The Date and Time: Monday, November 18, 2019 3PM to 7PM
The Event: the 19th Annual Sparkling Wine tasting by the Wine Writers' Circle of Canada.
The Venue: WWCC Clubhouse, Toronto
The Target Audience: members of the Wine Writers' Circle of Canada.
The Availability/Catalogue: The intent is to showcase to our members what wines would be available for the upcoming Holiday seasons. All of the 60 or so wines are available in Ontario through the usual distribution channels, including "consignment" or "Ontario winery only".
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 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 thus 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 –
Hungaria Grande Cuvee Brut Brut NV $12.95 619288 Hungary 11%ABV
**** BEST -- Four Stars Rated by Dean Tudor (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
Producer Product Name Vintage Price LCBO # Country and/or Region Grape Varieties Alc.%
-13th Street Winery Premier Cuvee 2013 $39.95 142679 Niagara PN/C 13%
=13th Street Winery Grand Cuvee Blanc de Noir 2013 $59.95 361394 Creek Shores Niagara PN/C 13 LCBO Classics
-Gerard Bertrand Thomas Jefferson Cremant de Limoux Rose NV $22.95 648618 France Limoux chardonnay, chenin, pinot noir 12%
-Tawse Winery Limestone Ridge Sparkling Riesling 2017 $20.95 370361 Canada Niagara Riesling 12%
-Tawse Winery Spark Blend 2016 $25.95 384966 Canada Niagara Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir 13%
-Queenston Mile Vineyard Brut 2016 $50 Canada Niagara Chard/Pinot Winery Only
-Adamo Estate Winery Blanc de Blanc Traditional Method 2016 $52 Canada Niagara On the Lake Chardonnay Musque 11% Winery
-Cave Spring Cellars Blanc de Blancs Brut NV $29.95 213983 Canada Niagara Escarpment Chardonnay 12% Vintages Essential
-Cave Spring Cellars Riesling Brut 2017 $24.95 n/a Canada Beamsville Bench 100% Riesling 12% Winery
-Rosehall Run Vineyards Stardust 2011 $49.95 Canada Prince Edward County Pinot Noir/Chardonnay 12.2% Winery Direct/Online
-Henry of Pelham Cuvee Catharine Estate Blanc de Blancs 'Carte Blanche' 2014 $49.95 315200 Canada VQA Niagara Peninsula Chardonnay 12.5%
-Henry of Pelham Cuvee Catharine Brut NV $32.95 217521 Canada VQA Niagara Peninsula Chardonnay, Pinot Noir 12%
-Henry of Pelham Cuvee Catharine Rose Brut NV $32.95 217505 Canada VQA Niagara Peninsula Pinot Noir, Chardonnay 12%
-Louis Bouillot Louis Bouillot Perle d'Aurore n/a $21.95 48793 France Burgundy Pinot Noir/Gamay/Chardonnay 12%
Louis Bouillot Louis Bouillot Perle Noire n/a $16.95 464776 France Vin de France Merlot, Pinot Noir, Gamay, Grenache 12%
-Alfred Gratien Champagne Brut Classique NV $74.99 (BC.AB) Champagne 12% Mark Anthony
-Champagne Taittinger Taittinger Brut Reserve NV $61.95 365312 France Champagne Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier 12.5%
-Rosehall Run Vineyards Ceremony NV $34.95 N/A Canada Prince Edward County Chardonnay 12.2% Winery Direct/Online
-Gratien & Meyer Gratien & Meyer Cremant de Loire Blanc Brut NV $21.99 (BC) N/A France Saumur Cabernet Franc (15%), Pinot Noir (40%), Chardonnay (40%), Chenin (5%) 12% BC VIWF February Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits
-Gratien & Meyer Gratien & Meyer Cremant de Loire Rose NV $21.99 (BC) N/A France Saumur Cabernet Franc (15%), Pinot Noir (40%), Chardonnay (40%), Chenin (5%) 12 BC VIWF February Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits
-Lacheteau Chateau de Montgueret Cremant de Loire Brut NV $19.95 217760 France Loire Valley Chenin, Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc 11.5%
-Gruet Winery Gruet Blanc de Blancs Sauvage N/V $28.95 689991 New Mexico American 100% Chardonnay 12% LCBO-Consignment now Southern Galzer's Wine & Spirits
***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
Producer Product Name Vintage Price LCBO # Country Region Grape Varieties Alc.%
-Megalomaniac Bubblehead Rose TM 2017 $34.95 363655 VQA Niagara Peninsula Pinot Noir 12%
-Alvento Winery Sparkling Rose 2018 $25.15 n/a Canada Niagara Peninsula Pinot Noir, Rieslng, Muscat, Gewurztraminer 12.5% Winery only
-Hungaria Grande Cuvee Brut Brut NV $12.95 619288 Hungary11.5%
-Flat Rock Riddled Sparkling TM 2017 $34.95 383315 VQA Twenty Mile Bench Chardonnay 12.5%
-ANGELS GATE WINERY SNOWANGEL RIESLING TM N/V $29.95 VQA Niagara RIESLING 11%
-ANGELS GATE WINERY ARCHANGEL CHARDONNAY TM 2013 $29.95 227009 BEAMSVILLE BENCH CHARDONNAY 12%
-Peninsula Ridge Estates Winery Sparkling Riesling 2018 $24.95 N/A Canada Niagara Riesling 9%
-Queenston Mile Vineyard Mile High 2017 $35 Canada Niagara Chardonnay 12.5% Winery Only
-Queenston Mile Vineyard Mile High Rose 2018 $35 Canada Niagara Pinot Noir 12.5% Winery Only
-Pierre Sparr Cremant D'Alsace Brut Reserve NV $18.95 388603 France Alsace 80% Pinot Blanc, 20% Pinot Auxerrois 12.5%
-Pierre Sparr Cremant D'Alsace Brut Rose NV $19.95 39016 France Alsace Pinot Noir 12.5%
-13th Street Winery Gamay MT Blanc de Noir 2017 $34.95 Creek Shores Niagara Gamay 12.5% Winery Direct/Online
-13th Street Winery Blanc de Blanc MT 2017 $29.95 Creek Shores Niagara CHARDONNAY 12.5% Winery Direct/Online
13th Street Winery Cuvee Rose MT NV $29.95 147504 Niagara 12.5% Vintages Essentials
-PondView Estate Winery Ltd Bella Terra Blanc de Blanc 2016 $34.95 n/a Canada Niagara Peninsula Chardonnay 12% Winery
-Cono Sur Sparkling Rosé NV $13.95 365205 Chile Bìo Bìo Valley 100% Pinot Noir 12.5%
-Gruet Winery Gruet Brut N/V $24.95 560291 New Mexico American 75% Chardonnay/25% PN 12% LCBO-Consignment now Southern Galzer's Wine & Spirts
-Jackson-Triggs Winery Jackson-Triggs Entourage Grand Reserve Brut 2015 $29.95 234161 Canada Niagara on the Lake Chardonnay and Pinot Noir 12.50% LCBO, Wine Rack (Arterra)
-Two Sisters Vineyards Lush Sparkling Rose NV $53.80 Ontario Niagara Peninusla PinotNoir/Chardonnay/CabFr 12.50 WINERY
-Two Sisters Vineyards Blanc de Franc 2016 $61.80 Ontario Niagara River CabFranc 12.50% WINERY
-Pares Balta Brut Cava NV $17.95 650648 Spain 12%
-Honsberger Brut 2015 $32.00 Ontario VQA Niagara Peninsula WINERY
*** GOOD -- Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
Producer Product Name Vintage Price LCBO # Country Region Grape Varieties Alc.%
-Megalomaniac Sparkling Personality Charmat $19.95 469007 VQA Niagara Peninsula RIESLING 9.6%
-Pelee Island Winery Bella 2018 11597 Ontario VQA auxerrois, pinot noir 12%
-Colio Estate Wines Lily Sparkling $17.95 418657 Canada VQA Ontario 100% Riesling 12%
-Colio Estate Wines Lily Sparkling Rosé $17.95 536565 Canada VQA Ontario 90% Riesling 10% Cabernet Franc 12%
-Schmitt Sohne RELAX Bubble N/V $13.95 488593 Germany German Cuvee Blend 11%
-Astoria Astoria Prosecco NV $15.70 593855 Italy Veneto Glera 11%
-Adamo Estate Winery Spark'l Charmat Method 2018 $18.05 Canada Ontario Chardonnay Musque 11.5% Winery
-Rosehall Run Vineyards Pixie NV $19.95 492959 Canada VQA Ontario Vidal 11.7%
-FIOL FIOL Prosecco DOC n/a $16.25 394577 Italy Veneto Glera 11%
-ANGELS GATE WINERY ARCHANGEL SAUVIGNON BLANC TM 2016 $24.95 VQA Niagara SAUVIGNON BLANC 11% WINERY/VINTAGES VINTAGES MARCH 7 2020
-ANGELS GATE WINERY SHINE TM 2017 $19.95 VQA Niagara MUSCAT 11% WINERY
-Mionetto Prestige Prosecco DOC Treviso Brut Brut NV $16.95 483339 Veneto 11%
-Henkell Trocken Trocken NV $14.95 122689 Germany 11%
-Henkell Rose Rose NV $14.95 203125 Germany 11%
-Creekside Estate Winery Backyard Bubbly 2018 $30 398628 Canada Niagara Sauvignon Blanc 13.5%
-Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava NV $15.95 216960 Spain Penedes 50% Macabeo, 35% Parellada, 15% Xarel-lo 12%
-Villa Sandi Prosecco Il Fresco DOC, Treviso NV $15.95 394387 Italy Treviso Glera 11%
-Villa Sandi Prosecco Valdobbiadene Superiore Extra Dry NV $20.95 Italy Treviso Glera 11% Consignment Profile Wine Group
-PondView Estate Winery Ltd Bella Terra Sparkling Brut 2018 $24.95 n/a Canada Ontario Vidal Blanc 12%
-Between the Lines Outset Sparkling Vidal NV $4.65 [200mL cans] 493304 Ontario [Niagara] Vidal 10%
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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