Southbrook Vineyards Wine Tasting - March 2017

Last month, I was invited to a wine tasting by André Proulx to taste through some of the latest wines from Southbrook Vineyards - a winery that pursues organic and biodynamic viticulture that I've featured many times on this blog.

There were 13 wines available for tasting, including the 2015 Southbrook Organic Triomphe Pinot Noir and 2015 Southbrook Organic Triomphe Chardonnay that I previously tasted earlier this year, as well as other wines from the Triomphe line of wines that are an expression of carefully tended vines that produce quality wines.

The majority of the wines were from the Estate Grown Small Lot series and tended to be my favourite of the bunch. These organic and biodynamic wines are hand-made to express the unique contributors to winemaking - site, soil, climate, vintage, and the human touch. A sub-series within this line of wines is the Estate Barrel Series, where winemaker Ann Sperling illustrates the subtleties that different barrels can make to Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc bottlings. We got to taste the exquisite 'Allier' Chardonnay, but there are 3 other Chardonnays in this line as well, plus 6 Cabernet Francs - it would've been great to taste all of these side-by-side. A visit to the winery to taste through the rest of the Estate Barrel Series may be in order.

In addition to the above, there was also a wild ferment cider, an effervescent bubbly made with 100% Vidal, and a lovely Chardonnay from their top-of-the-line Poetica series.

Guiding us through the tasting were Paul DeCampo, Director of Marketing & Sales, and Andrew Redelmeier, son of owners Bill and Marilyn Redelmeier who is also a Sales & Marketing Specialist at Southbrook Vineyards.

Wine reviews of my favourite wines at this tasting are provided below, and all of the wines are available (or will be available soon) for purchase direct through the winery.

Tasting Notes:

SOUTHBROOK ESTATE GROWN SMALL LOT 'ALLIER' CHARDONNAY 2013 - VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $39.95
Aged for 11 months in combination of new and old oak sourced from the Allier forest in central France, this has a gorgeous nose that is very appealing with elegant, sweet vanilla, nutty, butter and integrated oak with hints of pear. The palate is medium-bodied with nice depth, balanced acids and very nice aroma replays led by more nutty characters and hints of caramel and smoke. Excellent finish length. Score: 91 pts

SOUTHBROOK POETICA CHARDONNAY 2013 - VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#366500) (XD) - $49.95
Seems somewhat closed compared to a couple of weeks ago at Taste Ontario, offering medium-high aromatics of stone fruit and oak. The palate is medium-bodied and minerally textured with rich stone fruit flavours and integrated oak notes. Refined with balanced acids. Very good finish length with some nutty flavours adding interest. Has the stuffing to age a number of years, but is enjoyable now. Score: 91 pts

SOUTHBROOK ESTATE GROWN SMALL LOT '101' CABERNET FRANC 2013 - VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $34.95
My favourite red of the tasting, this is 91% Cabernet Franc and 9% Cabernet Sauvignon that is sourced from the "101" vineyard, this is highly aromatic with very nice red & black fruits, herbaceous, tobacco, leather, and dark currant aromas. The palate is medium-full bodied with ripe tannins integrating nicely and very appealing aroma replays. Refined with finely balanced acids and long finishing. Will reward 2+ years ageing and drink to 2023. Score: 91 pts

SOUTHBROOK ESTATE GROWN SMALL LOT PETIT VERDOT 2013 - VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $39.95
Appears shy at the moment, offering glimpses of dark berry fruit, black cherry, and oak along with hints of purple fruit, earth and barnyard notes, all of which come through nicely on the full-bodied palate. Tannins are well-integrated and balanced by very good, juicy acids. The finish length is very good. Score: 89 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
A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon (from 2003 planting), 37% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Merlot, this has medium-high aromatics that offer touches of evergreen, red and black fruits, cassis and black cherry. Oak is well-integrated on the full-bodied palate with nice aroma replays and balanced acids. Long finishing. Slightly chalky tannins should soften with time. Drink over the next 5 years. Score: 90+ pts

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Niagara Wine Festival Review 2016 - Day 2 of 2

My tour through Niagara during the annual Grape & Wine Festival was split over two weekends in September. You can read all about the first day's activities here.

Our food & wine adventure on the second weekend began at GreenLane Estate Winery for a Balinese Chicken Satay that was paired with their 2012 GreenLane Riesling ($15.95, 88 pts). I was expecting a sweet & spicy pairing, but instead got a mild-mannered chicken satay that contained South East Asian spices, coconut milk and peanut sauce. The satay was delicious and so was the Riesling. Since the wine had crisp acids and wasn't too sweet, it paired well with the satay, with lemony notes from the wine becoming more pronounced. Overall, it was a good pairing, but I would love to try this Riesling with a spicier Asian dish.

Stoney Ridge Estate Winery was our second stop for a chickpea and quinoa vegetable salad that was topped with a succulent smoked marsala shrimp. It was paired with the 2013 Stoney Ridge Excellence White (reviewed below) and was quite interesting. The wine had compelling herbally-honey-floral notes, but when paired with the salad and shrimp, the wine magically turned very, very smoky. It was a very interesting pairing indeed and just goes to show how the interaction between food & wine can really change the flavours of a wine.

Our third stop was at Rockway Vineyards for another tantalizing experience. Here, a potato gnocchi topped with a beet sauce and garnished with watercress was paired with two wines - the 2015 Rockway Plush White ($14.95, 86 pts) and the 2012 Rockway Small Lot White Assemblage ($14.97, 88+ pts). The first wine (a Vidal) was on the sweeter side and enhanced the sweet beet flavours in the gnocchi, while the Assemblage (mostly Chardonnay) brought out more savoury, earthy tones, essentially enhancing the main ingredient in the gnocchi - potato. This was a very interesting comparison to see how a dish can change it's flavour profile based on the wine. Since food & wine is a very personal experience, it's interesting to note that my wife preferred the sweeter variant, while I preferred the savoury pairing. To each his/her own!

Konzelmann Estate Winery was the fourth stop, with fairly high expectations. A succulent New Zealand Lamb Chop that was lightly brushed with Basil Pesto and grilled to perfection was on the menu and paired with 2015 Konzelmann Lakefront Series Shiraz ($14.45, #144857, 86 pts). We had to wait a bit for the lamb chop to be prepared, but it was well worth it! It was made well-done and absolutely delicious! Shiraz (or Syrah) always tends to go well with lamb, and this was no exception. However, I think the lamb chop deserved a better wine. The place was a zoo due to their annual WineFest, so I didn't get a chance to taste anything else, including any of their other wines made with Shiraz/Syrah.

The next to last stop of the afternoon was at Inniskillin Wines for General Tso chicken with crispy shallots paired with their latest Inniskillin Reserve Riesling (reviewed below). The wine itself was very good, offering typical off-dry notes found in Riesling. My General Tso chicken had dark meat that was a bit tough, but had a nice spicy kick to it. Once again, the spicy flavours in the dish complemented the sweet flavours and high acids in the wine very well, making for a very pleasurable pairing.

The final stop of the day was at Riverview Cellars Estate Winery for an eggplant parmigiana. However, since we arrived very late in the day, they had actually run out of their culinary creation. With extra time on our hands now, we decided to run through an extended tasting session at the back bar, noticing on the way back there that some renovations were being undertaken. Full wine reviews of some of my favourites at Riverview are posted below.

Overall, I was quite happy with the visit to Niagara. The culinary creations were well done, with generous portion sizes at most places. Wine pairings were very interesting, showcasing how both the food and wine can each change and enhance flavours when paired with each other. The most significant take away from this visit is that the wines, with ever more maturing vines and some assistance from Mother Nature are helping to create better and better wines every year. While only a few these wines are available at the LCBO, all of these delicious Ontario wines can be purchased directly from the winery in Niagara.

Tasting Notes:

GREENLANE OLD VINES RIESLING 2012 - VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (D) - $24.95
From 25 year old vines, this has a medium+ intensity nose of orange, peach, and tropical fruits with a whiff of mature petrol. Off-dry on the palate with fine aroma replays and a nice minerally texture. Acids are nice and crisp. Long, clean finish. Score: 89+ pts

GREENLANE CABERNET FRANC 2012 - VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $23.95
Harvested in mid-November of a long, hot growing season, this has medium-high intensity aromas of cocoa, espresso bean and dark ripe berry fruits with subtle oak nuances that continue through to the palate. Acids are very good, while the finish length is excellent. Supple tannins are evolving nicely and still provide good structure for aging at least 5+ years. Score: 89 pts

GREENLANE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012 - VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $32.95
The nose is a bit shy at the moment, but hints at currant, cassis, and black cherry aromas. The palate is full-bodied with ripe fruited flavours that are sure to please. There is good depth of fruit supported by drying tannins that should integrate well. Acids are very good. Subtle oak notes on the long finish. Should improve in 1-2 years, and drink over at least the next half dozen years. Score: 89 pts

GREENLANE CABERNET SAUVIGNON RESERVE 2012 - VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $48.95
From a selection of 22-year-old vines, the Reserve is a step up from the "entry-level" Cab. Aged for 19 months in oak (25% new French oak), this has a medium-to-high intensity nose that's clean, focused and complex with ripe dark berries, cassis, currant, and earth that also show up on the palate. Very good acids and tannic structure. Ripe tannins are well-integrated. Finishes long with some oak and cocoa flavours. Well-balanced overall with good aging potential of 5-10 years. Score: 90+ pts

STONEY RIDGE RIESLING 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (D) - $15.95
Medium-high aromatics are showing mature petrol, white peach and citrus notes. On the medium-bodied off-dry palate, it has crisp, balanced and succulent acids with nice aroma replays and a touch of sweetness. The finish is long. Score: 88+ pts

STONEY RIDGE RIESLING 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $14.95
Bottled a week prior to my visit, the nose is somewhat closed with sulphury notes along with hints of peach in a mostly dry style. Lemon and mineral flavours on the palate with hard, lemony acids. Medium+ length finish. This needs time to settle down. Score: 87 pts

STONEY RIDGE EXCELLENCE WHITE 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $24.95
Barrel-fermented blend of 52% Pinot Gris, 34% Chardonnay, 7% Viognier, and 7% Muscat. Herbally with honey and floral aromas. The palate is medium+ bodied with more floral and herbal notes that are oak spiced. Acids are very good while the finish length is good. Score: 88 pts

STONEY RIDGE VIDAL ICEWINE 2012 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (S) (375 mL) - $44.95
Highly aromatic with honey, apricot, peach, and golden apple notes. It's medium-full bodied with very appealing aroma replays. Very sweet on the palate, but balanced by nice acids. Excellent finish length. Score: 90+ pts

ROCKWAY VINEYARDS FERGIE JENKINS RIESLING 2013 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (MD) - $15.95
Medium-high aromatics are minerally with whiffs of petrol, white peach and citrus. Acids are well-balanced with pleasing aroma replays on the nicely chalky textured palate. Drink over the next 2 years. Score: 88 pts

ROCKWAY VINEYARDS SMALL LOT BLOCK 150-183 RIESLING 2013 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#424176) (M) - $19.95
The nose is highly aromatic, featuring slatey mineral, petrol, citrus, and white peach in a nicely concentrated package. Balanced aroma replays with nice crunchy acids on the palate. There's good depth of fruit as well. Long finishing. Score: 90 pts

ROCKWAY VINEYARDS SMALL LOT BLOCK 12-140 SYRAH 2013 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $24.95
Medium intensity nose offers black pepper, purple fruit, and subtle oak aromas that should become more pronounced with air. It's medium-bodied with black peppery aroma replays. Well-balanced and a bit feminine in style, with supple tannins and balanced acids. Medium-long finish. Score: 88 pts

ROCKWAY VINEYARDS CABERNET FRANC ICEWINE 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (S) (375 mL) - $44.95
Medium-high aromatics offer strawberry and cherry aromas with a slightly spiced character that continue on the lovely palate. It's very sweet, but has vibrant and refreshing acids. The finish is long. Score: 91 pts

INNISKILLIN RESERVE RIESLING 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (D) - $18.95
Fine aromas of petrol, mineral, sweet lemon, white peach and orange citrus of medium-high intensity. Off-dry flavours of peach, apricot, orange and some mineral notes are balanced by fresh acids. The finish is medium-long in length. Score: 89 pts

RIVERVIEW ANGELINA'S RESERVE GEWURZTRAMINER 2013 - VQA Niagara River, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (M) - $18.95
From vines planted in 1992, this has a medium+ intensity nose with lemony, floral, ginger and some honey aromas. The palate is fleshy with bright acids and typical flavours of lychee, rose, and floral, in a semi-dry style. Excellent length on the finish that comes off drier due to high acids. Nicely balanced overall. Score: 89+ pts

RIVERVIEW SALVATORE'S RESERVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012 - VQA Niagara River, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $29.95
Spent 1 year in French oak, this has medium-high intensity aromas featuring ripe red & black fruits, dark cherry, blackberry, cassis, and some currant and oak spice adding complexity. It's full-bodied with crunchy acids, ripe tannins and balanced aroma replays. Finish length in excellent. Approachable now, but should benefit with short term cellaring. Score: 89+ pts

RIVERVIEW RIESLING ICEWINE 2014 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (S) (375 mL) - $69.95
Highly aromatic and inviting nose has lovely sweet apricot, peach and honey notes. Acids are nice and crisp on the medium-bodied frame. Appealing lemon, stone fruit, and mango flavours on the sweet palate. Finish length is excellent! Score: 91 pts

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Château Guillou 2014 (Bordeaux) - Wine Review

Last November, the 2012 Château Guillou landed in VINTAGES. Tonight's wine is the 2014 vintage of this wine and will be in LCBO VINTAGES on November 12.

Produced by Jean-Bernard Saby, this family has been making wines for nine generations since the 18th century. Today, the winery's vineyards consist of 62 hectares, yielding well-structured wines that are enhanced by perfectly absorbed tannins.

Tasting Note:

CHÂTEAU GUILLOU 2014 - AC Montagne Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux, France (#140483) (XD) - $19.95
Has a bit less Merlot (75%) and more Cabernet Franc (25%) compared to the 2012 vintage. Plummy and milk chocolate aromas from the cork. The nose is not very intense, but offers juicy blackberry and oak along with hints of underbrush and herbal spice aromas. The palate is medium-full bodied and gains volume in the mouth with good fruit concentration. Palate is dry with juicy blackberry, dark fruit, chocolate, earth and well-integrated oak flavours. Appealing sweet spice flavours emerge with time. Acids are very good, balanced. Tannins are finely-grained, dusty, and just a touch grippy. Good length on the finish. Satisfying overall. Ideal with lamb right now. Enjoy over the next 5-6 years. Score: 88 pts

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Southbrook Organic Triomphe Cabernet Franc 2013 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine returns to VINTAGES soon and will be on shelves at the LCBO as part of the upcoming VINTAGES Release on October 15th.

I tasted this organic wine produced by Southbrook Vineyards previously at the epic Ontario Cabernet Franc tasting in June, 2015. It's now had more than a year in bottle to soften any hard edges and comes across as quite smooth today, as noted in my wine review below.

The organic grapes for this wine were sourced from Southbrook's own vineyards, as well as 3 other growers, and picked, de-stemmed and fermented separately in either a stainless steel tank or oak vat over an average total maceration time of 3 weeks. Gentle pressing, settling and racking to oak barrels occurred for nine months before careful blending, filtering and bottling, without fining.

Tasting Note:

SOUTHBROOK ORGANIC TRIOMPHE CABERNET FRANC 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#275958) (D) - $21.95
Blend of 95% Cabernet Franc and 5% Merlot. Stelvin screw cap. Cocoa-dusted, forest floor and earthy aromas give way to lovely sweet herbs, clove, red floral, black cherry, blackberry notes. The tannins have integrated very nicely, offering a nice and smooth mouthfeel on the medium bodied frame. Nice, sweet-fruited aroma replays - clove, red currant, floral, and vanilla flavours open up nicely with air. Acids are juicy and finish length is very good. In a nice place right now, but will drink well over the next 2-3 years. Score: 89 pts

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Niagara New Vintage Wine Festival Review 2016 - Day 2

After a very satisfying Niagara New Vintage Wine Festival experience on Saturday, expectations were raised for Sunday's visit to wineries mostly in Niagara-on-the-Lake. In all, we ended up visiting 7 different wineries on Sunday, a few of which were unplanned stops that were hard to pass up.

Our day began in the morning at Inniskillin Wines for a triple cream Brie grilled cheese with poached rhubarb that was paired with their freshly released 2015 Inniskillin Reserve Cabernet Franc Rosé ($19.95, 87 pts). Since we were one of the first to arrive at the winery, we had to wait quite a while before the first grilled cheese was prepared. However, we didn't mind because that gave us a chance to enjoy the sun and great weather on their outdoor patio, and also allowed us to sample some wines at their wine tasting bar. The grilled cheese was hot and tasty, with the rhubarb flavours from the sandwich bringing out similar flavours in the rosé. The creamy cheese also helped tame the racy acids in the wine, making for a balanced, yummy pairing.

The second stop of the day was an unplanned visit to Peller Estates Winery for a mouthwatering Niagara grilled trout on a flatbread with smoked salsa, charred feta and pickled red onions. This was paired with your choice of 2015 Peller Estates Private Reserve Rosé ($16.95, 87 pts, sold out) or the 2015 Peller Estates Private Reserve Muscat ($14.95). It was served on their outdoor back patio facing the vineyards - a very nice setting to enjoy this refreshing pairing. I opted for the rosé and it paired really well with the flatbread - lots of cherry, red berry, herbally, spice flavours complementing the dry rosé that made this pairing quite compelling. Making this experience very memorable was the arrival of more than 50 exotic cars that parked on the grass between the patio and the vineyards.

The third stop of the day was at PondView Estate Winery for two stuffed endive boats paired with their 2015 Viognier. Once again, the great weather allowed us to enjoy our pairing outdoors. The first endive boat had grilled pineapple and caramelized shallots in goat cheese and topped with pecans, while the second endive boat had blue cheese and walnuts, and both boats were drizzled with honey. The pairing with the dry Viognier was quite nice with the honey adding some pleasant sweetness. I found the first endive boat to be immaculately paired with the wine - well-balanced flavours that brought out sweet pineapple and honey flavours from the wine. The blue cheese endive made the pairing fall on the savoury side. All-in-all, this was a satisfying experience.

Our fourth stop of the day was an unplanned visit to Pillitteri Estates Winery. We couldn't pass up the chance to enjoy a sumptuous celery and caraway salmon burger that was topped with lettuce, grilled red onion, and lemon remoulade on a brioche bun. Generously sized, this burger was perfectly paired with the newly released 2014 Debbie Travis Pinot Grigio (#457515, $15.95, 86 pts). Knowing what was ahead of us and a little tight on time, I had to skip any wine tasting, including some of the best Icewine in Niagara.

As we moved closer towards direction of home, our fifth stop of the day was at Colaneri Estate Winery for a tangy spring roll from Chang Noi's Thai Restaurant that was paired with the 2012 Colaneri Mistera Gewürztraminer ($19.95). The vegetarian spring roll was topped with a sweet chili sauce that made the spring roll a touch on the hot side, but also allowed it to pair quite well with the sweet Gewürztraminer white wine. Once again, sweet wine paired with spice makes for a delightful combo.

More closer to home in Lincoln, Ontario, our next stop was at Creekside Estate Winery for a break from solid foods to enjoy a refreshing slushie on this hot day. The nice and cold slushie was made by blending their 2015 Creekside Pinot Grigio (#083196, $14.95) with golden Niagara peaches that were in season. It had lots of delicious peach flavours to go along with a slight kick from the alcohol. On this hot summer day, this was the perfect way to cool down!

Amazingly, as had happened during the 2015 Niagara New Vintage Wine Festival, our day of food and wine concluded at Featherstone Estate Winery for the second year in a row. Once again, the offering was a strawberry pizza topped with balsamic paired with their latest Featherstone Rosé. It was made in their outdoor wood-fired oven by owner/winemaker David Johnson - the same guy that made these pizza's last summer, except I had no clue who he was last year. Ha! Ha! It was great to finally meet and talk to the man behind the wines. It was Featherstone's Cabernet Franc that got me turned on to Ontario Cab Franc many years ago and is still one of my favourite Ontario red wines year-after-year. The pizza was a delicious combination of sweet, savoury and sour, and accentuated the strawberry flavours in the wine.

Overall, we very much enjoyed our trip through Niagara Wine Country and are looking forward to visiting the region again in September for the big, annual Niagara Grape & Wine Festival where we expecting more delicious food & wine pairings. If you're interested in joining us, let me know!

Tasting Notes:

INNISKILLIN DISCOVERY SERIES BARREL FERMENTED SAUVIGNON BLANC 2014 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $22.95
Barrel fermented for 3 months in new and older French barrels. Medium+ intensity nose showing musky oak notes layered with grassy, hay and green aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with a nice, creamy texture, tart acids balanced by clean lime and gooseberry flavours. Juicy with slight sour notes on the long finish. Score: 88 pts

INNISKILLIN DISCOVERY SERIES SUSSE RESERVE RIESLING 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (MD) - $22.95
Generous nose offers clean citrus, orange, peach, Flintstone vitamins, along with hints of mineral and petrol adding complexity. It's medium-bodied with juicy, balanced acids. Off-dry with yummy peach and orange flavours. Good length on the finish. Score: 88 pts

INNISKILLIN RESERVE PINOT NOIR 2012 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $24.95
From a hot vintage, this has a medium+ nose featuring complex spice, blackberry, dark cherry, allspice and clove aromas. On the palate, it is medium-bodied with smooth, supple tannins that are just a touch grippy at the moment. Dark cherry, earth and oak spice flavours. It has very good acids and finishes long. Should be better in 1-2 years. Score: 89 pts

PONDVIEW ESTATE VIOGNIER 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#469205) (XD) - $16.95
Offers a medium+ intensity nose featuring clean lime, white flowers, and fresh citrus. The palate is medium-bodied and dry with an oily texture that offers floral, lemon/lime, some herbally notes, and hints of honey. It has bright, fresh acids, while the finish length is medium-long. Score: 88 pts

PONDVIEW VIDAL ICEWINE 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#390351) (S) (200 mL) - $19.95
Very inviting and highly aromatic nose that offers lovely pineapple, orange, caramelized citrus and peach aromas. It's very sweet with lovely aroma replays of citrus, peach and apricot on the medium-bodied palate, with bright acids balancing the sweetness very well. Excellent length on the finish that has notes of poached pineapples. Score: 90 pts

COLANERI STELLUCHA RIESLING 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (M) - $17.95
The 2015 vintage was just released and has a medium-high nose that is effervescent with nuances of green apple, lime, and hints of mandarin orange. It's medium-bodied with crisp, bright, refreshing acids and flavours of Flintstone vitamins, orange and pear. It's off-dry to medium-dry in sweetness with clean minerality on the long finish. Score: 89 pts

COLANERI UNITA CABERNET FRANC RESERVA 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $39.95
80% appassimento and 22 months in barrel, this has a medium-high intensity, complex nose offering chestnut, brambly, licorice, candied cherry, currant, and blackberry aromas. It's medium-full bodied with raspberry, sweet oak vanilla, herbal spice and ripe berry aroma replays. Quite spicy. Finishes long. Score: 90 pts

CREEKSIDE BACKYARD BUBBLY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2013 - VQA Creek Shores, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#398628) (D) - $24.95
Medium+ intensity featuring mineral, lemon peel and earthy funk. Bubbles are finely tuned on the medium+ bodied palate, with a nice texture and green, grass, and hints of gooseberry flavours typical or the varietal. Comes off as dry overall, with bright acids and very good length on the finish. It was released into VINTAGES on June 11 and some still available. Score: 89 pts

CREEKSIDE BACKYARD BLOCK SAUVIGNON BLANC 2015 - VQA Creek Shores, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#341792) (XD) - $18.95
Medium-high intensity, but somewhat restrained nose of tropical fruit, kiwi, passion fruit, and guava. It's medium-bodied with vibrant, juicy acids with more kiwi and grass flavours, along with some gooseberry notes. Quite balanced overall. Medium-long finish. Score: 88 pts

CREEKSIDE MARIANNE HILL RIESLING 2015 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#443572) (M) - $21.95
A medium+ intensity nose offers orange and citrus aromas with a mineral component. The palate is medium-bodied with acids that are juicy and vibrant, while balancing the pleasing aroma replays in an off-dry style. There's a chalky mineral texture on the palate, while the lengthy finish ends with orange notes. Score: 88+ pts

FEATHERSTONE ROSÉ 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#117861) (D) - $15.95
Bright strawberry, cherry, ripe red plums on the nose, with sweet aroma replays on the light-to-mid weighted palate. It has balanced acids and good length on the finish. Soft, easy drinking style. Score: 87 pts

FEATHERSTONE BLACK SHEEP RIESLING 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#080234) (M) - $16.95
Lovely medium-high intensity nose has clean orange, citrus and some tropical fruit, mineral, apple and peach notes add complexity. It's fairly light-weighted with a slatey texture and pleasing aroma replays on the medium sweet palate. Bright acids provide freshness, while the finish length is very good. Was released into VINTAGES on August 6th. Score: 88 pts

FEATHERSTONE CABERNET FRANC 2014 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#64618) (XD) - $19.20
The medium-high intensity nose has an initial bretty/barnyard aroma that gives way to complex raspberry, bramble, spices, black cherry, and blackberry. It's medium-full bodied with complex spice-led aroma replays. Vibrant acids are well-balanced. Long, raspberry-cherry finish with hints of smoke. Tannins a bit tight at this stage - try this in 1-2 years. Score: 88 pts

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Niagara New Vintage Wine Festival Review 2016 - Day 1

On the weekend of June 11-12, 2016, I visited Niagara wine country to take in the annual New Vintage Festival and indulge in Discovery Pass Experiences throughout the region. Saturday's activities centered around the wineries of the Niagara Escarpment and Twenty Valley. A full review of Sunday's activities, which were mostly in Niagara-on-the-Lake, will be posted in a few days. is posted here.

We began the day at Mike Weir Winery for a #pieholeapproved strawberry tailgate tart paired with their 4 Barrel Chardonnay.  The tart by itself was to die for! An exquisite creation by the folks at Scratch Bakery that consisted of a basil shortbread crust with a balsamic mascarpone whip and topped with a balsamic strawberry and rhubarb glaze. The Chardonnay paired really well with the tart, showing off a very fine sweet and savoury balance. Most impressively was how the mascarpone cheese cream helped balance the acid in the wine to create a smooth, harmonious mouthfeel.

I was also delighted (and surprised!) to see both the 2010 Merlot and 2010 Meritage still available for purchase at the winery at $20 each. These should be added to every red wine lover's cellar for those seeking quality local red wine on a budget.

The next stop was Vieni Estates for a rich and delicate Maryland crab meat patty crusted with fresh herbs and Parmesan cheese, and topped with with a chipotle aioli that added some spice. It was paired with their always easy-drinking Momenti Sparkling (reviewed below). The bubbles from the Sparkling Wine added interest and texture to the dense patty that had small pieces of crab meat embedded within. Furthermore, the sweetness from the sparkler cooled down some of the chili heat from the crab meat patty. Overall, an enjoyable pairing that was very satisfying.

Our third stop of the day was at Malivoire Wine Company , where the Cheesy Guys brought a delectable BBQ-friendly grillable cheese to life in a salad with local greens, strawberries and nuts. It was paired with their dry 2015 Malivoire Lady Bug Rosé (#559088, $15.95, 87 pts). This rosé was one of the first rosé wines I enjoyed when I first took in interest in wine many, many years ago and is still enjoyable to this day - it's a refreshingly dry (i.e. not sweet) rosé that you too will enjoy if you're a fan of the style. The pairing with the salad was good - fresh, crisp, savoury, some sweetness from the nuts, and well-balanced overall.

Since I had tasted through many of Malivoires wines back in January, I opted to taste through the wines of Rennie Estate Winery. This winery produces only 4 wines, from grapes that are 100% estate grown. The vineyard is the Heron Pond Benchland Vineyard, a 50 acre site that has been producing grapes as early as the 1960's - making it one of the oldest in Niagara. I really enjoyed two wines from the Rennie portfolio and reviews of those are provided below. The wines are available for purchase online or by visiting Malvoire Wine Company.

The final stop of the day was nearby at Stoney Ridge Estate Winery where Scratch Bakery once again provided the culinary creation. The pairing here was the 2014 Stoney Ridge Cabernet Franc (#369702, $14.95, 88 pts) with a dark chocolate tart topped with a farm fresh Ontario strawberry. This pairing was a whole lot of chocolate - lots of chocolate flavours coming from the wine that meshed well with the dark chocolate tart. However, I was quite chocolated-out after it was finished.

Since all the stops on this day were quite close to each other, we still had much of the afternoon to check-in to the hotel in Niagara Falls and rest up prior to dinner. Another full day of wine tasting paired with delicious culinary creations was awaiting us on Sunday, a review of which will be posted in a couple of days.

Full wine reviews of the many wines I enjoyed on Saturday are posted below. Most of these wines are not available at the LCBO, but can be ordered online by visiting the winery's website.

Thank you to each and every winery - your gracious hospitality was very much appreciated by myself and the group.

Tasting Notes:

MIKE WEIR 4 BARREL CHARDONNAY 2013 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $24.95
Medium intensity nose of pear, lime, floral with just hints of wood influence. On the palate, it is medium-bodied with bright acids and flavours of buttery, apple and pear notes. Quite fruit forward with hints of vanilla and butterscotch. It has juicy, tart acids and the finish length is very good. Score: 88+ pts

MIKE WEIR PINOT NOIR 2009 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#000075) (D) - $16.95
Amazing to still be able to find a 2009 Pinot. This Pinot offers a medium+ intensity nose of forest floor and cherry, along with some strawberry and earthy tones. The palate is medium-bodied and shows a complex, savoury flavour profile consisting of red and black fruits, spiced oak, currant and herbally hints. Acids are bright and still quite fresh. Very good length on the finish. Supple tannins should allow this wine to drink well for a few more years. Score: 88+ pts

MIKE WEIR LIMITED EDITION MERLOT 2013 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $29.95
Medium+ bodied with some sulphur off the top, but gives way to red and black fruits, currant, green pepper, and mocha aromas. It's medium-bodied with medium-level of tannins and flavours of currant, chocolate, cocoa and black cherry. Acids are well-balanced and finishing long. Enjoy to 2021. Score: 88 pts

VIENI MOMENTI SPARKLING 2013 - VQA Ontario, Canada (#435784) (MD) - $13.95
A blend 60% Vidal and 40% Pinot Grigio, this has an appealing nose of honey, peach and sweet limes. Easy drinking with medium-sweet aroma replays. Some tartness on the bubbles. Would make a nice apertif or pair with mildly spiced dishes. Score: 88 pts

VIENI PINOT GRIGIO 2013 - VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (D) - $14.95
A light nose features a floral, herbal and mineral character. Medium-bodied with a rounded mouthfeel and flavours of stone fruits, white peach and more mineral. Balanced acids and good length on the finish. Score: 88 pts

VIENI CHARDONNAY 2012 - VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#388371) (XD) - $22.95
Medium intensity nose of golden apple, pear and coconut. It's medium-to-full bodied with nice aroma replays. Well-balanced with a nicely spiced mid-palate and balanced acids. Long finish. Score: 88+ pts

MALIVOIRE PINOT GRIS 2015 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#591305) (D) - $21.95
Notions of lemon/lime, floral and stone fruit aromas of medium intensity from the glass. The medium-bodied palate offers a clean, crisp and fresh wine that's nicely balanced with nice mineral and peach flavours. Well-delineated acids and hints of honey on a finish length that's very good. Score: 89 pts

RENNIE ESTATE CHRISTINE CHARDONNAY 2013 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $35
This unfiltered, oaked Chardonnay has a lovely nose of pear, apple, butterscotch, tropical fruits and hints of ginger. The full-bodied palate is rich and creamy with beautiful aroma replays and some mildly spice notes on the mid-palate add some nice texture. It's quite well-balanced with good acidity and excellent length on the finish. Score: 91 pts

RENNIE ESTATE PARADOX PINOT NOIR 2013 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $40
An elegant nose of medium-high intensity offers complex strawberry, cherry, earth, with hints of herbs and oak spices. The palate is medium-bodied and smooth with exotic spice notes joining the red fruited flavours. Terrific complexity and depth. Long finish. Tight tannic structure will allow this wine to age a number of years. Score: 91 pts

STONEY RIDGE EXCELLENCE CHARDONNAY 2011 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#254243) (XD) - $24.95
Medium intensity nose of butterscotch, pineapple, vanilla and pear, along with hints of bubblegum. The palate is medium-bodied with vanilla, butter, and baked apple flavours with a spiced mid-palate, balanced acids and long finish. Score: 88 pts

STONEY RIDGE EXCELLENCE PINOT NOIR 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $29
Has a medium intensity nose featuring elegant cherry, strawberry and red pepper jelly, with more of the same on the flavour profile, plus beetroot and earthy flavours. The palate is medium+ bodied with bright, balanced acids and refined tannins. Very good length on the finish. Score: 88+ pts

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