By Michael Lowe
Niagara’s London Born Wine Company will be hosting a back vintage tasting next month. I had the opportunity to preview the wines last week and there are some very special wines featured.
The event will be held on Saturday, Dec. 9 with the option of booking one of two time slots for your experience. The sittings will be at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., with a cost of $65 per person per sitting. Four back vintage wines will be in the line-up, plus one 2020 that is yet to be released. Please note that there are only about two cases of the wines available for purchase, so this may be the last chance to snap up these exclusive wines. Charcuterie will also be served at the tasting.
For those who haven’t been to London Born recently, they are now located on Cherry Avenue in Vineland (see details below). You may recall that the winery was originally launched in 2007 under the name Aure Wines and was re-branded, in part, as a nod to the family’s heritage. The new location is in a new, bright, modern building with vaulted ceilings and well-lit tasting room.
Here’s my take on the wines that will be on show during the event, plus the welcome wine. Please note that prices may differ slightly from the estimated ones listed below.
London Born Chardonnay Musqué 2020 ($23, 90 points) – The tasting opens with a fresh white that was a gold medal winner at the 2023 Ontario Wine Awards. The wine is a pale straw colour in the glass and the nose offers aromas of pear, stone fruit, apple, and lemony citrus. The fruit character follows on the palate with a touch of sweetness, balancing acidity, and medium length. This wine would be a good match with lighter fare such as salads, seafood, and sushi.
Aure Reserve Wild Ferment Chardonnay 2011 ($60, 93 points) – This chard is really showing beautifully now. Brilliant golden yellow colour with enticing notes of baked apple, pear, caramel, butterscotch, and toasted oak. It’s rich and refined on the palate with still vibrant fruit as noted above, excellent body and lingering fruit on quite a long finish.
London Born Pinot Meunier Reserve 2018 ($50, 92 points) – A varietal not often made here as a stand-alone red, this is a great expression of the grape. Bright ruby in colour with just a tinge of brick at the rim owing to its age. The nose is expressive with lots of sour cherry lifted on a core of earthiness and distinct mineral notes. This follows on the palate with that sour cherry up front, soft, integrated tannins, vibrant acidity, persistent fruit, and chalky mineral notes on the medium to long finish. In fact, it’s very Pinot Noir like in style.
London Born Cabernet Franc 2012 ($75, 92 points) – Showing dark garnet colour in the glass, this wine is aging gracefully. The nose delivers dried cherry and strawberry notes with some mint and menthol and subtle wood aromas. It’s well balanced on the palate with a very expressive array of juicy red and black berry flavours and cedar notes on the long finish. Tannins are integrating nicely yet still firm enough to show there’s lots of life left.
Aure Reserve Cabernet Franc 2010 ($80, 93 points) – Aromas of violets, savoury blackberry, plum and cigar box set the stage for a rich, mouth-filling tasting experience. There’s plenty of dark fruit on the palate with plum and blackberries supported by a solid tannin backbone with undertones of vanilla and a distinct minerality on the long finish.
For information on winery events or purchase of tickets click here (https://londonbornwines.com/events/)
London Born Wine Company
4000 Cherry Ave.,
Vineland, ON
L0R 2C0
(905) 563-7256
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