I’ve had this wine from a number of vintages so didn’t hesitate to blindly grab this one. Dark in color with a mild nose of rich red berries coming through. The nose gives little hint of what’s to come. On the mid pallet the wine displays big bold rich red berries. Some black cherries definitely coming through. The cab franc which Niagara does so well is prominently displayed in this wine. On the long finish the wine displays some firm tannins, some lovely dryness, some nice spicy notes and some mouth coating flavors leaving behind some lovely rich black cherries that live on in the mouth. This is a big wine for sure. Make sure your pairing it up with something hearty or not a chance your tasting the food. Yumm. This is a classic Niagara bold rich red. But thankfully, there’s none of those classic Niagara earthy notes coming through. I would give this an 89-90.. And this puppy should have lots of longevity to it too. Easily 2-5 years IMHO.
From the LCBO web site:
TRIUS RED (V) VINTAGES 303800 | 750 mL bottle Price $ 22.95
Made in: Ontario, Canada By: Hillebrand Winery
12.5% Alcohol/Vol. Style: Full-bodied & Smooth Sugar Content: 4 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: XD – Extra Dry
Description
From a pioneer of premium Ontario red wines, this Bordeaux-inspired blend has been crafted to perfection every year since 1989. Features notes of blackcurrant, grilled herbs, tobacco and cedar. Savour with blackened Ontario lamb, slow-cooked pork shoulder or roast beef.
From the winery’s web site:
The newest vintage of our iconic Trius Red is here. The Red 2011 excites the palate with luscious black fruit and blueberry layered with subtle notes of spice, oak and tobacco. Elegant and complex with silky tannins! Stock up for family dinners, summer barbeques, special gifts and just because! Serve at a cool room temperature of 18°C. Enjoy now or cellar for 5-8 years.
Winemaker, Craig McDonald, calls this dark horse vintage ‘a star!’ He selected grapes from our finest vineyards in Niagara to create the delicious blend of 43% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 27% Cabernet Sauvignon. Each varietal is barrel aged separately in 60% French oak and 40% American oak barrels for 6 months, then blended to perfection and oak aged a further 6 months for a total of 12 months in barrel.
Fabulous paired with grilled pepper steaks, beef tenderloin, winter stews, gourmet burgers with eggplant and mushrooms, 2 year old Canadian cheddar and 70% dark chocolate.
