Hobbs & Co Wine Merchants Annual Portfolio Tasting, April 25/13

The Date and Time: Thursday, April 25, 2013  1:30 PM to 4:30 PM

The Event: Hobbs & Co Wine Merchants Annual Portfolio tasting.

The Venue: Berkeley Street Church

The Target Audience: wine trade

The Availability/Catalogue: all wines are available through the usual distribution channels.

The Quote/Background: There were 14 winery representatives, from around the world. More than 100 producers are repped by Hobbs & Co. Here, they have linked with Sideroad Twenty Cellars (SR20), specializing in both Ontario and international boutique wines.

The Wines: I did not try every wine. Prices are RETAIL.

 

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

-Creekside Estate Winery Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2011 VQA Niagara Creek Shores, $26.75

-Creekside Estate Winery Broken Press Syrah 2008 VQA St. David's Bench, $39.75

-Quails' Gate Chardonnay 2010 Okanagan Valley, $20

-Quails' Gate Stewart Family Reserve Chardonnay 2010 Okanagan Valley, $33

-Plume Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 Napa, $35

-Arrowood Vineyards & Winery Sonoma County Reserve Speciale Chardonnay 2008, $49.85 +64543 Classics

-Talinray Chardonnay 2011 Chile, $30

-Vina Tabali Reserva Especial Syrah 2011 Limari, $19.95

-Gauchezco Malbec Oro 2008 Mendoza, $53

-Chateau Lyonnat Lussac-Saint Emilion 2009 PO

-Chateau Lyonnat "Emotion" Lussac-Saint Emilion 2010 PO

-Les Jamelles Syrah Essentiel 2011 Languedoc, $12.95

-Coto de Hayas Garnacha Centenaria 2011 Campo de Borja, $17 +94805 Vintages

 

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

-Sideroad Twenty Red Tractor Riesling Gewurz 2011 VQA Niagara, $13

-Creekside Estate Winery Reserve Viognier 2011 VQA Niagara, $30

-Creekside Estate Winery Backyard Block 2012 VQA Niagara, $18

-Featherstone Estate Winery Four Feathers 2012 VQA Twenty Mile Bench, $16.70

-Featherstone Black Sheep Riesling 2012 VQA Twenty Mile Bench, $18.55

-Coffin Ridge Into the Light White 2011 Grey County Ontario, $20.80

-Coffin Ridge Marquette 2011 Grey County, $25.75

-Quails' Gate Stewart Family Reserve Pinot Noir 2009 Okanagan Valley, $45

-Arrowood Vineyards & Winery Sonoma County Chardonnay 2009, $33

-Arrowood Vineyards & Winery Sonoma County Reserve Speciale Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, $99.95 +64568 Classics

-Boomtown Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 Washington, $26

-Vina Tabali Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2012 Limari, $14.95

-Vina Tabali Reserva Especial Chardonnay 2012 Limari, $14.95

-Talinay Pinot Noir 2011 Chile, $30

-Talinay Sauvignon Blanc 2012 Chile, $30

-Payen Syrah 2010 Chile, $65

-Gauchezco Torrontes 2011 Mendoza, $19

-Franschhoek Chenin Blanc 2012 South Africa, $15

-Hartenberg Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 Stellenbosch, $35

-Alpha Zeta Amarone 2009 Veneto, $52

-Chateau Gaudrelle Touraine Brut Rose NV Loire, $26

-Domaine Lafond Tavel Rose 2011, $24.50

-Chateau Roudier Montagne-Saint Emilion 2005, $27

-Chateau Lyonnat Lussac-Saint Emilion 2006, $19.95 +243774 Vintages

-Chateau Lyonnat Lussac-Saint Emilion 1971, magnum $350 PO

-Leitz Dragonstone Riesling 2012 Rheingau, $23 PO

-Les Jamelles Sauvignon Blanc Essentiel 2011 Languedoc, $12.95

-Les Jamelles Viognier Essentiel 2011 Languedoc, $12.95

-Domaine Fournier Sancerre 2011, $24.95

 

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

-Sideroad Twenty Reserve Chardonnay 2008 VQA Niagara, $20

-Sideroad Twenty Red Tractor Reserve Merlot 2008 VQA Niagara, $19

-Sideroad Twenty Meritage 2008 VQA Niagara Peninsula, $17.50

-Creekside Estate Winery Shiraz 2010 VQA Niagara Peninsula, $15.75 +117960

-Creekside Estate Winery Laura's Red 2010 VQA Niagara Peninsula, $19.95

-The Grange of PEC Estate Fume Blanc 2011 VQA PEC, $25

-The Grange of PEC Select Chardonnay 2009 VQA PEC, $17.50

-Quails' Gate Chenin Blanc 2012 Okanagan Valley, $20

-Quails' Gate Pinot Noir 2010 Okanagan Valley, $27

-Arrowood Vineyards & Winery Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, $37

-Sylvester Estate Winery Zinfandel 2007 Paso Robles, $18

-Valle Andino Carmenere Reserve Especiale 2011, $20.50

-Vina Tabali Reserva Pinot Noir 2012 Limari, $15.95

-Gauchezco Malbec Clasico 2009 Mendoza, $19

-Gauchezco Malbec Plata 2009 Mendoza, $35

-Hartenberg Shiraz 2007 Stellenbosch, $28.95

-Tinpot Hut Sauvignon Blanc 2011 Marlborough, $22

-Alpha Zeta Chardonnay 2012 Veneto, $16

-Gilbert Picq Chablis 2011, $28

-Domaine Francois Lichtle Pinot Gris 2011 Alsace, $22.50

-Milhade Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 Bordeaux, $15

-Leitz Out Riesling 2012 Rheingau, $23

-Leitz Kaisersteinfels Riesling 2012 Rheingau, $46  PO

 

The Food: cheese, Anna Hobbs' terrine, breads, crackers

The Contact Person: mhobbs@hobbswines.com

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

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com