2005 was a great year for Niagara reds. Vineland Estates kept some of these back and recently sent them out to their wine club members. The wine is dark in color with a mild nose of black berries. Around the edges there is some browning (just a little) inidicating this one is getting near it’s due date. Out of the bottle the wine is dominated by big alcohol. Some time in the decanter was warranted. Be sure not to breath to deep or you will be choking … Once it breathed for a bit the mid pallet is dominated by black berries, some blue berries. It starts out nice and big in the mouth and hold promise but then dies out really quickly. The wine is light in finish with no perceivable tannins. This wine really is quite past it’s prime. A mere shadow of it’s former self. It is smooth on the finish with and quite food friendly. I would give it an 88 or so. This one is not at the LCBO and I’m not sure which one on the winery web site is the one this is so I’m not sure what it’s worth.
