Niagara Wine Reviews

Coyote’s Run Chard, nicely aged Lakeview Syrah lead charge at Saturday’s Vintages release

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The Vintages release of Niagara wines on Saturday pulls out a couple of wines from the vaults including a nicely aged Syrah from Lakeview and a Chardonnay from Coyote’s Run with a little bottle age.

Here’s what to look for as you go shopping for local wine on Saturday.

Coyote’s Run Black Paw Vineyard Chardonnay 2010 ($22, 92 points) — A very complex Chardonnay that shows restraint on the nose with butterscotch, vanilla, poached pear and touch of citrus zest. On the palate, it’s a bit more robust with notes of mineral, flint and gorgeously integrated fruit. An elegant and evolving wine that can cellar for a few years to fully show its true potential.

Inniskillin Winemaker’s Series Barrel Aged Pinot Gris 2010 ($20, 88 points) — Fruit is sourced from the excellent Montague Vineyard and Nicholson elected to age the fruit in French oak to give the wine mouth feel and elegance. It shows pretty pear, melon, spice and a dash of wild honey on the nose. The flavours are rich on the palate with layers of apple-pear fruit with a kiss of oak spices that are well integrated through the finish.

Lakeview_Syrah_webLakeview Cellars Syrah Reserve 2007 ($20, 91 points) — A classic Syrah with a roasted meat, blueberry, cassis, campfire smoke, and spicy-peppery nose. This ripe and interesting Syrah shows a range of fruits — blackberries, currants, cassis — to go with a baker’s range of spice, pepper, ripe tannins, structure and length through the finish. Drinking great now with more potential in the bottle. This wine was originally released at $30.

Malivoire Guilty Men Cabernet Merlot 2010 ($20, 88 points) — Very interesting nose of ripe, succulent blackberry, cherry, cedar, loam and cocoa. It’s a full-bodied red with meaty-earthy fruits, evident tannins and pretty good length through the finish. To enjoy now or cellar for three years.

Mike Weir Sauvignon Blanc 2010 ($15, 87 points) — The Weir label changes for this vintage, a modest redesign to focus on “Weir the personality,” says the press release. As with all Weir wines, profits from the wines go to the Mike Weir Foundation that helps support children in need. This nice, little SB shows racy gooseberry, grapefruit and zesty citrus on the nose. A bit of tropical fruit emerges on the palate with good vibrancy through the finish. A fine SB at a great price.

And a couple of other wines released but not reviewed:

Angels Gate Sauvignon Blanc 2010 ($14)

Henry of Pelham Pinot Blanc 2011 ($15)