Niagara Grape & Wine Festival 2017 - Day 1 of 2

Last September, I visited Niagara to take in the 66th Annual Niagara Grape and Wine Festival that celebrates the harvest season. I have been fortunate to attend this festival many times and have always enjoyed the visit. Once again, I visited Niagara over two days and my review from second day will be posted shortly.

Our tour began in Niagara-on-the-Lake, at Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Winery for some Pacific snapper ceviche and Niagara Apple Slaw paired with their 2016 Grand Reserve Riesling. This was a nicely crisp, balanced pairing where the off-dry (i.e. slightly sweet) Riesling wine suddenly became quite dry when paired with the slaw due to the high, lemony acids from the ceviche overtaking the sugary elements in the wine. This was really quite well done. Using my Winemaker's Selections' Tasting Passes, we also got to taste their intriguing, and uncommon Entourage Grand Reserve Sparkling Wine made with Sauvignon Blanc, but otherwise did not taste any other wines as the tasting bar is always a zoo. Full wine reviews from Jackson-Triggs and all the other wineries visited on this day are provided below.

The second stop of the day was at Rancourt Winery for grilled chicken wings brushed with Harvest Barn’s signature Apple Cinnamon grilling sauce, and paired with their 2013 Rancourt Unoaked Chardonnay ($14.80, 86 pts). I do wings and wine at home quite often and find it to be delightful. The pairing at Rancourt was also good, with mild stone fruit flavours from the wine meshing well with the mildly flavoured wings.

Moving along to the Beamsville Bench area of Niagara, Cave Spring Cellars was our third stop of the day. They were not participating in the Discovery Pass Experience, so we simply tasted a few wines from their lovely portfolio, followed by a short stroll on picturesque Main Street in Jordan Village.

The fourth stop of the afternoon was at GreenLane Estate Winery to taste their newly released 2014 GreenLane Guts and Glory Blend ($19.95, 87 pts), which is a blend of 55% Unoaked Chardonnay (Guts) and 45% Riesling (Glory), and paired with a Macaroni and Gorgonzola Fritter by Just Cooking. This was a nicely balanced pairing as the high acidity in the wine cut through the deep fried mac & cheese ball, while also providing a nice mouthfeel. The ambience on their outdoor patio is always such a delightful place, we took our time before heading inside and tasting a few of their top wines.

Our fifth and final stop of the day was at Legends Estates Winery. The food and wine pairing here was a mouthwatering, bite-sized pie stuffed with Brie and caramelized onions from the Itty Bitty Pie Company, and paired with their award-winning 2013 Legends Estates Chardonnay Reserve and 2012 Legends Estates Shiraz Reserve. Having tasted both of these wines previously, I was curious to see how each wine would the on prior visits to the winery, so I opted to pair the pie with the Chardonnay as the rich, buttery, butterscotch, and vanilla notes in the wine accentuated caramelized flavours in the pie filling, as well as the buttery flavours in the pie crust. Delicious pairing, indeed.

All-in-all, I was quite satisfied with yet another trip to Niagara Wine Country. This is only part 1 of my review, as I ended up visiting Niagara a couple of weeks later to partake in more Discovery Pass Experiences. Stay tuned, as that review will be posted in a few days time.

Tasting Notes:

JACKSON-TRIGGS GRAND RESERVE RIESLING 2016 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#367102) (D) - $21
Fragrant nose of tropical fruits, orange citrus, Flintstone vitamins and mineral waft from the glass, and all of it coming through nicely on the off-dry palate, balanced by clean acids. The finish is long with some bitterness and comes off as dry. Score: 88+ pts

JACKSON-TRIGGS ENTOURAGE GRAND RESERVE SPARKLING SAUVIGNON BLANC 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#353078) (D) - $29.95
A sparkling wine that is tart and sour with pink grapefruit notes, followed by some brioche, leesy and green stemmy aromas and flavours. It comes off as mostly dry on the palate with frothy mousse and a toasty brioche edge. Nicely balanced with a medium-long finish. Score: 88 pts

RANCOURT FOUNDER'S BLEND 2012 - VQA Niagara Lakeshore, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (XD)
Equal parts Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot, this is highly aromatic with lots of woodsy, barnyard, brett, and oak spice aromas, with underlying cassis and blackberry notes. It's full-bodied with nice aroma replays on the palate with notable, but well-integrated oak. Ripe tannins are smooth and refined. Acids are very good, while the finish is long. Score: 89 pts

RANCOURT GEWÜRZTRAMINER ICEWINE 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (S) (200 mL) - $30
Tasted a few times now, and still drinking very well. The highly aromatic nose offers sweet honey, pear, stone fruit, peach and some spices. The palate has very nice, balanced aroma replays. It's sweet, but the fresh acids keep everything nicely balanced. Excellent finish length. Score: 90+ pts

CAVE SPRING CSV CHARDONNAY 2015 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#529941) (XD) - $29.95
From 41-year old vines, 100% barrel fermented and aged for 10 months in French oak barriques and puncheons, this has a richly buttered nose of apple, pear, and lemon aromas of medium-high intensity. It has a medium+ body that is rich and buttery with, apple, vanilla and well-integrated oak flavours. Nicely textured with crisp, balanced acidity. Excellent finish length. Still a bit young - age this 1-2 years. Score: 91 pts

CAVE SPRING ESTATE BOTTLED RIESLING 2015 - VQA, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment,, Ontario, Canada (#286377) (D) - $18.95
This has a medium-high intensity nose of orange citrus, peach, lime, and some limestone mineral aromas. It's medium-bodied with a chalky limestone mineral texture on the off-dry palate. Clean acids are a touch sour. Long finishing. Will age gracefully for many years. Score: 89 pts

GREENLANE OLD VINES RIESLING 2010 - VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (MD) - $34.95
The medium-high intensity aromas are quite fragrant and open with orange citrus, mineral notes, and hints of petrol. The palate is medium-bodied with very nice aroma replays in a medium-dry profile and lifted by vibrant acids. Excellent finish length. Lovely! Score: 90+ pts

GREENLANE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012 - VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $32.95
Ripe, medium-high intensity nose of evergreen, cassis, black currant, cocoa, and chocolate aromas, all of which come through very nicely on the wood-driven, full bodied palate. Balanced acids. Tannins are chalky, yet well-integrated and quite refined. The finish goes on and on. Score: 91 pts

LEGENDS ESTATES CHARDONNAY RESERVE 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $18.95
The medium-intensity nose offers rich, buttery aromas with butterscotch, vanilla, and poached apple joining fray, all of which come through nicely on the medium-bodied palate. Acids are still clean, while the finish length is very good. Score: 88+ pts

LEGENDS ESTATES RESERVE SHIRAZ 2012 - Lizak Vineyard, VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $23.95
This has a medium-high intensity nose that's very savoury with wood spice, green olive, meaty, and gamey aromas. On the medium-full bodied palate, this has black peppercorn, gamey and charcuterie flavours surrounded by good acidity and refined tannins. The finish length is very good. Score: 89 pts

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Lakeview Cellars Sauvignon Blanc 2015 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine is a back vintage of a wine that was recently released into LCBO VINTAGES on May 12th.

This white wine is produced by Lakeview Wine Co. (formerly known as Diamond Estates Wines & Spirits) and is one of the largest wine producers in the country. The re-brand of the winery coincided with the launch of their brand new retail and tasting centre in Niagara-on-the-Lake, in the spring of 2017. The building features a unique architectural and interior design that creates a welcoming atmosphere. I visited Lakeview last month for Sip & Sizzle and must say the building is quite nice - much improved over the old building and it feels warm and inviting. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area.

Founded in 1991 by Eddy Gurinskas, Lakeview Cellars is the winery's oldest brand. Lakeview Cellars wines use grapes sourced from their best vineyards in Niagara. The fruit for this Sauvignon Blanc come from 5 acres of mature vines that have been farmed by the Tregunno family for four generations.

While the 2015 vintage is no longer available, and the 2016 vintage looks to be sold out at the LCBO, you can pick up the 2016 at the winery or shop online.

Tasting Note:

LAKEVIEW CELLARS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#483958) (XD) - $18.95
Screw cap. The nose is subtle, offering grassy and tropical fruit aromas with hints of gooseberry, kiwi, guava, and orange zest. It's light-to-medium bodied and dry on the palate with crisp and fresh acids. Ripe fruited flavour profile - think melon, guava, kiwi, with lemon citrus and grassy notes. Some bitterness on the finish. Score: 87 pts

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Domaine Queylus Tradition Chardonnay 2015 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine is the latest vintage of a wine that frequently visits LCBO VINTAGES.

Domaine Queylus was formed by a group of friends in 2006 after recognizing the immense potential to produce great wines in Niagara. The name 'Queylus' refers to Gabriel Thubières de Levy de Queylus, Seigneur of Montréal, and superior of the Sulpicians in New France in 1670. Gabriel de Queylus oversaw the first vinification ever on the shores of Lake Ontario.

Today, Queylus wines are produced under the guidance of chief winemaker Thomas Bachelder, who joined in 2010, and winemaker Kelly Mason. The winery is located in the Niagara Peninsula, where they utilize the strong terroir to attain an exceptional elegance in their wines. They are dedicated to a select, limited number of varieties - Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc - that they have identified as perfectly adaptable to their vineyard's soils and microclimate. Their vineyards, which are all organic, cover 16 hectares spread over the Lincoln Lakeshore (Beamsville), Twenty Mile Bench (Jordan), and Vinemount Ridge (St. Ann's) appellations.

This delicious wine is currently available at the winery and through their online web store, while 2014 vintage is currently available in the VINTAGES section at the LCBO.

Tasting Note:

DOMAINE QUEYLUS TRADITION CHARDONNAY 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#489591) (XD) - $24.95
Hand-harvested from their organically-grown Estate vines in the Lincoln Lakeshoure sub-appellation in Beamsville. Fermented using indigenous yeasts and aged for 16 to 18 months in (20% new) French oak barrels. Rich buttery pear, vanilla, and butterscotch aromas from the cork. The medium+ intensity nose in the glass offers bright notions of lemon oil, pear, and vanilla with hints of butterscotch and baked pineapple aromas. The mid-weighted palate is fresh with bright acidity and more lemony, pear, and vanilla oak spice flavours. Subtle use of oak is well-integrated. Just a touch of creamy, glycerin-like texture gives way to more of a chalky-mineral texture. The finish offers stony mineral, lemon, and vanilla notes, with very good length. Keeps me coming back for another sip. Score: 89 pts

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La Ferme Du Mont (Rhône) 2017 Wine Tasting

In late November, I had the pleasure of tasting through the wines of La Ferme Du Mont. Taking us through the tasting was the winemaker and vigneron Stéphane Vedeau. This was my third time tasting the wines from this Rhone winery, having previously met and tasted with Stéphane back in 2015 and 2013. I was quite impressed with the quality of the wines on both prior tastings, so I was expecting high quality this time around too.

The event got off to a very slow start as we waited for quite some time for other guests to arrive - some didn't even show up, so I was told. The pace of the wine tasting was also a bit slow. However, these shortcomings were forgotten as the event moved along as the quality of the wines just kept getting better and better.

The most interesting aspect of this tasting was the opportunity to taste multiple vintages of the same wine. We got to taste different vintages of three different wines - including five different vintages of the Côtes-du-Rhône Premiere Côte, two vintages of the Côtes-du-Rhône Villages Le Ponnant, and two vintages of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vendage. How often does one get to taste five different vintages of the same wine on the same day? Thus, it was most fascinating for me to taste the 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016 Premiere Côte wines. Each Premiere Côte was quite different from each other, and you could sort of see the evolution of this wine, as well as how the growing season and the blend contributed to the vintage.

Grenache is the main component in nearly all of the wines at La Ferme Du Mont's. 50 hectares of old vines are cultivated on the estate, incorporating several AOC's, and grown in a completely natural environment in harmony with Provencal vegetation. Vines are tended all throughout the year while using only organic fertilizers to help produce top quality fruit and fine wines year after year.

Thank you to Eurovintage International Wines & Spirits for the opportunity to taste these lovely wines. Some of these wines may be available for purchase at the LCBO - click six-digit the product code (if listed) to find out. You can also reach out to Eurovintage directly for availability or to order by the case.

Tasting Notes:

LA FERME DU MONT PREMIÈRE CÔTE CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2011 - Unfiltered, AP, France (#251645) (XD)
Medium-high intensity nose that is quite complex with sweet oak spice, blackberry, dark fruit, licorice, plum, cherry, and mature hints of dried fruit and floral. It's medium-full bodied with fresh acids and a spiced palate with lovely savoury aroma replays. This has supple tannins and a long, clean finish. Drink over the next 3-5 years. Score: 89 pts

LA FERME DU MONT PREMIÈRE CÔTE CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2013 - Unfiltered, AP, France (#251645) (XD)
Quite light in colour and has focused red cherry and earth aromas of medium-high intensity with subtle oak and smoke notes. The palate of medium bodied with nice red currant aroma replays plus chalky mineral flavours. It has fine tannins, juicy acids and a long finish with a nice mineral underpinning. Score: 88 pts

LA FERME DU MONT PREMIÈRE CÔTE CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2014 - Unfiltered, AP, France (#251645) (XD)
The medium+ intensity nose offers dark berry, oak spice, raspberry, and sweet spices. It's medium-bodied with fine tannins, fresh balanced acids, and dark berry aroma replays. It finishes long with a currant and mineral aftertaste. Score: 88 pts

LA FERME DU MONT PREMIÈRE CÔTE CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2015 - Unfiltered, AP, France (#251645) (XD) - $17.95
A blend of 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre, this has a medium+ intensity nose of dark berry, dark plum, oak, blackberry and herbal aromas that follow through on the flavour profile. The palate is medium+ bodied and more savoury with supple and ripe tannins that provide some grip. It has a crunchy texture. Still young and a bit tight. Acids are juicy and the finish length is very good. Should evolve nicely over the next 5-6 years. Score: 88+ pts

LA FERME DU MONT PREMIÈRE CÔTE CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2016 - Unfiltered, AP, France (#251645) (XD)
Medium+ intensity nose is ripe with dark cherry, dark berry, earth, brett, licorice, and raspberry aromas gain complexity with air, introducing kirsch liqueur and coffee aromas. It's medium+ bodied with ripe tannins, nice aroma replays plus some floral notes. Acid are very good and the finish length is good. Drinkable now, but will improve in a few years time. Score: 88 pts

LA FERME DU MONT LE PONNANT CÔTES DU RHÔNE VILLAGES 2014 - Unfiltered, AC, Rhône, France (#171371) (XD)
An 80/10/10 blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre that has an elegant medium-high intensity nose of dried cherry, floral and sweet spices. On the palate, this is medium-full bodied with medium-firm tannins that are ripe and offer some structure and fine aroma replays of dark berry, dark cherry, and licorice. This has very good juicy acids.and a long finish. 89 pts

LA FERME DU MONT LE PONNANT CÔTES DU RHÔNE VILLAGES 2015 - Unfiltered, AC, Rhône, France (#171371) (XD) - $20.95
A blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah. The medium-high intensity nose is ripe and high-toned with dark red berry, blackberry, white pepper, sweet oak aromas, all of which come through nicely on the medium+ bodied palate. It has bright, sharp, and fresh acidity. Medium+ tannins are supple and textured. Balanced acids. Long mineral finish. Softer than the 2014. Score: 89+ pts

LA FERME DU MONT CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE VENDANGE 2011 - AC, Rhône, France (XD) - $48.95
Highly aromatic nose is elegant and savoury, showing fine maturity with forest floor, wet earth, dried cherry, and a whiff of florality. It's medium-full bodied with very nice aroma replays and silky, sweet tannins that still have some crunch to them. Acids are finely balanced. Earthy and barnyard notes on the long finish. Score: 91+ pts

LA FERME DU MONT CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE CÔTES CAPELAN 2013 - AC, Rhône, France (#078857) (XD) - $82.95
A blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre. The medium-high intensity nose is complex with dried cherry, floral, sweet spice, raspberry, red fruit, and some minerality. The medium+ bodied palate is chalky textured with medium-firm tannins that are well structured. Nice, complex aroma replays plus some graphite notes on the flavour profile. Acids are nice and bright, while the long finish is a touch warm, yet balanced. This is a powerful wine that is still quite young and should be aged 4-5 years and will continue to drink well for a decade or more. Score: 92 pts

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Wine Tasting in Niagara-on-the-Lake - August 2017

In late August, I toured Niagara-on-the-Lake and visited a some fine wineries with a few friends. It was a day trip, and with fine weather in tow, this was a fantastic day of wine tasting!

We visited four wineries in all, beginning at Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery - a family-run organic and biodynamic winery for a tasting of some of their very fine, premium wines. They also have a nice bakery in the back where they make various types of freshly baked bread. Also on-site is a restaurant with an ever-changing menu where the focus is on using fresh, local ingredients. I definitely want to come back and dine here as they also have a hearth wood oven for baking pizza.

The second stop was at another family-run winery - Riverview Cellars Estate Winery. This winery is adjacent to the Niagara River and has vineyards with special terroir. The topsoil offers subtle differences across their property - from pliable, silty loam, to denser, clay loam, and to fertile sandy loam. In 1992, the family planted their first vinifera - Gewürztraminer, followed by Vidal Blanc in 1993, and Cabernet Sauvignon in 1998.

Our third stop of the afternoon was at nearby Inniskillin Wines. I had been to this winery numerous times over the years, but this was my first time doing a tour of the facility. The tour began outside, overlooking the vineyards as we were told about the history of Inniskillin and, in a sense, winemaking in Canada. Inniskillin was founded in 1975 by Donald Ziraldo and Karl Kaiser (1941-2017) and became Canada's original estate winery and an industry pioneer committed to the production of premium wines made from quality grapes grown in Canada. From grapes harvested in 1984, Innikillin produced their first Icewine and eventually put Canada on the global wine scene when their 1989 Vidal Icewine was awarded the highest accolade at Vinexpo in Bordeaux.

We proceeded to move around the property, eventually finding our way to the crush pad, where sorting, de-stemming and crushing took place. We then made our way through an informational walkway (previously used for self-guided tours) and then into the cellar room to watch a video and learn more about Icewine production. While in the cellar room, I couldn't help but notice that they still had quite a few older bottles, including the 1984 Icewine. Following the tour, we tasted a few wines, including a delicious, one-of-a-kind Vidal Sparkling Icewine.

The final stop of the day was at Southbrook Vineyards - Canada's first estate winery to earn both organic and biodynamic certification. We ended up tasting only a few wines, but their Poetica Chardonnay ended up being one of the top wines of the day, while their Orange Wine was the most polarizing. Upon completion of the tasting in the central room at their LEED-Gold Standard tasting pavilion, we ventured outside and took a stroll along the vineyards, all the while noticing the grid of solar panels that sat beside the vines.

Once again, I tasted some very fine wines in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Most of these wines are only available at the winery or online through their website, while a few could be found in LCBO VINTAGES. Full wine reviews of my favourite wines tasted on this day are provided below.

Tasting Notes:

RAVINE RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2014 - VQA St. Davids Bench, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $55
The highly aromatic nose has lovely rich, buttery, toast, smoke, lemon, apple and stone fruit aromas. It's very refined and nicely textured on the medium-full bodied palate with very nice aroma replays. Acids are well-balanced and the finish length is excellent, albeit a touch warm. Score: 92 pts

RAVINE CABERNET FRANC 2016 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $35
Bottle in June from a solid vintage, this has a medium-high intensity nose that's ripe with dark currants, chocolate, and cassis, along with herbally hints and tobacco. This should open up further with some ageing. It's medium-bodied on the palate with refined tannins and very nice dark fruited aroma replays. Oak is well-integrated and acids are fresh. There's some bitterness mid-palate. Finishes long. Still young and should flesh out nicely in 2-3 years. Score: 90+ pts

RAVINE BOTRYTIS-AFFECTED RIESLING 2016 - VQA St. Davids Bench, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (S) (375 mL) - $48
Highly aromatic and open on the nose with fruity, peach, apricot honeycomb, Flintstone vitamins, orange and a hint of petrol, all of which come through in a very appealing fashion on the sweet palate. Acids ere crisp and clean, providing much freshness. Excellent finish length. Score: 92 pts

RIVERVIEW ANGELINA’S RESERVE GEWURZTRAMINER 2014 - VQA Niagara River, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#511642) (M) - $17.15
From vines planted in 1992, this has medium+ aromatics offering honeyed lychee, lemon, and ginger aromas with an earthy component. It's medium sweet on the medium-bodied palate with appealing tropical and floral fruit tones joining the aromas on the flavour profile. Acids are fresh with some sourness. Finishes crisp and on the dry side with some bitterness. Overall, very pleasing Ontario Gewurz. Released into VINTAGES on Sept. 2. Score: 88 pts

RIVERVIEW SALVATORE'S RESERVE SYRAH 2013 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $30
Third time tasting this in 2017, this bottling is highly aromatic with savoury, meaty, black pepper, earth, and bretty notes with a sprinkle of baking spice. It's full-bodied and savoury on the palate with olive and oak spices joining the aroma replays. It has good acidity and medium-level tannins that are integrating well. Very good finish length. Seems to be getting better with every tasting. Score: 90 pts

RIVERVIEW CABERNET FRANC ICEWINE 2016 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (S) (375 mL) - $70
Lovely medium-high aromatics have candied strawberry jam, caramel, butterscotch and a hint of lemon. The palate is medium+ bodied and smooth and richly textured with very nice raspberry-driven aroma replays on the sweet flavour profile. It has nicely balanced acids and a long finish. Score: 91+ pts

INNISKILLIN RIESLING ICEWINE 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#558288) (S) (375 mL) - $79.95
Aromas are of medium+ intensity, somewhat muted, and feature bright lemon and peach notions with some earthy minerality. It's light-to-medium bodied with a delicate mouthfeel that's lifted by bright acids. Pleasing lemony citrus and orange, plus aroma replays shine through on the palate and continue through to the long finish. Seems a bit simple now, this should gain complexity with age. Score: 90 pts

INNISKILLIN VIDAL ICEWINE 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#388306) (S) (375 mL) - $49.95
Highly aromatic aromas of honey, apricot, ginger and sweet Meyer lemon waft from the glass. The palate is medium-full bodied and lusciously sweet with honeyed aroma replays. There's good, balanced acidity in here to keeps things fresh and not cloying. Fine length on the finish. Score: 90+ pts

INNISKILLIN VIDAL SPARKLING ICEWINE 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#560367) (S) (375 mL) - $79.95
Made using the Charmat method, this has yeasty, earthy and bready with underlying apricot, honey and candied ginger aromas and flavours. It's sweet on the palate with fine mousse, high acids and very good finish length. A unique wine, to be sure. Score: 89 pts

SOUTHBROOK SMALL LOT ORANGE WINE 2016 - Four Mile Creek, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $29.95
Made using Vidal (white wine grape) that was naturally fermented with skins and stems for 25 days (just like a red wine), this a medium-high intensity nose that has floral, grapefruit, orange zest and tea nuances. It's medium-bodied and bone-dry on the palate with complex notes of bergamot, sage, tea, citrus peel and some savoury herbs and bitterness. Acids are balanced and the finish length is very good. A unique wine to try once. Score: 89 pts

SOUTHBROOK POETICA CHARDONNAY 2013 - VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#366500) (XD) - $49.95
Showing a lovely, highly aromatic nose that's rich and buttery with golden apple, pear, and smoke notes, and has notable wood influence that's nicely integrated. It's medium-bodied with nice, clean fruit, impressive depth and very nice aroma replays on the flavour profile. Acids are finely tuned and well-balanced. The long finish is smooth and rich. Exquisite! Will continue to sing a poem for at least the next half dozen years. Score: 93 pts

SOUTHBROOK ESTATE GROWN SMALL LOT 'WITNESS BLOCK' CABERNET SAUVIGNON / CABERNET FRANC 2013 - VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $39.95
Blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Merlot. Aromas of medium-high intensity with notes of currant, herbaceous, red berry, resinous oak, woody, and hints of violet, with much of same on the full-bodied palate. It has good acidity and a long finish. Still young, with chalky tannins suggesting a few years in bottle are needed for optimum drinkability. Score: 90 pts

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Meldville Wines Tasting with Derek Barnett

At the end of last summer, with thanks to André Proulx, I had the opportunity to taste through some of the latest releases from a relatively new virtual winery called Meldville Wines. This is the project of renowned winemaker Derek Barnett, formerly of Lailey Winery and currently the winemaker at Karlo Estates (tasted his lovely Cabernet Franc here), and the focus is on small batch, limited edition, VQA wines.

The story begins with Derek's childhood home back in Swinford, England, named Meldville. He was always encouraged to be true to his nature growing up, and has adopted the same philosophy in winemaking. Each of his wines are crafted in a time honoured way with little intervention, a key to open the narrative and allow the vines to tell their own story.

Continuing the "story" theme on is the artwork of the label and the naming of the wines. The label features an old book cover, while the key also represents the keys to the back door of his home in Swinford. Some of Meldville's current wines use the term "Second Edition" to denote the fact that this is the second time that this wine was made - I assume this naming convention will continue with future vintages. I tasted a couple of Meldville "First Edition" wines in 2016 and, quite frankly, wasn't really impressed. However, the Second Edition wines are a marked improvement and just lovely!

After tasting through each of the seven wines presented on this day, I can tell you that all of the wines are delicious and come in at very reasonable price points. Full wine reviews of my top five are provided below. Meldville Wines can be ordered online or by visiting Legends Estate Winery in Beamsville, Ontario.

Tasting Notes:

MELDVILLE SAUVIGNON BLANC SECOND EDITION 2016 - VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $20
Medium-high intensity aromas with pungent gooseberry, hay, and grassy notes, along with some tropical fruit and melon nuances, that meld together to form a very appealing profile. It's medium bodied with crisp, bright acids and ripe fruited aroma replays mildly oak influenced (due to 20% neutral French oak barrel fermentation). The finish length is very good. Score: 89 pts

MELDVILLE CHARDONNAY CANADIAN OAK 2016 - VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $27
The nose is rich and buttery with stone fruit, golden apple, pear, vanilla and oak aromas of medium-high intensity. On the palate, it's medium-full bodied with pleasing nutty and coconut flavours joining the aroma replays. Acids are bright and fresh, while the finish is long, clean and nutty. Score: 90 pts

MELDVILLE CHARDONNAY BARREL SELECT 2015 - VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $29
From two barrels specially selected for this Chardonnay. The medium-high intensity nose is ripe with butterscotch, tropical fruit, pineapple and banana aromas. It's medium bodied and fruit forward on the palate with citrus, strone fruit, and pear flavours with a slight impression of sweetness, but it's essentially dry. It's clean with crisp acids and a long finish. Score: 90+ pts

MELDVILLE CABERNET FRANC SECOND EDITION 2015 - VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $27
This has a medium+ intensity nose that leads with an herbaceous note, followed by ripe fruited black currant, cassis, and some savoury-woodsy aromas. The palate is medium bodied with nice aroma replays and fresh acidity lifting the palate. Tannins are crunchy, yet refined, and add a nice textural character to the wine. The finish is long with dark currant flavours. It's lean and tight and should well up to 2024. Score: 89 pts

MELDVILLE SYRAH BARREL SELECT 2016 - VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $27
Aged in one French and one Hungarian oak barrel. The medium-high intensity aromatics are sour edged with meaty, gamey, black pepper, dark cherry, savoury and smokey notes. It's medium-full bodied on the palate with nice aroma replays and supported by fresh, bright acids. Medium-firm tannins are chunky, while the finish length is excellent. Should age nicely for 6-10 years. Score: 90+ pts

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Konzelmann Chardonnay Reserve 2015 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Opened up this delicious, oaked Chardonnay last night to wind down what was a very hectic - and somewhat challenging - weekend. This white wine is a companion to the 2016 Konzelmann Merlot Barrel Aged Reserve that I enjoyed a couple of weeks ago.

Like the Merlot, this is a new release from Konzelmann Estate Winery and is available for purchase only at the winery or through their online web store. Use promo code FREESHIP and receive free shipping when you order 12 or more bottles.

Tasting Note:

KONZELMANN CHARDONNAY RESERVE 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (D) - $17.95
Screw cap. This has medium+ intensity ripe, buttery apple and pear nose with hints of pineapple. On the creamy, medium-full bodied palate, it is a touch sweetish, but leads with a saline note followed by baked stone fruits, apple, along with hints of vanilla and baking spice. Acids are juicy and well-balanced, while the finish length is very good. A ripe, oaked Chardonnay in the New World style that should have wide appeal. Score: 88 pts

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Château de Treviac Corbières 2015 (Midi) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine is a preview of a delicious red blend that will arrive in LCBO VINTAGES on February 3.

This red wine is produced by Arnaud Sié at his family's estate that he took responsibility over in the year 2000. The southern facing vineyards are situated 200 to 350 metres elevation, on very rocky limestone-clay soils - perfect terroir for Syrah and Grenache - and surrounded by garrigue. The crop is completely hand-harvested and sorted in the vineyard, after which the grapes are then de-stemmed and crushed when they arrive in the cellar.

Having enjoyed the 2012 Château de Treviac that I tasted nearly three years ago, and given that the 2015 vintage winegrowing season was rated slightly better than the very good 2012 season, I am expecting this wine to be just as good (perhaps even better?) than the tasty 2012 bottling.

Tasting Note:

CHÂTEAU DE TREVIAC CORBIÈRES 2015 - AP, Midi, France (#670505) (XD) - $16.95
A blend of 60% Syrah and 40% Grenache (35 year old vines) that was aged in tank. Faint notes of cherry from the cork. Medium-high intensity nose of cassis, licorice, and black pepper with savoury meaty notes throughout. With air, the nose reveals red currant and garrigue aromas. On the medium bodied palate, there are very nice aroma replays - cassis, garrigue, licorice and black pepper on a bed of fine, chalky textured, and slightly grippy tannins. Acids are bright and juicy. The finish length is very good with lingering earth and garrigue notes. Nicely balanced overall. Enjoy over the next 5-6 years. Score: 89 pts

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Ferox Wines Tasting

One evening in late November, I had the pleasure of tasting through the inaugural vintage of wines from a new virtual winery in Niagara - Ferox Wines.

Based out of Reif Winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake, this virtual winery is owned by Fabian Reis, the man behind Ferox. He was born into a traditional vintner family in Germany that has winemaking roots dating back to 1893 and is now a sixth generation winemaker. His grandfather is Herbert Konzelmann, founder of Konzelmann Estate Winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Fabian moved to Niagara in 1995, but returned to Germany for five years beginning in 2006 to study at one of Germany's prestigious winemaking schools, as well as work alongside some of Europe's best wineries. After returning to Niagara, Fabian decided to leave the shadows of his long established family and set a new course with his Sommelier wife Stephanie.

After meeting Fabian for the first time, I can tell you that he is passionate about winemaking and wants to produce high-quality wines in Niagara. Fabian and Stephanie are both very much hands-on with this project, from hand-harvesting the grapes to applying the wax seal (by hand) to each and every bottle. For a first vintage, the wine quality is quite good, but they do come in at super premium price points. This is a winery to keep an eye out for as I do believe that future vintages will be even better. The Merlot Cab is sold out, but you can still purchase the Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc by contacting the winery directly.

Thank you to André Proulx for arranging and inviting me to the tasting. It was also a pleasure to meet Fabian and Stephanie Reis!

Tasting Notes:

FOREX WINES RIESLING 2016 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (D) - $38
From 25 year-old vines in St. David's Bench, this has medium+ intensity honeyed aromas that are sweet with lime, ginger, acacia flower, citrus, and a whiff of orange. Acids are delicate on the medium+ bodied palate, with some structure. Citrus, lemon/lime flavours are a touch musky on the mid-palate. Off-dry in style with stony mineral and beeswax notes lingering on the long finish. Score: 88+ pts

FOREX WINES SAUVIGNON BLANC 2016 - VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $46
The medium intensity nose is a bit sulphury, but eventually gives way to ripe melon, tropical fruit and lemon peel aromas. The palate is medium-bodied and a touch creamy with fresh, vibrant acids that are well-balanced and offers ripe fruited white grapefruit and melon flavours. It's a touch hot mid-palate and finishes long and juicy. Score: 88 pts

FOREX WINES MERLOT CABERNET 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $55 Sold Out
A blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, this has an elegant, medium-high intensity nose of cocoa, blackberry, chocolate, and ripe dark currant and cassis. It's medium-bodied with fresh and bright acids supported by soft, supple tannins that offer some structure. The fruit is crunchy with nice aroma replays and subtle oak flavours that are nicely integrated. Finishes with good length and touches of wet earth. A bit of both Old and New World to enjoy over the next 5-7 years. Only 3 barrels/900 bottles produced. Score: 89 pts

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