Pure Chablis National Final at Bent Restaurant

On the evening of April 3, I had the pleasure of attending the Pure Chablis National Final at Bent Restaurant in downtown Toronto. This event pitted three individuals against each other, with the task of trying to best pair Chablis with  special culinary creations prepared by Hong Kong-American celebrity Master Chef Susur Lee.

Each person was given a description of each of the 3 courses ahead of time and had to select a Chablis that they thought would best pair with each course. The winner would be determined by counting the votes of approximately 60 people (including yours truly), who would vote for which wine paired best with each course. I have been to many food & wine pairing events over the years, but this was my first time experiencing something like this - it was very exciting! The prize for the winner was an amazing trip to Chablis!

Competing in the Final were Roger Maniwa of Mak N Ming Restaurant in Vancouver, Nicolas Charron-Boucher of Planvin Wine Agency in Montreal, and Joshua Corea from just down the street at Archive Wine Bar. The speaker of the evening was Louis Moreau, producer of many fine wines from Chablis, but also currently the Vice President of the Chablis Commission of the Bourgogne Wine Board.

Our first course consisted of Gravlax & Spicy Salmon Tartare, Avocado, Egg, Lemon Crème Fraîche, Pickled Onion and Capers. This dish was quite spicy and difficult to pair with Chablis. However, it was the 3rd wine (Domaine Servin chosen by Joshua) that paired best due to the high acids and ripe fruited flavours that helped calm the spicy dish. The side of dill was also very interesting to taste with the Chablis. Ironically, the Servin Chablis was my least favourite wine of the three to sip on its own as I felt it was too ripe and needed a year or two for the acids to soften, but, in my opinion (and some others around our table), it was the best pairing with the first course.

The second course was a Korean Crisp Shrimp with Nori, Hong Kong Xo Sauce, and Sweet & Sour Chili Glaze. The dish offered plenty of earthy, mineral, sea flavours, but the sauces kicked up the heat levels significantly. The wines for this pairing were all quite similar and tended to complement the flavours in the dish, but once again it was 3rd wine (Daniel-Étienne Defaix chosen by Joshua) that I thought (and others too) paired the best due to the earthy-mineral qualities in the wine and the dish.

For the third and final course of competition, we enjoyed a Chicken Pot stuffed with Chestnut, Parsnip, Carrot, Peas, Tarragon and Beurre Blanc. The flavours were earthy for the most part, but the pastry crust was on the sweeter side which lifted the whole dish. The wines for this pairing were all excellent quality (we found out later they were all Grand Cru). Although all three wines paired well with this course, it was the 1st wine (Jean-Paul et Benoit Droin chosen by Roger) that paired the best because of the overall balance that presented itself when pairing the Chicken Pot and wine together.

At the end of the evening, it was revealed that Nicolas Charron-Boucher had the most votes and won the Pure Chablis National Final. I was a bit surprised by this as I did not vote for any of Nicolas' wine choices (although I did see-saw with his choice on the 2nd course) and it just goes to show how food & wine is a very personal experience that varies from person-to-person. Congratulations Nicolas and enjoy your trip to Chablis!

Thank you to everyone that helped put this event together - great job! - and allowing me to be part of this, as well as Bent Restaurant for your accommodation.

If you were at this event, what were your favourite pairings? Leave a comment below and let me know.

Tasting Notes:

DOMAINE SERVIN CHABLIS 2015 - AC, Burgundy, France (XD) - $28.95
Ripe, medium+ aromatics offering hints of orange, peach, citrus. Nice aroma replays on the bright palate, with high acids needing a couple of years to settle down. Finishes long. Score: 88 pts

DOMAINE DANIEL-ÉTIENNE DEFAIX CHABLIS 1ER CRU 2003 - Côte de Léchet, AC, Burgundy, France (#470435) (XD) - $51.95
Subtle aromatics are initially reductive with waxy hints, along with some vegetal notes, eventually giving way to minerality. The palate is medium+ bodied with nice texture and rounded acids that still provide freshness. Nice lemon/lime, earthy and limestone mineral flavours come through on the palate. Finish length is excellent. Score: 91 pts

DOMAINE JEAN-PAUL ET BENOIT DROIN CHABLIS GRAND CRU 2015 - Valmur, AC, Burgundy, France (XD) - $82.25
This has medium-high intensity aromas that are elegant and complex with high-toned lemon, stone fruit, peach, and pear along with some herbal, earthy, and mineral nuances. It is medium-full bodied on the rich palate offering elegance with balanced acids and very nice aroma replays, plus some butter and vanilla notes from the oak. Excellent length on the finish. Score: 91 pts

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VINTAGES Release April 29, 2017: Oregon + Washington + Germany + Rosé

The upcoming LCBO VINTAGES Release on April 29, 2017 will be on shelves this coming Saturday and features the wines from Washington and Oregon as its main theme. The mini-themes highlight the wines from Germany, as well as a fresh crop of Rosé wines for Spring sipping.

We'll begin with the feature on wines from the U.S. Pacific Northwest States of Oregon and Washington. For some odd reason, only 5 wines were listed from Oregon, whereas Washington received double the amount with 10 wines listed. From Oregon, only the (dry) Pinot Gris from Willamette Valley made my list of wine picks - I suppose all the great Willamette Pinot Noir is being saved for the Fall/Holiday Releases. From Washington, there is an aromatic Viognier and an off-dry (i.e. slightly sweet) Riesling, both from Columbia Valley.

The mini-theme from Germany is also rather small, listing just 4 wines to showcase the different styles of wines that are produced by this country. The main attraction though is the varied styles of Riesling, ranging from dry to sweet. Two of the three Rieslings are listed among my wine recommendations, and both on the sweeter side - a Riesling Kabinett and even more sweeter Riesling Spätlese.

The last thematic features 11 Rosé wines, and 2 are included among my wine picks. Both of these Rosés are dry (i.e. not sweet) in style and are made with Pinot Noir.

From the rest of the release, in red wines, the Quinta de Cabriz is a blend of 40% Alfrocheiro, 40% Tinta Roriz, and 20% Touriga Nacional, while the Spanish Rioja is a blend of 85% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha and 5% Graciano. From France, the Chinon is 100% Cabernet Franc, while the Cave de Roquebrun is a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre. For 2013, The Hess Colletion's 19 Block Mountain Cuvee is a Malbec-heavy (61%) blend that also contains 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot/Syrah.

In whites wines, the Burgundy is Chardonnay, while the Sancerre is a Sauvignon Blanc.

Enjoy my top wine picks from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• QUINTA DE CABRIZ COLHEITA SELECCIONADA 2014 - DOC Dão, Portugal (#247973) (D) - $13.95
• TOURNON MATHILDA CHAPOUTIER SHIRAZ 2013 - Victoria, Australia (#336966) (XD) - $17.95
• CAVE DE ROQUEBRUN LA GRANGE DES COMBES SAINT-CHINIAN-ROQUEBRUN 2014 - AC, Midi, France (#155804) (D) - $18.95
• SERGE & BRUNO SOURDAIS LE LOGIS DE LA BOUCHARDIÈRE CHINON 2015 - AC, Loire, France (#490375) (XD) - $18.95
• PENLEY ESTATE HYLAND SHIRAZ 2014 - Coonawarra, South Australia (#409078) (XD) - $18.95
• ZUCCARDI APELACIÓN VISTA FLORES MALBEC 2014 - Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#482760) (XD) - $24.95
• MITCHELL SEVENHILL VINEYARD CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2008 - Clare Valley, South Australia (#673129) (XD) - $24.95
• MARQUÉS DE CÁCERES GRAN RESERVA 2009 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#976670) (XD) - $29.95  reviewed here
• BURROWING OWL SYRAH 2014 - VQA Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada (#073072) (XD) - $40.95
• THE HESS COLLECTION 19 BLOCK MOUNTAIN CUVÉE 2013 - Mount Veeder/Napa Valley, California, USA (#018879) (XD) - $49.95
• BUON TEMPO ALTA BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2010 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#483784) (XD) - $69.95  FSE

White Wine:

• HOGUE RIESLING 2014 - Columbia Valley, Washington, USA (#363291) (D) - $15.95
• ERNIE ELS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2016 - WO Western Cape, South Africa (#455907) (XD) - $16.95
• FLAT ROCK CHARDONNAY 2015 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#286278) (D) - $18.95  reviewed here
• POWERS COLUMBIA VALLEY VIOGNIER 2015 - Talcott Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Columbia Valley, Washington, USA (#486993) (XD) - $18.95
• MOMO PINOT GRIS 2015 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#163535) (D) - $19.95
• ELK COVE PINOT GRIS 2015 - Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA (#955906) (XD) - $24.95  reviewed here
• REICHSGRAF VON KESSELSTATT KASELER NIES’CHEN RIESLING KABINETT 2014 - VDP Grosse Lage, Pradikätswein, Mosel, Germany (#940809) (MS) - $24.95  reviewed here
• DOMAINE DE LA DENANTE LES MAILLETTES SAINT-VÉRAN 2014 - AC, Burgundy, France (#491738) (XD) - $26.95
• PASCAL JOLIVET SANCERRE 2016 - AC, Loire, France (#264945) (XD) - $29.95
• SCHLOSS VOLLRADS RIESLING SPÄTLESE 2014 - Pradikätswein, Rheingau, Germany (#101972) (M) - $34.95

Rosé Wine:

• THE KING’S DESIRE PINOT ROSÉ 2016 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#492926) (XD) - $19.95
• JEAN-MAX ROGER LA GRANGE DIMIÈRE SANCERRE ROSÉ 2016 - AC, Loire, France (#490813) (XD) - $25.95  reviewed here

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Jean-Max Roger La Grange Dîmière Sancerre Rosé 2016 (France) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine is something new to VINTAGES and will be available on LCBO shelves across Ontario as part of the upcoming VINTAGES Release on April 29th.

This rose wine is produced by Jean-Max Roger, a family from the village of Bué with winegrowing traditions dating back to the 17th century. This winery produces white wines from Sauvignon Blanc and red and rosé wines from Pinot Noir, such as this La Grange Dîmière Sancerre Rosé.

The name "La Grange Dîmière" for this wine is in reference to one of Bué's ancient tithe barns which constitutes the oldest part of their winery. The grapes are pressed using a pneumatic press and the must is cold-settled for between 48 and 72 hours. Grape sediment is carefully removed and the clear juice is brought up to temperature, followed by addition of yeasts and fermentation taking place for 4-8 weeks under controlled temperatures. The wine is finished using Bentonite fining and Kieselguhr filtering.

Tasting Note:

JEAN-MAX ROGER LA GRANGE DÎMIÈRE SANCERRE ROSÉ 2016 - AC, Loire, France (#490813) (XD) - $25.95
100% Pinot Noir and pretty salmon pink colour. Pretty red cherry, strawberry and tart citrus aromas from the cork. Aromas of tart red cherry, red currant, strawberry, citrus and whiffs of banana from the glass are quite intense and a touch candied. The palate is medium-bodied with a silky mouthfeel and fresh, balanced acids. More cherry, currant, and banana flavours with hints of herbal mint and minerality add complexity. Dry overall with excellent finish length. Ideal as an apertif or pair with salads, fish or poultry. Score: 90 pts

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Bel Echo Pinot Noir 2012 (New Zealand) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine was purchased back in 2014 from the July 5 LCBO VINTAGES Release, where "Summery New Zealand Wines" were featured as the main release and this wine was listed as the Benchmark/Wine of the Month.

Produced by Clos Henri, a French family from Sancerre whose roots in winemaking go back 10 generations. The grapes for this wine are grown predominantly on their free draining river stone soil, without any irrigation, thereby stressing the vines and providing fruit with the purest expression of terroir,

The 2012 is no longer available at the LCBO, but small quantities of the 2014 vintage are available, and if history is any indication, the 2016 should come through VINTAGES next year.

Tasting Note:

BEL ECHO PINOT NOIR 2012 - 'Terroir: Greywacke', Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#159137) (XD) - $22.95
Terroir blend of Greywacke riverbed (65%) and Broadbridge clay (35%) soil, and bottled under screw cap. Screw cap. Highly aromatic, complex and alluring nose that bounces between blackberry, mulberry, cherry, red currant, sweet spice, earth and a hint of herbs. Some dried cherry and floral notes also appear with time in glass. The palate is medium-bodied with silky smooth and refined tannins. With air, flavour profile offers earthy spiciness along with cherry and strawberry notes. Rush of acidity mid-palate gives way to long, juicy finish. If you still have it, enjoy this fine wine over the next 12 months. Score: 91 pts

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Southbrook Vineyards Wine Tasting - March 2017

Last month, I was invited to a wine tasting by André Proulx to taste through some of the latest wines from Southbrook Vineyards - a winery that pursues organic and biodynamic viticulture that I've featured many times on this blog.

There were 13 wines available for tasting, including the 2015 Southbrook Organic Triomphe Pinot Noir and 2015 Southbrook Organic Triomphe Chardonnay that I previously tasted earlier this year, as well as other wines from the Triomphe line of wines that are an expression of carefully tended vines that produce quality wines.

The majority of the wines were from the Estate Grown Small Lot series and tended to be my favourite of the bunch. These organic and biodynamic wines are hand-made to express the unique contributors to winemaking - site, soil, climate, vintage, and the human touch. A sub-series within this line of wines is the Estate Barrel Series, where winemaker Ann Sperling illustrates the subtleties that different barrels can make to Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc bottlings. We got to taste the exquisite 'Allier' Chardonnay, but there are 3 other Chardonnays in this line as well, plus 6 Cabernet Francs - it would've been great to taste all of these side-by-side. A visit to the winery to taste through the rest of the Estate Barrel Series may be in order.

In addition to the above, there was also a wild ferment cider, an effervescent bubbly made with 100% Vidal, and a lovely Chardonnay from their top-of-the-line Poetica series.

Guiding us through the tasting were Paul DeCampo, Director of Marketing & Sales, and Andrew Redelmeier, son of owners Bill and Marilyn Redelmeier who is also a Sales & Marketing Specialist at Southbrook Vineyards.

Wine reviews of my favourite wines at this tasting are provided below, and all of the wines are available (or will be available soon) for purchase direct through the winery.

Tasting Notes:

SOUTHBROOK ESTATE GROWN SMALL LOT 'ALLIER' CHARDONNAY 2013 - VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $39.95
Aged for 11 months in combination of new and old oak sourced from the Allier forest in central France, this has a gorgeous nose that is very appealing with elegant, sweet vanilla, nutty, butter and integrated oak with hints of pear. The palate is medium-bodied with nice depth, balanced acids and very nice aroma replays led by more nutty characters and hints of caramel and smoke. Excellent finish length. Score: 91 pts

SOUTHBROOK POETICA CHARDONNAY 2013 - VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#366500) (XD) - $49.95
Seems somewhat closed compared to a couple of weeks ago at Taste Ontario, offering medium-high aromatics of stone fruit and oak. The palate is medium-bodied and minerally textured with rich stone fruit flavours and integrated oak notes. Refined with balanced acids. Very good finish length with some nutty flavours adding interest. Has the stuffing to age a number of years, but is enjoyable now. Score: 91 pts

SOUTHBROOK ESTATE GROWN SMALL LOT '101' CABERNET FRANC 2013 - VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $34.95
My favourite red of the tasting, this is 91% Cabernet Franc and 9% Cabernet Sauvignon that is sourced from the "101" vineyard, this is highly aromatic with very nice red & black fruits, herbaceous, tobacco, leather, and dark currant aromas. The palate is medium-full bodied with ripe tannins integrating nicely and very appealing aroma replays. Refined with finely balanced acids and long finishing. Will reward 2+ years ageing and drink to 2023. Score: 91 pts

SOUTHBROOK ESTATE GROWN SMALL LOT PETIT VERDOT 2013 - VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $39.95
Appears shy at the moment, offering glimpses of dark berry fruit, black cherry, and oak along with hints of purple fruit, earth and barnyard notes, all of which come through nicely on the full-bodied palate. Tannins are well-integrated and balanced by very good, juicy acids. The finish length is very good. Score: 89 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
A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon (from 2003 planting), 37% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Merlot, this has medium-high aromatics that offer touches of evergreen, red and black fruits, cassis and black cherry. Oak is well-integrated on the full-bodied palate with nice aroma replays and balanced acids. Long finishing. Slightly chalky tannins should soften with time. Drink over the next 5 years. Score: 90+ pts

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VINTAGES Release April 15, 2017: Mediterranean + Aussie Whites

The upcoming LCBO VINTAGES Release on April 15, 2017 will be on shelves this coming Saturday and features wines that basked in the Mediterranean Sun as its main theme, while the mini-theme highlights 3 styles of Aussie white wines perfect for Spring sipping.

We'll begin with the main feature on wines from sunny Mediterranean countries such as Italy, Spain, Greece and Croatia. Even though this is the main feature, it only lists 8 wines. On the bright side, 3 of the 8 wines are included among my top wine picks. From Italy, there is a nice, clean and lively Fiano from the sunny climes of Campania in southwestern Italy. Also from Italy is a lovely blend of local varietals Nerello Mascalese (95%) and Nerello Cappuccio (5%) from the island of Sicily in southern Italy - the grapes for this wine come from the volcanic soils on the northern slopes of Mount Etna. The third and final wine from the main theme is the Jaspi Negre (Black Jade) and consists of 45% Grenache, 25% Carignan, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 15% Syrah from vines that are as much as 90 years old.

Likewise, the mini-theme of Aussie whites for Spring sipping lists only 7 wines, but 3 are included among my wine recommendations. First up is a premium off-dry Riesling with bright acids. Meanwhile, the Tournon Mathilda is a blend of Viognier and Marsanne, while the Alkoomi is a blend of 67% Semillon and 33% Sauvignon Blanc.

Other whites in this release include the Bordeaux Blanc that's a blend of 55% Sauvignon Blanc and 45% Sémillon, the Muscadet Sèvre & Maine that is made with the Melon de Bourgogne varietal, and the 1er Cru Chablis is a lightly oaked Chardonnay.

In red wines from France, the Château de Tréviac is a blend of Syrah and Grenache, and the Château Beau-Site is a blend of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and some Merlot. In the Riojas from Spain, the Lealtanza is 100% Tempranillo, while the Muga Rioja is a blend of 80% Tempranillo and 20% Garnacha / Mazuelo / Graciano. And lastly, the Napa Cab is actually a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc, 9% Merlot, 1% Malbec, 1% Petite Verdot, and 1% Syrah.

Enjoy my wine picks from this release! Cheers!

Red Wine:

• BOUTARI NAOUSSA XINOMAVRO 2014 - PDO Naoussa, Greece (#023218) (XD) - $13.95  reviewed here
• ECHEVERRIA GRAN RESERVA PINOT NOIR 2014 - Leyda Valley, Chile (#485284) (XD) - $15.95
• CHÂTEAU DE TRÉVIAC 2014 - AP Corbières, Midi, France (#670505) (XD) - $16.95
• RUCA MALEN RESERVA MALBEC 2013 - Mendoza, Argentina (#482778) (XD) - $17.95
• JASPI NEGRE 2013 - DO Montsant, Spain (#481085) (XD) - $17.95
• TORNATORE NERELLO MASCALESE 2014 - DOC Etna Rosso, Sicily, Italy (#487090) (XD) - $21.95
• LEALTANZA SELECCIÓN DE FAMILIA RESERVA 2009 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#472704) (XD) - $29.95  FSE
• CLOSSON CHASE CLOSSON CHASE VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2014 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (#145888) (XD) - $29.95  FSE  reviewed here
• CHÂTEAU BEAU-SITE 2011 - AC Saint-Estèphe, Bordeaux, France (#967844) (XD) - $44.95
• SEQUOIA GROVE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2013 - Napa Valley, California, USA (#060020) (XD) - $64.95
• MUGA PRADO ENEA GRAN RESERVA 2009 - DOCa Rioja, Spain (#743310) (XD) - $57.95  FSE

White Wine:

• ALKOOMI WHITE LABEL SÉMILLON/SAUVIGNON BLANC 2016 - Frankland River, Western Australia (#428383) (XD) - $16.95
• LA GRIFFE BERNARD CHÉREAU MUSCADET SÈVRE & MAINE 2015 - Sur Lie, AP, Loire, France (#948182) (XD) - $16.95
• PORCONERO FIANO 2015 - IGP Campania, Italy (#485201) (XD) - $16.95
• LÉGENDE BORDEAUX BLANC 2015 - AC Bordeaux, France (#479808) (XD) - $17.95
• M. CHAPOUTIER TOURNON MATHILDA 2014 - Victoria, Australia (#401398) (XD) - $17.95
• ATTEMS PINOT GRIGIO 2015 - IGT Venezia Giulia, Venezia, Italy (#707950) (D) - $19.95  reviewed here
• SACRED HILL RESERVE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2016 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#490326) (XD) - $21.95
• MITCHELL WATERVALE RIESLING 2014 - Clare Valley, South Australia (#487785) (D) - $21.95
• CHANSON PÈRE ET FILS MONTMAINS CHABLIS 1ER CRU 2013 - AC, Burgundy, France (#485318) (XD) - $44.95

Sparkling Wine:

• JACQUESSON CUVÉE NO. 739 EXTRA BRUT CHAMPAGNE - AC, France (#234120) (XD) - $72.95

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Domaine Tournon Mathilda Shiraz 2011 (Australia) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine is a lovely Shiraz made by the visionary Michel Chapoutier. It was purchased nearly three years ago from the June 7 LCBO VINTAGES Release, and, obviously, not currently available at the LCBO, but does periodically show up in VINTAGES. As luck would have it, the 2013 vintage will be on VINTAGES shelves on April 29.

Tasting Note:

DOMAINE TOURNON MATHILDA SHIRAZ 2011 - Victoria, Australia (#327395) (XD) - $19.95
Screw cap. Medium-high aromatics with terrific complexity offering white pepper, garrigue, blackberry, mint, with some earthy/barnyard funk. Dusty tannins are nicely integrated with just a touch of grip on the medium-bodied palate. Juicy blackberry, white pepper, black cherry, mint, earth and wood flavours in a dry style, Acids are fresh. Nice, long earthy finish. Old world in style and highly drinkable. Enjoyed with homemade butter chicken tonight. Score: 90 pts

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Vineland Estates Wine Tasting at Opus Restaurant

In late-November, I was invited by Halpern Enterprises to an exclusive tasting of Vineland Estates wines at the elegant Opus Restaurant in the Bloor-Yorkville Area in downtown Toronto.

It was a small-ish tasting, featuring 13 wines from their Classic, Elevation, and Reserve Series, with a focus more on licensees as most of the wines presented were only available for purchase direct through the winery (or the Agent).

Vineland Estates is located on the Niagara Escarpment and has been elevating the wine and culinary experience for over 30 years. The site features some very old structures, including the landmark stone tower that stands over a former Mennonite homestead with structures that date back to the 1840s. These structures now encompass a restaurant, retail store and wine tasting bar, underground barrel cellar, and the Carriage House that's used for private events. I have personally visited the winery quite a few times and have also enjoyed dinners at their restaurant.

In more recent news, the winery acquired a high-tech optical sorter to help produce better wines, in particular Cabernet Sauvignon. This grape requires a very long growing season to fully ripen, and is quite difficult to achieve full ripeness in the cool-climate region of Niagara. Every harvest produces exceptional grapes in all varieties, but the challenge is to find the best grapes out of the hundreds (or thousands) of tonnes that are produced. This cutting edge device optically sorts each individual grape according to ripeness levels at a rate of 10 tonnes per hour and discards the grapes that don't meet requirements. Vineland Estates' winemaker Brian Schmidt calls this technology a "game changer", and I fully expect an increase in quality in their wines going forward. Their "Game Changer" Red and White wines are made in reference to this technology.

Wine reviews of my 5 favourite wines from this tasting are provided below, a couple of which are available at the LCBO.

Tasting Notes:

VINELAND ESTATES BRUT RESERVE 2013 - VQA Ontario, Canada (D) - $28.00
Blended with 48.1% Pinot Meunier, 42.5% Chardonnay and 9.4% Riesling and using the Charmat Method to create this fine bubbly. Aromas of medium-high intensity showing citrus, peach, brioche, toasty, yeasty, and lemon/lime nose. It's medium-full bodied with fine, creamy bubbles providing a very next texture. Peach and citrus flavours on the palate are a touch sweet. Acids are juicy and well-balanced. Long, satisying finish. This is very fine. Score: 90 pts

VINELAND ESTATES ELEVATION ST. URBAN VINEYARD RIESLING 2015 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#038117) (MS) - $19.95
Served much too cold, but hints of orange citrus, petrol, Flintstones vitamins, and golden apple peek through as it warms. It's medium-bodied with nice, brisk acidity to keep things fresh. Pleasing semi-sweet aroma replays on the palate with nuances of apple and honey. Finish is long and minerally. First released into VINTAGES on December 10th. Score: 89 pts

VINELAND ESTATES GAME CHANGER RED 2014 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#457523) (XD) - $14.95
A blend of 92% Cabernet Franc, 4% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. Medium intensity aromas of red and black fruits, subtle oak spice and currant which continue on the flavour profile. Sweet tannins are supple and nicely structured on the medium-bodied palate. Acids are fresh. Some bretty notes on the long finish. Score: 86 pts

VINELAND ESTATES ELEVATION CABERNET 2014 - VQA Niagara Escarpment, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (D) - $28.00
Blend of 67% Cabernet Franc and 33% Cabernet Sauvignon. Somewhat closed (but should show well after short decant), this has currant, herbally, cassis and mineral aromas. It's full-bodied with nicely integrated tannins that are refined and smooth. Aroma replays are nicely balanced on the flavour profile. Acids are very good and finish is long. Score: 89 pts

VINELAND ESTATES SELECT LATE HARVEST CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2013 - VQA Niagara Escarpment, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (MS) (375 mL) - $24.95
Highly aromatic and appealing nose offers sweet cassis jelly, currant, strawberry jam and liqueur which continue on the medium-full bodied palate. A touch spicy on the mid-palate with balanced acids. Finishes long and a touch dry. Score: 88+ pts

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