Niagara Wine ReviewsTop Stories

A Pinot Noir from Mike Weir leads Vintages releases

MikeWeir

A diverse selection of Niagara wines are being released by Vintages on Saturday led by a Pinot Noir from golfer Mike Weir’s wine label.

Weir wines have a new home in Niagara, on the Beamsville Bench (behind Hidden Bench on the old EastDell property), and renovations are well underway for a late fall opening.

Weir wines are presently made by Chateau des Charmes by special arrangement and are available through Vintages and the LCBO in Ontario and through retail channels across Canada.

All Weir wine profits from the sale of every bottle go to the Mike Weir Foundation that helps support Canadian children in need.

So, while the Masters champion may have hit a dry spell on the golf course, he continues to make an impression for his charitable spirit in the wine world.

Here’s the Weir wine being released on Saturday along with two other Niagara wines available at Vintages:

Mike Weir Pinot Noir 2009 ($20, 87 points) — A late release from Weir, the 09 Pinot is one of the last from that vintage in Niagara to make it to retail shelves. It has an intense nose of blueberry, cassis, small red berries, mocha and oak stylings. It’s quite savoury on the palate with fruits leaning toward dark berries, earth, cedar and spice. All in all, a masculine Pinot with a firm backbone. The fruit is sourced from the vineyards of Chateau des Charmes in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

315375_415636475144685_1093939952_n13th Street White Palette 2011 ($15, 87 points) — This blend of Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Musqué and Viognier amounts to a lovely summer sipper with fresh citrus, floral, tropical fruits and touch of herbs on the nose. It’s juicy on the palate with moderate acidity in an easy-going style that will appeal to a broad spectrum of wine lovers. Pair with fettucine with homemade pesto. Yum!

Lakeview Cellars Reserve Cabernet-Merlot 2010 ($19, 88 points) — From the ripe and hot 2010 vintage in Niagara, this traditional Bordeaux-style blend has a nose of pure dark cherry, wild berries, light spice and toast. It gets serious on the palate with black currants, anise, blackberry and cherry fruits joined by licorice, cedar and spice. The chewy tannins and vibrant acidity will add extended life to this bold red in the cellar.

Other wines being released but not reviewed:

Flat Rock Nadja’s Vineyard Riesling 2011 ($20)

Inniskillin Winemaker’s Series Montague Vineyard Chardonnay ($20)

Fielding Estate Cabernet Franc 2010 ($22)

Pillitteri Antagonist 2010 ($16)

Wildass Rose 2011 ($20)