New Wines of Greece Trade show, May 13/13, notes --

The Date and Time: Monday, May 13, 2013  11AM to 2 PM

The Event: New Wines of Greece trade show

The Venue: Skin + Bones Wine Bar

The Target Audience: wine trade

The Availability/Catalogue: all wines are available through the agents or at the LCBO in the case of listings.

The Quote/Background: It was a self-pour function, with wines laid out in seven tables, about 6 – 7 apiece, mostly based by grape varieties. There was a meal with three other wines per course, we had had earlier at the self-pour tables, plus three sweet wines and s sparkler at the beginning.

The Wines: agents are listed in parentheses; prices were normally not given.

 

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

-Sigalas Santorini Barrel 2011 (Kolonaki)

-Biblia Chora Ovilos White 2011 (Kolonaki)

-Nico Lazaridi Chateau White 2011 (Vergina)

-Antonopoulos Private Collection red 2006 Mavro/Merlot (Kolonaki)

-Papaioannou Estate Nemea Agiorgitiko 2007 (Kolonaki)

-Monemvassia 300 Red 2005 (Celebrity)

-Alpha Estate Red 2008 Syrah/Xinomavro (Eurovintage)

 

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

-Monemvassia Kydonitsa 2011 (Celebrity)

-Boutari Moschofilero 2011 (Kolonaki)

-Gerovassiliou Malagousia 2012 (Kolonaki)

-Sigalas Santorini 2012 (Kolonaki)

-Gaia Wines Wild Ferment Assyrtiko 2012 (Small Winemakers)

-Gerovassiliou Estate White Malagousia 2012 (Kolonaki)

-Costa Lazaridi Amythystos White Sauvignon Blanc 2012 (Dionysus)

-Hatzimichalis Chardonnay 2011 (Dionysus)

-Tsantali Rapsami Red 2010 (Churchill)

-Gaia Wines Agiorgitiko 2011 (Small Winemakers)

-Tselepos Driopi Reserve 2008 (Kolonaki)

-Kir Yianni Ramnista 2009 (Kolonaki)

-Kir Yianni Akakies 2009 (Kolonaki)

 

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

-Tsantali Makedonikos White 2011 (Churchill)

-Skouras Cuvee Prestige White 2012 (Kolonaki)

-Mediterra Xerolithia 2012 (Kolonaki)

-Spiropoulos Mantinia 2011 (Rubaiyat)

-Tselepos Mantinia 2012 (Kolonaki)

-GWC Apelia White 2012 (Dionysus)

-Boutari Malagouzia Matsa 2011 (Kolonaki)

-Santo Wines Assyrtiko Santorini 2011 (Churchill)

-Argyros Estate White 2011 (Kolonaki)

-Papaioannou Chardonnay 2011 (Kolonaki)

-Nico Lazaridi Chateau Rose 2012 (Vergina) $15.95

-Mediterra Mirambelo 2010 (Kolonaki)

-Nico Lazaridi Chateau Red 2009 (Vergina) $15.95

-Hatzimichalis Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 (Dionysus)

-Katogi-Strofilia Averoff Red 2008 (Vergina)

-Skouras St. George Nemea 2010 (Kolonaki)

-GWC Apelia Agiorgitiko 2010 (Dionysus)

-Thymiopoulos Young Vines Naoussa 2011 (Victory)

-Thymiopoulos Uranos Naoussa 2010 (Victory)

-Karydas Naoussa 2008 (Kolonaki)

-Katogi-Strofilia Naoussa 2007 (Vergina)

 

The Food: platters of hot appetizers, including steak tartare and mushrooms and off-dry rice balls. Plus lunch with three wines per course. First course was BC side shrimp salad with a spicy relish, followed by grilled trout with a white bean ragout, and then a flat iron steak with carrots and potatoes. Dessert (which I missed) was a sticky toffee pudding.

The Downside: I had to leave for another wine tasting (see below), so I skipped dessert and the three dessert wines (Vinsanto, Muscat)

The Upside: I loved the self-pour idea; it got away from agent/principal  pressures.

The Contact Person: gathanas@allaboutgreekwine.com

The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 92

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com