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!
The next release in LCBO VINTAGES on is features wines from France as its main theme, while the mini-theme focuses on after-dinner drinks. It's a big release, with many top wines to add to your cellar. These new wines will be on LCBO VINTAGES shelves across Ontario starting this .
We'll begin with the main theme that lists twelve wines, nine of which are included among my top wine picks. Both Champagnes are of the Rose type, with the Deutz made with 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay, while the Veuve Clicquot is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir, 33% Chardonnay and 7% Pinot Meunier. In white wines, there is the Picard Premier Cru Chablis and Servin Grand Cru Chablis, both of which are Chardonnay with little oak influence. From Sancerre, there is a Sauvignon Blanc made from vines that are at least 50 years old. The final white is a dry Riesling from Alsace. Among French reds, the 2006 Madiran is made with Tannat, while the 2001 Burgundy is made with Pinot Noir. Lastly, the Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 20% Mourvèdre.
Red wines from the rest of the release include the Fontaine du Clos, which is a blend of Grenache and Syrah. From Spain, the Murrieta is a blend of 83% Tempranillo, 9% Graciano, 5% Mazuelo, and 3% Garnacha, while the Remelluri is a blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano, Viura and Malvasia. From Italy, the "baby" Ornellaia is a big wine that consists of 64% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 9% Petit Verdot. Lastly, the Napa Cabernet Sauvignon also contains 9% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 4% Malbec, and 2% Merlot.
Among my white wine recommendations, the Hugel Gentil is a dry blend made with 50% Sylvaner & Pinot Blanc, 22% Pinot Gris, 15% Gewürztraminer, 7% Riesling, and 6% Muscat. For sweet wine lovers, look for the Riesling from Ontario or British Columbia, or the Gewürztraminer from Alsace.
From the drinks to enjoy after-dinner section, there are two lovely Port wines, as well as the Botrytis-affected Semillon from Australia that always makes an appearance around this time of year.
Enjoy my top wine picks from the release! Cheers!
Red Wine:
GÉRARD BERTRAND SAINT CHINIAN SYRAH/MOURVÈDRE 2014 - AP, Midi, France (#370247) (D) - $16.95
DEMORGENZON DMZ SYRAH 2014 - WO Stellenbosch, South Africa (#404202) (D) - $16.95
SANTA CAROLINA SPECIALTIES DRY FARMING CARIGNAN 2013 - Cauquenes Valley, Chile (#213520) (XD) - $17.95
FONTAINE DU CLOS CONFIDENCES 2014 - AP Côtes du Rhône, France (#498451) (XD) - $17.95
FOWLES STONE DWELLERS SHIRAZ 2015 - Strathbogie Ranges, Victoria, Australia (#265967) (XD) - $19.95
CASAS DEL BOSQUE GRAN RESERVA PINOT NOIR 2014 - Casablanca Valley, Chile (#525022) (D) - $24.95 reviewed here
On , I visited Niagara for the second weekend in a row to partake in Icewine and food pairings during the Niagara Icewine Festival. All of the wineries visited on this day were located in Twenty Valley. You can read all about my visit to Niagara Wine Country from the here.
The first stop on this day was at Legends Estates Winery for a delicious Creamy Canadian Lobster Bisque that was paired with a choice of their 2013 Legends Estates Terroir Semillon ($13.25, 87 pts, #400366) or 2013 Legends Estates Chardonnay Reserve ($18.95, 89 pts). I opted for the Semillon based on a recommendation at the winery, as well as the fact that I tasted (and very much enjoyed) their Chardonnay the last time I visited Legends Estates. The Semillon was mostly tropical and citrus in nature with just a hint of savoury characters, but turned very savoury and smoky, in a pleasant way, when paired with the thick and savoury Bisque. Moreover, the fresh acidity in the wine helped balance the creamy texture of the soup. Overall, this was a very intriguing pairing with the wine changing immensely when paired with the Lobster Bisque.
At Vieni Estates, which was our second stop of the day, we had the option of a "The Terrific Two" Layered Flakie Custard Pastry paired with the 2011 Vieni Vidal Icewine ($39.95, 375 mL, 89 pts) or a Triple Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti paired with 2014 Vidal Sparkling Icewine. Since I was there with my wife, we got one of each food item and I opted for the Vidal Icewine while my wife got the non-alcoholic red berry fruit juice. Surprisingly, the Icewine paired quite well with the Biscotti, bringing out the nutty notes in the nicely maturing Icewine. Very few producers make Sparkling Icewine, so I tasted it at the end and was quite pleased with the quality of the sparkling dessert wine - a wine review is provided below.
The third stop of the day was Rockway Vineyards, where we enjoyed a very decadent Salted Caramel Peanut Brittle created by Chef Stefan Olk, and paired with their 2013 Rockway Vidal Icewine. This indulgence was for those with a sweet tooth. On its own, the Brittle was intensely sweet, while the salt and peanuts added some much needed nuance to balance out the sweetness. The wine was also very sweet and paired very well with the Brittle as the sweetness levels from both the wine and Brittle were evenly matched, while the Brittle also brought out some very nice caramel notes in the wine. Enjoyable pairing for sure, but you must have a sweet tooth as a prerequisite.
Our final stop of the afternoon was at Hernder Estate Wines, where I always seem to have an unusual experience - and this time was no different. I won't go into any details as things were rectified quickly, and some of the wines I tasted were top-notch. The pairing here was a Vanilla Bean Cake Pop engulfed in a robe of Dark Chocolate and topped with Gold Leaf Sprinkles, and paired with their 2013 Hernder Cabernet Franc Icewine ($50.05, 375 mL, 89 pts). The Cake Pop was fresh and juicy and had just the right amount of sweetness to balance the sweet cherry, strawberry jam flavours in the wine. Berries and chocolate always make for a delightful pairing.
This concludes my report from my visit to Niagara during the annual Icewine Festival. Wine reviews of my favourite wines tasted on this day are provided below. If you're interested in purchasing any of these wines, please contact the winery as none of these wines are available at he LCBO.
Tasting Notes:
LEGENDS ESTATES RESERVE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2010 - Lizak Vineyard, VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $16.95
Ripe stone and orchard fruit aromas of very good intensity that continue on the palate, joined by grapefruit flavours. Still on the dry side, and balanced with fresh acidity on a medium-bodied frame. 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
The nose is highly aromatic with meaty, savoury notes, along with touches of sour cherry. It's full-bodied with smooth, velvety tannins and more meaty/savoury flavours. Very good finish length. It has mouth-watering acids and some structure for ageing, but this is quite enjoyable now. Score: 89 pts
LEGENDS ESTATES VIDAL ICEWINE 2006 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (S) (375 mL) - $49.90
Highly aromatic and very appealing with aromas of peach, apricot, honeysuckle and some sweet vanilla notes. On the palate, it's medium-full bodied and thick, but well-balanced by vibrant acids. Lovely mature burnt sugar and caramel flavours lead the way on the palate, followed by peach, pineapple, and apricot. Excellent finish length. Enjoy now or hold a few years. Score: 91 pts
VIENI CABERNET FRANC PRIVATE RESERVE 2012 - VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $22.95
Medium-high aromas that are herbaceous in nature, followed by spice and toasty oak (from 18 months in oak) and ripe red & black fruits. It's full-bodied on the palate with nice aroma replays and has a slightly chalky mouthfeel from the medium-firm tannins. Acids are very good and finishes long. Score: 89 pts
VIENI PINOT NOIR PRIVATE RESERVE 2012 - VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $39.95
Medium+ intensity nose offers a lot of dark fruit notes - berry, cherry and plum - along with earth and sweet spice notes. It's medium-bodied with earthy, beetroot, black cherry and savoury flavours framed by good acidity. There's some structure to the tannins. Finishes long. Score: 89+ pts
VIENI SPARKLING VIDAL ICEWINE 2014 - VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (S) (375 mL) - $49.95
Rare to find, this has medium+ intensity aromas consisting of apple, green mango, tropical fruits, and pineapple with some tartness. It is sweet on the full-ish palate, with very nice aroma replays and hints of honey. Nice bubbles, juicy, and finishing long. Score: 89+ pts
ROCKWAY VINEYARDS PINOT NOIR 2014 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#498790) (XD) - $19.95
The nose is slightly candied with red cherry, strawberry, beetroot and earth aromas of medium+ intensity. It's light-to-medium bodied with slightly dusty and young tannins. The palate is dry with with nice red fruit, black cherry and black plum flavours, and very subtle oak nuances. Acids are very good and the finish is long and juicy. Coming to VINTAGES on August 8th. Score: 88 pts
ROCKWAY VINEYARDS VIDAL ICEWINE 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (S) (375 mL) - $34.95
Medium-high aromatics offers lemon, pineapple, and a touch of tart citrus notes. The medium+ body is luscious with balanced acids and very nice aroma replays along with hints of caramel flavours. Long finishing. Score: 90 pts
ROCKWAY VINEYARDS RIESLING ICEWINE 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (S) (200 mL) - $29.95
Highly aromatic on the nose, showing lovely mineral, petrol and honeysuckle notes. The palate is sweet, but is balanced by bracing acidity. The aromas come through on the palate and are joined by lemon citrus, orange, apricot and tropical fruit flavours. Excellent finish length. Delicious! Score: 91 pts
HERNDER RIESLING RESERVE 2010 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $12.95
Maturing well, this has a medium-high intensity nose that's essentially dry with mineral-driven aromas of petrol, slate and lime. The palate is more of the same with lemon/lime and mineral with just a kiss of sweetness. Delicate acids provide freshness and the finish length is medium-long. Very good value! Score: 88
HERNDER DEEP ROOTS CABERNET FRANC RESERVE 2012 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $39.95
This refined, elegant wine has medium-high intensity aromas of dark berry, dark fruit, oak, leafy, along with touches of green, herbaceous notes. The palate is medium-full bodied with nicely extracted fruit offering complex aroma replays and supple tannins that are still a bit tight. It has very good acidity and excellent finish length. Age this another 2 years and drink over the 5-7 years. Score: 91 pts
HERNDER DEEP ROOTS CABERNET SAUVIGNON RESERVE 2012 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $44.95
The nose seems a bit shy and offers white pepper, cassis, black currant, and evergreen aromas of medium-high intensity. It is medium-full bodied on the palate with flavours of evergreen, currant, and cassis, accented by oak elements. It has smooth, refined tannins that are supported by mouth-watering acids. Long finishing. A powerful Niagara Cab with years of enjoyment ahead. Score: 91 pts
wine is the latest Sauvignon Blanc from Kono Wines to arrive at the LCBO.
The grapes for this white wine were all picked using state-of-the-art machine harvesters, then gently pressed to obtain clean juice. The juice is settled very clear, then racked into stainless steel tanks for warming and inoculation with aromatic yeasts. Fermentation is carried out at quite cool temperatures, ranging from 10-13°C, to help preserve freshness.
I tasted the 2014 Kono Sauvignon Blanc in of last year and am curious to see how the 2015 turned out. In 2015, Marlborough enjoyed a very dry summer, resulting in wines of greater concentration than the 2014. However, a spring frost led to much lower yields.
This yummy white wine will be on shelves as part of the upcoming VINTAGES Release on .
Tasting Note:
KONO SAUVIGNON BLANC 2015 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#441394) (XD) - $18.95
Screw cap. Medium-high intensity aromatics offer typical NZ Sauv Blanc notes of guava, kiwi, tropical fruit, with hints of gooseberry, grass and mineral. The palate is medium-bodied with gentle acids that are nicely balanced. There's good flavour concentration on the palate with more guava, kiwi, and grassy notes, plus grapefruit and saline. The finish is juicy and minerally with very good length. Enjoy this summer! Score: 88 pts
After following up on celebration of International Sauvignon Blanc Day, wine is also a Sauvignon Blanc that will be arriving on LCBO shelves as part of the VINTAGES Release.
Greywacke is the Marlborough label of one of the region's pioneer winemakers, Kevin Judd. The name comes from his first Marlborough vineyard located in Rapaura where there is an high prevalence of rounded greywacke river stones in the soils of the vineyard.
I tasted the 2014 Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc in February of last year and am curious to see how this latest vintage turned out. In 2014, the quality of the fruit was considered above-average, along with the largest ever vintage in Marlborough. For the 2015 vintage, quality across South Island was good, but crop yields were lower, resulting in less wine produced; it was also a very dry summer in Marlborough, resulting in greater concentration than the 2014s.
Tasting Note:
GREYWACKE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2015 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#164228) (XD) - $24.95
Screw cap. Medium-high intensity aromatics are clean and elegant with subtle nuances of lemon zest, herbs, yellow flowers, tropical fruit and a fine mineral note. There's very good fruit concentration on the medium-bodied palate, balanced by zesty acids and fine minerally texture. Ripe stone fruits and lemon flavours are followed by hints of melon, orange and ripe tropical fruits, all nicely balanced. Stony mineral notes linger on the very long finish. Wow. This is excellent! Must buy. Score: 92 pts
I opened up this wine to celebrate the 8th Annual International Sauvignon Blanc Day, which is always the first Friday in May and takes place on this year.
This Sauvignon Blanc is produced by Saint Clair Family Estate, one of the leading wineries in New Zealand. The winery is owned by Neal and Judy Ibbotson, a couple that are considered viticultural pioneers in Marlborough since 1978. Initially, grapes they produced were sold to other wine companies, but in 1994 they established Saint Clair Family Estate because they had a desire to produce their own finished wine. Saint Clair is synonymous with quality ever since its first vintage in 1994 and continues to produce top quality wines today, such as this 2016 Sauvignon Blanc.
This delicious white wine is readily available at LCBO outlets across Ontario. How are you celebrating #SauvBlancDay?
Tasting Note:
SAINT CLAIR FAMILY ESTATE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2016 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#237255) (XD) - $17.35
Screw cap. Lifted aromatics offer ripe tropical fruits, kiwi, gooseberry, grass and hints of mineral notes. It's light-weighted and fleshy with clean, refreshing acids. Fine chalky mineral texture on the dry palate with ripe tropical fruit and blood orange flavours. Clean, lingering finish. Score: 88 pts
I opened up this delicious white wine ahead of it's release into LCBO VINTAGES on .
Recent vintages of this wine have been excellent, including the 2014 vintage that I tasted in November 2015 and showed up in VINTAGES on that same year. For the 2015 vintage, this wine has undergone a name change - from Cuvée G.C. to Cuvée Genèse - to reflect a change in the wine.
It is still 100% Sauvignon Blanc, but comes from "caillottes" plots located in the commune of Bué which are the ancestral lands where this estate was found. The wines produced from these plots have shaped the palate of several generations of the Roger family. These lands represent the origin of their history - the Genesis (or Genèse in French).
Jean-Max Roger took over the 4 hectares of vines left to him by his parents in the 1970s and proceeded to expand the estate to its current size of 26 hectares. The Roger family descends from a long line of winegrowers from the village of Bué, with the name being mentioned in texts as early as the 17th century.
Tasting Note:
JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE GENÈSE SANCERRE 2015 - AC, Loire, France (#189126) (XD) - $27.95
Faint aromas of lime citrus and white flower from the cork. Seems a bit shy at the moment, but offers ripe yellow plum, white floral, citrus aromas with hints of herbally and stone fruit notes that are quite appealing. It is medium-full bodied with lively acids that cut through the slightly fleshy palate. It's rich with very nice aroma replays plus some grassy flavours with good intensity. There's also a nice mineral edge arriving mid-palate and continues through to the long finish. Lovely wine that should be served with only light chill. Score: 91 pts
wine is a lovely white wine made with Sauvignon Blanc that will be released into LCBO VINTAGES on .
It is produced by Jean-Max Roger and his family that come from a long line of winegrowers dating back to at least the 17th century. He took over the four hectares of vines left to him by his parents in the early 1970s and expanded the estate to its current size of 26 ha in the Sancerre AOC and 6 ha of vines in the Menetou-Salon AOC.
This "C.M." cuvee is named after the soil types where the grapes for this Sauvignon Blanc wine were grown: "Caillottes" and "Kimmeridgian Marls". Each soil type imparts different characteristics - Caillottes gives the wine its floral and fruity notes, along with lightness and freshness, while the Kimmeridgian Marls ("terres blanches") provides structure, richness and power.
Tasting Note:
JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE C.M. SANCERRE BLANC 2014 - AC, Loire, France (#196667) (XD) - $27.95
Inviting lemon flower, honey and citrus aromas from the cork. In the glass, this has highly aromatic and complex aromas of citrusy fruit - lemon/lime mingling with asparagus, herbal, nettle qualities, a tinge of honey, all surrounded by mineral elements. The palate is medium-bodied and fleshy with grapefruit, lemon citrus, herbal, and nettle flavours. Nicely balanced acids are juicy. Finishing long. Well-composed and elegant overall. Very enjoyable. Score: 90+ pts
On this wintry day filled with snow, wine is this bright white wine from the warmer climes of South Africa.
This wine is produced by Durbanville Hills, a winery located in Durbanville, just 20 minutes outside Cape Town. The winery has a spectacular view overlooking Table Mountain and the Atlantic Ocean, whose cool crisp air and rolling mists embrace the vineyards. The Durbanville area is the second oldest winegrowing region in South Africa and is considered a cool-climate region that is renowned for its Sauvignon Blanc.
For the 2016 vintage, this white wine arrives at the LCBO with new packaging and is quite readily available throughout Ontario as a General List product.
Tasting Note:
DURBANVILLE HILLS ATLANTIC VIEW SAUVIGNON BLANC 2016 - WO Durbanville, South Africa (#022251) (XD) - $11.95
Integrity and sustainability certified. Screw cap. Quite fragrant on the nose with gooseberry, kiwi, asparagus, key lime, citrus and hints of steely minerality. The palate is medium-bodied and fleshy with high acids. Citrus, asparagus, melon, and pear flavour profile. Juicy finish. Refreshing wine to pair with veggie night, poultry, or seafood. Score: 87 pts
Given Spring-like weather, wine calls for something suitable such as this Sauvignon Blanc.
The company was founded by Francois Rémy in 1885. He began as a barrel-making worker, then a wine transporter, and finally, a wine merchant. In the 1930s, his son Louis associated his wife's name to the company to become Rémy Pannier. The company grew further when Louis' son, Maurice, launched business initiatives in the U.S., the French supermarket trade, and other export markets in 1960.
Today, Rémy Pannier is one of the leading brands of Ackerman, and is Loire Valley's single largest wine producer, accounting for approximately 15% of all wine production in the Valley.
For this latest vintage, this wine has been given a fresh, new look and is now widely available at the LCBO.
Tasting Note:
RÉMY PANNIER SAUVIGNON BLANC 2015 - AOP Touraine, Loire, France (#068676) (XD) - $15.95
Light-to-medium intensity aromatics give off ripe tropical fruits, kiwi, and lime, with some earthy mineral notes at the tail end. The palate is fresh with ripe, almost honeyed fruit aroma replays. Rounded mouthfeel with nicely textured acids. Good length on the finish that has a stony mineral character, and a touch warming. This is a patio sipper. Score: 85 pts
Opened up this pretty white wine . It is a lovely peak into a wine that will be in LCBO VINTAGES on .
The Roger family descends from a long line of winegrowers from the village of Bue, dating back to the early 17th century. Jean-Max Roger took over the vines left to him by his parents in the early 1970s and expanded the estate to its current size. Today, the estate now covers 26 hectares in the Sancerre AOC along the Loire River.
The grapes for this wine come from various plots in the villages of Bué, Amigny and Sancerre, where the soil is a stony, clay-limestone mix known locally as "caillottes". The vines range in 6-40 years old and are located on a south/southwestern exposure.
Tasting Note:
JEAN-MAX ROGER CUVÉE LES CAILLOTTES SANCERRE 2015 - AC, Loire, France (#65573) (XD) - $26.95
100% Sauvignon Blanc with lees ageing has inviting orange citrus and peach aromas from cork. Medium-high intensity aromatics featuring candied lemon with hints of grass, nettle, herbaceousness and mineral. The palate is medium-fullish with a somewhat fleshy and creamy mouthfeel. Ripe fruited aroma replays with fresh acids coat the tongue. Finish length is very good. Will have wide appeal. Paired well with Dungeness crab curry. Score: 90 pts
Tonight's wine is a General List product that is always available at the LCBO. New shipments of this latest vintage will arrive on shelves with something new and unique - a cold sensor sticker called "Wine Polar".
This Sauvignon Blanc by Bodega Norton is the first white wine to use Polar Technology to help you enjoy your wine at the ideal temperature. Experience this wine best when the Polar sticker turns blue.
For my "experiment", this bottle was placed in the refrigerator this morning and remained there until late afternoon. Upon removing from the fridge, the snowflake on the Polar sticker showed blue, indicating that the wine was ready to be served. Using my Vacu Vin Thermometer, the blue started to fade at around 13° Celsius and sure enough, the wine did start to taste a little warm. At 15° Celsius, the blue indicators had just about disappeared and the wine was clearly too warm to be served. Based on my unscientific observations, I would say that Polar Technology works!
Tasting Note:
BODEGA NORTON BARREL SELECT SAUVIGNON BLANC 2015 - Mendoza, Argentina (#400564) (XD) - $13.10
Screw cap. Partially barrel-fermented in French oak barrels, this has a rather soft and closed nose of earth, flint, with hints of lemon/lime and tropical fruits. The fleshy palate has lemon/lime, guava, tropical fruit and some vanilla flavours. Acids are fresh and finish length is very good. Easy drinking wine that should have wide appeal. Score: 86 pts
In , I had the pleasure of attending Winetario, an event put together by iYellow Wine Club and George Brown College Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts to showcase local Ontario VQA wines that won medals at the 2016 Ontario Wine Awards. The event was held in the atrium at the George Brown College campus located on Adelaide Street East in downtown Toronto.
I was in attendance for the entire tasting session and managed to taste through most of the wines. However, I was disappointed that I ran out of time and missed tasting the Icewine - a category Ontario excels in year after year. I also noticed a distinct lack of Chardonnay amongst the wines being poured - another category which Ontario does quite well. Having said that, there were plenty of other delicious wines to taste, across many different grape varieties, with Ontario Riesling and Syrah being my top favourites. Listed below are wine reviews of some of my favourite wines at Winetario, some of which you can find right now at the LCBO. Alternatively, you can always contact the winery or pay them a visit in Niagara Wine Country.
If you're in the Greater Toronto Area, the WiNETARiO Harvest Edition wine tasting takes place on November 3rd. Venue and ticketing information can be found on the iYellow Wine Club website.
Tasting Notes:
KONZELMANN LATE HARVEST GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#392357) (M) - $14.75
Highly aromatic nose is very inviting with notions of lychee, floral and roses. The medium-dry palate is sweet with nicely balanced acids and lovely aroma replays. Very good finish length. Score: 89 pts
ANDREW PELLER ESTATES SIGNATURE SERIES SAUVIGNON BLANC 2014 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#405043) (XD) - $24.75
An austere Sauvignon Blanc
showing gooseberry, kiwi and some smoke on the nose. It's medium-bodied
with barrel-fermented oak providing texture. Acids are well-balanced.
Nice aroma replays on the palate continue through to the long finish.
Score: 90 pts
TWO SISTERS RIESLING 2014 - VQA Niagara Escarpment, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (M) - $35
Pleasing mineral, petrol and orange aromas that also shine through on the palate with a slight leesy character. Medium in sweetness with juicy, balanced acids. Excellent length on the finish. Score: 90 pts
THIRTY BENCH SMALL LOT WOOD POST RIESLING 2014 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (M) - ~$30
Lovely, highly aromatic nose offers peach, mineral and petrol notes. Nicely balanced and harmonious aroma replays on the palate with a stony mineral texture. It's off-dry in style, with bracing acidity and excellent length on the finish. Always good year after year. Score: 91 pts
HENRY OF PELHAM RESERVE BACO NOIR 2013 - VQA Ontario, Canada (#461699) (D) - $24.95
A medium-high intensity nose offers blackberry, black cherry, sweet oak
and brambly aromas that balances fruit and oak well. It's medium-full
bodied with nicely balanced aroma replays on the palate, along with some
mineral notes. Juicy with a long cherry-floral finish. Very appealing. Released in VINTAGES on June 25th. Score: 90 pts
PALATINE HILLS NEUFELD VINEYARD MERLOT 2012 - VQA Niagara Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $24.80
This Merlot is quite complex, offering earthy, blackberry, dark fruits, dark cherry, and hints of barnyard aromas that all follow through to the full-bodied palate. It has dusty tannins that are integrating very nicely. Very good acids and fine length on the earthy, dark-fruited finish. Still a bit young and should age well for half dozen years or more. Score: 90 pts
SOUTHBROOK ESTATE GROWN SMALL LOT CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2013 - VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $39.95
Organic and biodynamic, composed of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Cabernet Franc. This red wine was Served decanted, and has lovely cherry, sweet oak, cassis, ripe red berry and earthy aromas. Full-bodied with smooth tannins and tart aroma replays. It has balanced acids and excellent length on the finish. Score: 90+ pts
CREEKSIDE BROKEN PRESS SYRAH 2012 - Queenston Road Vineyard, VQA St. David's Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#202127) (XD) - $42.95
Highly aromatic nose offers meaty, black peppercorn and sour cherry notes. The full-bodied palate has fine aroma replays with hints of violet and floral notes. The juicy acids and integrated tannins are well-balanced, and the finish length is excellent. Such a delight! Score: 92 pts
After a very satisfying Niagara New Vintage Wine Festival experience on , expectations were raised for visit to wineries mostly in Niagara-on-the-Lake. In all, we ended up visiting 7 different wineries on Sunday, a few of which were unplanned stops that were hard to pass up.
Our day began in the morning at Inniskillin Wines for a triple cream Brie grilled cheese with poached rhubarb that was paired
with their freshly released 2015 Inniskillin Reserve Cabernet Franc Rosé ($19.95, 87 pts). Since we were one of the first to arrive at the winery, we had to wait quite a while before the first grilled cheese was prepared. However, we didn't mind because that gave us a chance to enjoy the sun and great weather on their outdoor patio, and also allowed us to sample some wines at their wine tasting bar. The grilled cheese was hot and tasty, with the rhubarb flavours from the sandwich bringing out similar flavours in the rosé. The creamy cheese also helped tame the racy acids in the wine, making for a balanced, yummy pairing.
The second stop of the day was an unplanned visit to Peller Estates Winery for a mouthwatering Niagara grilled trout on a flatbread with smoked salsa, charred feta and pickled red onions. This was paired with your choice of 2015 Peller Estates Private Reserve Rosé ($16.95, 87 pts, sold out) or the 2015 Peller Estates Private Reserve Muscat ($14.95). It was served on their outdoor back patio facing the vineyards - a very nice setting to enjoy this refreshing pairing. I opted for the rosé and it paired really well with the flatbread - lots of cherry, red berry, herbally, spice flavours complementing the dry rosé that made this pairing quite compelling. Making this experience very memorable was the arrival of more than 50 exotic cars that parked on the grass between the patio and the vineyards.
The third stop of the day was at PondView Estate Winery for two stuffed endive boats paired with their 2015 Viognier. Once again, the great weather allowed us to enjoy our pairing outdoors. The first endive boat had grilled pineapple and caramelized shallots in goat cheese and topped with pecans, while the second endive boat had blue cheese and walnuts, and both boats were drizzled with honey. The pairing with the dry Viognier was quite nice with the honey adding some pleasant sweetness. I found the first endive boat to be immaculately paired with the wine - well-balanced flavours that brought out sweet pineapple and honey flavours from the wine. The blue cheese endive made the pairing fall on the savoury side. All-in-all, this was a satisfying experience.
Our fourth stop of the day was an unplanned visit to Pillitteri Estates Winery. We couldn't pass up the chance to enjoy a sumptuous celery and caraway salmon burger that was topped with lettuce, grilled red onion, and lemon remoulade on a brioche bun. Generously sized, this burger was perfectly paired with the newly released 2014 Debbie Travis Pinot Grigio (#457515, $15.95, 86 pts). Knowing what was ahead of us and a little tight on time, I had to skip any wine tasting, including some of the best Icewine in Niagara.
As we moved closer towards direction of home, our fifth stop of the day was at Colaneri Estate Winery for a tangy spring roll from Chang Noi's Thai Restaurant that was paired with the 2012 Colaneri Mistera Gewürztraminer ($19.95). The vegetarian spring roll was topped with a sweet chili sauce that made the spring roll a touch on the hot side, but also allowed it to pair quite well with the sweet Gewürztraminer white wine. Once again, sweet wine paired with spice makes for a delightful combo.
More closer to home in Lincoln, Ontario, our next stop was at Creekside Estate Winery for a break from solid foods to enjoy a refreshing slushie on this hot day. The nice and cold slushie was made by blending their 2015 Creekside Pinot Grigio (#083196, $14.95) with golden Niagara peaches that were in season. It had lots of delicious peach flavours to go along with a slight kick from the alcohol. On this hot summer day, this was the perfect way to cool down!
Amazingly, as had happened during the 2015 Niagara New Vintage Wine Festival, our day of food and wine concluded at Featherstone Estate Winery for the second year in a row. Once again, the offering was a strawberry pizza topped with balsamic paired with their latest Featherstone Rosé. It was made in their outdoor wood-fired oven by owner/winemaker David Johnson - the same guy that made these pizza's last summer, except I had no clue who he was last year. Ha! Ha! It was great to finally meet and talk to the man behind the wines. It was Featherstone's Cabernet Franc that got me turned on to Ontario Cab Franc many years ago and is still one of my favourite Ontario red wines year-after-year. The pizza was a delicious combination of sweet, savoury and sour, and accentuated the strawberry flavours in the wine.
Overall, we very much enjoyed our trip through Niagara Wine Country and are looking forward to visiting the region again in September for the big, annual Niagara Grape & Wine Festival where we expecting more delicious food & wine pairings. If you're interested in joining us, let me know!
Tasting Notes:
INNISKILLIN DISCOVERY SERIES BARREL FERMENTED SAUVIGNON BLANC 2014 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $22.95
Barrel fermented for 3 months in new and older French barrels. Medium+ intensity nose showing musky oak notes layered with grassy, hay and green aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with a nice, creamy texture, tart acids balanced by clean lime and gooseberry flavours. Juicy with slight sour notes on the long finish. Score: 88 pts
INNISKILLIN DISCOVERY SERIES SUSSE RESERVE RIESLING 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (MD) - $22.95
Generous nose offers clean citrus, orange, peach, Flintstone vitamins, along with hints of mineral and petrol adding complexity. It's medium-bodied with juicy, balanced acids. Off-dry with yummy peach and orange flavours. Good length on the finish. Score: 88 pts
INNISKILLIN RESERVE PINOT NOIR 2012 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $24.95
From
a hot vintage, this has a medium+ nose featuring complex spice, blackberry, dark cherry, allspice and clove aromas. On the palate, it is medium-bodied with smooth, supple tannins that are just a touch grippy at the moment. Dark cherry, earth and oak spice flavours. It has very good acids and finishes long. Should be better in 1-2 years. Score: 89
pts
PONDVIEW ESTATE VIOGNIER 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#469205) (XD) - $16.95
Offers a medium+ intensity nose featuring clean
lime, white flowers, and fresh citrus. The palate is medium-bodied and dry with an oily texture that offers floral, lemon/lime, some herbally notes, and hints of honey. It has bright, fresh acids, while the finish length is medium-long. Score: 88 pts
PONDVIEW VIDAL ICEWINE 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#390351) (S) (200 mL) - $19.95
Very
inviting and highly aromatic nose that offers lovely pineapple, orange, caramelized citrus and peach aromas. It's very sweet with lovely aroma replays of citrus, peach and apricot on the medium-bodied palate, with bright acids balancing the sweetness very well. Excellent length on the finish that has notes of poached pineapples. Score: 90 pts
COLANERI STELLUCHA RIESLING 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (M) - $17.95
The 2015 vintage was just
released and has a medium-high nose that is effervescent with nuances of green apple, lime, and hints of mandarin orange. It's medium-bodied with crisp, bright, refreshing acids and flavours of Flintstone vitamins, orange and pear. It's off-dry to medium-dry in sweetness with clean minerality on the long finish. Score: 89 pts
COLANERI UNITA CABERNET FRANC RESERVA 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $39.95
80%
appassimento and 22 months in barrel, this has a medium-high intensity, complex nose offering chestnut, brambly, licorice, candied cherry, currant, and blackberry aromas. It's medium-full bodied with raspberry, sweet oak vanilla, herbal spice and ripe berry aroma replays. Quite spicy. Finishes long. Score: 90 pts
CREEKSIDE BACKYARD BUBBLY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2013 - VQA Creek Shores, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#398628) (D) - $24.95
Medium+ intensity featuring mineral, lemon peel and earthy funk. Bubbles are finely tuned on the medium+ bodied palate, with a nice texture and green, grass, and hints of gooseberry flavours typical or the varietal. Comes off as dry overall, with bright acids and very good length on the finish. It was released into VINTAGES on June 11 and some still available. Score: 89 pts
CREEKSIDE BACKYARD BLOCK SAUVIGNON BLANC 2015 - VQA Creek Shores, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#341792) (XD) - $18.95
Medium-high intensity, but somewhat restrained nose of tropical fruit, kiwi, passion fruit, and guava. It's medium-bodied with vibrant, juicy acids with more kiwi and grass flavours, along with some gooseberry notes. Quite balanced overall. Medium-long finish. Score: 88 pts
CREEKSIDE MARIANNE HILL RIESLING 2015 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#443572) (M) - $21.95
A medium+ intensity nose offers orange and citrus aromas with a mineral component. The palate is medium-bodied with acids that are juicy and vibrant, while balancing the pleasing aroma replays in an off-dry style. There's a chalky mineral texture on the palate, while the lengthy finish ends with orange notes. Score: 88+ pts
FEATHERSTONE ROSÉ 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#117861) (D) - $15.95
Bright strawberry, cherry, ripe red plums on the nose, with sweet aroma replays on the light-to-mid weighted palate. It has balanced acids and good length on the finish. Soft, easy drinking style. Score: 87 pts
FEATHERSTONE BLACK SHEEP RIESLING 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#080234) (M) - $16.95
Lovely medium-high intensity nose has clean orange, citrus and some tropical fruit, mineral, apple and peach notes add complexity. It's fairly light-weighted with a slatey texture and pleasing aroma replays on the medium sweet palate. Bright acids provide freshness, while the finish length is very good. Was released into VINTAGES on August 6th. Score: 88 pts
FEATHERSTONE CABERNET FRANC 2014 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#64618) (XD) - $19.20
The medium-high intensity nose has an initial bretty/barnyard aroma that gives way to complex raspberry, bramble, spices, black cherry, and blackberry. It's medium-full bodied with complex spice-led aroma replays. Vibrant acids are well-balanced. Long, raspberry-cherry finish with hints of smoke. Tannins a bit tight at this stage - try this in 1-2 years. Score: 88 pts
Monday, November 6, 2017
