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!
wine review is a lovely cool-climate Cabernet Franc from Prince Edward County that arrived at the LCBO more than three years ago as part of the LCBO VINTAGES Release.
It is produced by Karlo Estates, a winery located in Prince Edward Country, Ontario, that was co-founded by Sherry and her late husband Richard Karlo in 2005 after purchasing the property from the Stevenson family which had owned the family property since the early 1800s. Sherry and Karlo began planting vines in 2006 and today have 14 acres of vines planted across the 93 acre property.
This vegan-friendly Cabernet Franc was crafted by Derek Barnett, a former Winemaker of the Year and one of the top winemakers in Canada. He joined Karlo Estates in 2015 and this was the first year he had full control of the vintage from winegrowing, to harvest, and vinification. I spoke to Derek about this wine back in April 2017 - when I got to taste a barrel sample - and at the time he had mentioned that this was the best Cabernet Franc he had ever made
While this vintage is no longer available for purchase, the 2017 vintage is available through the winery with free shipping when you buy at least 6 bottles of any Karlo Estates wines.
I last enjoyed the 2015 Karlo Estates Cabernet Franc just over , and back in 2017 I commented that it should be enjoyed over the next 3-4 years, so, let's see how it is tasting tonight in 2021.
Tasting Note:
KARLO ESTATES CABERNET FRANC 2015 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (#524389) (XD) - $39.00 This vegan-friendly, wild-fermented Cabernet Franc was aged in barrel for 15 months. The fragrant nose offers a lovely, complex, and maturing nose of dried berry compote, spice, and savoury earthy aromas with touches of floral. On the light-to-medium bodied palate it has fine, tart, juicy acidity that frames the dark berry compote, sweet tobacco, earthy, savoury, and sandalwood spice flavours in a somewhat mature profile. Smooth, fine-grained tannins are fold into the wine very nicely, with some grip on the back palate. It's well-balanced throughout with savoury wet earth, tobacco, and maturing berry flavours on the long finish. In a lovely place right now and should continue to drink well over at least the next couple of years, and possibly longer. Score: 91 pts
wine review is the last bottle from a case I ordered through the VINI wine app.
Of course, the 2014 is no longer available for purchase, but a newer vintage of this delightful wine from Prince Edward County's Closson Chase arrived in LCBO VINTAGES in August.
CLOSSON CHASE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2014 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (#148866) (XD) - $28.95
Pours a mature medium yellow-gold colour. Medium-high aromatics offer mature waxy, lemon oil, and paraffin aromas with hints of oxidized and nutty notes. Gentle acids on the medium-full bodied palate deliver a fleshy mouthfeel. More mature, oxidized flavours mimic the nose, with some lemon citrus notes on the mid-palate. Long finishing with lemon oil and paraffin notes. Still appealing, but definitely on the way down. Drink now. Score: 89 pts
Of course, the 2014 was sold out a long time ago, while small quantities of the 2016 remain at the LCBO, and the 2017 should be available at Closson Chase Winery in Prince Edward County soon.
Tasting Note:
CLOSSON CHASE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2014 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (#148866) (XD) - $28.95
Pours a medium-yellow colour and offers lemon citrus, waxy, paraffin aromatics in a mature profile. The palate is medium-bodied and fairly complex with lovely mature waxy, paraffin, mealy, and lemon citrus flavours plus some butter and vanilla notes in the background. It is nicely textured with some chalkiness on the mid-palate. Balanced acidity. Lemon and waxy notes linger on the long finish. A high-quality, mature Chardonnay to drink soon. Score: 90 pts
Diving into my cellar, tonight's wine review is bottle #3 from a case I ordered in 2016 through VINI - a wine app that no longer seems to be available. This cool-climate Chardonnay was also came to LCBO VINTAGES this summer on July 8th.
The 2014 Closson Chase Vineyard Chardonnay was drinking exceptionally well when I opened a bottle back in July 2017. Fast forward to this year, I tasted this lovely wine at a trade tasting in the spring and it was showing considerable reductive qualities, albeit still quite pleasing. Let's see how this white wine from Closson Chase Winery - one of my favourite wineries in Prince Edward County, Ontario - is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
CLOSSON CHASE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2014 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (#148866) (XD) - $28.95
Pours a medium yellow gold. Subtle, reductive aromatics offer apple and pear notes, with layers of buttered popcorn, smoke, vanilla and hints of caramel coming through with air. It is elegant on the medium-bodied, maturing and complex palate, with cooked apple, smoke, butter, and pear flavours, along with some stony minerality and hints of lemon. Acids are still quite fresh and lift the palate. Very good length on the stony-lemony finish. A maturing wine to be enjoyed over the next year or so. Score: 90+ pts
Last , I visited Prince Edward County for the very first time. Winery visits occurred over two days, and while the in The County included only visits to two wineries, the featured visits to five wineries. All of the wineries on the second day were situated near the village of Hillier in Prince Edward County. I was very excited to taste the County minerality that the region is so well-known for.
The day began with heavy rains during the visit to Huff Estates. A quick run from the car to their modern, state-of-the-art facility that also includes an Inn, and I was inside their tasting room ready to taste the first wines of the day. One of the more interesting things I discovered here was a delicious Riesling "Verre de Vin" - a single glass of wine enclosed by screw cap in a clear container. Huff Estates is known as a premium, quality wine producer and the wine I was most looking forward to trying was their elegant South Bay Chardonnay, but unfortunately it was sold out. It also seemed like the harsh winters of 2014 and 2015, plus a frost in May 2015 hit them hard as the shelves seemed a little bare, with quite a few wines bearing the VQA Ontario appellation. The wines I did taste were very good, and since this post is focused on Prince Edward County wines, I can tell you that the Cuvée Peter F. Huff (reviewed below) is a lovely sparkling wine from The County. For those heading to Prince Edward County this summer, they have now added a wood-fired pizza oven to their restaurant.
The rains continued as we visited the second winery, Norman Hardie Winery and Vineyard. My research revealed that the pizza at Norman Hardie's is delicious, so we stopped here for lunch and enjoyed the wood-fired pizza inside among the barrels and tanks (instead of on the outdoor patio) because it was still raining. After lunch, I moved upstairs to the tasting bar and tasted some of Norm's latest wines. Once again, not many VQA Prince Edward County wines here as they were sold out, while newer vintages were not yet bottled. However, the quality of the wines I got to taste was very good, as expected.
Our third stop of the was at Stanners Vineyard, a small family vineyard and boutique winery that was started by Cliff and his son, Colin Stanner. As I headed inside through the side door of the homestead, I found winemaker Colin pouring his delicious wines at the tasting bar. Not many wines were available for tasting, but I was delighted to see mostly County fruit being poured. I tasted through the lineup and was really impressed with The County wines - a Pinot Gris and a pair of Pinot Noir wines.
I'd heard many good things about Lacey Estates, the fourth winery of the day, so we made an unplanned stop because we were driving along and it happened to be en route. On this day, they were pouring four wines, and only one was VQA Prince Edward County. However, as I learned, even though the some of the bottles were labelled as VQA Ontario, all of the wines contained 100% Prince Edward County fruit. I really liked a couple of wines, as they were quite delicious, but I had tasted these before. Since I visited at the end of a very busy season, they were sold out of most of their wines, but I do think they have some quality wines worth seeking out.
The last visit of the day was at Closson Chase Vineyards, one of Prince Edward County's wine industry pioneers. I've tasted many delicious wines from their portfolio over the years, but on this day I decided to try only their lineup of Pinot Noir wines. Closson Chase was one of the few wineries in Prince Edward County to use only County fruit in all of their wines that I tasted. The three Pinots I tasted on this day were all top-notch wines. This quality-driven winery, with winemaker Keith Tyers at the helm, produces fine wines across their range and is a must visit for any Pinot Noir or Chardonnay fan.
All-in-all, I was quite satisfied with my first ever visit to Prince Edward County while visiting 7 wineries. However, given that there are more than 40+ wineries in the region, and growing every year, another trip to The County is definitely in order. After years of procrastinating about visiting Prince Edward County for many years, I think I want to visit this up-and-coming wine region every year.
Tasting Notes:
HUFF ESTATES CUVÉE PETER F. HUFF 2011 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (#198754) (XD) - $40
A sparkling wine made with 65% Chardonnay and 35% Pinot Noir, this has terrific aromatic intensity with lemon curd, brioche, and pastry aromas in a honeyed profile. It's medium-full bodied with honeyed lemon, grapefruit, and ginger flavours that are lifted by crisp, lively acids. Mousse is very fine and well-balanced. Off-dry flavours linger on the long finish. Score: 91 pts
HUFF ESTATES SOUTH BAY MERLOT 2015 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $35
This Merlot spent 20 months in French oak, and it shows with oak-driven, bretty, tobacco, cigar leaf notes sitting atop blackberry and dark fruit aromas of medium+ intensity. On the palate it's medium-full bodied with grippy tannins. It has dark fruits, blackberry, earth, and forest floor flavours along with hints of cola and brambly fruit. It has very good acidity and a long finish. Age this 3+ years and drink to 2024. Score: 88 pts
NORMAN HARDIE RIESLING 2016 - VQA Ontario, Canada (#131169) (D) - $21
The medium+ intensity nose is fresh with citrus, lemon/lime, orange and peach aromas. It's medium-bodied on the palate with very good acids and nice aroma replays and touches of beeswax and honeysuckle. There's a nice mineral note throughout. Off-dry and very good length on the finish. Score: 89 pts
NORMAN HARDIE CALCAIRE 2016 - VQA Ontario, Canada (XD) - $23
With grapes sourced from both Prince Edward County and Niagara, this is a blend of nearly 50/50 Riesling and Chardonnay, plus minute amounts of Pinot Gris, that was co-fermented on the lees. It has elegant, medium-high intensity aromas of orange, lemon citrus, mineral and white peach that also shows up in appealing fashion on the dry palate with a chalky texture. Delicate acids. Nice mineral aftertaste on the long finish. Score: 89 pts
NORMAN HARDIE COUNTY CABERNET FRANC 2015 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $29
Highly aromatic and ripe with herbaceous, dark currant, dark berry, blackberry aromas along with leafy, barnyard and oak nuances forming the complex aroma profile. The palate is medium-bodied with very nice, complex aroma replays surrounded by chalky, drying tannins. Acids are clean and well-balanced, while the finish is long and juicy. Score: 90 pts
STANNERS PINOT GRIS CUIVRÉ 2016 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $28
Bottled just three weeks prior to my visit, this has pretty tropical fruit, melon, floral, and orange blossom aromas that continue very nicely on the palate. It's dry, focused, well-balanced and has fresh, vibrant acids. Finish length is very good. Score: 90 pts
STANNERS PINOT NOIR 2015 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (#490359) (XD) - $35
Released two months ago, this has a complex medium intensity nose of cherry, currant, raspberry with hints of tea leaf, earth and mushroom. It's light-weighted with smooth, fine tannins and flavours of currant, cherry, beetroot and earth. It has energetic acids and a long, curranty finish. Score: 90 pts
STANNERS BARREL SELECT PINOT NOIR 2014 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $39
This has a medium-high intensity nose with earthy, cherry, strawberry, beetroot, and whiffs of herbal leaf and limestone minerality, all of which show up on the nicely balanced palate. The smooth, refined tannins have some structure, while the acids are bright and the finish is long and juicy. Age this another year and drink to 2022. Score: 90+ pts
LACEY CABERNET FRANC 2012 - VQA Ontario, Canada (XD) - $32
Medium-high intensity and complex aromas of dark currant, herbally, blackberry, tobacco leaf, and smoke. It has bright acids on a medium-full bodied palate with very nice aroma replays and tannins that are a touch grippy. Pleasantly savoury on the mid-palate, while the finish is earthy with very good length. Drink over the next 3-4 years. Score: 90 pts
LACEY DORLAND RESERVE 2012 - VQA Ontario, Canada (XD) - $32
A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Cabernet Franc, this has a medium+ intensity nose of cassis, currants, red & black fruits, cedar oak, and a whiff or dried fruit. It's full-bodied with olive and aroma replays, chalky tannins, and bright acids. Very good finish length. Score: 88 pts
CLOSSON CHASE HILLIER PINOT NOIR 2013 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $24.95
Colour turning garnet orange. Highly aromatic and complex with cherry liqueur, oak spice, nutmeg and beet root aromas. It's medium+ bodied with very nice beetroot and cherry dominant aroma replays. Tannins are silky smooth. Still has bright acids. The finish length is excellent. This is showing some maturity, but should continue to drink well over the next few years. Score: 90+ pts
CLOSSON CHASE VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2014 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (#145888) (XD) - $29.95
The nose is highly aromatic and fragrant with cherry, strawberry, beetroot and freshly tilled earth notes. On the medium-bodied palate, it has very nice aroma replays that are nicely balanced and lifted by fresh acids. It has fine tannins and a very long finish with lingering currant, cherry, raspberry notes with hints of oak spice. Enjoy over the next 3-4 years. Score: 90+ pts
CLOSSON CHASE CHURCHSIDE PINOT NOIR 2014 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $39.95
This is a dark Pinot with a highly aromatic nose of dark berries, blackberry, complex oak spices, tea leaf and earthy forest floor nuances that continue on the palate with great complexity. It's medium-full bodied on the palate with supple, crunchy tannins that have some grip and partnered with juicy acids. The lengthy finish ends with earthy-minerally nuances. Drink to 2024. Score: 91 pts
During long weekend in October, after many years of procrastinating, I finally managed to get out to Prince Edward County for the first time - ever!
Prince Edward County (a.k.a. The County) is located along the northern shores of Lake Ontario, west of Kingston. Tastings were spread out over two days. Since we were returning from a mini-vacation in Ottawa, I was able to visit only two wineries near the Village of Milford on the first day.
The first stop on was Long Dog Vineyard & Winery - owner of the oldest Chardonnay & Pinot Noir vines in The County, with the oldest vines planted in 1999. I had the pleasure to speak with owner and winemaker James Lahti, who took us into the production facility (a large shed) where all the action happens, including an opportunity to see Pinot Noir grapes undergoing fermentation - fascinating! The next stop was the barrel room where various wines were being aged in French oak. We were able to taste a few barrel samples of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir - all of which seemed to be coming along quite nicely. We then went to the tasting room to taste through Long Dog's current offering. I thought his Pinot Noir wines were outstanding, as each offered something different. Wine reviews of my favourite wines at Long Dog are posted below.
The second stop was a visit to Lighthall Vineyards to see Glenn Symons and taste a few of his very limited production, quality wines. As I found out when I arrived, production is very limited and wines sell out quickly, as there were only two wines available for tasting, with the four or five other wines sold out. Both of the wines I did try were delicious. Of course, I was disappointed at the lack of availability of the other wines. On the plus side, I also got to taste some of their delicious cheese that they make on-site. Lighthall is Canada's first wine and cheese producer that makes both under the same roof. A return to Lighthall will be necessary, and contacting the winery ahead of time to see what's available is highly recommended.
At the suggestion of the June Motel - a lovely, wine-themed motel located in Picton, Ontario, where we spent the night and that I would recommend in a heartbeat - we had dinner at Parsons Brewing Company as well as enjoyed a beer tasting flight. Besides the tasty craft beer and delicious, home-style cooked meal, this brewery/restaurant is ideal for those with young children as there is a playground on-site where kids can go and play while the adults enjoy their food & beverage.
After we checked out of "The June" the following day - we will definitely come back, without the kids - we began another day full of wine tastings. A full review of activities will be posted shortly is now posted here.
Wine reviews of my favourite wines are posted below. To order any of the wines from Long Dog or Lighthall, please contact the winery directly.
Tasting Notes:
LONG DOG BARREL SELECT PINOT NOIR 2011 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $20
Medium-high intensity aromatics are mature in nature with earthy, cherry, strawberry, beet root and baking spice aromas and flavours. It's light-bodied with smooth, fine tannins that are integrated very well. Acids are still quite lively. Whiffs of mineral on the mid-palate and lingers on the long finish. Fine, mature Pinot that will continue to drink well for a few more years. Score: 90 pts
LONG DOG TOP DOG PINOT NOIR 2012 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $26
From a hot vintage, this has ripe and perfumed cherry liqueur, strawberry, and oak spice aromas of medium intensity. It's medium-bodied on the palate with crunchy tannins that have some grip and nice aroma replays on the flavour profile. There's some warmth mid-palate, but is balanced by the concentrated fruit. Long finish. Enjoy with turkey over the next 5-6 years. Score: 89 pts
LONG DOG THE OTTO PINOT NOIR 2013 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $32
Made only in the best years, this has a lovely, intense red-fruited nose of cherry, raspberry, and strawberry, along with earth and oak spice aromas. It's elegant and focused, with very nice aroma replays on the medium-bodied palate with some creaminess mid-palate. It has clean, balanced acids and fine, structured tannins. Finish length is excellent. Will age gracefully for 6-8 years. Score: 91 pts
LIGHTHALL PROGRESSION SPARKLING 2016 - VQA Ontario, Canada (#468090) (D) - $20
From Vidal grapes on the Lighthall property in Prince Edward County and made using the Charmat method, this is quite fragrant with lemon/lime, pear, white peach and floral aromas. It's medium-bodied with a light mousse and off-dry aroma replays led by citrus and tropical fruits. The finish length is very good. Score: 88 pts
LIGHTHALL RAMIREZ CHARDONNAY 2016 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $30
From the Ramirez Vineyard in Hillier, this has medium-high intensity aromas featuring pear, apple, and subtle vanilla oak nuances. The medium-bodied palate is creamy with nice aroma replays. Clean acids are slightly tart, but otherwise well-balanced. Touches of mineral on the medium-long finish. Score: 88 pts
TRY & BUY many of Prince Edward County's most spectacular wines, while they are available in Toronto for one night only! At the 7th annual County in the City, presented by WineAlign, samples of more than 70 different wines will delight the palates of guests and introduce them to some of the most enticing flavours of Prince Edward County - Ontario’s hottest growing wine region.
Receive FREE DELIVERY on orders of 12 bottles or more. $10 delivery for minimum 6 bottle orders.
I have personally attended this event every year and can tell you firsthand that the delicious wines have been getting better every year, and some are downright excellent. As such, I am pleased to have the opportunity to give away two (2) pairs of tickets to this fabulous try & buy wine tasting!
Participating Wineries & Vendors:
Broken Stone Winery, By Chadsey's Cairns Winery, Casa Dea Winery, Closson Chase Winery, Grange of Prince Edward Winery, Hillier Creek Estates, Huff Estates Winery, Karlo Estates, Keint-He Winery and Vineyard, Lacey Estates Winery, Lighthall Vineyards, Norman Hardie Winery & Vineyard, Rosehall Run Winery, Sandbanks Estate Winery, Stanners Vineyard, Trail Estate Winery, Traynor Family Vineyard, Kinsip House of Fine Spirits, and Cured Spice Co.
Event Details:
County in the City presented by WineAlign
Where: Berkeley Church - 315 Queen Street East, Toronto, Ontario
When: from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Tickets are $49 in advance and include all wine samples plus two food items.
($60 at the door - subject to availability) BUY TICKETS NOW
This is a Beck Taxi sponsored event. Beck Taxis will be on hand to get you home safe. Please drink responsibly.
Contest:
Here's your chance to WIN a pair of tickets to County in the City presented by WineAlign. Two (2) winners will be announced! Each winner will receive one (1) pair of tickets valued at $98 per pair.
wine review is this lovely Karlo Estates Cabernet Franc from Prince Edward County that was made by the renowned winemaker Derek Barnett, formerly of Lailey Winery. This Ontario Cab Franc is available at the LCBO and included as part of the VINTAGES Release. It is available only at Flagship Store locations and in very limited quantities. It is also sold out at the winery.
The fascinating history of Karlo Estates begins in the late 1700's, when Peter Van Alstine, a British Loyalist Officer, was given acreage of the land in Prince Edward County by the King of England after the American Civil War. Peter is most famous for building the Glenora Ferry which has been operating now for over 200 years. He was also the first individual to "officially own" the land where Karlo Estates exists today.
In the early 1800's, the land was transferred to the Stevenson family. They built the first homestead on the land, which can still be seen on Danforth Road just east of their carriage house. I was in The County in October, but missed visiting Karlo Estates (didn't have enough time) - but I will be sure to check this out on my next visit to this exciting wine region.
Sherry co-founded the winery with her late husband Richard Karlo after purchasing the property from the Stevenson family in 2005. The property consists of 93 acres, with 14 acres planted to vines beginning in 2006.
The talented Derek Barnett became winemaker at Karlo Estates in 2015. This Cabernet Franc is the first vintage where he had full control - from winegrowing, to harvest, and vinification. He has said this is the best Cabernet Franc he has ever made. I tasted a barrel sample of this lovely wine back in , so I am curious to see how it has developed with a further 8 months under its belt.
Tasting Note:
KARLO CABERNET FRANC 2015 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (#524389) (XD) - $39.00
Wild fermented with indigenous yeast and aged approximately 15 months in barrel. Vegan certified. Earthy cherry and black plum aromas from the cork. This is a nice, cool-climate Cabernet Franc showing richly dark fruited aromas with lovely cigar box, earth, black plum, and sandalwood aromas with minimal herbally notes of medium+ intensity and opens up quite nicely with air. It's light-to-medium bodied on the palate with vibrant, juicy acids and a touch warming on the mid-palate. Cran-cherry-raspberry flavours mingle with sandalwood, earth, and touches of currant and minerals. Tannins could use another year or so to soften. Nice cigar box and curranty-cherry notes linger on the long finish. I really like the fine cigar box notes found throughout - very compelling! Enjoy over the next 3-4 years. Score: 90 pts
red wine was acquired at Long Dog Winery during my , and first ever, visit to Prince Edward County (a full report from this trip is coming!)
I had not even heard of this winery until I had mentioned to Lynn Abernethy a few days prior that I was heading to The County. She highly a recommended a visit to Long Dog and I was very happy that I took her advice.
The story of Long Dog Winery began in 1997 when James and his wife, Victoria, purchased a 300 acre farm just outside of Milford at the suggestion of their friend Steven. James noticed only a few small vineyards were planted about the property, and being a wine lover himself, he decided to investigate further. Further research and consultations determined that patches of "terroir" on the property were very similar to those of Burgundy, leading to the decision to plant 1,200 vines of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in 1999. These vines are now the oldest in Prince Edward County and the first vintage was created in 2002. The name "Long Dog" comes from Victoria's history as she grew up with dachshunds.
Tasting Note:
LONG DOG THE OTTO PINOT NOIR 2013 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $32
Named after the wire-haired dachshund given to Victoria by her husband James for her 30th birthday. Otto later died in 1998 and his ashes were buried under the first Pinot Noir vine planted in 1998. Faint notes of cherry, earth and oak spice from the cork. Slowly opens with elegant and pretty nose featuring oak spices and nutmeg, followed by cherry and strawberry, and a whiff of earth. Quite fragrant with time in the glass. On the palate, it's light-to-midweighted with fine tannins that offer some structure and lifted by lively acids. Notes of beetroot, forest floor, nutmeg, dark cherry, and minerality linger on the long finish. There's also a touch of black tea adding to the complexity on the palate. Lovely 100% County Pinot to enjoy over the next 3-4 years. Contact winery to order. Score: 91 pts
This delicious wine can be found at the LCBO, with good inventory levels throughout Ontario, as it was released earlier this month as part of the VINTAGES Release.
Tasting Note:
CLOSSON CHASE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2014 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (#148866) (XD) - $28.95
Some tropical fruit, citrus and grapefruit aromas from the cork. Aromas are open and fragrant in the glass, offering smoky buttered popcorn and golden apple with very good intensity. It is medium+ bodied, lean more fruit-forward on the palate with golden apple and lemon peel flavours leading the way, with nicely integrated oak and a hint of minerality. Acids are clean and nicely balanced. Excellent finish length with some mineral notes. A lean, elegant, and classy wine to enjoy over the next 2-3 years with rich seafood dishes. So good! Highly recommended. Score: 92 pts
The 6th Annual “County in the City” presented by WineAlign takes place on at Berkeley Church (Toronto). Sample more than 70 wines from at least 15 wineries from Prince Edward County (PEC) - a wine region located about 2 hours east of Toronto. I have personally attended this event since its inception back in 2012 and the wines have continued to get better and better every year. The region of PEC continues to grow as the vines mature, while the winemakers continue to gain knowledge and experience of working in The County.
Many of the wines showcased at this event are not available at retail wine outlets in the GTA, so you are strongly encouraged to take part in the “Try and Buy” program available on-site.
Participating Wineries & Partners:
Huff Estates Winery, Norman Hardie Winery & Vineyard, Rosehall Run Winery, Sandbanks Estate Winery, Light Hall Vineyards, Grange of Prince Edward County Vineyards & Estate Winery, Kent-He Winery & Vineyard, Casa Dea Estates Winery, Closson Chase Vineyards, Lacey Estates Winery, Waupoos Estates Winery, Stanners Vineyard, Trail Estate Winery, Threedog Winery, Karlo Estates, Kinsip Distillers, Cured Smokehouse, Prince Edward County Winegrowers Association, Visit the County and more!
Event Details:
County in the City presented by WineAlign
Where: Berkeley Church - 315 Queen Street East, Toronto, Ontario
When: from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
wine is currently only available at the winery, but is slated to arrive in LCBO VINTAGES on .
Closson Chase was founded in 1998 and since the beginning has been a quality-driven winery that helped spearhead the birth of the Prince Edward County wine industry. In 2002, the century-old dairy barn where the winery is located was renovated to house the current tasting bar and processing area.
The winery uses traditional European techniques to produce their world-class wines in a sustainable and innovative fashion. In 2007, the winery began using its state-of-the-art gravity-fed processing facility and barrel cellars. Fine wines are crafted to reflect the vintage, while capturing the distinct qualities of the soil and climatic variations of the year.
I've tasted quite a few of their wines over the years and they definitely have a quality portfolio that delivers year-after-year. One of these days, I will have to make a trip out to The County (it's just over 2 hours east of Toronto) to visit Closson Chase and other fabulous wineries. In the meantime, you can order this wine online from their website.
Tasting Note:
CLOSSON CHASE VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2014 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (#145888) (XD) - $29.95
Only 690 cases produced and fermenting/ageing occurred in French oak, 10% new. Mushroomy funk aromas from the cork. Highly aromatic on the nose with sour cherry, raspberry, wet earth, mushroom, beetroot, and gentle smoky oak spice. It's light-bodied with nice aromatic complexity showing up on the palate, plus some cranberry notes, framed by refreshing acids. Tannins are light and refined. Long, juicy finish. Gains some structure with air along with some appealing tea leaf notes. Very nice! Enjoy over the next couple of years. Score: 90 pts
wine to ring in the is this wonderful Prince Edward County Chardonnay that I recently ordered through the VINI wine app that's available for iOS and Android. The selection of wines available in the app is rather small, but features high-quality wines that are somewhat hard to find. At the time of this post, I see there is a good list of wines from Ontario and the rest of the globe. The app was easy-to-use and placing an order was quick and seamless; the wine also arrived in short order.
This Ontario Chardonnay wine was released into VINTAGES on , and is not surprisingly sold out at the LCBO. However, it is still available through VINI. Since I have a case of this yummy white wine, I'll be very curious to see how it develops over the next few years. I'll be posting tasting notes as each bottle gets opened, so keep an eye out on this blog to see how this Chardonnay matures and changes over time.
Tasting Note:
CLOSSON CHASE VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2014 - VQA Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada (#148866) (XD) - $28.95
Subtle vanilla-honey aromatics from the noticeably short cork. Medium-high aromatics on the nose with smoky buttered popcorn, lemon, apple, vanilla and a touch reductive. Complex aroma replays on the smooth, medium-bodied palate, and slightly nutty and mineral notes, Juicy, well-balanced acids and a nice mineral texture. The finish is long and fine with hints of coffee flavours. Score: 91 pts
The VINTAGES Release will be on LCBO shelves this and features wines trending upwards as its main theme, while the secondary theme is a small selection of German wines. The local feature has a fine selection of wines from Prince Edward County.
We'll begin with the trendy wine feature. Only 1 of the 17 wines listed in this thematic is included in my wine picks. It is the refreshing Vermentino from Sardinia that has just a kiss of sweetness - ideal for the remaining hot days of August.
The tiny German feature lists only 5 wines. However, 2 are included among my wine picks. Both of my German Riesling recommendations are on the sweeter side, with the Schloss Schönborn being sweeter than the Thörle Riesling. If you're a Riesling fan, you should pick up both of these.
In the Local Talent feature, Price Edward County is the theme and offers an excellent (albeit mini) glimpse into the region with 4 wines listed. Three of the wines are included in my wine picks - Norm Hardie's Pinot Noir, the Closson Chase Chardonnay, and a sparkling wine from Lighthall Vineyards. The sparkling wine is designated VQA Ontario, but, in fact, all the fruit (100% Vidal) is sourced from their own vineyards in The County.
From the rest of the release, the Old Vines Spanish red is a blend of Garnacha from 70+ year old vines, plus 15% Syrah, while the Rigoleto Tuscan red is a blend of 70% Sangiovese, 15% Ciliegiolo, and 15% Montepulciano. The Portuguese red wine is an unoaked blend of Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinto Cão, and Touriga Nacional and comes from an estate whose story goes back more than 250 years. The mature 2005 Ontañón Gran Reserva is mostly Tempranillo with 5% Graciano added. Lastly, the Zuccardi Malbec is an interesting wine in that it was entirely fermented and aged in concrete tanks to showcase the fruit, and only available at Flagship Stores (FSE).
In white wines, the Burgundian wines are all Chardonnays above $20. The Italian white wines are under $20 and include the Soave, which is an organic wine made with 100% Garganega, a Greco from Campania, and the aforementioned Vermentino. There is also the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.
Lastly, the dry rosé wine from Rhône is a blend of mostly Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault.
Enjoy my wine picks from this release! Prost!
Red Wine:
CELLER DE CAPÇANES MAS DONÍS BARRICA OLD VINES 2014 - DO Montsant, Spain (#705863) (XD) - $17.95
Friday, January 15, 2021
Blogarama
