The Event: Wines from Greece Road Show 2009, May 12, 2009

The Time and Date:  Tuesday, May 12, 2009  11AM to 4 PM

The Event: Wines from Greece Road Show 2009

The Venue: Metropolitan Toronto Hotel

The Target Audience: wine trade and press

The Availability/Catalogue: availability varied. The wine catalogue for the show was nicely laid out, but as usual, there were wines missing or additions not listed, and prices were not given.

The Quote/Background: John Szabo MS and Tara Thomas (Wine & Spirits Magazine) co-led a 10 wine seminar, with input from attending winemakers. The seminar was completely full. Nevertheless, this is the fourth (I think) time that a general introduction was presented. It makes sense to move on to just one region or one grape or one year, for comparisons.

The Wines:

 

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

-Skouras Nemea Grande Cuvee 2006, $29.95

-Parparoussis Muscat Rio Patras 2005

-Boutari Reserve Naoussa 2003, $15.95 LCBO

-Dom. Mercouri Cava 2004, $29.95

-Dom. Papagiannakos Vareli 2008 white, $23

-Tsantali Kanenas 2006, $19.90

 

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

-Skouras Cuvee Prestige Red 2008, $12.50

-Dom. Spiropoulos Porfyros 2005, $19.95

-Boutari Moschofilero 2008

-Gaia Thalassitis 2008

-Tsantali Rapsani Reserve 2005, $18.90

-Alpha Estate 2006, $45 Vintages

-Amyndeon Rose Sparkling 2007

-Dom. Gerovassiliou Avaton 2005, $40

-Katogi Averoff Estate 2004, $24.95

-Kir Yianni Paranga 2008, $14.50

-Dom. Mercouri 2006, $18.95

-Papaioannou Estate Nemea 2005, $20.95

-Dom. Sigalas Santorini Barrel 2008, $28

 

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

-Dom. Sigalas Santorini 2008, $20

-Cair Athiri of Rhodes 2008

-Papagiannakos Savatiano 2008, $17.95

-Spiropoulos Meliasto 2008

-Kir Yianni Ramnista 2005, $21.95.

-Alpha Estate White 2008, $28

-Oenoforos Mikros Vorias Chardonnay-Sauvignon Blanc 2008, $15.95

-Ktima Tselepos Amalia Brut NV, $25

-Ktima Tselepos Nemea Driopi 2006, $19.95.

 

The Food: lamb lollipops, hot roast beef, cheeses, shrimp, crab cakes, beef kabobs, lobster and tortilla chips, and the like.

The Downside: it was lightly attended, possibly because the LCBO Product Consultants did not come (conflict-of-interest rules). Also, there was no water on the trade floor.

The Upside: great food, sometimes exceeding the quality of the wines.

The Contact Person: sperpera@allaboutgreekwine.com

The Marketing Effectiveness (numerical grade): 89.

 

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com