TASTE ONTARIO! TORONTO TRADE & MEDIA TASTING April 2024

TASTE ONTARIO! TORONTO TRADE & MEDIA TASTING

The Date and Time: Monday April 15th 2024, noon to 4 PM
The Event: Tasting recent VQA Ontario wines
The Venue: Park Hyatt Toronto
The Target Audience: the media were on the 17th floor and as they finished tasting they were invited to appear in the third floor ballroom which held the walk-around trade tasting and even more wines.
The Availability/Catalogue: there were excel spreadsheets and QR codes to explore a collection of over 300 VQA wines from 65 Ontario wineries in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Prince Edward County, Lake Erie North Shore, and Niagara Escarpment
The Wines: I could not taste every wine, so I concentrated on varietals and fizzes.

**** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Bachelder Les Villages Chardonnay 2022
-Bachelder Bench Chardonnay 2022
-Meldville Wines    Chardonnay Barrel Select    Lincoln Lakeshore    2021     $26
-Hidden Bench Winery Fume Blanc 2021
-Charles Baker Wines Riesling 2019
-Westcott Vineyards Blanc de Noirs
-Charles Baker Wines Sparkling Riesling 2021
-Kew Vineyards Blanc de Blancs 2017
-Southbrook Organic Vineyards    Kelta Vineyard Chardonnay    Lincoln Lakeshore    2021 $33.40
-Bachelder Les Villages Pinot Noir, 2022,
-Foreign Affair Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
-Queylus Pinot Noir 2019
-Bachelder Kirby Gamay Four Mile Creek 2022 $29
-Bachelder Mio Gamay Lincoln Lakeshore    2022  $29
-Trail Estate Winery    County Chardonnay Vintage 5    Prince Edward County 2021     $48
-Trius Winery    Showcase Blanc de Noirs    Niagara Peninsula    NV  $65
-Wending Home Estate Vineyards & Winery Chardonnay Estate Vineyard    Creek Shores    2020 $34.95
-Charles Baker Wines     Picone Vineyard Riesling    Vinemount Ridge    2015     $59.75
-Westcott Vineyards    Estate Chardonnay    Niagara Escarpment    2021 +424507     $32
-Closson Chase Vineyards    The Brock Chardonnay Niagara River 2021     $26
-Cloudsely Cellars Twenty Mile Bench Chardonnay    Twenty Mile Bench    2021 $37
-Huff Estates Winery    Cuvee Janine    Prince Edward County    2021 $40
-Stratus Stratus Red    Niagara-on-the-Lake    2014 n/a    
-Jackson-Triggs Winery Entourage Blanc de Blanc    Niagara Peninsula    2017     $49.95
-Lailey Winery Stonebridge Chardonnay    Four Mile Creek    2019 $50
-Rosehall Run Vineyards Rosebud    Prince Edward County    2021 $36
-Thirty Bench Wine Makers    Small Lot Riesling 'Steel Post Vineyard'    Beamsville Bench 2021 $32


***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (87 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Closson Chase Vineyards J Watson Vineyard Pinot Gris 2023
-Malivoire Melon 2023
-Rosewood Winery and Meadery Sauvignon Blanc 2022
-Closson Chase Vineyards Pinot Noir 2021
-Cave Spring Vineyard Gamay Estate Beamsville Bench 2021 $34.95
-Chateau des Charmes Wines    Paul Bosc Chardonnay St. David's Bench    2020    +287268  $34.95
-Divergence Wines    Brut Nature    Lincoln Lakeshore    2020    $40
-Hidden Bench Estate Winery Terroir Caché     Beamsville Bench    2020 +505610     $47.95
-Karlo Estates    Estate Chardonnay    Prince Edward County    2021 $68
-Lakeview Wine Co.     Sparkling Brut    Niagara Peninsula    2017 $45
-Leaning Post Wines    Chardonnay Clone 96     Lincoln Lakeshore    2020 $52.20
-Megalomaniac Wines    Much Obliged Chardonnay    Ontario    NV  $15.95
-Pelee Island Winery    Empress III Sparkling Gamay    2020
-Rosewood Winery & Meadery    Chardonnay    Niagara Escarpment    2021 $40.20
-Sprucewood Shores Estate Winery    Hawk's Flight Reserve Merlot    Ontario    2020 $39.95
-Tawse Winery Robyn's Block Chardonnay    Twenty Mile Bench    2021    +416321     $47.15

The Food: charcuterie platters with cold cheeses and hummus dips, breads, biscuits, fresh veggies and fresh fruits.
The Downside: the food went really fast, especially as the registration lineup dwindled.
The Upside: a good chance to connect with VQA Ontario wines
The Contact Person: andrea.peters@wmao.ca
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

Omrah Crossing Chardonnay Great Southern Western Australia 2023 +17644 $21.95 LCBO

Omrah Crossing Chardonnay Great Southern Western Australia 2023 +17644 $21.95 LCBO Vintages Release Sept. 7 or from Airen.com: some of my fave chardonnays that I have tasted came from Western Australia, and Omrah continues that pattern. It was last available in Ontario with the 2019 vintage (which I enjoyed), and now it's back at a few dollars more, moving from my recommended "under $20" to "over $20". But that's life. On the nose, there's a whack of fresh stone-orchard fruit and some toast. On the palate, there's an intense rush of fruit tempered by judicious oaking leading to a lemon saline minerality on the finish. The crispy food-friendly style lingers. Malolactic fermentation has been kept to a minimum, and it shows. Best with curries and other SEA dishes. Might be good to lay down for a few years, to get another view. 13% ABV. 2g/L residual sugar. Quality/Price rating is 92+ points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing.

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

WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for SEPTEMBER 7 , 2024 release.

WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES:  under/over $20 for  SEPTEMBER  7 , 2024 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  better or best 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 – my 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).
I was one of the first to jump on the Robert Parker bandwagon, using numerical indications for my scores in the early 1980s. Why? Because with a database I could rate, rank and order wines in any fashion. It was just so convenient using databases. Unfortunately, the numerical system has been shown to be disgraced by overuse and "inflated numbers"; thus I have quit any ranking by number. From now on, it will just be GOOD, BETTER and BEST, which will give me some wiggle room (e.g. is this wine an 87, 88, 89, or 90? Or all of them...depends on my mood and time of day). With the rigorous standards and lab testing by the LCBO, I can safely say that every single wine at the LCBO is at least GOOD, which I would numerically rank at 75-85 points. For reasons of time and space, I will NOT be listing the GOOD wines. Just the BETTER (86-89) and the BEST (90+ ) wines. This spread of points will relate to SILVER and GOLD medals, with GOOD being BRONZE.  This also fits into my scheme for trade tastings.

MVC/QPR=BETTER (86-89)=my basic standard
MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior


MAJOR THEME:  BRING HOME ONTARIO

Recommended Wines UNDER $20
=========================
Fizz+Vilarnau Barcelona Reserva Brut Organic Cava NV $16.95     MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior
W+39741 Flat Rock Twisted Special Anniversary Edition 2023 VQA  $19.95
W+485334 Kew Vineyards Marsanne VQA 2020  $19.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior
W+10964  Catena Appellation Chardonnay 2022 Argentina $19.95
W+37750 Caliterra Tributo Sauvignon Blanc Chile 2022  $17.95
W+12638  Esk Valley Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand 2022  $16.95
W+37420 Huber Vision Organic Gruner Veltliner Austria 2022 $16.95
W+10632 Lacheteau Les Cimes Haut-Poitou Sauvignon Blanc Loire 2022  $14.95
W+38396 Ormarine Carte Noire Picpoul de Pinet France 2023 $14.95
W+610295 Aveleda Alvarinho Portugal 2022 $14.95      MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior  
R+36311 Piedra Negra Alta Coleccion Organic Malbec Argentina 2023  $15.95
R+38260 Chateau Fleur Haut Gaussens Bordeaux 2015 $19.95
R+35902 Lacheteau Soleil des Vignes Chinon Cabernet Franc Loire 2022 $15.95
R+224592 Chateau Le Grand Retour Plan de Dieu Cotes du Rhone Villages 2021 $16.95
R+38260 Chateau Fleur Haut Gaussens Bordeaux 2015 $19.95  MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior
R+35902 Lacheteau Soleil des Vignes Chinon Cabernet Franc Loire 2022 $15.95
R+224592 Chateau Le Grand Retour Plan de Dieu Cotes du Rhone Villages 2021 $16.95
R+452730 Jose Maria da Fonseca Domini Portugal 2019 $15.95

Recommended Wines OVER $20
========================
Fizz+39728 13th Street Gamay Blanc de Noir VQA 2021 $34.95
Fizz+178137 Louis Bouillot Perle Brut Crémant de Bourgogne 2020 $23.95 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior
W+286377 Cave Spring Estate Riesling VQA $21.95  MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior
W+20899 Closson Chase The Brock Chardonnay VQA $24.95  MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior
W+183491 Hidden Bench Estate Organic Riesling VQA 2020  $24.95
W+20455  Le Clos Jordanne Jordan Village Chardonnay VQA 2021  $30 MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior
W+160846 Dr. Loosen Blue Slate Riesling Kabinett Mosel 2021  $23.95
W+155382 Marchesi de Barolo Gavi del Comune di Gavi Piedmont 2022 $24.95
R+523001 Cave Spring Estate Grown Cave Spring Vineyard Cabernet Franc VQA 2022 $20.95
R+417642 Cave Spring Pinot Noir VQA $21.95
R+392738 Domaine Queylus Tradition Pinot Noir VQA 2021 $35.70
R+633628 Mission Hill Family Estate Reserve Meritage BCVQA 2021 $32.95  MVC/QPR=BEST (90+ )=superior
R+203364 Errazuriz Aconcagua Alto Cabernet Sauvignon Chile 2021 $22.95
R+142398 Wakefield Jaraman Cabernet Sauvignon Australia 2021 $24.95
R+36670 Ellena Giuseppe Ascheri Barolo Piedmont 2019 $53.95
R+157347 Enrico Serafino Sanavento Barbaresco Piedmont 2021 $37.95
R+14200 Cecchi Riserva di Famiglia Chianti Classico Tuscany 2018 $23.95

LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO's Limited Time Offer selections...these  are "better" value wines...on sale  through Sunday September 15. Some recommended wines are listed below, but you might also want to check the whole lot of 197 wines at

https://www.lcbo.com/en/products#t=clp-products&sort=relevancy&layout=card&f:@ec_category=[Wine]&f:@lcbo_current_offer=[On%20Sale%5D%20]


-Flat Rock Twisted White VQA Sale Price $14.95 Save $3.00
-Luc Belaire Rare Rosé Sparkling Sale Price $39.95 Save $3.00
-Zonin Ripasso Valpolicella Superiore DOC Price $18.95 Save $3.00
-Wolf Blass Yellow Label Cabernet Sauvignon Sale Price $14.95 Save $3.00
-Trius Rosé VQA Sale Price $16.95 Save $3.00
-Oyster Bay Pinot Grigio Sale Price $17.95 Save $3.00
-Barón de Ley Reserva 2019 Sale Price $19.95 Save $4.00
-Stags' Leap Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Sale Price $64.95 Save $5.00
-Umberto Cesari Liano Sangiovese/Cabernet Sauvignon Sale Price $24.95 Save $5.00
-Moillard Chablis Les Coteaux D'Or Sale Price $29.35 Save $3.00
-Mitolo Jester Shiraz 5 stars Sale Price $19.95 Save $3.00
-Jacob's Creek Double Barrel Shiraz 5 stars Sale Price $17.00 Save $3.00
-J-Harden Cabernet Sauvignon Sale Price $16.95 Save $3.00
-A to Z Wineworks Pinot Noir Sale Price $28.95 Save $3.00
-Jacob's Creek Reserve Shiraz Sale Price $16.00 Save $3.00
-Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon Sale Price $20.95 Save $3.00
-Tommasi Ripasso Valpolicella Classico Superiore Sale Price $25.95 Save $2.00
-Stoneleigh Latitude Sauvignon Blanc Sale Price $20.95 Save $3.00


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

REPORT ON THE OREGON AND WASHINGTON WINE EXPEDITION April 2024

The Date and Time: April 8, 2024  Noon to 4PM
The Event: Oregon & Washington Wine Tasting
The Venue: El Mocambo
The Target Audience: wine writers/media, sommeliers, agents
The Availability/Catalogue: online by request, although many of the producers had their own notes with prices, etc.
The Quote/Background: it was really crowded and spread over three floors and levels. The quest for the partial solar eclipse proved to be a relief.
The Wines: I did not taste all the wines. Many were not available at the LCBO but some will be soon.

**** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-A-Z Oregon Chardonnay 2022\
-Rex Hill Chardonnay 2022
-Goose Ridge Columbia Vineyard 2022
-Tome Wines Albarino Arzabal Yakima Valley 2023 fave aromatic white of the day]
-Cristom Pinot Noir Dessier Vineyard  Oregon 2021
-Cristom Eola-Amity Pinot Noir Oregon2021
-Chateau Ste. Michelle Intrinsic Cabernet Sauvignon Washington 2020
-Chateau Ste. Michelle  Columbia Valley 2022 Washington $22 at LCBO now
-Chateau Ste. Michelle Canoe Ridge Horse Heaven Wash. 2021 $45 CAD
-Gramercy Cellars Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Washington 2018
-Tome Wines Lip Out Riesling Anchient Lakes 2022 Washington
-Citation Oregon Chardonnay 2015 Oregon $60
-Westmount Willamette Valley Chardonnay 2022 $35
-Valdemar Entre Nosotros Chardonnay 2022
-Sokol Blosser Brut Willamette 2021 Trad Meth

***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (87 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Centerstone Unoaked Chardonnay 2018 Willamette Valley Oregon $25
-Adelsheim Vineyard Chardonnay 2022
-Eve Washington State Chardonnay 2022
-Foris Rogue Valley Chardonnay 2022
-Rock Point Pinot Gris 2022 Oregon
-Stoller Family Estate Dundee Hills Chardonnay 2022
-Avni Chardonnay 2022 Oregon
-Stone Cap Riesling 2022 Washington
-Pearce-Predhomme Oregon Pinot Gris 2022
-Valdemar Estate Washington Syrah 2021
-Adelsheim Breaking Ground Pinot Noir 2021 Oregon
-Chateau Ste. Michelle Artiste Series Red Wine 2015 Washington
-Suzar ther Sunflower 2021 Willamette

The Food: there were Bymark hamburger sliders, salmon on cuke slices, and deep fried crab cakes. I only stayed for half the time, so maybe there was other food as well -- but later in the day.
The Downside: the venue was small and consequently crowded in its arrangement, with a main stage, a mezzanine tiki bar, a main long bar, and a mezzanine studio. It took awhile to get through to the producer tables and request samples.
The Upside: good overall quality wines.
The Contact Person: amanda@predhomme.ca
The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 89

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