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Monday, February 3, 2020

The January 28 Event: Australian Wine Winter Trade Tasting 2020 Toronto

The Date and Time:  Tuesday, January 28, 2020   1 - 4PM
The Event: Australian Wine Winter Trade Tasting 2020 Toronto
The Venue: The Great Hall, Queen St West
The Target Audience: wine trade
The Availability/Catalogue: a smart looking booklet arranged by agent tables with a special one for the seminar wines (Heritage and Place: the evolution of an Australian classic [shiraz], complete with RRP prices and email addresses. Unfortunately, no pens were available (like last year).
The Quote/Background: All major regions are repped here, with just under 200 wines available for tasting from 68 wineries.
The Wines:  I did not taste every wine. I concentrated on Chardonnays and Cabernet Sauvignons with a smattering of other wines. I folded in some seminar wine tastings. Prices are retail unless otherwise stated. Most of the wines are only available through the agent (as listed).
 
**** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Angove Family Winemakers Warboys Single Vineyard McLaren Vale Shiraz 2017 $46 Case for Wine
-Bleasdale Wines Powder Monkey Lanhorne Creek Shiraz 2015 $59.95 Azureau
-Barossa Valley Estate E&E Black Pepper Barossa Valley Shiraz 2016 $99.95 Delegat Canada
-Mollydooker Wines Blue Eyed Boy McLaren Vale Shiraz 2017 $67.95 Breakthru Beverage Canada
-Clarendon Hills Sandown McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 $84.95 Breakthru
-Innocent Bystander Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2017 $26.95 Von Terra
-Giant Steps Wine Applejack Vineyard Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2018 $59.80 Alto Vino
-Clonakilla Canberra District Shiraz Viognier 2018 $105 Alto Vino
-Soumah d'Soumah Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2018 $27.95 Gradwell Wines
-Vasse Felix Margaret River Chardonnay 2017 $42.95 Licensee Breakthru
-Montalto Pennon Hill Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay 2018 $29.95 Nicolas Pearce
-Montalto Estate Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay 2018 $46.95 Nicolas Pearce
-Torbreck Vintners Factor Barossa Shiraz 2016 $151.95 Noble Estates
-Rymill Coonawarra The Surveyor Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 $67 Epic Wines
-Penfolds Bin 407 South Australia Barossa Valley Coonawarra LcLaren Vale Padthaway Wrattonbully Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 $100 Mark Anthony
-Xanadu Wines Estate Margaret River Chardonnay 2018 $46.99 Noble Estates
-Stella Bella Luminosa Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 $75 HHD Imports
-Voyager Estate Margaret River Chardonnay 2017 $39.95 Rogers & Co
-Voyager Estate Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 $69.95 Rogers & Co
-Hickinbotham Trueman McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 $119  Jackson Family Wines
-Hickinbotham The Revivalist McLaren Vale Merlot 2016 $119  Jackson Family Wines
 
***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Tahbilk Old Vines Nagambie Lakes Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2016 $39.95 Grape Expectations
-Voyager Estate Project Sparkling Margaret River Chenin Blanc 2019 $29.95 Rogers & Co
-Irrewarra Central Ranges Pinot 2016  $70 Alto Vino
-Wines By Farr Farrside Geelong Pinot Noir 2016 $85.60 Alto Vino
-Angove Family Winemakers Warboys Single Vineyard McLaren Vale Grenache 2017 $46 Case for Wine
-Chalk Hill Wines Alpha Crucis Old Vines McLaren Vale Grenche 2018 $44.95 Azureau
-Pepper Tree Estate Elderslee Road Single Vineyard Wrattonbully Cabernet Franc 2014 $39.95 Azureau
-Clarendon Hills Domaine Clarendon BDX McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2016 $54.95 Breakthru
-Giant Steps Wine Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2019 $29.95 Alto Vino
-Jasper Hill Vineyard Georgia's Paddock Heathcote Shiraz 2015 $95 Alto Vino
-Soumah Hexham Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2018 $31.95 Gradwell Wines
-Oxford Landing Estates South Australia Chardonnay 2018 $11.95 Licensee Breakthru
-Penfolds Bin 311 Adelaide Hills Tasmania Tumbarumba Chardonnay 2018 $50 Mark Anthony
-Wynns Coonawarra Estate Black Label Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 $39.95 Mark Anthony
-Xanadu Wines DJL Margaret River Chardonnay 2018 $23.95 Noble Estates
-Tyrrell's HVD Single Vineyard Hunter Valley Semillon 2014 $43 Select Wines
-Stella Bella Skuttlebutt Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2018 $18.95 HHD Imports
-Stella Bella Suckfizzle Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2018 $38 HHD Imports
-Hickinbotham Brooks Road McLaren Vale Shiraz 2016 $119  Jackson Family Wines
-Yangarra PF McLaren Vale Shiraz 2019 $29.95 Jackson Family Wines
-Tyrrell's Wines Hunter Valley Shiraz 2017 $24.95 Select
-Giant Steps Tarraford Vineyard Yarra Valley Shiraz 2018 $60  Alto Vino
-Paxton Wines Quandong Farm McLaren Vale Shiraz 2018 $32.99 Noble Estates
 
The Food: cheese boards, along with breads and crackers, jams, fresh fruit.
The Downside: The place was packed! still, there was lots of room to manoeuvre about because there was space between tables.
The Upside: a really great opportunity to see where Oz wines are today.
The Contact Person: canada@wineaustralia.com; annie.dingwall@wineaustralia.com
The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 90
 

May we all have 2020 vision.
Chimo! www.deantudor.com

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