The Friday April 5, 2019 Event: A Champagne Tasting from Champagne William SAINTOT, a grower champagne firm repped in Ontario by Riverdale Wines.

The Date and Time:  Friday April 5, 2019   Noon - 2PM

The Event: A Champagne Tasting from Champagne William SAINTOT, a grower champagne firm repped in Ontario by Riverdale Wines.

The Venue: Scrivener Square LCBO Kitchen

The Target Audience: wine writers

The Availability/Catalogue: currently La Cuvee Seduction is available at the LCBO; soon, the full-bottle Blanc de Noirs will be here too (the half-bottle is online available here).

The Quote/Background: Morgann Trebutien, the winemaker at William Saintots (he's also the husband of Saintot's daughter [current owner]), was supposed to lead the discussion but he was delayed for several hours. The tasting went ahead since the wines were already here, and the Riverdale Wines agency's sommelier Christos Palaskas stepped in.

The Wines: We tasted a horizontal range of 7 wines, all of them in the French marketplace.

 

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

-Champagne William Saintot Blanc de Noirs ~$62 750 mL 100% pinot noir, 12% ABV, blend of 2014,2015,2016 vintages, 60% BF, 6.5 gr/L, pale yellow, citric aromatics, non-reserves.

-Champagne William Saintot Blanc de Noirs +554944 $38.65 LCBO online 375 mL ("Chopine") version of 750 mL but here an older blend of 2011 and 2012 pinot noirs which were prominent.

-Champagne William Saintot Prestige Brut 1er Cru 2010 ~$75 80% pinot noir, 20% chardonnay from three vineyards, 12% ABV, intense but balanced,

-Champagne William Saintot 2012 Millesime ~$75 bottled 2013, 60% pinot noir, 40% chardonnay, 12% ABV, 5 gr/L, fresh yeast.

-Champagne William Saintot La Cote de Chignon 2011  ~$145  2.6 g/L, 1200 bottles made, very old flavours, and a real winner.

 

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

-Champagne William Saintot La Cuvee Seduction +100197 LCBO, $82.65, no reserve wines,

55% chardonnay 2015, 45% chardonnay 2014, old vines, 60% BF, 6.5 gr/L, 12% ABV, 4000 bottles. Buttery with citric overtones.

-Champagne William Saintot La Roseraie [2016] ~$62 72% pinot noir, 28% chardonnay, old vines, 2 different vineyards, 6.5% gr/L, 12% ABV. Lots of fresh fruit.

 

The Food: smoked salmon, goat cheese, bay scallops.

The Downside: I arrived late, but did not miss anything.

The Upside: A terrific "horizontal" tasting through 7 wines.

The Contact Person: jerry@riverdalewines.com  or  wayne@riverdalewines.com

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

 

Chimo! www.deantudor.com