When I go down to Niagara, I have my favs (like Kacaba, Fielding, and lately Two Sisters) but I try and add in one wild card. In this case not only a winery I have not visited before, but a winery I’ve never had a wine from. This wine is 85% cab sauv and 15% cab franc. The somewhat unique thing here is that the cab franc was appassimento’d. If you have ever had an Amarone from Italy that wine is Appasimento. They basically dry the grape before crushing it. Not to the point of making raisins out of it, but close. Kew has pioneered a mobile appasimento rack. Inky dark in color with a nice black berry nose. On the mid palate the wine displays some lovely bold rich black berries to match the nose backed almost immediately by some nice dry notes and mocha. There’s some dried fruit notes too. On the medium length finish the wine displays some lovely acidity and tannins. This is a surprisingly complex wine for the price. The fact they can do a complex process and resulting wine for such a reasonable price is impressive. The LCBO describe it as medium bodied and fruity. Wouldn’t be my choice, I think it’s full bodied and firm!
From the winery’s web site:
WINEMAKER’S NOTES
Our 2013 Soldier’s Grant is a medium bodied, Cabernet blend, consisting of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc. For this particular vintage, and in its entirety, the Cabernet Franc is dried out in the Appassimento style, crushed and then back-blended into the Cabernet Sauvignon. Maturing in oak for eighteen months, this blend is a wine that is strong in character and a fitting way for us to pay homage to the Kew family.
After the War of 1812, the Canadian government awarded Richard Kew the plot of land on which the vineyard sits today. His brother William maintained ownership of the land and ran a successful carriage making business out of the very house in which our retail space is located.
VARIETAL COMPOSITION:
85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc BARREL FERMENTATION: 18 months, French Oak
ALCOHOL: 13.7%, Residual Sugars: 5.2 g/L
RELEASE DATE: July 16, 2016
From the LCBO web site:
Kew Soldier’s Grant 2013 — VINTAGES#: 367318
STYLE – Medium-bodied & Fruity $18.95
PRODUCT DETAILS
Release Date:December 10, 2016
Alcohol/Vol 13.5%Made in: Ontario, Canada By: Kew Vineyard Est. Ltd Sugar Content:5 g/L Sweetness Descriptor:XD – Extra Dry Style:Medium-bodied & Fruity Varietal:Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc
Description This unique wine takes 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and blends it with 15% Cabernet Franc that has been dried in the appassimento style. Expect an elegant yet richly flavoured and textured wine with blackcurrant, red pepper jelly and spice notes.
