Canadian Wine Guy

This wine is from Port Dover? I have to admit I had no idea there were wineries in Port Dover! I tasted this one at the Toronto Wine and Spirit Festival. This wine is a blend of 49.5% Merlot, 37.2% Cab Franc, and 13.3% Cab Sauv. Dark in color with a nice nose of red berries, consistent with a cab. I don’t get much merlot off the nose. On the mid pallet the wine displays some nice red berries, cherries to match the nose. The wine is one the lighter side of medium in length with some gentle tannins and some nice dryness that builds in the mouth. I have to say I was quite surprised by this wine. I’d love to find a bottle to do a more thorough review of the wine and see how it holds up to to food. I would give this wine an 88-89. Given the price it’s not a bad deal. Checkout the winery’s web site for more info.

From the LCBO web site:

SMOKE & GAMBLE RESERVE CABERNET/MERLOT 2010 VINTAGES 332825 | 750 mL bottle Price $ 18.95
This is a VQA wine
Made in: Ontario, Canada By: Dover Vineyards Limited
Release Date: Apr 27, 2013
Style: Medium-bodied & Fruity Wine, Red Wine 13.6% Alcohol/Vol.
Sugar Content: 5 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: XD – Extra Dry

Tasting Note
Very deep ruby in appearance. The nose offers up suggestions of red and black currants with red and black cherry, all accented by vanilla and cocoa notes. So smooth in the mouth! The lovely mouthfeel is further enhanced by structured tannins. Ripe, approachable and very well put together. This is one to be excited about, especially alongside beef skewers, fajitas or steak-topped pizza. (VINTAGES panel, March 2013)

Another one from our visit to the Calamus winery. Garnet in color with a light varietal pinot noir nose. On the mid pallet the wine is much bigger than the nose would otherwise indicate. It’s got some lovely rustic notes, some nice strawberry flavors, and some earthy notes backed by some firm tannins and some acidity. The taste lingers nicely in the mouth leaving some nice rustic flavors that coat the mouth. I would give it an 88-89. Interestingly complex for the price! Sadly, not available in the LCBO but is available at the winery for $17.20 a bottle which in my mind is a good deal! Yumm. We paired it with Upper Canada Cheese Company’s Niagara gold and Cornish hen. It paired very well. I find pinot Noirs and foul go very well together!

Bottling Date May 17, 2011 Release Date July 15, 2011 Price $17.20
Vineyard Twenty Mile Bench Soil Type Clay/loam Varietal/Blend 100% Pinot Noir
Quantity Made 200 cases Harvest October 2009
Vinification: Stainless steel fermented, aged in French oak barrels for 8 months.
Alcohol Content 12.2% Sugar Content 4.8 g/l (1)
Tasting Notes: Colour Light cherry red
Aroma Cherry, vanilla from the French oak barrels
Palate Cherry, cranberry, youthful tannin, earthiness
Food Pairing Country style pate, planked salmon
Serving Temperature
Cellaring Up to 7 years
It’s an earthy, red fruit
laden wine in the mouth with good
vibrancy. 88 points July 11, 2012

I previously reviewed the 2009 Calamus red and was impressed. The new name doesn’t really grab me, not to mention the price bump to $19.95 from $16.20. What I like about Calamus is simple wines at reasonable prices.

Dark in color with a mild nose. On the mid pallet are some lovely rich red berries. On the medium length finish are some nice smooth tannins and just a nice bit of dryness that builds nicely and lingers in the mouth. This is a well made smooth red for the area. I would give it a solid 89-90 which for the price and for the area is not a bad deal. Another lovely Calamus Red!

From the lcbo web site:
CALAMUS COSMIC RED 2010 VINTAGES 258129 | 750 mL bottle Price $ 19.95
Made in: Ontario, Canada By: Calamus Estate Winery
Release Date: Dec 8, 2012
12.0% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content: 7 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: D – Dry

Tasting Note
Surprisingly well structured, succulent – ripe black fruit – packed red here, with good freshness, gentle tannins and just a kiss of oak. Wine of the Week. (Zoltan Szabo, zszabo.com, Sept. 2012)

I’m not a big fan of bubblies but have been exploring Proseccos. They are versatile wines on there own and very food friendly. In my mind anywhere a Sauv Blanc can be paired they go well. This wine reminds me a lot of of a Prosecco. (I’m sure you figured there was a reason why I was going on about Proseccos:) ). Pale in color with a nice nose of minerality. On the mid pallet this wine is a nice, dry, crisp wine with some light apple flavours. It’s bubbles are light and unobtrusive. On the medium length finish the wine comes through with minerality that lives on nicely in the mouth. This is a very food friendly wine. I enjoyed it. I would give it an 88-89. A very nice wine for the money!

From the LCBO web site:
CASA DEA DEA’S CUVEE SPARKLING VQA LCBO 261263 | 750 mL bottle Price $ 18.95
Made in: Ontario, Canada By: Casa-Dea Vineyards Ltd
Style: Light & Fruity Wine, Sparkling Wine, White 12.5% Alcohol/Vol. Sugar Content: 28 g/L

Tasting Note
Pale straw colour; light citrus aromas with mineral, yeasty and biscuit notes; off-dry with light apple and citrus fruit flavours.

Serving Suggestion
Serve chilled with spicy appetizers or fried foods.

From the winery’s web site:
2011 Dea’s Cuvée $18.95
12.1% 750mL VQA Prince Edward County

We are very happy with this light and bubbly Sparkling wine. It has distinct stone fruit on the nose and County minerality on the palate. A perfect wine to celebrate life with.

Another one from the County in the city event. I’ve had this wine for a number of years and enjoy it. Rieslings come in all flavours from sugar water to dry. My preferences lean in the direction of dry rather than sweet. This wine is pale in color with a nice nose of minerality. On the mid pallet the wine displays some lovely mineral flavors to match the nose. It’s nice, dry and crisp. On the long finish the wine has some nice zest that lives on in the wine. The wine has some nice mouth grip that allows it to linger nicely. This is exactly how I like my Rieslings and is a direct result of the minerality that comes from Prince Edward County terroir! This wine was my favourite white of the evening! I would give it a solid 89.

From the winery’s web site:
2009 Riesling $16.95 11.2% 750mL VQA Prince Edward County

This dry, zippy Riesling is a good representation of what the minerality of the county soil lends to our wines. The lemon zest “pops” your pallet, allowing the underlying hints of the tropics to follow.

A truly zesty Riesling, which pairs well with grilled salmon or chicken.

This is a grape I’d never heard of before a Savagnin blanc (no that’s not a typo). Pale in color with a mild nose of minerality as well as some butter. On the mid pallet the wine displays minerality to match the nose. It’s slightly tart and acidic on the finish. Being an unknown grape I had no expectations on what it should taste like. I had difficulty bucketing this wine. It was kind of Sauv Blanc like. I would give it an 88-89. For $28.95 there are a lot better wines for the money.

The Hidden bench 2008 Pinot Noir was one of my favorite Niagara Pinot Noirs. So I popped down to the winery to pick up this years for Christmas presents. Niagara wines can vary quite significantly. Garnet in color with a lovely pinot nose, some nice strawberry, red berries and rustic notes. On the mid pallet the wine displays some milder pinot flavors to match the nose. Red berries, strawberry and rustic flavors. On the medium finish the wine has some tannins, as well as some acidity. Compared to the 2008 this is a much milder pinot. I would give it an 89 or so. Not available at the LCBO but $38 at the winery. Unfortunately this one is no where as good. Quite disappointing 🙁

From the winery’s web site:
The first impressions on the nose with this wine are sour cherry, smoke and a rich concentration that reflect the 2009 vintage. A creamy, generous texture holds together the dark, savoury red fruits. Great structure and well concentrated with typical “cool-climate” Pinot Noir characteristic of earthy beetroot are highlighted with subtle pencil shavings. The Beamsville Bench is well expressed through this wine.