The Date and Time: Thursday, May 5, 2022 11AM to 2PM
The Event: Bringing New Zealand to You wine trade show
The Venue: Globe and Mail Centre
The Target Audience: wine trade, wine media, sommeliers
The Availability/Catalogue: paperless – it was all online but downloadable. There were no prices, just price ranges, and no tech sheet links. I downloaded all the chardonnay names, and that formed the basis of my tasting that morning.
The Quote/Background: This was a maskless, agent-less, pour-your-own session, so we could go at our own speed and also not have to talk to anybody. A tech sheet was provided for each wine. And every now and then there was an agency tent card with specifics on those wines available at the LCBO, including SKU number.
The Wines: I did not taste every wine (there were 105 samples available).
**** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Kumeu River Wines Estate Chardonnay 2020 Auckland
-Kupe Escarpment Wines Chardonnay 2015 Martinborough
-Soljans Estate Barrique Reserve Hawke's Bay Chardonnay 2019
-Clearview Wines Estate Chardonnay 2018 Hawke's Bay
-No.1 Family Estate Cuvee No.1 Methode Traditionale Sparkling Wine NV Wairu Valley [chardonnay]
-Johanneshof Cellars Marlborough EMMI Method Traditionale 2009 Wairu Valley [pinot noir, chardonnay]
-Greywacke Vineyards Chardonnay 2017 Wairu Valley
-Giesen Group Chardonnay "The Fuder Clayvin" 2015 Southern Valleys
-Neudorf Vineyards Neudork Rosie's Block Chardonnay 2018 Nelson
-Bell Hill Chardonnay North Canterbury 2016
-Quartz Reef Methode Traditionale Brut NV Central Otago
-Felton Road Chardonnay Bannockburn 2018 Central Otago
-The Supernatural Sauvignon Blanc 2020 Hawke's Bay
-Rapaura Springs Bull Paddock Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2019 Marlborough
-Paddy Borthwick Vineyards Pinot Gris 2019 Wairarapa
-Hans Herzog Family Estate - Pinot Noir 2016 Wairau Valley $57
-Auntsfeld Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 2010 Marlborough
-Villa Maria Single Vineyard Taylors Pass Pinot Noir 2019 Awatere Valley
***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-The Landing Chardonnay 2020 Northland
-Matawhero Wines 2020 Single Vineyard Chardonnay
-Oyster Bay Rose 2021 Marlborough [pinot noir, chardonnay] at LCBO
-Fromm Winery Chenin Blanc/Chardonnay 2019 Marlborough
-Oyster Bay Chardonnay 2020 Marlborough at LCBO
-Eradus Sauvignon Blanc 2021 Marlborough
-URLAR Gladstone Sauvignon Blanc 2019 Wairarapa
-The Hunting Lodge Seasonal Marlborough Albarino 2019 Marlborough
-Dry River Riesling 'Craighall' 2019 Martinborough
-Hans Herzog Family Estate - Mistral 2016 Marlborough [Viognier, Marsanne, Roussanne]
-Nautilus Estate of Marlborough Opawa Pinot Noir 2018 Wairau Valley
-Folium Vineyard Reserve Pinot Noir 2017 Marlborough
-Mahi Marlborough Pinot Noir 2019 Wairau Valley
The Food: we had bamboo boats of cheeses (yummy truffle cheese), veggies, fruits, and breads/crackers, and cold cuts. They were worth lugging about.
The Downside: some of us had a small discussion on the pour-your-own feature – should we not be wearing gloves to lessen any contact with covid-19? Plastic gloves could have easily been provided or we could have been told to bring our own. Gloves are in the same category as masks: protection.
The Upside: a chance to taste in silence
The contact person: melissa.stunden@nzwine.com
The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 89.
Chimo! www.deantudor.com
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