Rockway 9 Spritz 2017 (Ontario) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is an interesting white wine made by Rockway Vineyards, and is the first of a few wines from Rockway that I'll be writing about over the coming days.

In addition to 75 hectares of vineyards located on premium grape-growing land in the Twenty Mile Bench sub-appellation in Niagara Peninsula, there is also an 18-hole golf course and restaurant on-site. There is also an antique wine museum, where guests can look into the history of winemaking from the 17th to 19th centuries. With all of these attractions, plus the wine, one could easily spend the better part of a day at Rockway Vineyards.

This particular wine takes me back about 4 years ago, when a small group of us gathered at the iYellow Wine Cave for a Vidal table wine tasting. Although this wine is also considered a table wine, it does have a bit of a spritz thanks to a Chardonnay (4%) component that was harvested for a Sparkling wine base and provides nice acidity to accent the aromatic Vidal. Even though the grapes for this wine are from Niagara, Ontario VQA labelling rules state that you cannot use any Niagara appellation names for Vidal table wines, hence this wine is labelled as VQA Ontario.

The 2017 Rockway 9 Spritz normally retails for $15.95, but is currently on promotion for $14.95, and is available exclusively at their winery in Twenty Mile Bench and through their online web store.

Tasting Note:

ROCKWAY 9 SPRITZ 2017 - VQA Ontario, Canada (M) - $14.95
A blend of 96% Vidal and 4% Chardonnay that was fermented separately in stainless steel tanks. Screw cap gives off gentle hiss when opening. Effervescent lemon twist, melon, and apple aromas with some grapey character. Spritzy with fresh acids lift the medium-bodied and medium-dry (i.e. fairly sweet) palate with grapey, apple, pear and tropical fruit and citrus flavours. Finish length is very good. 10% abv. Fine casual sipper for the patio that will have wide appeal. Serve well-chilled. Score: 87 pts

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Cliffhanger Pinot Grigio 2017 (Italy) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a white wine from northern Italy that will be coming to LCBO VINTAGES on February 16.

It is produced by Mezzacorona, one of the oldest and largest, continuous grower co-operatives in all of Italy, tracing its origins to 1904.

Cliffhanger is their concept for wines crafted on the "Edge of Perfection", and this Pinot Grigio is their best expression of the grape from the beautiful Trentino appellation which is inside the Dolomite area in northern Italy. The Trentino DOC is an area that encompasses many small territories, soil conditions, and micro-climates with completely different geological origins. The grapes for this Pinot Grigio come from two places: the hillside vineyards in the north, located 350 metres above sea level at the foothills of the Dolomite Mountains, which runs alongside the Adige River near the city of Trento, and from vines cultivated in the south near Lake Garda.

Tasting Note:

CLIFFHANGER PINOT GRIGIO 2017 - DOC Trentino, Italy (#528687) (XD) - $15.95
Medium intensity aromas of ripe stone fruit, think yellow pear and peach, along with some citrus, floral and touches of honey. It is mid-weighted on the honeyed palate with sharp, juicy acids. Honeyed citrus, ripe pear and melon flavours with a kiss of sweetness on the flavour profile. A touch of mineral appears on the finish, with very good length. Simple and widely appealing. Score: 86 pts

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Pierre Amadieu Le Pas de l'Aigle Gigondas 2014 (Rhône) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a lovely bottle I picked up while visiting Rhône last May.

It is produced by Pierre Amadieu, a passionate family-owned and -operated winery in Gigondas. Prior to 1929, Pierre Amadieu operated as a private co-operative, selling his wine in bulk. But in 1929, Pierre Amadieu Sr. (grandfather of current owner Pierre Amadieu Jr.) decided to produce Gigondas wines under his own name with grapes coming from 7 ha of vineyards in Gigondas that were passed on from generation to generation. He was the first to write the name of the appellation on his labels and in 1932 obtained a gold medal in the Agricultural Contest in Paris. Pierre Sr. played a decisive role for the appellation, promoting Gigondas everywhere, with wines becoming very much appreciated over time. He was rewarded for his efforts when Gigondas was awarded Cru status in 1971.

This lovely cuvée is called "Le Pas de l'Aigle", meaning "The Eagle Pass", and comes from the highest lands of Gigondas with terroir consisting of limestone and marls of Cretaceous origin. The grapes for this wine are a selection of old vines Grenache and Syrah on northwest facing slopes at 500 metres altitude next to rocky falls. Very low yields allow the terroir to shine in this wine. The Eagle Pass looks like a fascinating place to visit!

For availability of this delicious red wine, please contact Trilogy Wine Group in Ontario, or Balthazard in Québec.

Tasting Note:

PIERRE AMADIEU LE PAS DE L'AIGLE GIGONDAS 2014 - AC, Rhône, France (#354217) (XD) - $38
Hand-harvested blend of old vines Grenache (90%) and Syrah (10%) aged in French foudre for 15 months. The lovely medium-high intensity nose offers spice, blackberry, and smoky minerality notes mingling with hints of white pepper, currant, red berry and a whiff of floral. It is medium-to-full bodied with very good fruit extraction, racy acids and chewy tannins that are integrating nicely. Savoury and woody on the palate with tobacco, red berry, cherry, and raspberry flavours. Somewhat drying and chalky mid-palate. Mineral, dark berry, and wood spice notes linger on the long finish. Enjoyable now, but still a few years away from prime drinking and can be aged for about 10 years. Score: 91+ pts

When I was in Rhône, I also had the opportunity to taste the 2012 vintage of this delicious wine...

PIERRE AMADIEU LE PAS DE L'AIGLE GIGONDAS 2012 - AC, Rhône, France (XD)
Medium-high intensity, sour-edged nose with red berry, cherry, spice, and savoury hints. Medium-bodied with chalky tannins, and more savoury on the palate with earthy, forest floor nuances layered on top of red cherries, with hints of floral and mineral flavours. Acids still fresh. Very good to excellent finish length. Showing some maturity. Score: 91 pts

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Wakefield Jaraman Shiraz 2016 (Australia) - Wine Review (Bottle 2)

Tonight's red wine is a frequent arrival in VINTAGES and was recently featured in the December 8 LCBO VINTAGES Release. It is currently available for purchase in the VINTAGES section at many LCBO outlets across Ontario.

Wakefield Wines is a family-owned and -operated winery located in the southern end of Clare Valley, South Australia. Wakefield is also a member of Australia's First Families of Wine, a group of twelve of Australia's oldest and most respected family-owned, multi-generational wineries who collectively have over 1,380 years of winemaking experience.

I reviewed this delicious Shiraz back in August and am curious to see if this bottling, which is enclosed with a screw cap, has changed much over the last 5 months.

Wine Review/Tasting Note:

WAKEFIELD JARAMAN SHIRAZ 2016 - Clare Valley/McLaren Vale, South Australia (#377036) (XD) - $24.95
Screw cap. Dark berry, mint, pepper and spice aromas waft from the glass with some jamminess. It is a touch confected on the full-bodied palate with smooth, silky tannins and fresh, lively acids supporting the minty, blueberry, dark berry, cocoa, and spice flavours. Some chalkiness arrives mid-palate. Smooth berry, mocha, and earthy notes linger on the juicy finish, with very good length. Aussie Shiraz lovers will like this. Score: 88 pts

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Taste the Season in Niagara-on-the-Lake - November 2018

Last November, I had the pleasure of attending Taste the Season in Niagara-on-the-Lake. This annual Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake event celebrates the season’s bounty with exceptional VQA wines and locally inspired food pairings at participating member wineries.

The event ran every weekend (Friday to Sunday) in November from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m, Touring Passes costed $55 and allowed us to enjoy a food pairing with VQA wine at each of the 26 participating wineries, while Designated Driver Touring Passes were available for $30.

Of course, visiting all of the wineries in 6 hours would've been impossible, so we picked wineries that aligned most with our palate and ended up visiting 13 wineries. If you wanted to visit each winery (and not rush through), you could probably complete the tour over 3-4 days. Details and reviews from each winery visit are provided below. We had a great time visiting Niagara-on-the-Lake and hope to attend this lovely event again next Fall.

PondView Estate Winery Lot 74 Sparkling Brut 2017 ($25, 87 pts) paired with chicken & waffles topped with a holiday-spiced strawberry Icewine glaze. Generously sized portion with lots of strawberry Icewine glaze. I thought this might end up being too sweet with an off-dry Vidal sparkling wine paired strawberry Icewine glaze, but it was anything but. The wine became quite savoury because of the chicken, and because it was fried, it cut right through the acids and further enhanced the savoury profile.

Marynissen Estates Heritage White 2016 ($40, 89 pts) paired with a carrot ginger bisque. The stylish white wine is a blend of barrel-fermented and aged Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Gris, and Viognier and off-dry in flavour profile, while the bisque was thick, almost pureé in style, and a bit on the tangy side. On the down side, I was surprised that they would pour such an expensive (and quality wine) in a plastic cup. On the bright side, it was a delicious and interesting pairing with the wine becoming less sweet and more savoury when paired with the soup.

Inniskillin Vidal Icewine 2017 ($50, 375 mL, #388306, 89 pts) paired with Vidal onion soup topped with Niagara gold crouton. Both the soup and Icewine were delicious. Furthermore, the soup was flavourful and hearty and something I would definitely want to make at home. Together, this was a lovely sweet and savoury pairing which showed that Icewine can be enjoyed not only after dinner, but also before the main course of your dinner.

Reif Estate Winery Shiraz 2017 ($19, 88 pts) paired with black pepper, truffle and Parmesan popcorn. The popcorn was quite interesting (and delicious) on its own as I had never heard of popcorn with this kind of flavouring before. It worked well because the black pepper notes in the popcorn matched the black pepper notes in the Shiraz, creating a nice complementary pairing.

Lailey Winery Chardonnay Third Curiosity 2013 ($??, 88 pts) paired with butter tarts made at the nearby Harvest Barn. The wine was more stone fruit and citrus with just a hint of vanilla. However, when paired with the yummy butter tarts, the wine became more buttery and vanilla flavoured with some brown sugar notes from the tart also appearing on the palate. In this pairing, it was the tart that added interesting nuances.

Peller Estates Private Reserve Merlot 2016 ($24, 88+ pts) paired with curried lamb, butternut squash and lentil stew. Generous portions of stew were provided, however, it was a little inconsistent as my wife got plenty of lamb chunks in her stew, yet I only received a couple of small pieces. Nevertheless, it was a nice pairing as the peppery nature of the wine, along with some grippy tannins provided balance with the hearty lamb stew. An ideal pairing for the season!

Rancourt Chardonnay 2013 ($12, 87 pts) paired with locally made tiramisu. The unoaked Chardonnay paired surprisingly well with the acids in the wine balancing the creamy mousse in the tiramisu that was made by Harvest Barn. The tiramisu also brought out the lemony flavours in the wine. Delighted to see this crafty pairing from the new owners at Rancourt.

Pillitteri Estates Winery 25th Anniversary Select Late Harvest Riesling 2013 ($20, 375 mL, 88+ pts) paired with a caramel apple crumble parfait. The wine was semi-sweet, as expected, and paired very nicely with the parfait that matched the sweetness of the Late Harvest Riesling. However, it was the contrasting cinnamon spice in the parfait that really lifted this pairing and showed that spice and sweet makes for a delicious pairing.

Stratus Vineyards Weather Report Red 2014 ($29, #552604, 88 pts) paired with a lemon & chicken tourtière with crunchy roasted mustard seeds. The wine is a fairly easy drinking 7-grape blend led by the two Cabernets, but also showed some structure and elegance. Since this was my first time stepping into Stratus, I was pleasantly in awe at the very modern-looking and chic tasting room. The pairing fit the space as it was all very gourmet, and the roasted mustard seeds provided a kick to the nicely savoury and gourmet pairing.

Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Winery Grand Reserve Merlot 2016 ($26, #563197, 88 pts) paired with wood-fired chicken wings topped with black pepper, sage and Parmesan. This was a delicious pairing as the black pepper spice and sage herb complemented the black pepper and herbally notes in the wine, while the Parmesan helped balanced the acids in the wine. So yummy that I was tempted to ask for a second serving. Simple, yet delicious, pairing that you could easily try at home.

Strewn Winery Riesling 2017 (88+ pts, $16) is a barely off-dry Riesling that was paired with a seasonal sampler trio of a vegetable spring roll, an edamame spread on a beet cracker, and an orange KitKat. Strewn always seems to do an interesting food and wine pairing, and lately they have been pairing 3 items with a single wine to see how the food & wine interplay changes with each food item. In the case, the vegetable spring roll brought out the green apple notes in the wine, along with a nice savoury element too. With the edamame spread on a beet cracker, the wine became more citrusy. Lastly, the wine actually enhanced the orange flavours in the KitKat while also becoming more creamy and smooth. Really well done!

Konzelmann Estate Winery Lakefront Series Pinot Grigio 2017 ($16, 87 pts) paired with buttermilk brined fried chicken, coated in Louisiana butter sauce, topped with house-made ranch dressing and arugula micro greens. Firstly, the fried chicken here was spicy and delicious and definitely something I would want to make at home. Since the wine was slightly honeyed and a touch sweet, this played towards the classic sweet and spicy pairing that tends to work very well.

Palatine Hills Estate Winery 1812 Red 2017 ($14, 87 pts) paired with Spicy Buffalo Chicken featuring creamy chicken, carrots and celery in flaky pastry drizzled with blue cheese aioli. The wine is a 50/50 blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon that is fruit forward and easy drinking. I wasn't too sure how this pairing would fare, but it turned out quite well as the flaky pastry wasn't very spicy and was quite casual in nature. This played perfectly to the wine's character and could be easily be a delicious appetizer & wine pairing at your next dinner.

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Wine Picks LCBO VINTAGES Release Feb. 2, 2019: Argentina + Portugal

The upcoming February 2, 2019 LCBO VINTAGES Release focuses on wines from Argentina in the main theme, while the mini-theme looks at wines from Portugal. Wines from this Release will be on shelves at LCBO outlets across Ontario this Saturday.

We'll begin with the main theme that features some of the new regions, styles, and producers that are defining Argentina's wine scene. Among the thirteen wines featured, six are included among my top Argentinean wine picks. There are two white wines from Argentina among my picks - a Torrontés grown at 1,830 m altitude in the mountainous Cafayate Valley, and an unoaked Chardonnay that was made without malolactic fermentation. Among the reds, Cabernet Franc is gaining in popularity (and quality) in Argentina. There's also a pair of quality Argentinean Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Lastly, no Argentinean list is complete without the country's signature varietal - Malbec, of which there is an excellent single vineyard example from Trapiche.

In the mini-theme that features wines from Portugal, two of the seven wines are among my wine recommendations. The white wine is made with the indigenous Loureiro, while the red wine is a blend of Touriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro, and Tinta Roriz (aka Tempranillo).

Among my red wine recommendations from the rest of the Release, the Côtes du Rhône-Village is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre, the Côtes du Rhône is a blend of 40% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, 20% Syrah, and 10% Cinsault, and the Roussillon is made with 50% Grenache, 40% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre. From Spain, the Priorat red is a blend of Cariñena, Garnacha, and Syrah. From Italy, the Morellino consists of 85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Merlot, while the Guidalberto (Sassicaia's little brother) is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. The Brunello is 100% Sangiovese Grosso, and the Amarone is a blend of 30% Corvina, 30% Corvinone, 30% Rondinella, and 10% Oseleta / Negrara / Dindarella / Croatina / Forselina.

From my white wine picks, the Spanish white is an intriguing blend of Moscatel and Chardonnay, while the rest are single varietal wines. For sweet wine lovers, the Ontario Riesling will be medium sweet, while the Riesling Spätlese from Mosel will be very sweet.

Both sparkling wine picks are dry, with the Cava consisting of 90% Viura and 10% Malvasía, while the Champagne is equal parts Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Enjoy my wine recommendations from this Release. Salud!

Red Wine:

• CHÂTEAU LE GRAND RETOUR PLAN DE DIEU CÔTES DU RHÔNE-VILLAGES 2016 - AC, France (#224592) (XD) - $15.95
• OPTA RED 2015 - DOC Dão, Portugal (#633834) (D) - $15.95
• TESSELLAE OLD VINES GRENACHE/SYRAH/MOURVÈDRE CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON 2016 - AP, Midi, France (#343517) (XD) - $18.95
• VITICCIO MORELLINO DI SCANSANO 2015 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#574186) (XD) - $19.95  88 pts  wine review
• ZUCCARDI Q CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2015 - Tupungato & La Consulta, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#140855) (XD) - $19.95
• CATENA APPELLATION SAN CARLOS CABERNET FRANC 2016 - Mendoza, Argentina (#450106) (XD) - $19.95

• COUDOULET DE BEAUCASTEL CÔTES DU RHÔNE 2016 - AC, France (#048884) (XD) - $29.95
• TORRES SALMOS 2015 - DOCa Priorat, Spain (#450734) (XD) - $39.95  91 pts  wine review
• TRAPICHE TERROIR SERIES FINCA AMBROSÍA SINGLE VINEYARD MALBEC 2014 - Gualtallary, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (#402941) (XD) - $42.95
• CATENA ALTA HISTORIC ROWS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2015 - Mendoza, Argentina (#959965) (XD) - $48.95
• ABBADIA ARDENGA BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO 2013 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#672337) (XD) - $50.95
• TENUTA SAN GUIDO GUIDALBERTO 2016 - IGT Toscana, Italy (#072439) (XD) - $60.95
• TEDESCHI CAPITEL MONTE OLMI RISERVA AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO 2012 - DOCG, Veneto, Italy (#964403) (XD) - $79.95

White Wine:

• GORU EL BLANCO 2017 - DO Jumilla, Spain (#625962) (XD) - $13.95
• VILA NOVA LOUREIRO 2016 - DOC Vinho Verde, Portugal (#632547) (XD) - $13.95
• PIATTELLI RESERVE TORRONTÉS 2017 - Cafayate Valley, Salta, Argentina (#536672) (XD) - $14.95
• GOLDSCHILD ÜRZIGER WÜRZGARTEN RIESLING SPÄTLESE 2015 - Prädikatswein, Mosel, Germany (#621482) (S) - $16.95
• FAMILIA SCHROEDER ALPATACO CHARDONNAY 2017 - Patagonia, Argentina (#629428) (XD) - $16.95
• MOUNT RILEY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2018 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#981670) (XD) - $17.95
• JEAN-MARC BROCARD KIMMERIDGIAN CHARDONNAY 2017 - AC Bourgogne, France (#290049) (XD) - $19.95
• FIELDING ESTATE BOTTLED RIESLING 2017 - VQA Beamsville Bench, Niagara Escarpment, Ontario, Canada (#251439) (M) - $19.95
• J. MOREAU & FILS CHABLIS 2017 - AC, Burgundy, France (#466144) (XD) - $25.95

Rosé Wine:

• CHÂTEAU LÉOUBE LOVE ROSÉ 2017 - AP Côtes de Provence, France (#575282) (XD) - $23.95

Sparkling Wine:

• CONDE DE HARO BRUT CAVA 2015 - Traditional method, DO, Spain (#168559) (XD) - $19.95
• LAURENT-PERRIER BRUT MILLÉSIMÉ CHAMPAGNE 2007 - AC, France (#983874) (XD) - $83.95

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Viticcio Morellino di Scansano 2015 (Tuscany) - Wine Review

Tonight's delicious red wine review will be arriving at the LCBO as part of the upcoming February 2, 2019 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Fattoria Viticcio has been producing wine since 1964 among the rolling green hills of Tuscan wine country in Greve in Chianti, between Florence and Siena. Today, the winery encompasses 120 ha of estate-owned land among the hills in Chianti Classico and Maremma. With the help of a young and energetic team, they are dedicated to producing wines that showcase the nuances of the incredible terroir in Tuscany, while also respecting the environment. Viticcio has always cultivated their vines using organic techniques and natural treatments as much as possible. Since 2013, their entire production has converted to organic.

This particular red wine was launched by Viticcio a couple of years ago. It is their second wine from the lands of Maremma and first red from this zone. The climate in Maremma, which is located in southern Tuscany, is sunny with a refreshing sea breeze from the Tyrrhenian Sea in the west, and clay, sand, limestone, and sandstone soils that make it the ideal terroir for cultivating varietals such as Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.

The name "Morellino" is the local word for "Sangiovese." In Maremma, it is a deep-hued purple grape that is a clone of the Sangiovese grape found in other parts of Tuscany, and (possibly) named after the dark-haired Morelli bay horse that once roamed these lands.

Tasting Note:

VITICCIO MORELLINO DI SCANSANO 2015 - DOCG, Tuscany, Italy (#574186) (XD) - $19.95
Blend of 85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Merlot aged in 225 L barriques for 10-12 months. The medium+ intensity nose reveals pretty red cherry, rose floral, oak aromas wrapped around a savoury core. It is full bodied with bold, assertive, and grippy tannins, along with fresh acids and nice aroma replays on the palate. Very good length with more cherry, floral and earthy notes lingering on the finish. Needs a couple of years for tannins to soften, or try now with big red meats. Should drink well for the next 6-8 years. Score: 88 pts

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