New Zealand Wine Fair, Toronto, May 2013...

The Date and Time: Thursday, May 9, 2013  1:30 – 5:30 PM

The Event: Work of our Hands – New Zealand Wine Fair, Toronto 2013

The Venue: Toronto Reference Library

The Target Audience: wine trade

The Availability/Catalogue: as always, the catalogue is a model, with full details about the winery, Ontario agent, wines on show, vintages, prices, distribution channel. Occasionally, there are incorrect numbers on vintages or prices, or certain wines did not arrive and may – or may not – have been replaced.

The Quote/Background: once again, we had an excellent self-directed tasting seminar, this time back to sauvignon blanc, with the 16 wines arranged by region (they were mostly Marlborough) at different price points. These have been folded into the notes below. The seminar booklet contained a wealth of material and technical notes for every wine.

The Wines: I did not taste every wine, although I tried to taste all the non-savvies and non-pinots.

 

**** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):

-Coal Pit Sauvignon Blanc Central Otago 2011, n/a

-Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc Southern Valleys Marlborough 2010, $18.95 Kylix

-Yealands Estate Sauvignon Blanc Awatere Valley Marlborough 2012, $21.95 +277731

-Auntsfield South Oaks Barrel Fermented Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2011, $39  DB Wine & Spirits

-Saint Clair Pioneer Block 10 Twin Hills Chardonnay Marlborough 2010, $25.95 +317651

-Quartz Reef Pinot Noir Central Otago 2010, $42.95 +599324

-Quartz Reef MT Sparkling Rose Central Otago NV (all Pinot Noir) $40 Amethyst

-Cuvee No 1 Sparkling Marlborough NV, $32.95 +56358

-Matua Estate Paretai Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2012, $24.95 +144634

-The Kings Wrath Pinot Noir Marlborough 2011, $29.95  Glencairn Wine

-Lawson's Dry Hills Gewurztraminer Marlborough 2010, $19.95  +60129

-Giesen The August Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2011, $39.95

-Elephant Hill Chardonnay Hawke's Bay 2011, $24.95  +141978

-Churton Pinot Noir Marlborough 2009, $36.95 +237164

 

***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):

-Man O'War Gravestone Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon Waiheke Island 2012, n/a

-Giesen The Brothers Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2011, $19.95 Michael Andrews

-Akarua Brut Sparkling Central Otago NV, $27.95  Vonterra

-Waimea Viognier Nelson 2010, $19.95 +325969

-Waimea Pinot Noir Nelson 2009, $24.85  Churchill Cellars

-Villa Maria Cellar Selection Pinot Noir Marlborough 2010, $32.95 +285361

-Trinity Hill Chardonnay Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay 2011, $29.95  Cult Classic

-Trinity Hill "The Gimblett" Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay 2010, $29.95  Cult Classic

-Tiki Koro Pinot Noir Central Otago 2011, $34.95  Churchill Cellars

-te Pa Pinot Noir Marlborough 2011, $38.95  Family Wine Merchants

-Sileni Estate Selection "The Straits" Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2012, $22.95  Kirkwood

-Seresin Leah Pinot Noir Marlborough 2009, $39.95 Sept 28/13 Vintages

-Quartz Reef MT Sparkling Brut Central Otago NV $35 Amethyst

-Oyster Bay Sparkling Cuvee Rose NV, $21.95 +280172

-Matua Pinot Noir Central Otago 2011, $29.95  Treasury Wine Estates

-Hunter's MiruMiru Sparkling NV Marlborough, $27.95 Rogers

-Elephant Hill Pinot Noir Central Otago 2011, $29.95  +309583

-Kim Crawford SP Rise & Shine Pinot Noir Central Otago 2007, $29.95 +35337

-Nobilo Icon Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2012, $24.05 +912337

-Churton Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2011, $23.95 +159244

-Churton Viognier Marlborough 2011, $36.95 +619857

-Churton The Abyss Pinot Noir Marlborough 2010, $92 +249342

-Astrolabe Province Pinot Gris Marlborough 2012, $22.95  Rogers

 

*** GOOD -- Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms):

-Seifried Sauvignon Blanc Nelson 2012, $19 Terra Wines

-Palliser Estate Sauvignon Blanc Martinborough 2012, $19.95 Family Wine Merchants

-Craggy Range Te Muna Road Sauvignon Blanc Martinborough 2011, $27.95 Lifford

-Te Mata Estate Sauvignon Blanc Hawke's Bay 2012, Ponte Wines

-Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2012, $18.95   Constellation

-Saint Clair Pioneer Block 1 Foundation Sauvignon Blanc Wairau Valley Marlborough 2012, $24.95  Wine World

-Invivo Belle Low Alcohol Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2012, $19.99  Cult Classics

-Nautilus Estate Unoaked Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2012, $24.99 B & W

-Yealands Crossroads Milestones Series Syrah Hawkes Bay 2011, $27.95 Amethyst

-Seresin Chardonnay Marlborough 2010, $24.95 +19190

-Sacred Hill Prospector Pinot Noir Central Otago 2010, $39 +295741

-Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2012, $17.45 +293043

-Stoneleigh Latitude Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2012, $21.95 Pernod

-Oyster Bay Sparkling Cuvee Brut NV, $21.95 +163634

-Akarua Rose Brut Sparkling Central Otago NV, $27.95  Vonterra

 

The Food: the media got meat sandwiches on baguettes, the trade show got fruit, veggies and dips and three cheeses from Dairy Farmers of Canada (La Belle-Mere and Tomme des Demoiselles from Quebec, and Mountainoak Farmstead Premium Dutch Aged Gouda from Ontario).

The Downside: I wished that there were more wines, eg, syrah, to try, but the marketing was mostly geared to Sauvignon Blancs and Pinot Noirs.

The Upside: great lighting, unlike just about every other venue we've had for the NZ show in the past (Alice Fazooli, Fermentations, DX)

The Contact Person: rketchin@ketchin.com

The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 90.

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com