Providing a Unique & Affordable Selection of High Quality Red Wines and White Wines for Your Enjoyment. Also featured: Rosé, Port, Icewine, Champagne and Sparkling Wine for Special Occasions. Cheers!
The Niagara Icewine Festival is around the corner and I have begun planning my next visit to Niagara in January, as should you. The 2016 Xerox Icewine Gala marks the 21st regional celebration of the truly Canadian icon: Icewine.
What began as a gala event has evolved into three weekends of globally sought after Icewine experiences. From stunning formal affairs to outdoor ice village settings to wineries setting the stage with incredible culinary and Icewine delights - Niagara is the place to explore your senses, as I have done each of the past 4 years as you will see from my reviews in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.
Taste the best in culinary and wine, as noted Niagara chefs prepare Icewine-infused delights or create the ultimate Icewine pairing
Feel the cold on your cheeks as you stand amidst Icewine vines and learn how Icewine is produced
Gaze at the beauty that surrounds you as you follow the famed wine route as it threads its way from the Niagara Escarpment to the Niagara River
Smell the rich honey and peach undertones of a perfectly balanced Icewine, followed by a savoury morsel that is equally mouthwatering
Listen to the storytellers at our wineries as they share their memories of an Icewine Harvest
The Xerox Icewine Gala on is Niagara’s hottest wine and culinary ticket, as the Fallsview Casino Resort Grand Hall is transformed into an evening of luxury and opulence. Live entertainment, dancing and an evening of the best wine and food Niagara has to offer, sets the tone for a weekend to remember.
Follow up the Icewine Gala with the Discovery Pass presented by Outlet Collection At Niagara and explore the wintry landscape along the Niagara wine route. This ever popular tasting program runs Fridays through Sundays for three weekends beginning January 15th. Use your pass to experience eight (8) wine and culinary pairings from over 35 incredible wineries. From hearty chilis and savoury soups to sweet treats paired with VQA Icewines and table wines - the experiences are sweet, savoury and spicy.
New for 2016, we celebrate Winterfest in Downtown St. Catharines partnering with the popular Downtown D’Lish: the newest addition to the famed wine route in St. Catharines. Here you will discover a burgeoning culinary scene highlighting the bounty of Niagara. From to , partnering restaurants in The Heart of Niagara will be offering culinary creations and libations inspired by Icewine.
On , I had the pleasure of visiting Niagara to sample a variety of food and wines as part of the Discovery Pass Experience and to celebrate the 64th Annual Niagara Wine Festival that takes place every September.
Our tour began at Rancourt Winery for a delicious pairing of lobster bisque and their buttery 2013 Chardonnay Reserve. After fetching our pairing, we headed out to the patio where the sun was shining bright. The bisque was thick, rich and creamy with some chunks of lobster, along with potato adding texture and mild pepper spice for flavouring. Some of the Chardonnay Reserve was also added to the bisque, while it was topped with white chocolate shavings. The bisque was quite delicious and paired well with the Chardonnay, with bisque and wine flavours complementing each other, and the bright acidity cutting into creamy soup very effectively for a balanced pairing. The portion size was also just right.
The next stop on our tour was somewhat unplanned. A week earlier I attended The Beer Experience and tasted some amazing local craft beer. At that event I met the sales rep from Niagara Oast House Brewers and he highly encouraged me to come to the brewery to taste their flagship Saison beer which remind many of carbonated wine. Since we were only a few minutes away from Niagara Oast House Brewers, we headed over and tasted a flight of beer, including the Saison.
The Saison was tasty and did remind me of wine with it's black pepper and citrus flavours. More vividly, it brought up images of a white Shiraz. I also enjoyed the "Local Hopton IPA" that's made from fresh 100% Niagara-grown hops that are harvested the same day; it's a bitter, hoppy beer very much in the style of an IPA. My favourite beer was their seasonal Country Bumpkin - a fall harvest ale with strong pumpkin pie spice flavours. It smelled and tasted so great that I couldn't resist buying some in the only format available - a growler. Made fresh in small batches without preservatives, the Country Bumpkin needed to be opened within a few days and finished within 48 hours before it starts to lose its freshness. Besides restaurants, most of their beers are only available at the brewery.
Back to wine, our next stop was up the road to Diamond Estates - The Winery for a potato-filled vegetable samosa paired with their FRESH Sparkling Rosé 2012 ($14.95, #341347, 85 pts) and Lakeview Cellars Syrah Rosé 2012 ($16.95, #347450, 87 pts). The samosa had mild chutney drizzled on top and added some sweet & spicy flavours. The FRESH Sparkling Rosé is a dry (i.e. not sweet) Pinot Noir based blend with tart/sour flavours of strawberry, bing cherry, red fruit and olive but lacked the acidity and sweetness to pair well with the samosa. Meanwhile, the dry Lakeview Syrah Rosé contains 8.5% Moscato and 1.5% Auxerrois features bright acids and strawberry, currant, and peppery notes that not only made it enjoyable to sip on its own, but also paired quite well with the samosa.
I also took a quick tour through the facilities where I shown the massive loading dock where the grapes arrive on trucks and get weighed prior to being brought into the warehouse for sorting and fermentation. Since it was a Saturday, it was pretty quiet, but you get the feeling that this is quite the operation on a weekday during harvest. Once inside you are immediately greeted with row-upon-row of 84,000 Litre stainless tanks (over 2 storeys high) used for fermentation - easily the largest tanks I have ever seen! As we moved further into the massive facility, we stood on a platform used for the Cellar Floor Experience and from this vantage point we had a very nice view of the production area that featured over 800 barrels, including several large Slovenian oak barrels, as well as more smaller tanks. Overall, I was quite impressed with one of the largest winemaking facilities in Niagara.
The tasting room was abuzz at Diamond Estates, so I didn't get a chance to taste everything I wanted, but I did taste 3 very good red wines from Lakeview Cellars, one of the many wine brands of Diamond Estates. Wine reviews are provided below.
Our third wine pairing of the day ending up being a bit of dud due to the fact the arancini prepared by Chef Lorenzo of Cucina A Go-Go contained veal - something that was not mentioned during the planning phase and no one in my group eats. What was most disappointing was the lack of a vegetarian option. I've been a fan of 13th Street Winery for many years, but this was my first visit to the winery, so, instead we ended up tasting a few delicious wines, including the Gamay that was part of the wine pairing. I also tasted some delicious aged cheddar cheese and visited the on-site bakery.
The final stop of the day was at Rockway Vineyards for a wine poached pear topped with a spicy cream and pecan that was paired with their 2013 Rockway Vineyards Late Harvest Vidal ($15.95, #413617, 86 pts). Neither the poached pear or the wine were very sweet, however, the sweetness from the Late Harvest wine did tame the spicy kick that resided in the cream. It was a balanced pairing that worked well together.
My "take away" from this trip was the rather impressive display of Syrah in Niagara. I don't ever recall tasting and enjoying as many Syrah on any prior trip to Niagara as I did on this visit. The Syrah star in Niagara is definitely on the rise and one to look out for as time moves along.
Tasting Notes:
RANCOURT CHARDONNAY RESERVE 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $23
Rich and buttery with toasty vanilla and hints of butterscotch aromas of medium+ intensity. The medium+ bodied palate offered butterscotch-led aroma replays with a hint of caramel. It has bright and lengthy finish. Score: 88+ pts
RANCOURT SYRAH 2012 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $30
After spending 2 years in new French oak, this has medium+ intensity aromas of black pepper and peppercorn followed by some plum and black cherry notes. It's medium-bodied on the palate with a viscous/glycerin-like mouthfeel and slightly herbally, red & blue fruit flavour profile. It has good acidity and finishes long. Score: 87-88 pts
LAKEVIEW CELLARS MERLOT RESERVE 2010 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#002157) (XD) - $29.95
Medium+ intensity nose with dried fruit, cherry, cocoa, milk chocolate and sweet spices that replay on the palate. Medium-bodied on the palate with rounded tannins, good acids and slightly sour on the long finish. Score: 88 pts
LAKEVIEW CELLARS SYRAH 2012 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $24.95
Medium intensity nose featuring black olive and white pepper notes. Palate is medium+ bodied with integrated tannins, aroma replays with a hint of green pepper. Fresh acids, some bitterness mid-palate, and good length on the finish. Score: 87 pts
LAKEVIEW CELLARS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012 - VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada (#438390) (XD) - $29.95
Medium intensity aromas that show meaty, cassis, black pepper, and sandalwood that echo nicely on the medium-to-full bodied palate. It has very good acidity and excellent length on the finish. A nice effort from a formidable vintage. Drinking well now and should improve in 1-2 years. Score: 88 pts
13TH STREET GAMAY NOIR 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#177824) (D) - $19.95
Savoury medium intensity nose with meat, charcuterie, dark berry, smoke and beet aromas. It's light-to-medium bodied with red cherry and earthy flavours on the palate, low in tannin, fresh acids and medium-to-long finish. Score: 88 pts
13TH STREET JUNE'S VINEYARD RIESLING 2013 - VQA Creek Shores, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#147512) (D) - $19.95
Medium-to-high aromatics showing a somewhat mature nose of petrol along with peach, apricot, and hints of melon. It's medium-bodied with off-dry flavours of orange, peach and lime. It has very good acidity and a chalky, medium-to-long finish. Score: 89 pts
13TH STREET ESSENCE SYRAH 2012 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $44.95
Aromas of medium-to-high intensity showing very nice blackberry, black pepper, wild herb, smoked meat and spices that echo very nicely on the full-bodied palate. The acids are mouth-watering, while the finish length is excellent. Score: 90 pts
ROCKWAY VINEYARDS MERITAGE 2012 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (#388264) (D) - $19.95
Medium-to-high intensity aromas that is quite complex with smoky, meaty, dusty cocoa, milk chocolate, wild herb, sage and peppery flavours that all make appearance on the medium-bodied palate. It's got fresh acids and shows good balance. Finishes long. Slightly taut tannins should soften and be better in 1-2 years. Score: 88 pts
ROCKWAY VINEYARDS SMALL LOT BLOCK 12-140 SYRAH 2012 - VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (XD) - $29.95
Medium+ intensity aromas of wild blueberry, meaty, white pepper and spices that intermingle pleasantly on the full-bodied palate. Very good acidity and finishing long with bitter chocolate flavours. Score: 90 pts
ROCKWAY VINEYARDS VIDAL ICEWINE 2013 - VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada (S) (750 mL) - $29.95
Highly aromatic nose featuring peach and apricot notes that replay very nicely on the light-to-medium bodied palate. It's sweet with a slightly chalky mouthfeel. Acids are bright. Finishes long with hints of pineapple, mango and lemon preserve. Very enjoyable. Score: 90 pts
Even though Aglianico is one of the my favourite indigenous varietals from Italy, this is the first Aglianico I've opened at home since I started blogging in 2011.
Tasting Note:
TERREDORA AGLIANICO 2010 - IGT Campania, Italy (#602284) (XD) - $16.95
Black licorice, sandalwood and wild herb aromas from the cork. Dried flower, woodsy nose of medium+ intensity with some herbal and dried red fruit aromas. On the medium-to-full bodied palate it has herbal, cassis, and black cherry flavours with a hint of leather. Acids are mouth-watering, while tannins are integrated very well. Juicy, with some tannic grip on the long finish. Still has good structure to age a couple more years, but drinking great right now! Score: 89 pts
I was offered the opportunity to taste a liqueur that was just released at the LCBO - just in time for the holiday season.
The CHANTILLY French Cream is a cream liqueur that's made using all natural ingredients using a proprietary process that creates a lighter, smoother cream liqueur. It is made using fresh dairy cream, organic sugar and only natural flavours, without the use of any preservatives. Furthermore, it is blended by hand in small batches.
Normally, I don't comment on packaging, but this alcoholic beverage (17% abv) comes in a classy opaque black bottle that evokes images of French luxury. I thought for sure this was a very expensive imported product. However, after looking more closely, I discovered that it is made locally by Maverick Distillery in Oakville, Ontario - the makers of TAG Vodka.
Tasting Note:
CHANTILLY FRENCH CREAM - Ontario, Canada (#424044) (750 mL) - $29.95
Yummy notes of marzipan, almond, vanilla, maple, and dark rum on a light, creamy palate. Lasting, milky finish. Personally, I would enjoy this over ice as its great on its own, but you could easily use CHANTILLY French cream as part of a shooter or coffee-based drinks - recipes are provided on the attached bottle tag. I think I like this more than another popular brand of cream liqueur.
Bonus Offer: FREE Tag Double Espresso Vodka 50 mL until (or while supplies last)!
This fairly easy drinking red wine will be in VINTAGES on November 14th and is suitable for mid-week sipping.
The Château Hauchat property was re-acquired by the Saby family in 1973. In 1989, current owner Jean-Bernard Saby purchased the property from his uncle. The Saby family has been making wine in the region for an astounding 8 centuries now.
The property is located within the commune of Saint-Aignan, to the west of neighbouring Pomerol and Saint Émilion in Bordeaux, France. On the high plateau of Saint-Aignan, the Château is in one of the finest
growing areas of the Fronsac appellation. Well drained clay-limestone soil and
perfect south/southwest exposure to the sun are two of its most distinctive
features. Château
Hauchat also grows just a single grape variety on its property - Merlot.
Tasting Note:
CHÂTEAU HAUCHAT 2011 - AC Fronsac, Bordeaux, France (#123489) (XD) - $15.95
100% Merlot. Plummy and black cherry aromas from the cork. Medium intensity aromas from the glass showing plum, blackberry, sour cherry, black spices, soft cedar vanilla oak, mineral and hints of cocoa notes. It's medium-bodied on the palate with tart red berry and mineral/iodine flavours. Has good acids, fairly rounded but gritty tannins. Good length on the cocoa-tinged finish. Score: 86 pts
The VINTAGES Release will be on LCBO shelves this coming . This is a thick release that is using a more expensive perfect bound to keep the magazine together. It features a star studded lineup of wines for the holidays as it's main theme, while the secondary theme highlights crowd pleasing wines that are available in large format magnum (1500 mL) bottles.
Thirty-two wines are featured as part of the star studded lineup, and eight are included among my wine picks. Red wines among my wine recommendations include the Versado Malbec, the organic Emiliana Coyam (38% Syrah, 31% Carmenère, 19% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Mourvedre, and 1% Malbec), and The Dead Arm Shiraz.
In white wines, there are a pair of cool-climate Chardonnays - the Flowers Sonoma Coast Chardonnay and Bachelder Chardonnay from Niagara.
A trio of fortified wines are also available in this release, including a 2003 LBV Aged Port and a Vintage Port from the great 2011 vintage. There is also a very sweet Sherry that is made using the Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez grapes.
If you're looking to stock up on Amarone, this would be a great release to pick up a few bottles. The first wine recommendation is a single vineyard Amarone from Speri. Meanwhile, the big house of Masi has a 750 mL bottle of Campolongo di Torbe Amarone that also comes from a single vineyard that has been producing grapes since the 12th Century. There is also 1500 mL magnum bottling of the Masi Costasera Amarone. The primary grapes in all of these very special wines is a blend of Corvina and Rondinella.
Of the 10 magnum bottles featured in the mini-thematic, 2 are recommended buys. The Masi Amarone mentioned above is definitely a special buy, while at the lower end of the price spectrum is the Santa Carolina Cabernet Sauvignon.
From the rest of the release, the Glenelly Red is 42% Shiraz, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot, while the gorgeous PoggioVerrano Dròmos is an unspecified blend consisting of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Alicante, Sangiovese and Cabernet Franc. And last - but definitely not the least - is the second wine of Ornellaia that consists of 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 12% Petit Verdot.
Enjoy my wine recommendations for this week. Cheers!
This wine comes from Tenuta PoggioVerrano, located in the Maremma wine region in southern Tuscany. The vineyards are 27 hectares in size with rocky soils of calcareous and clayey nature, and height between 170 and 300 metres above sea level, and 15 kilometres from the Mediterranean Sea. PoggioVerrano uses gravity flow technology that is fully underground and must be quite the impressive sight to see.
The winemaker, Francesco Bolla, is a third generation winemaker who started up this winery in 2000 with the vision "to create a red wine that is expression of the territory it comes from, the Maremma Toscana".
Let's see how the wine is...
Tasting Note:
POGGIOVERRANO DRÒMOS 2005 - IGT Maremma Toscana, Italy (#107383) (XD) - $39.95
This Super Tuscan is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Alicante, Sangiovese and Cabernet Franc and underwent malolactic fermentation. Lovely mature nose of violets, dried fruit, and floral with hints of fig, cedar wood, earth and whiffs of prune. On the medium-bodied palate it has earthy, herbal, and resin notes with hints of mint and leather throughout. Some high-toned spice tones and warmth mid-palate is balanced well by fruit, oak and acids and gives way to long, smooth finish. Tannins are almost fully resolved. Should continue to drink well for another 4-5 years. Superb! Score: 92 pts
Sunday, November 22, 2015
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