Winemaker Rob Power draws samples from the 2012 vintage tank ferments inside the chaotic Creekside winery.
He is elated, excited by the early results of the vintage as we taste samples of Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and whatever else is within reach on this October day.
These are spectacular wines (well, not quite wine yet) that show intensity and power in the reds and ripe, concentrated flavours in the whites with plenty of natural acidity and tannins. Power is not the sort of guy to wax poetic about any year being the Vintage of the Century, he’s heard it all before, but 2012, this vintage, is showing the greatest potential across the most varietals that he and many others in Niagara have ever seen.
Time will tell, of course, and it’s hard to trumpet another great vintage when Niagara has just enjoyed a brilliant 2010 vintage, but the signs are there that 2012 could be even better.
The Grape Growers of Ontario has wasted no time in declaring the 2012 grape harvest one of the best in the 65-year history of the province’s grape industry.
They held a press conference on Friday (Nov. 30) to give their report on the 2012 harvest, 65,000 tons, and led a wine tasting of some of the best Ontario wines following the report.
But the real proof lies in the excitement of winemakers such as Power. He calls a spade a spade from vintage to vintage. I have never known him to pull punches with previous vintages and he’s always blunt in his assessments.
Trudging around the winery with him on this day, drawing sample after sample, it’s obvious that good things will come from 2012.
Creekside Estate Winery, maker of some of Niagara’s best big red wines, including the multi-awarded Broken Press Syrah, was recently sold by owner Laura McCain to the Equity Wine Group.
Equity Wine Group is a relatively new company in the Canadian wine marketplace and is doing things a little differently. Equity Wine Group’s initial enterprise is Sideroad Twenty Cellars — a direct to consumer sales group representing a wide variety of premium VQA and import brands as well proprietary brands — Sideroad Twenty and Red Tractor Wines.
There have been no obvious changes thus far at the winery and the winemaking and marketing team — primarily Power and Matt Loney — has carried as business as usual.
I had come to the winery to taste the new Undercurrent releases and the legendary “Lost Barrel” red from the 2007 vintage.
Creekside’s “Undercurrent” series of wines are made in small lots and represent the passion of the winemakers. Club members, playfully known as “Creek Freaks,” get first crack at these limited edition wines and then what’s left is put up for sale while they last at the winery.
Perhaps the most exciting wines made at Creekside are the “Lost Barrel” bottlings that are made only rarely at the winery, a tradition started by Power and former winemaker Craig McDonald, who now heads up the winemaking team at the Peller family of wineries.
These wines are made in tiny quantities from the best vintages and often even the winemakers don’t know exactly what’s in them.
Here’s what I tried and liked recently at Creekside:
Creekside Laura’s Red 2010 ($20, for release late this winter, 89 points) — The Laura tier of wines at Creekside has been a success story for the winery. Both the red and white blends have been known for their quality at a reasonable price. The 2010 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Malbec shows an expressive nose of black cherries, currants, toasted vanilla spice and roasted coffee bean notes. It’s a fruit forward wine on the palate with bold raspberry-cherry fruit, with touches of bramble, mocha and vanilla to go with ripe tannins and a smooth finish.
Creekside Undercurrent Shiraz-Malbec 2008 ($27, winery, 89 points) — A very different wine for Niagara with the Malbec and Shiraz (a 50-50 blend) co-fermented in demi-muid (600 litre) oak barrels. The nose is expressive with blackberry, blueberry, dark plums, roasted meats, mocha, licorice and smoke built in an Old World style. Very earthy and firm on the palate with currants, anise, cracked black peppercorns with good acid and firm tannins. Note: This was originally tasted in the summer but notes here have been update.
Creekside Lost Barrel Red 2007 ($65, winery, 93 points) — No one really knows the exact components (at least no one is saying), but it’s safe to say that Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Malbec and Pinot Noir, yes, Pinot!, all play some sort of role in this glorious red blend. Only three barrels were produced. Fermenting is done in new oak barrels then is quickly moved to neutral French oak barrels for an incredible 3.5 years and forgotten about, because, afterall, it’s the “Lost Barrel.” In the glass it is thick and dark as the waves of plum puree, black currants, warm summer field raspberries, black peppercorns, mocha, toasted vanilla and licorice come at you. It’s a big bruiser on the palate with power and structure and layers of lavish spice that work in concert with a fruit bowl of flavours through an incredibly long finish. This is a collector’s wine and it would be a shame to buy and open it any time soon. Though, I wouldn’t turn down a bottle to go with a huge hunk of rare filet mignon wrapped in crispy bacon. Now we’re talking! Note: This wine is available for tasting from Friday (Nov. 30) to Sunday (Dec. 2) from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. It will be available at the winery until it’s sold out and also online here beginning at noon Friday.
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