A large selection of Niagara releases is being released at Vintages this Saturday with some notable superstars in the lineup including Tawse Chardonnay, Stratus Red, Flat Rock Gravity Pinot Noir, and an exceptional Merlot from Jackson Triggs and a holiday sparkler from 13th Street.
It’s well worth the trip to Vintages to check out the growing selection of good, local wines.
Here’s what’s being released:
Tawse Estate Chardonnay 2009 ($17 for 375 ml, 91 points) — This is a blend of grapes from estate vineyards, the first time Tawse has released this wine. It’s aged in 100% French Oak barriques for a year followed by six months aging in stainless steel before bottling. The nose shows notes of fresh-baked apple pie, toast, vanilla, citrus and spice. Love the verve and energy on the palate to go with elegant oak stylings, apples and spice integration. A well-balanced and fresh Chardonnay through the long finish.
Le Clos Jordanne Village Reserve Chardonnay 2009 ($30, 88 points) — A nose of brioche, green apple, lemon, creamy-butter and spices. It has a juicy core of acidity on the palate and ripe apple-peach-citrus notes to go with subtle minerality and integrated oak and spice.
13th Street Cuvee 13 Brut Rose NV ($24, 88 points) — A lovely traditional method sparkling rose with pretty but subtle strawberry and cherry fruits on the nose to go with light toasty notes. It’s fresh on the palate with a vigorous mousse and bright, freshening acidity.
Flat Rock Cellars Gravity Pinot Noir 2009 ($30, 91 points) — 2009 is proving to be a banner year for Pinot Noir in Niagara. At the top end, such as this Pinot from producer Flat Rock, the wines are exquisite. The Gravity delivers a seductive nose of cherries, plums, earth, cloves and other oak-influenced spices. On the palate it explodes with black cherry-raspberry, currants and sweet plums to go with fine tannins, minerality, toasty spices, and layers of complexity through the finish. Drink now or hold up to five years.
Stratus Red 2008 ($44, 90 points) — The Stratus Red 2007 is a tough act to follow. But with Stratus’s strict regime of low yields, late picking (up to early December), hand sorting and meticulous blending from specific lots and barrels, the 2008 is a startling good assemblage in a so-so red vintage. Winemaker J-L Groux cut the yield in half compared to 07 and produced 60% less wine for the winery’s top cuvee. It amounts to a more traditional (OK, Cab Franc-dominated isn’t exactly traditional, but the end result is) Bordeaux-style blend with a beautiful nose of cassis, raspberry, red currants, tobacco leaf, cedar and vanilla wood. It is youthful in the mouth with evident tannins (so cellar a bit to round things out) but with succulent fruit, savoury-earthy notes, integrated spices and vanilla through a long finish.
Jackson Triggs Niagara Estate Gold Series Merlot 2009 ($22, 91 points) — The fruit for this serious and exceptional Merlot is aged in French oak for 12 months. It shows plum, cherry, and cassis fruit on the nose with smoky-savoury notes, coffee bean, vanilla toast and spices. It’s meaty and earthy on the palate with anise, black cherry and touches of licorice, smoke and toast. It shows firm structure, smooth tannins and length on the finish. Good aging potential.
Also being released but not reviewed:
• Henry of Pelham Cabernet France Icewine 2010 ($40 for 200 ml)
• Open Vidal Icewine 2007 ($30 for 375 ml)
• Closson Chase Beamsville Bench Chardonnay 2008 ($40)
• Megalomaniac Statement Series Reserve Collection 2007 ($225, includes a bottle each of Pinot Noir, Cab Franc, Cab-Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon)
• Hidden Bench Chardonnay 2009 ($32)
And, I rarely do this in a Niagara wine post, but I did just try this wine at the Italian Wine Show in Toronto, and it was mind-blowing with a great price. But, be warned, this will not last on store shelves long on Saturday.
Ruffino Modus IGT 2007 ($29, 95 points) — An exquisite Super-Tuscan blend of Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Franc with intense and complex aromas blackberries, plums, cherries, cigar box, toasted vanilla and oak, cocoa, eucalypt and spice. It’s full-bodied and concentrated on the palate yet is perfectly balanced between its core of extracted black and red berry fruits, spice and silky tannins. It has grip and power in the mouth and the flavours linger on the finish.
Enjoy!
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