Somewhereness Ontario wines, April 16, 2013

The Date and Time: Tuesday, April 16, 2013   Noon to 4 PM

The Event: Somewhereness: old soils, new wines.

The Venue: MaRS Discovery District

The Target Audience: wine trade

The Availability/Catalogue: all wines are available at the winery, and a few at the LCBO. Cave Spring was listed as Cave Springs.

The Quote/Background: Twelve wineries (two from PEC) brought their wines for the fifth annual Somewhereness Event (three times at MaRS, once at St. Lawrence Mkt, and once at TIFF). One wine producer told me: "I have to check to see if the wine is corked, otherwise I check to see if it is screwed."

The Wines: I did not taste all the wines. Prices are RETAIL.

 

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

-Hinterland Wine Company Les Etoiles 2009 MT, $39

-Hinterland Wine Company Rose 2010 MT, $37

-Southbrook Vineyards Whimsy! "Damy" Chardonnay, $34.75

-Charles Baker Picone Vineyard Riesling 2011, $35

-Stratus Vineyards Red 2009, $44

-Stratus Vineyards Tollgate Fume Blanc 2009, $24.95

-Stratus Vineyards Tollgate Chardonnay 2011, $24.95

-13^th Street Winery 13 Sauvignon Blanc 2011 [wooded], $18.95

-Flat Rock Cellars 2009 Chardonnay, $16.95

-Tawse Winery 2010 Lauritzen Vineyard Pinot Noir, $44.95

-Bachelder Niagara Saunders Vineyard Chardonnay 2010, $44.95

 

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

-Norman Hardie Wines Riesling 2011, $21

-Norman Hardie Wines County Chardonnay 2011, $35

-Norman Hardie Wines Pinot Noir 2009 Niagara, $39

-Hinterland Wine Company Whitecap 2012 M Charmat, $22

-Southbrook Vineyards Whimsy! "Sirugue" Chardonnay, $34.75

-Southbrook Vineyards Triomphe Chardonnay 2012, $21.75

-Southbrook Vineyards Whimsey! Cabernet Franc "101", $34.75

-Southbrook Vineyards Triomphe Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, $23.75

-Charles Baker Picone Vineyard Riesling 2010, $35

-Charles Baker Ivan Vineyard Riesling 2012, $27

-Charles Baker Ivan Vineyard Riesling 2011, $35

-Stratus Vineyards Meritage 2009, $48

-13^th Street Winery 13 Pinot Noir 2011, $21.95

-13^th Street Winery Cuvee 13 Rose NV, $24.95

-Flat Rock Cellars 2012 Riesling, $16.95

-Flat Rock Cellars Gravity 2010, $29.95

-Cave Spring Cellars NV Brut Dolomite, $24.95

-Cave Spring Cellars 2009 Riesling CSV Estate Bottled, $29.95

-Cave Spring Cellars 2008 Chardonnay CSV Estate Bottled, $29.95

-Cave Spring Cellars 2011 Riesling "The Adam Steps" Estate Bottled, $24.95

-Tawse Winery Quarry Road Riesling 2012, $23.95

-Tawse Winery Van Ber's Cabernet Franc 2009, $49.95

-Malivoire Wine Company M2 Small Lot Chardonnay, $19.75

-Malivoire Wine Company Moira Chardonnay 2009, $39.75

-Malivoire Wine Company 2011 Courtney Gamay, $29.75

-Bachelder Niagara Chardonnay 2010, $29.95

-Hidden Bench Vineyards & Winery Estate Chardonnay 2010, $32

-Hidden Bench Vineyards & Winery Terroir Cache Red Meritage 2009, $32.75

-Hidden Bench Vineyards & Winery Estate Pinot Noir 2010, $38

 

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

-Norman Hardie Wines County Pinot Noir 2011, $35

-Southbrook Vineyards Whimsy! Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, $34.75

-Stratus Vineyards Wildass Rose 2012, $19.75

-Stratus Vineyards Syrah 2010, $48

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

-13^th Street Winery Chardonnay Sandstone Reserve 2011 Four Mile Creek, $34.95.

-Flat Rock Cellars 2012 Unplugged Chardonnay, $16.95

-Flat Rock Cellars 2010 Pinot Noir, $19.95

-Flat Rock Cellars 2011 Nadja's Vineyard Riesling, $19.95

-Cave Spring Cellars 2009 Pinot Noir Estate Bottled

-Cave Spring Cellars 2009 Cabernet Franc Dolomite, $21.95

-Tawse Winery Quarry Road Gewurztraminer 2012, $24.95

-Tawse Winery Quarry Road Chardonnay 2010, $36.95

-Tawse Winery Quarry Road Pinot Noir 2010, $34.95

-Tawse Winery Cabernet Merlot 2011, $20.95

-Malivoire Wine Company M2 Small Lot Gamay 2011, $19.75

-Malivoire Wine Company 2012 Pinot Gris, $19.95

-Malivoire Wine Company 2009 Small Lot Pinot Noir, $29.75

 

The Food: Best Baa Dairy, Monforte Dairy (cow, water buffalo, sheep), Upper Canada Cheese Company, Fat Chance Hand Sliced Cold Smoked Salmon Co., and Pingue meats from Gastrohomestead.

The Downside: it partially conflicted with a Malbec tasting (see below)

The Upside: the first hour was for the media, and we took advantage of no crowds to talk to the wineries.

The Contact Person: somewhereness@gmail.com

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

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com