• A LOT OF FRENCH WINES NEW TO ONTARIO (1)

    par | Jan 26, 2011

    By DEAN TUDOR

    The Time and Date: Thursday, October 28, 2010 9 AM to 4 PM
    The Event: the monthly tasting of APVSA (Association pour la Promotion des Vins et Spiritueux en Amérique du Nord).
    The Venue: Delta Chelsea Inn in Toronto.
    The Target Audience: wine agents in Canada.
    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 them are French, and there is sales staff available to comment on prices and production. This road show visits New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Las Vegas, Calgary, Vancouver, Miami, Washington DC, and Montreal (and will also have wines from Italy, Spain and Australia). (suite…)

  • ONTARIO CHARDONNAY: SERIOUS COOL TASTING

    par | Fév 15, 2010

    By DEAN TUDOR

    The Venue: LCBO, 10 Scrivener Square, Toronto, on Friday, Feb 5, 2010
    The Target Audience: Wine Writers’ Circle of Canada
    The Quote/Background: Bill Redelmeier of Southbrook Winery had organized a tasting of Ontario Chardonnay wines in London, UK. He needed a tasting panel to choose the better wines through a blind process. Once that selection had been made, he offered these “better” wines to the WWCC for a special tasting. They were arranged by flight, from the stainless through the woodies, with a special flight of older library wines.
    My favourite: Cave Spring Cellars Chardonnay 2003

    (suite…)

  • TASTING UNAVAILABLE FRENCH CRUS IN ONTARIO

    par | Jan 13, 2010

    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): (suite…)

  • LE JURA FROM LE CANADA

    par | Juin 1, 2009

    By DEAN TUDOR

    The Time and Date: Wednesday, April 29, 2009  1 PM to 6 PM
    The Event: Vins du Jura trade tasting.
    The Venue: Park Hyatt Hotel, 4 Avenue Road, Toronto, 416- 925 1234
    The Target Audience: wine trade and wine press.
    The Availability/Catalogue: about none of these wines currently available; suppliers looking for representation.
    The Quote/Background: 19 producers were in the show, which also visited Montreal.
    — Anne Popoff led a seminar on the various wine styles from the Jura.
    — In general, the pinots noirs were coarse.
    — The Macvin du Jura is similar to the Pineau des Charentes.
    — Vin Jaune and Château Chalon (below) are acquired styles, possibly for fino sherry lovers.
    — Vin de Paille make an interesting dessert wine.
    The Wines: prices hard to determine, especially since the French do not seem to want to reveal them to the press. The Living Vine repped Domaine André et Mireille Tissot as a biodynamic wine. Domaine Labet brave in only showing some pretty good chardonnays, five of them at differing price levels. (suite…)

  • SIX ONTARIO WINERIES LOOK AT TERROIR

    par | Mai 19, 2009

    By DEAN TUDOR

    tables.jpg - 33456 BytesThe Time and Date: Wednesday, April 22, 2009 1 PM to 5 PM
    The Event: Somewhereness trade tasting.
    The Venue: Market Kitchen at the South St. Lawrence Market, 93 Front St. East, Toronto, 416-392-0028 (right)
    The Target Audience: wine trade and press.
    The Availability/Catalogue: all wines available through winery.
    The Quote/Background: Six Ontario wineries with small lot collections have banded together to promote a sense of terroir in the province. All are small and sustainable.
    The Wines: Licensee prices… (suite…)