With Easter coming up, it’s time to start thinking about what to pair with whatever you are putting on the dinner table.
You can’t go wrong with Riesling, of course, and there are some nice Niagara bottles being released this Saturday at Vintages, but, really, everything below will pair just fine with family and friends over the long weekend.
We have local Niagara Vintages highlights from the Saturday, March 19 release, but also reviews for new wines from Chateau des Charmes, Vineland Estates, Palatine Hills, EastDell and a solid Chardonnay from Sonoma County in California.
Niagara wines at Vintages Saturday
Charles Baker Picone Vineyard Riesling 2012 ($35, 92 points) — An interesting comparison to the 2011 vintage in that this was made with 14 g/l of residual sugar, a lot drier than the 20 g/l RS of the 2011 vintage. The nose is typical of this single-vineyard with lemon-lime, lanolin, swirling minerality and subtle floral-herbaceous notes. It feels drier on the palate with more mineral notes washing over the palate and riper fruits. Perhaps a Picone that best shows its beauty in its youth? Time will tell.
Tawse Sketches of Niagara Riesling 2014 ($18, 90 points) — Zingy lime, orange blossom, citrus rind and ginger notes on the nose. It’s a polished Riesling with good balance and a playful tug of sweet-tart citrus and tangerine fruit on the palate with hints of ginger and minerals. Very nice Riesling.
Foreign Affair Dream 2012 ($30, 92 points) — The ’12 Vintage of Dream is a blend of 33% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot with 24% of the first three grapes dried to some extent. The wine spent 18 months in a combination of four different oak treatments and chimes in at a rather hefty 14.9% alcohol. Winemaker Barclay Robinson hopes consumers will lay this wine down for a bit before opening, which is the reason he didn’t even release the wine at the winery until late last summer. This is a gorgeous wine with generous and layered aromas of black currant jam, crunchy raspberry, cherry, blueberry and lavish oak barrel-derived spices. It simply bursts on the palate with flavours of dark currants, raspberry pie, blackberry, cinnamon and nutmeg all built on a structured frame of firm tannins. This is made to be cellared, but would still pair nicely with grilled meat right now.
Henry of Pelham Estate Cabernet-Merlot 2012 ($25, 91 points) — Henry of Pelham does a lot of things right from the grapes that grow best in Niagara, and, in particular, the Short Hills Bench sub-appellation, but red blends from Bordeaux grapes in warm vintages is certainly one of its strong suits. I am convinced, now that I have seen most of the 2012 reds released, that this warm vintage was just about perfect for Niagara’s “big” reds — the blends from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. This mid-tier red blend from the above grapes is just getting better in the bottle and still has a long way to go. Such a lovely, rich and enticing nose of blackberry, kirsch, cassis and oak barrel spices. It rocks on the palate, gorgeous, layered dark fruits, rousing spices, melting tannins and everything starting to harmonize beautifully. Exceptional value for a top Niagara red.
Other Niagara wines being released but not reviewed:
- Inniskillin Riesling Icewine 2014 ($80 for 375 mL)
- Cave Spring Indian Summer Select Late Harvest Riesling 2013 ($25 for 375 mL)
- Featherstone Joy Premium Cuvee Rose 2014 ($30)
- Cave Spring Estate Bottled Chardonnay 2013 ($19)
- Konzelmann Late Harvest Gewurztraminer 2013 ($15)
- Vintage Ink Sauvignon Blanc 2014 ($17)
- Rosewood Select Series Pinot Noir 2013 ($22)
A Cali Chard coming soon to Vintages
La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2013 ($30, available on consignment here, while the 2014 vintage hits shelves on April 2, 90 points) — Always a lovely Chardonnay that draws its personality from the cool influences of California’s west coast. The nose shows vivid granny smith apple, soft barrel spices with lemon/citrus and pear accents. It’s well balanced on the palate with creamy pear and apple flavours, integrated spice and fairly bright acidity through the finish. Nice Cali Chardonnay.
Tasted recently from around Niagara
Chateau des Charmes Estate Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2014 ($14, LCBO, 88 points) — A lot of wine here for the money. The nose reveals pear, butter, citrus and subtle spice notes from the French oak barrels. It’s well balanced on the palate with a mélange of pear, apple and citrus, integrated spice and good vibrancy through the finish. Would pair perfectly with Easter dinner.
Chateau des Charmes Estate Pinot Noir 2012 ($17, LCBO, 89 points) — A lovely nose of rich cherry, raspberry, forest floor, currants and barrel spices. The ripe red fruits are fully integrated on the palate and accented by earthy/bramble notes and spice and all delivered on a smooth finish. Drinking really nice right now.
Vineland Estate St. Urban Vineyard Riesling 2010 ($20, winery, 92 points) — Winemaker Brian Schmidt held back 500 cases of this show piece Riesling to offer consumers a chance to purchase this wine with a little age on it. It is amazing how Riesling changes with even a few years bottle age; the sharp edges become more integrated, the wine more balanced and, as always at St. Urban, an appealing, sweet petrol note starts emerging. The nose here shows grapefruit, lime, subtle petrol, minerality and wild honey notes. The wine has gained some fat, some flesh on the palate but bursts with citrus, peach, ginger and earthy minerality. It is made in an off-dry style with balancing acidity. In all, an elegant style of Riesling that has plenty of room to evolve.
Palatine Hills Cabernet Merlot 2012 ($16, winery, 91 points) — Winemaker Jeff Innes has done a fabulous job with this blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc from the warm 2012 vintage in Niagara. The nose is meaty with bold notes of cassis, blackberry, violets, spice and cigar box cedar. It’s textured and lush on the palate with dark ripe fruits, cocoa, spice and plush tannins. Such a nice wine at a great price.
EastDell Black Label Cabernet Merlot 2013 ($20, Vintages May 14, Diamond Estates now, 88 points) — The nose shows earthy red and dark fruits, spice notes and leather. It’s smooth and textured on the palate with a range of cassis, blackberries, cocoa, earth and bright acidity through the finish.
EastDell Viognier 2014 ($18, Vintages April 2, Diamond Esates now, 89 points) — An aromatic nose of peach, apricot, white flowers and Mandarin orange. It’s bursting with fruit on the palate from tropical to ripe melon and white peach. Delicious, well-made Vio with a refreshingly dry finish.
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