Canadian Wine Guy

I’ve run into this wine at the Food and Wine show over the last couple years and been impressed. Dark in color with mild nose. On the mid palate the wine displays some lovely intensified cab franc notes, dark berries, and a hint of dried fruits. This wine is made in the Apassimento style (think Amarone) where 100% of the grapes have been air dried, before being crushed intensifying the fruit. The wine displays some nice smooth tannins, acidity and some peppery notes. I would give it an 88 or so. Not in the LCBO but available at the winery for $29 a bottle. An interesting wine for sure.

From the winery’s web site for the 2013 vintage:

YEAR :2013
SUGAR :3.1 g/L
From the very start, this fabulous wine is sure to delight and arouse the senses. The intense aroma of rich, ripe strawberries provides just a glimpse of the exceptionally rich flavours yet to come.

Product Description
This Appassimento-style Cabernet Franc captures a deep ruby colour. Its aroma is of violets, plum, mocha, and hints of jalapeno peppers. It is a medium bodied wine that highlights bright fruit and ripe cherry followed with soft tannins. Pair with grilled burger, roast duck, or simply try it with goat cheese.

Another one from the Culmina wine tasting. Pale in color with a nice crisp nose. On the mid palate when first served the wine displays some very nice crisp dry notes, lots of minerality and some citrus notes. On the medium length finish the wine displays some vibrant acidity that builds beautifully in the mouth. This would be a super food friendly wine. As the wine warmed up it evolved in the glass and the typical riseling flavors came through with some nice honeysuckle and maybe even some stone fruits. The complexity of this wine was excellent. I would give it an 88-89. Probably one of the best Rieslings I have had in a very long time. Not in the LCBO but available by the case from Woodman wine and Spirits or directly from the winery.

From the winery’s web site:
Harvested from the 6th crop of Riesling on Margaret’s Bench, and Latin for pretty or fine, Decora is an intensely aromatic Riesling that whets the palate with mouth-watering acidity. Showing delicate spice, floral, and stone fruit aromas, Decora displays pronounced flavours of citrus, mineral, and stone fruit, creating a wine of outstanding vivacity, delicacy, elegance, and style. $23
BRIX AT HARVEST 250
TITRATABLE ACIDITY 8.97 g/L
VINTAGE CONDITIONS RESIDUAL SUGAR 4.18 pH 325
ALCOHOL 13.5%
FERMENTATION 100% Stainless Steel
BOTTLING DATE March 7, 2017
AGEING POTENTIAL 2017-2022

Detailed information on the wine from the winery.

I had the pleasure of being invited to a luncheon wine tasting with Sara Triggs from Culmina (which means peak in Latin) hosted by Woodman wine and Spirits at Kost. I had no idea the treat I was in for … The Triggs family have a long history in the wine industry having started Vincor. The story of Culmina is an interesting one with lots of careful research done to choose the site, and the specific varietal to plant in each of the 44 micro plots on 56 acres in Okanagan BC, a story best told by a Triggs!

This wine was one of my favs of the tasting. Inky dark in color with a bold expressive dark cherry nose. On the mid palate the wine matches the nose with dark cherries and some mocha backed up by big bold tannins and lively acidity. This is a BIG wine. And this is after they double decanted the wine 3 hours before the tasting. This is the kind of wine Okanagan does amazingly well. If you like your wines soft and elegant … look somewhere else! I would give this a solid 90. Not in the LCBO but available by the case from Woodman wine and Spirits or direct from the winery.

From the winery’s web site:
A classic expression of Cabernet Sauvignon with aromas of ripe blackberry, fresh sage, and cloves accented by a floral lift. The refined palate is mineral driven with a supple texture, bright currant flavours,and well-balanced toasted oak. The finish is long, charming, and persistent. $39

BRIX AT HARVEST 25
TITRATABLE ACIDITY 6.3 g/L pH 402
VINTAGE CONDITIONS RESIDUAL SUGAR 0.28 g/l.
ALCOHOL 14.000
ML FERMENTATION 100% malolactic
BARREL REGIME
100% French Oak 25% new 75% 1 yr old
MATURATION 16 months in barrel
BOTTLING DATE 2016
AGING POTENTIAL 2016-2024

Detailed wine information from the winery.

Pale in color with a nice citrus nose. On the mid palate the wine matches the nose with nice citrus notes, and some mild zest. On the medium length finish the wine displays some nice food friendly acidity. This is a milder more subtle but still varietal sauv blanc. I would give it an 88 or so. Approx $13.95 a bottle not in the LCBO, however conveniently sold at the Wine Rack which just happens to be located on my way out of Metro!!

Inky dark in color with a nice black berry nose. On the mid palate the wine matches the nose with nice dark berries along with some nice oaky notes. On the medium length finish the wine displays some some nice smooth tannins and acidity along with some light mocha, rustic notes and some nice dryness. I would give it a solid 88.

From the LCBO web site:
Coffin Ridge Back From the Dead Red 2015 — VINTAGES#: 260463
STYLE – Light-bodied & Fruity
$19.00
PRODUCT DETAILS
Release Date:September 30, 2017
Alcohol/Vol 11.2% Made in: Ontario, Canada By: Coffin Ridge Boutique Winery Sugar Content: 4 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: XD – Extra Dry Style:Light-bodied & Fruity Varietal: Red Blend
Description: Coffin Ridge, Grey County’s first commercial vineyard, began in 2001 and has gradually expanded from five to 25 acres. This wine is 40% Maréchal Foch, 25% Baco Noir, and the rest Merlot and Cabernet. The Foch brings brambly character, while the Baco adds savoury spices to the overall picture of tangy red and dark berry fruit. Lightly chill and pair with bison burgers or grilled wild mushrooms.This is a VQA wine.

I haven’t been back to Prince Edward County (PEC) in a while, but every year DrinkInc holds a County in the City event where you get to try a host of wines from PEC. It’s always a nice treat. This wine is from PEC, in case you thought the earlier comments were miscellaneous ramblings :). This wine is golden in color with a nice nose of peach. On the mid palate the wine matches the nose with some nice stone fruits, think peach and the link. It’s slightly sweet but not too much. On the lighter finish the wine’s sugar does not linger at all. This is definitely a fruit forward pinot grigio. Perfect as a summer sipper or a great wine for people just starting to explore wine. I would give it an 87-88, not bad at all.

From the LCBO web site:
Sandbanks Pinot Grigio VQA — LCBO#: 372219
STYLE – Aromatic & Flavourful
Pale lemon; refreshing aromas of citrus, lemon, lime, white peach and pear; dry, light to medium body with more citrus flavours on the palate and a crisp clean finish. $15.95
Release Date:March 31, 2015
Alcohol/Vol 12.5% Made in: Ontario, Canada By: Sandbanks Estate Winery Sugar Content:12 g/L Sweetness Descriptor:D – Dry

My regular readers know I am a fan of Kacaba winery. Their people are enthusiastic, friendly, knowledgeable and welcoming. No trip to Niagara is complete for me without stopping by Kacaba. They are quietly doing their thing advancing the wine industry in Niagara! This wine is inky dark in color with a nice black cherry nose. On the mid palate the wine matches the nose with rich vibrant black cherries along with a bit of mocha. On the long finish the wine displays strong peppery notes, firm tannins and lively acidity. This is a bigger wine right now, for some it might be too young. If you prefer more finesse give it a couple years. Shelf life should be excellent for this wine, easily 5 years or more. Be sure and pair it with something hearty, I paired it with a striploin and it went perfectly. I would give it a solid 89, $29.95 at the winery if there are any left!

We don’t get enough Okanagan wines in Ontario, so when I get a chance I jump in with both feet. Inky dark in color with a mild dark berry nose, about the only thing mild about this wine. On the mid palate the wine displays lovely black berries to match the nose, some nice mocha and oak. On the medium length finish the wine displays some lovely rich tannins and bold acidity. This is a slightly young wine, but I like my wines bigger anyway. I would give it an 88+ Very nice for the price. It should have some good longevity as well! The LCO say medium bodied and fruity? It’s a lot bigger than that would suggest IMHO. I would give it an 88+

From the LCBO web site:
Gray Monk Cabernet/Merlot 2013 — VINTAGES#: 464123
STYLE – Medium-bodied & Fruity
Celebrating its 45th year of vineyard operations in 2017, Gray Monk is the oldest family-owned winery in British Columbia. This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot shows juicy cherry and plum with a touch of oak influence and supple tannins. Pair with barbecued lamb chops and bell peppers. (Vintages panel, March 2017)
$20.95
PRODUCT DETAILS
Release Date:August 19, 2017
Alcohol/Vol 13.4% Made in:British Columbia, Canada By: Gray Monk Cellars Ltd. Sugar Content:2 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: XD – Extra Dry Style:Medium-bodied & Fruity