Château de Fontenelles Renaissance Corbières 2013 (Midi) - Wine Review

On Monday night, I opened up this delicious red wine that will be available at the LCBO as part of the upcoming May 13 VINTAGES Release.

This red wine is produced by Château de Fontenelles, a winery located in the north-westerly commune of Douzens in Corbières. The Domaine, with over 40 hectares of Syrah, Grenache, Carignan, and Mourvèdre, has been part of the family for five generations and is currently family-owned and operated by Thierry Tastu and his wife Nelly.

The vines for this wine are grown on argilo-limestone soil on the slopes of Mont Alaric, allowing the grapes to develop well due to the cooler temperatures. Two types of vinification was used to produce this wine: Cold vinification for a few days to preserve the quality of the tannins, and strict temperature-controlled vinification of whole grape clusters.

Tasting Note:

CHÂTEAU DE FONTENELLES RENAISSANCE CORBIÈRES 2013 - AP, Midi, France (#148692) (D) - $19.95
A blend of 55% Syrah, 25% Grenache, and 20% Carignan/Mourvèdre. Aromas of black plum, blackberry, and oak spice from the cork. In the glass, there are aromas of black pepper, blackberry and whiffs of violets, herbs and forest floor notes of medium-high intensity. Pleasing aroma replays continue on the medium-full bodied and dry palate with rich, structured tannins and very good acidity. Lovely savoury barnyard, meaty notes arrive with air and linger through to the long, earthy finish. Enjoyable now, but should improve in 2-3 years and drink well to 2024. Score: 89 pts

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Boutari Wine Tasting and Dinner at ONE Restaurant

In mid-October, I was invited to a very special and exclusive tasting of the fine wines from the Boutari portfolio. These Greek wines were paired with gourmet fare at Mark McEwan's ONE Restaurant in Yorkville, downtown Toronto.

The guest speaker for the evening was Dr. Yannis Voyatzis, CEO & General Manager at Boutari, and one of the leading Oenologists in Greece. He was joined by Christina Boutari, a 5th generation member of the Boutari family who kicked off the evening with an overview and some history about the winery.

The Boutari Company was established in 1879 by Ioannis Boutaris and currently owns many wineries and vineyards throughout Greece (and Europe). The 6 wineries owned by the company in Greece are situated in the country's most important winemaking regions - the AOCs of Naoussa, Goumenissa, Crete, Santorini, Mantinia, and Attica.

Dr. Voyatzis took us through all 8 wines over the course of the evening as they were paired with the 4-course meal that was crafted specially for this intimate event. The first course was an Heirloom Carrot Salad with pomegranate yoghurt, avocado, orange, pistachios, raisin chutney and cilantro vinaigrette which was paired with a pair of white wines. Both wines were made with 100% Moschofilero - a rose/grey coloured grape that is larger than Gewürztraminer. Most fascinating was the fact that each wine was made in a completely different style, but each paired quite well with the salad. The Moschofilero is quite versatile in that it can be served as a sipper or with lighter fare such as salads, while the Oropedio is more of a food wine and really accentuated the citrus flavours in the salad. Full tasting notes of these and other wines tasted on this night are provided below.

The second course was specially crafted for me because I don't eat octopus. Instead, I enjoyed a pair of falafels on a bed of risotto and topped with greens and a side of green mint chutney. It was paired with two wines that were quite different from each other - the light, ripe-fruited Agioritiko and the big, full-bodied Skalani that offered more floral notes. In this case, the Agioritiko was the better pairing with the falafel as it wasn't too heavy and offered freshness to balance out the chickpea-based falafel. For me, the Skalani is a wine I would have on its own or pair it with the main course on this night.

Lamb chops with sides of tzatziki, herb roasted potatoes, and a Santorini salad that was topped with a lemon garlic vinaigrette. Food-wise, this was my highlight of the night! Lamb with a big, Greek red wine is a match made in heaven. What made this course even more special were the wines we paired the lamb with - the 2010 Grande Reserve Xinomavro which has been a favourite of mine a few years now, the 1879 Legacy 2007 which is an excellent wine, and last but definitely not the least, we had the opportunity to taste a 1992 Grande Reserve Xinomavro. All three wines were fabulous, with the 2010 G.R. Xinomavro and the Legacy pairing better with the lamb as this protein requires tannins for a balanced experienced. Furthermore, the Skalani tasted in the second course also paired really with the lamb. As for the 1992 G.R. Xinomavro, this is a great, mature wine to sip and enjoy on its own as it's not often one gets to taste a wine that's more than 20 years old.

For dessert, we paired a Vinsanto that had some age on it with traditional Greek desserts baklava and halva made by Serano Bakery. Historical evidence suggests that Vinsanto's place of origin is Santorini, where late-harvested grapes are dried in the sun, otherwise known as the passito style. These fine, rich desserts were very sweet and paired beautifully with a 2008 Vinsanto that was also very sweet, but balanced by good acidity and has many years of enjoyment remaining.

Thank you to Kolonaki Group, Dr. Yiannis Voyatzis, Christina Boutari, and the staff at ONE Restaurant for your gracious hospitality. It was a very enjoyable and memorable evening!

Wine reviews of each wine tasted on this night are provided below. Unless otherwise noted, all of these wines can be found at the Destination Greece Specialty LCBO store at 200 Danforth Avenue. Moreover, some of these wines can also be found at other regular LCBO outlets - click on the wine's six-digit product code for more info. You can also contact the Agent to Kolonaki Group for more information or shop the Boutari collection online at ShopGreekWine.com.

Tasting Notes:

BOUTARI MOSCHOFILERO 2015 - PDO Mantinia, Greece (#172387) (D) - $13.10
Medium+ intensity aromatics offers fresh lemon, herbs, tropical fruits and floral aromas. The palate is medium-bodied and fleshy with crisp, juicy acids. Herbally and lemon pith flavours. The finish length is very good. Really appreciated this being served at the right temperature. Good for the patio or with salads. Score: 88 pts

BOUTARI OROPEDIO 2014 - PDO Mantinia, Greece (XD) - $17.95
100% Moschofilero from oropedio (meaning "high plateau"), at 650 metres, altitude, and partially barrel-fermented, this has a medium-intensity nose featuring herbally, fennel, and mild oak nuances. It's also has some pine aromas, reminding me of a Retsina. The medium-bodied palate is dry and nicely textured, with softened acids due to oak, and pithy flavours. Medium-long finish. The 2016 vintage of this wine arrives on our shores this April. Score: 88+ pts

BOUTARI AGIORGITIKO 2015 - PDO Nemea, Greece (#172148) (XD) - $13.10
Aromas of medium+ intensity and offering ripe red fruits, earthy, cherry, red licorice, plum and some clove - quite complex. The palate is light-to-medium bodied with cherry, cough medicine, subtle oak spice, clove and cinnamon flavours. Lightly tannic with fresh, juicy acids. Medium finish length. Score: 88 pts

BOUTARI SKALANI 2011 - PGI Heraklion, Greece (XD) - $29.95
A 50/50 blend of Kotsifali & Syrah, this has medium-high intensity aromas that are meaty and perfumed with purple fruits and sweet oak. It's full-bodied and juicy with blackberry, violet, floral, black plum and sweet oak flavours. It has refined tannins, very good acidity and excellent length on the finish. Drinakable now, but can age another 10 years. This is really fine! Score: 91 pts

BOUTARI GRANDE RESERVE XINOMAVRO 2010 - PDO Naoussa, Greece (#140111) (D) - $18.95
Tasted a few times now, and on this occasion I get lovely medium-high intensity aromas of cherry, clove, sweet floral and oak spice, and hints of olive and black pepper. Olive notes become more prominent with air. Medium-full bodied with still bright acids, nice black cherry, floral, some savoury notes, and hints of dried floral & fruit. Very good finish length. Approachable now, but can age another 3-5 years. Maturing well. Score: 90+ pts

BOUTARI 1879 LEGACY 2007 - PDO Naoussa, Greece (#675081) (XD) - $49.60
First tasted in May, and delighted to be tasting again. This single vineyard Xinomavro has medium-high aromatics of great complexity - floral, cherry, clove, black berry, black pepper, black olive and oak and should open up further with decanting. The palate is full-bodied and complex led by an appealing floral note. There's good concentration of fruit balanced by mouth-watering acids. Finish length is excellent. A big wine that is drinking well now, but will age for decades. Score: 92 pts

BOUTARI GRANDE RESERVE XINOMAVRO 1992 - PDO Naoussa, Greece (XD) - $100
The treat of the night. This offers a medium-high intensity nose, very mature in profile with rose, cherry, dried fruit, umami, and just a touch of raisin/prune aromas. It's medium+ bodied with nice cherry-driven aroma replays. Still has very good acidity. Tannins are resolved, very smooth, velvety mouthfeel. Long finishing. Drink soon. Availability of this wonderful wine in Ontario is TBD. Score: 92 pts

BOUTARI VINSANTO 2008 - PDO Santorini, Greece (S) (500 mL) - $32
Made with sun-dried grapes consisting of 90% Assyrtiko and the rest mainly Aidani. This has an inviting nose of burnt caramel, sugar, and dried apricots of medium-high intensity. The palate is medium-full bodied with a grainy texture due to the wine being unfiltered. Very sweet flavours of dried apricot, honey, citrus, all-spice, Christmas cake are balanced by very good acidity. Long finish. Currently not available in Ontario. Score: 92 pts

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Lavau Vacqueyras 2014 (Rhône) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine is a lovely offering that will be released into LCBO VINTAGES on January 21. Back in 2015, I reviewed the 2012 Lavau Vacqueyras, and that was the last time this wine showed up at the LCBO - until now.

The Lavau family has been making wine for several generations in the area ranging from Bordeaux to the hills of Tunisia. In 1964, the family settled in the southern Rhône Valley as they were seduced by the richness and quality of the Provençal soil and 40 years later, the cellar is now managed by Benoit and Frederic Lavau. With possession of 3 cellars and working with 300 grape growers, the Lavau winery vinifies most of the appellations of the southern Rhône Valley.

Tasting Note:

LAVAU VACQUEYRAS 2014 - AC, Rhône, France (#104927) (D) - $25.95
GSM blend consisting of 50% Grenache, 40% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre. Plum and ripe berry aromas from the cork. Medium-high aromatics featuring mineral followed by mulberry, blackberry, sweet herbs, ending with hints of earth. Ripe, sweet-edged flavours of blackberry, dark fruit, and cinnamon spice on the medium-bodied palate with finely-grained, slightly grippy tannins. Acids are fresh and a touch sharp. Long, satisfying, earthen finish. I would age this another year or two and drink over the next 6-7 years. Enjoy with lamb or rich poultry dishes. Score: 90 pts

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Niagara Wine Festival Review 2016 - Day 2 of 2

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tasting Notes:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Niagara Wine Festival Review 2016 - Day 1 of 2

The first day of my 2-day visit to Niagara for the annual Grape & Wine Festival was on September 17. We visited 4 wineries on this day, two in Twenty Valley and two in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Our first stop was at Magnotta Winery to whet our appetite with a fresh Caprese Salad that was paired with 2 wines - 2015 Magnotta Pinot Noir Equus Rosé ($9.95, 87 pts) and the 2014 Magnotta Pinot Gris Special Reserve ($12.95, 86 pts). The Caprese salad was delicious with it's fresh bonnacini, cherry tomatoes, and basil with a freshly baked foccaccia bread and drizzled with balsamic wine vinegar and olive oil on the side. Since some group members were not keen on this type of salad, the rest of us got extras! The pairing was quite good with each wine as the fresh acidity in the wines complemented the acids in the salad, while also adding a nice texture. In general, salads pair well with both rosé and white wines.

The second stop was a decadent dessert item at Legends Estates Winery where we enjoyed a creamy chocolate ice cream with a raspberry ice center, sitting atop a chocolate wafer, and the whole thing covered in a milk chocolate coating. It was paired with the newly released 2015 Legends Estates Terroir Rosé ($12.95, 86 pts). Normally, one wouldn't even think of pairing a rosé wine with ice cream, so I was surprised to see this being offered and was quite intrigued. The ice cream was cold and sweet (as expected), and the raspberry center provided some interesting fruit flavours. Initially, the raspberry center gently pulled out plenty of cherry, strawberry flavours from the wine, but with each spoon and sip, the raspberry center took over the palate. To help balance this, it was the milk chocolate coating that brought all the flavours back in alignment, with a nice lingering mix of red fruits and chocolate flavours, as well as a creaminess that helped balanced the high acids in the wine. This was quite the experience!

While at Legends Estates, I was also able to taste a couple of wines from (former winemaker at Lailey Vineyards) Derek Barnett's latest endeavour - Meldville Wines. The wines on the whole were satisfactory, including a Chardonnay that was my favourite, but I would wager that future vintages will be better.

We headed over to Niagara-on-the-Lake for our third stop at Diamond Estates Winery. On the menu here was a Green Curry Chicken served on a bed of Morrocan bean salad courtesy of Chef James from The Heat is On Catering. It was paired with the 2015 EastDell Riesling (reviewed below). The dish was designed to be served cold and didn't show any signs of hot spices, which caught us by surprise. The pairing was fresh and brought out squeaky clean lemony flavours. After some time, subtle hints of spice from the chicken started to emerge and provided a nice warming sensation on the finish which was very interesting! We also took a quick tour of the winery and were told that a brand new retail tasting facility was going to be built and scheduled to open in Spring 2017.

The final stop of the day was at Pillitteri Estates Winery for a South East Asian inspired Spicy Chicken Tikka Roti Wrap topped with sprouts and pickled kachumber and raita. We had a choice to pair with either the 2014 Pillitteri Fusion Gewürztraminer Riesling ($12.95, #349126, 87 pts) or the 2013 Pillitteri Cabernet Merlot ($17.50, 86 pts) - I opted for the Cab Merlot. By itself, the Chicken Tikka Roti (more like Naan) Wrap was delicious - just the right amount of mild spice and flavour and very filling. I would love to get my hands on the recipe for Chez Megz. Since I opted to pair the Wrap with the Cabernet Merlot, it was a very balanced pairing with the tannins and gamey-ness in the wine complementing the chicken very nicely. This was a delicious comfort food pairing, providing a perfect segue into Fall.

Most of the wines I tasted during this trip are available at the winery only, so you'll have to visit the winery in person or order the wines online via the winery website to get your hands on these wines.

All-in-all, I was very impressed with the food & wine pairings on this day, with plenty of surprising combinations that worked really well. Expectations were certainly raised as I prepared for another set of food & wine pairings the following weekend - a full review will be posted soon. Stay tuned. is posted here.

Tasting Notes:

MAGNOTTA CHARDONNAY LIMITED EDITION 2014 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $16.95
The medium-high intensity nose offers appealing vanilla, butter, apple and pear aromas with much of the same on the medium-bodied and very creamy palate. There's some spice on the mid-palate. It has fresh acids and finishes long. Score: 88 pts

MAGNOTTA MERLOT GRAN RISERVA 2011 - Ontario, Canada (XD) - $29.95
Medium-high aromatics offering black plum, chocolate, leather, oak, cocoa and hints of green pepper. It's medium-full bodied with supple tannins and nice aroma replays. Acids are very good while the finish is long. A big wine that can be aged for at least half a dozen years. Score: 89 pts

LEGENDS ESTATES CHARDONNAY RESERVE 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $18.95
Aromas of medium+ intensity with notes of vanilla, butter, apple and pear and reappear on the medium-full bodied palate. Well-balanced overall with good acidity, slightly oak-spiced mid-palate and finishing long. Score: 89+ pts

LEGENDS ESTATES CABERNET SAUVIGNON RESERVE 2012 - Lizak Vineyard, VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $22.10
A medium-high intensity nose with savoury olive, earthy, forest floor and meaty aromas. Full bodied on the palate with green pepper, olive, earthy tones. It has balanced acids and tannins that are smooth and quite evolved. Very good length on the finish. Score: 89 pts

MELDVILLE DEREK BARNETT FIRST EDITION CHARDONNAY 2015 - VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $20
Very fruit forward with stone fruit, apple and pear aromas and flavours. Minimal oak intervention. Clean, fresh acids and good length on the finish. Score: 87 pts

EASTDELL RIESLING 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#481556) (M) - $13.95
Medium+ intensity nose of green apple, tropical fruit, white peach and hints of mineral and orange. It is off-dry with crisp, refreshing acids and flavours of orange, mineral and citrus. Finishes long with some bitterness. Score: 87 pts

LAKEVIEW CELLARS SYRAH 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#438408) (XD) - $24.95
The nose is medium-to-high intensity and offers a pleasing meaty, earthy, and charcuterie aromas with hints of black pepper and green olive. It's full-bodied on the palate with varietal black peppercorn, blackberry, dark fruits and oak flavours. Acids are very good. Lengthy finish. Score: 89 pts

LAKEVIEW CELLARS GEWÜRZTRAMINER ICEWINE 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (S) (375 mL) - $39.95
Tasted back-to-back with the 2012, this has a fragrant nose of fresh guava, molasses, honey, and orange, and floral aromas. The palate is quite dense with good fruit concentration and a viscous mouthfeel. Acids balance the lusciously sweet flavours. Excellent length on the finish. Score: 90+ pts

PILLITTERI DOLCE RIESLING 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (M) - $15.50
Offers a medium-high intensity nose of petrol, mineral, peach, citrus and apple that echo on the palate in a medium sweet style. Fresh acids are nicely balanced. Long finish has notes of orange peel. Score: 88 pts

PILLITTERI WINEMAKERS SELECTION EXCLAMATION MERLOT 2012 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $68
Matured in French oak for 2 years, this offer medium-to-high intensity aromatics of cigar box, sweet tobacco, blackberry, black current, white pepper, and sweet spices that echo very nicely on the complex, medium-bodied palate. It has very good acidity and smooth, velvety tannins. Excellent length on the finish. Score: 90 pts

PILLITTERI FAMILY RESERVE TRIVALENTE 2005 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $98
A blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc and 8% Merlot, this very fine mature wine has a captivating, highly aromatic and a very complex nose of dried floral, cherry, rhubarb, kirsch, blackberry liqueur, apple wood and some barnyard aromas. It's full-bodied with silky smooth tannins and lovely flavours of blackberry, cherry and floral. It still has very good acidity and shows some brambly notes on the long finish. Also tasted in 2014. Score: 92 pts

PILLITTERI RESERVE VIDAL ICEWINE 2013 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (S) (200 mL/375 mL) - $35/$65
My favourite of the Icewines tasted at Pillitteri, this has an highly aromatic nose of leach, apricot and lemon. It is medium-full bodied on the palate with very nice aroma replays plus hints of oak spice. It's very sweet, with pleasing acids keep the Icewine from being cloying. Long, citrusy finish. Very fine indeed. Score: 91 pts

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