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Cave Spring CSV Riesling leads the pack of Vintages releases on Saturday

Cave_Spring_vineyard

Vintages has a pretty decent release of Niagara wines this Saturday.

One of the must-buys, especially if you love Riesling, is the Cave Spring CSV (Cave Spring Vineyard) Riesling. There’s no question this wine is in the top three best Rieslings made in Canada from vintage to vintage.

The grapes for this top tier estate Riesling originate in the limestone-rich soils of the Cave Spring Vineyard (top photo), located on a terrace of the Niagara Escarpment overlooking Lake Ontario, known as the Beamsville Bench.

It is made from the oldest (31-35 years old), lowest-yielding vines at the estate in soil that is particularly gravelly with limestone-rich clay till over shale and sandstone.

CSV wines represent Cave Spring’s highest commitment to quality and authenticity.

Here’s what’s being released Saturday:

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Cave Spring CSV Riesling 2008 ($30, 92 points) — It’s just now starting to open up to show lush exotic tropical fruit aromas to go with profound talc and mineral notes. In the mouth it displays white peach, grapefruit, tropical and apple fruits that are playfully sweet and tart in the mouth.

imageHenry of Pelham Reserve Pinot Noir 2007 ($25, 91 points) — Such nice aromatics. Mocha, cloves, leather, cherry, blueberry, spice and cedar get this wonderful Pinot off to a good start. It’s delicious on the palate with sweet-sour cherry, beetroot, spice, ripe tannins and vibrancy. Not as over-done as some 07 reds.

Colaneri Estate Stelucha Riesling 2009 ($16, 87 points) — One of the few wines made without dried grapes at Colaneri, this is a relatively low-alcohol (11%) wine for winemaker Andre Lipinski. It’s a blend of 70% Beamsville Bench fruit and the rest from NOTL. Shows fresh citrus, floral, peach, grapefruit and minerals on the nose. It’s made slightly off-dry on the palate with sweet-tart citrus fruit and racy acidity.

Lakeview Cellars Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 ($20, 89 points) — A pretty good deal for fully mature Niagara Cab from the excellent 2007 vintage. This wine was $30 upon release and is being offered at Vintages for $20. The nose exhibits plum, currants, cocoa, mocha and well defined oak-vanilla-toast. It’s quite thick and rich on the palate with a complex array of mature black fruits, creamy chocolate and a seductive note of eucalypt. The tannins are starting to smooth out and integrate with the fruit. Nice buy for a fully mature wine.

Some other Niagara wines released at Vintages but not reviewed:

13th Street Pink Palette Rose 2011 ($15)

Closson Chase K.J. Watson Vineyard Chardonnay 2009 ($35)

Malivoire Pinot Gris 2010 ($20)

Vineland Estate Riesling Icewine 2008 ($40/375)