By Rick VanSickle
That was one wild week in the world of Canadian wine, from tariffs to a ban on all booze from the U.S. and back to no tariffs resulting in a trail of confusion and outrage from coast to coast.
Also in this Canadian Wine Report: New and smartly priced Gamay from MW wines, generous donation to Ukraine from Featherstone, new extraordinary 2020 reds from Two Sisters, plus Niagara wines coming to Vintages, including Bachelder, Nyarai, Two Sisters and Le Clos Jordanne.
I don’t like using this man’s name, but Donald J. Trump is the Master of Mayhem and finally his tentacles reached into Canada and gave us the wake up call we all needed. As Canadians, we don’t wear our patriotism on our sleeves like Americans do, but back us into a corner and we sure punch back.
When the president of the U.S. threatened Canada with 25% tariffs over trumped up charges of a leaky border contributing to an ocean of fentanyl flowing into America, Canadians responded in kind. It all started with a booze ban of U.S. products from almost every province and extended to the kind of unified backlash you don’t often see from this country.
One Facebook group called Made In Canada went from 60,000 followers to over 650,000 followers in a week after the tariffs were announced with followers all seeking out alternatives to U.S. food, booze and every day grocery products.
Impressive, as well, was how quickly the Ontario wine community united to denounce the tariffs, jumping on social media to show their support for the booze ban and doing their best to convey how they can fill the empty shelves at the LCBO with delicious, 100% Ontario wines. For the first time that I can remember, we saw the various wine industry associations showing some political acumen when their backs were against the wall. Good on you!
No one is letting their guard down while they wait out the next hurdle — a one-month reprieve — and could be going through this all over again when Trump reviews the actions the Canadian government has agreed to undertake. The message has never been clearer, and consumers are reminded not to let up on their support of 100% Ontario and Canadian wines. Here are some bullet points to keep in mind even without a ban on U.S. products in Canada:
• Look for the VQA label. This means that a wine is made from 100% Ontario grown grapes.
• Order a Canadian wine when dining out. Most restaurants carry a selection of Canadian wines, and if you’re not sure, just ask.
• Buy wine directly from a winery. Combine your order with a friend to save on the shipping costs.
• Book a wine tour or plan your own and find your new favourite bottle.
• Like, comment, and share social media posts from Canadian wineries with friends and family.
• Now is the best time to stock up on wine since there’s no HST until Feb. 15.
Those bullet points were copied from 180 Estate Wines IG feed but represent a version of what many Ontario wineries did during the crisis and will continue to do so.
If I were giving out awards for best social media post, my vote would go to Niagara’s Palantine Hills Estate Winery for this clever video here. I hope someone shows it to you know who.
In other news …
Kudos to the new owners of Featherstone Estate Winery, Rayla and George Myhal, who just donated $1 million to the Canadian-Ukrainian Foundation in the winery’s name.
Their generous commitment to giving back is helping provide crucial power equipment to Ukrainian hospitals and services during a challenging winter.
A big thanks to the Myhal family for making a difference.
A tasty new Gamay from MW Cellars
MW Gamay 2023 ($16, 91 points) — Give it a swirl or two, as this lovely Gamay is a touch tight right now. After swirling or decanting, it shows a rich, savoury nose of dark cherries, plums, strawberries, earthy notes, violets and anise. Smooth on the palate, with ripe red berries, plums, earthy notes, plenty of finesse from succulent acidity and length through the finish. The team at MW notes that “what really sets our Gamay apart is our sandwich technique during fermentation. We layer around 10 to 15% of crushed and destemmed grapes at the top and bottom, while leaving the middle whole-cluster.” The end result is a classic Niagara Gamay, that will benefit from a couple of years of cellaring.
Big 2020 reds released by Two Sisters
I ventured over to Two Sisters this week to taste the new vintage of the Lush Sparkling Rosé 2021 that’s being released in the February Cellar Collection online today (Thursday) at Vintages and was treated to a first look at the blockbuster estate reds from 2020 that are just now being released. More on the Lush sparkling and an exciting Bachelder Pinot Noir later in this post.
Winemaker Adam Pearce surprised me with four Bordeaux variety wines and blends from the unicorn 2020 vintage that arguably produced some of the most concentrated and long-lived big red wines in recent memory. I know it seems like there is no end to these 2020 wines being released, and that’s a good thing.
The Two Sisters Bordeaux variety reds are aged in oak for 30+ months and then bottled aged before releasing. Across the board they are wines for aging and will improve for 10 to 15 years down the road.
There was a period in Ontario when winemakers viewed a super warm vintage as an opportunity to let the grapes hang on the vine well into November and beyond and then would tuck them away in 100% new oak. That was Old School thinking and no longer the path new winemakers are taking, instead picking earlier and dialing down on the oak to allow more balance and finesse in these bigger Niagara reds.
It’s certainly the direction Two Sisters has taken with the 2020 vintage. “We want to let the grapes speak,” said Pearce at our tasting this week. And that means “judicious” use of oak, no more than 15% new in various sizes of oak barrels, from barriques to 3,500 L vessels.
Previously tasting with Pearce, he noted the winemaking team is not only focused on building long-lived wines with structure and finesse but also wines with a plush feel on the palate. “To me it’s about texture, I want them to be driven by texture, not necessarily just aromatics,” he said.
Here’s what I liked from the tasting:
Two Sisters Eleventh Post 2020 ($48, 92 points) — The fruit, a blend of estate-grown Cabernet Franc (50%), Cabernet Sauvignon (30%) and Merlot (20%), is aged separately in French, and in some cases, a little bit of American oak (in varying sized barrels) for 30+ months before blending. For our tasting, all these reds were decanted to help open them up. Like previous vintages of this blend there is a certain elegance and purity of fruit on the nose and in the warm 2020 vintage that is amplified. There is a range of fruit including black currants, kirsch, cassis, plums, subtle herbs and perfumed, ethereal spice notes. It’s highly structured on the palate, with evident, but plush, tannins in support of an array of ripe dark berries, cherry/kirsch, earthy/savoury notes, cocoa, and sweet herbs on an echoing, long and vibrant finish. You can cellar this through 2035. If drinking now or within the next couple years, decanting for six hours before drinking is advised for all these reds. All these wines are finished at around 14.5% abv.
Two Sisters Merlot 2020 ($58, just being released now, 93 points) — Oak treatment and aging is similar to the above wine, with a bit more aging in barriques employed and a small amount of American oak. This has an intriguing nose of highly perfumed oak spices, cassis, wild blueberries, dark cherries, mocha, earthy/savoury notes, fruitcake, and what Pearce refers to as “tar” accents. It’s mouth-filling on the palate with a plush, yet assertive, texture to go with fruit-laden notes of wild blueberries, kirsch, black currants, jammy red berries, elegant oak spices, and a slightly softer, more luxurious finish than the wine above. An enchanting Merlot that will age nicely through 2033.
Two Sisters Cabernet Franc 2020 ($58, 94 points) — The estate grapes were hand harvested after extended time on the vine to maximize ripeness and flavour, then allowed to ferment slowly in contact with the skins, and finally gently aged for 36 months in 100% French oak barriques. The inviting nose shows savoury dark berries, anise, roasted red peppers, integrated herbs, plums, anise, brambly red berries, peppercorns and fine oak spices. The grape tannins are evident on the palate, adding texture and structure followed by layers of red and dark berries, herbs, peppery notes and a long, lifted finish. This is a Cabernet Franc built for aging over the next decade and more.
Two Sisters Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 ($68, 95 points) — The estate Cabernet Sauvignon, one of the best I have tasted from Niagara, was hand harvested after extended time on the vine to optimize ripeness and flavour, then fermented slowly in gentle contact with the skins. It was carefully aged for 36 months in 100% French oak barriques. Another beautiful Bordeaux variety red from the fabulous 2020 vintage. The nose is dense, persistent and profound with ripe blackberries, black currants, maraschino cherries, eucalypt, cassis, jammy strawberries, fine oak spice and savoury notes. It’s a real mouthful on the palate, with a luxurious texture and ripe tannins in support of dense dark berries, pureed red berries, tar, anise/licorice, dried, smoky tobacco, and spice with a never-ending, finessed finish. This magical red is built for the long haul and will likely continue to evolve through 2040.
Why you need your wines on LCBO shelves
Whether Ontario wineries like it or not, selling your wines through any of the myriad LCBO channels is the single most important way to move the needle on market share for Ontario VQA wines.
Yes, I know it’s hard. Punishing levies, it’s difficult to navigate the red tape, horrible margins and daunting hurdles to get listed in the biggest retail outlet you have in Ontario, but don’t despair. Others have worked through the obstacles that stand in your way, and once you figure it out the benefits will lift the entire category and help lift the dismal market share that 100% VQA wines are mired in, the lowest in the history at under 6%.
There are challenges but using the adage of all boats rise with the tide, it can help get Ontario wines into a position for better success. There are so many programs available at the LCBO that will to get your wines in front of consumers, from the general list to the bi-monthly release to the Cellar Collections and beyond. It takes a knowledge of how the system works at the LCBO.
The LCBO does not care that you can’t navigate the obstacles to success, they only care that you sell through the wines they chose to bring into the fold. It takes understanding the bureaucracy and playing their game. If you have trouble navigating how to play their game, lean into those who had success — there are many who have succeeded, and not just the bigger wineries. Just look at the smaller, low production wineries, such as Liebling, On Seven, Featherstone, Westcott, Nyarai and others who have benefitted from LCBO placements. Lean on the knowledge from Henry of Pelham, your industry association and those wineries who have success at Vintages such as Hidden Bench, Le Clos Jordanne and Bachelder Wine.
If you don’t know where to start, ask your industry association for help. And once you have a listing, promote it, because the LCBO won’t. Make sure you have reputable reviews from intendent sources (paid influencers don’t count) and scream from the rafters. It certainly doesn’t hurt to market your upcoming wines through advertising on reputable websites or printed publications. The best and most successful products at the bi-monthly Vintages releases and Cellar Collections always have a review attached to their listing and the more savvy of the Ontario wineries back it up with advertising on reputable media entities, or at the very least, through your own aggressive marketing campaign.
Talk other wineries who have found favourable results for their wines listed in these releases and urge your industry associations to put more emphasis on what’s being released every other week at Vintages stores.
OK, rant over … the following are our recommendations for Niagara wines from both the February Cellar Selections (online only, beginning today) and the regular bi-monthly releases at Vintages stores.
Niagara wines in the online Vintages
Cellar Selections for February
Two exquisite Niagara wines are part of the February Cellar Collection online release. Online ordering began today (Feb. 6) at 8:30 a.m. You can order here.
Here’s what what we recommend (and remember, no HST until Feb. 16):
Bachelder Lowrey Vineyard Old Vines Eastern Block Pinot Noir 2021 ($66, 94 points) — The Eastern Block of the Lowrey Vineyard consists of a blend from the original five rows of Lowrey planted in 1984 and the 1988 plantings. Thomas Bachelder is one of five winemakers, including Five Rows Craft Wine, where the grapes come from, who craft this historic fruit into wine. Bachelder’s MO is to treat this with less oak to show the prettier side while maintaining freshness and finesse. There is intensity and depth on the nose with ripe black raspberries, summer cherries, damp forest/undergrowth notes, beet root, a touch of cedar, spice and a certain goût de terroir that shows up every vintage from the Lowrey Vineyard and it is particularly evident in the older vines. So beautiful on the palate with ripe red raspberries, anise, savoury/spicy notes, dark cherries, earthy/savoury notes, medium+ tannins, and a long, luxurious finish with sharp acidity keeping everything in harmony. Can cellar 7+ years.
Two Sisters Lush Sparkling Rosé 2021 ($58, new review, also available at winery, 93 points) — The Lush sparkling wine is made using the traditional method from a blend of 62.5% Chardonnay and 37.5% Pinot Noir, then finished with a very small dosage of Cabernet Franc from the 2019 vintage. This is this first disgorgement after 615 days on its lees. The vintage had its challenges with late fall constant rainfall, but sparkling wines were picked well before the rains came and benefitted from an otherwise good weather for grapes. It shows a pretty, pale salmon colour in the glass with tiny persistent bubbles, fresh wild raspberries, red currants, strawberries and hinting at brioche and toasty notes. It’s fresh and vibrant on the palate with a vigorous bead, electric acidity, a melange of red berries, a touch of zesty citrus on a persistent, lifted finish. What a lovely sparkling rosé that can be cellared for a few years to bring out those toasty/baked bread nuances and a bit more fat. “You can’t argue with Ontario sparkling wines,” says Pearce. “They’re so good.”
Niagara wines we recommend in
the Feb. 15 Vintages release
Nyarai Folklore Sparkling 2023 ($27, 90 points) — Probably safe to say that there is no other winery in Ontario making a charmat style sparkling wine that combines Vidal Blanc, Chardonnay, Muscat Ottonel, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Viognier. But Steve Byfield’s (pictured above) recipe somehow all comes together to provide a fun, unique style of bubbly. The nose shows lemon biscuit (there must be some lees aging going on here), pear, green apples, kiwi, herbaceous notes, citrus zest with a gentle bead in the glass. It has lovely texture, a melange of orchard fruits, citrus zest, wild herbs, baked brioche and a perky, finessed finish.
Nyarai Cadence 2021 ($26, 92 points) — The blend for the 2021 Cadence is 37% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Franc, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Malbec. This Bordeaux-style red blend has a rich, savoury and persistent nose of black raspberries, dark cherries, anise, blackberries, damp earth, and elegant spice notes. It shows a well-integrated melange of red and dark berries on the palate with aniseed/licorice, earthy/savoury notes, ripe tannins (but not grippy), toasted vanilla bean, cocoa and spice followed by mouth-watering acidity on a long, lingering finish. Can cellar to 2030.
Le Clos Jordanne Jordan Village Pinot Noir 2021 ($30, 92 points) — Le Clos wines are all wild fermented and undergo wild malo with aging in 100% French oak barrels (mostly neutral oak). As much detail in the winemaking goes into the Village wines as the single vineyard and grand clos wines. This has a lovely nose of brambly red berries, floral perfume, anise/fennel, savoury notes and integrated, elegant spice. It has a silky texture on the palate with black cherries, wild raspberries, earthy undertones and long, lifted finish. Can cellar to 2028.
Also released, but not reviewed by Wines in Niagara:
• Trius Distinction Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2023 ($20)
• Kew Soldier’s Grant 2020 ($21)
• Peller Private Reserve Cabernet Franc 2020 ($30)
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