In this report from Prince Edward County we have reviews from Hinterland and The Old Third, plus former Lailey winemaker Derek Barnett joins the team at Karlo Estates)
HILLIER, Prince Edward County — Talk about a winery with a lot going on, wow. Hinterland Wine Company starts from a base of the most exciting and innovative sparkling wine program in the country and expands from there.
Owners Jonas Newman, also the winemaker and pictured above looking out the window from the new brewery, and wife Vicky Samaras started their Prince Edward County venture in 2007 and quickly established a range of sparkling wines including wines made traditionally, in the charmat style and the stylish ancestral made from Gamay.
They found immediate success and today find themselves comfortable with their modest production of sparkling wines but yearning to do more in other areas.
During our visit, with friend Rick Bates riding shotgun, we were greeted by Jonas and immediately discovered so much more going on at Hinterland than just sparkling wine (as seen in the photo above).
We got our first glimpse at the new brewery, the Country Road Beer Company, which is co-owned by Hinterland and situated right next door to the winery.
The first batch of beers, a blonde ale and saison, were just being bottled and labeled during our visit for the official release last Saturday. The brewery facility was taking shape and we got a look at the tasting room that was still under construction. It’s a comfortable space that looks out into the vineyard with a gorgeous, yet somehow ironic, view of the grape vines.
Here’s what we enjoyed from the two releases:
County Road Beer Company Blonde Ale ($4.50 for 650 mL, 4.8% alc) — A nice, lighter, refreshing ale that is not too hoppy, malty or anything other than balanced and tasty. “We don’t want to be part of the hops arms race,” Newman said.
County Road Beer Company Saison ($5 for 650 mL, 6% alc) — A bit more robust with barley-yeasty-malty notes and a nice spice bite on the finish. I loved this beer (but admit I am not a beer aficionado, hence no beer scores) and appreciated the avoidance of bitterness or hopped-up finish.
On top of the sparkling wines and beer project, Newman is also involved in consulting for the new Adamo Estate Winery in the Hockley Valley near Orangeville. The winery has planted its own grapes but is also sourcing top fruit from Niagara that show real promise. Newman has used his connections to secure grapes from the likes of Wismer and Lowrey to give the portfolio respect right out of the gate.
Here’s what I liked:
Adamo Wismer Foxcroft Vineyard Riesling 2014 ($20, 90 points) — This new winery is located in the Hockley Valley (near Orangeville, Ont.) but sources this fruit from Niagara. The nose shows bright citrus, peach, minerals and golden honey notes. It’s a fleshy, fruit-packed mineral bomb on the palate with grapefruit, lime and peach to go with flinty notes and moderate honey sweetness through the finish.
Adamo Gamay Noir 2014 ($20, 88 points) — The fruit was sourced from St. David’s Bench in Niagara. The nose shows plums, berries, savoury herbs, smoke and black cherry. It has freshness on the palate with savoury spices, plums, blackberries and a smoky note through the finish.
Adamo Lowrey Vineyard Pinot Noir 2013 ($33, 90 points) — How a new winery was able to snag a few rows of the coveted Lowrey Vineyard in Niagara is a question best asked of winemaking consultant Jonas Newman, but he did it. The fruit is from new vines but still shows the hallmarks of this incredible piece of dirt. The nose shows cherry, earth, smoke and savoury spices. The tannins are soft on the palate with bright cherry-cranberry flavours, spice and good balance.
Newman, pictured right, has also partnered with William Predhomme for their collaboration called the North Shore Project that seeks out cool climate Syrah and Gamay for small batches of wine primarily sold at key restaurants in Toronto (but also available at Hinterland).
The newest wine is a Gamay sourced from Niagara’s Sandstone Vineyard. Here’s my review:
North Shore Project Gamay Niagara 2014 ($24, 92 points) — This Gamay was sourced from the old vines at Sandstone Vineyard in Niagara and was aged in older oak barrels. A little bit of oxygen was introduced during aging by leaving the bung holes on the barrels open to oxygen. It has a unique nose of cherries, plums, blueberries, raspberries and a lovely reductive note that adds plenty of intrigue. It’s fresh and wild on the palate and a mélange of red fruits, blueberries and plums with length and depth through the finish. Highly gulpable, yes, but still thought provoking and interesting because of that reductive note on the nose and palate. Newman calls it “on the edge of dirty.” I call it exciting.
And, finally, the heart of Hinterland is in the sparkling program. Here are three of the most recent releases at the winery:
Hinterland Les Etoiles 2012, Prince Edward County ($39, 92 points) — The 2012 version of Les Etoiles, made in the traditional method, is a blend of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir with a modest 6 g/l dosage. The nose shows grapefruit, pear, brioche, toast and smoky-flinty notes. It’s racy on the palate with a healthy, persistent stream of bubbles that accent flavours of fresh grapefruit, pear, citrus and that vein of flinty minerality. Beautiful bubbly here and worth laying down for a few years.
Hinterland Les Etoiles 2009, Prince Edward County ($49, 93 points) — Only 80 cases of this aged Les Etoiles (on the lees for five years, disgorged in July) are available. It has a beautiful, engaging nose of brioche, yeast, baked bread, bright citrus, pear and apple. The soft, elegant mousse carries toasty, mature citrus notes with subtle green apple flavours and minerals with a creamy texture through the long, luxurious finish.
Hinterland Blanc de Blanc 2011 ($39, 92 points) — This is made from 100% Chardonnay aged in five-year-old oak barrels with zero dosage. The 2011 growing season was a little cooler and wetter than 2009 but it turned out to be a great vintage nonetheless, according to winemaker Jonas Newman. “The Chardonnay, which was destined for 2011 Les Etoiles, was so special that we diverted 3000L for our first Blanc de Blanc. It was bottle aged (sur lattes) for 40 months with only 80 cases produced.” It’s so fresh and perky on the nose with lemon, biscuit, apricot, lime, grapefruit and creamy pear with leesy-vanilla-mineral accents. It’s nicely aged but still bright and cheerful on the palate with citrus, brioche and pear flavours to go with a creamy, textured mouth feel.
The Old Third
A trip to the County is not complete without dropping in on Bruno Francois and Jens Korberg at their gorgeous converted barn (and recently added windows that overlook the vineyards) that acts as The Old Third’s tasting facility upstairs with working winery below.
Visiting The Old Third is both a beautiful experience in the fall and disappointing because come October there isn’t a lot of wine that hasn’t already been sold.
The 2013 Pinot Noir, the foundation of what The Old Third does, and they do it very, very well, was completely sold out (the new vintage, the 2014, will be released in March) but we were able to snag the very last bottles.
We did get to taste the enthralling 2011 sparkling wine, made from 100% Pinot Noir, and it was even better than I remember it from my last tasting. No wonder Wine Spectator critic Matt Kramer raved about it and bought two cases.
Then it was down to the cellar to taste the ferments (above photo) from the 2015 Pinot Noir, which winemaker Francois calls largest and best in terms of quality off the vine in The Old Third’s history. Francois, who was recovering from recent surgery and in some obvious pain, was a real trouper as he climbed up tanks and drew samples for us to taste.
Here’s a review for the only finished wine we tasted:
The Old Third À la Volée Sparkling Wine 2011 ($59, going fast at the winery, 94 points) — The last time I tasted and reviewed this wine, in May of 2014, it was $41 and I gave it 92 points. It has both risen in price and I have upped the score to reflect the glorious ride this wine is on. The 2011 version, at this point, has been on the lees for 40 months. It is made from 100% Pinot Noir and when last tasted had spent 20 months of the lees. The nose is seductive with yeasty-bready notes, citrus, lemon, apple blossoms, pear and soft vanilla. It shows precision on the palate, driven by racy acidity and verve with a persistent mousse that lifts the lemon drop and citrus profile. The toasty-biscuit-creamy notes are balanced out by all that fresh lemon and grapefruit flavours that wash over the palate. Age has given it more baked bread, brioche and smoky-flinty notes and such wonderful texture. It shows no signs of slowing down and will age beautifully for another decade. It is simply wow wine.
Barnett joins Karlo Estates
Former Laily winemaker Derek Barnett, pictured above with Sherry Karlo, has joined Karlo Estates, a boutique artisanal winery located in Prince Edward County.
Once name winemaker of the year in 2000 at Niagara’s Southbrook and 13 years later winemaker of the year at Niagara’s Lailey Estate Winery, Barnett will be leading Karlo Estates’ 2015 vintage and beyond.
“It’s not just my opinion that Derek is one of Canada’s best winemakers,” said Sherry Karlo in a news release. Former winemaker, the late Richard Karlo agreed with her. Richard first met Derek at Brookstreet’s annual Lumière Gala at the luxury hotel in 2008 as fellow sponsoring entrepreneurial winemakers. They met at the event every year thereafter to support the cause and talk shop over treasures offered up from the hotel’s cellars. With a shared love of Riesling and big bold Bordeaux-style wines, the two winemakers shared a passion for similar methods, Karlo said. After Richard’s passing last November, Karlo picked up the torch, and took months to search for the right winemaker.
When Derek became available after the ownership change at Lailey Vineyards this past summer, the decision was clear, she said. “Having Derek as the new winemaker for Karlo Estates was the right fit for both parties,” Kaslo said. “Both love making authentic handcrafted artisanal wines.”
“When I first met Richard and Sherry, I was impressed by the calibre of their wines and their bold approach to shaking up the industry,” said Barnett. “We shared a love of defying expectations by putting everything we have into our work and I was saddened by Richard’s untimely passing late last year,” he said. “There was no question I would work with Karlo Estates as they understand the importance of hard work to create something special.”
Said Sherry Karlo: “I know a lot of people were concerned about the future of Karlo Estates, but Derek is exactly the right man for the job with his big-hearted personality and undeniable talent. Richard would have been delighted to
see Derek carry on his methods and approach.”
With Barnett at the helm of winemaking, Karlo sets out to fulfil Richard’s dream to create the ultimate new world Bordeaux style wine, the release said. “It was always Richard’s dream to use all six classic varietals to make his ultimate Bordeaux blend. With the first planting of Carménère on the estate going into its fourth leaf in 2016, Derek and I will work together to realize that dream,” said Karlo. “Also, with the Lake on the Mountain Riesling being their number one selling white, who better than the Riesling king himself to pick up the reins?”
Karlo Estates has nearly finished the 2015 harvest and, according to Barnett, the wines are already exciting. “The 2015 Pinot Noir is exhibiting an extraordinary taste profile already, and although the loads are light, the fruit is spectacular with the County terroir thinning the crop naturally, and making for more luscious wine,” he said. “The Riesling and Cabernet Franc are coming along. I’m really happy with the fruit this vintage. I only wish there was more of it.”
An innovator himself and a legend in the industry, Derek was the first to use Canadian oak barrels and favours low tech methods and like Richard, relies heavily on his highly-trained palate. “Richard used to say there where two types of winemakers: Those who did it by the numbers, and those who did it by taste.” said Karlo. “Trusting their palate and instincts was another thing the two winemakers had in common,” she noted.
“From the very beginning, Richard and I consistently carved our own path in all aspects of what we did: From planting grapes that have never grown in Canada, to hanging our fruit longer, doing long, cold, maceration soaks, extended fermentations, aging in barrels made from multiple woods, or fermenting in wood, where previously it was unheard of,” Karlo, co-founder and owner/vintner of the winery said. “Derek shares our excitement about doing things differently, and it’s an honour to have him on board. We’re all looking forward to expanding on the relationship that will further establish Karlo Estate’s place as an innovator on the Ontario wine industry’s map.”
Barnett will also continue making wines for Hockey Hall of Famer Doug Gilmour’s label as well at Karlo Estates. The line already consists of a red meritage, a white blend and a rosé made of Pinot Noir.
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