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!
Earlier this I had the pleasure of attending an exclusive media preview of the Chilled to Perfection: Inniskillin Icewine Harvest and Brunch event that is taking place on at Inniskillin Estate winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
The event begins with a welcoming cup of Icewine Hot Chocolate, followed by an opportunity to mingle and get warmed up before heading outdoors. Up next on the itinerary, we were joined by Inniskillin's Winemaker, Nicholas Gizuk, and he took us through an Icewine Harvest in the vineyard.
We headed out to the vineyard to inspect and cut bunches of Vidal grapes for the production of Icewine. It was very interesting to see the grapes still on the vines, many of which were turning brown - a sign that the grapes are freezing, sugars concentrating, and just about ready for picking. Keep in mind that according to VQA Ontario standards, grapes for Icewine production must be picked at temperatures no warmer than -8º Celsius. Within the bunches we noticed that some of the Vidal grapes were still green. We also got the opportunity to taste the green grapes and compare them with their brown counterparts, with Nicholas explaining some of the various changes occurring within the grapes, as well as some of the flavour differences we could expect to taste between the green and brown grapes. You will also get the opportunity to experience this when you attend on the 27th.
After finishing the harvest portion of the experience and walking among the vineyards, we headed inside with Nicholas for a guided tour of the facility as he explained the process for producing Icewine from selecting and pressing the frozen grapes to fermentation, maturation, and finally bottling. At the end of the tour, we got to taste some 2022 Vidal Icewine Juice, a 2022 Inniskillin Vidal Icewine (93 pts, $50), and the 2019 Inniskillin Vidal Icewine (93+ pts). It was a cool experience to taste Icewine Juice prior to it becoming the finished product. It was also very nice to compare the 2022 and 2019 vintage Icewines side-by-side, with the 2022 offering a fresher profile, while the 2019 showing some tertiary, caramelized characters - both were excellent!
At the conclusion of the tour, we headed to the underground cellar room to enjoy an Icewine-inspired Brunch Buffet. Each item in the buffet was made with Icewine and offered a wide variety of options for all tastes. While I didn't try everything, I did enjoy everything that was on my plate, which included delicious portions of chicken, salmon, penne pasta, and cheese. The desserts were also tasty.
Co-founded in 1975 by Donald Ziraldo and Karl Kaiser, Inniskillin is Canada's first estate winery. Situated in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Inniskillin is internationally renowned for its wines, especially Icewine, and played a pioneering role in establishing the Canadian wine industry. In 1984, Inniskillin had its first successful Icewine harvest of naturally frozen Vidal grapes, and in 1991, the 1989 Inniskillin Vidal Icewine was brought into the international limelight when it won the Grand Prix d'Honneur at Vin Expo in France. In 1999, Riedel Glassware and Inniskillin collaborated to create the ultimate Icewine glass - a shape that was perfected to guide the wine to parts of your palate that best interpret the nuanced flavours of Icewine. Today, Inniskillin Icewines are among the best and are enjoyed both locally and internationally.
Nicholas Gizuk joined Inniskillin in 2013, and it was clear right from the start that he was a perfect fit for the iconic winery. Nicholas was trained under the guidance of renowned Winemaker Bruce Nicholson from 2013 to 2021, and was promoted to Assistant Winemaker in 2017. Four years later, Nicholas Gizuk was promoted to Estate Winemaker at Inniskillin in Niagara. Nicholas' philosophy is about making varietally true wines, while also allowing the soil and sense of place to also be expressed in each wine, with as little intervention as possible.
Chilled to Perfection: Inniskillin Icewine Harvest and Brunch tentative event schedule on :
7:00 am - Welcome with Icewine Hot Chocolate
7:45 am - Join Inniskillin Winemaker Nicholas Gizuk as he guides you through an Icewine harvest
8:15 am - Finish harvest, take a guided tour with Nicholas explaining the Icewine production process
9:00 am - Mimosas in the cellar
9:30 am - Icewine-inspired Brunch Buffet
11:00 am - Departure
Only a limited number of tickets are available for this exclusive event and the cost is $65+HST & Gratuity per guest, or $55+HST & Gratuity for Wine Club Members.
It is produced by Lakeview Cellars, a brand that was established in 1991 by Eddy Gurinskas in Vineland, Ontario, within the Niagara Region. Having built a worldwide reputation over the years for creating premium Niagara wines that are both high quality and affordable, Lakeview Cellars is now owned by Diamond Estates and is one of their oldest wine brands. Lakeview Cellars wines are crafted and sold at Lakeview Wine Co. on Niagara Stone Road in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Leading the team at Lakeview is Thomas Green, VP of Winemaking and Winery Operations. The Lakeview Cellars brand is nostalgic for Thomas as he began his career at the company in the late 1990s as an apprentice to winemaking under Eddy. After graduating as part of the first graduating class of the Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture program at Brock University in 2000, he remained with Lakeview Cellars. Following Eddy's retirement, Thomas took over head winemaking duties for Lakeview Cellars in January 2003, and Diamond Estates in 2005.
Although the Vidal grape is the main variety used to craft Icewine in Niagara, Riesling comes a close second due to its ability to retain freshness and acidity, which helps balance the sweetness in the wine. The grapes for this Riesling Icewine were sourced from their best vineyards in the Niagara region, kissed by Lake Ontario's offshore breeze. The grapes were harvested in late-December, when they were frozen and temperatures were between -10°C and -13°C. Like the other Lakeview Cellars Icewines I tasted recently, the juice was settled in stainless steel tanks, followed by a cool-fermentation, and then placed outside to complete a natural cold stabilization. Let's see how this Riesling Icewine from Niagara is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
LAKEVIEW CELLARS RIESLING ICEWINE 2019 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#471839) (S) (200 mL) - $34.95 The fragrant nose offers gorgeous aromas of honeyed apricot and peach mingling with candied lemon, ginger, orange peel, and apple. On the medium to medium-full bodied palate it is lightly spicy and has lusciously sweet aroma replays of honey, apricot, peach, lemon, and orange peel with a slightly viscous mouthfeel. Bracing acidity provides just enough freshness to balance the sweetness, while caramel and faintly mineral notes emerge on the lingering finish. Delicious and a highly recommended buy! Score: 92 pts
Other lovely Icewines (and table wines) from Lakeview Cellars are available not only at the LCBO, but also direct from the winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Lakeview Cellars was established in Vineland in 1991 by Eddy Gurinskas. Today, Lakeview Cellars is the oldest of several wine brands owned by Diamond Estates Wines & Spirits Inc. and is situated at Lakeview Wine Co. on Niagara Stone Road in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
At present, Thomas Green is the Vice-President of Winemaking and Winery Operations at Lakeview. He began his career at Lakeview Cellars as an apprentice to winemaking under Eddy. After graduating in 2000 as part of the first graduating class of Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture (CCOVI) at Brock University, Thomas remained at Lakeview Cellars and worked with Eddy for three more years until Eddy retired. In 2003, Thomas took over head winemaking duties at Lakeview Cellars, and then Diamond Estates in 2005. As a nostalgic brand for Thomas, he is proud that Lakeview Cellars has built a worldwide reputation for creating exquisite Niagara wines that are both high in quality and affordable. Although the label has changed over the years, the high quality wines produced by Lakeview Cellars has remained consistent for over two decades.
Crafted with 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, the frozen grapes were harvested in early December when temperatures fell between -10°C and -13°C, After settling the juice in stainless steel tanks, a cool fermentation was completed in late-February when the wine was placed outdoors to stop fermentation and complete a natural cold stabilization. Let's see how this Cabernet Sauvignon Icewine from Niagara is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
LAKEVIEW CELLARS CABERNET SAUVIGNON ICEWINE 2017 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#471813) (S) (200 mL) - $39.95 Pours a medium garnet colour. The lovely, highly aromatic nose is open, fresh, and fragrant with ripe raspberry, strawberry jam, cran-cherry, and plum aromas, plus subtle spice notes. It's medium to medium-full bodied on the sweet palate with lovely strawberry jam, raspberry, cran-cherry, and subtle spice flavour replays. Harmonious and well-balanced throughout with a subtle chalky mouthfeel adding a nice textural element. Fresh, lively, and juicy acidity holds it all together, while the red berry flavours give way to faintly mineral notes on the long, juicy finish. Delicious and a highly recommended buy! Score: 92 pts
Other lovely Icewines and table wines from Lakeview Cellars are available at the LCBO and direct through the winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
wine review is an excellent Icewine that arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release on and is featured in the Local Talent column in the release.
Lakeview Cellars is the oldest of several wine brands owned by Diamond Estates. Their winery is located at Lakeview Wine Co. on Niagara Stone Road in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Established in Vineland in 1991 by Eddy Gurinskas, Lakeview Cellars has built a worldwide reputation for creating exquisite Niagara wines that are both high quality and affordable.
For Thomas Green, VP of Winemaking and Winery Operations at Lakeview, the brand is nostalgic for him as he began his career at Lakeview Cellars. The label has changed throughout the years, but the high quality wines that they produce under the Lakeview Cellars brand have remained consistent for over 2 decades. Lakeview Cellars is known for big, bold reds and classic whites.
The grapes for Lakeview Cellars' wines are sourced from their best vineyards in the Niagara region which are kissed by Lake Ontario's offshore breezes. The lake's influence creates a more temperate climate, which can produce superior fruit with more intense flavours and complexity. I've enjoyed many wines from Lakeview Cellars over the years, and they have proven to be a premium Niagara wine producer committed to crafting premium VQA wines at affordable prices.
This lusciously sweet Icewine is made with frozen Gewürztraminer grapes that were harvested in late December when the temperatures were between -10°C and -13°C. After gently pressing and settling the juice in stainless steel tanks, it was cool-fermented and then placed outside to complete a natural cold stabilization.
Tasting Note:
LAKEVIEW CELLARS GEWÜRZTRAMINER ICEWINE 2019 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#547703) (S) (200 mL) - $34.95 Beautifully attractive and intense aromas of candied citrus, orange marmalade, honey, tropical fruit, mango, peach, candied ginger, and hints of lychee rise out of the glass. It's lusciously sweet on the rich, medium to medium-full bodied palate that is balanced with fresh acidity, supporting the lovely, sweet candied citrus, orange marmalade, honeyed caramel, and tropical fruit flavours. Juicy and slightly spicy on the mid-palate, with lovely notes of peach, mango, citrus, honey, and caramel lingering on the long, succulent finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 92+ pts
Other lovely wines by Lakeview Cellars are available at the LCBO, as well as direct through the winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
wine review takes me back to when I first tasted this lovely Icewine at Mike Weir Winery in January 2016 while attending the annual Icewine Festival.
Unfortunately, their wines are no longer available as the winery closed its doors sometime in Spring 2018, and I still have their 2010 Meritage that I should crack open soon. On the bright side, the winery was sold and reopened in Spring/Summer 2020 as Locust Lane Estate Winery.
At 9 years from vintage, let's see how this 2013 Cabernet Franc Icewine is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
MIKE WEIR CABERNET FRANC ICEWINE 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (S) (200 mL) - $39.95 100% Cabernet Franc. Pours a mature deep tawny in colour. The medium+ intensity nose wasn't initially very appealing with mature, slightly funky aromas of sugar plums, brandied strawberries, brown sugar, caramel, and brown spices. The medium+ bodied palate, however, is lovely with a viscous, almost syrupy mouthfeel balanced by bracing acidity. I really liked the lusciously sweet flavours of strawberry, raspberry, brown sugar, caramel, and sugar plums, all of which linger through to the juicy and sticky finish, with very good length. Should continue to age well for at least another 5+ years, but it is highly pleasurable right now. Score: 91 pts
To celebrate the holiday season, wine review is this gorgeous organic Vidal Icewine from Niagara that showed up in LCBO VINTAGES on . While the 2014 is mostly sold out - six bottles actually still remain at LCBO locations - the 2015 vintage is available through the winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake and online through their web store.
It is produced by Southbrook Vineyards at their 150-acre vineyard in the heart of Niagara-on-the-Lake in Ontario, Canada. Southbrook Vineyards is the epitome and evolution of owner Bill Redelmeier's love story with wine, the land, and all things local. Southbrook produces organic and biodynamic wines and strives to the make the finest wines possible in a way that is local and respectful of the land. There were many hurdles along the way, but becoming growers strengthened these principles as control over the quality of grapes is the starting point of produce of fine wines. In 2008, Southbrook became Canada's first wine estate to earn both organic and biodynamic certification for its vineyard and winery.
The Vidal grapes for this lovely organic Icewine were ripened throughout the Summer of 2014, then were frozen on the vine, then picked and pressed while the air temperature was at least -8° Celsius (17.6°F), resulting in lusciously sweet juice that is concentrated in flavour, acidity, and sugar.
I actually enjoyed the 2014 Southbrook Organic Vidal Icewine back in when it was just released by the winery and am curious to see how it has developed over the last 5 years.
Tasting Note:
SOUTHBROOK ORGANIC VIDAL ICEWINE 2014 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#581165) (S) (375 mL) - $49.95 $37.25 Pours a deep golden colour. Intense and very complex aromas of honeyed peach, apricot, mango, caramel, spice, almond, candied citrus, and touches of ginger rise out of the glass. It's quite full-bodied on the concentrated, very sweet palate with lovely aroma replays supported by very good, mouth-watering acidity. Caramel, dried apricot, and honey notes linger on the finish, with excellent length. Ageing nicely and should continue to drink well over the next 4-5 years, possibly more. Score: 93 pts
To cap off Ontario Wine Week, I opened this lovely Icewine . I purchased this Icewine from the winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake when I visited the region back in during the annual Niagara Grape & Wine Festival. At the time, this 200 mL bottle was on promotion for $20.
It also showed up at the LCBO last year at the same price as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release. Although it is long gone from LCBO shelves, it is still available for purchase at the winery.
Tasting Note:
PALATINE HILLS VIDAL ICEWINE 2012 - VQA Niagara Lakeshore, Ontario, Canada (#614842) (S) (200 mL) - $24.95
Gorgeous, fragrant nose of apricot, honey, and orange with touches of citrus, burnt orange, marmalade. It is medium-full bodied with lovely apricot, honey, and burnt orange flavours on the palate, albeit fading slightly. Has very good acidity. Notes of orange and honey linger on the finish, with very good length. Enjoy over the next 1-2 years. Score: 89 pts
wine review is this lovely Icewine that I picked up while visiting the winery in Niagara during the Icewine Festival. This wine continues the string of wines I've enjoyed recently from Rockway Vineyards.
This delicious Icewine is produced by Rockway Vineyards and is a wine I've tasted (and enjoyed) on a number of occasions, including back in . The grapes for this Icewine benefited from early and long freeze cycles that started in late November. Grapes were harvested in the early morning hours of , when the average temperature -10°C.
With only 300 Litres produced (approximately 1,500 bottles of 200 mL) and now 6 years from vintage, I am a bit surprised that this lovely Riesling Icewine is still available for purchase at the winery and through their online web store. It is also currently $10 off, making it one of the better value Riesling Icewines out there.
Tasting Note:
ROCKWAY VINEYARDS RIESLING ICEWINE 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (S) (200 mL) - $39.97 $29.97
Gorgeous, aromatic nose offers orange citrus, peach, kiwi, meringue, and honeycomb aromas. It is full-bodied and viscous on the sweet palate with juicy, racy acids balancing the sugar and keeps the wine from being cloying. Sweet, luscious and complex flavours of peach, orange citrus, honeycomb, lime, kiwi, and apple are nicely balanced. Excellent finish length with flavour profile lingering on the long aftertaste. Lots of life in this sweet elixir and will keep for many years. Score: 92 pts
To celebrate , wine is a Champagne that is widely available at the LCBO. It is produced by a house that has been producing champagne for two centuries and has only seen seven Cellar Masters since its founding.
after-dinner drink is an Icewine that is a VINTAGES Essentials listing at the LCBO and always available. This 2012 vintage Icewine was purchased 4 years ago from the LCBO VINTAGES Release.
Tasting Notes:
PERRIER-JOUËT GRAND BRUT CHAMPAGNE - AC, France (#155341) (XD) - $70.95
Blend of 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Pinot Meunier, and 20% Chardonnay aged on the lees for at least 2 years. Elegant aromatics of pastry, lemon citrus, and brioche waft from the glass. It's medium-bodied and dry with fine, creamy mousse and nicely balanced lemony citrus, pastry, yeasty, and autolytic flavours with just a kiss of sweetness. Vibrant acids are well-balanced. A touch smoky on the mid-palate. Crisp, clean and dry with some nutty flavours on the finish with excellent length. Really quite lovely. Lot #L1781724021. Score: 91 pts
REIF ESTATE VIDAL ICEWINE 2012 - VQA Niagara River, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#544791) (S) - $24.95
Honey and orange marmalade aromas from the cork. Highly aromatic with honey, orange marmalade, peach, burnt brown sugar and caramel notes. It is medium-full bodied with a rich and viscous texture. There's just enough acidity here to keep it fresh and not cloying. It's lusciously sweet with lovely aroma replays on the palate, with flavours that continue through to the long finish. Score: 91 pts
On , I visited Niagara to take in the annual Icewine Festival for the second weekend in a row - read all about my visit on here. Once again, we visited 4 wineries to enjoy an Icewine and food pairing. We also managed to visit a 5th winery and do some fine wine tasting since it was conveniently located next door to one of the other wineries.
Tawse Winery was the first stop of the day. We began with the deliciously sweet 2013 Tawse Chardonnay Icewine ($36, 200 mL, #443739, 92 pts) which was paired with a Butternut Squash Soup topped with rosemary scented sourdough croutons. The soup was thick and more like a purée, and a touch spicy. However, the pairing was quite nice as the spiciness from the soup helped balanced the sweetness in the Icewine. The soup also brought out the apple and stone fruit flavours in the wine. Overall, this was a nice, well-balanced pairing. After the food and wine pairing, we heading into the cellar to taste a lovely array of fine wines from the Tawse portfolio.
The second stop was at Vineland Estates Winery for a balanced diet that featured chocolate in one hand and Icewine in the other. A decadent dark chocolate paté was paired with their 2016 Vineland Estates Cabernet Franc Icewine and even though both items were individually quite sweet, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the pairing wasn't overloaded with sweetness or cloying when paired together. The use of dark chocolate (instead of milk chocolate) was key. Lovely, rich, indulgent, and balanced!
Our third stop of the day was Strewn Winery, where they featured a back-vintage release of their 2013 Strewn Cabernet Franc Icewine and paired it with a deconstructed Black Forest Cake. Dark chocolate and red Icewines tend to make good pairings, and it was no different here. This was a nice, balanced pairing because the Icewine was sweeter than the bittersweet character of the dark chocolate cake, plus the red berry flavours in the Icewine were complemented and enhanced by cherries on top of the cake. Lastly, the creamy brownie base in the cake balanced out the acids in the Icewine.
The final stop of the day related to the Discovery Pass Experience was at Wayne Gretzky Estates Winery and Distillery. We indulged in a mouth watering Double Chocolate Icewine Cupcake paired with delectable 2015 Wayne Gretzky No. 99 Cabernet Franc Icewine ($85, 200 mL, 88 pts). Once again, red Icewine with dark chocolate was shown to be a nice pairing. While the Icewine was sweet (as expected), the chocolate cupcake was not, and paired up together it provided for a well-balanced pairing that was not very sweet, but still very enjoyable. After the cupcake and Icewine pairing, we headed upstairs into the Members Lounge to taste a few wines while also getting a nice view of the vineyards and ice rink below.
Since we still had some time before wineries in the area close for the day, we walked over next door to Trius Winery to taste a few of their excellent small lot wines in their luxurious private tasting room called "The Loft".
Once again, I had a great time touring Niagara Wine Country during the Icewine Festival. Cabernet Franc Icewine was the pour of choice for the pairings at most of the wineries we visited on this day, as well as on the first day. If you enjoy Icewine and have a sweet tooth, I'm sure you will love attending this annual event too! It will be returning in January, 2019 and I'm sure it will be a great time!
Tasting Notes:
TAWSE QUARRY ROAD ORGANIC RIESLING 2016 - VQA Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#198853) (M) - $25
Highly aromatic on the nose with limestone mineral driven aromas followed by candy apple, lemon, and subtle hints of stone fruits. It's medium-bodied and has an off-dry palate offering chalky mineral, limestone, and lemon/lime citrus flavours. There's good fruit concentration with bright acids that are well-balanced and the texture is just a touch fleshy. The long finish has a nice mineral aftertaste. A stellar buy. Score: 92 pts
TAWSE BEAMSVILLE BENCH CHARDONNAY 2012 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $29
The nose is highly aromatic and complex with hazelnut, banana, and toasty oak aromas, while also showing some maturity with some baked apple notes. The medium-bodied palate is lean with a nutty, complex palate and balanced acids. It is well-balanced throughout, with excellent length on the finish. Score: 90 pts
TAWSE MERITAGE 2012 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $60
From a very good vintage, this is a blend of 42% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Franc, and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, this will benefit with a decant, but has a medium+ intensity nose of crushed dark berries, currant, cassis, mocha and vanilla oak aromas. It's full-bodied on the palate with fine, structured tannins that are chalky and drying. There's balanced aroma replays to go along with some earthy flavours on the palate. Acids are very good. A big wine that deserves 5+ years to fully reveal itself, and will be best over the next 7-12 years. One of the top wines of the vintage. Score: 92 pts
VINELAND ESTATES CABERNET FRANC ICEWINE 2016 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (S) (375 mL) - $79.95
The medium-high intensity nose offers nice strawberry, raspberry, and honeyed nose in a slightly tart profile. On the palate, it's medium-bodied with a smooth mouthfeel and nice red fruited aroma replays with some tartness. Acids are balanced while finish length is very good. A sweet Icewine that also has some tart qualities to it. Score: 88 pts
VINELAND ESTATES BOTEEK CABERNET FRANC CLONE 327 2015 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#621342) (XD) - $35
Fascinating to see a single clone Cab Franc from Niagara, this has a medium+ intensity nose of ripe cassis, currant, blackberry, dark cherry and tobacco aromas, while the medium+ bodied palate is a bit chewy with fine, structured tannins. Bright vibrant acids lift the palate that has very nice aroma replays with some earthy tones on the mid-palate, and finishing long with tobacco notes. Nicely balanced overall, this will drink nicely over the next 5-6 years. Score: 90 pts
STREWN CABERNET FRANC ICEWINE 2013 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (S) (375 mL) - $70
Medium-high intensity nose is ripe and lush with strawberry, rhubarb, and sweet red fruited aromas. It's medium-full bodied with a lush mouthfeel and nice aroma replays plus some spiced flavours. Well-balanced with good acids, while the finish is long and spiced, and a touch warming. Score: 90+ pts
STREWN CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $28
Coming from a very good 2012 vintage. The medium-high intensity nose is inviting and pretty, and already showing some maturity with floral, dried cherry, and some wet forest floor aromas. It's full-bodied with supple, rounded tannins that are resolving nicely. Nicely balanced overall with very nice aroma replays on the palate and supported by very good acids. A touch warm on the mid-palate while the finish is long with hints of oak spice. Ready to drink now. Score: 89 pts
STREWN CLAY BLOCK CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2014 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $38
From Cabernet Sauvignon grown exclusively on the property on clay soils, this has a medium+ intensity nose with riper, rounded bright red & black fruits, currant and mineral aromas. It's medium+ bodied with tart aroma replays and smooth, supple tannins. Balanced acidity. There's a nice mineral note arriving on the mid-palate and continues on the long finish. A very good mineral-driven Cab Sauv that I would love to see in a better vintage. Score: 89 pts
WAYNE GRETZKY ESTATES SERIES RED 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $34.95
A blend of 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc, 20% Syrah, and 20% Merlot that has a medium-intensity nose of dark plum, dark cherry and musky oak spice in a ripe profile. It's medium-full bodied on the palate with soft, rounded tannins and dark plum aroma replays. It has very good, juicy acidity, while the finish length is medium-long with bitter currant notes. Score: 88 pts
WAYNE GRETZKY ESTATES SERIES CABERNET MERLOT 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $34.95
Blend of 51% Cabernet Franc, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 18% Merlot has a medium-high intensity nose of ripe blackberry, black cherry, oak spice, and currant with herbal hints. It's medium-full bodied on the palate with firmly structured tannins and nice aroma replays plus tobacco notes. Acids are bright, while the savoury mid-palate lingers on the long finish. A big wine for pairing with red meat now, or age 3-5 years. Score: 89 pts
WAYNE GRETZKY ESTATE SERIES SHIRAZ CABERNET 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $29.95
This blend of 62% Shiraz, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc has a medium+ intensity nose that has savoury, meaty, and charcuterie aromas with hints of black pepper, dark plum, cassis, and dark currants. The palate is medium-full bodied with somewhat firm tannins that have some grip and flavours of dark berry, earth, plum and sour cherry. Acids are very good, while the finish is long. Drink over the next 5-7 years. Score: 89 pts
TRIUS SHOWCASE WILD FERMENT CHARDONNAY 2015 - Oliviera Vineyards, VQA Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#199273) (XD) - $36.75
Medium-high intensity nose is a elegant and really starts to open with some air, offering buttery, apple, and popcorn aromas. It's medium-to-full bodied with nicely balanced aroma replays and very good fruit concentration. Lemony acids are fine and juicy. Elegant spice notes mid-palate with nutty hints. Excellent finish length. Score: 92 pts
TRIUS SHOWCASE RED SHALE CABERNET FRANC 2015 - Clark Farm Vineyard, VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $48.75
The medium-high intensity nose is ripe with cassis, dark cherry, dark berry, vanilla and tobacco aromas. The palate is medium-full bodied with very good fruit concentration and nicely balanced aroma replays. Very good acids are juicy. Spiced mid-palate and some mineral notes on the long finish. Medium-firm tannins have some grip. Will reward with 2-3 years ageing and drink by 2024-2025. Score: 90+ pts
TRIUS SHOWCASE EAST BLOCK CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2015 - Clark Farm Vineyard, VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $48.75
The medium+ intensity nose is smoky with blackberry, cassis, blackcurrant, licorice aromas with a whiff of green pepper. It's full-bodied with subtle green pepper flavours plus the aroma profile coming through on the palate. Structured tannins are grippy, while the acids are juicy and mouthwatering. Long curranty finish. Needs 3-4 years of cellar time, and drink by 2028. Score: 89 pts
On , I visited Niagara to taste a few food & Icewine pairings as part of the Discover Pass Experience that was available at participating wineries throughout Niagara during the annual Icewine Festival. The weather turned out to be great on this day - mostly sunny, albeit a little on the chilly side. In all, we visited four wineries across the region and enjoyed some very tasty food & Icewine pairings, as well as tasted a few other wines at the tasting bar.
We began the day at Hernder Estate Wines for their award-winning 2013 Cabernet Franc Icewine paired with a generous bag of salted caramel chocolate brittle. The pairing was delicious and really showed how well chocolate can be paired with Icewine. The bright acids in the Icewine helped balance the creamy chocolate, while the salted caramel added interest to the pairing. It was a sweet pairing, but the salt in the brittle and the lively acids in the Icewine together helped keep the pairing from being cloying on the palate. This was very well executed!
For our second stop of the day, we went to Niagara College Teaching Winery for a delectable S'More Fudge Brownie that was filled with marshmallows and paired with their 2013 Niagara College Dean's List Savant Icewine (88 pts, $40 / 200 mL). The fudge brownie square was of generous proportions and very flavourful, with hidden marshmallows offering a nice element of surprise. The Icewine was luscious and sweet, but the fudge brownie was even sweeter and actually overpowered the wine, leaving only chocolate and marshmallow flavours in the mouth.
Our third stop of the day was at Inniskillin Wines to enjoy Southern Fried Chicken on a Vanilla Waffle topped with Cocoa Icewine Hot Sauce and paired with their 2016 Inniskillin Vidal Sparkling Icewine (reviewed below). First off, the Sparkling Icewine was delicious and sweet, but not cloying due to it's effervescence. The fried chicken was served a bit cold, but otherwise tasty, and combined ith the waffle made for a delicious treat. However, it was the Cocoa Icewine Hot Sauce that really brightened up this pairing as it helped balance the Icewine and made the pairing complete. I would love to try this culinary creation at home!
The fourth and final stop of the day was at Peller Estates Winery, where at this time of the year they always seem to do Icewine Marshmallows paired with one their delicious Icewines. This year, Winery Chef and CityLine personality Jason Parsons is pairing his famous Icewine Marshmallows with Cabernet Franc Icewine. Although the Icewine is (always) delicious, this pairing is really about the experience, as you are outside on the patio, overlooking the vineyards amidst the cool air while roasting your own marshmallow over an open fire. This can be a somewhat messy experience, and you might smell like smoke afterwards, but it was a lot of indulgent fun! After the marshmallow & Icewine pairing, we headed inside for a private tasting of a few Peller Estates wines. Tip: Do any wine tastings first, then head outside to roast your marshmallow.
All in all, I was very satisfied with my first trip of the year to Niagara to celebrate Icewine Fest. Tasting notes of some of my favourite wines tasted on this day are posted below. The stop that was the overwhelming favourite was our visit to Hernder Estate Wines, where we sampled a variety of quality wines that were also very good value, including the Hernder Caluroso fortified wine that everyone brought home with them.
I also visited Niagara on the , the final weekend of Icewine Fest, and a full review from that day will be posted tomorrow is posted here. This lovely event runs every January and I am looking forward to attending again in 2019.
Tasting Notes:
HERNDER CABERNET FRANC ICEWINE 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (S) - $50.05
The medium-high intensity nose offers typical strawberry and rhubarb in a honeyed profile, followed by a touch interesting orange marmalade aromas. The pleasingly sweet aromas continue on the palate, which is a touch hot on the mid-palate. Acids are good, while the finish length is very good. Score: 89 pts
HERNDER CALUROSO - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (S) - $24.95
This fortified wine is highly aromatic on the nose with complex orange, burnt sugar, nutty, and caramel aromas. It's medium-dry (i.e. fairly sweet) on the medium-full bodied palate and very smooth, with a long, velvety smooth and nutty finish. Score: 89 pts
NIAGARA COLLEGE TEACHING WINERY DEAN'S LIST CHARDONNAY 2012 - VQA St. David's Bench, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#040659) (XD) - $23.15
This has a medium-high intensity nose of sweet vanillin oak with butter, baked apple and pear aromas. It's medium+ bodied with nice aroma replays and a toasty mid-palate. It has balanced acidity and very good length on the finish. Score: 88+ pts
NIAGARA COLLEGE TEACHING WINERY DEAN'S LIST MERITAGE 2012 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $25.15
This is a blend of 43% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot, and 27% Cabernet Sauvignon from the very good 2012 vintage. It has a medium-high intensity nose that is pretty with ripe blackberry, cherry, sweet oak spice, earth, cassis, and a hint of sweet herbs. On the medium-full bodied palate, it has smooth, fine tannins with some structure, while the acids are mouth-watering. Flavours offer curranty, earth, and forest floor notes. The finish length is excellent. Drink over the next 5 years. Score: 90+ pts
INNISKILLIN KLOSE VINEYARD RIESLING 2016 - VQA Niagara River, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (D) - $24.95
Single vineyard. Medium-high intensity nose has fine mineral, wet stone, Flintstones vitamins, lime citrus, honeyed peach, and herbal aromas. It's off-dry on the palate with light aroma replays, juicy acids, and good length on the finish. Score: 88 pts
INNISKILLIN VIDAL SPARKLING ICEWINE 2016 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#560367) (S) - (375 mL) - $80
Open, fragrant honeyed, apricot, lemon citrus aromas flow into the palate nicely with fine mousse and lemon tart and peach flavours joining the party. It's sweet, but very good acidity keeps things fresh and balanced. Excellent finish length. Nicely balanced overall. Score: 91 pts
INNISKILLIN VIDAL ICEWINE 2016 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#388306) (S) (375 mL) - $49.95
Medium+ intensity nose featuring apricot, honey and peach aromas. It has a voluptuous mouthfeel with honeyed melon flavours that are very sweet. Gentle acids offer some freshness, while the finish length is medium-long. Score: 89 pts
PELLER ESTATES SIGNATURE SERIES RIESLING ICEWINE 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (S) (375 mL) - $82.95
The medium-high intensity aromas offer ripe pineapple, lemon citrus, orange rind, and apricot notes. It's medium-full bodied with bright acids lifting the palate and very nice aroma replays. Excellent finish length. Score: 90 pts
PELLER ESTATES SIGNATURES SERIES VIDAL ICEWINE 2016 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (S) (200 mL) - $41.95
Medium-high intensity aromas featuring peach, honey, apricot and lemon citrus. It's full-bodied with balanced acids and a concentrated, voluptuous mouthfeel. Nice aromas replays, and very good length on the finish. Score: 89 pts
The fun-filled began at Vineland Estates Winery where we were given a guided tour of the property and facilities by David Hulley. The tour began on the patio over looking the prized Bo-Teek Vineyard with a gorgeous view of the Bench, and in the distance Lake Ontario, followed by a visit to the St. Urban Vineyard where some of Niagara's oldest Riesling vines (late '70's / early 80's) can be found. The winery is housed in picturesque structures that date back to the 1840's, including a former farmhouse, century barn, and a charming Carriage House. The tour concluded with a visit to the production facility, where I had the opportunity to get a closer look at their state-of-the-art optical sorting machine. This game changing machine accurately sorts up to 2,000 berries per second, separating lower quality grapes from the higher quality grapes. Vineland Estates is the only Canadian winery to have such technology.
Following the tour, we headed downstairs to the tank room to enjoy their Discovery Pass Experience, which featured a Beer and Cheddar Bisque paired with their 2016 Vineland Estates Cabernet Franc (#594127, $14.95, 88 pts). The soup was made using Shawn & Ed's LagerShed Beer and Cow's Creamery 2-year-old Cheddar. It was creamy, if a touch sour, but offered nice balance when paired with the wine. A comfort pairing perfect for cooler months. After the food and wine pairing, we went to the tasting room to taste through some wines from their delicious portfolio. Wine reviews of some of these wines, plus others tasted on this day are provided below.
The second stop of the day was at Megalomaniac Winery. The wine pairing here was the 2016 Megalomaniac Selfie (#453506, $17.95, 86 pts), an easy-drinking, off-dry blend of Chardonnay Musqué, Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling that paired very nicely with the small-proportioned Japanese-style buttermilk and panko-crusted chicken tenders, finished with a local freestone peach and ginger root glaze. The chicken tenders were very tasty, a little spicy, and when paired together with the off-dry white wine, the chicken tenders became even spicier and really enhanced the ginger flavours from the root glaze. A lively pairing that was really well done! Megalomaniac sits atop a hill, and relaxing on their outdoor patio while enjoying the view really enhanced the whole experience.
Our third stop of the day was at Pillitteri Estates Winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake, where they were celebrating Canada's 150th birthday by offering potato skins topped with ingredients from every province and territory in our great nation. With 13 ingredients making up this potato skin, you can bet there were going to be many flavours vying for your attention. Some of the ingredients included potatoes from Prince Edward Island (obviously), cheese from the three other Atlantic provinces, honey from Ontario, juniper berries from British Columbia, and Ox tail from the Yukon. Unfortunately, due to the complexity of this food item, and the fact that Pillitteri was very busy on this day, they weren't able to customize my potato skin. This led to me trying only a couple of bites before discarding it. Two wines were offered with this pairing - a choice of either the Pillitteri Gewurztraminer Riesling Fusion (#349126, $13.95) or the Pillitteri Cabernet Merlot ($20). I opted for the heartier Cab Merlot, thinking that it should go well with the starchy and complex, loaded potato skin. The Discovery Pass Experience was a bit of downer here for me, but I did get to taste some really special Icewines afterwards, which made the visit to Pillitteri worthwhile.
The fourth and final stop of the day was a very interesting one at Coyote’s Run Estate Winery. The culinary creation here was a farm-raised chicken, slow-cooked in a Jamaican jerk glaze and topped with Your Farm Gate’s fresh Ontario peach chutney, while served on a bed of basmati rice salad. Once again, two wines were offered - the 2016 Coyote's Run Lambert Vineyard Riesling ($19.95, 87 pts) and the 2015 Coyote's Run Estate Cabernet Franc ($24.95, 88 pts). However, here at Coyote's Run we were encouraged to try both wines with the food pairing to see how they fare. The Jerk chicken was mildly flavoured and not spicy, while the Riesling was bordering on off-dry, bringing out peach flavours from the chutney and wine. With the Cab Franc, the pairing became earthier and comforting, along with some of the jerk spice flavours becoming more prominent. While this pairing was quite interesting, our visit went to a whole other level after we met Assistant Winemaker Chris Protonentis. He was able to give us a quick tour of the facility before heading to the cellar for some barrel sampling of a few wines coming down the pipeline.
This was another fine day spent touring Niagara Wine Country during the annual Grape and Wine Festival. And just like on the first day, I was able to bring home recipes of some of the food items so we could try them at home. Get in touch with me if you would like a copy of any of the recipes.
Tasting Notes:
VINELAND ESTATES ELEVATION CHARDONNAY 2014 - Bo-Teek Vineyard, VQA Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#164459) (XD) - $25
The medium+ intensity aromas offer golden apple, pear, and butter notes with hints of hazelnut. It's medium-bodied on the somewhat creamy palate with balanced acids and nice aroma replays. The nutty finish has very good length. Score: 89 pts
VINELAND ESTATES ELEVATION ST. URBAN VINEYARD RIESLING 2008 - VQA Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#038117) (MD) - $30
The highly aromatic nose is showing some maturity, offering lemon citrus with whiffs of petrol and hints of minerality. It's medium-bodied and nicely textured on the palate with acids that are still quite lively. Off-dry flavour profile with lovely lemon/lime citrus, honeyed peach and floral flavours. Excellent finish length. Will easily age another 10 years. Score: 91 pts
VINELAND ESTATES CABERNET FRANC RESERVE 2012 - VQA Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $50
From a very good vintage, this has highly aromatic aromas of ripe blackberry, herbal, currant, cassis, mocha chocolate, and barnyard, all of which come through in appealing fashion on the medium+ bodied palate with smooth, refined tannins supported by very good, energetic acids. The smooth finish has excellent length. Score: 91+ pts
MEGALOMANIAC BESPOKE PINOT NOIR 2015 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $49.95
Highly aromatic on the nose with elegant candied cherry, floral, raspberry, baking spice, and hints of minerality aromas. Fine tannins are light on the light-bodied palate with pretty aroma replays plus some oak spice elements that are lifted by fresh, bright acids. There's some structure to the palate and it's very well balanced. Great tension between fruit and oak. The long finish is a touch bitter. Score: 90+ pts
MEGALOMANIAC BESPOKE MERLOT 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $59.95
The intense aromas reveal lovely forest red berry, dark cherry, mocha, forest floor aromas with hints of bay leaf and evergreen. On the medium-full bodied palate, this offers layers red and black forest fruits, chocolate, blackberry, cedar oak and some floral nuances. Medium-level tannins offer some structure and is balanced with fresh acids. Textured, classy, and long finishing. Age 3-4 years and drink to 2027. 91 pts
MEGALOMANIAC BESPOKE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2015 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $59.95
The medium-high intensity nose offers lush cassis, blackcurrant, and hints of olive, game and earthiness. The palate is full-bodied with smooth, silky, and structured tannins. It has very nice aroma replays, followed by an earthy mid-palate. Bright acids provide lift, and the finish is long and smooth. Drink or hold until 2027. Score: 91+ pts
PILLITTERI VIDAL RESERVE ICEWINE 2013 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (S) (375 mL) - $65
Fragrant and open with peach, apricot, lychee, orange citrus, honey and marmalade aromas. The palate is medium+ bodied and lush with delicate acids providing balanced freshness to complement the sweet aroma replays. The long finish is accented with some oak spice. Score: 91 pts
PILLITTERI GEWURZTRAMINER ICEWINE 2000 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (S) (200 mL) - $35
The medium-high intensity nose has a mature character, showing notes of molasses, burnt brown sugar, earth, and orange peel, in a slightly reductive style. It's medium-full bodied on the palate with smooth, silky, voluptuous and velvety mouthfeel with sweet, honeyed aroma replays. Palate still has some freshness. Excellent finish length. Such a treat to taste an Icewine at this age. Score: 90 pts
PILLITTERI CABERNET SAUVIGNON ICEWINE 2004 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (S) (375 mL) - $70
This has a medium-high intensity nose of dried cassis, dried red fruit and blackberry aromas. The palate is full bodied and sweet with raisiny, dried fig flavours lifted with very good acids, Long finishing with nice aroma replays. Score: 89 pts
COYOTE'S RUN ESTATE SYRAH 2015 - VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $34.95
From the red soil vineyard and matured for 18 months in an even split between Hungarian and French oak. The medium intensity nose seens closed, but offers complex glimpses of white pepper, meat, gamey, dark berry, earth, and savoury aromas. On the medium+ bodied palate, this offers crunchy tannins and very good acidity with balanced aroma replays that lean more towards fruit forward, with some savoury elements. The finish is long and clean. Very drinkable now, but I would age this for 2 years. Score: 89 pts
COYOTE'S RUN ESTATE SYRAH 2016 - VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $34.95
Barrel
sample. A mix of sweet and savoury bouquet with ripe dark berry, white
pepper, sweet oak spice, and gamey notes. It's full-bodied on the palate
with nice aroma replays. fresh acids, touch grippy tannins, and long
finishing. Score: 89+ pts
COYOTE'S RUN RED PAW VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2016 - VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#079228) (XD) - $35
Barrel sample. Aged on the lees. This has floral, cherry, and earth aromas and flavours. It's light-weighted on the palate with structured tannins that are a touch grippy. Clean acids and a balanced, long finish. Score: 89 pts
COYOTE'S RUN BLACK PAW VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2016 - VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#116442) (XD) - $35
Barrel sample. This has a medium-high intensity nose featuring dark fruit, dark berry, tea leaf, and mineral aromas. It's light-to-medium bodied with more dark berry and dark fruit flavours lifted by fresh acids. It has grippy tannins and a long finish. Needs at least a couple of years to come together. Score: 90 pts
Sunday, January 21, 2024
Blogarama
