Flat Rock Cellars has a limited release of its new Nadja’s Vineyard Riesling 2012 appearing at select Vintages stores in the Saturday release.
Nadja’s is one of those Niagara Rieslings that has been interesting to watch as the vines, planted on a bed of limestone, grow older and the wines become more complex.
It’s a unique Riesling that gets its personality from the minerals up there on the highest point of the vineyard. I always tuck a few of the Nadja’s away in my cellar to watch the development and am impressed with how well these wines age.
The Nadja’s 2012 is part of the Go Local Ontario release with only a limited number of cases released before the main release of the 2012 early in the new year.
Here’s a review of the 2011 Nadja’s, which is still on store shelves, plus some other Flat Rock wines that are now available, including a new Chardonnay that will help benefit Ontario food banks.
Also included in this post is Chateau des Charmes’ new Earth & Sky wines and other Niagara wines being released Saturday at Vintages.
Flat Rock Cellars Nadja’s Vinyeard Riesling 2011 ($20, Vintages, 91 points) — Nadja’s Vineyard is situated at the highest point of the Flat Rock holdings on top of a solid bed of limestone. The nose shows profound lime and grapefruit with honeysuckle and chalky minerality. The citrus zest on the palate is joined by a lovely floral note with a layer of river rock and light jasmine and ginger spice. Feels dry in the mouth despite 13 g/l of residual sugar.
Flat Rock Cellars Twisted 2011 ($17, Vintages, winery, 89 points) — Flat Rock has perfected this aromatic blend of Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Chardonnay. There is plenty going on here with lime, lemon, orchard fruits and a pinch of spice on the nose. It’s slightly off-dry and the grapefruit and ginger spice shines on the palate with pear and apple notes chiming in. Lovely sipping wine.
Flat Rock Cellars Pinot Noir 2011 ($20, Vintages, winery, 89 points) — A mid-weight Pinot with warm cherry fruit, earth, spice and beet root aromas. It’s smooth and delicious on the palate with loam, red fruits, savoury-smoky notes and spice. Great porch-sipping Pinot or serve with cedar plank salmon.
Flat Rock Pinot Cellars Noir Rose 2012 ($17, LCBO, winery, 90 points) — Always one of the best roses in Niagara, this 100% Pinot, made in the saignee method, displays light and refreshing notes of strawberry and cherry fruit on the nose. It is perfectly dry on the palate with red fruits joined by a muted citrus note.
Flat Rock Cellars Unplugged Chardonnay 2012 ($17, LCBO, winery, 88 points) — This unoaked Chard from the winery’s Twenty Mile Bench appellation displays fresh aromas of apple and pear fruit with a vein of minerality running through the core. The fruit is ripe on the palate with the quince and crushed rock lifted by moderate acidity.
Flat Rock Cellars Good Kharma Chardonnay 2010 ($17, Vintages Sept. 14, 88 points) — Flat Rock made this new wine (and label) with a portion of the sales going to the Ontario Association of Food Banks. It shows fresh apple, minerals, grapefruit, vanilla toast and spice. It’s rich and lush on the palate, a hallmark of the vintage, with pear-vanilla, butterscotch, spice and enough acidity to keep it fresh and lively.
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Chateau des Charmes
This St. Davids winery is always on the go with new projects and labels added on a regular basis.
You should see two new wines hitting the LCBO shelves just about now and the winery has also opened on a new retail boutique in midtown Toronto.
The winery already had two retail licenses that were grandfathered post-NAFTA. Both were located in Ottawa. They had been looking for a Toronto location for a couple of years when finally, this spring, a prime location was found in Delisle Court, 1560 Yonge St., just north of St. Clair.
It’s tucked in behind Bruno’s Fine Foods and next door to Cava.
The doors were opened on July 27.
With the launch of the new Earth & Sky series of wines Chateau des Charmes took the opportunity to revamp its website and bring this new brand together with Generation Seven and the classic Château des Charmes wines. All three brands now live together under the Bosc family umbrella.
Earth & Sky was born out of the notion that wine is grown not “made.” The label is meant to depict a watercolour painting of the vineyard planted in the ground with the blue sky above. It’s the concept of terroir but made more approachable, even tangible to the wine novice.
You can read the full story of how Earth & Sky came to be here.
Here are the first two wines released under the new label, both now available at the LCBO, winery, online or at the two retail stores.
Earth & Sky Riesling 2011 ($15, LCBO, 88 points) — A dynamic little Riesling for the price. Bold lime-infused citrus with a splash of peach fruit and mineral undertones on the nose. It’s refreshing and citrus-laden on the palate with a nice clean finish.
Earth & Sky Pinot Noir 2010 ($16, LCBO, 89 points) — A generous nose of cherry and strawberry fruit with touches of vanilla oak, earth and spice. It’s tasty on the palate with red fruits, smooth tannins and a balanced approach to the cloves, earth and spices.
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Vintages release Saturday
Calamus Riesling Vinemount Ridge 2011 ($16, 90 points) — It opens with gushing grapefuit and lime aromas with softer notes of peach and river rock and a subtle note of earthiness. It’s bursts on the palate with a wave of citrus fruit, racy acidity, quince and minerals. It’s a very focused wine that will develop and mature, bringing petrol and minerals in balance with the fruit.
Henry Pelham Estate Pinot Noir 2009 ($25, 88 points) — A nose of cherries and strawberries with some earth and spice. Good acidity and firm tannins on the palate with red fruits and spice. Quite tasty through the finish.
Closson Chase S. Kocsis Vineyard Chardonnay Niagara Beamsville Bench 2010 ($35, 92 points) — Closson Chase is primarily a Prince Edward County wine producer but does make a couple of wines, including this one, from purchased Niagara fruit. It is a spectacular wine with ripe poached pear fruit, pineapple and summer peach to go with opulent spice and butter notes. You get the full weight of this warm vintage here on the palate with lush fruit, caramel, toffee, oak-vanilla and a buttery-toasted note through the finish. There’s a enough acid to provide lift and longevity for a few years. A big, showy Chard that will knock your socks off.
Other wines being released but not reviewed:
• Creekside Laura’s White 2009 ($19)
• Sue Ann Staff Cabernet Merlot 2010 ($18)
• 13th Street Red Palette 2011 ($16)
• Cave Spring Cellars CSV Riesling 2009 ($30)
• Henry of Pelham Cabernet Icewine 2012 ($40 for 200 ml)
• Lailey Chardonnay 2011 ($20)
• Peninsula Ridge A.J. Lepp Vineyards Reserve Merlot 2011 ($20)
• Frogpond Farm Cabernet 2008 ($15)
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