Wine Picks LCBO VINTAGES Release June 23, 2018: Chile + Canada Day

The upcoming LCBO VINTAGES Release on June 23, 2018 features wines from Chile's "tip-top valleys" as the main theme, while the mini-theme celebrates Canadian wines for Canada Day. All of these wines will be on VINTAGES shelves at LCBO outlets across Ontario this Saturday.

We'll begin with the theme on Chile that features 14 wines from 8 different wine regions. From the Aconcagua Valley, which takes its name from the nearby river and the highest mountain in the Andes (and the Americas), there are couple of delicious white wines from coastal region of Aconcagua - a Chardonnay and a single vineyard Sauvignon Blanc - which benefit from the cooling breezes of the Pacific Ocean. Maipo Valley is where winemaking began in Chile (plantings date back to the 1500's) and is known for producing red wines, such as the Quintay Winemaker's Experience Blend which is a Malbec-based blend. And last but not least, Cachapoal is a sub-region of the Rapel Valley and often add refinement, elegance and mineral notes to blends. From a single block at the Peumo Vineyard in Cachapoal Valley is a lovely Carmenère.

None of the 6 Canadian wines featured for Canada Day made my list of wine picks. However, there are half a dozen other solid buys that will certainly make your Canada Day celebrations special. If you prefer dry (i.e. not sweet) wines, there is a nice Chardonnay, as well as the Hidden Bench Rosé that consists of 93% Pinot Noir and 7% Viognier. If hints of sweetness is more your thing, check out the Riesling from either Henry of Pelham or Charles Baker, or the Wildass Rosé that is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Tempranillo, Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling. If you have a sweet tooth, check out the Gewürztraminer Icewine.

Red wines from the rest of the release include a Languedoc red that is a blend of 50% Syrah, 30% Grenache, and 20% Mourvèdre, while the lovely 2009 Infinity Super Tuscan is a blend of 35% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Sangiovese, and 20% Alicante. Lastly, the Cune is a blend of 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano, and 5% Mazuelo (Carignan).

Among my white wine picks, the Vinho Verde is a blend of mainly Alvarinho and Trajadura, while the Sancerre is a made with Sauvignon Blanc. The unoaked Chardonnay from Washington is quite Chablis-like. For sweet wine lovers, you'll want to look for the Riesling Kabinett.

Enjoy my top wine recommendations from this Release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• VIÑALBA RESERVA MALBEC 2015 - Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#555763) (XD) - $18.95
• JIM BARRY THE COVER DRIVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2014 - Coonawarra, South Australia (#677476) (XD) - $19.95
• FABRE MONTMAYOU RESERVA CABERNET FRANC 2015 - Mendoza, Argentina (#492736) (XD) - $19.95
• CAVE DE ROQUEBRUN LA GRANGE DES COMBES SAINT-CHINIAN-ROQUEBRUN 2016 - AC, Languedoc, France (#155804) (XD) - $19.95
• PETER YEALANDS PINOT NOIR 2016 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#551648) (XD) - $19.95
• QUINTAY WINEMAKER’S EXPERIENCE BLEND 2015 - DO Maipo Valley, Chile (#568618) (XD) - $22.95
• INFINITY 2009 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#540906) (XD) - $25.95  91 pts  wine review
• CONCHA Y TORO TERRUNYO PEUMO VINEYARD BLOCK 27 CARMENÈRE 2016 - DO Peumo, Cachapoal Valley, Chile (#562892) (D) - $34.95
• CUNE GRAN RESERVA 2011 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#393553) (XD) - $39.95
• DOMAINE DROUHIN LAURÈNE PINOT NOIR 2014 - Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA (#974899) (XD) - $79.95  FE

White Wine:

• MURALHAS DE MONÇÃO VINHO VERDE 2016 - Monção e Melgaço, DOC, Portugal (#80374) (XD) - $15.95
• MOSELLAND GOLDSCHILD SINGLE VINEYARD RIESLING KABINETT 2016 - Prädikatswein, Mosel, Germany (#466052) (MS) - $16.95  88 pts  wine review
• ARBOLEDA SINGLE VINEYARD SAUVIGNON BLANC 2016 - DO Aconcagua Costa, Chile (#510339) (XD) - $18.95  88 pts  wine review
• CAVE SPRING ESTATE CHARDONNAY 2016 - Cave Spring Vineyard, VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#256552) (XD) - $18.95
• HEDGES H.I.P. DIONYSUS VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2014 - Columbia Valley, Washington, USA (#488528) (XD) - $19.95
• ERRÁZURIZ ACONCAGUA COSTA CHARDONNAY 2016 - DO Aconcagua Costa, Chile (#556118) (XD) - $21.95
• HENRY OF PELHAM SPECK FAMILY RESERVE RIESLING 2016 - VQA Short Hills Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#643361) (D) - $24.95  89 pts  wine review
• JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE GENÈSE SANCERRE 2016 - AC, Loire, France (#189126) (XD) - $29.95
• CHARLES BAKER PICONE VINEYARD RIESLING 2015 - VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#241182) (D) - $37.20
• STAGS’ LEAP WINERY VIOGNIER 2016 - Napa Valley, California, USA (#597369) (XD) - $39.95  91 pts  wine review

Rosé Wine:

• WILDASS ROSÉ 2017 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#71712) (D) - $18.95
• HIDDEN BENCH LOCUST LANE ROSÉ 2017 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#68833) (XD) - $22.95  90 pts  wine review
• CHÂTEAU SALETTES BANDOL ROSÉ 2017 - AC Bandol, Southwest, France (#557892) (XD) - $27.95

Dessert Wine:

• LAKEVIEW CELLARS GEWÜRZTRAMINER ICEWINE 2014 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#547703) (S) (200 mL) - $34.95

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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 Pinot Noir Rosé 2017 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine to cap off a wonderful Victoria Day long weekend is this dry rosé wine from Niagara's Domaine Queylus.

As described when I opened their 2015 Domaine Queylus Tradition Chardonnay last week, this is a relatively new winery that was formed in 2006. And even though they've been in operation for more than a decade, this is only the 3rd rosé that they've ever produced.

This deliciously dry rosé wine is newly released and only available at their winery in Niagara and through their online web store.

Tasting Note:

DOMAINE QUEYLUS PINOT NOIR ROSÉ 2017 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $21.95
100% Pinot Noir. This has a medium-intensity nose featuring honeyed strawberries, orange zest, and red floral aromas with more red berry fruits and hints of earth. It is medium bodied and dry on the palate with cran-cherry, raspberry, and strawberry flavours with a mineral backbone. It has crisp, refreshing acids. Chalky mineral texture and flavours become more prominent mid-palate and continue through to the crisp finish, with good length. Serve with only a light chill. Perfect for summer sipping or pair with lightly herbed poultry. Score: 88 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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Rancourt Gewürztraminer Icewine 2013 (Niagara) - Wine Review

At my wife's request, I opened up this delicious Icewine Sunday night after dinner to cap off the weekend. I tasted this yummy Icewine numerous times over the years, including in June 2015 and January 2016. This bottle was purchased when I visited the winery in September 2015 and noticed that it was on promotion for the hard-to-resist price of $25 for the 200 mL bottle.

It's rare to find Icewine made with Gewürztraminer, and this is definitely one of the better ones out there. Surprisingly, the Rancourt Gewürztraminer Icewine is still available for purchase through the winery.

Tasting Note:

RANCOURT GEWÜRZTRAMINER ICEWINE 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (S) (200 mL) - $30
Honeyed orange marmalade aromas with hints of spice from the cork. Complex aromas of peach, apricot, orange marmalade, honey and hints of hazelnut and oak spice waft from the glass. The palate is medium-to-full bodied with a viscous, silky mouthfeel and lusciously sweet flavours of peach preserves, honey, candied citrus, orange marmalade and caramel. Gentle acids provide lift and balance. Excellent finish length with hints of caramel and brown sugar. Starting to show some maturity, but should drink well for at least another 5+ years. Score: 90 pts

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Giveaway - Win Passes to 2018 Sip & Sizzle in Niagara-on-the-Lake

I had the pleasure of attending Sip & Sizzle in Niagara-on-the-Lake last May thanks to a contest win via Foodies on Foot. This year, I am pleased to give away a pair of passes to the 2018 Sip & Sizzle food and VQA wine pairing event happening in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Hosted by Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake, this highly anticipated event will offer you the opportunity to sip and savour VQA wines with unique grilled gourmet pairings. Your individual pass will let you visit more than 20 participating wineries on any Friday, Saturday and Sunday in May.

This event is ideal for wine lovers or those with an appetite for barbecued food. This event also makes for a great girls' or guys' weekend, a perfect Mother's Day gift, or if you just want to do something fun & exciting on the long weekend.

Click here to view the list of participating wineries and their VQA wine and food pairing.

Good luck!

Event Details:

Sip & Sizzle
Where: Various Participating Wineries in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
When: Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in May from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Passes are $45 (+ taxes & fees) and includes one VQA wine tasting and food pairing at each participating winery.
BUY PASSES HERE

Contest:

Here's your chance to WIN a pair of touring passes to Sip & Sizzle in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Winner will receive two (2) touring passes valued at $90 per pair. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Cattail Creek Estate Series Cabernet Merlot 2012 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine is something I purchased at the winery when I visited Niagara during the Icewine Festival in January 2014.

The 2012 vintage in Niagara was an excellent vintage due to the long, hot summer that's a pre-requisite for Bordeaux-style reds to flourish in this region. Looking back at my tasting note, I gave this red wine a score of 89 pts and noted that it would develop well in bottle for another 2 years. At more than 4 years now, let's see how this wine is tasting...

Tasting Note:

CATTAIL CREEK ESTATE SERIES CABERNET MERLOT 2012 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $17.95
Aged in French oak barrels for 1 year. Blend of 40% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. Screw cap. This has a medium-high intensity nose that leads with earth and dried cherry/floral notes, followed by some dark currant, blackberry, oak and a whiff of olive. Tannins are nicely resolving into the medium-full bodied palate, with some grippiness arriving with time. Savoury earthy, dark cherry, blackberry flavours, while the acids are still quite lively. Some dried cherry/red floral notes arrive mid-palate and continue through to the long, earth-driven finish. Should continue to drink well for at least another 2-3 years. Delicious! Score: 89 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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Giveaway - Win Touring Passes to Days of Wine & Chocolate 2018

Days of Wine and Chocolate is Niagara-on-the-Lake’s must-do event in February! This annual event takes place every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in February and allows you to explore the decadently sweet and savoury art of wine and chocolate pairing!

With your Touring Pass, you can visit over 20 distinctive wineries sampling chocolate-infused food expertly paired with VQA wines. It's just the thing to do to either celebrate Valentine’s Day, keep the winter blues away, or get away with some friends.

While I have never personally attended Days of Wine & Chocolate, it has been on my radar for a couple of years now. The list of wine and chocolate pairings looks fabulous again this year!

Thanks to Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake, I am pleased to offer you the chance to win a pair of Touring Passes to Days of Wine & Chocolate valued at approximately $100/pair.

Share and follow the excitement online:
Instagram: @niagarawine
Facebook: Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake
Twitter: @NiagaraWine
Hashtags: #DaysOfWineAndChocolate #DOWC2018 #NOTLWine

Enter Contest:

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Konzelmann Merlot Barrel Aged Reserve 2016 (Niagara) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine is a new release that is available exclusively at Konzelmann Estate Winery.

The winery was founded in 1984 by Herbert Konzelmann, a fourth-generation winemaker and the first in the family to leave Germany in search of the next perfect spot to grow grapes. He discovered the site on a property alongside the shores of Lake Ontario in Niagara-on-the-Lake. What attracted him to this site was the micro-climate, which is similar to Alsace with a wonderful balance of sun, soil, airflow and moisture conditions. This type of micro-climate is ideal for making clean, aromatic, and fruity wines. Konzelmann is Niagara’s only lakefront winery.

This delicious Niagara red wine is available for purchase either by visiting their picturesque property in Niagara-on-the-Lake or through their online web store. They have a promotion on now where you can get free shipping within Ontario when you buy 12 or more bottles or spend more than $150. Use promo code FREESHIP to take advantage of this offer!

Tasting Note:

KONZELMANN MERLOT BARREL AGED RESERVE 2016 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $19.95
Screw cap. From a very good 2016 vintage, this has a medium-intensity, dark fruited nose of crushed blackberry, dark cherry, currant and cocoa, with underlying subtle sweet oak spices, earth and stony minerality. It is medium-bodied on the dry palate with ripe flavours of blueberry, currant, dark cherry, cocoa and nicely integrated oak flavours. Pleasant smoky black pepper notes emerge with time. Juicy acids are clean and nicely balanced. Sweet, ripe tannins are well-knit and nicely fold into the wine. The savoury finish is long with smoke and earthy notes. Pretty solid for a Bordeaux-varietal red in Niagara at this price point. Score: 88 pts

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Legends Estates Vidal Icewine 2006 (Ontario) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine was opened upon the insistence of my wife, as she wanted to enjoy some Icewine in celebration of the holidays.

This Icewine was purchased at the winery in January earlier this year when we visited Niagara to partake in Icewine Festivities. It's rare to see older vintages still available for purchase, so I was surprised when we were offered a tasting of this delicious Icewine back in January. If you're interested in getting your hands on this, I can see that this vintage is still available for purchase at Legends Estates Winery.

Tasting Note:

LEGENDS ESTATES VIDAL ICEWINE 2006 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (S) (375 mL) - $49.90
Lovely peach, orange, brown sugar and caramel aromas from the cork. The fragrant nose in the glass offers candied apricot off the top followed by mature nutty, brown sugar and caramel aromas. The medium+ bodied palate is creamy and fairly thick with a viscous mouthfeel and very sweet flavours of apricot and peach followed by some maturing brown sugar and caramel notes. Slightly tart acids are juicy and provide balance. Finishes long with nutty caramel and toffee flavours. Delicious! Enjoy over the next 3-5 years. Score: 90+ pts

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