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Friday, November 1, 2019

The Event: A tasting of Fortified Wines as developed by the Wine Writers' Circle of Canada (18th annual tasting)

The Date and Time: Tuesday October 8, 2019  3PM to 7PM
The Event: A tasting of Fortified Wines as developed by the Wine Writers' Circle of Canada (18th annual tasting)
The Venue: Wine Writers' Circle of Canada's clubhouse.
The Target Audience: WWCC members exclusive.
The Availability/Catalogue: All these fortified wines are at the LCBO or by consignment, etc. They include ports, sherries, vermouths, and other beverages.
The Quote/Background: This was not a competition or a judging, but a tasting for writing purposes re: Holiday Wines and Gifts. The Wine Writers' Circle of Canada would like to thank each of the supplying agents for their contributions.
The Wines: My ratings do NOT include a ranking beyond GOOD, BETTER, and BEST. They are listed randomly within each category.
The Wines: Meanwhile, this just in: " Interest in sherry is drying up to the point of extinction despite concerted efforts at a revival, writes Don Kavanagh. Meanwhile, searches on Wine-Searcher for port increased 34.5% in the last five years, and searches for the most-popular port so far this year were conducted 46 times more frequently than searches for most-popular sherry, he writes."
 
**** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
Producer    Product Name    Vintage    Price    LCBO #     Country    Region    Grape Varieties    Alc. %     Availability Where      Availability When     Agent or Winery Info    Comments
-La Madre Vermouth    La Madre Premium    nv    $29.45    490978    Spain    Spain        15    E-Comm    Now    Majestic Wine Cellars   
-Sandeman    20 YO Tawny Port    n/a    $64.95    116178    Portugal    Douro    Touriga Franca, etc.    20% Vintages front line anytime (no release scheduled) Charton Hobbs   
-Tawse Winery    Orange Bitters        $12.95     N/A    Canada    Niagara        50%    Retail shop    Now    Daniel Lafleur   
-Tawse Winery    Lemon Bitters        $12.95     N/A    Canada    Niagara        50%    Retail shop    Now    Daniel Lafleur   
-Tawse Winery    Lavender Bitters        $12.95     N/A    Canada    Niagara        50%    Retail shop    Now    Daniel Lafleur   
-Tawse Winery    Wild Cherry Bark Bitters        $13     N/A    Canada    Niagara        50%    Retail shop    Now    Daniel Lafleur   
-Tawse Winery    Barrel-aged Bitters        $12.95     N/A    Canada    Niagara        50%    Retail shop    Now    Daniel Lafleur   
-Tawse Winery    Aromatics Bitters        $12.95     N/A    Canada    Niagara        50%    Retail shop    Now    Daniel Lafleur   
-PADRÓ I FAMILIA SL    PADRÓ & CO. ROJO CLÁSICO VERMOUTH    NV    EST $24.75    835181    SPAIN    CATALUNYA    MACABEO    18.0    DESTINATION    Nov-19 DB WINE & SPIRITS 180 BTLS
-Taylor Fladgate    10 Year Old Tawny    NV    $35.95    121749    Portugal    Douro        20    LCBO    Vintage Essential    Sylvestre Wines & Spirits   
-Taylor Fladgate    20 Year Old Tawny    NV    $69.95    14907    Portugal    Douro        20    LCBO    Vintage Essential    Sylvestre Wines & Spirits   
-Taylor Fladgate    Vintage Port    2017    $159.95    12076    Portugal    Douro        20    LCBO - V-mail    March 19th, 2020    Sylvestre Wines & Spirits   
-Croft    Vintage Port    2017    127.95    12082    Portugal    Douro        20    LCBO    March 19th, 2020    Sylvestre Wines & Spirits   
-Oscar 697    697 Rosso    0    $29.95    Consignment    Italy    Milano        16    Consignment/Ecom    Now    Majestic Wine Cellars   
-Oscar 697    697 Bianco    0    $29.95    Consignment    Italy    Milano        16    Consignment/Ecom    Now    Majestic Wine Cellars   
 
 
 
***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
Producer    Product Name    Vintage    Price    LCBO #     Country    Region    Grape Varieties    Alc. %     Availability Where      Availability When     Agent or Winery Info    Comments
-Sandeman    10 YO Tawny Port    n/a    $34.95    n/a    Portugal    Douro    Touriga Franca, etc.    20    Private Order    anytime    Charton Hobbs   
-Sandeman    Late Bottled Vintage    2012    $13.40 sale    195974    Portugal    Douro    Touriga Franca, etc.    20.5    LCBO    GL    Charton Hobbs   
-Tawse Winery    Dry Vermouth        $23.13     N/A    Canada    Niagara    Riesling + 14 botanicals    18.5    Retail shop    Now    Daniel Lafleur   
-Sogrape Vinhos de Portugal    Ferreira Dona Antonia Tawny Reserve Port    NV    $19.95    157586    Portugal    Douro    30% Malvasia Fina, 20% Códega, 20% Viosinho, 20%   Rabigato, 10% Arinto    20    LCBO    All year    Authentic Wine & Spirits Merchants   
-Alvear     Alvear Fino Montilla-Morilles         $14.05    112771    Spain    Montilla Morilles     Fino    15%    LCBO     General List     FWM Canada-
-La Madre Vermouth    La Madre Red    0    $21.5    491018    Spain    Spain        15    E-Comm    Now    Majestic Wine Cellars   
-Symington Family     Warre's Otima 10 y.o. Tawny    NV    $21.95     566174    Portugal    Oporto    Touriga Nacional, local varieties     20.00%    LCBO - General list    Year-round    Dionysus W&S Ltd   
 
 
*** GOOD -- Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
Producer    Product Name    Vintage    Price    LCBO #     Country    Region    Grape Varieties    Alc. %     Availability Where      Availability When     Agent or Winery Info    Comments
-Sandeman    Fine Ruby Port    n/a    $15.95    23366    Portugal    Douro    Touriga Franca, etc.    19.5    LCBO    GL    Charton Hobbs   
-Williams & Humbert     Dry Sack Sherry    NV    $14.05    13565    Spain    Jerez - Xeres     Palomino, Pedro Ximénez    19.5    LCBO General List    All the time     Dandurand. 1660 Tech Ave Unit 2A mississauga ON L4W 5S7. 416-368-3344   
-Taylor Fladgate    Late Bottled Vintage    2014    $18.95    46946    Portugal    Douro        20    LCBO    GL    Sylvestre Wines & Spirits   
-Taylor Fladgate    First Estate    NV    $17.50    309401    Portugal    Douro        20    LCBO    GL    Sylvestre Wines & Spirits   
-Croft     Reserve Tawny Port    NV    $18.95    538983    Portugal    Douro        20    LCBO    March 7th, 2020    Sylvestre Wines & Spirits   
-Fonseca     Fonesca Bin No.27 Reserve Porto         $17    325506    Portugal     Cima Corga         20%    LCBO     General List     FWM Canada- info@fwmcanada.com   
-Fonseca     Fonseca White Port         $17    276816    Portugal     Douro Valley    Arinto, Malvasia Fina, Codega, Esgana Cao, Folgasao, Gouveio, Viosinho and Rabigato     20%    LCBO     General List     FWM Canada- info@fwmcanada.com   
info@fwmcanada.com   
-Alvear     Alvear Medium Dry         $14.05    112789    Spain    Montilla Morilles     Amontillado     17%    LCBO     General List     FWM Canada- info@fwmcanada.com   
 
The Food: baguette, unsalted roasted almonds, Nicoise olives, water
The Contact Person:  deantudor@yahoo.com
The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 94
 

Chimo! www.deantudor.com

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