TRADE TASTING: ICE Italian wines Nov 3, 2008

 The Time and Date: Monday, November 3, 2008   10 AM to 6 PM
The Event: A tasting of wines from Italy, 13th edition, organized by
ICE.
The Venue: Roy Thomson Hall
The Target Audience: wine trade
The Availability/Catalogue: most of the wines are available in Ontario
via the LCBO or consignment or private orders. Some wineries were
seeking agents. The Catalogue was the usual monster size, making it
uncomfortable to carry about: a book detailing all the wines, their
terms of availability, their grape compositions, and so forth.
Everything but the price. As in previous years, I had to ask the agent
for the prices. And as in previous years, many did not seem to know –
which I find incredible at a function where the object is to sell
wines! There was a seminar at 10 AM, but it started 30 minutes late,
and this was followed by a luncheon which also started late.
The Quote: "Too many wines  -- I don't even have the time to taste the
ones I really want to taste!"
The Wines: I did not try all the wines – who could? What follows is an
eclectic selection based on my own perambulations and others'
suggestions. There were about 110 wineries, most with five wines each
(some more, some less).

 

**** Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Banfi Toscana IGT Centine 2006  -- $17.95 Charton Hobbs
-Fatt. Dei Barbi Brunello di Montalcino 2003 -- $49.95 Noble Estates
-Biondi Santi Brunello di Montalcino 2003 Biondi Santi Tenuta Greppo --
$150  Symposium Imports
-Castello di Neve Barbaresco Riserva Santo Stefano 2003 - $59 Brunello
Imports
-Feudi di San Marzano Primitivo di Manduria Sessantanni 2005 - $35
Barrique Wine Imports
-Marchesi Antinori Bolgheri Il Bruciato 2006 - $27.95 Halpern
-Santa Barbara Salento IGT Barbaglio 2002 Puglia - $16.95 Vergina
-Villa Calcinaia Chianti Classico Villa Calcinaia Riserva 2005 - $33
Frati Estates

 

***1/2 Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Banfi Sant'Antimo Excelsus 2004 -- Charton Hobbs
-Fatt. Dei Barbi Brunello di Montalcino Vigna del Fiore 2003 -- $84.95
Noble Estates
-Biondi Santi Brunello di Montalcino 2003 Villa Poggio Salvi -- $60
Symposium Imports
-Fatt. Di Casalbosco Toscana IGT Orchidea 2006 – 15 Euros FOB
-Castello di Neve Barbaresco 2005 - $22.95  Vintages Jan 2009
-Fontanafredda Barolo Serralunga d'Alba 2004 - $38.95 Jan Vintages
Noble Estates
-Fontanafredda Barbaresco Coste Rubin 2005 - $48.90
-Marchesi Antinori Bolgheri Superiore Guado al Tasso 2005 - $89
Vintages
-Marchesi Fumanelli Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico 2004 - $64
Halpern
-Marchesi Fumanelli Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico Riserva
Octavius 2003 - $125 Halpern
-Tenuta S.Antonio Valpolicella Monti Garbi Ripasso 2005 - $21.95
Prevedello & Mathews
-Tenuta S.Antonio Valpolicella Amarone Campo dei Gigli 2004 - $21.95
Prevedello & Mathews
-Cant. Tudernum Sagrantino di Montefalco 2004 - $43 Connexion
Oenophilia
-Viticola Toscana Chianti Classico Riserva Vigna Casi Castello di
Meleto 2005 - $33 J. Hanna

 

*** Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Batasiolo Barolo 2004 -- $31 Majestic Wine Cellars
-Marca Trevigiana Prosecco Extra Dry 2007 -- $18.95 Majestic Wine
Cellars
-Ca'dei Mandorli Piemonte Spumante Brut Rosato 2007 - $16.95 
B.Cojocaru
-Castello di Neve Barbaresco Santo Stefano 2005 - $45  Brunello Imports
-Castello di Verduna Barbaresco "Rabaja" 2003 - $52.50 30.50 Imports
-Marchesi Antinori Umbria IGT Ramito del Cervo Chardonnay 2007 - $27
Halpern
-Marchesi Antinori Chianti Classico Peppolo 2006 - $21.95 Halpern
-Marchesi Mazzei Toscana IGT Poggio alla Badiola 2006 - $15 Vintages
-Marchesi Mazzei Sicilia IGT Zisola 2007 Nero d'avola - $21.95 Vintages
-Nino Franco Valdobbiadene Spumante Prosecco Rive di San Floriano Brut
2007 - $30 Rogers & Co
-Roncolato Antonio Amarone Valpolicella 2005 - $43.85 Vintages
-Ruffino Toscana IGT Il Ducale 2005 - $19.80 +27797
-San Felice Chianti Classico San Felice 2006 - $21 J Hanna
-San Felice Toscana Vigorello 2003 - $60 J Hanna
-Cant. Tudernum Umbria IGT Rojano 2005 - $25.95 Connexion Oenophilia
-Villa Calcinaia Chianti Classico Villa Calcinaia Casara 2004 - $37.95
Frati Estates
-Viticola Toscana Chianti Classico Riserva Pieve di Spaltenna 2004 -
$25 J. Hanna

 

The Food: buffet style, roast beef, salmon, pasta, cheeses, canolli.
The Downside: it was a huge show, with a lot of people, which made it
hard to get through to the wines I wanted. Also, the seminar started 30
minutes late; I used the time to peruse the catalogue.
The Upside: the seminar was on the Sagrantino di Montefalco grape which
was resurrected from oblivion (less than 5 hectares) thirty years ago.
Profile of blueberry, blackberry, and anise tones. Priced at 9 to 18
Euros FOB. There were six wines in the seminar, and another six in the
wider tasting.
The Contact Person: benedetta.marassi.toronto@ice.it
The Marketing Effectiveness (numerical grade): 84.

 

 

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