AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS – WINE TRADE WINDS DIARY FOR DECEMBER 2009 By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Creator of Canada's leading wine satire site at http://fauxvoixvincuisine.blogspot.com Always available at www.deantudor.com and http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com SOME NEW PRODUCTS TASTED THIS MONTH 1. Chateau des Charmes Sparkling Brut NV, +145409 LCBO, $22.95: citrus complexity but some baked component (apple pie?) too from the two to three years on lees. 50-50 pinot noir and chardonnay. Great crisp finish. 2. Chateau des Charmes Vidal Icewine 2006, 200 mL presentation package, +565861, $25.95: a mélange of apple, peach, some apricot ripeness, and finishes off-dry with some citric acidity. Stainless steel. 9.5% ABV 3. Nederburg Cabernet Sauvignon Paarl Manor House 2007 South Africa, +68767, $16.95, Vintages February 6, 2010: black fruit and mocha tones all the way. A year and more in new and used small French oak, nuances of wood and vanilla. Still needs a bit of time. ======================================================================= 1. The Time and Date: Wednesday, December 2, 2009 3 PM to 4:40 PM The Event: trade tasting of Mailly Champagne, Hendry (Napa), Henri Boillot and Lucien LeMoine wines, represented by Artisanal Wine Imports. The Venue: Fine Wine Reserve, King and Spadina The Target Audience: wine trade. The Availability/Catalogue: all wines were available but quantities were limited. The Quote/Background: Mailly, now being introduced into Canada, is one of 17 grand cru villages, producing 500,000 bottles a year. The Wines: **** Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Mailly Champagne Grand Cru Brut Rose NV, $74.95 90PN/10Ch -Mailly Champagne Grand Cru L’Air Millesime Brut 2005, $104.95 60PN/40Ch -Mailly Champagne Grand Cru Les Echansons Millesime Brut 1999, $117.95 75PN/25Ch -H. Boillot Savigny Les Beaune Blanc 2004 Vergelesse, $65.95 ***1/2 Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Mailly Champagne Grand Cru Brut Reserve NV, $58.95 75PN/25Ch -Mailly Champagne Grand Cru L’Air Millesime Brut 2005, $89.95 75PN/25Ch -H. Boillot Volnay Les Chevrets 2004, $79.95 -Lucien LeMoine Bourgogne Blanc 2005, $49.95 – oaked -Lucien LeMoine Gevrey Chambertin Lavaut St Jacques 2006, $125 -Lucien LeMoine Clos de Vougeot 2006, $275 -Hendry Pinot Noir 2006 Napa, $49.95 *** Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Hendry Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Napa, $78.95 The Food: none at the trade tasting. The Contact Person: bob@artisanalwineimports.com The Marketing Effectiveness (numerical grade): 86. 2. The Time and Date: Monday, December 7, 2009 10AM to 4PM The Event: APVSA tasting (Association pour la promotion des vins et spiritueux en Amerique du Nord). The Venue: Delta Chelsea Inn The Target Audience: wine agents. The Availability/Catalogue: no wines are currently available in Ontario. The group is here to try to get some agents to agree to rep the principal. Some of the wines are available in Quebec and Alberta. Most of the wines were French, and there were sales staff available to comment on the prices and production. The Wines: The problem I had with the wines, and one that must be acknowledged, is that they were no better than the wines that we already have here in Ontario. There really did not seem to be any price advantages, either. These 60 or so wines could be made available through Vintages or Consignment. In the past, many have been picked up for sale in Ontario. Here were my faves, regardless of price: **** Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Tissier & Fils Le Petit Morice Sancerre Blanc 2008, 5.60E -Chateau Vari 2007 Bergerac Rouge, 3.30E -Chateau Vari Reserve du Chateau 2005 Monbazillac, 5.60E 375mL -Ellul-Ferrieres Rouge Grande Cuvee Coteaux du Languedoc 2007, 8E -Ellul-Ferrieres Rouge Dolce Vitae Coteaux du Languedoc 2007, 5E -Dom. Du Mas Rous Cotes du Roussillon Rouge Cuvee 2006, 4.58E ***1/2 Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Earl Maison Pere & Fils Cheverny Rouge 2008, 3.50E -Earl Maison Pere & Fils Cheverny Blanc Revelation 2008, 3.90E -Chateau La Croix St. Anne 2005 Bord Sup, 2.90E -Chateau Vari 2005 Monbazillac, 3.20E 375mL -Chateau Belot L’Argiliere 2006 Rouge Saint-Chinian, 5.60E -Domaine Belot Viognier 2008 Pays d’Oc, 3E -Dom. Du Mas Rous Muscat de Rivesaltes 2008 Vin Doux Naturel, 4.79E -Dom. Pio Notre Dame Minervois Rouge 2007 Fut en Chene, 10E -Dom. Pio Notre Dame Minervois Rose 2008, 4E *** Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Chateau Vray Canon Boyer 2002 Canon Fronsac, 4.50 -Chateau Au Grand Paris 2007 Bordeaux Sup, 2.80E -Chateau Belot Le Vignalet 2007 Rouge Saint-Chinian, 2.50E -Dom. Du Mas Rous Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 Pays d’Oc, 4.58 -Dom. De Mas Rous Cotes du Roussillon Tradition 2008 Rouge, 3.58E -Dom. Pio Notre Dame Minervois Rouge 2007, 4.50E The Food: none. The Downside: selection is eclectic and bottles arrive haphazardly. Some bottles never arrived at all, but we were not told this until we got there. The Upside: a chance to taste some engaging wines not available here. There is a listing of wines with FOB prices in Euros. The Contact Person: Pascal p.fernand@apvsa.ca The Effectiveness (numerical grade): 85. 3. The Time and Date: Wednesday, December 8, 2009 2PM to 4PM The Event: Tour of Vintage One (V1) Wines The Venue: on site cellar winery, 4896 Dundas St. West, in Etobicoke 416-231-6994 The Target Audience: wine media, on a limited basis. The Availability/Catalogue: This is a big U-Vint: a 10,000 square foot winery in the inner suburbs. There are 80 stainless steel fermenting tanks from Italy. These range in size from 100 to 300 to 500 litres. There is an impressive grape-crushing area (maceration occurs five times a day). Through a glass wall with glass doors there are over 50 oak aging barrels from France, Hungary, and the US. There are five levels of wine quality available. It might be best to visit the website to check out what each is and the various price levels. But the first level is “Blends”, running about $90 and up for 20 Litres (two cases of wine plus 2 bottles). Blends come from different countries, sort of like a Cellared in Canada wine without the stretch water component. The next level, “Cortes”, is country specific, with Merlot and Chardonnay from Chile, and Muscat Ottonel from Argentina. There is also a Norman- style sparkling apple cider, about $108 for 9 litres (one case), with Ontario fruit. The “Estates” and “Select” levels move into the valleys of Argentina, Chile, and Italy, ranging from $260 to $470 per 20 litres. There is also a pre-order “Domain” level, with local estates’ best production being determined each harvest. This is by the barrel only, usually 108 litre barrels (133 bottles) made of French, Hungarian or American oak. Or in 225 litre barrels (300 bottles). The variable prices here start at $2800 per barrel. The Quote/Background: Vintage One Wines, as a U-Vint, offers a wide selection of grape varieties, including some from Ontario and California. Customers can be as involved as they want to be with the winemaking team during the entire process. There is a money back guarantee included when the wine is bottled on the premises. The Wines: Alejandra De Miguel is the Founder (her brother Jeronimo is in charge of Business Development). She’s the latest generation of a family of Argentine winemakers, and she greeted us in her fashionable winemaker suspenders. As she says, “There is no better way to learn about wine than by being a part of the creative journey.” She’s worked with her winemaker father, Alejandro, in Argentina, and has apprenticed in Spain, Chile, and Argentina. She will soon complete a degree in viticulture and oenology from UC Davis – at the age of 27. She’s been eight years in the winemaking end, and even managed to get to McGill University. Her father acts as primary winemaking consultant to V1, which uses frozen grapes and refrigerated juice (no concentrates). The juices are mainly for white wines, while the whole grapes add complexity to the red wines. Imports are totally based on demand. The whole winemaking process should be six to eight weeks, with the whites being faster. Anything in barrels is for three months and more, with additional storage fees. Of interest is the fact that Nero d’Avola grapes and juice is brought in from Sicily. Currently, V1 is also making wines for the restaurant located above it, and it could be branching out as a winemaker/consultant for other startup micro- wineries in Ontario. We couldn’t taste any wines since the operation is not allowed to have bottles on premises, and the wines in the tanks were not their property. The Food: I had an espresso. The Downside: no sampling, which was a disappointment since I wanted to taste for quality. The Upside: the winery is open Tuesday through Saturday, and by appointment. The Contact Person: info@vintageonewines.com www.vintageonewines.com