New German Wine Releases tasted at George Brown College, Aug 17, 2010

The Time and Date: Tuesday, August 17, 2010  1:30 – 3 PM

The Event: New German wine releases with Bob Blumer

The Venue: George Brown College Chef School restaurant

The Target Audience: media, LCBO product consultants.

The Availability/Catalogue: 13 new German wines are (or will be) on the LCBVO shelves this coming season, with the first batch out at Vintages on Aug 21. All of the wines except for two were Riesling.

The Quote/Background: Bob Blumer led a demonstration of Ahi sno-cones (tuna tartar served in a crispy wonton cone). Unfortunately, his mike did not always work and he was hard to hear.

The Wines:

 

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

-Balthasar Ress Hattenheimer Nussbrunnen Riesling Spatlese 1997, $21.95, +160762 Vintages

-Fritz Allendorf Winkeler Hasensprung Riesling Kabinett 2008, $16.95, +160747 Vintages

 

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

-Nik. Weis Urban Riesling 2008, +184051 LCBO

-J Kollmann Vinum Germania Riesling QbA 2008, $12.95, +161745 Vintages

-RK Kesselstatt Riesling QbA 2008, $14.95 +733295 Vintages

-Becker-Steinhauer Veldenzer Kirchberg Riesling Kabinette 2008, $15.95, +161786 Vintages

-L Guntrum Niersteiner Bergkirche Riesling Kabinette 2008, $15.95, +160671 Vintages

 

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

-Graf Schonborn Hallburger Schlossberg Kabinett Trocken 2008, $18.95, +70953 Vintages

-J Kollmann Vinum Germania Pinot Noir QbA 2008, $14.95, +161752 Vintages

-Werner Anselmann Huxelrebe Auslese 2007, $14.95, +681445 Vintages.

-Schmitt Sohn Funf German Riesling, +175026 LCBO October

-F.W. Langguth Black Slate Riesling QbA 2009 Mosel, +176917, $10.95 Fall LCBO

-Carl Reh Riesling Kabinette 2008, $12.95, LCBO

 

The Food: served by George Brown students. At the pinot noir table, there were filet mignon sliders with caramelized onion marmalade. With sylvaner, there were sugar and spice pecans. The sweet wine table had three types of cheese, including fabulous aged Gouda from Thunder Bay Cheese. The two Riesling table wines were accompanied by coconut shrimp lollypops and ahi sno-cones. First rate matches.

The Downside: it was crowded because two of the five tables were mostly inaccessible -- the food was in the way and there was too much wine being poured at these dry Riesling tables (9 of the 13 wines were here). The layout could have been modified.

The Upside: some really good wines were on display, carefully matched with the food.

The Contact Person: ted@androscom.com

The Marketing Effectiveness (numerical grade): 89.

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com AND http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com