Buy The Case: Trialto Wine Group

A Report on Consignment Wines in Ontario

Each month we will taste wines submitted by one importing agent. WineAlign core critics will independently, as always, taste, review and rate the wines – good, bad and indifferent, and those reviews will be posted to WineAlign. We will then independently recommend wines to appear in our Buy The Case report. Importers pay for this service. Ads for some wines may appear at the same time, but the decision on which wines to put forward in our report, if any, is entirely up to each critic, as it is with our reviews of in-store wines.

These recommended wines can only be purchased by the case from importers registered in the LCBO’s Consignment Program. They are ‘already landed and stocked’ wines that can be delivered directly to your restaurant, home or office. For an explanation of the program, the process and our 10 Good Reasons to Buy the Case, please click here.

May 2015 – Trialto Wine Group

Trialto is Canada’s largest national purveyor of premium wines. Their Consignment selection in Ontario is quite extensive. Three WineAlign critics sat down in late April to taste 15 Trialto submissions. Italy has shone through in this report. Here are our recommendations, grouped loosely under reasons why we would buy the wine by the case.

Click on the wine name or bottle image to see full reviews by the WineAlign team. Prices shown below are retail and do not include taxes (licensee prices may be less). Trialto has submitted their agency profile with more details below.

Restaurant Pours by the Glass

Joseph Faiveley 2012 Bourgogne, France ($23.95)

Sara d’Amato – A dynamite entry-level Burgundy offered in an easy-to-swallow 6-pack case. If you’re a lover of pinot noir, you’ll know that you can spend a great deal of time and money finding a great example, so take advantage of this pre-screened beauty.
Michael Godel – Crafted as if to the letter of entry-level Bourgogne law. Bright, animated, ripe, affable, under-currant earthy and wholly, purposefully, decidedly approachable.

Borgogno 2013 Barbera D’alba, Piedmont, Italy ($19.95)

David Lawrason – This is a classic barbera; such a great food wine. It’s jammed with berry fruit that assuages the grape’s natural acidity. This a classy yet friendly wine to stock for casual Italian dinners. Should be on any Italian wine list, and even personal house wine for any Italian food lover. It’s available in six-bottle cases, but I would buy 12.
Michael Godel – Popping Barbera full of strapping substantial fruit, mind-meddling acidity and thankfully, playful rhythm and blues chords.

Cellaring Wine

Neal Cabernet 2009 Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California ($59.00)
Michael Godel – Spirited, elevated tones and full, fleshy fruit endow this Neal with long-term capabilities. Somehow you just yet know it will evolve in this exact state for another 10 years…cellaring or gifting wine.

Montresor 2011 Castelliere delle Guaite Primo Ripasso, Valpolicella Superiore, Italy ($24.95)
Michael Godel – So much flavour and a Quintarelli style, of rust, antiquity and liqueur. Buy a case, wait up to 10 years and drink it over the next 10. You’ll revel in telling everyone how much you paid in back in 2015…curio selections or cellaring wine.

Function Wines

Pares Balta Brut Cava, Spain ($13.95)

David Lawrason – This is a rare organically produced cava, that captures both a light, racy feel and complex flavours. With good stony acidity and only 11.5% alcohol there is a fine sense of tenderness and raciness. Excellent pricing here. Purchase by the case for a larger function where guests will be impressed by something a bit different.

Vietti 2012 Perbaco Nebbiolo Delle Langhe, Piedmont, Italy ($28.95)

David Lawrason – Perbacco is a fine value intro to Piemontese nebbiolo. It could lead off the Piedmont nebbiolo section of an Italian wine list, or in-fill a personal cellar with a shorter term Piemonte red.  It is actually a de-classified Barolo, from 35-year-old vines in the Barolo region. Balanced to drink now with some aeration but this will age nicely through 2020.
Michael Godel – A prevailing and concurrent nebbiolo presence, of tar and roses, is modern, magnified and inextricably tied to its declassified single Barolo vineyard. Makes for great value in young nebbiolo (think classy Italian wedding).
Sara d’Amato – A ready-to-drink nebbiolo with softer than the norm tannins but delivering loads of concentration. Entice your friends to pool funds with the explanation that this is a declassified Barolo offering a great deal of complexity at a much better price.

Seasonal Wines

Terras Gauda Abadia San Campio 2014 Albariño, Rias Baixas, Spain ($21.95)

Michael Godel – Highly complex aromatics, as if by blend. Lingers for longer than expected. A bright, spirited, fine example of Albariño and ideal for the warm months.

Personal House Wines

Montresor 2012 Valpolicella, Veneto, Italy ($12.95)
David Lawrason – If I was running an Italian/Mediterranean restaurant this would be my bargain priced ace-in-the-hole red for those ordering lighter fare. It is classic/traditional Valpolicella, and great value! It’s only mid-weight but carries a sense of compactness and balance. Not a sipping red. 12 bottle case.
Sara d’Amato – Frankly, Valpolicella, from the northeastern region of Veneto, is not often the most exciting of Italian reds nor is it highly coveted. I was thus doubly surprised when I tasted this well-priced and impressive example from Montresor. Punchy, flavourful and easy to drink, keep this around for everyday pasta and pizza nights.

Curio Selections

Giacomo Borgogno & Figli 2011 “No Name”, Piedmont, Italy ($39.95)
Sara d’Amato – Purposefully unnamed as to protest Italian wine bureaucracy, here’s a great find for pre-demonstration drinks or election watching. Not only is it a compelling wine made from Northern Italy’s choice grape varietal, nebbiolo, but it is available in a rare 3-bottle case making it a much more affordable prospect.

Montresor 2013 Capitel Alto Soave, Veneto, Italy ($16.95)

David Lawrason – Soave may be known for inexpensive, everyday whites but better examples like this offer weight, substance and complexity. Performs above its price, and should work well with richer white meat and risotto dishes. A hand-sell in restaurants but worth it; home chefs will find it a great addition to the repertoire. Available in a six bottle case.
Sara d’Amato – ‘Tis the season for delectable whites and if the recent heat doesn’t melt you than this doozy of a Soave will certainly do the trick. Despite its refreshing nature, it is certainly not light and trivial – there is real power and character here that will make the most refined palate take note.
Michael Godel – Quite the salubrious Soave, purveyor of good feelings and with the words party pleaser inscribed across its Veronese face.

Editors Note: You can find complete critic reviews by clicking on any of the highlighted wine names or bottle images above. Paid subscribers to WineAlign see all critics reviews immediately. Non-paid members wait 60 days to see new reviews. Premium membership has its privileges; like first access to great wines!

This report was sponsored by the Trialto Wine Group. WineAlign critics have independently recommended the above wines based on reviews that are posted on WineAlign as part of this sponsored tasting. Trialto has provided the following agency profile with more details on their consignment program and delivery options.

Trialto Wine Group

Trialto is a team of passionate wine professionals representing the most prestigious premium wines from around the world, and serving the Canadian market by helping liquor boards, retailers and restaurants source, market and sell these wines. We are a small independent company, run by the owners and built to serve the small and medium sized family owned wineries we represent; helping them succeed in a world that is increasingly becoming dominated by vertically integrated, global giant corporations. Trialto works exclusively with premium wines; no beer, no volume spirits, no bulk wines. We have 60 employees in offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal and “feet on the street” in 12 major cities.

Trialto represents “wine of people, place and time”. Our wines tell a story about people; the families who make the wine, their values, history and culture. We connect the people who make the wine to the people who buy, sell, drink and write about the wine; our relationships and networks are our business. Wines that authentically represent a place play an important role in preserving the culture and history of that place. We are all about telling a story through place, and allowing people to experience place through wine.  At Trialto our goal is to spend time with the people behind the wines, learn their stories, and convey their stories through the wines we represent.

Liquid Art Selections is Trialto’s dedicated portfolio of rare, special and allocated wines. A separate portfolio of some of the world’s most sought after wines supported by a team of Canada’s finest wine professionals. Liquid Art began with just a handful of undiscovered producers in 1989 and has since grown to represent some of the world’s most sought-after estates, from the traditional to the cutting edge. Behind the Liquid Art success story is a well-defined goal of providing lovers of fine wines with top quality products that consistently deliver. We are the exclusive representatives for our Partner producer’s wines in our markets and have grown to be one of our market’s most respected wine importers, specializing in sourcing impeccably cellared examples of the world’s greatest and most sought-after wines.

You can subscribe to Trialto’s newsletters and receive exclusive offers here.

How to order wine from Trialto:

For consumers living within the GTA area we offer daytime delivery to your home or office free of charge, regardless of how many cases are purchased. For clients in in the outer GTA/Oakville/Mississauga/Brampton/Burlington/Hamilton we offer delivery for a $15 flat rate (including HST), regardless of case volume. For all other parts of Ontario we offer delivery for a $25 flat rate (including HST) regardless of case volume. Generally orders can be delivered within 5 business days.

For all clients we can also ship wines to an LCBO of your choice at no extra cost. The shipment usually takes 2-4 weeks, but may take up to 8 in peak seasons or based on distance. The cases arrive pre-paid, we e-mail you the invoice and credit card slip and the store should give you a call to let you know they’ve arrived.

If you have any questions, you can direct them to us at Trialto Wine Group at (416)532-8565 or by email at [email protected].