wines into three categories: BEST (91+ points), BETTER (88-90) and GOOD (85-87), usually the ranking range of Gold, Silver and Bronze in various wine shows. The wines are then randomly listed within their categories. In general, where there is no LCBO CSPC, then the wine is at the winery and is available by private order.
 
The BEST VALUE wine (quality for money) is: Sieur D'Arques Sas Grande Cuvee 1531 De Aimery Cremant De Limoux NV $18.95 +428086 Roussillon    (60% Chardonnay, 30% Chenin, 10% Mauzac) 12.5%ABV.
 
 
**** BEST -- Four Stars Rated by Dean Tudor (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
Producer    Name    Vintage    Price       LCBO#     Region    Grape Varieties    ABV%
-Taittinger    Brut Reserve    N/V    $61.95    365312    Champagne    Chardonnay / Pinot Noir / Pinot Meunier    12.50%
-Laurent Perrier    Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Brut Rosé Champagne    NV     $99.95     158550    Champagne    100% Pinot Noir    12.0%
-Sieur D'Arques Sas    Grande Cuvee 1531 De Aimery Cremant De Limoux    NV     $18.95     428086    Roussillon    60% Chardonnay, 30% Chenin, 10% Mauzac.    12.50%
-Trius Winery    Brut Rose    n/v    32.75    184309    Niagara Peninsula    70% Pinot Noir, 23% Chardonnay, 4% Pinot Meunier    12
-Flat Rock Cellars    Riddled Sparkling    2011    $34.95    383315    Twenty Mile Bench    Chardonnay    11.80
-Henry of Pelham    Cuvée Catharine Blanc de Blanc 'Carte Blanche'    2013    $44.95    315200    VQA Short Hills Banch    Chardonnay      11.90%
-Henry of Pelham    Cuvée Catharine Brut    N/V    $29.95    217521    VQA Niagara Peninsula    Chardonnay / Pinot Noir    12%
-Redstone    Pinot Noir Sparkling Rose 2016 $29.95         Niagara    Pinot Noir    13%
-Ravine Vineyard    Brut    NV    $38.00        Niagara Peninsula    Chardonnay    12.5%
-Thirty Bench Wine Makers    Sparkling Riesling    n/v    38.95    n/a    Niagara Peninsula    Riesling    12
-Tawse    Quarry Road Pinot Noir Sparkling Rose 2016 $29.95 Niagara    Pinot Noir    13%
-Tawse    Cuddy Sparkling Riesling    NV    $24.95     546762    Niagara
-Dr. Loosen Dr. L Sparkling Riesling    NV    $14.95 296095 Mosel Riesling    10.5%
-Francois Martenot    Chartron et Trebuchet Cremant de Bourgogne NV    $20.95    571661    Burgundy    Chardonnay/Pinot Noir 12%   
-Featherstone Winery    Cuvee Joy    2013    $34.95    310334    Twenty Mile bench    Chardonnay    12.2
-Château des Charmes    Blanc de Blancs    2014    34.95    423111    Niagara on the Lake    Chardonnay    12.3
-Cono Sur    Cono Sur Sparkling Pinot Noir Rosé     NV %13.95 365205    Chile    Pinot Noir    12%
-Jackson Triggs    Grand Reserve Entourage Sparkling Brut    2015    $29.95     234161    Niagara Peninsula    Chardonnay & Pinot Noir    12.5%
-Tawse    Limestone Ridge Sparkling Riesling    2016    $20.95     Niagara Riesling    12%
-Redstone    Sparkling Brut 2016 $24.95 Niagara Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir    13%
-Cave de Lugny Cremant de Bourgogne Brut Blanc de Blancs NV $21.95 460865 Burgundy Chardonnay  11.5%
-Araex    Villa Conchi    NV     $17.95     577148    Catalunya    30% Xarel.lo
30% Parellada 30% Macabeo 10% Chardonnay    11.50%
-Bottega    Gold    2015    $27.95    621458        Glera      11
-Foss Marai    Foss Marai Extra Dry Prosecco    NV    $19.95  729392 eneto Glera    11.5%
 
 
***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars Rated by Dean Tudor (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
Producer    Name    Vintage    Price       LCBO#     Region    Grape Varieties    ABV%
-Featherstone Winery    Cuvee Joy Rose    2016    $29.95    450700    Twenty Mile Bench    Pinot Noir    12.5
-Westcott Vineyards    Brilliant Sparkling    2013    $34.95     NA    Vinemount Ridge/Ontario    2/3 Pinot Noir & 1/3 Chardonnay    12.9
-Westcott Vineyards    Violette Sparkling Brut    2017    $25.95     438200    Vinemount Ridge/Ontario    2/3 Pinot Noir & 1/3 Chardonnay    12.5
-Peller Estates Winery    Ice Cuvee Classic    n/v    34.75    284547    Niagara Peninsula    70% Chardonnay 30% Pinot Noir    12
-Peller Estates Winery    Ice Cuvee Rose    n/v    35.75    113035    Niagara Peninsula    70% Pinot Noir, 26.5% Chardonnay, 3.5% Gamay Noir    12
-Trius Winery    Brut    n/v    29.75    284539    Niagara Peninsula    70% Chardonnay 30% Pinot Noir    12
-Trapiche    Trapiche Extra Brut Sparkling    NV     $13.90     262261    Mendoza    Chardonnay (70%), Semillon (20%)  Malbec (10%)    12%
-Segura Viudas    Brut Reserva Cava     NV    15.95    216960           50% Macabeo, 35% -Parellada, 15% Xarel-lo    12
-Freixenet S.A.    Cordon Negro    NV    $15.00     261945    Spain    Macabeo, Perellada, Xarello    11.5
-Pierre Sparr    Cremant D'Alsace Brut Reserve    NV    19.95    388603       Alsace     80% Pinot Blanc, 20% Pinot Auxerrois    12.5
-Pierre Sparr    Cremant D'Alsace Brut Rose    NV    19.95    39016    Alsace    Pinot Noir    12.5
-Bellissima    Prosecco Brut    NV    $24.96    548164    Veneto    Glera    11.5
-Oyster Bay Wines New Zealand Ltd. Oyster Bay Sparkling Cuvee Brut    NV     $22.95     163634    Hawke's Bay    Chardonnay    12%
-Oyster Bay Wines New Zealand Ltd.    Oyster Bay Sparkling Cuvee Rose    NV     $22.95     280172    Hawke's Bay    Chardonnay / Pinot Noir    12%
-Megalomaniac Bubblehead    N/V    $29.95 363655    Niagara Peninsula    Pinot Noir    12.5%
-Les Grands Chais de France Chateau De Montgueret Cremant De Loire Brut     NV    $19.95    217760    Loire        12%
-Ruffino    Prosecco    NV    $16.95     467811    Veneto    Glera    11%
-Strewn    Sparkler    2017    $24 Ontario    Sauvignon Blanc    12.5    Winery   
-Château des Charmes    Brut Sparkling    NV    25.95    224766    Niagara on the Lake    Chardonnay and Pinot Noir    12.5
Château des Charmes    Rose    2014    34.95    78055    Niagara on the Lake    Chardonnay and Pinot Noir    12
-Henry of Pelham    Cuvée Catharine Rosé Brut    N/V    $29.95    217505    VQA Niagara Peninsula     Pinot Noir / Chardonnay     12%
-Ethica Wines    Le Contesse Prosecco NV $17.95    516583    Veneto    Glera    11
-Colio Lily Sparkling NV +418657 $17.95 LCBO
-Colio Lily CEV Sparkling Rose NV +618512 $17.95 Vintages
-Burning Kiln Winery    Sparks    2017    $26.95    N/A    South Coast    Pinot Noir    13.1
-MGM Mondo Del Vino Acquesi Brachetto NV    $13.50 375667    Piedmont    Brachetto    6.5
-Vina Casal S.A.    Fresita NV    $14.95 216887    Chile    Macabeo, Perellada, Xarello    11.5
 
 
*** GOOD -- Three Stars Rated by Dean Tudor (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
Producer    Name    Vintage    Price       LCBO#     Region    Grape Varieties    ABV%
-Schmitt Soehne    RELAX Bubbles    n/v    $13.95     488593    Mosel    Blend    11%
-Peninsula Ridge Estates Sparkling Riesling 2017$25.15 582072 Niagara    Riesling 9%
-Ravine Vineyard    Charmat    NV $16.95  Niagara Peninsula    Pinot Noir    12.5% Licensee
-Megalomaniac Sparkling Personality    2017    $23.95 469007 Niagara Peninsula Riesling    9.5%
-Diamond FRESH Sparkling Riesling NV $15.95 441162 Niagara Peninsula Riesling 11.5%
-Diamond FRESH Possibilities Sparkling Rose NV $15.95    341347    Niagara    60Riesling/40Gamay    12.5%
-Konzelmann Estate Winery    Methode Cuve Close Riesling    n/v    18.95        Niagara-on-the-Lake    Riesling    11.5%
-Langguth-Erben Blue Nun 24K Gold Edition    NV    $14.95    518407 11%
-Arterra Wines Canada    Andiamo    NV    $14.95     577130    Niagara Peninsula    Italian Muscat & Riesling, Canadian Vidal    10.5%
-Jackson Triggs    Reserve Method Cuve Close    2016    $15.95     217679    Niagara Peninsula    Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, & Riesling    12.5%
-Jackson Triggs    Grand Reserve Entourage Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc    2015    $29.95     353078    Niagara Peninsula    Sauvignon Blanc    12%
-Freixenet S.A.    Carta Nevada    NV    $13.30     216887    Spain    Macabeo, Perellada, Xarello    11.5
-La Marca    La Marca Prosecco    NV    17.95    487694    Veneto    Glera    11.29
-Bottega    Bottega Vino Dei Poeti Prosecco Doc    2017    $15.00 897702 Veneto Glera 11%
-Bottega    Bottega Rose Vino Dei Poeti Sparkling    2017    $15.00     277202    Veneto    Pinot Nero; Raboso    11.5%
-La Gioiosa    DOC Treviso Brut    N/V    $14.95    N/A    Treviso    Prosecco    11%
-Sartori    Prosecco Brut    N/V    $14.95    N/A    Treviso    Prosecco    11%
-Santa Margherita    Santa Margherita Brut Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore    NV     $19.95     687582    Veneto    Glera    11.50%
-FIOL    FIOL Prosecco    n/a    13.25    394577    Veneto Prosecco DOC    Glera    11
-Villa Sandi Prosecco Il Fresco DOC, Treviso    NV 15.95 394387     Treviso    Glera    11
-Piera Martellozzo    Blue Giovello    NV    $15.20    85316    Veneto    Glera    11
-Casella    Yellow Tail Bubbles    NV     $14.95     229039    South Australia.    74% Chardonnay, 14% Colombard, 11% Semillon    11.50%
-Casella    Yellow Tail Bubbles Rosé    NV     $14.95     229047    South Australia    Chardonnay 70%, Colombard 13%, Semillon 13%, Sauvignon Blanc 4%    11.50%
-Wagner Family of Wines    Conundrum  Blanc de Blanc    2016    24.95    497735    California    Pinot Gris, Muscat, Viognier, Chenin Blanc    12.60%
-Pelee Island Winery    Secco        $14.95    225946        Ontario    11.5
-Pelee Island Winery    Lola Sparkling Rose    NV    $14.95    450981        Ontario    11.5%
-Thirteenth Street Wine    13th Street Cuvée Brut Rosé    NV    $27.95     147504    Ontario    71% Pinot Noir;  29% Chardonnay    12.5%
-PondView Estate Winery    Lot 74 Sparkling    2017    24.95    n/a    VQA Ontario    Vidal Blanc    12
-Konzelmann Estate Winery    Methode Cuve Close Rosé    n/v    18.95        Niagara-on-the-Lake    Merlot    12
 
The Food: breads, biscuits and water, almonds, olives, cheese.
The Contact Person: deantudor@yahoo.com
The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 95.
 
Chimo! www.deantudor.com

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