18th annual Gourmet Food & Wine Expo Nov 16/12

The Date and Time: Friday, November 16, 2012 2PM to 4PM
The Event: 18th annual Gourmet Food & Wine Expo
The Venue: Metro Toronto Convention Centre
The Target Audience: consumers
The Availability/Catalogue: just about all wines are available through
their agents or trade associates.
The Quote/Background: I usually go on Thursday night with the VIPs, but
in the past few years at that time, it had gotten so dark, so noisy and
so crowded, I thought I'd try early Friday afternoon instead. Wow, what
a difference. I could actually see my wine and hear the agent's spiel!!
I usually go to taste the New York wines plus a handful of others at
the Intervin Tasting Lounge.
The Wines: I did not try all the wines at the show. These are the New
York wines I did try, out of 27 (24 were gold medalists) --

**** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Sheldrake Point Gewurztraminer 2011 Finger Lakes, $21.95 Classique

***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price
Rating terms):
-Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars Semi-Dry Riesling 2011
Finger Lakes, $19 Hobbs & Co
-Hosmer winery Medium Riesling 2011 Finger Lakes, $20
-Keuka Spring Vineyards Semi-Sweet Riesling 2011 Finger Lakes, $21.10
-Thirsty Owl Dry Riesling 2011, $16.90
-Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars Muscat Ottonel 2011 Finger
Lakes, $23.40 Hobbs & Co
-Martha Clara Vineyards Chardonnay Estate Reserve 2010 Long Island,
$24.85
-Ventosa Vineyards Cabernet Franc 2009 Finger Lakes, $31.55
-Clovis Point Vintner's Select Merlot 2007 Long Island, $45.20

*** GOOD -- Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Lieb Cellars Pinot Blanc 2010 Long Island, $27.40
-Thirsty Owl Pinot Gris 2011 Finger Lakes, $16.90
-Paumanok Vineyards Chardonnay Un-Oak Festival 2011, $26.45
-Bouquet Wines Cabernet Franc 2010 Long Island, $33
-Osprey Dominion Reserve Merlot 2007 Long Island, $31.90 +271692
Vintages
-Bedell Cellars Taste Red 2010 Long Island, $43.25
-Freedom Run Winery Meritage 2010 Niagara Escarpment, $40.80

…and these are all the other wines I tasted:

***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price
Rating terms):
-Alpine Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2011 Marlborough NZ, $14.95 +241810
-Ktima Vourvoukell [organic] Limnio Red 2011, $35 Pontos Imports
-G. Lorentz Riesling Reserve 2010, $17 Amethyst
-Quinta de Baixo Tinto Colheita 2008, $15 Amethyst
-Southbank Chardonnay 2010 NZ, $18 Amethyst
-Rokand Tissier et Fils Sancerre 2011, $20.95 +108514

*** GOOD -- Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Brancott Letter Series B Sauvignon Blanc 2011 Marlborough, $19.95
+278689
-Finca Nueva White Barrel Fermented 2010 Rioja, +292763, $15.95
-Ataraxia Sauvignon Blanc Hermanus South Africa 2009, +282814, $17.95
-Ktima Vourvoukell [organic] Roditis White 2011, $35 Pontos Imports
-Ktima Vourvoukell [organic] Avdiros Rose 2011, $35 Pontos Imports
-Naveran Perles Roses Cava Cuvee Antonia 2009, $19.95 +286435
-Naveran Dama de Naveran Cava 2010, $17.95 +293946
-Dufouleur Cremant de Bourgogne 2008, +207993, $17.40
-Domaine Raoul Gautherin Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons 2008, $29.95 +159236

The Contact Person: nywine@ketchin.com and www.foodandwineexpo.ca
The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade):
84.

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com