Providing a Unique & Affordable Selection of High Quality Red Wines and White Wines for Your Enjoyment. Also featured: Rosé, Port, Icewine, Champagne and Sparkling Wine for Special Occasions. Cheers!
This delicious wine can be found at the LCBO, with good inventory levels throughout Ontario, as it was released earlier this month as part of the VINTAGES Release.
Tasting Note:
CLOSSON CHASE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2014 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (#148866) (XD) - $28.95
Some tropical fruit, citrus and grapefruit aromas from the cork. Aromas are open and fragrant in the glass, offering smoky buttered popcorn and golden apple with very good intensity. It is medium+ bodied, lean more fruit-forward on the palate with golden apple and lemon peel flavours leading the way, with nicely integrated oak and a hint of minerality. Acids are clean and nicely balanced. Excellent finish length with some mineral notes. A lean, elegant, and classy wine to enjoy over the next 2-3 years with rich seafood dishes. So good! Highly recommended. Score: 92 pts
wine is this delicious red wine that will be available at the LCBO as part of the upcoming LCBO VINTAGES Release.
Like the 2012 Giacomo Mori Chianti that I enjoyed two years ago, this is a blend of 95% Sangiovese and 5% Colorino/Canaiolo that is vinified in 40-60 hectolitre stainless steel tanks, then aged for 10-12 months in 20 hectolitre Slavonian and Allier oak barrels, tonneaux of 5 hectolitres, and barriques on the third refill.
The Giacomo Mori estate is located in San Casciano del Bagni, near Siena, and is planted to 8 hectares of vineyards that were replanted in 1995, followed by a major renovation that began in 1996 and was completed in the year 2000. The consultant winemaker is Emiliano Falsini.
Tasting Note:
GIACOMO MORI CHIANTI 2014 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#68858) (XD) - $21.95
Blend of 95% Sangiovese and 5% Colorino/Canaiolo. Fresh red berry and plum and aromas from the cork. This has a savoury, rustic, earthy, forest floor nose followed by red cherry, raspberry, sweet oak spice and leather aromas of medium intensity and quite complex. The palate is medium-bodied and dry with red currant, sour cherry, and raspberry flavours along with woodsy elements. Bright acids are fresh, while the refined tannins are smooth and well-integrated, if a touch drying. It has a long, savoury finish. Will improve in 1-2 years and drink well to 2023. Score: 90 pts
On , I visited Niagara Wine Country to experience the annual Niagara Icewine Festival to taste some fine Icewine paired with culinary creations. This was the first of two straight Saturday's in Niagara - review from activities will be posted soon are posted here.
The first stop of the day was at Fielding Estate Winery for a pairing of their 2012 Fielding Riesling Icewine (89 pts) with a savoury Butter Chicken and Naan prepared by The Smokin' Buddha. The butter chicken was flavourful and had a fairly thick gravy that seemed a bit heavy on the oregano. It was also mildly spiced, complementing the sweet flavours from the Icewine. Furthermore, the acids in the Icewine cut into some of the rich, creamy gravy from the Butter Chicken that helped lighten the pairing overall. Very good portion size as well. This was a tasty experience with a lot of different flavours battling for your attention.
On the downside, it was unfortunate that the Fielding Riesling Icewine was not available for purchase, as some folks in my group wanted to take home a bottle or two. Moreover, it was somewhat odd that not even one Icewine was available for purchase in the boutique. I suspect that the wine was nearly sold out and they used whatever remaining stock they had just for the festival, while newer vintages of this Icewine were not ready yet due to the harsh winter of 2013-2014 (remember the "Polar Vortex"?) that led to severe crop damage and limited Icewine production capabilities across the region. On the bright side, I have been advised that a newer Riesling Icewine from Fielding is coming in the near future and should be on shelves soon.
The rest of our Icewine Tour was in Niagara-on-the-Lake, with the next stop being at Niagara College Teaching Winery for a delicious, mouth-watering White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake on a Dark Chocolate Crust that was quite small in stature but packed plenty of flavour, and was paired with their 2012 Dean's List Savant Icewine. This was a very nice pairing xxxxxas the red berry flavours from each item played well together, while the fresh acids in the wine complemented the creaminess in the cheesecake. Overall, this was a sweet, balanced, and harmonious pairing that was well executed.
Our third stop of the afternoon was at The Hare Wine Co., a new winery that just opened it's doors in November. For their first appearance at the Niagara Icewine Festival, they offered a delicious Sticky Toffee Pudding prepared by Ello Gov'na that was paired with their 2014 Frontier Vidal Icewine. Portions (especially the Icewine) were once again small, however, the gooey toffee cake that was smothered in a treacle sauce and topped with Icewine Chantilly was lusciously sweet and delicious, while pairing beautifully together. The toffee cake sauce really brought out the butterscotch notes in the Icewine. Lovely pairing!
Hinterbrook Estate Winery was the fourth stop of the day. The pairing here was a Baked Square Crust filled with fresh Pineapple Jam Fruits and topped with Pine Nuts, paired with their 2014 Vidal Icewine. Lots going in the baked square - sweet, savoury, fruity, and nutty - which led to many different flavours brought out of the Icewine, especially enhanced pineapple notes. Once again, a nicely thought out pairing that worked well together.
The final stop of the day was at Konzelmann Estate Winery, Niagara's only lakefront winery, for a Lobster Bisque with a hint of spice prepared by Tide & Vine and paired with their 2010 Vidal Icewine. I recall having this combo in the past at Konzelmann and enjoyed it very much, fully expecting that I would enjoy it this time around as well! The bisque was rich and creamy with small chunks of lobster and had a hint spice that paired beautifully with the Vidal Icewine. There was just enough acids in the Icewine that helped balance the creamy bisque, while the subtle spicy notes were subdued because of the sweet flavours in the wine. Following the food & Icewine pairing, we took a private tour of the winery which included a visit to the vineyard, a tour of the facilities, and finished up in an underground tasting room where we had the opportunity to taste some of their very fine Reserve wines.
All-in-all, this was a very successful visit to Niagara Wine Country, with delicious food & Icewine pairings, as well as tasting many other delicious, local wines. Many of the wines I tasted are only available for purchase at the winery (or from the winery's website), and wine reviews of some of my favourites are provided below.
My trip to Niagara during the Icewine Festival did not end on this day, as I visited region the following weekend for more food & wine experiences. A review from the 2nd day of tasting will be posted in the coming days.
Tasting Notes:
FIELDING ESTATE BOTTLED RIESLING 2015 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#251439) (M) - $19.95
Medium+ aromas of lime, citrus and mineral, with tart/sour aroma replays on the palate. Off-dry in style, but with bright acids that cut into the sweetness. Nice chalky mineral texture that lingers on the long finish. Score: 89 pts
FIELDING SYRAH 2012 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $39.95
Aromas are of medium-high intensity, but seem somewhat closed at the moment, and offer black pepper, dark fruits and integrated oak notes. It's full bodied with fleshy tannins, balanced acids. Some elegance and suave. Long bitter finish with some dark chocolate flavours. Will age gracefully for 5-8 years. Score: 89 pts
FIELDING CHOSEN FEW 2012 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $59.95
Made only in the best years with wines from a chosen few barrels, the 2012 is a blend of 38% Cabernet Franc, 37% Syrah, and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon. Pleasant, appealing aromas that are meaty and savoury combined with dark fruits of great intensity. The palate is full-bodied with well-knit flavours of black currant, dark fruit, and toasty oak. It has very good acidity and firm tannins. Finish length is excellent. Drinkable now, but should be better few years. Score: 90 pts
NIAGARA COLLEGE TEACHING WINERY BALANCE BARREL FERMENTED CHARDONNAY 2012 - VQA St. David's Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $18.95
Medium+ intensity aromas that are heavily oak-influenced with pineapple, woody, apple and baking spice notes. It's medium-full bodied with more apple and oak spiced flavours on the palate. It has balanced acidity and very good finish length. Score: 88 pts
NIAGARA COLLEGE TEACHING WINERY DEAN'S LIST PRODIGY ICEWINE 2012 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (S) (200 mL) - $33.00
This blend of white grape varietals (Vidal, Riesling and Chardonnay) has fresh, appealing aromas of apricots, pineapple, honey and lemon citrus of high intensity. The palate is medium+ bodied and offers very sweet aroma replays on the palate, balanced by fresh acids, and finishing long. Score: 90 pts
NIAGARA COLLEGE TEACHING WINERY DEAN'S LIST SAVANT ICEWINE 2012 - VQA St. David's Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (S) (200 mL) - $39.00
A blend of 5 red grape varietals, aromas are of medium-high intensity with notes of strawberry, burnt sugar and caramel that also appear on the palate along with flavours of honey and hints of coffee. It's very sweet, a touch syrupy, but has nicely balanced acids. Finish length is very good. Score: 89 pts
THE HARE JACK RABBIT RED 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (D) - $15.50
Selected as the official red wine of Ontario's Legislative Assembly for 2017, this has medium-intensity aromas of red & black fruits, subtle oak, and plummy notes. It's medium-bodied with sweet, rounded tannins and ripe fruited flavours. Balanced acids and medium-long finishing. There's some tannic structure for short term ageing, but I would drink this now. Blend of 60% Cabernet Franc, 25% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. Score: 87 pts
THE HARE FRONTIER RIESLING ICEWINE 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (S) (375 mL) - $65.00
The fragrant nose offers sweet peach, apricot, and lemon aromas and flavours. It's medium-full bodied and balanced by nicely textured acids. Slightly tart mid-palate while having a medium-long finish. Score: 89 pts
THE HARE FRONTIER VIDAL ICEWINE 2014 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (S) (375 mL) - $65.00
Oak-aged for 1 year in French oak, this offers medium-high aromas of honey, apricot, peach, butterscotch and steely mineral notes with pleasingly sweet aroma replays on the palate. Some oak-spiced notes appear mid-palate. Acids are well-balanced and finish length is very good. Score: 89 pts
NOMAD CABERNET FRANC RESERVE 2012 - VQA Niagara Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $69.95
Medium-high and well-balanced aromas give off a clean, elegant bouquet that's focuses on black fruits, herbs and sweet oak. It's medium-bodied on the palate with the same aromas on the flavour profile. Bitter tannins are well-integrated. It has bright acids and a milk chocolate finish. Score: 90 pts
NOMAD VIDAL ICEWINE 2014 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (S) (375 mL) - $49.95
Appealing aromas of medium-high intensity, featuring pineapple, honey and orange citrus notes that continue on the very sweet palate. Perhaps a touch cloying with delicately balanced acids. Very good finish length. Score: 90 pts
NOMAD CABERNET FRANC ICEWINE 2014 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (S) (375 mL) - $69.95
The highly aromatic nose offers cherry, strawberry jam, rhubarb and more sweet red fruits. The palate is medium-full bodied with well-balanced acidity and very appealing aroma replays and hints of orange peel. Finish length is excellent. Score: 90+ pts
KONZELMANN ESTATE VIDAL ICEWINE 2010 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (S) (375 mL) - $65.00
I recall tasting this back in 2014 and it was very delicious then. Today, it is still highly aromatic with pineapple, and mature aromas of caramel and brown sugar. It's very sweet and thick with low acids making this just a touch cloying. Delicious flavours of burnt sugar and caramel on the palate. Finishes long. Drink over next year or two. Score: 90 pts
KONZELMANN CHARDONNAY FAMILY RESERVE 2012 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $49.95
Medium-high aromatics offer pear, nutty, binned apple, and hints of bubblegum. Medium-bodied on the palate with pleasing and elegant aroma replays along with baking spice and hints of lime flavours. the finish length is very good with some mineral notes. Score: 90 pts
KONZELMANN CABERNET MERLOT RESERVE 2012 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $39.95
A blend of 43% Cabernet Franc, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot, this has an highly aromatic nose that's elegant with red and black fruits, well-integrated oak and a touch bretty. It's full-bodied on the smooth palate with suave, elegant and structured tannins. Very nice aroma replays with integrated oak flavours come through on the palate. It's well-balanced with very good acidity. Warming, long finish that's held together quite well. Drink now or better to wait and enjoy over the next 5-10 years. Score: 91+ pts
KONZELMANN CABERNET MERLOT FAMILY RESERVE 2012 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $49.95
Similarly blended as the Reserve, this has elegant black currant, cassis, vanilla and oak aromas of medium-high intensity and seems a bit shy right now. The palate is full-bodied with structured tannins that are a bit tight. Very nice aroma replays along with some black cherry and floral hints, balanced by juicy acids. Excellent finish length. A powerful, finesse wine that should be cellared for at least few years and drink to 2020. Score 92 pts
white wine review is a new wine that arrived at the LCBO as part of the VINTAGES Release and is still widely available throughout the province.
It is produced by Cantina Nals Margreid, a cooperative winery in Italy's northernmost winegrowing area, where 138 winegrowers from across South Tyrol bring their grapes to the Nals Margreid Winery. Developed over millennia, viticulture is deeply rooted in South Tyrol, and the winery has been keeping up South Tyrolean wine culture traditions since 1932.
This Pinot Bianco (aka Pinot Blanc) is a single vineyard wine from the Penon vineyard, located on the slopes of Margreid in South Tyrol, with its pure limestone gravel soils, at an elevation between 2,300 and 2,800 feet above sea level. At this elevation, it is particularly warm and favours late maturation, with grapes turning out small and intense.
Tasting Note:
PENON PINOT BIANCO 2014 - DOC Alto Adige, Italy (#478065) (XD) - $24.95
Aged for 6 months in steel tanks and big oak barrels. Honeyed melon aromas from the cork. Floral honeysuckle, lemony, and hints of beeswax aromas with mineral underpinnings of medium-high intensity in the glass. The palate is medium-full bodied with a slightly oily texture, and vibrant, refreshing acids. There's a vague impression of sweetness, but it's essentially dry on the flavour profile with notes of lemon, honeysuckle, beeswax, saline, and mineral. It finishes long and minerally. A fine match for salads or all manners seafood. Drink now. Score: 89 pts
wine review is a VINTAGES Essentials product - i.e. always available in VINTAGES. However, the 2014 is the latest vintage of this red wine and will be on shelves as part of the upcoming LCBO VINTAGES Release.
This wine is produced by Kendall-Jackson and is the companion to the Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay that I tasted earlier this year. Kendall-Jackson is a family-owned winery based in the heart of Sonoma County and has a commitment to produce quality wines consistently, vintage after vintage, with grapes sourced from multiple appellations which are carefully matched to ideal growing regions, climates, and soil types for each varietal. This Cabernet Sauvignon uses grapes sourced from Sonoma County mountain and hillside vineyards, as well as Mendocino County mountain vineyards.
Randy Ullom is the winemaker for this wine and is celebrating his 25th year working for the Jackson family, playing a vital role in elevating the winery's winemaking program.
Tasting Note:
KENDALL-JACKSON VINTNER’S RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2014 - Sonoma County, California, USA (#331603) (XD) - $22.95
Primarily Cabernet Sauvignon, but also includes 6% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Merlot and 1% Malbec, and aged for 10 months in French (55%) and American (31%) oak barrels and stainless steel tanks. Ripe plum, black cherry, and dark currant aromas from the cork. Ripe aromas of blackberry, black cherry, cassis and chocolate of medium intensity in the glass, with much of the same on the flavour profile, plus hints of green pepper. The palate is medium-full bodied and dry with supple, drying tannins that could use a couple of years to soften. Juicy acids. Some graphite/pencil lead flavours arrive mid-palate, finishing with cedar oak notes. Finishes with very good length. Ideal with red meat. Drink over the next 2-3 years. Score: 88 pts
I opened up this delightful Ontario Riesling on to celebrate . This white wine was purchased from the VINTAGES Release and is widely available throughout the province.
Screw cap. Highly aromatic nose offers petrol, limestone mineral, tart lime citrus, and hints of white peach. The palate offers lovely aromas replays along with some honeyed melon notes. Very chalky mineral texture. Energetic acids keep everything fresh and balanced. Excellent length on the mineral-driven, lip-smacking finish. Highly recommended buy. Score: 91 pts
In , I was invited by Halpern Enterprises to an exclusive tasting of Vineland Estates wines at the elegant Opus Restaurant in the Bloor-Yorkville Area in downtown Toronto.
It was a small-ish tasting, featuring 13 wines from their Classic, Elevation, and Reserve Series, with a focus more on licensees as most of the wines presented were only available for purchase direct through the winery (or the Agent).
Vineland Estates is located on the Niagara Escarpment and has been elevating the wine and culinary experience for over 30 years. The site features some very old structures, including the landmark stone tower that stands over a former Mennonite homestead with structures that date back to the 1840s. These structures now encompass a restaurant, retail store and wine tasting bar, underground barrel cellar, and the Carriage House that's used for private events. I have personally visited the winery quite a few times and have also enjoyed dinners at their restaurant.
In more recent news, the winery acquired a high-tech optical sorter to help produce better wines, in particular Cabernet Sauvignon. This grape requires a very long growing season to fully ripen, and is quite difficult to achieve full ripeness in the cool-climate region of Niagara. Every harvest produces exceptional grapes in all varieties, but the challenge is to find the best grapes out of the hundreds (or thousands) of tonnes that are produced. This cutting edge device optically sorts each individual grape according to ripeness levels at a rate of 10 tonnes per hour and discards the grapes that don't meet requirements. Vineland Estates' winemaker Brian Schmidt calls this technology a "game changer", and I fully expect an increase in quality in their wines going forward. Their "Game Changer" Red and White wines are made in reference to this technology.
Wine reviews of my 5 favourite wines from this tasting are provided below, a couple of which are available at the LCBO.
Tasting Notes:
VINELAND ESTATES BRUT RESERVE 2013 - VQA Ontario, Canada (D) - $28.00
Blended with 48.1% Pinot Meunier, 42.5% Chardonnay and 9.4% Riesling and using the Charmat Method to create this fine bubbly. Aromas of medium-high intensity showing citrus, peach, brioche, toasty, yeasty, and lemon/lime nose. It's medium-full bodied with fine, creamy bubbles providing a very next texture. Peach and citrus flavours on the palate are a touch sweet. Acids are juicy and well-balanced. Long, satisying finish. This is very fine. Score: 90 pts
VINELAND ESTATES ELEVATION ST. URBAN VINEYARD RIESLING 2015 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#038117) (MS) - $19.95
Served much too cold, but hints of orange citrus, petrol, Flintstones vitamins, and golden apple peek through as it warms. It's medium-bodied with nice, brisk acidity to keep things fresh. Pleasing semi-sweet aroma replays on the palate with nuances of apple and honey. Finish is long and minerally. First released into VINTAGES on December 10th. Score: 89 pts
VINELAND ESTATES GAME CHANGER RED 2014 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#457523) (XD) - $14.95
A blend of 92% Cabernet Franc, 4% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. Medium intensity aromas of red and black fruits, subtle oak spice and currant which continue on the flavour profile. Sweet tannins are supple and nicely structured on the medium-bodied palate. Acids are fresh. Some bretty notes on the long finish. Score: 86 pts
VINELAND ESTATES ELEVATION CABERNET 2014 - VQA Niagara Escarpment, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (D) - $28.00
Blend of 67% Cabernet Franc and 33% Cabernet Sauvignon. Somewhat closed (but should show well after short decant), this has currant, herbally, cassis and mineral aromas. It's full-bodied with nicely integrated tannins that are refined and smooth. Aroma replays are nicely balanced on the flavour profile. Acids are very good and finish is long. Score: 89 pts
VINELAND ESTATES SELECT LATE HARVEST CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2013 - VQA Niagara Escarpment, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (MS) (375 mL) - $24.95
Highly aromatic and appealing nose offers sweet cassis jelly, currant, strawberry jam and liqueur which continue on the medium-full bodied palate. A touch spicy on the mid-palate with balanced acids. Finishes long and a touch dry. Score: 88+ pts
red wine is mostly Malbec and will be available at the LCBO soon as part of the VINTAGES Release on .
This wine is produced by Chakana Wines, a winery founded in 2002 by an Italian family whose winemaking roots go back to the 19th century in Valtelina, Italy. The name "Chakana" evokes the symbol represented by the Incas to the Southern Cross constellation that is only visible on our planet from the Southern Hemisphere. Moreover, the positioning of the Southern Cross in the skies was of great agricultural importance to the Incas.
The winery is located in Agrelo, Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, where it owns 150 hectares of vineyards. Since 2012, the winery has begun the process to transition to organic & biodynamic cultivation methods for all of their farms. Winemaking principles at Chakana include minimal intervention during the fermentation processes, using indigenous yeasts, minimizing the use of sulphur dioxide and other additives, and favouring the use of porous materials in aging, such as cement without Epoxy and casks.
Tasting Note:
CHAKANA ESTATE SELECTION RED BLEND 2014 - Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#322602) (D) - $24.95
Blend of 70% Malbec, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cabernet Franc that was aged in large wooden and concrete vats for 12 months. Dark fruited aromas from the cork - currant, cherry, plum. Medium-high aromatics in the glass lead with florals followed by currant, blackberry, sweet herbs, dark cherry, and hints of wood. The palate is medium-full bodied with structured tannins that are a bit tight at the moment. Bright, juicy acids add freshness. Nice aroma replays on the flavour profile with earthy, mineral and wood notes lingering on the long finish. Age 1-2 years and drink to 2024. Delicious! Score: 89 pts
In mid-October, I was invited to a very special and exclusive tasting of the fine wines from the Boutari portfolio. These Greek wines were paired with gourmet fare at Mark McEwan's ONE Restaurant in Yorkville, downtown Toronto.
The guest speaker for the evening was Dr. Yannis Voyatzis, CEO & General Manager at Boutari, and one of the leading Oenologists in Greece. He was joined by Christina Boutari, a 5th generation member of the Boutari family who kicked off the evening with an overview and some history about the winery.
The Boutari Company was established in 1879 by Ioannis Boutaris and currently owns many wineries and vineyards throughout Greece (and Europe). The 6 wineries owned by the company in Greece are situated in the country's most important winemaking regions - the AOCs of Naoussa, Goumenissa, Crete, Santorini, Mantinia, and Attica.
Dr. Voyatzis took us through all 8 wines over the course of the evening as they were paired with the 4-course meal that was crafted specially for this intimate event. The first course was an Heirloom Carrot Salad with pomegranate yoghurt, avocado, orange, pistachios, raisin chutney and cilantro vinaigrette which was paired with a pair of white wines. Both wines were made with 100% Moschofilero - a rose/grey coloured grape that is larger than Gewürztraminer. Most fascinating was the fact that each wine was made in a completely different style, but each paired quite well with the salad. The Moschofilero is quite versatile in that it can be served as a sipper or with lighter fare such as salads, while the Oropedio is more of a food wine and really accentuated the citrus flavours in the salad. Full tasting notes of these and other wines tasted on this night are provided below.
The second course was specially crafted for me because I don't eat octopus. Instead, I enjoyed a pair of falafels on a bed of risotto and topped with greens and a side of green mint chutney. It was paired with two wines that were quite different from each other - the light, ripe-fruited Agioritiko and the big, full-bodied Skalani that offered more floral notes. In this case, the Agioritiko was the better pairing with the falafel as it wasn't too heavy and offered freshness to balance out the chickpea-based falafel. For me, the Skalani is a wine I would have on its own or pair it with the main course on this night.
Lamb chops with sides of tzatziki, herb roasted potatoes, and a Santorini salad that was topped with a lemon garlic vinaigrette. Food-wise, this was my highlight of the night! Lamb with a big, Greek red wine is a match made in heaven. What made this course even more special were the wines we paired the lamb with - the 2010 Grande Reserve Xinomavro which has been a favourite of mine a few years now, the 1879 Legacy 2007 which is an excellent wine, and last but definitely not the least, we had the opportunity to taste a 1992 Grande Reserve Xinomavro. All three wines were fabulous, with the 2010 G.R. Xinomavro and the Legacy pairing better with the lamb as this protein requires tannins for a balanced experienced. Furthermore, the Skalani tasted in the second course also paired really with the lamb. As for the 1992 G.R. Xinomavro, this is a great, mature wine to sip and enjoy on its own as it's not often one gets to taste a wine that's more than 20 years old.
For dessert, we paired a Vinsanto that had some age on it with traditional Greek desserts baklava and halva made by Serano Bakery. Historical evidence suggests that Vinsanto's place of origin is Santorini, where late-harvested grapes are dried in the sun, otherwise known as the passito style. These fine, rich desserts were very sweet and paired beautifully with a 2008 Vinsanto that was also very sweet, but balanced by good acidity and has many years of enjoyment remaining.
Thank you to Kolonaki Group, Dr. Yiannis Voyatzis, Christina Boutari, and the staff at ONE Restaurant for your gracious hospitality. It was a very enjoyable and memorable evening!
Wine reviews of each wine tasted on this night are provided below. Unless otherwise noted, all of these wines can be found at the Destination Greece Specialty LCBO store at 200 Danforth Avenue. Moreover, some of these wines can also be found at other regular LCBO outlets - click on the wine's six-digit product code for more info. You can also contact the Agent to Kolonaki Group for more information or shop the Boutari collection online at ShopGreekWine.com.
Tasting Notes:
BOUTARI MOSCHOFILERO 2015 - PDO Mantinia, Greece (#172387) (D) - $13.10
Medium+ intensity aromatics offers fresh lemon, herbs, tropical fruits and floral aromas. The palate is medium-bodied and fleshy with crisp, juicy acids. Herbally and lemon pith flavours. The finish length is very good. Really appreciated this being served at the right temperature. Good for the patio or with salads. Score: 88 pts
BOUTARI OROPEDIO 2014 - PDO Mantinia, Greece (XD) - $17.95
100% Moschofilero from oropedio (meaning "high plateau"), at 650 metres, altitude, and partially barrel-fermented, this has a medium-intensity nose featuring herbally, fennel, and mild oak nuances. It's also has some pine aromas, reminding me of a Retsina. The medium-bodied palate is dry and nicely textured, with softened acids due to oak, and pithy flavours. Medium-long finish. The 2016 vintage of this wine arrives on our shores this April. Score: 88+ pts
BOUTARI AGIORGITIKO 2015 - PDO Nemea, Greece (#172148) (XD) - $13.10
Aromas of medium+ intensity and offering ripe red fruits, earthy, cherry, red licorice, plum and some clove - quite complex. The palate is light-to-medium bodied with cherry, cough medicine, subtle oak spice, clove and cinnamon flavours. Lightly tannic with fresh, juicy acids. Medium finish length. Score: 88 pts
BOUTARI SKALANI 2011 - PGI Heraklion, Greece (XD) - $29.95
A 50/50 blend of Kotsifali & Syrah, this has medium-high intensity aromas that are meaty and perfumed with purple fruits and sweet oak. It's full-bodied and juicy with blackberry, violet, floral, black plum and sweet oak flavours. It has refined tannins, very good acidity and excellent length on the finish. Drinakable now, but can age another 10 years. This is really fine! Score: 91 pts
BOUTARI GRANDE RESERVE XINOMAVRO 2010 - PDO Naoussa, Greece (#140111) (D) - $18.95
Tasted a few times now, and on this occasion I get lovely medium-high intensity aromas of cherry, clove, sweet floral and oak spice, and hints of olive and black pepper. Olive notes become more prominent with air. Medium-full bodied with still bright acids, nice black cherry, floral, some savoury notes, and hints of dried floral & fruit. Very good finish length. Approachable now, but can age another 3-5 years. Maturing well. Score: 90+ pts
BOUTARI 1879 LEGACY 2007 - PDO Naoussa, Greece (#675081) (XD) - $49.60
First tasted in May, and delighted to be tasting again. This single vineyard Xinomavro has medium-high aromatics of great complexity - floral, cherry, clove, black berry, black pepper, black olive and oak and should open up further with decanting. The palate is full-bodied and complex led by an appealing floral note. There's good concentration of fruit balanced by mouth-watering acids. Finish length is excellent. A big wine that is drinking well now, but will age for decades. Score: 92 pts
BOUTARI GRANDE RESERVE XINOMAVRO 1992 - PDO Naoussa, Greece (XD) - $100
The treat of the night. This offers a medium-high intensity nose, very mature in profile with rose, cherry, dried fruit, umami, and just a touch of raisin/prune aromas. It's medium+ bodied with nice cherry-driven aroma replays. Still has very good acidity. Tannins are resolved, very smooth, velvety mouthfeel. Long finishing. Drink soon. Availability of this wonderful wine in Ontario is TBD. Score: 92 pts
BOUTARI VINSANTO 2008 - PDO Santorini, Greece (S) (500 mL) - $32
Made with sun-dried grapes consisting of 90% Assyrtiko and the rest mainly Aidani. This has an inviting nose of burnt caramel, sugar, and dried apricots of medium-high intensity. The palate is medium-full bodied with a grainy texture due to the wine being unfiltered. Very sweet flavours of dried apricot, honey, citrus, all-spice, Christmas cake are balanced by very good acidity. Long finish. Currently not available in Ontario. Score: 92 pts
Saturday, July 22, 2017
