New Zealand Wine Fair Trade Show, Toronto, May 15, 2008

The Time and Date: Thursday, May 15, 2008  1:30 – 5:30PM

The Event: New Zealand Wine Fair Trade Show

The Venue: Design Exchange - DX

The Target Audience: sommeliers, restaurants, LCBO product consultants, media.

The Availability/Catalogue: as usual, a terrific catalogue: spiral bound, fits in the hands okay, logos, background, contact details, agents, wines and vintage dates, prices where known, and terms of availability (Vintages, Vintages Pending, General, Consignment, Private order). The catalogue also had varietal guides to index what wineries were pouring which varietals.

The Quote: "Hey, the overhead lights work this year! Next year, maybe the clocks?"

The Wines: I did not taste every wine. There were just under 50 wineries.

 

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

-Trinity Hill Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Syrah 2006 $36

-Cable Bay Five Hills Merlot/Cabernet/Malbec Waiheke Island 2005 $25.95

-Newton Forrest Cornerstone Cabernet/Merlot/Malbec Hawkes Bay 2005 $39.50

-Babich Patriarch Cab Franc/Cab Sauvignon/ Merlot/ Malbec Hawkes Bay 2004 $49.95

-Coopers Creek Viognier Gisborne 2007 $16.95

-Martinborough Vineyard Chardonnay Wairarapa 2006 $44.95

-Mt Rosa Pinot Gris Central Otago 2006 $29.99

-Cuvee Number Eight Methode Traditionelle Sparkling Marlborough NV $32.95

-Palliser Estate Pinto Noir Martinborough 2006 $35.95

-Staete Landt Pinot Noir Marlborough 2006 $43.50

 

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

-Villa Maria Reserve Merlot Hawkes Bay 2004 $50

-Craggy Range Te Kahu Hawkes Bay 2005 $34.95

-Akarua Chardonnay Central Otago 2006 $24.95

-Coopers Creek Select Vineyard Chardonnay Hawkes Bay 2006 $24.95

-Gibbston Highgate Estate Heartbreaker Chardonnay Central Otago 2006 $32

-Jackson Estate Vintage Widow Pinot Noir Marlborough 2006 $39.99

-Kawarau Estate Sauvignon Blanc Central Otago 2007 $27.95

-Millton Opou Chardonnay Gisborne 2005 $26.95

-Millton Clos de St. Ange Pinot Noir Gisborne 2006 $55.60

-Martinborough Vineyard Pinot Noir Wairarapa 2006 $65.95

-Mount Riley Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2007 $24.95

-Mud House Swan Chardonnay Marlborough 2007 $22.99

-Ngatarawa Alwyn Chardonnay Hawkes Bay 2006 $24.95

-Cuvee Number 1 Methode Traditionelle Sparkling Marlborough NV $36.95

-Pencarrow Pinot Noir 2006 $24.95

-Spy Valley Pinot Noir Marlborough 2006 $24.95

-Carrick Pinot Noir Central Otago 2006 $57.95

-Te Awa Sauvignon Blanc Hawkes Bay 2007 $19.95

-Waitiri Creek Chardonnay Central Otago 2006 $??

-Waitiri Creek Pinot Noir Central Otago 2006 $39.95

-Resolute Pinot Noir Marlborough 2005 $39.95

-Resolute Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2007 $24.95

 

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

-Babich Winemakers' Reserve Hawkes Bay Syrah 2006 $18.99

-Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawkes Bay Syrah 2005 $30

-Coopers Creek SV Huapai "The Clays" Malbec 2006 Auckland $24.95

-Matakana Estate Pinot Gris Matakana 2007 $27.85

-Matua Valley Matheson Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Hawkes Bay 2005 $23.95

-Saint Clair Pioneer Block 12 Lone Gum Gewurztraminer Marlborough 2007 $23.60

-Te Awa Left Field Chardonnay Hawkes Bay 2007

-Tohu Chardonnay Marlborough 2006 $19

 

The Food: the press had sandwiches and coffee, in addition to the spread on the floor (cheeses, pavlovas, crackers and breads, veggies).

The Downside: time was too short for me, even at 4 hours. There were a lot of people after 4 PM, producing crowds.

The Upside: great space for exhibiting.

The Contact Person: rketchin@ketchin.com

The Effectiveness (numerical grade): 94.

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com