Showing posts with label pec. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pec. Show all posts

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  • Date publishedThursday, March 19, 2015

Invitation to 4th Annual County in the City - Toronto



Join us on at Airship 37 (37 Parliament Street, Toronto) and sample some of the best wines Prince Edward County has to offer! Over twenty different County wineries under one Toronto roof!

At the 4th annual "County in the City" presented by WineAlign, samples of more than 50 different wines will be tasted to delight the palates of Torontonians and introduce them to some of the most enticing flavours of Prince Edward County; the world’s fastest growing wine region. Over 20 small-batch and family-owned wineries will showcase their pride and joy (including new vintages and specialty wines) from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Some returning wineries this year are Casa Dea Estates Winery, Lighthall Vineyards, Karlo Estates Winery, Harwood Estate Vineyard and Norman Hardie Winery to name a few. Some new-comers include Trail Estate Winery and Black Prince Winery!



Many of the County wines showcased at the event are not available at retail wine outlets in the GTA, so guests are strongly encouraged to take part in the "Try and Buy" program and have delicious County wines delivered right to their door. Mix and match bottles from different wineries and receive FREE shipping (minimum 6 bottles).

I've attended each year and will once again be in attendance. Here are past posts about this event and its wines:

2014 County in the City - Toronto
Prince Edward County Tasting in 2012

Admission:
$49 (includes food and all wine samples).
$60 at the door (subject to availability)
Tickets can be purchased here and includes a FREE Thursday ticket to the Toronto Wine & Spirit Festival ($20 Value) in June when you purchase your tickets using my link: http://goo.gl/KOl8Fu

Buy Tickets to 4th Annual County in the City - Toronto

Facebook - www.facebook.com/wineandspiritfestival
Twitter - @winefestival


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  • Date publishedSunday, October 12, 2014

Karlo Estates Pinot Grigio 2013 and Lake on the Mountain Riesling 2013 (PEC) - Wine Reviews

To celebrate , I decided to open up these two wines from Prince Edward County's Karlo Estates. Both are crisp, refreshing white wines with balanced acids suitable for pairing with traditional Thanksgiving fare. Tonight, these wines were enjoyed with chicken wings, puff pastry pizza, and Shake'n Bake chicken. Neither of these wines are available at the LCBO, so you'll have to make the trek out to The County - just as I've promised myself to next year.

Wine Reviews of Karlo Estates 2013 Pinot Grigio and 2013 Lake on the Mountain Riesling from Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada

KARLO ESTATES PINOT GRIGIO 2013 - Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (XD) - ~$21
Medium+ intensity aromas featuring lovely, slightly sweet, wild flower, rose, and honeysuckle. It's medium-bodied on the dry palate with pleasing aroma replays, and some lemony notes. Acids are nicely balanced, while finish is lengthy, crisp, and showing hints of tartness. Score: 88 pts

KARLO ESTATES LAKE ON THE MOUNTAIN RIESLING 2013 - Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (D) - $22
Medium-intensity nose with beeswax, wood, pink grapefruit aromas. Medium-full bodied on the palate with off-dry flavours of spice, ginger, grapefruit, and tropical fruit. Bright acids give way to mineral, slightly chalky texture. Lengthy finish is bitter, dry and slightly warm. Score: 87 pts


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  • Date publishedWednesday, April 23, 2014

2014 County in the City - Toronto

County in the City Toronto 2014
On , I attended the 3rd Annual County in The City walk-around wine tasting held at The Berkeley Church in downtown Toronto. Having attended this event since it's inception back in 2012, I have found that my appreciation for Prince Edward County wines has grown - and for good reason.

Two years ago, I did not have much appreciation for Pinot Noir, and after attending County in the City in 2012, I think I liked it even less. Following the event in 2012, I was left with an impression that (nearly) everyone out there in PEC was making heavily oaked, smoky Pinot Noir - a style which I did not enjoy back then, nor do I enjoy now. A year later, the same wines showed much more restraint and balance and were generally much better in quality. In 2013 I also came away with a few favourites that I would have loved to add to my cellar.

One of the biggest draws of this event is the ability to order the wines that you taste and have it shipped to your door for free. Taking it one step further - you can mix and match wines from any of the wineries in attendance, so long as you order a minimum of 6 bottles total. Such a great idea (!) as many of these wines are not available at the LCBO.

This year, there were many yummy wines. The star grape for me at CITC was Riesling, followed closely by Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay. All of the Rieslings had some level of sweetness to them, which I really enjoyed. Some even reminded me of German Riesling - with its high acidity, sweetness, and petrol nose.

Wineries in Prince Edward County frequently label their wines as "VQA Ontario". Often, this is because the grapes for those particular wines come from more than one appellation - usually Prince Edward County and Niagara. Personally, I am not a fan of blending grapes from different appellations, but I am sure they have their reasons for doing it. Wines that use 100% County fruit will be labelled as VQA Prince Edward County. Among my wine recommendations below, you will find wines with both types of classifications.

Overall, it was an enjoyable event. Small sized food pairing opportunities were plentiful. The crowd seemed lighter than previous years, which I didn't mind because it made moving around between tables much easier. And lastly, the wine was very good. This event definitely showed me that PEC wines are moving in the right direction, and the gap between County and Niagara wines is getting narrower.

Here are wine reviews of the some of the wines I tasted during the evening. While all of these wines will be available at the winery, a select few are available at the LCBO. I am planning a trip out to the County during the Summer - send me a quick note if you're interested in joining me. Cheers!

Tasting Notes:
CASA-DEA RIESLING 2011 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (#) (MD) - $16.95
High intensity aromas of petrol and beeswax. Light-bodied and medium-dry sweet with mineral, lime and hints of peach on the palate. Bright acids and a taut, medium-long finish. Light and easy drinking. Score: 88+

Wine Review of 2011 Casa-Dea Riesling from VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada

HUFF ESTATES OFF-DRY RIESLING 2012 - VQA Ontario, Canada (#155606) (D) - $17.95
Because of the VQA Ontario designation, this will contain Niagara fruit, as well as County fruit. Medium-high intensity aromas of beeswax, petrol and minerals. Medium-full bodied with bracing acids. Off-dry in sweetness with lime and peach palate. Long finish that's a bit tart and a touch hot. LCBO General List and readily available. Score: 89 pts

KARLO ESTATES RIESLING 2012 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (#) (MD) - $22
Lovely spring flower bouquet from the glass. Medium-dry in sweetness with nice floral replays, fruity, petrol and what reminds me of Flintstones vitamins. Vibrant acids and finishing long. Easy drinking and crowd pleasing. Score: 89 pts

KARLO ESTATES VAN ALSTINE WHITE 2010 - Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (#) (S) - $29
Blend of estate grown Frontenac Blanc and Gewürztraminer made in a port-style. Medium intensity aromas that is all melon. Oily texture with sweet melon, orange and citrus flavours on the palate. Lively acid and a long finish. Delicious. Score: 90 pts

LIGHTHALL VINEYARDS GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2012 - VQA Ontario, Canada (#) (D) - $25
Medium-high aromas of lychee and floral. Lightweighted with nicely balanced aroma replays and minerality. It's off-dry (slightly sweet) with a crisp mouthfeel. Has good acids and a long finish. Classic Gewurz. Score: 89 pts

LIGHTHALL VINEYARDS PINOT NOIR 2010 - VQA Ontario, Canada (#) (XD) - $25
Medium-high aromas featuring red currant, cherry and cola. Medium+ bodied with very good acids. Flavour profile echoes the nose with spice, red currants and cherries. Oak leads the way on the long finish. Score: 89 pts

NORMAN HARDIE PINOT NOIR UNFILTERED 2010 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#208702) (XD) - $39
Smoky, meaty and vegetal aromas that are of high intensity. Sour cherry, mineral and clove spice flavour on the palate. Very good acids. Medium-bodied with firm tannins and long, silky smooth finish. Very well balanced overall. Part of LCBO General List and readily available. Score: 91 pts

NORMAN HARDIE RIESLING 2012 - VQA Ontario, Canada (#) (MD) - $21
Blend of 70% Twenty Mile Bench (Niagara) fruit and 30% County fruit. Highly aromatic with petrol, stone fruit, mineral and beeswax aromas. Light-bodied with clean minerals, citrus and peach on the palate. Medium-dry in the sweetness, but balanced acidity keeps everything in check. Long, clean finish. Very nice! Score: 90+ pts

Wine Review of 2012 Norman Hardie Riesling from VQA Ontario, CanadaWine Review of 2011 Rosehall Run JCR Chardonnay from VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada

ROSEHALL RUN JCR CHARDONNAY 2011 - Rosehall Vineyard, VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (#326512) (XD) - $30
Medium+ intensity nose featuring orchard fruits, apple, pear and oak that is all nicely balanced. Medium-bodied with nice aroma replays, balanced oak and hints of tropical fruit. Slightly oily texture with very good acids and a lengthy finish. Very nice! Score: 90 pts

ROSEHALL RUN JCR PINOT NOIR 2010 - Rosehall Vineyard, VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (#326504) (XD) - $39
Highly aromatic with cherry, strawberry, beetroot and oak on the nose. Medium-bodied with nice aroma replays and mouth-watering acids. Tannins are firm, yet feel light. Finish is long and spicy. Score: 90 pts


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  • Date publishedSaturday, August 25, 2012

Prince Edward County Wine Tasting

Prince Edward County Winegrowers Association
earlier this year, I had the pleasure of attending the Prince Edward County wine tasting held at Berkeley Church in downtown Toronto.

Prior to this event, I had only tasted one wine from PEC and was left with the impression that Prince Edward County is still a maturing region. That impression did not change after this event, but I can tell you that there are some worthy wines to check out if you get the chance. With summer nearly over and having visited Muskoka earlier this month, I believe a visit to Prince Edward County will be in store next summer as most of these wines can only be found at the winery.

Here are some tasting notes from the evening. Enjoy my wine reviews!


HUFF ESTATES RIESLING MEDIUM DRY 2010 - VQA Ontario (#155606) (MD) - $17.95
Crisp lychee, peach aromas. Petrol, mineral and some lychee on the palate. Crisp acidity. Would go well with a mild cheddar. (88 pts)

HUFF ESTATES SOUTH BAY CHARDONNAY 2009 - VQA Prince Edward County (#276006) (D) - $29.95
Crisp, ripe pear and apple aromatics. Fruit-forward with apple flavours on the palate, hints of sweetness. (88 pts)

KEINT-HE PINEAUX SAUVAGE 2008 - VQA Prince Edward County (MS) (375 mL) - $55.00
Botrytis affected Pinot Noir. Orange marmalade, honey and touch of oak aromas. On the palate there is dried apricots, caramel and ginger notes. Crisp acidity leads to a medium-sweet finish. Very nice! (91 pts)

KARLO ESTATES FRONTENAC GRIS ROSÉ 2011 (MD) - $16.00
Candied cherry, strawberry aromas and flavours. Starts off sweet and gives way to crisp, spicy, semi-dry finish. Quite pleasant. (88+ pts)

KARLO ESTATES QUINTUS 2010 (XD) - $35.00
A classic old-world blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot with classic aromas of currant and dark berries. On the palate, there is more currant, cassis, dark berries joined by spicy herbal notes. Balanced wine with ripe tannins and a long finish. (89 pts)

KARLO ESTATES THE 5TH ELEMENT 2010 (XD) - $39.00
Rare to see a 100% Petit Verdot. Dark fruits on the nose. Ripe dark fruit is well-integrated with oak. Full-bodied wine also has smoky flavours on the long finish. (88 pts)

KARLO ESTATES VAN ALSTINE WHITE 2010 (MS) (500 mL) - $29.00
Port-style wine made using Frontenac Blanc and Gewürztraminer. Lots of peach/apricot aromas with more of the same plus orange notes on the palate, in this medium- to full-bodied wine. Finishes with some spiciness and hazelnut notes. (88 pts)

SANDBANKS ESTATE RIESLING 2010 - VQA Prince Edward County (#139022) (D) - $14.95
Fresh floral and pear aromas. Off-dry lime-cordial on the palate, crisp acidity. (86 pts)

SANDBANKS ESTATE WINTER HARVEST - VQA Ontario (M) (200 mL) - $12.95
100% late-harvest Vidal. Lovely peach and honey aromatics with replays on palate, but is lacking acidity. (86 pts)

SANDBANKS ESTATE MOUTON NOIR - VQA Prince Edward County (XD) - $19.95
100% Marechal Foch. A style of red wine I haven't tasted in a while with aromas of concrete, tar, pencil lead, and steel. Dark fruits with lots of minerality, full-bodied and ripe tannins. (87 pts)

3630 CHARDONNAY 2009 - VQA Prince Edward County (XD) - $25.12
Very fresh, clean and crisp lime aromas. On the palate, gooseberry and grass notes reminds me more of a Sauvignon Blanc, and finishes spicy. Not your typical Chardonnay. (86 pts)

LIGHTHALL CHARDONNAY RÉSERVE 2009 - VQA Prince Edward County (#278226) (XD) - $25.00
Lightly oaked, but you wouldn't know it. Crisp and clean mineral characteristics with lime and citrus aromas and flavours in the background. Good acidity with a slight spritz on the finish. (87 pts)

ROSEHALL RUN SZ WHITE 2011 - VQA Prince Edward County (#214478) (XD) - $14.95
A medley of varietals used in this white wine brings citrusy and orange aromas and flavours. Starts off clean but finishes tart. (87 pts)

STANNERS PINOT GRIS CUIVRÉ 2010 - VQA Prince Edward County (XD) - $25.00
Light, crisp aromas of citrus, butter and pear that mingle nicely into a complex set of flavours on the palate. Dry with good acidity. (88 pts)

CASA-DEA PINOT NOIR 2009 - VQA Prince Edward County (XD) - $19.95
Red berries aromas and flavours with smooth tannins that are a touch grippy. May need a bit of time for tannins to mellow out, or decant and serve now. Otherwise enjoyable. (88 pts)

CASA-DEA PINOT GRIS 2009 - VQA Prince Edward County (#237883) (XD) - $18.95
Floral aromas with some citrus. Light bodied on the palate with clean, tangy citrus notes. Very smooth and crisp. (87 pts)

CASA-DEA CABERNET FRANC 2009 - VQA Prince Edward County (#241612) (XD) - $18.95
Lovely fresh berry and strawberry aromas and flavours. Medium bodied with ripe tannins. Crowd-pleaser. (88 pts)

HARWOOD PINOT GRIS 2010 - VQA Prince Edward County (XD) - $18.00
Very clean, crisp white with light apple and mineral nose with replays on the palate. Backed by acidity, finishes soft and smooth. More of an Italian Pinot Grigio style. (87 pts)

HARWOOD PINOT NOIR 2009 - VQA Prince Edward County (XD) - $29.00
Lots of spice, smoke and vanilla aromas that I found overwhelmed the fruit. Some bramble comes through on palate. Decanting for an hour may soften the tannins. Didn't enjoy this one.

HARWOOD ST. LAURENT 2009 - VQA Prince Edward County (XD) - $20.00
The St. Laurent varietal is related to Pinot Noir. Another smoky wine with bacon and barnyard aromas. Palate is dominated by currant and leather flavours. Ripe tannins. (85 pts)


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