WORLD WINE WATCH TOP WINES AT VINTAGES: under/over $20 for OCTOBER 7, 2023 release. By DEAN TUDOR, Gothic Epicures Writing deantudor@deantudor.com. My "Wines, Beers and Spirits of the Net", a guide to thousands of news items and RSS feeds, plus references to wines, beers and spirits, has been at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor since 1994. These notes for good wines available through LCBO Vintages (on a bi-weekly basis) can always be found at http://www.gothicepicures.blogspot.ca or at https://pages.pathcom.com/~dtudor No winery can buy their way into – or out of – this publication. Scores are a combination of MVC (Modal Varietal Character, e.g. a Southern Rhone would taste like a Southern Rhone) and QPR (Quality/Price Ratio value in the marketplace above or below its price). MAJOR THEME: CLASSIC EURO WINES Wines Under $20 ========= Fizz+422683 TOMMASI FILODORA BRUT PROSECCO $19.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Fizz+515254 VILARNAU BARCELONA RESERVA BRUT ORGANIC CAVA Penedès Traditional method, DO, Spain $15.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+89011 FEATHERSTONE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2022 Vegan, VQA Niagara Peninsula $17.95 MVC/QPR: 91 W+32024 COLIO RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2020 Graveyard Vineyard, VQA Niagara Lakeshore $19.95 MVC/QPR: 92 W+35299 VIENI RIESLING 2021 VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+34258 MASTRONARDI MERLOT CABERNET 2021 VQA Ontario $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+186114 JIP JIP ROCKS SHIRAZ/CABERNET 2021 Single vineyard, Padthaway, South Australia $17.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+906073 FAMILLE PERRIN LA GILLE GIGONDAS 2020 Rhone $32.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+143099 MAS DES BRESSADES CUVÉE TRADITION 2020 Rhône Costières de Nîmes $17.95 MVC/QPR: 90 R+561290 LOUIS BERNARD LOUIS CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2020 Rhône $16.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+460170 SANTA RITA MEDALLA REAL GRAN RESERVA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021 Chile Maipo Valley $18.95 MVC/QPR: 89 Wines Over $20 ========= W+ 369850 KIM CRAWFORD PINOT GRIS 2021 New Zealand Marlborough, South Island $21.95 MVC/QPR: 89 W+415901 CAVE SPRING SELECT LATE HARVEST RIESLING 2017 Estate grown, VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula $24.95 MVC/QPR: 90 W+20455 LE CLOS JORDANNE JORDAN VILLAGE CHARDONNAY 2020 VQA Niagara Peninsula $29.95 MVC/QPR: 91 R+265074 CLOSSON CHASE CHURCHSIDE PINOT NOIR 2021 Vegan, unfiltered, VQA Prince Edward County $45.00 MVC/QPR: 89 R+33994 BACHELDER WISMER-FOXCROFT 33% WHOLE CLUSTER CRU GAMAY NOIR 2020 Single vineyard, VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment $29.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+361246 AUNTSFIELD SINGLE VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2021 New Zealand Marlborough Southern Valleys, South Island $34.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+33922 PRÉLUDE À GRAND-PUY DUCASSE 2015 Second wine of Ch. Grand-Puy Ducasse, AC Pauillac $59.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+33009 GASSIER FLEUR DE SYRAH 2021 Rhône Costières de Nîmes $22.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+32533 DONNA FUGATA DEA VULCANO 2020 Sicily DOC Etna Rosso $29.95 MVC/QPR: 89 R+503904 CHÂTEAU CLARKE 2016 Listrac-Médoc $54.95 MVC/QPR: 92 R+117960 CREEKSIDE LAURA'S RED 2018 VQA Niagara Peninsula $25 MVC/QPR: 89 R+937128 FORIS ROGUE VALLEY PINOT NOIR 2021 Oregon Estate grown $26.95 MVC/QPR: 89 LIMITED TIME OFFERS: Some Recommended Wines from the LCBO’s Limited Time Offers selections...these are good value...on sale through Sunday October 8... W+250699 Banfi Principessa Gavia Gavi Piedmont, now $19.95, save $3. W+326728 Oyster Bay Chardonnay Marlborough NZ, now $18.95, save $3 W+24133 Thirty Bench Winemaker's Blend Riesling Beamsville VQA, now $18.95, save $3 R+167189 Dandelion Vineyards Lionheart of the Barossa Shiraz, now $20.95, save $3 R+63891 Emiliana Coyam Organic Red Blend Colchagua Chile, now $31.95, save $3 R+322586 Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Chile, now $19.95, save $3 R+590414 Oyster Bay Pinot Noir Marlborough NZ, now $19.95, save $3 Note: The following LTOs are on sale from Oct 9 through Nov 5: Fizz+213983 Cave Spring Blanc de Blancs Brut Sparkling VQA Trad Method, now $29.95, save $3 Fizz+395384 Luc Belaire Rare Rose Sparkling France, now $37.95, save $3 W+31667 Alta-Yari Gran Torrontes Mendoza Arg, now $24.95, save $3 W+962886 La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, now $32.95, save $3 R+352583 Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma, now $49.95, save $5 R+177295 Rivera Il Falcone Riserva Castel del Monte Puglia, now $23.95, save $3 R+652883 Belle Glos Clark & Telephone Pinot Noir Santa Barbara, now $54.95, save $5 R+954834 Rodney Strong Estate Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, now $26.95, save $3 R+353201 Ruffino Riserva Ducale Oro Gran Selezione Chianti Classico, now $49.95, save $3 R+303800 Trius Red VQA Niagara, now $24.95, save $3 R+225086 Umberto Cesari Liano Sangiovese/Cab Sauvignon Emilia-Romagna, now $24.95, save $5 ** Some New Wines I Tasted Over the Past Season --- REPORT ON THE 2023 NORTHWEST WINE EXPEDITION trade tasting [OREGON & WASHINGTON STATE] The Date and Time: Monday June 12 Noon-4P The Event: 2023 Northwest Wine Expedition Trade Tasting: Oregon and Washington The Venue: The Globe and Mail Centre, 17th floor The Target Audience: wine trade and wine media The Availability/Catalogue: paperless through BottleBooks, which listed very few prices beyond a range from “$$ to $$$$$” The Quote/Background: The Wines: I tasted mainly Chardonnays and a few other interesting white, rose and sparkling wines. **** BEST -- Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms): -A to Z Wineworks Bubbles NV -Adelsheim Chardonnay 2020 -Adelsheim Chardonnay Staking Claim 2019 -Angela Vineyards Chardonnay Willamette 2019 -Chateau Ste Michelle Canoe Ridge Estate Horse Heaven Hills 2021 -Citation Oregon Chardonnay 2015 -Cristom Vineyards Eola Amity Hills Chardonnay 2021 $59 -Milbrandt Estates Chardonnay 2019 -Milbrandt Family Chardonnay 2020 -Sokol Blosser Bluebird Cuvee Brut Sparkling 2020 -Traveri Cellars Blanc de Blancs Brut Zero Dosage NV -Traveri Cellars Blanc de Noir Brut NV -Troon Vineyard Biodynamic White Blend Kubli Beach Applegate Valley Oregon 2021 [marsanne, roussanne, vermentino] -Valdemar Estates Columbia Valley Chardonnay 2021 $65 -Valley View Winery Domaine Rogue “Quercia” Chardonnay Applegate Valley 2021 ***1/2 BETTER -- Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms): -A to Z Wineworks Chardonnay Oregon 2021 -Airfield Estates Chardonnay 2021 -Brittan Vineyards Chardonnay 2021 -Centerstone Willamette Valley Un-Oaked Chardonnay 2018 -Chateau Ste Michelle Columbia Valley Chardonnay 2021 -Domaine Drouhin Oregon Arthur Chardonnay 2021 -Erath Winery Oregon Pinot Noir Rose 2021 -Evolution White 2021 -Evolution Willamette Valley Chardonnay 2021 -Foris Vineyards Chardonnay 2021 -L'Ecole No 41 Chenin Blanc Old Vines Yakima Valley 2022 -Pike Road Willamette Valley Chardonnay 2021 -Pomum Cellars Idilico Albarino 2022 -Rex Hill Seven Soils Chardonnay 2019 -Stoller Family Estate Dundee Hills Chardonnay 2021 -Traveri Cellars Blanc de Blancs NV -Traveri Cellars Rose NV -Valley View Winery Viognier 2019 The Food: there were enormous cheeseboards from the Cheese Boutique with an assortment of salumni and cold cuts, pre-cut cheeses (including a dynamite truffle cheese), strawberries, blackberries, veggie platters (crudites and cooked/pickled/grilled). The Downside: the media room was only available for a few people. The Upside: a good selection of wines and producers, interesting conversations. The Contact Person: kelly@predhomme.ca The Event’s Marketing Effectiveness and Execution (numerical grade): 85