Sept 21, 2010: Tasting 180 VQA Ontario wines at the AGO.

 The Time and Date: Tuesday, September 21, 2010   1PM to 4PM

The Event: Vintages Presents Taste Ontario!

The Venue: AGO, Baillie Court

The Target Audience: wine trade

The Availability/Catalogue: some items are at the LCBO, but most are sold only at the winery.

The Quote/Background: 47 wineries presented some 180 wines.

The Wines: Most of the wines were white. There were only a handful of wines from Prince Edward County (six wineries presented) and only two wineries from the west (Colio, from Lake Erie North Shore, and Pelee Island Winery). All wines, of course, were VQA. I did not taste more than half the wines, concentrating on whites and a few select reds. No sparklers, no dessert wines. Prices quoted below are licensee prices.

 

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

-Calamus Gewurztraminer 2009, $14.35

-Cave Spring Riesling CSV 2008 Beamsville Bench, $25.12

-Cave Spring Chardonnay CSV 2007 Beamsville Beanch, $25.12

-Creekside Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2007 Creek Shores, $22.58

-Fielding Estate White Conception 2009, $18.08

-Henry of Pelham Chardonnay Barrel Fermented 2007, $16.61

-Hidden Bench Estate Chardonnay 2007 Beamsville Bench, Vintages this Fall, $29.95

-Le Clos Jordanne Talon Ridge Chardonnay 2008 Vinemount Ridge, $31.07

-Le Clos Jordanne Le Grand Clos Chardonnay 2008 Twenty Mile Bench, $54.71

-Ridgepoint Gewurztraminer 2008 Twenty Mile Bench, $14.75

-Chateau des Charmes Old Vines Riesling 2007, $13.65

-Chateau des Charmes Equuleus Paul Bosc Estate Vineyard 2007 St. David's Bench, $32.46

-Konzelmann Gewurztraminer Late Harvest 2008, $16.21

-Pelee Island Winery Pinot Gris Vendage Tardive 2008 Pelee Island, $15.24

-Closson Chase S. Kocsis Vineyard Chardonnay 2007 Beamsville Bench, $42.89

-Closson Chase Vineyard CCV Chardonnay South Clos 2008 PEC, $39

 

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

-Alvento Winery Vio 2007, $21.75.

-Alvento Winery Elige 2005, $20.89

-Angels Gate Winery KEW Sauvignon Blanc 2009 Beamsville, $12.51

-Calamus Pinot Gris 2009, $13.51

-Fielding Estate Syrah 2007, $42.88

-Kacaba Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 Twenty Mile Bench, $37.95

-Malivoire Chardonnay 2008 Beamsville Bench, $33.56

-Peninsula Ridge Fume Blanc 2008, $21.06

-Rosewood Estates Chardonnay Reserve Renaceau Estate 2008 Beamsville Bench, $21.11

-Tawse Echos Chardonnay 2008, $16.84

-Thirty Bench Chardonnay 2007 Beamsville Bench, $25.33

-Thirty Bench Red 2008 Beamsville Bench, $20.27

-Vineland Estates Riesling St. Urban Vineyard 2008, $16.88

-Cattail Creek Estate Bottled Chardonnay Musque 2009 Four Mile Creek, $14.35

-Cattail Creek Estate Bottled Fume Blanc 2009 Four Mile Creek, $21.10

-Chateau des Charmes Chardonnay Musque 2008, $13.65

-Inniskillin Winemaker's Series Montague Vineyard Chardonnay 2008 Four Mile Creek, $15.83

-Inniskillin Legacy Series Cabernet Franc 2007, $33.56

-Inniskillin Legacy Series Riesling 2008, $25.12

-Jackson-Triggs Proprietors' Grand Reserve White Meritage 2008, $20.90 Vintages Nov 13

-Lailey Chardonnay Brickyard Vineyard 2008 Niagara River, $25.33

-Peller Estates Andrew Peller Signature Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, $32.08

-Ravine Vineyard Reserve Red 2007 St. David's Bench, $52.48

-Stratus White 2006, $37.15

-Stratus Red 2006, $37.15

-Closson Chase Vineyard Sans Chene Chardonnay 2009 Prince Edward County, $23.86

-Norman Hardie Unfiltered County Chardonnay 2008 PEC, $29.55

-Norman Hardie Unfiltered Pinot Noir 2008 Ontario, $32.93

-Norman Hardie Unfiltered Chardonnay Cuvee L 2008 Ontario, $41.37

-Rosehall Run Chardonnay Rosehall Vineyard 2008 PEC, $25.12

 

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

-Calamus Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 Lincoln Lakeshore, $19.42

-Creekside Estate Laura Red 2007, $18.36

-Creekside Reserve Shiraz 2007 St. David's Bench, $31.03

-Flat Rock Nadja's Vineyard Riesling 2009 Twenty Mile Bench, $16.84

-Henry of Pelham Cabernet Merlot Reserve 2007 Short Hills Bench, $20.90

-Rosewood Estates Riesling Reserve Renaceau Estate 2008 Beamsville Bench, $21.11

-Tawse Echos Riesling 2009, $13.42

-Coyote's Run Estate Black Paw Vineyard Chardonnay 2008 Four Mile Creek, $18.36

-Ravine Vineyard Chardonnay 2008, $22.90.

-Southbrook Whimsy! Chardonnay 2008, $24.95

-Huff Estates South Bay Chardonnay 2008 PEC, $21.33

-Grange of Prince Edward Vineyards Victoria Block Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2007 PEC, $29.38

-Norman Hardie Unfiltered County Pinot Noir 2008 PEC, $29.55

-Trius Riesling 2008, $11.86

-Pondview Barrel Fermented Barrel Aged Chardonnay 2009 Four Mile Creek, $21.11

-Konzelmann Pinot Grigio Reserve 2009, $16.22

-Vineland Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2008, $14.31

-Thirty Bench Riesling 2009 Beamsville Bench, $15.61

-Kacaba Riesling 2009 Twenty Mile Bench, $15.61

-Creekside Butler's Grant Vineyard Riesling 2008 Twenty Mile Bench, $13.30

-Alvento Elige 2007, $25.12

 

The Food: artisanal cheeses and breads, plus small sandwiches (chicken club, grilled cheese, pastrami, pulled pork) with assorted condimenti.

The Downside: it was mostly a Niagara event, so there was little exposure to wines from outside that region.

The Upside: a quality setting, with correct banners indicating the wines and lots of spit buckets.

The Contact Person: magdalena@winesofontario.org

The Marketing Effectiveness (numerical grade): 90.

 

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