Previously posted at http://ontariowinediva.blogspot.com
Have you heard the radio commercials or seen the TV commercials lately promoting the wines of Ontario? This is the Government of Ontario’s attempt to promote the wineries of Ontario as we head into our very busy harvest season. There is just one problem with their attempt…less than one quarter of the wineries in Ontario are receiving promotion time as a part of their attempt.
Now, the goal of my blog and of my business interests is to promote all Ontario wineries so I would be remiss if I did not go to all of the wine tastings that were featuring Ontario wineries. I did manage to go to most of them – I missed one due to a scheduling conflict – but this blog is going to be dedicated to the various outstanding wines I had a chance to try from all of these tastings. The first day of tastings featured Tawse Winery from the Beamsville Bench and Rosehall Run Vineyard of Prince Edward County.
Tawse Winery 2008 Foxcroft Block (Wismer Vineyard) Riesling
$22.00 per bottle
The aromatics on this particular wine are not strong but they are pleasantly there. Strong minerality and stone fruit make up the aromas of this particular wine with a good concentration of flavours on the palate. Mostly stone fruit with a slight hint of lemon on the palate, the finish has some substance to it…not quite long but definitely medium in length.
Rosehall Run Vineyards 2007 Rosehall Vineyard Chardonnay
$29.75 per bottle
Dan used mostly new barrels to make this barrel fermented Chardonnay and you can tell from its powerful nose and creamy texture. Stone fruit, pears and a hint of lemon make up the aromas and flavours with just a slight hint of butterscotch in the creamy palate. This wine is still developing in the bottle so what you taste one week could be enhanced a couple of weeks later. A pleasant, lingering finish makes this one of the most appealing Chardonnay’s I have tasted in recent months. Well done Dan.
Rosehall Run Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Franc Cold Creek
$29.75 per bottle
The aromas one this wine can only be described as WOW! Almost pure berry but with a thread of cedar weaving throughout, this wine is filled with equally powerful flavours. Raspberry, Cherry, Cedar smoke are just a few of the key players in your mouth when you sip this wine. The tannins are smoothed out making this a very enjoyable wine to drink now but, if you have the patience, there is no reason why you cannot age it for a year or so.
Rosehall Run Vineyards 2007 Rosehall Vineyard Pinot Noir
$37.75 per bottle
This wine is just very powerful – it’s the only way it can be described. Prince Edward County has become known for making phenomenal Pinot Noir in recent years and this is definitely one to add to the list of great examples using the Heartbreak Grape. This wine is an absolute medley of flavours and aromas – violets, cherries and cedar are the predominant notes but there is also the presence of kirsch, more floral and mineral.
Tawse Winery 2007 Robyn’s Block Chardonnay
$42.00 per bottle
This wine was made spending six months in tank and then twelve months in oak. The oak was all French oak and twenty percent of the barrels were new. The twenty percent new oak translates into a wine that has a slightly creamy palate but it does not have that strong, over powering, licking the side of a barrel, over oaking that Chardonnays of the past became known for. This is more of a kiss of oak with some smoky complexity along with apple and pear flavours. Although I have never been a huge fan of Chardonnay, this is one of the few Chardonnay’s from Niagara that I have always enjoyed. The current vintage definitely does not disappoint and I highly recommend picking up a bottle or two of it.
Now, in order to not make these blog entries too massive, because there were a number of outstanding wines tried this week and the next, I am dividing the entries up to the days that the wines were tasted. If you are interested in ordering any of these wines, please visit the wineries’ websites for ordering information.
Rosehall Run Vineyards
https://www.rosehallrun.com/aspx_orderwine/orderpage.aspx
(613) 399-1183
1-888-399-1183
Visit the tasting room and retail shop at 1243 Greer Road, Wellington
Tawse Winery
Phone: 905 562 9500
Fax: 905 562 9600
Email: info@tawsewinery.ca
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Friday, September 4, 2009
A Day in The County
Originally posted at http://ontariowinediva.blogspot.com
Growing up, my parents loved to do the Sunday drive thing – without driving like Sunday drivers I promise – so, at this point in my life, I seem to really like just having a quiet, peaceful nothing day. Sundays, for me, have been about kicking back and relaxing these days. I try to take it easy, have dinner with my boyfriend and, on the odd occasion, a birthday party pops up. It is a way of life that I really enjoy and can wrap my head around. So, when a friend invited my boyfriend and I to go on a road trip to Prince Edward County last Sunday, we knew it would be a change to our weekends and, in the end, we decided to pile into the van and head for Prince Edward County.
Now, it is not like this is my first trip to Prince Edward County – far from it as I am a regular visitor to the newest wine region in Ontario. We had only one “must stop” winery and were going to leave the rest of the day open to whatever happens so we made our must stop the first stop of the day. Lacey Estates Vineyard and Winery has long been a favourite of all of ours. They are the one winery I guarantee I will go and help out in at harvest time every year and the family is like a second family to me. Since opening in May of 2009 they have been consistently selling out of their opening release. Their Chardonnay and Pinot Gris are sold out, the number of available bottles of their Baco Noir are rapidly diminishing and their Gewurztraminer – their most recent release – is down to less than 80 bottles now. Check out the review below to get a real sense of just how great the Lacey Estates Vineyard and Winery 2008 Gewurztraminer really is…
“With their 2008 Gewurztraminer, Lacey Estates has hit another one out of the ballpark. Done in a true Alsatian style, the 2008 Gewurztraminer is a great balance of acidity and fruit. Aromas of stone fruit, slight rose petals with a very clear, refreshing, clean palate of lemon, quince and slight minerality. Spice is always a key component in any Gewurztraminer and you can detect it here but it is not predominant. It blends perfectly with the other flavours and aromas making it a nice base for the flavours, but not the overpowering big brother that some flavours are in wines. Kimball, the winemaker, has already been praised by some wine writers for “finally creating the perfect Alsatian style Gewurztraminer” in Prince Edward County and that is definitely an opinion I agree with whole heartedly.
This is definitely one of those wines that you need to get your hands on immediately. With only 80 bottles left as of the last weekend in August, you can be guaranteed that it will be sold out by the time harvest hits in a few weeks. To order contact Cynthia@laceyestates.com. $22 per bottle includes the bottle deposit and it is worth every penny.”
After a light lunch we decided to make our next stop Karlo Estates down on Danforth Road. Unfortunately, Karlo Estates is not yet open – that is coming this fall – but we had heard some great things about their Chardonnay and wanted to see if we could give it a try. Maybe the next time we’re out in The County. Since we were at the west end of The County, we decided to drop in on some old friends – Rosehall Run Vineyards – and boy, are we ever glad we did. You see, our company (Ontario Wine Guy Enterprises) is in the midst of planning a Cabernet Franc tasting and Rosehall Run makes some amazing Cabernet Franc, amongst other wines. Now, if you want to find out how their Cabernet Franc’s tasted, you will have to be sure to attend our Cabernet Franc tasting which will be later this year. However, Rosehall Run’s wines are so tasty that we enjoyed their Chardonnays, their Rose, most of the Cabernet Francs and all of their Pinot Noirs before making our purchases and leaving. If you want to check out a great review on their 2007 Estate Pinot Noir, go on over to TJ’s blog at http://ontariowineguy.blogspot.com and check out his most recent blog entry. I’ve added a few vineyard pictures from the trip as well. The Pinot Noir is almost completely done going through veraison (the ripening stage for grapes) and are getting ready to be harvested in the next few weeks. Cheers,
Growing up, my parents loved to do the Sunday drive thing – without driving like Sunday drivers I promise – so, at this point in my life, I seem to really like just having a quiet, peaceful nothing day. Sundays, for me, have been about kicking back and relaxing these days. I try to take it easy, have dinner with my boyfriend and, on the odd occasion, a birthday party pops up. It is a way of life that I really enjoy and can wrap my head around. So, when a friend invited my boyfriend and I to go on a road trip to Prince Edward County last Sunday, we knew it would be a change to our weekends and, in the end, we decided to pile into the van and head for Prince Edward County.
Now, it is not like this is my first trip to Prince Edward County – far from it as I am a regular visitor to the newest wine region in Ontario. We had only one “must stop” winery and were going to leave the rest of the day open to whatever happens so we made our must stop the first stop of the day. Lacey Estates Vineyard and Winery has long been a favourite of all of ours. They are the one winery I guarantee I will go and help out in at harvest time every year and the family is like a second family to me. Since opening in May of 2009 they have been consistently selling out of their opening release. Their Chardonnay and Pinot Gris are sold out, the number of available bottles of their Baco Noir are rapidly diminishing and their Gewurztraminer – their most recent release – is down to less than 80 bottles now. Check out the review below to get a real sense of just how great the Lacey Estates Vineyard and Winery 2008 Gewurztraminer really is…
“With their 2008 Gewurztraminer, Lacey Estates has hit another one out of the ballpark. Done in a true Alsatian style, the 2008 Gewurztraminer is a great balance of acidity and fruit. Aromas of stone fruit, slight rose petals with a very clear, refreshing, clean palate of lemon, quince and slight minerality. Spice is always a key component in any Gewurztraminer and you can detect it here but it is not predominant. It blends perfectly with the other flavours and aromas making it a nice base for the flavours, but not the overpowering big brother that some flavours are in wines. Kimball, the winemaker, has already been praised by some wine writers for “finally creating the perfect Alsatian style Gewurztraminer” in Prince Edward County and that is definitely an opinion I agree with whole heartedly.
This is definitely one of those wines that you need to get your hands on immediately. With only 80 bottles left as of the last weekend in August, you can be guaranteed that it will be sold out by the time harvest hits in a few weeks. To order contact Cynthia@laceyestates.com. $22 per bottle includes the bottle deposit and it is worth every penny.”
After a light lunch we decided to make our next stop Karlo Estates down on Danforth Road. Unfortunately, Karlo Estates is not yet open – that is coming this fall – but we had heard some great things about their Chardonnay and wanted to see if we could give it a try. Maybe the next time we’re out in The County. Since we were at the west end of The County, we decided to drop in on some old friends – Rosehall Run Vineyards – and boy, are we ever glad we did. You see, our company (Ontario Wine Guy Enterprises) is in the midst of planning a Cabernet Franc tasting and Rosehall Run makes some amazing Cabernet Franc, amongst other wines. Now, if you want to find out how their Cabernet Franc’s tasted, you will have to be sure to attend our Cabernet Franc tasting which will be later this year. However, Rosehall Run’s wines are so tasty that we enjoyed their Chardonnays, their Rose, most of the Cabernet Francs and all of their Pinot Noirs before making our purchases and leaving. If you want to check out a great review on their 2007 Estate Pinot Noir, go on over to TJ’s blog at http://ontariowineguy.blogspot.com and check out his most recent blog entry. I’ve added a few vineyard pictures from the trip as well. The Pinot Noir is almost completely done going through veraison (the ripening stage for grapes) and are getting ready to be harvested in the next few weeks. Cheers,
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Off to the Races Again…Ontario Wine Society’s Bin End Dinner
Originally posted at http://ontariowinediva.blogspot.com
We are a group of people who like our wine but, for the last four years, the Ontario Wine Society has gathered at Woodbine Race Track for an evening of horse racing. Now, make no mistake, there has been great food and even greater Ontario wine but with the way we get once the horses hit the track, there is no mistaking the electricity in the air. Hopefully we had a bunch of winners in our picks for each race but, from the sounds of the evening, some people definitely knew how to pick their horses well. Instead of being in our usual Trackside Tent, this year, we were high above the action in the Northern Dancer Room. Up on the fifth floor, high above the Slots area at Woodbine Race Track, the Northern Dancer room is just as it sounds – a tribute to the famed Canadian Thoroughbred Racehorse who was also named as “one of the most influential sires in Thoroughbred history” by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. The food, as usual, was spectacular with a buffet lining one long wall and a dessert table that several people (myself included) went back for seconds to. We enjoyed a Riesling reception followed by white and red wines on the table and, in the end, some delicious Icewines, late harvests and even a Port style wine or two to nosh on.
So, for those of us who attended, which do you prefer – Trackside Tent or Northern Dancer Room? For those who could not attend, would you prefer a different venue? Since pictures are worth a thousand words, perhaps it would be better if we simply showed you what you missed…
We are a group of people who like our wine but, for the last four years, the Ontario Wine Society has gathered at Woodbine Race Track for an evening of horse racing. Now, make no mistake, there has been great food and even greater Ontario wine but with the way we get once the horses hit the track, there is no mistaking the electricity in the air. Hopefully we had a bunch of winners in our picks for each race but, from the sounds of the evening, some people definitely knew how to pick their horses well. Instead of being in our usual Trackside Tent, this year, we were high above the action in the Northern Dancer Room. Up on the fifth floor, high above the Slots area at Woodbine Race Track, the Northern Dancer room is just as it sounds – a tribute to the famed Canadian Thoroughbred Racehorse who was also named as “one of the most influential sires in Thoroughbred history” by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. The food, as usual, was spectacular with a buffet lining one long wall and a dessert table that several people (myself included) went back for seconds to. We enjoyed a Riesling reception followed by white and red wines on the table and, in the end, some delicious Icewines, late harvests and even a Port style wine or two to nosh on.
So, for those of us who attended, which do you prefer – Trackside Tent or Northern Dancer Room? For those who could not attend, would you prefer a different venue? Since pictures are worth a thousand words, perhaps it would be better if we simply showed you what you missed…
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
What’s your VICE?
Originally posted at http://ontariowinediva.blogspot.com
Martini’s are one of those timeless classics – like Gone with the Wind is to movies or the plays of William Shakespeare are to live theatre. In recent years, bartenders have started to experiment with the traditional recipe and have created many delicious, sometimes interesting, cocktails to entice their clientele. Everything from Cosmos to Appletini’s to Icewine Martini’s can be found on Martini lists throughout Canada these days. So, now I have a question to pose to you…
Have you ever had an Icewine Martini?
Back in 2002, Allan Schmidt, President of Vineland Estates Winery, was on a business trip in Alberta staying at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. One evening he had the opportunity to speak with their Food and Beverage Manager and commended him on the significant increase in sales of the Vineland Estates Winery Vidal Icewine. He wasn’t quite sure how they were managing to do it but definitely was not going to complain. The Food and Beverage Manager thanked him for his praise and then said, “Do you want to know how we do it?” So, it was on that night, in 2002, that Allan enjoyed his first Icewine Martini. Although this would normally be considered to be more of a female drink – the way so many of the martini cocktails are – Allan enjoyed it enough and was intrigued by it enough to want to develop it further. So, after seven years, and several nights of “perfecting the recipe”, Allan, Jim V Degasperis and the rest of the team developed VICE. The name VICE is the natural combination of Vineland (Estates Winery) and Icewine – Canada’s signature wine – and as Angela Aiello’s review on the VICE website says:
“The ratio of vodka to Icewine is perfect and it tastes absolutely delicious. VICE comes in one pre-mixed bottle and no additional prep is required. Chill and serve. My dreams have come true."
The tasting notes that were circulating around the release party on Thursday, July 30th suggested serving it chilled with half a grape as a garnish. It was not a bad combination but if you are looking to jazz up the appearance in the glass a little, what about trying a lychee garnish as there was a powerful lychee flavour in the drink. Depending on how you like your martini’s there are two ways of drinking this cocktail. If you like sweeter tasting cocktails, serve VICE straight up but if you tend to like the crisp cleanness commonly associated with Vodka martinis serving it on the rocks brings out the heat of the Vodka in a noticeable way. So, how about food? Well, like most martini’s you could enjoy this on its own very easily or, as was evidenced by the delicious food provided by Mark McEwan’s One Restaurant, VICE does pair well with a wide variety of foods. Chicken skewers were an excellent pairing; the grilled veggie flatbread pizza was great as well. Initially, I was not sure how the spicy Spring Rolls would go but the spiciness of the food added an extra dimension to VICE as did the veggie samosas.
Have you seen the commercials on TV for Bacardi’s Mojitos? Have you seen the shelves of your local liquor store filled with premixed cocktails like Vodka Mudshakes, Bloody Caesars or Strawberry Daiquiris? Well, once VICE hits the shelves of our local stores, it will be another one in the lengthy list of available products. It will be the first premixed Icewine Martini on the shelves and it is a very good example of what an Icewine Martini should be but one question I have been hearing the last few days is how does it compare to one made from scratch? In a lot of cases, the premixed versions always seem to come across as sweeter than a homemade version but, in all fairness, they are trying to appeal to a broad range of palates. They are trying to find the middle road in an effort to get the largest number of people to buy the product over and over again.
On Thursday, when I first tried VICE I did enjoy it. My preference was definitely straight up over on the rocks but, incidentally, that is how I like all of my martinis. It has been several years since I have had a made from scratch Icewine Martini and my one recollection of it was that I could definitely make a better version myself if I had both Icewine and Vodka at my house. At the time I didn’t have any Vodka around and when I did I never did test the theory but, after trying VICE, my interest was renewed in seeing if a made from scratch Icewine Martini would taste better than one made at a chain restaurant or a premixed version bought in a store. Luckily, I have a boyfriend who does private bartending on the side, loves to be creative with the drinks he makes and enjoys making me a martini on the weekend. I am sure you can imagine what the challenge for him was this weekend since I was on something of a mission to test my theory. To be fair, I had already decided that I was going to try the Icewine Martini made from scratch in both straight up and on the rocks versions. Luckily, I have a decent selection of dessert wines in my cellar so it was just a matter of choosing a Vidal Icewine from Niagara and then pairing it with an appropriate Vodka.
In our straight up version, we used the Mountain Road Wine Company 2002 Vidal Icewine and Stolichnaya Vodka. Now, with VICE, it was – in all likelihood – a current vintage of Vidal Icewine (probably 2008) and it was a Canadian Vodka but similarities could still be drawn between these two drinks. The colour was completely different – with the 2002 it was a lemon yellow colour whereas with VICE it was closer to a white sand colour – but that is something that stems from the age in an Icewine. Colour deepens with age in most wines so the deeper colour is not unexpected for me. I would expect that if an older vintage of Icewine was used to create VICE that there would be a similar colour present in the glass. While there were differences in aromas and flavours to this Icewine martini, I do believe that if an older vintage of Icewine was used in VICE, it would be a comparable product. What I was looking for between the pre-mixed version and the made from scratch version was whether or not there was similarities in style of the drinks. Between the straight up version and the on the rocks version, with VICE, the straight up version showed more sweetness in the glass, equating to an appearance of more residual sugar. When I tried VICE on the rocks, the heat of the Vodka was much more apparent so, one has to ask, does the made from scratch version show similar characteristics? The answer is yes. When we tried it on the rocks, we switched the Vodka to a Canadian (in fact, an Ontario made) Vodka called Prince Igor Vodka instead of using the Russian made Stolichnaya Vodka. Prince Igor Vodka is produced by Kittling Ridge Estate Wines and Spirits in Grimsby, Ontario and, since VICE is made using Canadian Vodka, using Prince Igor Vodka in the made from scratch version gives a fairer representation of what VICE really is. Now, my theory on why the on the rocks version brings out the heat of the Vodka is that the coldness of the ice mutes (or dulls) the sweetness of Icewine. The reason why I call this a theory is because I am not a scientist, have never claimed to be, and do not really see myself ever learning that much about science simply due to a lack of time in my daily life.
After enjoying both VICE and a couple of Icewine Martini’s made from scratch, I do believe I have reached a verdict. While most pre-mixed cocktails are either too sweet or too bland with VICE, Vineland Estates Winery has found the perfect formula for a perfect Icewine martini. It’s not too sweet and not too dry and if you have a preference either way on how sweet or how dry you like your martini’s then either add ice or take it away. VICE is versatile, great to enjoy on its own or with a variety of foods and at $49 a bottle, a great value when you consider the average price of Icewine and Vodka bought in the LCBO is $43 and $36 respectively. If the quality is there, which I firmly believe is with VICE, why would you spend $79 to make Icewine Martini’s from scratch when there is a pre-mixed version available on the market? Now, I’m not advocating completely getting away from making an Icewine Martini (or any other cocktail) from scratch because, like the Slow Food Movement with food, I do believe made from scratch is the way to go. However, in a pinch, for when those unexpected guests drop by with next to no notice, a bottle of VICE will go a long way in impressing them. VICE is currently available at the winery and through their home delivery program. Check out your local LCBO this coming fall for a more local availability and, if you are not in Ontario, contact the winery directly at http://www.vineland.com to find out where you can pick up VICE in your city.
Martini’s are one of those timeless classics – like Gone with the Wind is to movies or the plays of William Shakespeare are to live theatre. In recent years, bartenders have started to experiment with the traditional recipe and have created many delicious, sometimes interesting, cocktails to entice their clientele. Everything from Cosmos to Appletini’s to Icewine Martini’s can be found on Martini lists throughout Canada these days. So, now I have a question to pose to you…
Have you ever had an Icewine Martini?
Back in 2002, Allan Schmidt, President of Vineland Estates Winery, was on a business trip in Alberta staying at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. One evening he had the opportunity to speak with their Food and Beverage Manager and commended him on the significant increase in sales of the Vineland Estates Winery Vidal Icewine. He wasn’t quite sure how they were managing to do it but definitely was not going to complain. The Food and Beverage Manager thanked him for his praise and then said, “Do you want to know how we do it?” So, it was on that night, in 2002, that Allan enjoyed his first Icewine Martini. Although this would normally be considered to be more of a female drink – the way so many of the martini cocktails are – Allan enjoyed it enough and was intrigued by it enough to want to develop it further. So, after seven years, and several nights of “perfecting the recipe”, Allan, Jim V Degasperis and the rest of the team developed VICE. The name VICE is the natural combination of Vineland (Estates Winery) and Icewine – Canada’s signature wine – and as Angela Aiello’s review on the VICE website says:
“The ratio of vodka to Icewine is perfect and it tastes absolutely delicious. VICE comes in one pre-mixed bottle and no additional prep is required. Chill and serve. My dreams have come true."
The tasting notes that were circulating around the release party on Thursday, July 30th suggested serving it chilled with half a grape as a garnish. It was not a bad combination but if you are looking to jazz up the appearance in the glass a little, what about trying a lychee garnish as there was a powerful lychee flavour in the drink. Depending on how you like your martini’s there are two ways of drinking this cocktail. If you like sweeter tasting cocktails, serve VICE straight up but if you tend to like the crisp cleanness commonly associated with Vodka martinis serving it on the rocks brings out the heat of the Vodka in a noticeable way. So, how about food? Well, like most martini’s you could enjoy this on its own very easily or, as was evidenced by the delicious food provided by Mark McEwan’s One Restaurant, VICE does pair well with a wide variety of foods. Chicken skewers were an excellent pairing; the grilled veggie flatbread pizza was great as well. Initially, I was not sure how the spicy Spring Rolls would go but the spiciness of the food added an extra dimension to VICE as did the veggie samosas.
Have you seen the commercials on TV for Bacardi’s Mojitos? Have you seen the shelves of your local liquor store filled with premixed cocktails like Vodka Mudshakes, Bloody Caesars or Strawberry Daiquiris? Well, once VICE hits the shelves of our local stores, it will be another one in the lengthy list of available products. It will be the first premixed Icewine Martini on the shelves and it is a very good example of what an Icewine Martini should be but one question I have been hearing the last few days is how does it compare to one made from scratch? In a lot of cases, the premixed versions always seem to come across as sweeter than a homemade version but, in all fairness, they are trying to appeal to a broad range of palates. They are trying to find the middle road in an effort to get the largest number of people to buy the product over and over again.
On Thursday, when I first tried VICE I did enjoy it. My preference was definitely straight up over on the rocks but, incidentally, that is how I like all of my martinis. It has been several years since I have had a made from scratch Icewine Martini and my one recollection of it was that I could definitely make a better version myself if I had both Icewine and Vodka at my house. At the time I didn’t have any Vodka around and when I did I never did test the theory but, after trying VICE, my interest was renewed in seeing if a made from scratch Icewine Martini would taste better than one made at a chain restaurant or a premixed version bought in a store. Luckily, I have a boyfriend who does private bartending on the side, loves to be creative with the drinks he makes and enjoys making me a martini on the weekend. I am sure you can imagine what the challenge for him was this weekend since I was on something of a mission to test my theory. To be fair, I had already decided that I was going to try the Icewine Martini made from scratch in both straight up and on the rocks versions. Luckily, I have a decent selection of dessert wines in my cellar so it was just a matter of choosing a Vidal Icewine from Niagara and then pairing it with an appropriate Vodka.
In our straight up version, we used the Mountain Road Wine Company 2002 Vidal Icewine and Stolichnaya Vodka. Now, with VICE, it was – in all likelihood – a current vintage of Vidal Icewine (probably 2008) and it was a Canadian Vodka but similarities could still be drawn between these two drinks. The colour was completely different – with the 2002 it was a lemon yellow colour whereas with VICE it was closer to a white sand colour – but that is something that stems from the age in an Icewine. Colour deepens with age in most wines so the deeper colour is not unexpected for me. I would expect that if an older vintage of Icewine was used to create VICE that there would be a similar colour present in the glass. While there were differences in aromas and flavours to this Icewine martini, I do believe that if an older vintage of Icewine was used in VICE, it would be a comparable product. What I was looking for between the pre-mixed version and the made from scratch version was whether or not there was similarities in style of the drinks. Between the straight up version and the on the rocks version, with VICE, the straight up version showed more sweetness in the glass, equating to an appearance of more residual sugar. When I tried VICE on the rocks, the heat of the Vodka was much more apparent so, one has to ask, does the made from scratch version show similar characteristics? The answer is yes. When we tried it on the rocks, we switched the Vodka to a Canadian (in fact, an Ontario made) Vodka called Prince Igor Vodka instead of using the Russian made Stolichnaya Vodka. Prince Igor Vodka is produced by Kittling Ridge Estate Wines and Spirits in Grimsby, Ontario and, since VICE is made using Canadian Vodka, using Prince Igor Vodka in the made from scratch version gives a fairer representation of what VICE really is. Now, my theory on why the on the rocks version brings out the heat of the Vodka is that the coldness of the ice mutes (or dulls) the sweetness of Icewine. The reason why I call this a theory is because I am not a scientist, have never claimed to be, and do not really see myself ever learning that much about science simply due to a lack of time in my daily life.
After enjoying both VICE and a couple of Icewine Martini’s made from scratch, I do believe I have reached a verdict. While most pre-mixed cocktails are either too sweet or too bland with VICE, Vineland Estates Winery has found the perfect formula for a perfect Icewine martini. It’s not too sweet and not too dry and if you have a preference either way on how sweet or how dry you like your martini’s then either add ice or take it away. VICE is versatile, great to enjoy on its own or with a variety of foods and at $49 a bottle, a great value when you consider the average price of Icewine and Vodka bought in the LCBO is $43 and $36 respectively. If the quality is there, which I firmly believe is with VICE, why would you spend $79 to make Icewine Martini’s from scratch when there is a pre-mixed version available on the market? Now, I’m not advocating completely getting away from making an Icewine Martini (or any other cocktail) from scratch because, like the Slow Food Movement with food, I do believe made from scratch is the way to go. However, in a pinch, for when those unexpected guests drop by with next to no notice, a bottle of VICE will go a long way in impressing them. VICE is currently available at the winery and through their home delivery program. Check out your local LCBO this coming fall for a more local availability and, if you are not in Ontario, contact the winery directly at http://www.vineland.com to find out where you can pick up VICE in your city.
Monday, July 27, 2009
A Great Reason to Celebrate
Originally posted at http://ontariowinediva.blogspot.com
Mark Anthony Brands and Santa Rita Wines wanted to throw a party – a launch party of one of their lines of wine that was getting a label redesign. So, on Thursday July 23rd, iYellow Wine Club, Le Germain and Mark Anthony Brands got together to celebrate the re-launch of the Santa Rita 120 line of wines. The venue was the very interesting and eclectic Thrush Holmes Empire, located in the Queen West Village area of Toronto and is the studio space dedicated to Thrush Holmes gallery of paintings. As you are walking along Queen towards the gallery, you are greeted with a very unassuming silver exterior with “THE” as the only word appearing on the building and three strips of neon lights to signify the entrance. Inside, the space is simple – a great way to showcase the artwork of Thrush Holmes – and you can hear a DJ playing around the corner making the atmosphere lively, entertaining and, obviously, a great place to re-launch a great wine.
As we walked through the door, Angela Aiello greeted us and said “You have to try the 120 Sauvignon Blanc – it’s AMAZING!” So, since that was pretty much right in front of us, we grabbed a glass and headed for it – Angela was right. The aromas and flavours were mostly grapefruit and lemon but with slight hints of tropical fruit and herbs. The winemaker had added in 2% of Semillon which is the likely contributor of the tropical fruit flavours of pineapple, mango and papaya but it was not overpowering and just added a slight complexity to a standard Sauvignon Blanc. Although the term “fruit bomb” tends to be associated with fruity red wines, this white wine could easily qualify for that term and at a price of $10.45 (Cdn) a bottle, it is a definite steal. The 120 Cabernet Sauvignon – the other wine being re-launched this evening – was another powerhouse of flavours and aromas. Berry fruit, leather, cloves and vanilla are almost perfectly balanced and meld together into an elegant finish. The Cabernet Sauvignon was a 2007 vintage and, based on what I tasted, I would give it another 6-9 months to reach optimum balance. Also priced at $10.45 (Cdn) a bottle, both of these wines are readily available at a variety of LCBO stores in Ontario.
Now, not only did Mark Anthony Brands bring along the 120 line of wines for the re-launch, they also brought along a few rare treats for us to enjoy. A couple of wines from the Reserva line, a Sauvignon Blanc from the Leyda Valley and a great red simply named Triple C were among the tops for the evening. The Reserva Sauvignon Blanc had this amazing yellow colour, which the white walls of the gallery picked up beautifully, with a very faint green hue around the rim of the glass. The aromas were citrus and passion fruit with a slight herbal hint as you start to sip the wine. The flavours are super concentrated and there is a pleasant acidity winding its way through the palate giving it freshness, firm structure and a lingering finish. At the other end of the white wine scale we find the Reserva Chardonnay which was an incredible combination of tropical fruit, grapefruit and then an underlying backbone of vanilla and hazelnut. This Chardonnay is elegant, wonderfully balanced, ready to enjoy and incredibly complex. Both wines in the Reserva line are priced at $13.95 (Cdn) a bottle and are readily available in a variety of LCBO stores in Ontario. From the Floresta line of wines, the truly interesting wine of the evening was a Sauvignon Blanc from the Leyda Valley. Leyda Valley is one of those newly discovered gems in the Chilean wine scene (much like Prince Edward County is to Ontario or Lodi is to California) and is located between the city of Santiago and the Pacific Ocean. Within 12 kilometers of the Pacific Ocean, the area has a cool enough climate, with maritime influences and summer breezes, to make it an exceptional area for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah and Riesling. The Sauvignon Blanc shows that perfectly with strong citrus notes, floral, kiwi and gooseberry. It is elegant and concentrated, crispy, zingy and, quite simply, reflects the best that this particular grape can be. This particular wine is a Vintages release through the LCBO and is available at $19.95 (Cdn) a bottle.
Although most of the outstanding wines of the evening were white wines, there was one particular red wine that stood out for any of us lucky enough to try a sip of it. Triple C, which is a combination of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenere, is an interesting take on a red blend. From the Maipo Valley in Chile, this wine shows intense aromas of black currants, flora, tar, chocolate, vanilla and a little bit of cloves. Although the palate is strong and intense, it is also elegant in its structure, has great balance and a wonderfully persistent finish. Only available through Private Order with Mark Anthony Brands, this wine is worth every penny of the $49.95 (Cdn) price per bottle.
Now, to compliment these wines, Angela Aiello worked with Mark Moffatt from Le Germain to come up with some delicious little appetizers to pair with the food. Two of my favourite combinations were a mini potato rosti topped with tomato, onion and cheese and a mini lemon meringue tart. The Potato Rosti worked beautifully with the Floresta Leyda Sauvignon Blanc and the mini Lemon Meringue tart was a perfect pairing with the Reserva Chardonnay.
Just an author’s note to end this – If you are not in Ontario, Santa Rita wines is distributed to 70 countries around the world. All you need to do is visit http://www.santarita.com and click on World Distributors to find an importer near you.
Mark Anthony Brands and Santa Rita Wines wanted to throw a party – a launch party of one of their lines of wine that was getting a label redesign. So, on Thursday July 23rd, iYellow Wine Club, Le Germain and Mark Anthony Brands got together to celebrate the re-launch of the Santa Rita 120 line of wines. The venue was the very interesting and eclectic Thrush Holmes Empire, located in the Queen West Village area of Toronto and is the studio space dedicated to Thrush Holmes gallery of paintings. As you are walking along Queen towards the gallery, you are greeted with a very unassuming silver exterior with “THE” as the only word appearing on the building and three strips of neon lights to signify the entrance. Inside, the space is simple – a great way to showcase the artwork of Thrush Holmes – and you can hear a DJ playing around the corner making the atmosphere lively, entertaining and, obviously, a great place to re-launch a great wine.
As we walked through the door, Angela Aiello greeted us and said “You have to try the 120 Sauvignon Blanc – it’s AMAZING!” So, since that was pretty much right in front of us, we grabbed a glass and headed for it – Angela was right. The aromas and flavours were mostly grapefruit and lemon but with slight hints of tropical fruit and herbs. The winemaker had added in 2% of Semillon which is the likely contributor of the tropical fruit flavours of pineapple, mango and papaya but it was not overpowering and just added a slight complexity to a standard Sauvignon Blanc. Although the term “fruit bomb” tends to be associated with fruity red wines, this white wine could easily qualify for that term and at a price of $10.45 (Cdn) a bottle, it is a definite steal. The 120 Cabernet Sauvignon – the other wine being re-launched this evening – was another powerhouse of flavours and aromas. Berry fruit, leather, cloves and vanilla are almost perfectly balanced and meld together into an elegant finish. The Cabernet Sauvignon was a 2007 vintage and, based on what I tasted, I would give it another 6-9 months to reach optimum balance. Also priced at $10.45 (Cdn) a bottle, both of these wines are readily available at a variety of LCBO stores in Ontario.
Now, not only did Mark Anthony Brands bring along the 120 line of wines for the re-launch, they also brought along a few rare treats for us to enjoy. A couple of wines from the Reserva line, a Sauvignon Blanc from the Leyda Valley and a great red simply named Triple C were among the tops for the evening. The Reserva Sauvignon Blanc had this amazing yellow colour, which the white walls of the gallery picked up beautifully, with a very faint green hue around the rim of the glass. The aromas were citrus and passion fruit with a slight herbal hint as you start to sip the wine. The flavours are super concentrated and there is a pleasant acidity winding its way through the palate giving it freshness, firm structure and a lingering finish. At the other end of the white wine scale we find the Reserva Chardonnay which was an incredible combination of tropical fruit, grapefruit and then an underlying backbone of vanilla and hazelnut. This Chardonnay is elegant, wonderfully balanced, ready to enjoy and incredibly complex. Both wines in the Reserva line are priced at $13.95 (Cdn) a bottle and are readily available in a variety of LCBO stores in Ontario. From the Floresta line of wines, the truly interesting wine of the evening was a Sauvignon Blanc from the Leyda Valley. Leyda Valley is one of those newly discovered gems in the Chilean wine scene (much like Prince Edward County is to Ontario or Lodi is to California) and is located between the city of Santiago and the Pacific Ocean. Within 12 kilometers of the Pacific Ocean, the area has a cool enough climate, with maritime influences and summer breezes, to make it an exceptional area for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah and Riesling. The Sauvignon Blanc shows that perfectly with strong citrus notes, floral, kiwi and gooseberry. It is elegant and concentrated, crispy, zingy and, quite simply, reflects the best that this particular grape can be. This particular wine is a Vintages release through the LCBO and is available at $19.95 (Cdn) a bottle.
Although most of the outstanding wines of the evening were white wines, there was one particular red wine that stood out for any of us lucky enough to try a sip of it. Triple C, which is a combination of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenere, is an interesting take on a red blend. From the Maipo Valley in Chile, this wine shows intense aromas of black currants, flora, tar, chocolate, vanilla and a little bit of cloves. Although the palate is strong and intense, it is also elegant in its structure, has great balance and a wonderfully persistent finish. Only available through Private Order with Mark Anthony Brands, this wine is worth every penny of the $49.95 (Cdn) price per bottle.
Now, to compliment these wines, Angela Aiello worked with Mark Moffatt from Le Germain to come up with some delicious little appetizers to pair with the food. Two of my favourite combinations were a mini potato rosti topped with tomato, onion and cheese and a mini lemon meringue tart. The Potato Rosti worked beautifully with the Floresta Leyda Sauvignon Blanc and the mini Lemon Meringue tart was a perfect pairing with the Reserva Chardonnay.
Just an author’s note to end this – If you are not in Ontario, Santa Rita wines is distributed to 70 countries around the world. All you need to do is visit http://www.santarita.com and click on World Distributors to find an importer near you.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
An Amazing Afternoon in Madeira
Until yesterday, I did not realize that June 10th is Portugal’s National Holiday but shortly after sitting down for a Madeira luncheon, the assembled dignitaries filled us in that, normally, on that day they are kicking back on their decks and patios with family and friends. This year they chose to celebrate with us – a room of wine writers, fellow dignitaries and lovers of their favourite wine…Madeira. Now, Madeira is sweet stuff – it is essentially Ports made on the island of Madeira – so it is a wine that would not normally be associated with food. Like Eiswein, Sherry, Port or Icewine, Madeira is normally associated with dessert or on its own as an after dinner drink so pairing Madeira with food is an adventure unto itself.
When we arrived, our host for the afternoon, Mr. William Delgado, showed us into the cocktail reception area where we were offered Henriques & Henriques 10 YO Sercial. The island of Madeira is extremely small and Henriques & Henriques is the oldest producer of Madeira still operating on the island today.
“Sercial is one of the four recognized grapes in making Madeira and this 10 year old version was great paired with appetizers like Cod Fritters, Lobster Spring Rolls, Beef Tartar and Goat Cheese appetizers. Mostly caramel and spice on the nose, the flavours were light and smooth with a slight lingering finish.”
Once lunch was ready to be served, we were brought back into the main dining room to enjoy a lunch of:
Beef Consumme
Selection of Jacobs & Co dry-aged beef:
USDA Prime Whole Roasted Tenderloin
Oakleigh Ranch Wagyu Striploin
Alberta Wagyu Bavette
With
Sauté Mixed Mushrooms
Potato Gratin
Baby Carrots
Duck fat French Fried Potatoes
Selection of local & Portuguese Cheeses
Devils Food Chocolate Cake
The wine pairings with each of these courses were experimental they told us and some of them worked exceptionally well while others were not quite perfect. It would have been interesting to try the 10 YO Sercial that was served with the appetizers with the Beef Consumme because the Blandy’s 10 YO Verdelho was a little too heavy for this extremely lightly flavoured Consommé. Both the Madeira and the Consumme were delicious but the match did not quite work.
With the second course – the trio of beef – we were asked to pair it with the Henriques & Henriques 15 YO Verdelho and see which cut of beef the wine went best with. “The Verdelho 15 YO has a lovely rich, amber colour and has mostly citrus notes on the aromas. It is silky smooth, with very deep flavours of caramel, honey and nuts with a hint of tartness and a slightly long finish.” Although the third cut of beef - the Alberto Wagyu Bavette – was my favourite cut of beef on the plate due to the extra flavor it exhibited as compared to the other two cuts the 15 YO Verdelho seemed to pair best with the second cut of beef – the Oakleigh Ranch Wagyu Striploin
After the main course was cleared, we went into the “flight of wines” paired with local and Portuguese cheeses, fruit and honey. They had another task for us to decide upon – which of these two wines went best with the cheeses. Our two choices were the Cossart Gordon 5 YO Bual and Justino’s 10 YO Bual and they gave us two white cheeses, one blue cheese, an apple slice, a dollop of honey and some bread.
“The Cossart Gordon 5 YO Bual had a light brown colour and a distinctive sour cherry aroma with a slight nutty undertone. The flavours were a combination of raisins and currants and it went particularly well with the two white cheeses and the honey.”
“The Justino’s 10 YO Bual had this very interesting, almost cherry colour to it while the aromas were distinctively green and medicinal. It had an extremely complex palate of green apple, raisins and cooked fruit which paired wonderfully with the green apple slice and the blue cheese.”
Both of these wines brought different things to the table – and the cheese plate. Although the aromas associated with the Justino’s 10 YO Bual were not the most pleasant, it was kind of like a Pinotage – if you can get past the aromas normally associated with Pinotage you are rewarded with an amazingly tasty wine. The same could be said for the Justino’s 10 YO Bual so if you ever have a chance to try this particular Madeira, remember to forget what you are smelling and taste it anyway – you will be richly rewarded. The consensus at our table on the Cossart Gordon 5 YO Bual was that it was a typical Madeira and one that could be enjoyed in a variety of ways.
Our final course of the luncheon – the Devil’s Food Chocolate Cake – was paired with another flight of Madeira’s: the Justino’s Fine Rich Colheita 1996 and the Justino’s Broadbent Bual 1978. Now, along with the Devil’s Food Chocolate Cake, which had a Chocolate Ganache Frosting, there was also Chocolate ice cream and a rolled chocolate cigar.
“The Justino’s Colheita 1996 has an orange red colour with the aromas of nuts and cream – which is not typical for Madeira’s. The flavours were honey, spice and a slight amount of citrus. Essentially, this is very far from a typical Madeira but so interesting you just have to try it. The unique pairing that I found was that the chocolate ice cream brought out a major spicy undertone in this Madeira…imagine what this would be like with a pint of Haagen Dazs Chocolate.”
“Now the Justino’s Broadbent Bual 1978 was a real treat. It had a dark cherry colour and a complex set of aromas – smoke, honey, nutty, caramel, cherry, toast (which was almost an afterthought) were the key players but if you really wanted to analyze all of the aromas, you could easily have come up with a list as long as your arm. The flavours were mostly chocolate and toffee but there was also a hint of honey, figs and citrus to round it out. It was the most harmonious, the most perfect pairing of the afternoon because it went seamlessly with the Devil’s Food Chocolate Cake.
After the delicious luncheon was complete, we were welcomed back into another room to try some other Madeira’s that were not featured in the luncheon. Although there were many lovely ones to choose from, two in particular stood out for me.
Blandy’s Duke of Clarence Full Rich
Blandy’s Terrantez 1976
“The Blandy’s Duke of Clarence Full Rich showed an extremely powerful nose right up front. It actually reminded me of my Grandma’s Plum Pudding that we always have with Christmas dinner. The flavours are spicy and full bodied – mostly cooked fruit but with a kick of tartness on the finish. This could be paired with just about any cake or pudding recipe out there but would also be great on its own.”
“The colour on Blandy’s Terrantez 1976 is really quite amazing – it is a bright amber colour but with a greenish rim which actually is a sign of high quality Madeira. Although the aromas do not seem as powerful as the Duke of Clarence Full Rich, the Terrantez 1976 is just as complex. Raisins, currants, cooked fruit, citrus with even a distinctive hint of orange peel at the end are the major aromas coming into play here. You can find more of those aromas developing into the flavours combined with tangy freshness, a hint of tartness and a long lingering finish. The interesting thing is that the winery actually says it can hold until 2076 if you wanted to wait that long…but why would we do that when it is drinking so well right now. I would rather wait until 2016 or 2026 to see what it is like for my 40th or 50th birthday.”
When we arrived, our host for the afternoon, Mr. William Delgado, showed us into the cocktail reception area where we were offered Henriques & Henriques 10 YO Sercial. The island of Madeira is extremely small and Henriques & Henriques is the oldest producer of Madeira still operating on the island today.
“Sercial is one of the four recognized grapes in making Madeira and this 10 year old version was great paired with appetizers like Cod Fritters, Lobster Spring Rolls, Beef Tartar and Goat Cheese appetizers. Mostly caramel and spice on the nose, the flavours were light and smooth with a slight lingering finish.”
Once lunch was ready to be served, we were brought back into the main dining room to enjoy a lunch of:
Beef Consumme
Selection of Jacobs & Co dry-aged beef:
USDA Prime Whole Roasted Tenderloin
Oakleigh Ranch Wagyu Striploin
Alberta Wagyu Bavette
With
Sauté Mixed Mushrooms
Potato Gratin
Baby Carrots
Duck fat French Fried Potatoes
Selection of local & Portuguese Cheeses
Devils Food Chocolate Cake
The wine pairings with each of these courses were experimental they told us and some of them worked exceptionally well while others were not quite perfect. It would have been interesting to try the 10 YO Sercial that was served with the appetizers with the Beef Consumme because the Blandy’s 10 YO Verdelho was a little too heavy for this extremely lightly flavoured Consommé. Both the Madeira and the Consumme were delicious but the match did not quite work.
With the second course – the trio of beef – we were asked to pair it with the Henriques & Henriques 15 YO Verdelho and see which cut of beef the wine went best with. “The Verdelho 15 YO has a lovely rich, amber colour and has mostly citrus notes on the aromas. It is silky smooth, with very deep flavours of caramel, honey and nuts with a hint of tartness and a slightly long finish.” Although the third cut of beef - the Alberto Wagyu Bavette – was my favourite cut of beef on the plate due to the extra flavor it exhibited as compared to the other two cuts the 15 YO Verdelho seemed to pair best with the second cut of beef – the Oakleigh Ranch Wagyu Striploin
After the main course was cleared, we went into the “flight of wines” paired with local and Portuguese cheeses, fruit and honey. They had another task for us to decide upon – which of these two wines went best with the cheeses. Our two choices were the Cossart Gordon 5 YO Bual and Justino’s 10 YO Bual and they gave us two white cheeses, one blue cheese, an apple slice, a dollop of honey and some bread.
“The Cossart Gordon 5 YO Bual had a light brown colour and a distinctive sour cherry aroma with a slight nutty undertone. The flavours were a combination of raisins and currants and it went particularly well with the two white cheeses and the honey.”
“The Justino’s 10 YO Bual had this very interesting, almost cherry colour to it while the aromas were distinctively green and medicinal. It had an extremely complex palate of green apple, raisins and cooked fruit which paired wonderfully with the green apple slice and the blue cheese.”
Both of these wines brought different things to the table – and the cheese plate. Although the aromas associated with the Justino’s 10 YO Bual were not the most pleasant, it was kind of like a Pinotage – if you can get past the aromas normally associated with Pinotage you are rewarded with an amazingly tasty wine. The same could be said for the Justino’s 10 YO Bual so if you ever have a chance to try this particular Madeira, remember to forget what you are smelling and taste it anyway – you will be richly rewarded. The consensus at our table on the Cossart Gordon 5 YO Bual was that it was a typical Madeira and one that could be enjoyed in a variety of ways.
Our final course of the luncheon – the Devil’s Food Chocolate Cake – was paired with another flight of Madeira’s: the Justino’s Fine Rich Colheita 1996 and the Justino’s Broadbent Bual 1978. Now, along with the Devil’s Food Chocolate Cake, which had a Chocolate Ganache Frosting, there was also Chocolate ice cream and a rolled chocolate cigar.
“The Justino’s Colheita 1996 has an orange red colour with the aromas of nuts and cream – which is not typical for Madeira’s. The flavours were honey, spice and a slight amount of citrus. Essentially, this is very far from a typical Madeira but so interesting you just have to try it. The unique pairing that I found was that the chocolate ice cream brought out a major spicy undertone in this Madeira…imagine what this would be like with a pint of Haagen Dazs Chocolate.”
“Now the Justino’s Broadbent Bual 1978 was a real treat. It had a dark cherry colour and a complex set of aromas – smoke, honey, nutty, caramel, cherry, toast (which was almost an afterthought) were the key players but if you really wanted to analyze all of the aromas, you could easily have come up with a list as long as your arm. The flavours were mostly chocolate and toffee but there was also a hint of honey, figs and citrus to round it out. It was the most harmonious, the most perfect pairing of the afternoon because it went seamlessly with the Devil’s Food Chocolate Cake.
After the delicious luncheon was complete, we were welcomed back into another room to try some other Madeira’s that were not featured in the luncheon. Although there were many lovely ones to choose from, two in particular stood out for me.
Blandy’s Duke of Clarence Full Rich
Blandy’s Terrantez 1976
“The Blandy’s Duke of Clarence Full Rich showed an extremely powerful nose right up front. It actually reminded me of my Grandma’s Plum Pudding that we always have with Christmas dinner. The flavours are spicy and full bodied – mostly cooked fruit but with a kick of tartness on the finish. This could be paired with just about any cake or pudding recipe out there but would also be great on its own.”
“The colour on Blandy’s Terrantez 1976 is really quite amazing – it is a bright amber colour but with a greenish rim which actually is a sign of high quality Madeira. Although the aromas do not seem as powerful as the Duke of Clarence Full Rich, the Terrantez 1976 is just as complex. Raisins, currants, cooked fruit, citrus with even a distinctive hint of orange peel at the end are the major aromas coming into play here. You can find more of those aromas developing into the flavours combined with tangy freshness, a hint of tartness and a long lingering finish. The interesting thing is that the winery actually says it can hold until 2076 if you wanted to wait that long…but why would we do that when it is drinking so well right now. I would rather wait until 2016 or 2026 to see what it is like for my 40th or 50th birthday.”
Monday, June 8, 2009
The Great Wines of New Zealand
Originally posted at http://ontariowinediva.blogspot.com
Every year the best that New Zealand has to offer comes to Canada and embarks on the New Zealand Wine Fair. They reach Toronto by about mid May and it is a day of great Sauvignon Blanc, great Pinot Noir and a lot of other really interesting surprises from this island nation in the South Pacific. Almost fifty wineries set up at The Design Exchange in downtown Toronto and we spend the next 3 hours sampling wines from both islands in a variety of styles. Below are just a select few that really stood out this particular day and – for anyone who enjoys New Zealand wines – are a must buy for their cellars.
Gibbston Highgate Estate
2006 Soulgate Pinot Noir
Amethyst Wine Agency – the importer in Canada – brought not only the 2006 vintage of this great wine but also had a sneak preview for us of the 2007 vintage which gave us the opportunity to see what a difference a year can make. The 2006 vintage showed great complexity and finesse on the nose and palate with aromas of plums, cherries, herbs and spices. Due to the oak aging this wine went through, you could also smell cedar and toasty notes which helped subdue the palate, making it silky smooth.
The 2007 vintage was very similar but was even more powerful than its predecessor. There was even more complexity in the tastes and aromas and just a small amount of tannins. Both of these wines are ready to drink now but it would be very interesting to see how they develop over the next couple of years.
Gibbston Highgate Estate Wines are available through Vintages Online Exclusives.
Summerhouse Wines
2008 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
Really great Sauvignon Blanc is a complex range of aromas and flavours and this one definitely does not disappoint. The aromas are tropical fruit, floral and a slight hint of lime while the flavours are fresh, juicy and vibrant. Citrus and tropical fruit flavours with an excellent balance of fruit and acidity make this wine one of those really easy drinking – almost “dangerous” – wines that works great on its own or paired with seafood, asparagus, goat’s cheese or tomato based dishes.
Summerhouse Wines are available only through private order in Canada and their agent is Amethyst Wine Company. Be sure to pick up this yummy wine from Laura Higgins (laura.higgins@sympatico.ca, 416-750-9994)
Summerhouse Wines
2007 Marlborough Pinot Noir
Classic Pinot Noir from New Zealand – this is it in a bottle. An amazing colour of bright red with this slight purple hue, great aromas of cherries and toast and a spicy, silky flavour with red berry fruit mid way through. This wine is young and vibrant, is more than ready to drink now, and will pair beautifully with a wide variety of dishes. Some of my favourites with this wine – BBQ, Spicy dishes, Chocolate cake and for something different, how about you try this with grilled Salmon.
Summerhouse Wines are available only through private order in Canada and their agent is Amethyst Wine Company. Be sure to pick up this yummy wine from Laura Higgins (laura.higgins@sympatico.ca, 416-750-9994)
Hawkshead Wine
2008 Central Otago Pinot Gris
Pinot Gris is not one of the better known grapes from this area of the world but the wineries of New Zealand are experimenting and coming out with some amazing versions of wines with non-typical grapes. The aromas are typical Pinot Gris – tropical fruit, pears, honeysuckle and, in the case of this wine, a hint of almonds and marzipan.
The aromas translate smoothly and easily onto the palate – tropical fruit, pears, stone fruit (mostly peaches) and this gentle balance of fruit and acidity. Possibly the best part of this wine – the rich creamy texture that keeps you coming back for more.
Hawkshead Wines are available through a variety of importers around the world. In Ontario, contact Eurovintage International at csr@eurovintage.com or 416-494-2881. For other locations, please visit http://www.hawksheadwine.com/purchase.html for more information.
Hawkshead Wine
2006 Central Otago Pinot Noir
The Gibbston region – where Hawkshead Wine is produced – is one of the coolest regions in New Zealand. Located inland at the bottom of the south island, the grapes from this region tend to require a late harvesting which equates into distinctive wines found no where else in New Zealand.
This Pinot Noir, instead of being bright red with hints of purple, is almost a garnet shade and has powerful aromas of dark berry fruit and ripe plums with floral and herbal hints. The flavours are restrained initially and you only get hints of fruit with balanced acidity. As it opens up, you can pick out flavours of dark cherries, berries, chocolate and spice making it a perfect wine to pair with a wide range of foods.
Hawkshead Wines are available through a variety of importers around the world. In Ontario, contact Eurovintage International at csr@eurovintage.com or 416-494-2881. For other locations, please visit http://www.hawksheadwine.com/purchase.html for more information.
Paddy Borthwick Vineyard
2008 Wairarapa Riesling
Before we get into the specifics on any of these wines, let me just start by saying there were six wines on this table and every one of them were amazing. The best thing about all of these wines is that every single one of them was under $30 and most were under $20 making them incredible values for what is in the bottle and – hopefully very soon – your glass.
The Riesling is another one of those grapes that we do not normally associate with New Zealand but this one definitely makes you stand up and notice it. The aromas were very fruit forward showing lime, ginger and honey. The palate is equally amazing showing hints of apricot and other stone fruits and incredible balance. Although this wine is ready to drink now, if you can stand to do so, try cellaring it for a couple of years to see this wine turn into something mind blowing.
Paddy Borthwick Vineyard wines are currently available through their importer only. Please contact Mr. Michael Gainer at Conoval Importing Services – michaelgainer@yahoo.ca or 416-907-8513 – for details.
Paddy Borthwick Vineyard
2008 Wairarapa Sauvignon Blanc
A typical Sauvignon Blanc but one of the better examples I have had in a while. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is generally very fruit forward and aromatic the whole way around. This particular version is filled with both aromas and flavours of peaches, apricots, gooseberry, melon, guava and pineapple.
The next time you are having friends over for Sunday Brunch, instead of having Mimosas, try a bottle or two of this wine instead. Paddy Borthwick Vineyard wines are currently available through their importer only. Please contact Mr. Michael Gainer at Conoval Importing Services – michaelgainer@yahoo.ca or 416-907-8513 – for details.
Paddy Borthwick Vineyard
2007 Wairarapa Chardonnay
Normally, it is difficult to pick out which kind of oak was used on a Chardonnay based on the aromas alone but with this particular wine it was easy to pick out that there was a combination of French and American Oak in play here. It created an aroma that was mostly nectarines and pineapple but you could detect the creaminess and the nutty characters that French and American Oak bring to a wine respectively.
The flavours were of cream, fruit and minerals showing it had great diversity with food – I suggest Roasted Chicken in particular – but also great age ability. This wine would be amazing to see in the next 7-10 years. Paddy Borthwick Vineyard wines are currently available through their importer only. Please contact Mr. Michael Gainer at Conoval Importing Services – michaelgainer@yahoo.ca or 416-907-8513 – for details.
Paddy Borthwick Vineyards
2007 Wairarapa Pinot Noir
Produced in a typical Burgundian style – as opposed to New World styles – this particular wine experienced minimal human influence and handling and shows intense aromas of cherries and plums. The flavours are rich and complex – mostly tobacco, spice and fruit – with great structure and fine tannins. Consequently, this wine is both a great wine to drink now and a perfect wine to cellar for years to come.
Paddy Borthwick Vineyard wines are currently available through their importer only. Please contact Mr. Michael Gainer at Conoval Importing Services – michaelgainer@yahoo.ca or 416-907-8513 – for details.
Every year the best that New Zealand has to offer comes to Canada and embarks on the New Zealand Wine Fair. They reach Toronto by about mid May and it is a day of great Sauvignon Blanc, great Pinot Noir and a lot of other really interesting surprises from this island nation in the South Pacific. Almost fifty wineries set up at The Design Exchange in downtown Toronto and we spend the next 3 hours sampling wines from both islands in a variety of styles. Below are just a select few that really stood out this particular day and – for anyone who enjoys New Zealand wines – are a must buy for their cellars.
Gibbston Highgate Estate
2006 Soulgate Pinot Noir
Amethyst Wine Agency – the importer in Canada – brought not only the 2006 vintage of this great wine but also had a sneak preview for us of the 2007 vintage which gave us the opportunity to see what a difference a year can make. The 2006 vintage showed great complexity and finesse on the nose and palate with aromas of plums, cherries, herbs and spices. Due to the oak aging this wine went through, you could also smell cedar and toasty notes which helped subdue the palate, making it silky smooth.
The 2007 vintage was very similar but was even more powerful than its predecessor. There was even more complexity in the tastes and aromas and just a small amount of tannins. Both of these wines are ready to drink now but it would be very interesting to see how they develop over the next couple of years.
Gibbston Highgate Estate Wines are available through Vintages Online Exclusives.
Summerhouse Wines
2008 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
Really great Sauvignon Blanc is a complex range of aromas and flavours and this one definitely does not disappoint. The aromas are tropical fruit, floral and a slight hint of lime while the flavours are fresh, juicy and vibrant. Citrus and tropical fruit flavours with an excellent balance of fruit and acidity make this wine one of those really easy drinking – almost “dangerous” – wines that works great on its own or paired with seafood, asparagus, goat’s cheese or tomato based dishes.
Summerhouse Wines are available only through private order in Canada and their agent is Amethyst Wine Company. Be sure to pick up this yummy wine from Laura Higgins (laura.higgins@sympatico.ca, 416-750-9994)
Summerhouse Wines
2007 Marlborough Pinot Noir
Classic Pinot Noir from New Zealand – this is it in a bottle. An amazing colour of bright red with this slight purple hue, great aromas of cherries and toast and a spicy, silky flavour with red berry fruit mid way through. This wine is young and vibrant, is more than ready to drink now, and will pair beautifully with a wide variety of dishes. Some of my favourites with this wine – BBQ, Spicy dishes, Chocolate cake and for something different, how about you try this with grilled Salmon.
Summerhouse Wines are available only through private order in Canada and their agent is Amethyst Wine Company. Be sure to pick up this yummy wine from Laura Higgins (laura.higgins@sympatico.ca, 416-750-9994)
Hawkshead Wine
2008 Central Otago Pinot Gris
Pinot Gris is not one of the better known grapes from this area of the world but the wineries of New Zealand are experimenting and coming out with some amazing versions of wines with non-typical grapes. The aromas are typical Pinot Gris – tropical fruit, pears, honeysuckle and, in the case of this wine, a hint of almonds and marzipan.
The aromas translate smoothly and easily onto the palate – tropical fruit, pears, stone fruit (mostly peaches) and this gentle balance of fruit and acidity. Possibly the best part of this wine – the rich creamy texture that keeps you coming back for more.
Hawkshead Wines are available through a variety of importers around the world. In Ontario, contact Eurovintage International at csr@eurovintage.com or 416-494-2881. For other locations, please visit http://www.hawksheadwine.com/purchase.html for more information.
Hawkshead Wine
2006 Central Otago Pinot Noir
The Gibbston region – where Hawkshead Wine is produced – is one of the coolest regions in New Zealand. Located inland at the bottom of the south island, the grapes from this region tend to require a late harvesting which equates into distinctive wines found no where else in New Zealand.
This Pinot Noir, instead of being bright red with hints of purple, is almost a garnet shade and has powerful aromas of dark berry fruit and ripe plums with floral and herbal hints. The flavours are restrained initially and you only get hints of fruit with balanced acidity. As it opens up, you can pick out flavours of dark cherries, berries, chocolate and spice making it a perfect wine to pair with a wide range of foods.
Hawkshead Wines are available through a variety of importers around the world. In Ontario, contact Eurovintage International at csr@eurovintage.com or 416-494-2881. For other locations, please visit http://www.hawksheadwine.com/purchase.html for more information.
Paddy Borthwick Vineyard
2008 Wairarapa Riesling
Before we get into the specifics on any of these wines, let me just start by saying there were six wines on this table and every one of them were amazing. The best thing about all of these wines is that every single one of them was under $30 and most were under $20 making them incredible values for what is in the bottle and – hopefully very soon – your glass.
The Riesling is another one of those grapes that we do not normally associate with New Zealand but this one definitely makes you stand up and notice it. The aromas were very fruit forward showing lime, ginger and honey. The palate is equally amazing showing hints of apricot and other stone fruits and incredible balance. Although this wine is ready to drink now, if you can stand to do so, try cellaring it for a couple of years to see this wine turn into something mind blowing.
Paddy Borthwick Vineyard wines are currently available through their importer only. Please contact Mr. Michael Gainer at Conoval Importing Services – michaelgainer@yahoo.ca or 416-907-8513 – for details.
Paddy Borthwick Vineyard
2008 Wairarapa Sauvignon Blanc
A typical Sauvignon Blanc but one of the better examples I have had in a while. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is generally very fruit forward and aromatic the whole way around. This particular version is filled with both aromas and flavours of peaches, apricots, gooseberry, melon, guava and pineapple.
The next time you are having friends over for Sunday Brunch, instead of having Mimosas, try a bottle or two of this wine instead. Paddy Borthwick Vineyard wines are currently available through their importer only. Please contact Mr. Michael Gainer at Conoval Importing Services – michaelgainer@yahoo.ca or 416-907-8513 – for details.
Paddy Borthwick Vineyard
2007 Wairarapa Chardonnay
Normally, it is difficult to pick out which kind of oak was used on a Chardonnay based on the aromas alone but with this particular wine it was easy to pick out that there was a combination of French and American Oak in play here. It created an aroma that was mostly nectarines and pineapple but you could detect the creaminess and the nutty characters that French and American Oak bring to a wine respectively.
The flavours were of cream, fruit and minerals showing it had great diversity with food – I suggest Roasted Chicken in particular – but also great age ability. This wine would be amazing to see in the next 7-10 years. Paddy Borthwick Vineyard wines are currently available through their importer only. Please contact Mr. Michael Gainer at Conoval Importing Services – michaelgainer@yahoo.ca or 416-907-8513 – for details.
Paddy Borthwick Vineyards
2007 Wairarapa Pinot Noir
Produced in a typical Burgundian style – as opposed to New World styles – this particular wine experienced minimal human influence and handling and shows intense aromas of cherries and plums. The flavours are rich and complex – mostly tobacco, spice and fruit – with great structure and fine tannins. Consequently, this wine is both a great wine to drink now and a perfect wine to cellar for years to come.
Paddy Borthwick Vineyard wines are currently available through their importer only. Please contact Mr. Michael Gainer at Conoval Importing Services – michaelgainer@yahoo.ca or 416-907-8513 – for details.
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