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!
Tonight's pair of wines are from Canada's first certified organic and biodynamic winery - Southbrook Vineyards. Both are quite easy-drinking and are suitable for gatherings with friends and family.
Tasting Note:
Stelvin screw cap. Medium intensity nose with toasty oak, chocolate, plum, dark cherries and currant aromas. Palate is definitely on the sweeter side with ripe red berries, jammy fruit and chocolate overtones. Medium-level tannins are slightly grippy, while acids are bright and the finish is medium-length. If you like sweeter red wines, this one is for you. Should have wide crowd-appeal. In VINTAGES and currently on promotion ($2.50 off) until . Score: 86 pts
SOUTHBROOK CANADIAN FRAMBOISE - Ontario, Canada (#341024) (375 mL) (S) - $15.95
Tasting Note:
Screw cap. Raspberries and candied red fruit aromas from the glass. It's medium-bodied on the sweet palate with nice aroma replays. Acids are bright, while the finish has very good length. Serve nicely chilled. Would be a nice way to end the night after a fine meal on . Score: 88 pts
To celebrate , I opened this Icewine that was first tasted last January during the Icewine Festival. This delicious Icewine is only available at the winery, but can be ordered online via their website.
Tasting Note:
Hints of honeysuckle aromas from the cork. In the glass, sweet aromas of honeysuckle, lemon meringue, apricot of medium intensity. Palate is medium+ bodied with a slightly viscous mouthfeel and very nice aroma replays. It's sweet, but balanced acids keep it in check. Lengthy finish that is showing nutty, caramel, pear, and melon notes. Some interesting orangey flavours on the 2nd pour. Delicious. Score: 90 pts
The 63rd Annual Niagara Wine Festival returned last month, running for three weekends from September 13 to 28. I usually attend one of the first two weekends, but this time decided to attend the final weekend of the festival. Considering the bad luck we had with weather and the annual Fall closing of the Gardiner Expressway last year, I was a little worried what might happen this time around, with no fall back date. Sadly, the Gardiner was once again closed this weekend. Fortunately for us, the weather was perfect - sunny skies and hot - as it felt like the Summer we never had. The weather more than made up for the crappy drive out of the city.
We began our journey on afternoon at GreenLane Estate Winery. This was my first visit to their "new" location, which they moved to about a year ago, and I must say is quite the step up from their old digs on South Service Road. Our first wine of the day was their 2012 Rosé - an off-dry wine that was a nice prelude to the main course. While our delicious Lake Erie Perch tacos were being freshly prepared on the grill, we were also poured their latest new release - the 2013 Winemaker's White. Slightly off-dry, this crisp, white wine with lively acids paired beautifully with the Perch tacos that were stuffed with sweet bell peppers, cucumbers, and chives, all drizzled with a chili and lime sour cream and wrapped in a soft, flour tortilla. When paired with the taco, the wine's sweet flavours shone through, while the lively acids from both the wine and taco resulted in what felt like a party in my mouth. Very enjoyable overall while sitting on their lovely outdoor patio - we could have sat there all day.
Our second stop of the afternoon was in the fermentation room at Vineland Estates Winery for pairings of chicken wings and wine. I've paired wine with wings many a time at home, but was intrigued with this winery's Icewine pairing. First, we paired the Kansas City "Big Smoke" Chipotle wings with the 2013 O'Leary Cabernet Merlot (#307744, $14.95) - a fine, comfort pairing that nicely balanced the flavourful wings with the dry, somewhat fruity, red wine that had good tannic structure. The second wine we tasted was their gorgeous Select Late Harvest Vidal (~$19, 90 pts). Very flavourful and with balanced acids, this sweet, dessert wine paired beautifully with the sweet & spicy Habanero Bourbon brown sugar wings. If you've never tried pairing sweet wines with spicy foods, I would highly encourage you to try it - as it is quite the unexpected treat.
The third stop was at a very busy Creekside Estate Winery - so busy that the parking lot was full and we had to resort to parking on the grass (sorry about that!). Likely due to the growing popularity of Niagara's Grape & Wine Festival, waiting for clean glasses seemed to be a developing trend today. After clean glasses finally arrived, we tasted the 2011 Laura's White (#121764, $18.95, 87 pts) while waiting for freshly baked French Onion tarts - caramelized onions and black olives deglazed with red wine and served on a puff pastry. By the time the tarts arrived, we had already moved on to 2011 Laura's Red (#117960, $19.95, 88 pts). This red wine paired well with good acids, medium-level of tannins, and a flavour profile that complemented the tart. I believe the tart would have also paired well with Laura's White.
We then made our way outside to begin a tour of the winery. Our host, David, led us to the vineyards located just west of the tasting room where they grow Sauvignon Blanc for their Reserve line - grapes which we actually got to taste on this day! The tour brought us through their crush pad, grape sorter and de-stemmer, and finishing off in the underground barrel cellar. We returned to the tasting room at the conclusion of the tour to taste a few more wines, including a couple of my favourites of the day - the 2012 Reserve Viognier and 2011 Broken Press Syrah (reviews below).
Our last winery visit of the day was at Konzelmann Estate Winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake. It was a very festive atmosphere on this day as the winery was celebrating it's own Wine Fest with outdoor live music and food trucks. It was very busy, so we headed straight inside to pick up our generously-sized creamy apple-spiced cheesecake on a graham cracker crust and topped sweet caramel drizzle. This delicious cheesecake was paired with their yummy 2013 Special Select Late Harvest Vidal - a medium-sweet dessert wine with fresh acidity that balanced the sweetness and cut through the creaminess of the cheesecake. Not bad way to finish off a Saturday!
began with a visit to PondView Estate Winery. We arrived before noon, which was the perfect time to enjoy lamb in a creamy curry and savoury spices, combined with potatoes, onion, cilantro and served over basmati rice. It was paired with their 2011 Bella Terra Barrel Fermented Chardonnay ($25.95, 89 pts), the same wine I tasted last September. I approached this food and wine pairing with great enthusiasm, but came away somewhat disappointed. The Chardonnay held up well to the red meat, but the lamb curry was very dry and lacked flavour. Last year's food pairing was much more enjoyable. On the plus side, food portions were once again quite generous.
The second stop of the day was at Pillitteri Estates Winery for some comfort food and wine. But first, Jeff Letvenuk - Marketing and Media Manager, took us on a very interesting tour of the winery that traces its roots back to 1965 as a small fruit farm. Our tour began in the Awards Room, where Jeff introduced us to the Caretto - an original Sicilian Cart brought from Italy by (founder) Gary Pillitteri's mother. This Caretto is intricately painted and designed and is now considered a family heirloom as it has been passed down many generations. As we moved outside to the vineyard, we stopped at the Wall of Icewine showcase that displayed the many Icewines that Pillitteri had produced over the years, including their first ever Icewine - a gold medal winning 1988 Vidal Icewine. Today, Pillitteri is the largest Estate producer of Icewine. After walking among the vines, we proceed to the fermentation room and cellar. En route, it was fascinating to see Gary keep one of the original cherry trees that was on this site prior to his arrival in 1965. The wine barrel cellar is a gem of a private space that is used exclusively by the family. All throughout the tour, from the name of the tasting rooms to the intricate details found in the chairs inside the barrel cellar, we could see that family was very important to Gary.
After we finished admiring the cellar room, we headed back upstairs and outside towards the patio to enjoy Chef Collin Goodine's famous 'baked potato' poutine. I paired my poutine with Pillitteri's heavily oaked 2010 Cabernet Franc ($20.20, 87 pts) - a pairing that was comforting in a very comfortable setting. The poutine was delicious, while the red wine's balanced acids complemented the sour cream and fries quite well. We also tasted some fabulous, premium+ red wines from Pillitteri's lineup - reviews and recommendations are below.
Niagara College Teaching Winery was our third stop of the day. Here, we enjoyed a freshly baked Smoked Onion and Upper Canada Niagara Gold Cheese Tartlette, which was paired with their 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon (#121715, $18.95, 87 pts). The tannins from the Cab helped cut into the creaminess from the cheese and kept everything nicely balanced. Sundays tend to be quieter in Niagara, and today was no exception. We ended up sitting outside on NCT's lovely patio for quite some time, sampling a few wines while the autumn sun basked in the sky.
The next stop was an unplanned visit to Vieni Estates. This winery has been on my radar for the last year, but I never quite made it to the site. Furthermore, a conversation with Oenoapp prior to the weekend had me seriously considering a stop, time permitting. Vieni was serving a roasted garlic, butternut squash lasagna, layered with mozzarella, parmigiano and pecorino cheese, which I paired with their tasty 2012 Chardonnay (reviewed below). The lasagne was thinly layered, but tasted great and felt like it was homemade. It was generously portioned and paired well with the Chardonnay, leading to a very satisfying experience overall. Manager Steven DiMora was kind enough to give us a quick tour of the facilities, while giving us some insight into their future plans which include a made-in-Ontario Amarone-style of wine that I am definitely looking forward to tasting.
Our final stop of this trip was at Legends Estates Winery for a different take on lasagna - homemade vegetable lasagna cupcakes that were creamy and colourful. These lasagna cupcakes were a good size and really did look like cupcakes, topped with cheese and crunchy vegetables. It was savoury and paired well with a variety of their white wines, including the 2013 Semillon ($16.95, 87 pts) and a 2010 Sauvignon Blanc Reserve ($19.50, 86 pts) that is holding up quite well at 4 years old.
Aside from waiting for clean glasses and treats to be freshly baked, it was a very enjoyable weekend in Niagara with no hiccups and great weather. I noticed that portion sizes for nearly all the food items were generously (and appropriately) portioned. By the end, my stomach was joyously satisfied and did not feel the need to stop at a Tim Horton's. As for the wine, the quality keeps getting better and better. Red wines from the 2012 vintage are showing great structure and complexity, with very good ageing potential. I was pleasantly surprised by Creekside's Syrah and Viognier, as well as some of the higher-end wines from Pillitteri.
Lastly, thank you to all the wineries for your excellent hospitality - it was very much appreciated!
Tasting Notes: GREENLANE WINEMAKER'S WHITE 2013 - (D) - $16.95
This white wine is a blend of Chardonnay and Riesling with floral, lime and green apple aromas of medium intensity. It's light-bodied with crisp, refreshing acids, and tropical fruits notes on the palate, along with pleasing, mineral-driven aroma replays. Finish is lightly spiced. Score: 86 pts
GREENLANE CABERNET FRANC 2012 - (XD) - $23.95
Medium+ intensity aromas showing a very complex nose of red berries, currants, bramble, coconut and vanillan. Medium+ bodied with nice aroma replays and light brettyness. Very good acids, while firm tannins are silky smooth, yet could use some softening. Finish is medium-long. Score: 88 pts
CREEKSIDE RESERVE VIOGNIER 2012 - Queenston Road Vineyard, VQA St. David's Bench (XD) - $29.95
Aromas of medium intensity with notes of elderflower, honeysuckle, and elegant peach and mineral. Full-bodied palate that is creamy and slightly oily, with very nice aroma replays. Acids are nicely balanced, while the spiced mid-palate continues on the lengthy finish. Score: 89 pts
CREEKSIDE BROKEN PRESS SYRAH 2011 - Queenston Road Vineyard, VQA St. David's Bench (#202127) (XD) - $39.95
Includes 5-8% Viognier. Highly aromatic with meaty, black peppercorn, and blackberry aromas with hints of floral and mushroom. It's palate is medium+ bodied, showing elegant aroma replays and taut tannins. Very nicely balanced, mouth-watering acids and long finishing. Would cellar this 2-3 years. Score: 91 pts
KONZELMANN SPECIAL SELECT LATE HARVEST VIDAL 2013 - (#359216) (MS) (375mL) - $20.95
Highly aromatic nose of apricots, peach, and honey which replay on the medium-sweet palate, along with some lime zest. It's medium-bodied with balanced, fresh acids and excellent length on the finish. Score: 90 pts
PILLITTERI EXCLAMATION CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2010 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake (#) (XD) - $50.20
Highly aromatic with plenty of cassis, blackcurrant and camphor notes. On the palate, it's full-bodied with very nice aroma replays joined by some wood flavours. Has mouth-watering acids, and smooth, sinewy tannins that are very nicely integrated. Lengthy finish has dark chocolate and wood nuances. Score: 91 pts
PILLITTERI FAMILY RESERVE TRIVALENTE 2005 - VQA Niagara Peninsula (#) (XD) - $98.20
Blend of Cab Sauv, Cab Franc and Merlot that is highly aromatic with a savoury nose of barnyard, tilled earth, dark berries and plum. It's full-bodied with crushed red & dark berries, dark chocolate, and elegantly balanced (French) oak on the palate. Very good acids, smooth integrated tannins and lengthy finish. Score: 92 pts
PILLITTERI RESERVE CABERNET FRANC ICEWINE 2012 - VQA Niagara Peninsula (#) (S) - ~$70?
Gorgeous, highly intense aromas of strawberry, cherry and hints of caramel with very nice aroma replays. Crisp, balanced acids keep the sweetness in check. Long, smooth finish. Score: 92 pts
NIAGARA COLLEGE TEACHING WINERY (NCT) DEAN'S LIST CHARDONNAY 2010 - VQA St. David's Bench (#040659) (XD) - $27.95
Nose somewhat closed but showed interesting butterscotch, sweet pear, bubblegum and pineapple aromas. Medium-to-full bodied and creamy mouthfeel with pineapple, bubblegum, and oak spice flavours on the palate. Good acids, while the finishing long, smooth, and toasty. Score: 89 pts
NCT CABERNET FRANC 2010 - Donald Ziraldo Vineyard, VQA St. David's Bench (#) (XD) - $19.15
Medium intensity nose showing elegant oak, bramble, mulberry and pomegranate aromas with good fruit/oak balanced on the palate. It's full-bodied with astringent tannins that could use at least 2 years in cellar. Finish is long and warming. Score: 88 pts
NCT DEAN'S LIST CABERNET FRANC 2011 - VQA St. David's Bench (#) (XD) - $28.15
Aromas of medium-high intensity with elegant oak, crushed red berries, black cherry and plummy notes. It's medium-to-full bodied with crushed red & blue fruits, tilled earth, and vanillan spice flavours on the palate. Good acids and a long, warm finish. Score: 89 pts
VIENI CHARDONNAY 2012 - VQA Vinemount Ridge (#) (D) - $22.95
Low-to-medium intensity nose featuring pear and apple aromas, along with a whiff of smoke. Full-bodied with sweet ripe fruits, apple, coconut, butterscotch and pineapple flavours. very good acids. Spiced mid-palate continues on the long finish. Score 88 pts
VIENI CABERNET SAUVIGNON RESERVE 2010 - VQA Vinemount Ridge (#373308) (XD) - $22.95
Medium-high intensity aromas with savoury notes of barnyard, tilled earth and black currant. It's full-bodied with nice aroma replays. Balanced acids to go along with smooth, integrated tannins and long finish. Score: 89+ pts
LEGENDS ESTATES PETIT VERDOT RESERVE 2007 - VQA Niagara Peninsula (#002776) (XD) - $22.95
Aromas of medium+ intensity with crushed blackberries, mint/eucalypt and earthy nose. It's full-bodied with lovely aroma replays and good balance throughout. Has very good acids and firm tannins. Finish is elegantly spiced and lengthy. Score: 89 pts
LEGENDS ESTATES CABERNET SAUVIGNON RESERVE 2012 - Lizak Vineyard, VQA Lincoln Lakeshore (#) (XD) - $21.90
Highly aromatic nose showing grilled pepper, earthy, black cherry, and cassis notes, while the flavour profiles echoes the aromas very nicely. The palate is full-bodied with firm tannins and mouth-watering acids. Will be better in 2-3 years. Score: 90+ pts
Tonight's wine is this delicious dessert wine made by The Ice House Winery, located in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
I picked up this bottle last January during the Icewine Festival. It's worth noting even though it is a sweet, dessert wine, it is not VQA, nor is it labelled as Icewine. Regardless, those who prefer sweet wines will enjoy this one.
ICE HOUSE SLUSHIES CABERNET SAUVIGNON - Ontario, Canada (#) (S) (375 mL) - $45
Tasting Note:
Citrus, orange marmalade and date aromas from the cork. Medium-high aromatics from the glass featuring orange peel, dried cherry, and poached currants. It's medium-bodied and sweet on the palate with cherry, orange, tea flavours and some bitter currants on the medium-long finish. Acids are crisp and balance the sweetness well. Requires only a light chill. Score: 88 pts
This is the final post (at least for now) in my series of wine reviews from Southbrook Vineyards.
The Canadian Framboise was one of the Southbrook's very first wines - with Mother Nature lending an almost fortuitous hand. It was the summer of 1992, and it rained nearly every weekend. This resulted in customers staying away from the pick-your-own raspberries patch. Bill Redelmeier loved fortified wines, so he decided that with this 3 ton yield of raspberries that were unsold, he would make a dessert wine. This Framboise was born, the awards piled in, and the rest, as they say, is history.
I opened this raspberry wine last night and it continues to drink well today. Should you go out and purchase this wine that is part of the LCBO General List and readily available, then remember to serve this one well-chilled. At $15.95, it offers very good value as a dessert wine.
SOUTHBROOK CANADIAN FRAMBOISE - Ontario, Canada (#341024) (375 mL) (S) - $15.95
Tasting Note:
Made using 100% Royalty Raspberries. Screw cap. Medium+ aromas that shows raspberry and cherry cough drop notes. Pleasing aroma replays on the palate that is medium-bodied. Warmth arrives mid-palate and continues through to the smooth, medium-length finish. It's sweet, but balanced acids keep everything in check. Serve well-chilled. Score: 88 pts
NIAGARA COLLEGE TEACHING WINERY DEAN'S LIST SAVANT ICEWINE 2009 - Jack Forrer Vineyard, VQA St. David's Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (S) (200 mL) - $37.95
Tasting Note:
Field blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Pinot Noir. Sweet prune, plum and grapey aromas from the cork. Apple cider, honey and hint of melon aromas of medium intensity from the glass. Fairly lightweight with sweet apple cider, caramel, peach, nutty, orange zest, and honey notes. Good acids and a long finish that's showing hints of bitterness. Drink now. Score: 89+ pts
What an amazing two days! Last weekend, we enjoyed many Icewines and tasty culinary creations at 9 different wineries throughout Niagara-on-the-Lake and Twenty Valley. The full photo gallery is available at the bottom of this post.
Our group of 11 began at Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery, where we were greeted by Chris, whom I first met back in Fall of 2012 at Niagara College Teaching Winery. While waiting for the rest of the group to arrive, we tasted a few wines in Sue-Ann's kitchen. Sue-Ann tends to make wines in a crowd-pleasing style, and her 2012 Rosé (87 pts) fits that bill nicely. It's a blend of 92% Loved by Lu Riesling and 8% Unoaked Cab Franc and is fresh and crisp with grapefruit, peach, and lime aromas, with nice replays on the palate; it's medium-bodied with a long, tart finish.
Once everyone arrived, we walked into Sue-Ann's formal dining room where we chose our chocolate bark and hand-picked our toppings, and then paired it with our choice of the 2007 Riesling Icewine or the 2011 Sparkling & SASSY Riesling (89 pts, reviewed here). On my chocolate bark, I opted for the nuts, dried citrus and dried berries and paired it with the sparkling wine. The pairing was fantastic - the right amount of sweetness from both the wine and the chocolate bark was in sync and perfectly complemented each other. There was also a smoked salt bark which I completely forgot about, but at least one person in our group tried it and said it was delicious! Ironically, this first stop ended up being my favourite stop of the weekend and is definitely a MUST stop if you're heading out on the final weekend of the Icewine Festival.
The second stop was in Niagara-on-the-Lake at Pillitteri Estates Winery, where they had brought in Canadian Beavertails topped with lemon, cinnamon and brown sugar and paired it with their delicious 2007 Chardonnay Icewine (89 pts, reviewed here). Once the again the pairing was quite well done, and if you've never had a Beavertail, this was a great opportunity to try it! Icewine made out of Chardonnay is also not very common, so it is not surprising to see the largest Estate Icewine producer in the world make it - and it was a treat to taste on this day. We then headed inside to warm up a bit and found my wife talking to Beth, who convinced us that maybe we should head further inside do some more tastings. I'm glad we went inside the private tasting room to taste three more Icewines made out of grapes you normally you don't see - 2008 Gewürztraminer Icewine (89 pts), 2008 Merlot Icewine (88 pts), and 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Icewine (89 pts, reviewed here) - it was quite the experience!
Our 3rd stop of the day was Inniskillin Wines for some house made lobster chili paired with their 2012 Riesling Icewine. It all sounded good on paper, but this was probably my least favourite stop of the entire weekend. I suppose the lobster was in the chili broth - because I didn't get any chunks of lobster - but I didn't get much broth either. It was very dry and mostly beans, fennel seeds and celery. I'm not sure anyone in our group enjoyed it either. The Icewine was good, but needs time for the acidity to settle down.
The final stop on Saturday was The Ice House Winery for a savoury pairing of their Northern Ice Vidal Icewine paired with chicken tikka masala. Since we also did a tour of the facilities with co-owner Karen King, wife of winemaker Jamie MacFarlane, we savoured the chicken tikka masala with an Icewine Slushie. Both items were very good on their own, and the Icewine Slushie is something I'm looking forward to making at home. We also played winemaker for a bit by mixing some Vidal Icewine with some clean, dry and refreshing Chardonnay. The results were interesting - as adding even just a little bit of Icewine to the Chardonnay completely changed the flavours of the Chardonnay.
On , after a brief stop at Chocolate F/X for a complimentary tour of the facility and a light breakfast that consisted of chocolate covered berries, cheesecake flavoured chocolates, and mint chocolate, we headed over to Cattail Creek Estate Winery for a scrumptious cup of caramelized onion cream soup that was paired with their newly release 2012 Small Lot Series Riesling Icewine (89+ pts). The beverage for designated driver's was called Gesundheit! and made out of Vidal grape juice. Both were delicious and paired very well with the soup. I also felt this was a great example of how the Icewine Festival can be a family event as my 5 and a half month old daughter really enjoyed the soup and Vidal grape juice. And because we now have the recipe, we'll be making this soup at home!
From here, we moved on to Strewn Winery to taste a 14-year-old Vidal Icewine from 1999 (89 pts, reviewed here) that was paired with Caramel Heavenlies. This cookie/square was topped with sliced almonds, oats, coconut, caramel, and honey and perfectly complemented the caramel and honey notes from the Icewine. I recall uttering the words "heavenly" in my head during this pairing. On sale for $20 (200mL) at the winery, this Icewine offers really good value.
Our third stop of the day was a short drive away to Konzelmann Estate Winery for what was described as "PEI lobster, fresh cream, and white wine enhanced with a delicate touch of Herbs de Provence, finished with a backerhaus crostini and crème fraîche". In fact, it was a lobster bisque - and a delicious one at that! Rich, creamy, and savoury, it paired beautifully with their 2010 Vidal Icewine (91 pts, reviewed here). While there, I also tasted a few other wines, including their 2011 Estate Gewürztraminer (88 pts, reviewed here) which is readily available at the LCBO.
The fourth stop was most memorable for all the wrong reasons. We entered Hernder Estate Wines to find that we were the only guests in the entire place - which sometimes isn't a bad thing! But then, as I reached into the breast pocket of my coat to pull out my notebook, I was (perhaps jokingly?) questioned with a "What are you pulling out? What's inside your jacket?". I think the employee behind the counter was seriously afraid for his life. LOL. Combine that with their 2010 Vidal Icewine that was paired with a cupcake topped with teeth-chattering sweet icing, and the whole experience was just plain awkward.
And finally, the fifth and final stop of our indulgent, Icewine-filled weekend was at Magnotta Winery. Here, we were promised fluffy pancakes, but instead got fluffy waffles. No complaints from my end. The waffles were topped with a berry reduction and served with their 2008 Vidal Icewine (91 pts, reviewed here) and 2007 Cab Franc Icewine in sparkling wine flutes. It was all delicious and worked well together, which capped our weekend very satisfyingly. However, I would say their choice of wine glasses for these two Icewines did not do the wines justice.
Maybe it's me, but one observation that struck me during this visit to Niagara is that there seems to be a growing trend towards dry Rieslings in Niagara. Many of these wines never see the light of day at the LCBO. It was an enjoyable eye-opener for me and will be an interesting story to watch over the next couple of years.
All in all, we had a great time at this year's Icewine Festival. I hope you enjoyed my review. It runs one more weekend (January 25-26) and I hope this will help you plan your Discovery Pass Experience to Niagara. If you're interested in joining me on a future visit to the region, let me know and I'll be sure to keep you posted.
To ring in the New Year, I opened this delicious Icewine that I received last January as part of my "Dinner for Two at Peller Estates Winery" contest winnings. Suffice it to say, it was thoroughly enjoyed by all!
PELLER ESTATES ANDREW PELLER SIGNATURE SERIES CABERNET FRANC ICEWINE 2010 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#) (S) (375 mL) - $90.10
Tasting Note:
Sweet red fruit, currants and cranberry aromas from the cork. Gorgeously intense candied red fruits, bing cherry and ripe strawberry aromas from the glass with very nice replays led by strawberry notes on the palate. Medium-full bodied with heavy viscosity. It's sweet and has very good balancing acids and a long finish. Lovely! Score: 91 pts
Now that we're past Halloween, the 3 remaining Vintages releases of 2013 will all hover around the concept of "wines for the holiday season". The next release, which will be in LCBO outlets across Ontario, will be on . This release is titled "The Stars Are Aligned" and features 30 "top-quality" wines geared for your enjoyment during the holiday season, or as excellent gift-giving options.
When choosing a wine to give as a gift, it's helpful to know your recipient's tastes - does s/he like big, powerful reds, or lighter reds, or perhaps soft, elegant whites, or big, oaky Chardonnays. It also helps to know if s/he prefers dry wines or sweet wines. Knowing this information will go a long way to ensure that your family, friend or colleague enjoys the wine that you have generously gifted.
There's an interesting selection of 8 sweet dessert wines in this release, which is the secondary focus of the release. There is a Late Harvest Vidal, Honey wine, Cranberry/Maple "wine", Vidal Icewine, Tokaji, Vin Santo, and a couple of Ports, one of which is a 1994 vintage Port. One notable omission from the list is Riesling Icewine. I have no doubt that all 8 will be enjoyed by sweet wine lovers, but just 4 of these made my wine picks below as great buys. The Sherry from Spain is not part from the dessert wine feature and is off-dry. So, you may want to just sip it on it's own or pair it with not-so-sweet desserts.
Back to the main feature of the release, of the 23 wines that are featured, only 4 made my cut. First and foremost is the 2009 Antinori Guado Al Tasso (93 pts), which is a blend of 60% Cab Sauv, 25% Merlot, 12% Cab Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, and costs $100. I had the pleasure of tasting this at Halpern Enterprises annual Grand Cru wine tasting held recently in the AllStream Centre at Exhibition Place. As I approached the building, the front doors were adorned with very expensive vehicles such as a Lambourghini and Bentley, among others. I could tell I was in for a special treat - which it was. It was a very high-end event featuring many premium-quality and premium-priced wines. The Antinori wine mentioned in this paragraph was one of the highlights for me, as you will see in my tasting note. It's a big wine that will age for many years.
Also from The Stars Are Aligned features is the medium-bodied Norman Hardie Unfiltered Niagara Pinot Noir. Norm continues to pump out the stars! The Jonata Todos Red is a big blend consisting of - wait for it - 63% Syrah, 12% Sangiovese, 11% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon and dollops of Grenache, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier. And finally, the Dead Arm Shiraz is big, dry (XD) Shiraz that could have easily been featured in a Vintages Halloween Release.
From the rest of the release, the Chilensis Lazuli is a blend of 6 grapes (36% Cab Sauv, 21% Malbec, 16% Petit Verdot, 10% Merlot, 9% Syrah, 8% Carmenére) and Organic and Certified Sustainable. If you want to taste a mature Bordeaux without the trouble of ageing it yourself, then check out the 2004 Château Bréhat, which is a blend of mostly Merlot, with Cab Franc and Cab Sauv in support. Also check out the Jean-Michel Dupré, which is made using Gamay Noir from vines planted in 1918! The Reserve des Vignerons is straight Cab Franc, while the Domaine Grand Nicolet is a blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah. The Spanish Pétalos makes my list again, this time with the 2011 vintage and is made using the Mencía grape.
For white wine lovers, there isn't much I found interesting enough to recommend, except for a couple of Chardonnays. The Zolo Chardonnay is unoaked, while the Hidden Bench Chardonnay is from "The Stars Are Aligned" feature and is (not heavily) oaked.
Enjoy my wine recommendations for this week. Remember to stock up as we approach the holidays, and get a head-start on gift-giving.
Red Wine:
CHÂTEAU BRÉHAT 2004 - AC Côtes de Castillon, Bordeaux, France (#348672) (XD) - $16.95
JEAN-MICHEL DUPRÉ VIGNES DE 1918 RÉGNIÉ 2011 - AC, Beaujolais, France (#344895) (XD) - $17.95
This award used to be part of the Canadian Wine Awards, which was run by WineAccess Magazine, until the magazine was abruptly shut down earlier this year. WineAccess was established in the 1990s by David Lawrason. Among other responsibilities, David is now VP of Wine at WineAlign, and was the co-chief judge of these awards.
Mission Hill submitted 16 wines at this competition and came away with 12 medals, including Platinum medals for their Compendium and Riesling Reserve. The B.C. winery also received Gold medals for their Chardonnay Reserve, Perpetua and Reserve Riesling Icewine.
On hand was Ingo Grady, Mission Hill's Director of Wine Education, to accept the awards. I spoke briefly with Ingo, who was quite gracious, humble, and a pleasure to talk to. You can tell he has a passion for wine. I can't wait to visit Mission Hill!
To celebrate, it was only fitting to serve Mission Hill's top 5 medal winning wines on this night. It was a treat to taste (and enjoy) each and every one of these wines, which were exquisitely paired with small bites that were served throughout the night. It's a shame that only one of these wines is readily available at the LCBO.
Here are my tasting notes from the evening:
MISSION HILL RIESLING RESERVE 2011 - VQA Okanagan Valley (#) (D) - $20.00
This white wine has crisp petrol, honey, and lime aromas of medium intensity, with hints of minerality. It's off-dry with a palate consisting of peach, citrus and tropical fruits. Balanced throughout with a fine seam of acidity that makes it very food-friendly. Lengthy finish. Nice! Paired beautifully with the Ahi Tuna and Tempura Prawn Sushi Cones that were stuffed with Tobiko, Spicy Aioli, Pickled Ginger, Cucumber, Daikon and Avocado. Score: 91 pts
MISSION HILL CHARDONNAY RESERVE 2011 - VQA Okanagan Valley (#545004) (XD) - $19.95 Vintages Essentials product and always available, this white wine was partially fermented in American oak and has crisp tropical fruit and citrus aromas of medium intensity from the glass. Medium-bodied with lively acidity. Palate is fruit-forward and brings poached pear and tropical fruits, with light hints of butter and oak. Long, clean, lemony finish. Missed the pairing with the Butter Poached Prawn with Mango Salsa (that looked very tasty!) Score: 89 pts
MISSION HILL PERPETUA 2010 - Osoyoos Vineyard Estate, VQA Okanagan Valley (#28894) (XD) - $34.99
Available through the agent Mark Anthony. Made using 3 different Chardonnay clones, and uses French oak for fermentation and ageing. Medium-intensity and subtle aromas of butterscotch and oak. Slightly creamy texture on the medium-full body with restrained notes of oak, plus some butter and apple flavours. Spicy mid-palate lingers through the very long finish. It paired nicely with Triple Cream Brie de Bourgogne and Deer Hunter Gouda. Score: 90 pts
MISSION HILL COMPENDIUM 2009 - VQA Okanagan Valley (#) (XD) - $50.00
Available via agent. Bordeaux blend of 40% Cab Sauv, 35% Merlot, 20% Cab Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Medium-high intensity aromas of herbal, pepper, oak, dark fruits and sour cherry. Palate is medium-full bodied with flavours of black currant, black fruit, cedar, and vanillan. Subtle spice on the mid-palate continues on the very long, smooth, and silky finish. This red wine has food-friendly acidity and velvety tannins. Lovely! Score: 91 pts
MISSION HILL RESERVE RIESLING ICEWINE 2011 - VQA Okanagan Valley (#240127) (S) (375 mL) - $59.99
Available via agent. Gorgeous peach, apricot and honey aromas. Medium-full bodied with very nice aroma replays and subtle spice. Sweet, but not cloying because of crisp acidity. It's balanced throughout and has a medium-long finish. Paired very nicely with an Apple Tart with Toasted Almonds and Caramel. It also went extremely well with a special dip (Apricot Ginger?) that Ingo brought from British Columbia. Score: 92 pts
Sunday, January 11, 2015
Tasting Note:
Tasting Note:
