By DEAN TUDOR
The Event: APVSA tasting (Association pour la Promotion des Vins et Spiritueux en Amérique du nord).
The Time and Date: Monday, December 7, 2009, 10AM to 4PM
The Venue: Delta Chelsea Inn, 33 Gerrard Street West, Toronto.
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 (in euro):
**** — Four Stars (91+):
— Tissier et Fils, Le Petit Morice, Sancerre Blanc 2008, 5,60 €
— Château Vari 2007, Bergerac Rouge, 3.30€
— Château Vari, Réserve du Chateau 2005, Monbazillac, 5,60 € (37,5cl)
— Ellul-Ferrières, Rouge Grande Cuvée, Coteaux du Languedoc 2007, 8 €
— Ellul-Ferrières, Rouge Dolce Vitae, Coteaux du Languedoc 2007, 5 €
— Domaine du Mas Rous, Côtes du Roussillon Rouge, Cuvée 2006, 4,58 €
*** — 1/2 Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90):
— EARL Maison Père et Fils, Cheverny Rouge 2008, 3,50 €
— EARL Maison Père et Fils, Cheverny Blanc Revelation 2008, 3,90 €
— Château La Croix Sainte Anne, 2005 Bordeaux Supérieur, 2,90 €
— Château Vari, 2005 Monbazillac, 3,20 € 375mL
— Château Belot, L’Argilière 2006 Rouge, Saint-Chinian, 5,60 €
— Domaine Belot, Viognier 2008, Pays d’Oc, 3 €
— Domaine du Mas Rous, Muscat de Rivesaltes 2008, Vin Doux Naturel, 4,79 €
— Domaine Plô Notre-Dame, Minervois Rouge 2007 Fût de chêne, 10 €
— Domaine Pio Notre Dame Minervois Rosé 2008, 4 €
*** — Three Stars (85 – 87):
— Château Vray Canon Boyer 2002, Canon Fronsac, 4,50 €
— Château Au Grand Paris 2007, Bordeaux Supérieur, 2,80 €
— Château Belot, Le Vignalet 2007 Rouge, Saint-Chinian, 2,50 €
— Domaine du Mas Rous, Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Pays d’Oc, 4,58 €
— Domaine du Mas Rous, Côtes du Roussillon, Tradition 2008 Rouge, 3,58 €
— Domaine Pio Notre-Dame, Minervois Rouge 2007, 4,50 €
The Food: none.
The Upside: a chance to taste some engaging wines not available here. There is a listing of wines with FOB prices in euro (1 € = 1,50 CAD)
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 Contact Person: <pascal p.fernand@apvsa.ca>
Chimo!
<http://www.deantudor.com>