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Wednesday, March 15, 2017

The Event: Taste Ontario Toronto; VQA Wines of Ontario March 7, 2017

1. The Date and Time: Monday March 6, 2017  11AM to 4PM
The Event: Taste Ontario Toronto; VQA Wines of Ontario
The Venue: ROM
The Target Audience: wine trade (media at 11, trade at 1)
The Availability/Catalogue: all wines are available at winery or LCBO. The catalogue had full details with names of contact persons.
The Quote/Background: Over 40 wineries participated, from Lake Erie North Shore, Niagara Peninsula, and Prince Edward County.
The Wines: I did not taste every wine; there were 130. Prices are retail. Scores are added for each wine.
 
**** BEST -- Four Stars (90+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
90 Stratus Vineyards    Stratus White    Niagara Lakeshore    2013    13.8    +660704 $38
90 Tawse Winery    Tawse Chardonnay    Niagara Peninsula    2013    12.5    N/A     $20.15    
94 Thomas Bachelder    Chardonnay Mineralité    Niagara Peninsula    2014    12.50% N/A     
92+ 2027 Cellars LTD     Wismer Vineyard - Foxcroft Block - Chardonnay    Twenty Mile Bench    2014    12.8    +421362 Vintages     $22.95    
92 Adamo Estate Winery    Oaked Chardonnay Willms Vineyard 2014    Niagara On The Lake    2014    13.8%    N/A     $31
92 Cave Spring Cellars    Riesling CSV    Beamsville Bench    2015    11.5%    +566026 $29.95    
94 Southbrook Vineyards    Southbrook Poetica Chardonnay    Four Mile Creek 2013 13    N/A $50 90 Southbrook Vineyards    Southbrook Estate Grown Small Lot '101' Cabernet Franc    Four Mile Creek    2013    12.5    N/A     $34.95    
90 Chateau des Charmes    Rosé sparkling wine Méthode Traditionnelle    Niagara-on-the-Lake    2014    12.5    +78055     $29.95    
94 Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery    Cuvée Catharine Rosé Brut    VQA Niagara Peninsula    NV    12%    +217505     $33.84    
93+ Icellars Estate Winery    Chardonnay    Niagara-on-the-lake    2014    13.5    $35
90 Icellars Estate Winery    Pinot Noir    Niagara-on-the-lake    2015    13    $45
90 Malivoire Wine Company Bisous Brut Nature Beamsville Bench NV    12    N/A     $34.95    
90 Closson Chase Vineyards    Closson Chase South Clos Chardonnay    Prince Edward County    2014    12.5    N/A     $39.95    
90 Domaine Queylus     Pinot Noir Signature    Niagara Peninsula    2013    13    N/A    
90 Flat Rock Cellars    Pinot Noir    Twenty Mile Bench    2014    13%    1545     $20.20    
92 Flat Rock Cellars    Chardonnay    Twenty Mile Bench    2015    13.5%    +681247     $18.95    
93 Flat Rock Cellars    Riddled Traditional Method Sparkling    Twenty Mile Bench    2010    12%    +383315     $29.95    
 
 
***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 89.5 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
88 Flat Rock Cellars    Riesling    Twenty Mile Bench    2015    9.5%    +43281     $16.95    
89 Good Earth Vineyards & Winery (The)    Riesling Beamsville Bench 2014 9.6     $21.95    
89 GreenLane Estate Winery Tenacious C[hardonnay] Lincoln Lakeshore 2014 13.2     $19.95    
88 GreenLane Estate Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Lincoln Lakeshore 2012 13.5     $32.95    
88+ Cooper's Hawk Vineyards Unoaked Chardonnay Ontario 2015    11%    +453167     $14.95    
89+ Creekside Estate Winery    Chardonnay Queenston Road Vineyard    St. David's Bench    2014    13         $24.95    
88 Creekside Estate Winery Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon    St. David's Bench    2012 13.5 $40
89 Domaine Queylus Chardonnay Tradition    Niagara Peninsula    2014    13    N/A     $24.95    
89+ Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery    Estate Chardonnay    VQA Short Hills Bench    2015    13.5    268342     $22.54    
89 Magnotta Winery G. Marquis Chardonnay Niagara-on-the-Lake 2015    13.6    N/A     $17.95    
89 Magnotta Winery    Magnotta Enotrium Gran Reserva    Niagara Peninsula    2012    15.5    N/A     $60.15    
88 Meldville Wines Meldville Sauvignon Blanc Lincoln Lakeshore 2015 13.8 N/A     $20.20    
89+ Meldville Wines    Meldville Chardonnay    Lincoln Lakeshore    2015    13.2 N/A $20.20 89 Norman Hardie Winery & Vineyard    County Chardonnay     VQA Prince Edward County    2014    11.4%    N/A     $45.20    
89+ Norman Hardie Winery & Vineyard    Chardonnay    VQA Niagara Peninsula    2014    12.2%    +184432     $39.20    
89 Norman Hardie Winery & Vineyard    Pinot Noir    VQA Niagara Peninsula    2015    11.9%    208702     $45.20    
89 Nyarai Cellars    Viognier    Niagara Peninsula    2015    13%         $22.95    
88 Pelee Island Winery    Vinedresser Chardonnay    Lake Erie North Shore    2012    13%    492462     $17.75    
88 Rapscallion Wine Company     Frisky Beaver Shades of Grey Chardonnay    VQA Ontario     2015    12.8%    490383     $14.95    
89 Redstone Winery    Redstone Cabernet    Niagara Peninsula    2013    13    NA     $19.95    
89 Domaine Queylus     Pinot Noir Reserve    Niagara Peninsula    2012    13.5    N/A    $45
89 Fielding Estate Winery     Riesling      Niagara Peninsula    2014    10.5    +146761 $15.95    
88+ Reif Estate Winery    Reif Estate Chardonnay Reserve    Niagara River    2014    13.5 %    +252163     $22.15    
89 Reif Estate Winery    Reif Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve    Niagara River 2014    13 %    +304162     $30.15    
88+ Rosewood Estates Winery    Origin Chardonnay     Beamsville Bench    2014    13 $28.95 89 Chateau des Charmes    Equuelus    St. David's Bench    2012    13.5    319525     $42.00    
89+ Chateau des Charmes    Old Vines Riesling, Estate Bottled    Niagara-on-the-Lake    2014    12    277228     $17.95    
88 Chateau des Charmes    Cuvée d'Andrée Rosé, Estate Grown & Bottled    Niagara-on-the-Lake    2015    12.6    333260     $15.95    
89 Rosewood Estates Winery Origin Cabernet Franc Niagara Peninsula 2014    13.2    $29.95    
89 Southbrook Vineyards    Southbrook Triomphe Chardonnay    Niagara Peninsula    2015    12.5    N/A     $22.95    
89 Southbrook Vineyards    Southbrook Triomphe Pinot Noir    Niagara Peninsula    2015    12.5    N/A     $29.95    
88 Stoney Ridge Estate Winery     Excellence Pinot Noir     Niagara Peninsula    2015    12.5%    N/A     $29.95    
88 13th Street Winery    Cuvee Rose NV    Niagara Peninsula    NV    12.5%    147504 $27.95    
88 2027 Cellars LTD    Queenston Road Vineyard' Pinot Noir    St. David's Bench    2013    13    421370     $35.00    
88 2027 Cellars LTD    2027 Cellars Falls Vineyard Riesling    Vinemount Ridge    2016    10    n/a     $18.95    
88 Adamo Estate Winery    Gewurztraminer Wismer - Lakeview Vineyard 2015    Twenty Mile Bench    2015    12.9%    N/A     $19.95    
89 Adamo Estate Winery    Pinot Noir Lowrey Vineyard 2014    St. David's Bench    2014    12.8%    N/A     $34.75    
89 Thomas Bachelder Wismer Vineyard Chardonnay Twenty Mile Bench 2012 12.5    $44.95    
88 Thomas Bachelder    Pinot Noir Parfum    Niagara Peninsula    2014    12.5         N/A     
89+ Thomas Bachelder    Wismer-Parke Pinot Noir    Twenty Mile Bench    2014    13    $44.95    
88 Westcott Vineyards Reserve Chardonnay    Vinemount Ridge 2015 12.9 N/A     $32.95    
89 Westcott Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir     Vinemount Ridge    2013    13.5    N/A     $30.00    
88 Two Sisters Vineyards Eleventh Post    Niagara River    2012    14%    N/A     $39.00    
88 Cave Spring Cellars    Chardonnay CSV Beamsville Bench 2014 13%    +529941     $29.95    
89 Cave Spring Cellars    Pinot Noir Estate    Beamsville Bench    2015    13%    +246561 $39.95    
86 Stratus Vineyards    Tollgate Red    Niagara-on-the-Lake    2014    13.5    N/A    $22 88+ Stratus Vineyards    Stratus Red    Niagara Lakeshore    2012    13.8    +131037     $44.00    
89 Tawse Winery    Tawse Riesling    Niagara Peninsula    2015    10    NA     $16.05    
 
*** GOOD -- Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
86 Fielding Estate Winery     Estate Bottled Chardonnay    Lincoln Lakeshore    2015    12.5    +355842     $21.95    
86 GreenLane Estate Winery    Riesling    Lincoln Lakeshore    2014    10.9         $12.95    
86 Icellars Estate Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Niagara-on-the-lake    2015    13     $50.00    
85 Icellars Estate Winery Arinna    Niagara-on-the-lake    2014    13         $39.00    
86 Creekside Estate Winery Iconoclast Syrah St. David's Bench 2013 12.2         $22.95    
85 Vieni Estates Wine and Spirits    Sauvignon Blanc    Vinemount Ridge    2013    13    N/A
86 Pelee Island Winery    Vinedressers Cabernet Sauvignon Petit Verdot    Lake Erie North Shore    2012    13%    492470     $19.75    
86 Redstone Winery    Redstone Redfoot Vineyard Viognier 2015    Lincoln Lakeshore    2015    13    N/A     $29.95    
86 Stoney Ridge Estate Winery     Gewurztraminer    Niagara Peninsula     2015    13%     N/A     $14.95    
86 Meldville Wines Meldville Cabernet Franc Lincoln Lakeshore 2015 13    N/A     $27.00    
85 Mike Weir Estate Winery    Chardonnay    Niagara Peninsula    2016    12.5    26     $14.95    
86 Stoney Ridge Estate Winery     Excellence Merlot     Niagara Peninsula     2015    13.5%    na     $24.95    
85 Vineland Estates Winery    Cabernet Merlot    Niagara Peninsula    2015    12.5    $15.00    
85 Westcott Vineyards Violette Sparkling Brut Vinemount Ridge NV    12.3    N/A     $25.95    
87 Aure Wines    Viognier    Ontario    2015    11.2         $15.95    
86 Two Sisters Vineyards Riesling    Niagara Escarpment 2015    10.7%    n/a      $35.00    
87 Tawse Winery    Tawse Pinot Noir    Niagara Peninsula    2013    13    NA     $22.15    
86 Rosewood Estates Winery Select Series Merlot Niagara Escarpment 2013    13     $19.95    
 
The Food: WMAO graciously provided a variety of baguette sandwiches, wraps, salads, and grains – plus some desserts and coffees.
The Downside: I had to leave early for another engagement, but I did spend almost 3 hours tasting what I could.
The Upside: a chance to catch up with VQA wines ahead of the Ontario Wine Awards.
The Contact Person: magdalena@wmao.ca
The Event's Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 92.

Chimo! www.deantudor.com

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