The Event: Galleon Odyssey Portfolio tasting at Shangri-La Hotel Toronto

The Date and Time: Wednesday Sept 26, 2018  1PM – 5PM.

The Event: Galleon Odyssey Portfolio tasting

The Venue: Shangri-La Hotel

The Target Audience: wine buyers (trade and consumer [the latter at night]), media

The Availability/Catalogue: most everything is either an exclusive for ordering that day via LCBO, or PoW. Others were Vintages, Classics or LCBO Online.

The Quote/Background: The tasting booklet was a model, with bottle shots, info on the wine's provenance, some "scores", prices, vintage year, and where it is in the system. The booklet was in table order. Unfortunately, the tables themselves were in random order, so there was much flipping about the booklet. The wines not for sale via LCBO were listed as PoW, but at least they they could be tasted. Many representatives of the principals were pouring.

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

 

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

-Luis Canas Rioja Crianza DO Magnum 2014 +511592 $38.95

-El Esteco Blanc de Blancs 2017 Calchaqui Salta Argentina $24.95

-Errazuriz Don Maximiano Founder's Reserve 2015 Aconcagua Chile $84.95 PoW

-Errazuriz La Cumbre Syrah 2007 Aconcagua Chile $84.95

-Fontanafredda Barolo Vigna La Rosa DOCG 2012 Piedmont +40105 $75

-Frescobaldi Castello di Pomino Benefizio Chardonnay Pomino DOC 2016 Tuscany $36.95 PoW

-Frescobaldi Castelgiocondo Lamaione Toscana IGT Magnum 2007 Tuscany $249

-Champagne Grand Cru JM Labruyere Prologue Brut NV [grower] $67

-Champagne Grand Cru JM Labruyere Anthologie Brut Rose NV [grower] $79

-Joseph Drouhin Nuits Saint Georges 2015 $79.95  PoW

-Fonseca Hexagon Red VR Peninsula de Setubal 2009 $69.95

-Fonseca Jose de Sousa Mayor VR Alentejano 2015 $52 PoW

-Les Cordeliers Prestige Brut Cremant de Bordeaux NV St Emilion [semillon] $24.95

-Les Cordeliers Prestige Brut Rose Cremant de Bordeaux NV St Emilion [80CF/20M] $24.95

-M. Chapoutier Chante-Alouette Hermitage Blanc 2015 +140541 $89.95 Classics December

-M. Chapoutier Monier de la Sizeranne Hermitage 2013 +182725 $118.95 Classics December

-Poggio Al Tesoro Il Seggio Bolgheri 2014 Tuscany $42

-Poggio Al Tesoro Sondraia Bolgheri Superiore 2012 Tuscany $52.95

-Poggio Al Tesoro Sondraia Bolgheri Superiore 2014 Tuscany $79.95 PoW

-Chateau Ste. Michelle Canoe Ridge Merlot 2013 Horse Heaven Hills Washington State $48

-Columbia Crest Kiona Vineyards Heart of the Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 Red Mountain Washington State $59.95

-3 de Valandraud Saint-Emilion 2014 $49.95

-Trapiche Terroir Series Finca Laborde Cabernet Sauvignon $49.95

-Neyers Vineyards Carneros District Chardonnay 2014 Napa $61.99

-Neyers Vineyards Neyers Ranch – Conn Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 Napa $114.99

-Champagne Canard-Duchene Cuvee Leonie NV $45  PoW

-Champagne Canard-Duchene Cuvee Charles VII Blanc de Blancs NV $65  PoW

-Villa Maria Single Vineyard Southern Clays Pinot Noir 2014 Marlborough $59.95 +466060 Classics November

 

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

-Gorka Izagirre G22 Bizkaiko Txakolina DO 2016 Basque Country Spain $27.95

-Rolland & Galarreta Rueda DO 2016 $24.95

-Rolland & Galarreta Ribera del Duero DO 2016 $29.95

-El Esteco Old Vines Torontes 2017 Calchaqui Salta Argentina $24.95

-El Esteco Fincas Notables Malbec 2015 Calchaqui Salta Argentina $29.95

-Fontanafredda Barolo Serralunga d'Alba DOCG 2013 Piedmont Feb 2019 Vintages  $44.95

-Frescobaldi Tenuta Ammiraglia Alie Rose Toscana IGT Magnum 2017 $52.95

-Domaine Nathalie & Gilles Fevre Chablis 1er Cru Vaulorent 2016 $51.95

-Domaine Gaston & Pierre Ravaut Corton Grand Cru Les Hautes Mourottes 2013 $109

-Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Rose 2017 +409755 $18.95 October 27 Vintages

-Fonseca Hexagon White VR Peninsula de Setubal 2014 $45  PoW

-Poggio Al Tesoro Solosole Bolgheri Vermentino 2016 Tuscany $25.95

-Chateau Valandraud Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2006 $355 PoW

-Torres Sons de Prades Chardonnay Conca de Barberea 2015 Spain $32.95

-Torres Salmos Priorat 2015 +265710 October Vintages $49.95

-Neyers Vineyards Left Bank Red 2016 Napa $74.99

 

The Food: charcuterie and salumi, Ontario and PQ cheeses, veggies and fresh fruit, dips, tapenade, breads, preserves, mustards, nuts, dried fruit – everything was labeled.

The Downside: the tables were not in booklet order so I had to riffle through it.

The Upside: there was room, a patio, and coffee.

The Contact Person: dshing@galleonwines.ca

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

 

Chimo! www.deantudor.com