WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for NOVEMBER 4, 2023 release.

WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES:  under/over $20 for NOVEMBER 4, 2023 release.

By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at  https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for good wines available through  LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis)  can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca  or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication.

Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price).

MAJOR THEME:  GIFTING SOLUTIONS

Wines Under $20
=========
W+10411 MOUNTADAM EDEN VALLEY CHARDONNAY 2019  AUSTRALIA $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89.
W+483834 CREW RIESLING 2020 VQA LENS $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89.
W+89029 TAWSE SKETCHES OF NIAGARA RIESLING 2021 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89.
W+747600 PIERRE SPARR GRANDE RÉSERVE GEWURZTRAMINER 2021 ALSACE $19.95 MVC/QPR: 90.
W+31168 FAMILLE ARNAUD QUART DU ROI LAUDUN COTES DU RHONE-VILLAGES
$19.95 MVC/QPR: 89.
W+31380 MADRE BECCO REALE BIO PECORINO 2021 ABRUZZO $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89.
W+408146 MARIA PAPOILA LOUREIRO/ALVARINHO 2022 PORTUGAL $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89.
W+218354 GARCIARÉVALO FINCA TRES OLMOS LIAS VERDEJO 2021 SPAIN $14.95 MVC/QPR: 88.
W+35413 BODEGA DEL ABAD CIMABELLA GODELLO 2021 SPAIN $17.95 MVC/QPR: 88.
R+113191 EL ESTECO MALBEC 2021 ARGENTINA $18 MVC/QPR: 88.
R+183897 PASCUAL TOSO RESERVE MALBEC 2021 ARGENTINA $19.95 MVC/QPR: 88.
R+36231 ROCKWAY RED  NV VQA ONTARIO  $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89.
R+33627 FOGOLAR CABERNET FRANC 2019  VQA NIAGARA $19.95 MVC/QPR: 90.
R+542183 RAVANAL GRAN RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2019 CHILE $16.95 MVC/QPR: 92.
R+320499 BASTIDE MIRAFLORS SYRAH/VIEILLES VIGNES GRENACHE 2020  ROUSSILLON $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89.
R+5405 UMBERTO CESARI MOMA ROSSO 2021 EMILIA-ROMAGNA $19.95 MVC/QPR: 88.
R+32914 VILLADORIA ARGO LANGHE NEBBIOLO 2020 PIEDMONT $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89.
R+17884 BOLLATO DI GUARINI NEGROAMARO/PRIMITIVO 2021 PUGLIA $17.95 MVC/QPR: 88.
R+573519 VILLA PUCCINI RISERVA CHIANTI 2019 $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89.
R+13448 CASTELFORTE VALPOLICELLA RIPASSO 2020 $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89.
R+443721 CHÂTEAU KSARA RÉSERVE DU COUVENT 2020  LEBANON $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89.
R+470377 CASA DE CAMBRES RESERVA RED 2017  PORTUGAL $14.95  MVC/QPR: 88.
R+33520 VIÑEDOS DEL ALTURA BELOKI RIOJA CRIANZA 2019 $16.95  MVC/QPR: 88.


Wines Over $20
=========
FIZZES -- not rated
+29704 BARON-FUENTÉ BRUT TRADITION CHAMPAGNE NV $49.95
+36302 STRATUS FIELD BLEND ANCESTRAL SPARKLING WINE 2022 $35.00
+207993 DUFOULEUR PÈRE & FILS BRUT CRÉMANT DE BOURGOGNE 2019  $26.95
+280172 OYSTER BAY ROSÉ SPARKLING CUVÉE NV $23.95

W+35371 ROCKWAY FOXCROFT RIESLING 2022 VQA NIAGARA $21.95 MVC/QPR: 90.
W+302083 BACHELDER L'ARDOISE VQA NIAGARA CHARDONNAY 2021 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 91.
W+733956 MALLORY & BENJAMIN TALMARD MÂCON-UCHIZY 2022 $20.95 MVC/QPR: 89.
W+35198 ALOIS LAGEDER PINOT GRIGIO 2022 ALTO ADIGE $27.95 MVC/QPR: 89.
W+75432 ATTEMS CICINIS 2021 FRIULI $36.95 MVC/QPR: 89.
W+556340 LA CHABLISIENNE LE FINAGE CHABLIS 2021 $34.95 MVC/QPR: 89.
W+17605 PETER NICOLAY BERNKASTELER BADSTUBE RIESLING KABINETT 2021 $26.95 MVC/QPR: 89.
R+522342 ZONTE'S FOOTSTEP HILLS ARE ALIVE SHIRAZ 2021 $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89.
R+390872 WOLF BLASS GREY LABEL SHIRAZ 2018 $34.95 MVC/QPR: 90.
R+86363 STRATUS WILDASS RED 2019 VQA NIAGARA $21.95 MVC/QPR: 90.
R+349308 CHÂTEAU PEY LA TOUR RÉSERVE DU CHÂTEAU 2018 $22.95 MVC/QPR: 89.
R+48884 COUDOULET DE BEAUCASTEL CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2020  $34.95 MVC/QPR: 89.
R+11109 NOZZOLE CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA 2019  $24.95 MVC/QPR: 89.
R+180067 POGGIO BONELLI CHIANTI CLASSICO RISERVA 2018 $33.95 MVC/QPR: 89.
R+23782 ZONTE'S FOOTSTEP SUPER TROOPER SHIRAZ/CABERNET 2019 $21.95 MVC/QPR: 88.

LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO's Limited Time Offers selections...these  are good value...on sale  through Sunday November 5...

Fizz+213983  Cave Spring Blanc de Blancs Brut Sparkling VQA Trad Method, now $29.95, save $3
Fizz+395384  Luc Belaire Rare Rose Sparkling France, now $37.95, save $3
W+31667  Alta-Yari Gran Torrontes Mendoza Arg, now $24.95, save $3
W+962886  La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, now $32.95, save $3
R+352583  Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma, now $49.95, save $5
R+177295  Rivera Il Falcone Riserva Castel del Monte Puglia, now $23.95, save $3
R+652883  Belle Glos Clark & Telephone Pinot Noir Santa Barbara, now $54.95, save $5
R+954834  Rodney Strong Estate Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, now $26.95, save $3
R+353201  Ruffino Riserva Ducale Oro Gran Selezione Chianti Classico, now $49.95, save $3
R+303800  Trius Red VQA Niagara, now $24.95, save $3
R+225086  Umberto Cesari Liano Sangiovese/Cab Sauvignon Emilia-Romagna, now $24.95, save $5

[The following LTOs are on sale from Nov 6 through Nov 26]:

Fizz+991562  Bailly Lapierre Brut Cremant de Bourgogne, now $21.45, save $3.50
W+958975  Mer Soleil Reserve Chardonnay Monterey, now $26.95, save $3
W+324228  Stoneleigh Latitude Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough NZ, now $19.95, save $3
R+274753  Hidden Bench Pinot Noir Beamsville Bench VQA, now $34.95, save $3
R+36483  Torres Gran Coronas Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon Penedes Spain, $20.95, save $3
Splurge+356220  Tommasi Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico Superiore Veneto, $47.95, save $5
Splurge+650432  Castelgiocondo Brunello de Montalcino Tuscany, $49.95, save $5

** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season ---

REPORT ON THE VINHO VERDE TASTING trade show, June 2023....
The Event: Vinho Verde Tasting
The Venue: Second Floor Events, King Street
The Target Audience: wine trade and wine media
The Availability/Catalogue: downloaded from the cloud. There were 14 producers and about 70 wines.
The Quote/Background: Christopher Sealy led the Masterclass which covered the major aspects of Vinho Verde, complete with Powerpoint and a paper map. The Vinho Verde region covers whites, reds, rose, and fortified wines; it lies between the Douro and the Minho rivers – it's the largest wine region in Portugal, with 1400 wine brands, 9 subregions, and 45 grape varieties. Each bottle is certified (numbered and identified) and forms part of the annual 70 million litres (45% exported) produced. Canada is its sixth largest market.
The Wines: I did not sample all the wines. Prices are retail.

**** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Quinta da Raza Alvarinho 2022, $22.95 (Christopher Stewart)
-Quinta da Raza Alvarinho Trajadura 2022, $21.95 (Christopher Stewart)
-Quinta da Raza Rose 2022, $14.95 (Christopher Stewart)
-Quintas do Homem Vale do Homem Loureiro Wild Ferment 2022, $19.95 (Kolonaki)
-Quintas do Homem Vale do Homem Spumante NV, $38.95 (Kolonaki)
-Vercoope Via Latina Grande Reserva 2018
-Guapos Wine Project Castelo Negro 2018
-Quinta das Arcas Alvarinho Reserva 2021
-Casal de Ventozela Prime Selection 2019 (1/3 alvarinho, avesso, loureiro)
-Casal de Ventozela Alvarinho 2022 Minho
-Aveleda Alvarinho 2022
-Aveleda Solos de Granito 2021
-Aveleda Solos de Xisto 2021
-Quinta d'Amares Pet-Nat NV

***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Quinta da Raza Avesso 2022, $22.95 (Christopher Stewart)
-Quinta da Raza Gouveio 2021, $28.95 (Christopher Stewart)
-Quintas do Homem Vale do Homem Rose 2022, $16.95 (Kolonaki)
-Vercoope Via Latina Seco Rose NV
-Quinta d'Amares Vinesa Alvarinho 2018
-Quinta da Lixa Colinas do Avesso 2016
-Adega Ponte de Lima Colheita Selecionnada Loureiro 2022
-Quinta do Ameal Loureiro 2021 Lima
-A & D Wines Quinta Santa Teresa Avesso Esculpido 2020
-A & D Wines Quinta Santa Teresa Avesso 2022
-3 Rostos Nativo Reserva 2020
-3 Rostos Flor de Linho Alvarinho 2022
-3 Rostos Barrete Padeiro Rose 2022
-3 Rostos Flor de Linho Azal 2022
-3 Rostos Barrete 2022

The Food: The Masterclass attendees each got a large rice bowl with their choice for veggies (bok choy, squash) and/or smoked chicken; the main tasting had a platter of cold cuts and cheeses and assorted veggies and fruits.
The Downside: like the Valpolicella tasting I attended last week, the wines all shared the same broad characteristics with some individual qualities. But after awhile it tended to reduce my palate's effectiveness of discernment. The Masterclass thus had great value for me. Good details are at www.vinhoverde.pt
The Upside: good food, good wines, good Masterclass seminar. Thanks to Chris Sealy.
The Contact Person: andrea@amcc-inc.com
The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade):  92.

Dean Tudor,  Prof Emeritus T'karonto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson) School of Journalism

Treasurer of Wine Writers' Circle of Canada http://www.deantudor.com
http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com
https://twitter.com/gothicepicures