Taste Napa Valley -- trade show at the ROM Oct 21/13

The Date and Time: Monday, October 21, 2013   1PM to 4:40 PM

The Event: Taste Napa Valley trade show (prelude to Napa Rocks)

The Venue: ROM

The Target Audience: wine trade

The Availability/Catalogue: some wines are here, others are available through private orders. The catalogue had "U.S. suggested retail" prices, probably listed that way to reduce sticker shock ? For example, a 2010 Merlot was listed at $225 US, but available in Ontario for a mere $420 Canadian. More details about the tour and the wines are at napavintners.com.

The Quote/Background: There was a trade seminar at 1PM in ROM's Glass Room, which was well-attended. The theme was about the aging of some of Napa's great cabernets. Five wineries poured older wines and their 2010s. I have folded my choices into the listing below.

The Wines: I did not taste every wine; there were over 90 of them.

 

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

-Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Private Reserve Napa, $140 US

-Black Stallion Cabernet Sauvignon Barrel Reserve Napa 2010, $175 CAN Select Wines

-Cain Five Red Blend 2004 Spring Mountain District NA? Rogers

-Grgich Hills Estate Chardonnay 2010 Napa, $42 US  Rogers

-Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon Trailside Vineyard Rutherford 2007, $70 US Lifford

-Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Napa 2010, $135 US Constellation

-St. Supery Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Dollarhide Estate 2010 Napa, $100 US  Von Terra

-Schramsberg Vineyards Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Napa 2010, $37 US The Vine

-Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select Stags Leap District 2003, NA?  Rogers

-Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select Stags Leap District 2009, NA?  Rogers

-Signorello Estate Chardonnay Hope's Cuvee Napa, 2011 $70 US Profile

-Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2008, $110 US  Halpern

-Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 2009, $70 US  Halpern

-Silverado Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District 1989, NA?  Kylix [my favourite of the show]

-Somerston Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 Napa, NA?  Profile

-Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon FAY Estate Napa 2010, $110 US Profile

-Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon SLV Estate Napa 2010, $125 US Profile

-Swanson Cabernet Sauvignon Alexis Napa 2009, $75 US Kylix

 

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

-Amuse Bouche Winery Merlot 2010 Rutherford, $420 CAN Le Sommelier

-Amuse Bouche Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 Au Sommet Atlas Peak, $425 CAN Le Sommelier

-Amuse Bouche Winery Red Blend Vin Perdu Napa 2011, $195 CAN Le Sommelier

-Beringer Red Blend Quantum 2010 Napa, $60 US

-Black Stallion Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2010, $65 US Select Wines

-Blackbird Vineyards Red Blend 2010 Paramour Napa, $125 US  Terra Firma

-Cain Five Red Blend 2008 Spring Mountain District, $125 US Rogers

-Cain Concept Red Blend 2008 The Benchland Napa, $60 US Rogers

-Cakebread Cabernet Sauvignon Dancing Bear Ranch Howell Mountain 2010, $110 US

-Cakebread Chardonnay 2011 Napa, $36 US

-Ceja Vineyards Chardonnay Los Carneros 2010, $34

-Frank Family Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Rutherford 2009, $85 US  DaCappo

-Frank Family Chardonnay 2012 Napa, $34.75 US DaCappo

-Freemark Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 Napa, $39.95 Cons B & W Wines

-La Jota Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 Howell Mountain, $87.95 +659755

-Grgich Hills Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 Napa, $60 US  Rogers

-Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Kathryn Hall Napa, $125 US  Woodman

-Hall Merlot Napa, $30 US  Woodman

-Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2007, $45 US Lifford

-Long Meadow Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2009, $47 US   Tradesa Corp

-Long Meadow Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2005, NA?   Tradesa Corp

-Peju Zinfandel Napa 2009, $30 US Le Sommelier

-Quintessa Red Blend Rutherford 2009, $145 US  Rogers

-St. Supery Estate Red Blend 2010 Estate Elu Napa, $75 US  Von Terra

-Schramsberg Vineyards Brut Rose Sparkling Napa 2009, $42 US The Vine

-Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon One Point Five Stags Leap District 2010, $70 US  Rogers

-Shafer Chardonnay Red Shoulder Ranch Los Carneros 2011, $50 US  Rogers

-Silverado Cabernet Sauvignon SOLO Stags Leap District 2009, NA?  Kylix

-Silverado Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Napa 2009, $45 US  Kylix

-Somerston Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 Napa, $48 US  Profile

-Spring Mountain Red Blend Elivette Spring Mountain District 2009, $125 US Mani

-Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain District 2009, $75 US Mani

-Staglin Family Cabernet Sauvignon Staglin Family Vineyard Rutherford 2009, $185 US Prevedello & Mathews

-Staglin Family Chardonnay 2010 Napa, $75 US Prevedello & Mathews

-Twomey Cellars Merlot 2009 Napa, $50 US Halpern

 

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

-Cakebread Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2010, $60 US

-Long Meadow Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon E.J. Church Reserve Napa 2009, $85 US   Tradesa Corp

-Quintessa Cabernet Sauvignon Faust Napa 2010, $49.99 US  Rogers

 

The Food: there were plenty of charcuterie and cold cuts, as well as international gourmet cheeses, breads, dried fruit, root chips, roasted nuts, veggies and dips—catered by Daniel et Daniel.

The Downside: I had to rush here from a champagne tasting.

The Upside: tasting the older vintages of Napa cabs.

The Contact Person: cpellegrin@napavintners.com

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

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com