AN ADDED VALUE FOR MY SUBSCRIBERS – WINE TRADE WINDS DIARY FOR JUNE 2009 By Dean Tudor, Gothic Epicures Writing, dtudor@ryerson.ca Always available at www.deantudor.com SOME NEW PRODUCTS TASTED THIS MONTH: A: From Artisan Wine Company in BC -- two new releases in Ontario. -Ganton & Larsen Prospect Winery Ogopogo’s Lair Pinot Grigio 2007 VQA Okanagan: more delicate than it should be, unoaked, 13% ABV, tropicality but also peaches, clear and clean finish. $15.15 via Mark Anthony. -Ganton & Larsen Prospect Winery Fats Johnson Pinot Noir 2007 VQA Okanagan: medium styled all the way, light and lingering strawbs and tartish cherries, light spices, great for summer. +92304, $15.95 General List. B: From Stonechurch Vineyards, Niagara – Stonechurch Vineyards Quintet 2007 VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, $19.95 at winery: smooth, almost ripe tones of hot climate Bordeaux with a cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, syrah, and merlot blend. Some olives, pepper. 12.8% ABV. Gold Medal at All Canadian Wine Championships. C: From Stoney Ridge Estate Winery in Vineland – -Stoney Ridge Charlotte’s Chardonnay 2008 VQA Twenty Mile Bench, $12.95 at winery: 13% ABV, from the Black Capsule series, named in honour of Jim Warren’s wife who didn’t want any oak in her chardonnay. All stainless, good minerals, Chablis-like. Cuesta Vineyard, twist top. 555 cases. -Stoney Ridge Gewurztraminer 2008 VQA Four Mile Creek, $14.95 at winery. 12.3%. Gold Capsule series. This one is thick in body with mounds of Gewurz flavours, off-dry lingering finish, kind of yummy. Slight petillance, so could settle. Silver Medal in All Canadian Wine competition. 555 cases. -Stoney Ridge Founder’s Pinot Noir 2007 VQA, about $14.95: Vintages has purchased the entire 100 case production, so it will be in limited supply. 11.7% ABV and unfiltered. Expect mounds of flavour in a Euro mode. -Stoney Ridge Warren Classic Pinot Noir 2006 VQA Niagara, $12.95: 13.4% ABV. Black Capsule series. Barrel aged for 18 months, then blended with 15% Pinot Noir from 2007 to promote that Euro burgundy complexity. Silver Medal in All Canadian Wine competition, 275 cases. -Stoney Ridge Riesling 2008 VQA, Gold Medal in All Canadian Wine competition, 650 cases. 12% ABV. Dry Alsatian mode, long lingering finish. -Stoney Ridge Chardonnay Musque 2008 VQA Twenty Mile Bench, 13.1% ABV, 500 cases. $14.95. The trendiest grape in Ontario right now, a muscat- like clone of Chardonnay which promotes those peachey and tropical aromas. D: From Karl Kovacs Agencies, -Puklus Tokaji Szamorodni Dry 2002, +48058, $13.95 for 500mL (June 20, 2009 Vintages) replaces the previously available 1997 vintage, which was a popular brand. This is a sherry-like wine, made from a late harvest blend of ripe and botrytisized aszu berries (Furmint grapes). Residual sugar is a low 2 g/l, but the flavours are intense. Expect dried apricots, figs, rancio sherry tones (there is a flor sometimes because the barrels are not generally topped up). Not fortified, best with cheeses or just sipped. A gold medalist at the 2005 Hungarian Wine Competition. E: From Familia Zuccardi, Argentina: -Fuzion Shiraz/Malbec 2008, +83188, $7.45, 13.5% ABV, twist top, probably needs no introduction. It is off-dry (sugar code = 1) with many black fruit tones, medium palate, and a longer finish than expected. A bit more edgy than the first vintage released in Ontario. -Fuzion Chenin/Chardonnay 2008, +119800, $7.45, 13% ABV, twist top, just introduced in time for summer. It probably has juice from younger chardonnay vines which could ameliorate the chenin blanc sweetness which is often flabby. It is off-dry (sugar code = 1), showing off some floral-flower complexity on the nose, and some apple-citrus tones on the mid-palate. A real crowd pleaser, better, in my mind, than the red. -Fuzion Syrah Rose 2008, $7.45 – part of the seasonal rose program, and probably sold out. No sample for review, but sugar code = 1 and alcohol levels are at 13% ABV, and twist top. A question: why is the red listed with shiraz grapes while the rose is listed as syrah grapes? What’s the difference here? ======================================================================= 1. The Time and Date: Thursday, June 4, 2009 The Event: a tasting of 10 vintages of Treana Red Paso Robles, from Hope Family Wines, led by Austin Hope, proprietor and winemaker. The Venue: National Club The Target Audience: wine media, sommeliers, clients. The Availability/Catalogue: only Treana Red 2003 is currently available, although Liberty School labels are in Vintages. The Quote/Background: The blend has varied over the years, beginning with sangiovese and petit syrah in its first vintage of 1996. Cabernet sauvignon and merlot and some syrah have been the anchors, but the Hope Family has also played around with mourvedre. With the Treana Red 2000, the blend became a consistent cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and syrah, with 14 months in all French oak (40% new). Then, in 2004, it became just cabernet sauvignon 70% and syrah 30%. This ratio moved forward into the 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 vintages, with now 65% new French oak. The 2002 wine was declassified because it was not up to their standards. The Wines: we tasted 10 Treana Red vintages, with the Liberty School wines at lunch. We also had the current vintage of Treana White, a blend of viognier 53% and Marsanne 47% grapes. It showed mounds of fruit and Rhonish character (Consignment Bridge and then Vintages, +11247, $33.95). The 1996 Treana Red was their first vintage; no wine was bottled as Treana Red in 2002. **** Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Treana Red 1996 (with petit syrah and sangiovese added), not available -Treana Red 1997, same blend -Treana Red 2004 (70% cab, 30% syrah, +11221 Consignment Bridge and then Vintages, $44.95) -Treana Red 2005 ***1/2 Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Treana Red 1998 (with added mourvedre but no sangiovese) -Treana Red 2001 (cab, merlot, syrah) -Treana Red 2003 (cab, syrah, merlot: $48.95 Vintages +11221) -Treana Red 2006 *** Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Treana Red 1999 (with added mourvedre), a bit leafy. -Treana Red 2000 (cab, merlot and syrah) The Food: at lunch, we had tiger shrimps with Liberty School Chardonnay 2007, +960120, $16.95 at Vintages August 15, 2009, a decidedly unabashed California chard with 50% French oak. Gnocchi with a mushroom ragout was accompanied by Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, +738823 Vintages Essential at $18.95, very robust with the potato component of the dish. Braised short ribs had a delightful Liberty School Syrah, +942383 $17.95 Vintages, with added viognier. Best wine at the meal. The Downside: there were some vacant seats at this major tasting, which I found distressing…where were these people? The Upside: it is very rare in Toronto to have a vertical tasting of a California wine, and I was glad to have participated. The Contact Person: phillip@nobleestates.com The Marketing Effectiveness (numerical grade): 92. 2. The Time and Date: Wednesday, June 10, 2009 11:30 AM – 5:30 PM The Event: Madeira Wine luncheon and tasting, sponsored by IVBAM from Madeira, the European Union and the Portuguese Trade and Tourism Commission. The Venue: Jacobs & Co. steak house, King St West The Target Audience: wine writers and sommeliers, restaurateurs. The Availability/Catalogue: most of the Madeira in the tasting were for show, with the possibility of some orders for the future. Prices were not always known. The Quote/Background: Five wineries were included – the Madeira Wine Company, Henriques & Henriques, Vinhos Justinos Henriques, Vinho Barbeito, and Pereira d’Oliveira. Together they market well over a dozen different labels, and many more styles (Ten Year Old, 5 Year Old, Rich, Old, Colheita), plus the various names of the grapes of sercial, bual, verdelho, terrantez, malmsey or malvasia AND the many labels such as Cossart Gordon, Blandy’s, Leacock’s, and Miles. The Wines: I did not try all the wines. **** Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Henriques & Henriques 10 YO Sercial (Cavima Ent.) -Henriques & Henriques 15 YO Sercial (Cavima Ent.) -Henriques & Henriques 15 YO Verdelho (Cavima Ent.) -Justino Broadbent Bual 1978 (RKW Wine Imports) -Justino Colheita 1996 (RKW Wine Imports) ***1/2 Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Cossart Gordon 5 YO Sercial -Leacock’s 5 YO Sercial -Blandy’s 10 YO Verdelho -Pereira d’Oliveira Harvest Bual 1980 -Pereira d’Oliveira Harvest Malvazia 1990 -Pereira d’Oliveira 15 YO Sweet -Justino Boal 10 YR (RKW Wine Imports) -Justino Sercial 10 YO, $40 (RKW Wine Imports) *** Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Cossart Gordon 5 YO Bual -Justino Old Reserve Fine Dry 10 YO, $35 RKW Wine Imports The Food: For the lunch, the only downer was the consommé. Only “double consommé” can stand up to Madeira, and we just had regular consommé. Maybe next time. Meanwhile, I added some Madeira to my soup, and it picked up. The hors d’oeuvre comprised salt cod fritters, red pepper and goat cheese on broche, steak tartar, lobster rice paper spring rolls (where was my lobster? I couldn’t find it) – all served against Henriques & Henriques 10 yr Sercial. The second course had some of dry- aged beef that Jacobs and Co does (USDA prime roasted tenderloin, Oakleigh Ranch wagyu striploin, and Alberta wagyu bavette). I liked the bavette the best. Unfortunately, there was only ONE Madeira to try with three styles of beef. I cross-sampled with what I already had (10 year sercial, 10 year verdelho, 15 year verdelho). Next up[ came a cheese course, with two unidentified cheeses, both quite good with the 5 yr bual and the 10 year bual. Dessert was rich chocolate three ways, with Justino’s Colheita 1996 and Justino’s Broadbent Bual 1978, both superb With the stand alone tasting, there were skewers of meat and about a dozen different Portuguese cheeses. Unfortunately, there were no labels to explain what these cheeses were. I could read some incomplete packaging, but of course, they were all in Portuguese. The cheeses tasted pretty good, even better with the Madeira. Buals were the best choices for cheese. The Downside: the luncheon was very crowded, and service was consequently slow. Also, I had to request a spit bucket: there was no way I was going to swallow different fortified wines after tasting. There were 7 wines to sample with the food. The Upside: great food matches. The Contact Person: William.delgado@portugalglobal.pt The Marketing Effectiveness (numerical grade): 92. 3. The Time and Date: Tuesday, June 16, 2009 2 PM to 4:30 PM The Event: Sip & Savour Ontario, celebrating Ontario wine week. The Venue: Fermenting Cellar, Distillery District. The Target Audience: wine trade in the afternoon, consumers at night. The Availability/Catalogue: all wines are available through the winery, but very few from the LCBO. Surprisingly, there was a Vintages table pouring some wines. The Quote/Background: There were different wines poured at night. The showcase in the afternoon was toward wines being marketed to restaurants. The Wines: Because of check-in delays and a prompt closing time, I was unable to taste all of the red wines that I wanted to. My apologies to some of the wineries affected, especially since I told them that I would be back AFTER I had finished with the white wines. **** Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Calamus Estate White 2007 (C-PG-Ge), $17 -Chateau des Charmes Chardonnay Musque Estate Bottled 2007, $16.95 -Creekside Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 -Fielding Estate Viognier 2007, $30 -Hidden Bench Estate Chardonnay 2006, $30 -Hidden Bench Estate Riesling 2007, $26 -Konzelmann Estate Gewurztraminer 2007, $17 -Le Clos Jordanne Claystone Terrace Chardonnay 2006, +36806, $40 -Legends Sauvignon Blanc 2007, $15.50 -Ravine Vineyard Estate Merlot Reserve 2007, $55 -Ravine Vineyard Estate Chardonnay Reserve 2007, $38 ***1/2 Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Peninsula Ridge Estates Viognier 2007, +662601, $14.95 Vintages -Alvento Winery Elige 2004 (CS-SF-M), $20 -Alvento Sondra 2006, $30 (M-CF) -Calamus Estate Pinot Gris 2008 -Cattail Creek Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2007, $19 -Chateau des Charmes Sauvignon Gris Estate Bottled 2007, $19.95 -Coyote’s Run Red Paw Vineyard Pinot Gris 2007 -Coyote’s Run Black Paw Vineyard Chardonnay 2007 -Flat Rock Twisted 2008, +1578, $16.95 -Flat Rock The Rusty Shed Chardonnay 2006, +1552, $24.95 -Hidden Bench Terroir Cache Red Meritage 2006, $35 -Jackson-Triggs Proprietors Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2008, +618413, $13.95. -Kacaba Vineyards Riesling Reserve 2008, $17.95 -Le Clos Jordanne Village Reserve Chardonnay 2006, +33936, $30 -Le Clos Jordanne Village Reserve Pinot Noir 2006, +33894, $30 -Mike Weir Chardonnay 2007, +26, $15.95 -Palantine Hills Estate Riesling Traminer 2007, +58602, $13.95 -Palantine Hills Estate Gewurztraminer Proprietor’s Reserve 2008, $13.95 -Ravine Vineyard Estate Cabernet Franc 2006, $34 -Riverview Cellars Gewurztraminer 2008, $16.95 -Southbrook Vineyards Triomphe Chardonnay 2006, $21.95 -Stonechurch Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, $19.95 -Strewn Chardonnay Barrel Aged 2007, $12.95 -Wayne Gretzky Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2007, $18.95 *** Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Malivoire Chardonnay Musque 2008, +129759, $11.95 half-bottle Vintages -Alvento Vio Viognier 2007, $35 -Creekside Reserve Merlot Butler’s Grant 2005 -Creekside Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2006, +53371, $18.95 -Fielding Estate Riesling 2008, $16 -Flat Rock Pinot Noir 2007, +1545, $19.95 -Hidden Bench Estate Pinot Noir 2007, $45 -Jackson-Triggs Delaine Vineyard Gewurztraminer 2007, $22.80 -Konzelmann Estate Merlot Barrel Aged 2007, $30 -Lailey Niagara River Chardonnay 2006 -Legends Cabernet Merlot Reserve 2002, $22 -Pillitteri Estates Sauvignon Blanc 2007, $18 -Riverview Cellars Angelina’s Reserve Chardonnay 2007, $31.95 -Rosewood Estates Gewurztraminer 2008, $18 -Southbrook Vineyards Triomphe Sauvignon Blanc 2007, $18.95 -Strewn Riesling Semi-Dry 2008, $11.95 -Wayne Gretzky Estate Riesling 2007, $17.95 The Food: four artisanal breads from Stonemill, and three Ontario cheeses from Dairy Farmers of Canada (but why Ontario gouda? Ontario asiago? But the Upper Canada Cheese Co.’s Comfort Cream was phenomenal) The Downside: we were late in getting started because the seminar ran over. Eventually, they let us in while the seminar was wrapping up, but we also had delays with the check-in procedure. We were asked to leave on time, but we should have been allowed to stay on, to make up for the lost time. At any rate, I was not able to taste all the wines that I wanted to taste. The Upside: our once a year tasting of VQA wines, the frequency of which is shameful (blame the Wine Council: they did NOT help out in sponsoring this event). The Contact Person: sandy@forefrontcom.com The Marketing Effectiveness (numerical grade): 85. 4. The Time and Date: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 10AM to 1 PM The Event: Wine Writers Circle of Canada tasting of Latin American wines. The Venue: LCBO Scrivener Square The Target Audience: wine writers The Wines: **** Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): - Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 Maipo Valley 14.5% alc LCBO #337238 Vintage Essentials $19.95 -Kankura Malbec 2007 Edition Limitee Valle de Colchagua 14.5% alc Consignment Small Winemakers Collection $24.95 -Sociedad Agricola los Maquis Calcu 2006 Valle de Colchagua 14.1% alc Consignment Small Winemakers Collection $14.95 -Dominio Del Plata BenMarco Malbec 2006 Mendoza 14% alc Consignment Profile Wine Group $22.95 -Bodega Catena Zapata Catena Malbec 2006 Mendoza 14% alc Vintage Essentials ***1/2 Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): - Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Syrah 2006 Rapel Valley 15% alc Vintages Jan 31/09 #19042 $19.95 -Trivento Golden Reserve Malbec 2006 Mendoza 14.8% alc Vintages avail June 20/08 #588731 $24.95 -Sociedad Agricola los Maquis Lien 2005 Valle de Colchagua 14.5% alc Consignment Small Winemakers Collection $24.95 -Vicar SA G7 Chardonnay 2006 Gran Reserva Casablanca Valley 13.5% alc Consignment Small Winemakers Collection $19.95 -Vicar SA G7 Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 Gran Reserva Concomilla Valley 13.5% alc Consignment Small Winemakers Collection $19.95 -Cono Sur Chardonnay 2007 20 Barrels 13.5% alc Casablanca Valley +127498 $24.95 -Cono Sur Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 20 Barrels 14% alc Maipo Valley -Vina Calina Alcance Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 14.5% alc Maule *** Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -Vicar SA G7 Shiraz 2007 Reserva Loncomilla Valley 13.5% alc Consignment Small Winemakers Collection $19.95 The Contact Person: sdarby@rogers.com The Marketing Effectiveness (numerical grade): 90 5. The Time and Date: Thursday, June 25, 2009 6Pm to 9PM The Event: A Taste of Quebec/Thompson Landry Gallery Cooperage Space Grand Opening of New Venue The Venue: Cooperage Space, Building 32, Distillery District. The Target Audience: private clients, selected media The Quote/Background: The 3,000 square foot art gallery showcases Quebec artists and sculptors. The emphasis tonight was as its alternate function, an event space for up to 200 people, in co-operation with Distillery Restaurant Corp. The Wines: We had two good beers, Blanche de Chambly and La Fin du Monde (both from Quebec). Wines included the straight forward Red Knot Shiraz 2007 McLaren Vale ($19 Lifford) and the mature Francis Ford Coppola Bianco Pinot Grigio 2006 (2008 is $12 Lifford). Other beverages included Ciderie St. Nicolas Cider and Ciderie St. Nicolas Ice Cider, plus Pinnacle Ice Cider 2006 (a bit sweeter than the St. Nicolas). The Food: caterers were showing off their signature dishes. 10tation served cremoni mushrooms and braised short ribs; they also did a rich chocolate hazelnut torte with strawbs. Daniel et Daniel had one of the healthiest dishes, with grilled shrimp on a bed of cooked greens and edamame. Presidential Gourmet did a substantial spiced lamb and beef on truffled polenta (with a Pinnacle iced cider as accompaniment). Barbara Murphy was showing off her St. Nicolas with rabbit terrine. Jean-Pierre + Co did a Caribbean cod cake with two habanero sauces (one a hot relish, the other an aioli) followed by a cucumber shooter chaser. Jayne’s did a crab salad in a double martini glass. There were also liver mousse cones, cucumber nibbles, and oysters. A Taste of Quebec had both Quebecois foods from their new Chef Pierre of Café du Lac on the Lakeshore, and a coffee bar with real coffee, espresso, etc. A Taste of Quebec specializes in cheese from Quebec, and Tom the fromagier led me through a tasting of Bleu Moutonniere (raw sheep), Miranda (organic raw), Fleur des Monts (raw sheep), Migneron (pasteurized cow), Reserve La Perade (organic raw), Vieux Charlevoix 3 year old cheddar, and Bleu Benedictin. I asked him what went with my espresso; he paused and then got me a slice of Chevre Noir cheddar- style. It went perfectly. Kudos to the cheese section and selection! The Contact Person: jt@thompsonlandry.com; info@atasteofquebec.com The Marketing Effectiveness (numerical grade): 92.