My Blog: A Canadian Wine Tasting
February 11th, 2011
(MONTREAL) I was excited to do a big tasting today here in the laboratory of the Société des Alcools du Québec of a range of top Canadian wines. I am not an expert in wines from this friendly country. In fact, I was hesitant to even do the tasting, but so many of my Canadian friends – including my business partner James Orr – urged me to try them because they said that so many good wines were available now.
I asked my office in Los Angeles to write most of the top wineries in Canada and have them send samples to the SAQ for my tasting. And 84 samples were amassed for the tasting this morning. We lost a few bottles from the cold weather; they froze in transit to the tasting in the post!
Anyway, I was really excited to try these wines. I love discovering new wines and areas. Check out my photo before the tasting. Rock on Canadian wines!
I took a deep breath and a rocked through them in a blind tasting. A couple of friends from the SAQ also tasted through. We started with light and fruity reds and moved up to Cabernets, blends and Syrahs. Then we went through dozens of dry whites, from Chenin Blanc to Riesling to Sauvignon Blanc to Chardonnay, and finally sweet wines such as ice wines.
I found that 39 of the 84 wines were 90 points or more – or outstanding. Granted, I only scored one wine 95 points; it was a red blend from Okanagan. But I found many other interesting wines. I am really psyched about the Rieslings. I tasted a range of Rieslings, which were mostly from Niagara, in different styles like those from Germany, Austria and Alsace. Some reminded me of different appellations from Germany, such as Rheingau and Rheinpfalz.
My tasting wasn’t all love though. The ice wines at the end of the tasting almost killed me! I had to put my head down at the end. And just one thought: Does Canada really need to make a sparkling ice wine?
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Subscribecalgarydetail
February 11, 2011
Are the scores from this tasting going to be posted in the future?
abtin222
February 11, 2011
I am so curious about the Okanagan 95pt-er!!!
Rafa S
February 11, 2011
Scores will be posted soon!
nigelrawlins
February 12, 2011
Looking forward to the results - yes, The Okanagan 95 pointer.....Thinking it is a Bordeaux blend
James Suckling
February 12, 2011
????????
tairanniew
February 12, 2011
Have always thought the Tantalus Riesling from Okanagan is lovely. Wondered when the O-Valley is going to get serious about Pinot Noir ...
bigprovolone
February 14, 2011
James, Any idea whent he tasting notes will be up? The anticipation is killing me! Its great to see that you did come to our fine country and taste our wines, I hope you tasted some of the best wines we have to offer! Now hurry up and come to Toronto! lol
dpelchat
February 14, 2011
My best guess would be to check the SAQ site (www.SAQ.com) as they are doing a promo starting on the 17th... "55 wines noted 90 and above by James"... Can't wait !
James Suckling
February 14, 2011
My SAQ notes will be out next week from the blind tasting I did in Montreal. Then I will roll out the Canadian wine tasting. Love Canada.
ColoradoWinePress
February 16, 2011
James, how about coming to Colorado next? We have some surprising wines here...
ClassicVintages
February 16, 2011
My guess on the 95 pointer is the '06 Mission Hill Compendium. Alas, not available in Ontario. :(
JS
February 16, 2011
Good guess....but
dpelchat
February 17, 2011
Château Rieussec !
Just checked ;-)
ljmarco
February 17, 2011
Hola! Very interesting that you would start with the reds and then move to the whites... help me with the logic there?
PS Like the fact u r letting your hair grow... Rock On!
peterholtdunn
February 17, 2011
opelchat, the 95 pointer is a cdn wine - JS says scores are to come
billredelmeier
March 3, 2011
Are the scores up yet?
Krystal
March 3, 2011
Calgary...
http://www.jamessuckling.com/tasting-report-my-first-canadian-wine-tasting.html
That's the link to the tasting report. It's locked for premium members only. Be sure to login before you copy and paste that URL into the address bar.
wineorders
March 30, 2011
When will the scores be posted?