The Event: a tasting of New Zealand wines saved by Robert Ketchin, from the 2015 annual May tasting, especially for the Wine Writers' Circle of Canada.

The Date and Time: Sunday, January 17, 2016  11AM to 4PM

The Event: a tasting of New Zealand wines saved by Robert Ketchin, from the 2015 annual May tasting, especially for the Wine Writers' Circle of Canada.

The Venue: WWCC Field House

The Target Audience: members of the WWCC.

The Availability/Catalogue: most wines are available through the LCBO (General, Vintages) or by consignment.

The Quote/Background: We were tasked with tasting some 63 wines, four of them sparklers which we reserved for the WWCC's annual dinner reception where they would get more exposure.

The Wines:

                   

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

-Auntsfield Estate    Single Vineyard    Chardonnay    Marlborough    2012, $29.95

-Marisco Vineyards    The King's Legacy    Chardonnay    Marlborough    2013, $19.99

-Trinity Hill    Gimblett Gravels    Chardonnay    Hawke's Bay    2013, $35

-Middle Earth    Pinot Noir    Nelson    2012, $22.95

-Auntsfield Estate    Single Vineyard    Sauvignon Blanc    Marlborough    2014, $20.95

-Middle Earth    Sauvignon Blanc    Nelson    2014, $17.95

-Nobilo Wines    Icon    Sauvignon Blanc    Marlborough    2014, $23.95

-Elephant Hill    Syrah Hawke's Bay 2013, $22.95

-Sileni Estates    The Straits    Sauvignon Blanc    Marlborough    2014, $19.95

 

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

-Kim Crawford Small Parcels Favourite Homestead    Pinot Gris    Marlborough    2013, $24.95   

-Marisco Vineyards    The King's Thorn    Pinot Gris    Marlborough    2014, $19.99

-Waimea Estates    Pinot Gris    Nelson    2014, $18.95   

-Akarua    Rua    Pinot Noir    Central Otago    2014, $22.95   

-Auntsfield Estate    Single Vineyard    Pinot Noir    Marlborough    2012, $29.95

-Blind River Estate Pinot Noir    Marlborough    2013, $24.95

-Forrest Wines    Pinot Noir    Marlborough    2012, $30.95

-Waimea Estates    Spinyback    Pinot Noir    Nelson    2013, $19.95   

-Whitehaven Wine Company        Pinot Noir    Marlborough    2012, $24   

-Babich Wines    Black Label    Sauvignon Blanc    Marlborough    2014, $18.95

-Stoneleigh (Pernod Ricard)    Pinot Noir Rosé    Marlborough    2014, $16.95

-Craggy Range Te Muna Road Vineyard    Sauvignon Blanc    Martinborough 2013, $29.99

-Hunter's Wines    Sauvignon Blanc    Marlborough    2014, $23.95

-Loveblock Vintners    Sauvignon Blanc    Marlborough    2013, $24.95

-Marisco Vineyards    The King's Favour    Sauvignon Blanc    Marlborough    2014, $19.99

-Mud House Wines    Sauvignon Blanc    Marlborough    2014, $20.95   

-Craggy Range    Gimblett Gravels    Syrah    Hawke's Bay    2011, $58.99   

-Trinity Hill    Syrah    John Hancock Hawke's Bay    2013, $23.95   

-Trinity Hill    Gimblett Gravels    Syrah    Hawke's Bay    2013, $35   

-Waimea Estates    Sauvignon Gris    Nelson 2014, $19.95

-Yealands Wine Group    Peter Yealands    Sauvignon Blanc    Marlborough    2014, $16.95   

-Villa Maria Estate    Cellar Selection    Sauvignon Blanc    Marlborough    2014, $19.95   

-Villa Maria Estate    Private Bin    Sauvignon Blanc    Marlborough    2014, $16.95

 

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

-Waimea Estates    Chardonnay    Nelson    2013, $21.95

-Loveblock Vintners    Pinot Gris    Marlborough    2014, $24.95

-Marisco Vineyards    The Ned    Pinot Gris    Marlborough    2014, $18.99

-Yealands Wine Group    3 Stones    Pinot Gris    Marlborough    2014. $16.95

-Yealands Estate Single Vineyard    Grüner Veltliner    Marlborough    2014, $19.95

-Craggy Range    Kidnappers     Chardonnay    Hawke's Bay    2012, $29.99

-Akarua        Pinot Noir    Central Otago    2012, $38.95

-Hunter's Wines    Pinot Noir    Marlborough    2013, $23.95

-Pasquale (Kurow Estate)    Pinot Noir    Central Otago    2011, $39.95

-Saint Clair Family Estate    Pinot Noir    Marlborough    2013, $21.95   

-Villa Maria Estate    Cellar Selection    Pinot Noir    Marlborough    2012, $34.95   

-Babich Wines    Sauvignon Blanc    Marlborough    2014, $19.95   

-Kim Crawford     Pansy!     Rosé    Hawke's Bay    2014, $17

-Oyster Bay Wines    Chardonnay    Marlborough    2014, $18.95

-Pasquale (Kurow Estate)        Chardonnay    Central Otago    2012, $29.95   

-Sileni Estates    Cellar Selection    Chardonnay    Hawke's Bay    2014, $15.95

-Stoneleigh (Pernod Ricard)    Chardonnay    Marlborough    2013, $16.95

-Elephant Hill    Reserve    Sauvignon Blanc    Hawke's Bay    2013, $24.95

-Foley Family Wines    Grove Mill     Sauvignon Blanc    Marlborough    2013, $16.95   

-Foley Family Wines    Clifford Bay    Sauvignon Blanc    Marlborough    2014, $15.95

-Forrest Wines The Doctors' 9% ABV    Sauvignon Blanc    Marlborough    2014, $19.99

-Marisco Vineyards    The Ned    Sauvignon Blanc    Marlborough    2014, $18.95

-Matua Wines    Lands & Legends    Sauvignon Blanc    Marlborough    2013, $24.95

-Pasquale (Kurow Estate)        Pinot Gris    Canterbury    2011, $19.90   

-Villa Maria Estate    Private Bin    Pinot Gris    East Coast    2014, $16.95

-Yealands Estate Single Vineyard    Sauvignon Blanc    Marlborough    2014, $19.95   

-Sileni Estates    Cellar Selection    Sauvignon Blanc    Marlborough    2014, 18.95   

 

The Food: bread and water

The Contact Person:  deantudor@deantudor.com; rketchin@ketchin.com

The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 93.

Chimo! www.deantudor.com