The wonderful First Growth wines from Reif

What: Reif Estate Winery First Growth Series
Where: 15608 Niagara Parkway, Niagara-on-the-Lake
Tastings: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily May to October, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. November to April.
Proprietor: The Reif Family, which has a rich wine history dating back to the 1500s in Germany.
Winemaker: Roberto DiDomenico
Specialties: Reif Estates makes a super-premium “First Growth” Bordeaux style red wine series when conditions are right. The 2007 vintage was the third for this thrilling quartet of red wines.
Must try: All four of the 2007 First Growth wines are magnificent. Try the Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Cabernet Merlot. All $50.
Availability: Winery and web only, just being released now, only 200 cases of each.
Website: wwww.reifwinery.com

By Rick VanSickle

The Reif family has deep roots in Niagara, dating back to 1977 when German-born Ewald Reif purchased land along the Niagara Parkway.

The move to Niagara was a bold step that required a total uprooting of native vines in favour of vinifera plantings. It wasn’t until 1983 that the first wines from Reif Estates were finally bottled for sale.

Ewald’s nephew, Klaus Reif, took over the winery in 1987 and improved quality to make Reif one of Niagara’s premier labels that has always maintained its heritage and prestige even as other wineries around it have moved to freshen their brands.

Reif has a solid reputation for well-made wines right through the entire portfolio. But when you think of Reif, you tend to think of the wonderful red wine program that Klaus Reif and Roberto DiDomenico have presided and fussed over.

And the ultimate in the reds at this winery is the First Growth series that is only made in the very best vintages. The third release is just now being made available from the spectacular 2007 vintage. The other vintages for First Growth wines were 2001 and 2002. No First Growth will be made in either 2008 or 2009.

At a pre-release lunch and tasting recently of the four First Growth wines, a Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Merlot, DiDomenico explained the concept behind his ultra premium wines.

“We want to produce wines as big and intense as possible,” he said. “We can make world-class reds.”

The formula for all the First Growth wines is for low yielding grape vines (two tonnes per acre), hand harvested grapes only from estate vineyards, lightly pressed juice straight into oak barrels (U.S., French and Hungarian oak) for two to three years.

For DiDomenico, the end result should show the “terroir” of the Reif vineyard and encapsulate the soil and climate from that vineyard in a superior vintage.

We enjoyed the four First Growth wines with a brilliantly matched four-course meal that was served in the barrel room of the estate winery. All four wines are $50 — the same price they were in 2001-2002 — and only 200 cases of each were made.

Reif Estate First Growth Pinot Noir 2007 (4.5 stars) — There’s something about Pinot Noir and salmon that just brings out the best of both. Our first course was a warm salad of peppered pan seared Kristapsons cold-smoked salmon matched amazingly well with the tightly-wound Pinot.

The silky-smooth Pinot melted the bites of salmon in the mouth with its pretty and delicate red fruits and juicy acidity. It was a harmonious match with Pacific farmed salmon.

DiDomenico stressed during the lunch that acid is key to the structure of his wines.

“Our wines tend to more acidic. We embrace acidity. It works best with food as it washes the palate and gets the juices going.”

Reif Estate First Growth Merlot 2007 (4 stars) — At the level of First Growth, DiDomenico wants his Merlot to show a flinty, earthiness along with minerality and velvety tannins. The Merlot starts with cherry notes up front followed by vanilla, spice and oak. In the mouth, though a very young wine despite being decanted for two full hours, it’s rich, lavish and displays layers of fruit, minerality and balance.

The Merlot was matched with a charcuterie plate featuring local cured meats from Niagara’s Mario Pingue. The spicy-salty meats and olives were another fabulous match with the earthiness of the Merlot.

Reif Estate First Growth Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 (4.5 stars) — My absolute favourite of the quartet. Niagara really can make fascinating Cabs in hot vintages. This one drips with blackberry and cassis with oak tones and a combination of red and dark fruits and lingering spice. It has wonderful texture in the mouth, dry and dusty tannins and a finish that goes on and on.

It was served with a rustic beef stew that was made with a healthy dose of Cabernet-Merlot. Gorgeously tender beef and Cabernet from a great vintage. It doesn’t get any better than that.

Reif Estate First Growth Cabernet-Merlot 2007 (4 stars) — This is a 50-50 blend of Cabernet and Merlot and is the most approachable of the four wines at the moment. It’s a pretty wine that’s nicely balanced with blackberry, plum, cassis fruits married to spice, minerals and earth.

This was paired with a plate of Ontario cheeses and Niagara raisins that were made from seedless grapes at Reif Estate. Outstanding was the Quebec ermite blue cheese matched with the red blend and was a reminder how wonderful cheese can be as an accompaniment to fine wine.

Enjoy!