Trivento Wines at Select Wines' Toronto office

6. The Date and Time: Thursday, November 17, 2011  Noon to 1 PM

The Event: A one-on-one Trivento wine tasting and discussion with their winemaker, German di Cesare.

The Venue: agency offices, Select Wines, Queen Street East

The Target Audience: me (and other lifestyle and wine writers in an hourly rotation)

The Avail ability/Catalogue: all wines tasted are available (or will be) through the LCBO.

The Quote/Background: German is responsible for the premium wines at Trivento, the winery named after three winds that blow through the Mendoza. He took me through the principal vineyards that the company has, commenting on each and on what grapes are best grown where. We sampled wines with and without food. The premium ranges include Golden Reserve, Coleccion Fincas, and Armado Sur. We also tasted General List wines, including a Fair Trade Malbec.

The Wines:

 

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

-Trivento Golden Reserve Chardonnay 2009, Vintages +243220, $18.95

 

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

-Trivento Malbec Fair Trade 2011, +160994 LCBO, $9.95 (80 yr old vines)

-Trivento Amado Sur 2009 (Malbec, bonarda, syrah), +37036 Vintages, $15 (Jan 7, 2012)

-Trivento Coleccion Fincas No. 2 Serie Syrah 2007, +269217 Vintages, $16.95 (May 26, 2012)

-Trivento Golden Reserve Malbec 2008, +588731 Vintages, $19.95

 

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

-Trivento Tribu Malbec 2011, +145284 LCBO, $8.95

 

The Food: pates, cheese, fruit, breads, crackers, charcuterie.

The Downside: it was the first of three tastings today.

The Upside: a chance to speak with German di Cesare.

The Contact Person: lucus@selectwines.ca

The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 90.

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