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Tuesday, April 30, 2024

BEST MAY 2024 LIMITED TIME OFFERS at the LCBO...

MAY 2024 LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO's Limited Time Offer selections...these  are "better" value...on sale  April 29 through Sunday May 26...

W+43281 Flat Rock Riesling VQA Niagara, now $16.95, save $3.
W+958975 Mer Soleil Reserve Chardonnay Monterey County, now $26.95, save $3.
W+24133 Thirty Bench Winemaker's Blend Riesling, now $19.95, save $3.
R+980482 Cambria Julia's Pinot Noir Santa Barbara, now $39.95 , save $5
R+59311 The Seven Deadly Zins Old Vine Zinfandel Lodi, now $21.95, save $3
R+27516 J. Lohr Los Osos Merlot Paso Robles, now $22.95, save $3.
R+590414 Oyster Bay Pinot Noir South Island New Zealand, now $21.95, save $3.
R+177295 Rivera Il Falcone Riserva Castel del Monte, now $23.95, save $3.
 



Dean Tudor,  Prof Emeritus T'karonto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson) School of Journalism
Treasurer of Wine Writers' Circle of Canada http://www.deantudor.com
http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com
https://twitter.com/gothicepicures

Wednesday, April 24, 2024

WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for the APRIL 27, 2024 release.

WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES:  under/over $20 for the APRIL 27, 2024 release.

By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at  https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for  better or best wines available through  LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis)  can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca  or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication.

Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price).
I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE.  This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings.

MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)
MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )


MAJOR THEME:  CALIFORNIA WATCHLIST: Paso Robles

Recommended Wines UNDER $20 [my basic standard is MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)]
=========================
FIZZ+19031 CELENE AMÉTHYSTE BRUT CRÉMANT DE BORDEAUX $17.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )
W+34245 WALDSCHÜTZ RIED HASEL GRÜNER VELTLINER AUSTRIA 2021 $18.95
CHILE
W+303628 SANTA RITA MEDALLA REAL GRAN RESERVA CHARDONNAY CHILE 2021 $17.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )
W+747600 PIERRE SPARR GRANDE RÉSERVE GEWURZTRAMINER ALSACE 2021 $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )
W+35860 CHÂTEAU ROQUEFORT LES ROCHES BLANCHES SAUVIGNON BLANC BORDEAUX 2022 $15.95
W+557207 FLEURON DE LA REBOURGÈRE SUR LIE MUSCADET-SÈVRE ET MAINE LOIRE $16.95
W+37520 LANDLUST ORGANIC RIESLING MOSEL-SAAR-RUWER 2022 $15.95
W+36000 MEZZACORONA RISERVA CHARDONNAY ITALY 2020 $18.95
W+35951 UMBERTO CESARI LIANO PINOT GRIGIO ABRUZZO 2022 $17.95
W+919514 WITHER HILLS SAUVIGNON BLANC NEW ZEALAND 2023 $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )
R+452029 PIATTELLI LUJÁN DE CUYO RESERVE MALBEC ARGENTINA 2021 $17.95
R+494039 DOMAINE LAFAGE CAYROL VIEILLES VIGNES CARIGNAN 2021 $19.95
R+35375 CHÂTEAU LE CONTE MARQUEY BORDEAUX 2018 $18.95
R+224592 CHÂTEAU LE GRAND RETOUR PLAN DE DIEU CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES $16.95
R+642421 VALPANTENA TORRE DEL FALASCO VALPOLICELLA RIPASSO VENETO 2022 $17.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )
ROSE+177840 PENINSULA RIDGE BEAL VINEYARD CABERNET ROSÉ VQA 2023 $16.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )
ROSE+498535 MALIVOIRE VIVANT ROSÉ VQA 2023 $19.95

Recommended Wines OVER $20 [my basic standard is MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)]
========================
W+566026 CAVE SPRING CSV RIESLING 2022 VQA $34.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )
W+16059 BACHELDER LES VILLAGES-BENCH CHARDONNAY 2021 VQA $34.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )
W+11108 UMANI RONCHI CENTOVIE PECORINO ABBRUZO 2020 $26.95
W+232439 CHATEAU STE. MICHELLE CHARDONNAY 2022 WASH STATE $21.95
R+33894 LE CLOS JORDANNE JORDAN VILLAGE PINOT NOIR 2021 VQA $29.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )
R+36927 CHÂTEAU CAROLINE MOULIS-EN-MÉDOC 2019 $30.95
R+35973 PENTACLE LES TROIS ROUTES CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2019  $63.95
R+713354 TRAVAGLINI GATTINARA PIEDMONT 2019 $37.95
R+747030 LA VITE LUCENTE 2021 $33.95
R+10704 WESTMOUNT PINOT NOIR OREGON 2021 $33.95


APRIL LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO's Limited Time Offer selections...these  are "better"  value...on sale Monday April 1 through Sunday April 28...only a few more days to go until the sale ends.

W+84988 Beringer Napa Valley Chardonnay, now $29.95, save $3
W+68817 Hidden Bench Estate Organic Chardonnay VQA Beamsville Bench Niagara, now $29.95, save $2
W+13311 Lone Birch Chardonnay Yakima Washington, now $19.95, save $3
W+89037 Tawse Sketches of Niagara Chardonnay VQA, now $19.95, save $2
W+18631 Sebastiani California Chardonnay, now $16.90, save $2
W+350900 Robert Oatley Chardonnay Margaret River, now $19.95, save $2
W+268342 Henry of Pelham Estate Chardonnay VQA, now $17.95, save $2
R+30957 Concha Y Toro Winemaker's Lot 148 Carmenere La Pataguas Vineyard Rapel Chile, now $16.95, save $3
R+274753 Hidden Bench Estate Organic Pinot Noir VQA Beamsville Bench, now $34.94, save $3
R+626390 Kim Crawford Pinot Noir New Zealand, now $19.95, save $3
R+727636 Tenuta Sette Ponti Crognolo 2020 IGT Toscana, now $31.95, save $3

MAY LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some recommendations on sale April 29 through May 26, 2024....

W+43281 Flat Rock Riesling VQA Niagara, now $16.95, save $3
W+958975 Mer Soleil Reserve Chardonnay Monterey, now $26.95, save $3
W+24133 Thirty Bench Winemaker's Blend Riesling VQA Beamsville Niagara, now $19.95, save $3
R+980482 Cambria Julia's Vineyard Pinot Noir Santa Barbara, now $39.95, save $5
R+590414 Oyster Bay Pinot Noir South Island New Zealand, now $18.95, save $3
R+177295 Rivera Il Falcone Riserva Castel del Monte Puglia, now $23.95, save $3
R+59311 The Seven Deadly Zins Old Vine Zinfandel Lodi, now $21.95, save $3
 

** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season ---


REPORT ON THE WINES OF GREECE TRADE TASTING  TORONTO 2023

The Event: a tasting of the wines of Greece.
The Venue: Arcadian Loft
The Target Audience: licensees, sommeliers and wine media, wine agents.
The Availability/Catalogue: a spiral bound catalogue with many maps and wine/grape descriptions. There were 29 tables with 116 wines, and the wineries were placed mostly by agent to cover a few tables each. There were about four wines per winery, and there were full details about winery contacts (email addrersses) plus agents, the latter with phone numbers. A good resource guide.
The Quote/Background: Most of the wineries were repped by a small handful of agents, such as Kolonaki (11 wineries at 11 tables), Dionysus (3 tables), Selections Le Maitre de Chai (3), Asteria Imports (3), and then the others with one or two tables each.
The Wines: I did not taste all the wines.

**** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Malamatina Winery Filioma Dry Rose 2022 [merlot]
-Malamatima Filioma Agiorgitiko 2022 PGI Peloponnese
-Alpha Estate Xinomavro Red Single Vineyard Hedgehog 2020 PDO Amyndeon
-Alpha Estates Assyrtiko 2021
-Cavino Atelier Mavro Kalavritino-Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 PGI Achaia
-Domaine Costa Lazaridi Amethystos Sauvignon Blanc 2022 Drama
-Domaine Hatzimichalis Alfega White 2022 [sauvignon blanc, malagousia, robola]
-Domaine Hatzimichalis Assyrtiko Alepotrype Vineyard 2022 PGI Atalanti Valley
-Ktima Biblia Areti White 2020 PGI Pangeon [assyrtiko]
-Ktima Biblia Ovilos White 2022 PGI Pangeon
-Ktima Tselepos Amalia Brut NV [moschofilero]
-Zoinos Winery Sparkling White Extra Brut 2021 PDO Zitsa  [debina]
-Kitma Pavlidis Emphasis Assyrtiko 2022 PGI Drama
-Kitma Spiropoulos Ode Panos Rose 2020 Brut
-Oenops Wines Apla Dry White 2022
-Papagiannakos Winery Salvatiano Old Vines 2022 PGI Markopoulo
-Papagiannakos Winery Salvatiano "Vientzi" 2020 PGI Markopoulo
-Papagiannakos Winery Kalogeri Malagousia 2022 PGI Attiki  
-Santo Wines Grand Reserve Santorini Assyrtiko 2020 PDO Santorini [oaked]  [fave today]
 
***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Malamatima Four Angels Red 2022 PGI Peloponnese [syrah/merlot]
-Malamatima Four Angels White PGI Peloponnese [chardonnay/malagousia]
-Malamatina Winery Filioma Moschofilero 2022  PGI Peloponnese
-Boutari Moschofilero 2022 PDO Mantinia
-Domaine Skouras Cuvee Prestige White 2022 PGI Peloponnese
-Domaine Skouras Assyrtiko Wild Ferment 2022 PGI Peloponnese
-Cavino Mega Spileo Cuvee III White 2022 PGI Achaia
-Domaine Costa Lazaridi Malagousia 2022 PGI Drama
-Domaine Costa Lazaridi Chateau Julia Assyrtiko 2022 PGI Drama
-Domaine Hatzimichalis Kapnias Red 2020 [cabernet sauvignon] PGI Atalanti Valley
-Ktima Biblia Chora White 2022 PGI Pangeon
-Papagiannakos Winery Assyrtiko 2022 PGI Attiki
-Santo Wines Santorini Assyrtiko 2022 PDO Santorini
-Santo Wines Santorini Nykteri 2022 PDO Santorini

The Food: cheese platters with biscuits and breads and fresh fruit; grilled baby octopus with chili crisp; hot apps on platters of chicken, fish, lamb meatballs, fried veggie balls. The highlight for me was the oregano and lemon lamb kleftiko and charred eggplant.
The Downside: I had just come from an earlier wine portfolio tasting.
The Upside: good exposure to wines that dance in the catalogue.
The Contact Person: lisa@androscom.com
The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 90.









Dean Tudor,  Prof Emeritus T'karonto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson) School of Journalism
Treasurer of Wine Writers' Circle of Canada http://www.deantudor.com
http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com
https://twitter.com/gothicepicures

Friday, April 19, 2024

REPORT ON A TASTING OF WINES FROM ITALY

REPORT ON A TASTING OF WINES FROM ITALY, end of 2023

The Date and Time: Monday, October 30, 2023  10:30A - 5PM
The Event: Annual ICE Italian Wine Tasting [28th year]
The Venue: Roy Thomson Hall
The Target Audience: wine media, sommeliers, wine agents.
The Availability/Catalogue: online QR code needed
The Quote/Background: 86 estates were showing three wines wines or more. John Szabo MS gave a Masterclass in the new-ish geographic precisions of appellations. There is the Menzioni Geographiche Aggiuntive (MGA for Barolo, Barbaresco, Prosecco, Verdicchio, et al)), the Unita Geographiche Aggiuntive (UGA for Chianti Classico, Soave, Nobile di Montepulciano, Etna, et al). There are also CONTRADAS and PIEVES [parishes]. These are all sub-units of no classification or hierarchy. But also: under UGA/MGA, etc., no grapes can be purchased. For example, Soave has 33 UGAs, Etna has 142 Contradas covering 11 communes, Barolo has 181 MGAs covering 11 communes, while Barbaresco haS 66 MGAs covering just 4 communes. Very difficult to memorize it all....Many wineries are looking to "premiumizing" their production via name branding and protecting. Stay tuned...
The Wines: I did not taste all the table wines or all the fizzes, and I did not taste any dessert wines nor grappas or amari or even olive oils!

**** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Pinot Grigio, Maculan
-Etna Bianco, 2021, Cusumano
-Chardonnay, Castello Gabbiano
-Oro, 2021, Il Drago e La Fornace
-Rosso Piceno Superiore, 2018 Sella e Mosca
-Chianti Classico Gran Selezione, 2020 Rocca delle Macie
-Fiordiligi Grillo Sicilia 2022, Mazara Del Vallo, $22
-Barolo, 2018, Rocche dell Annunziata
-Rosso Piceno Superiore, 2020, Velenosi
-Etna Rosso Feudo di Mezzo, 2020, Graci
-Mane Vino Rosso IGT Toscana, Podere Casanova $14.50
-Vino Nobile de Montepulciano, 2019, Boscarelli
-Vino Nobile de Montepulciano DOC, Podere Casanova $24
-Vino Nobile de Montepulciano DOCG, Podere Casanova $42
-Settecento Vino Nobile de Montepulciano DOCG, Podere Casanova $75
-Baciami Vino Spumante Rose Da Uve Mammolo, Piandaccoli
-Chianti Classico Vigna del Sorbo, 2020, Fontodi
-Barolo Cannubi, 2018 Borgogno
-Barolo Sarmassa, 2017, Marchese di Barolo $81.25 licensee
-Barolo Cannubi, 2017, Marchese di Barolo $81.5 licensee
-Corte Vino Rosso de Montepulciano DOC Podere Casanova, $15.50
-La Cantina del Colli Ripani Fasserina IGT Marche 2022, $20
-Gavi di Gavi, 2021, Marchese di Barolo $25.15 licensee
-Donna Angelica Lucido 2021, Assul $29
-Carinda Insolia, Mazara del Vallo 2022, $22
-Barbaresco Gallina, 2019, Oddero
-Chardonnay DOC Friuli, Modeana
-Chardonnay 2021, Albino Armani $17.95 licensee
-Primitivo Since 1913, 2019, $32.35 licensee
-Fiano E'Arte, 2022, $14.35 licensee
-Primitivo Organic IGP, Agricola Amastuola, 2021, $18.85 licensee
-Primitivo Centosassi Organic, Agricola Amastuola, 2018, $28.75 licensee

***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Pecorino, 2022, Cantina Tollo
-Pecorino Falerio 2022, La Cantina $21
-Anima Lavica Janare Campania Spumante
-Ca del Magro, 2021, Bianco Monte del Fra
-Podere Casanova Vini Montepulciano Bianco Toscano Canto 2022
-Falanghina, 2021, la Guardinense
-Soave Classico Calvarino, 2021, Pieropan
-Ribolitto, 2021, Il Drago e La Fornace
-Rubesco Vigna Monticchio, Lungarotti
-Syrah Ruggiero, Assuli $22
-Ribolla Gialla Venezia Giulia, Modeano
-Pinot Grigio, 2022, Albino Armani, $19.30 licensee
-Primitivo Rosato Infintinum 2022, Torrevento SRI, $15.75 licensee
-Primitivo E'Arte 2022, Torrevento SRI $14.35 licensee

The Food: This year it was catered by Stelvio, a Northern Italian Eatery on Dundas Street. They gave us a Buffet Rustico: polenta Bolognese Sauce, polenta with vegetable sauce caponata, Mortadella sausage, sopresatta prosciutto, chickpea salad, pasta salad, quiche di zucchini, pinzimonio con hummus, pickled green and black olives, a range of cheeses, grisini, flatbread cipolle, giardiniera, four kinds of salumi and five kinds of formaggi, and espresso coffee to finish.

The Downside: I had no cell phone, so I could not access all the details of each wine.
The Upside: over the afternoon about 1600 people attended.
The Contact Person: toronto@ice.it  or  b.marassi@ice.it or info@stelviotoronto.ca
The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 90

Dean Tudor,  Prof Emeritus T'karonto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson) School of Journalism
Treasurer of Wine Writers' Circle of Canada http://www.deantudor.com
http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com
https://twitter.com/gothicepicures

Sunday, April 14, 2024

APRIL LIMITED TIME OFFERS

APRIL LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO's Limited Time Offer selections...these  are "better"  value...on sale through Sunday April 28...

W+84988 Beringer Napa Valley Chardonnay, now $29.95, save $3
W+68817 Hidden Bench Estate Organic Chardonnay VQA Beamsville Bench Niagara, now $29.95, save $2
W+13311 Lone Birch Chardonnay Yakima Washington, now $19.95, save $3
W+89037 Tawse Sketches of Niagara Chardonnay VQA, now $19.95, save $2
W+18631 Sebastiani California Chardonnay, now $16.90, save $2
W+350900 Robert Oatley Chardonnay Margaret River, now $19.95, save $2
W+268342 Henry of Pelham Estate Chardonnay VQA, now $17.95, save $2
R+30957 Concha Y Toro Winemaker's Lot 148 Carmenere La Pataguas Vineyard Rapel Chile, now $16.95, save $3
R+274753 Hidden Bench Estate Organic Pinot Noir VQA Beamsville Bench, now $34.94, save $3
R+626390 Kim Crawford Pinot Noir New Zealand, now $19.95, save $3
R+727636 Tenuta Sette Ponti Crognolo 2020 IGT Toscana, now $31.95, save $3



Dean Tudor,  Prof Emeritus T'karonto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson) School of Journalism
Treasurer of Wine Writers' Circle of Canada http://www.deantudor.com
http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com
https://twitter.com/gothicepicures

Wednesday, April 10, 2024

WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for the APRIL 13, 2024 release.

WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES:  under/over $20 for the APRIL 13, 2024 release.

By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at  https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for  better or best wines available through  LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis)  can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca  or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – my publication.

Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace, above or below its price).
I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE.  This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings.

MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)
MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )


MAJOR THEME:  PERFECT FOOD-WINE PAIRINGS -- [really?]

BUT FIRST -- There are 12 chardonnays being released  April 13...here are my recks:

*NEW* CHARDONNAYS AT VINTAGES APRIL 13, 2024 RELEASE --

ARGENTINA +918805 CATENA HIGH MOUNTAIN VINES CHARDONNAY 2022 $20.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )
AUSTRALIA +33566 JIM JIM CHARDONNAY 2021 $17.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)
ONTARIO +68817 HIDDEN BENCH ESTATE ORGANIC CHARDONNAY 2021 $31.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )
ONTARIO +256552 CAVE SPRING ESTATE GROWN CHARDONNAY 2020 $21.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )
ONTARIO +20455 LE CLOS JORDANNE JORDAN VILLAGE CHARDONNAY 2020 $29.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )
CHILE +17617 ESCUDO ROJO RESERVA CHARDONNAY 2022 $17.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)
CALIFORNIA +226936 RODNEY STRONG CHARDONNAY 2021  $21.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)
CALIFORNIA +441089 ROMBAUER CARNEROS CHARDONNAY 2022 $69.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)
CALIFORNIA +395699 BERINGER LUMINUS CHARDONNAY 2022 $55.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)
BURGUNDY +42374 DOMAINE LOUIS MOREAU CHABLIS 2022 $31.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)
BURGUNDY +23988 TERRES SECRÈTES LES PRÉLUDES MÂCON-VILLAGES 2021 $20.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)
UMBRIA +176792 ANTINORI BRAMÌTO DELLA SALA CHARDONNAY 2022 $32.95 MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)


Recommended Wines UNDER $20 [my basic standard is MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)]
==========================
Fizz+536607 EMILIANA AMALUNA ORGANIC BRUT SPARKLING CHILE $18.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )
AUSTRIA W+37419 ECKER-ECKHOF GRÜNER VON ECKHOF 2022 $19.95
PFALZ W+37824 RUDI RÜTTGER LE TENDRE RIESLING 2022 $16.95
TUSCANY W+36345 VILLA DA VINCI STREDA VERMENTINO 2022 $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )
NEW ZEALAND W+14199 INVIVO SAUVIGNON BLANC 2023 $18.95
PORTUGAL W+37848 FREIRE LOBO VIGNO BRANCO 2021 $17.95
R+36389 AMASTUOLA NEGROAMARO 2020 PUGLIA $17.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )
R+983742 L.A. CETTO PETITE SIRAH 2021 MEXICO $14.95
ARGENTINA R+114983 H J. FABRE BARREL SELECTION MALBEC 2021 $18.95
LANGUEDOC +35995 CAVE DE ROQUEBRUN SOLEIL DE SCHISTE 2022 $18.95
ABRUZZO +36340 FERROVIERI MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO 2022 $16.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )
+36358 CARPINETO CHIANTI CASTALDO 2020 $18.95


Recommended Wines OVER $20 [my basic standard is MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)]
========================

Fizz+388603 PIERRE SPARR BRUT RÉSERVE CRÉMANT D'ALSACE $20.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )
ROSE+279117 SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE ORGANIC CABERNET FRANC ROSÉ VQA 2022  $23.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )
W+183491 HIDDEN BENCH ESTATE ORGANIC RIESLING 2019 VQA $24.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )
W+431593 TAWSE LIMESTONE RIDGE-NORTH RIESLING 2021 VQA $21.95
W+36546 DOMAINE GÉRARD MILLET SANCERRE 2022 $34.95
OREGON W+36496 CHRISTOPHER MICHAEL PINOT GRIS 2022 $21.95
R+279059 LAURENT GAUTHIER GRAND CRAS VIEILLES VIGNES MORGON 2021 $22.95
R+20422 HIDDEN BENCH ESTATE ORGANIC GAMAY 2021 VQA $29.95
R+274753 HIDDEN BENCH ESTATE ORGANIC PINOT NOIR 2021 VQA $37.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )
R+117960 CREEKSIDE LAURA'S RED 2018 VQA $25 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )
BORDEAUX R+550244 CHÂTEAU LA CARDONNE 2015 $25.95
BURGUNDY R+34247 PASCAL BOUCHARD IRANCY 2018 $32.95
RHONE R+35974 BROTTE LES HAUTS DE BARVILLE 2019 $51.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )
SPAIN +37272 MARQUÉS DE LA CONCORDIA RESERVA 2018 $16.95


APRIL LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO's Limited Time Offer selections...these  are "better"  value...on sale Monday April 1 through Sunday April 28...

W+84988 Beringer Napa Valley Chardonnay, now $29.95, save $3
W+68817 Hidden Bench Estate Organic Chardonnay VQA Beamsville Bench Niagara, now $29.95, save $2
W+13311 Lone Birch Chardonnay Yakima Washington, now $19.95, save $3
W+89037 Tawse Sketches of Niagara Chardonnay VQA, now $19.95, save $2
W+18631 Sebastiani California Chardonnay, now $16.90, save $2
W+350900 Robert Oatley Chardonnay Margaret River, now $19.95, save $2
W+268342 Henry of Pelham Estate Chardonnay VQA, now $17.95, save $2
R+30957 Concha Y Toro Winemaker's Lot 148 Carmenere La Pataguas Vineyard Rapel Chile, now $16.95, save $3
R+274753 Hidden Bench Estate Organic Pinot Noir VQA Beamsville Bench, now $34.94, save $3
R+626390 Kim Crawford Pinot Noir New Zealand, now $19.95, save $3
R+727636 Tenuta Sette Ponti Crognolo 2020 IGT Toscana, now $31.95, save $3

** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season ---

REPORT ON THE CGU FINE WINES WINTER PORTFOLIO TRADE TASTING 2023

The Event: CGU Portfolio Tasting
The Venue: Terrace Room, Park Hyatt
The Target Audience: licensees and wine media, with private collectors later.
The Availability/Catalogue: a one-page sheet listed the wines at five tables, with label names, regions, vintage dates, prices, case sizes, and order information.
The Wines: I had the opportunity to try most of the wines. Prices are licensee only.

**** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Domaine Michel Voarick Pernard-Vergelesses 2021 Aloxe-Corton Rouge $65.76
-Domaine des Ardoissieres Silice Blanc 2022 [biodynamic] $34.12
-Niew Vineyards Eola-Amity Hills Chardonnay 2021 Willamette $111.11 [my second fave]
-Chantereves Marsannay Rose 2021 Savigny-les-Beaune $59.35
-Domaine Derey Fixin Les Echalais Marsannay 2021 Rouge $60.86
-Domaine Patrice Rion Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Terre Blanches 2020 $101.76
-Domaine Pierrick Bouley Volnay 1er Champans 2020 Rouge $187.10
-Domaine Boyer-Martenot Boyer de Bar Chardonnay 2021 $30.70 [my fave of the day]
-Domaine Boyer-Martenot Puligny-Montrachet Les Reuchaux 2020 $140.89
-Domaine Garcia Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Grandes Vignes 2021 Rouge $160.14
-Thiriet Cote de Nuits Villages aux Montagnes 2021 $136.54
-Domaine Guillemot-Michel Vire-Clesse Quintaine 2021 [biodynamic] $65.87
-Domaine des Terres de Velle Savigny-Les-Beaune 1er Cru Aux Vergelesse [white] $64.71
-Domaine Francois Mikulski Cremant de Bourgogne NV Meursault $38.78
-Laurent Ponsot Meursault 1er Cru Blagny Cuvee du Myosc 2019 $226.84
-Le Chai Duchet Vire-Clesse 2021 $33.86

***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Reinhard & Beate Knebel Rottgen GG 2021 Mosel [white] $88.75
-Weingut A. Christmann Aus den Lagen Riesling 2021 Pfalz $38.81
-Weingut A.J.Adam Hofberg GG 2022 Mosel $72.81
-Weingut Schloss Lieser Juffer Sonnenuhr Spatlese 2020 Mosel $42.10
-Domaine Michel Voarick Corton-Charlemagne 2021 Grand Cru Aloxe-Corton $328.68
-Clement Lavallee Bourgogne Cotes d'Auxerre Rouge 2020 Ma Pierre $56
-Clement Lavallee Saint-Bris Les Copains d'Abord 2021 $47.07
-Domaine Derey Bourgogne Montre Cul Marsannay 2021 Rouge $40.64
-Armand Heitz Pommard 1er Cru Pezerolles 2020 $150.03
-Domaine Garcia Marsannay Clos du Roy 2021 Rouge $96.09
-Thiriet Bourgogne Aligote au Jardin Comblanchien 2021 $82.61
-Domaine Francois Mikulski Bourgogne Aligote 2021 Meursault $47.91
-Domaine Georges Glantenay Volnay 2020 $77.81
-Laurent Ponsot Bourgogne Blanc Cuvee du Perce-Neige 2019 $61.67
-Le Chai Duchet Macon Blanc 2022 $24.96

The Downside: there was a Greek wine trade show immediately afterwards.
The Upside: there were only 35 wines to taste.
The Contact Person: info@cgufinewines.com
The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 85






Dean Tudor,  Prof Emeritus T'karonto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson) School of Journalism
Treasurer of Wine Writers' Circle of Canada http://www.deantudor.com
http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com
https://twitter.com/gothicepicures

Wednesday, April 3, 2024

Culinary Book Reviews for Spring 2024....



MARCH BOOK REVIEWS 2024    

RECIPES FROM MY INDIAN KITCHEN; traditional & modern recipes for delicious home-cooked food (Ryland Peters & Small, 2017, 2024, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-516-6 $34 CAD hardbound) is by Nitisha Patel, a professional chef doing recipe development and food consulting in the UK. It was originally published in 2017 as "My Modern Indian Kitchen" but these are also her family recipes from India, for over 60 preps of home-cooked Indian food. She has some cultural notes in her primer on spices and then moves on to street food, curries, vegetarian dishes, sides, rice, chutney, raita, and desserts. Preparations have their ingredients listed in mostly avoirdupois measurements (except for the desserts which are scaled, for the most part), but there is no table of metric equivalents.
Audience and level of use: Indian food lovers looking for modern interpretations.
Some interesting or unusual recipes/facts: amritsari fish pakoras; keralan king prawn curry; malabari mussels; tandoori spatchcock poussin; veg manchurian; goan sausage and king prawn pilaf.
The downside to this book: a little thin on the number of recipes
The upside to this book: colourful, good memoir material in each recipe. Quality/Price Rating: 88, by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing.


THE SCANDIKITCHEN COOKBOOK; recipes for good food with love from Scandinavia (Ryland Peters & Small, 2015, 2024, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-599-9 $35 CAD hardbound) is by Bronte Aurell, Danish restaurateur and TV food celebrity, who runs the ScandiKitchen Cafe and shop in central London along with her Swedish husband. It was originally published in 2015 as "The Scandi Kitchen". She has also been published widely. Here she has an introduction to Scandinavian food through 75 dishes for all occasions. The contents begin with a pantry/larder, and move on to breakfast, open sandwiches, smorgasbord with soups and salads and light dishes, followed by dinner and desserts. There is even a chapter on fika (get-together with coffee with cakes). Try the breakfast open sandwich, shrimp and asparagus open sandwich, a Nordic Christmas, or traditional Danish apple trifle as individual servings. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Quality/price rating: 87,  by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing.



BEST OF BRIDGE DONE IN ONE; perfect recipes in one pot, pan or skillet (Robert Rose, 2023, 224 pages, ISBN 978-0-7788-0712-4 $34.95 CAD hardbound) is by Emily Richards (cookbook author and recipe developer)) and Sylvia Kong (cookbook author and food stylist). Both are home economists, and both have been busy revising the Best of Bridge series of cookbooks over the years. After almost half a century and 4 million books they have created a collection of one-pot recipes. This all-new book of 105 recipes uses just one cooking equipment, whether it be an electrical one-pot, a pan, a cast iron pan, a skillet, a bowl or a sheet pan. As always, the new Best of Bridge team look to family-friendly preps, easy-to-prepare meals, after-work dinners, entertaining crowd pleasers, flavour variations, ingredient substitutions, make-aheads, freezer options, easy clean-up, budget conscious foods, and the like. Virtually goof-proof. Here, even kids can make some foods. The range of contents include breakfasts, apps, salads, soups, sandwiches, red meats, poultry, fish and seafood, veggies, sides and desserts. You could try creamy mushroom and lentil orzo, vegetable beef curry, cinnamon-glazed pumpkin sheet-pan pancakes or skillet lasagne. The index includes lists of dishes for each specific pot; there are also recipe icons to guide you through the equipment and the food. It's a good looking book with excellent colour photos and large bold print. And, of course, the publisher is well-known for using BOTH metric and imperial measurements in all the preps. Quality/price rating: 92, by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing.



FRENCH FROM THE MARKET (Gibbs Smith, 2024, 224 pages, ISBN 978-1-4236-6488-8 $53 CAD hardbound) is by Hillary Davis, cookbook author and lecturer, with about a half dozen or so cookbooks about French cuisine on her resume. Currently, she lives in the Hamptons with several months spent annually in France. Her latest book here has gobs of recipe photos and photos of French markets. Her contents range from starters through to desserts, and emphasizes Parisian foods and South of France foods. This is traditional French cooking, fresh from the market daily. She's simplified a few recipes such as quenelles and tarte Tatin. She's got some innovative recipes such as alpine parsnip hummus with hazelnuts. But mainly it is a French provincial cookbook, with bistro oeufs, a chicken in every pot, Alsatian onion crispbread, Provencal vegetable pistou soup, chilled summer tomato soup with soft garlic breadcrumbs, frisee salad, camargue rice salad, and red wine-poached cherries and grapes with cardamom chantilly among the 100 plus engaging preps. My fave dessert was the Pont Neuf baked figs with brie, walnuts and honey. Yum yum. All the preps have imperial measurements, but there is a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 94, by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing.


BOOK OF REAL GUUUD BARBECUE; grilling, slow roasting and smoking, beer-can burgers, fireball whiskey meatballs, venison stew, stuffed alligator, rubs, marinades, and more (Firefly Books, 2024, 256 pages, ISBN 13-978-0-2281-0511-4 $29.95 CAD softbound) is from the BBQ Pit Boys, founded in 2007 as a YouTube cooking channel; they host the largest BBQ community in the world. It is now world-wide with over 2.2 million subscribers and about 1.5 billion views - the most watched BBQ cooks on both YouTube and Facebook. The record shows that they have five million plus followers on all social media platforms. And now, for those without an Internet connection comes a BOOK!! It's all backyard grilling, with material on charcoal, a knife, and rubs/marinades. They thrive on being low-key, much like Bob and Ray were in their prime. There are many basic preps and methods here, for what are basically "grilling" and "slow-bbq" - steaks, fish, pork shoulder, lamb, and many sides. It's just about goof-proof. The book is very colourful with chapters devoted to burgers and sausages, meatballs and pies, beef, pork, lamb, game, poultry, seafood, fish, sides, sauces, et al. Lots of photos of the boys and the meats. As the jacket says: "this isn't just a cookbook, its a way of life." A good book for beginners. Just a couple of quibbles -- no index (look to the chapter contents) and no metric measurements (and no conversion tables). Quality/price rating: 89, by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing.



Dean Tudor,  Prof Emeritus T'karonto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson) School of Journalism
Treasurer of Wine Writers' Circle of Canada http://www.deantudor.com
http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com
https://twitter.com/gothicepicures

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