The April 29, 2019 Event: California Wine Tour 2019 Toronto

The Date and Time: Monday April 29, 2019  1PM to 5PM

The Event: California Wine Tour 2019 Toronto

The Venue: Fairmont Royal York

The Target Audience: wine trade

The Availability/Catalogue: the Media Room opened at 1PM, which gave us a 1.5 hour jump on the big show (thanks!!).

The Quote/Background: I did not taste all the wines in the show. But I did try some from the show room itself, plus what I could glean from the media room. Prices were generally given to the trade "on demand". The best booth was Nichols, with its older wines, a terrific area.

 

The Wines: I did not taste every wine in the show, just the ones below and a few others in the media room ---

 

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

-Nichols Winery & Cellars Talley Vineyard Chardonnay 1997 $80 Marchands des Ameriques

-Nichols Winery & Cellars Reserve Merlot Vinas del Sol Vineyard 1999 $74

-Nichols Winery & Cellars Pinot Noir Paragon Vineyard 1999 $75

-Nichols Winery & Cellars Meritage Ninety Nine 199 $67

-Nichols Winery & Cellars Soleil & Terroir Reserve Merlot VDS 1998 $49

-Nichols Winery & Cellars Soleil & Terroir Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 1998 $49

-Nichols Winery & Cellars Soleil & Terroir Reserve Pinot Noir LaColline 1997 $56

-Nichols Winery & Cellars Soleil & Terroir Chardonnay Paragon 1998 $75

 

-J Cuvee 20 Sparkling

-Chandon Brut Rose NV $34.95 Vintages

-Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut NV  $34.84   Airen

-Scott Family Chardonnay 2016 Arroyo Seco  $29.95  Majestic Cons.

-Rutherford Ranch Napa Chardonnay $25  Majestic  Cons

-Grgich Hills Estate Chardonnay 2015  Rogers Con

-Schug Carneros Estate Chardonnay 2017  $26.99  Lifford Cons

-Hall Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015  $129.99 Noble Estates  PO

-Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Artemis 2016  $84.95  Vintages

-Signorello Estate Padrone Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 $284.95 Profile Cons

-Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Merlot Three Palms Vineyard 2016  $145  Rogers Cons

-Gary Farrell Olivet Lane Vineyard Chardonnay 2015   $45 USD

-Whitehall Lane Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2015   $77.95  The Vine  Cons

-St. Supery Estate Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2017  $29.95  Von Terra  PO

-White Rock Vineyards Claret 2015 Napa

-Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain Napa Valley 2014

-Rutherford Wine Company Lander-Jenkins Cabernet Sauvignon 2015  $19.95  Vintages

-Mer Soleil Chardonnay 2016 Reserve Santa Lucia Highlands

-Taub Family Vineyards Heritance Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015  $49.95 Vintages 2020

-Frei Brothers Sonoma Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2015  $34.95  Vintages

-Pedroncelli Mother Clone Zinfandel 2015  $26.95  Vintages

-Chalone Estate Pinot Noir 2015  Stem

 

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

-Scott Family Pinot Noir 2016 Arroyo Seco  $35  Majestic Cons.

-Emmolo Merlot 2016  $69.95  A Peller Cons

-Bonanza Cabernet Sauvignon  $27.95  Vintages

-Robert Mondavi Winery Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2016  $39.95  Vintages

-Chalk Hill Chardonnay Sonoma Coast 2017  $34.99  Lifford Cons

-Argot Simpatico Ranch Chardonnay 2014 Bennett Valley Sonoma County $42.25 Vintages

-Francis Ford Coppola Archimedes Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley Sonoma 2015  $101.99 Noble estates  PO

-Hall and Walt Kathryn Hall Cabernet Sauvignon 2015  $285   Vintages

-J Lohr Vineyards Hilltop Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles 2016  $49.95  Vintages

-Share & Splash Angels & Cowboys Rose 2018  $24.95  Vintages

-Lange Twins Ivory & Burt Zinfandel 2015 Roust Canada

-Gary Farrell Hallberg Vineyard Pinot Noir 2015   $55 USD

-Gary Farrell Russian River Selection Pinot Noir 2016   $45 USD

-Gary Farrell Russian River Selection Chardonnay 2017   $35 USD

-Delicato Black Stallion Estate Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2015  $42.95  Vintages

-Sebastiani Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Lake 2015   $29.95  Vintages

-Whitehall Lane Tre Leoni 2016  $49.95  The Vine  Cons

-Cline Family Big Break Zinfandel 2016  $46.95  Vinesx

-Frog's Leap Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Rutherford 2016

-Four Virtues Lodi Zinfandel Bourbon Barrel Aged 2017  $23  Majestic  Cons

-Chalone Estate Chardonnay 2015  Stem

-Morgan Bay Cellars Chardonnay 2017 $17 Majestic  Cons

 

The Food: uniquely this time the food was mostly related to the "S" word – sliders, sushi and shashimi, all of which was appreciated. At another table, there were charcuterie (pronounced as "s"!) platters with meats and cheeses (that "s" again!!). Thanks guys!

The Downside: it got crowded really fast, packed within 15 minutes

The Upside: it was good to see the Second Harvest Silent Auction.

The Contact Person: paula@praxispr.ca

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

Chimo! www.deantudor.com