5-Star Tasting of Ontario PN, CF, Chard, Riesling and Sparklers at Casa Loma April 10

The Date and Time: Wednesday, April 10, 2013   6Pm to 9PM

The Event: 5 Stars: Toronto's First-Ever Tasting to focus solely on Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Franc, and Sparklers, put together by the Ontario Wine Society and the Kiwanis Club of Casa Loma.

The Venue: Casa Loma

The Target Audience: members and guests of both organizations.

The Availability/Catalogue: all wines were available for purchase from the wineries.

The Quote/Background: the wine media were invited to the Billiards Room for a private tasting of all the wines.

The Wines: there were over 30 wineries and about 130 wines; I did not taste all the wines. All wines tasted were VQA.

 

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

-Bachelder Niagara Chardonnay 2010, $29.95 LCBO only

-Bachelder Niagara Saunder's Chardonnay 2010, $44.95 LCBO only

-Coyote's Run Rare Vintage Pinot Noir 2010, $49.95

-Flatrock Cellars Rusty Shed Chardonnay 2010, $25.15

-Henry Of Pelham Speck Family Reserve Chardonnay 2010, $35

-Rockway Glen Small Lot Reserve Chardonnay 2011, $18.95

-Southbrook Whimsy Lot 20 Chardonnay 2010, $34.95

-Stoney Ridge Excellence Chardonnay 2010, $27.95

-Tawse Quarry Road Vineyard Chardonnay 2010, $34.95

 

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

-13^th Street Cuvee 13 Rose Sparkling, $24.95

-By Chadsey's Cairns Riesling VQA PEC 2011, $23.20

-Calamus StarStruck Sparkling 100% Pinot noir 2011, $26.95

-Calamus Vinemount Ridge Riesling 2011, $16.20.

-Coyote's Run Black Paw Vineyard Pinot Noir 2011, $29.95

-Coyote's Run Red Paw Vineyard Pinot Noir 2011, $24.95

-Coyote's Run Pinot Noir 2011, $19.95

-Flatrock Cellars Riddled Sparkling 2008, $25.20

-Flatrock Cellars Estate Chardonnay 2009, $17.15

-Flatrock Cellars Gravity Pinot Noir 2010, $30.15

-Flatrock Cellars Nadja's Vineyard Riesling 2010, $20.15

-GreenLane Old Vines Riesling 2010, $29.95 LCBO only

-Henry Of Pelham Speck Family Reserve Pinot Noir 2007, $40

-Henry Of Pelham Cuvee Catherine Carte Blanche Sparkling, $44.95

-Hidden Bench Estate Chardonnay 2010, $32.20

-Hidden Bench Estate Pinot Noir 2010, $38.20

-Hidden Bench Estate Riesling 2011, $24.20

-Huff Cuvee Peter H. Huff Sparkling 2007, $40

-Huff Riesling Off-Dry 2011, $18

-Keint-he Chardonnay 2009, $20

-Keint-he Pinot Noir Little Creek – Benway 2009, $35

-Keint-he Pinot Noir Little Creek – Closson 2009, $29

-Lailey Cabernet Franc 2010, $25.20

-Lighthall Pinot Noir 2011, $25

-Niagara College Dean's List Pinot Noir 2009, $25.15

-Niagara College Dean's List Cabernet Franc 2010, $28.15

-Niagara College Semi-Dry Riesling 2010, $14.15

-Pondview Cabernet Franc 2010, $30.15

-Rockway Glen Small Lot Reserve Cabernet Franc, $23.95

-Southbrook Triomphe Chardonnay 2011, $21.95

-Stanners Chardonnay 2010, $25

-Stoney Ridge Excellence Pinot Noir 2010, $29.95

-Tawse Sketches of Niagara Chardonnay 2011, $19.95

-Tawse Van Bers Vineyard Cabernet Franc 2009, $49.95

 

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

-13^th Street June's Vineyard Chardonnay 2011, $21.95

-By Chadsey's Cairns Riesling VQA PEC 2009, $19.20

-Casa Dea Riesling 2011, $16.95

-Cornerstone Riesling 2012, $17

-Coyote's Run Unoaked Chardonnay 2011, $14.95

-Flatrock Cellars Estate Pinot Noir 2010, $20.15

-Grange of PEC GPE Estate Pinot Noir 2009, $16.95

-Grange of PEC GPE Estate Riesling 2009, $14.95

-Grange of PEC GPE Estate Chardonnay 2011, $15.95

-GreenLane Chardonnay 2010, $21.95

-GreenLane Estate Riesling 2011, $15.95

-GreenLane Unoaked Chardonnay 2011, $17.95

-Henry of Pelham Speck Family Reserve Riesling 2008, $30

-Huff Cuvee Janine Sparkling Rose 2010, $30

-Huff Pinot Noir 2011, $25

-Huff South Bay Chardonnay 2010, $30

-Huff South Bay Rose 2011, $18

-Niagara College Unoaked Chardonnay 2011, $15.15

-Southbrook Triomphe Cabernet Franc 2010, $23.95

-Stanners Pinot Noir 2010, $30

-Stanners Cabernet Franc 2009, $22

-Stanners Riesling 2011, $23

-Stoney Ridge Excellence Cabernet Franc 2009, $29.95

-Strewn Chardonnay Amalgam Terroir 2008, $23.15

-Sugarbush Riesling 2011, $17

-Sugarbush Pinot Noir 2010, $19

-Sugarbush Chardonnay 2011, $20

-Sugarbush Cabernet Franc 2011, $20

-Vineland Elevation Chardonnay, $19.95

-Tawse Quarry Road Vineyard Riesling 2012, $21.95

-Tawse Grower's Blend Pinot Noir 2010, $26.95

 

The Food: grilled Italian style veggies (peppers, eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, etc.), tomatoes and calamari, mussels and salami, prosciutto, breads.

The Downside: the lighting in the Billiards room was subdued and more appropriate for snooker than for tasting wines.

The Upside: a great opportunity to chat/taste with winemakers/owners.

The Contact Person: sdarby@rogers.com

The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 89.

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com