2007 Stratus Cab Franc

Posted on August 10, 2012 by John Galea

I had this one at Corks the other night. Dark in color with a mild nose of dark berries and some alcohol on the nose. Almost vermouth like. On the mid pallet there are some black berries and noticeable alcohol present. The fruit has become quite subdued on this one. It had either been opened too long or it is past due. On the finish the wine has some lovely dryness and smooth tannins. This is a nice wine but I would guess it’s been kept too long. The 2008 is in the LCBO right now for a hefty 38.20. I would give it an 88.

From the LCBO web site for the 2008:
STRATUS CABERNET FRANC 2008 VINTAGES 665034 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 38.20

Made in: Ontario, Canada By: Stratus Vineyards
Release Date: Mar 3, 2012

Wine, Red Wine
13.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Sweetness Descriptor: XD – Extra Dry

Description
TASTING NOTE: Impeccably crafted, this characterful Cab Franc still shows a youthful ruby-purple colour in the glass. Dense, complex nose of blackberry, blueberry, black cherry, tilled earth and woodsmoke. Quite robust and plump for the vintage, with a medium-full body, supportive tannins and lovely depth of fruit. Culminates in a long finish, with superb poise all the way along. Age this wine 1-2 more years, or enjoy it tonight with blackened beef or lamb. (VINTAGES panel, Jan. 2012)

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2007 Andrew Peller Signature Series Merlot

Posted on August 8, 2012 by CanadianWineGuy

With two of these in the cellar it was time to ‘crack’ open a bottle and test out this premium Peller Estates wine. A true ‘first growth’ the Andrew Peller Signature Series range is the best the vineyard has to offer of each of its varietals or blends. This merlot is from the hot summer of 2007, a year which has shown great fruit and good cellaring potential. Most premium region reds have 3-7 years still left in bottle to evolve and improve. So what about this wine you may ask? Look no further!

A dark inky red greets your eyes as black cherry hits your nostrils. A few swirls in the glass and tobacco starts to rear his head. The first sips reveal firm tannins and subtle fruit. The finish is long and the wine is well balanced. The fruit gives way to cinnamon and Cuban cigars (what can I say the tobacco was large). Overall this is a very good Niagara merlot with the fruit being strong and the winemaking skillful. A good value at $38.

The CWG Subjective Rating is 89 out of 100.

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2007 Henry of Pelham Speck Family Reserve Pinot Noir

Posted on August 7, 2012 by CanadianWineGuy

Henry of Pelham remains one of the most overlooked Niagara region wineries. Despite the consistency that most vineyards long for, its location and lack of ‘cache’ tend to put them on the forgotten list. The Speck family make good wine and a visit to their property is always recommended. Their top end label has some of the best priced first growths on the escarpment, this is one of them at $36.

This wines rusty colour was the first indication that five years of aging was probably enough. A sure sign of an aged red is that rust/orange hue for those not aware. This pinot has hints of wild red fruit with undertones of leather. The first few sips present red cherry and some earthiness. The body is still rich with tannins with a medium length finish. While fruit is still present I would avoid laying this wine down much longer than a year or two at most. Any longer and I fear you’d lose the fruit and have something much less complex. Overall a good Pinot Noir, though not great enough to put it top 5 in a fantastic producing region.

The CWG Subjective Rating is 87 out of 100.

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2007 Burrowing Owl Syrah

Posted on August 6, 2012 by CanadianWineGuy

This 2007 was short listed with the recent cellar space shortage as there were two still left and five years is a great start for this wine. Burrowing Owl remains a star in the gorgeous Okanagan wine region. This was a wine club offering that was snapped up at $35 a bottle. This will be brief update so on to the tasting notes.

A deep purple greeted us with subtle vanilla notes. The first sip brought out strong tannins that gripped hard. The finish was quicker than expected for such a strong body. Vanilla remains with hints of blackberries and currants. Licorice rears its head towards the end which adds to this already interesting red. A few more years and this should settle down and reward those with the patience.

CWG Subjective Rating is 87 out of 100.

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2010 Wente Morning Fog Chardonnay

Posted on August 6, 2012 by John Galea

I’ve blogged about this wine for a bit now. It’s on my fav list and one of my go to wines. It’s tough to find a good inexpensive California style chard. Pale in color with a mild chard nose. On the mid pallet this wine is a whole lot sweeter than it has been in the past. Sugar levels are much higher (to my tastes). Some butterscotch and some vanilla but very light. I kept hoping it would improve as it warmed up. In the mouth this wine is a melody of incongruant flavors that didn’t work for me. So sadly, all good things come to an end. Inexpensive wines are often inconsistent year to year and this is a bad year for this one. I would give it an 87-88. Pooh. Off my favs for this one 🙁 If you can find any more of the 2009 grab it. But not too much. I don’t expect it will age all that well. Maybe a year or so …
So this leaves me back to either the J Lohr Riverstone or the Sterling Vintner’s reserve for a reliable readily available reasonably priced chard …

Check LCBO stock but be careful the various years fall under the same product code.

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2010 Hillebrand Artist Series Gewürztraminer ‘Limited Edition’

Posted on August 3, 2012 by CanadianWineGuy

A wise man once said: “A hot and muggy summer day calls for a nice chilled white wine in the late afternoon.” If you use that quote be sure to attribute it to myself as I cannot pin it on anyone else. Hillebrand‘s well priced Artist Series has produced a mix bag of wines over the past few years, but despite that their innovated plan of using Ontario Artists works on their labels has brought colour and grace to their entry level offerings.

This wine in question features Elizabeth Baker’s Green Light, a vibrant sea of colour that compliments this pale yellow ‘Limited Edition’ wine. Hillebrand should be complimented on their effort to spread the arts to their consumers.

As for the wine the colour is as soft as the initial sip. Daisies and tulips dance on your nose as you swirl the wine in your glass. Nothing about the first few tastes will overwhelm you. A light bit of citrus compliments the floral notes though nothing jumps out. The finish lingers much longer than expected and the acidity is high. Not a bad wine for the money and perfect for the occasion. This retails at $17.75 from the vineyard or online.

The CWG subjective rating is 83 out of 100.

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2010 Jackson Triggs Silver Series Chardonnay

Posted on August 3, 2012 by John Galea

We grabbed this one at the winery while on our tour of Niagara on the lake. Pale in color with a mild nose. On the mid pallet this is softer well made chard dominated by some oak, some vanilla, slightly creamy with some lovely fruit coming through. There’s also some lovely varietal Niagara on the lake minerality. The finish is on the lighter side of medium in length. This is a beautiful wine, very food friendly. We paired it with Shrimp penne Alfredo and it went very well. I would give this wine an 89-90. Very nice. Not in the LCBO so you will have to take a trip out to the winery to get it. $19.95. The 2009 is in the LCBO for $17.95. Not sure how it compares.

From the Winery’s web site:
2010 Silver Series Chardonnay

Our Chardonnay is soft pressed, malolactic fermented and barrel-aged in select barrels for 1 year. This wine full bodied with creamy caramel and vanilla notes, apple, lemon and buttery flavours that express the essence of the Niagara terroir.

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Niagara Wine Week 2012 – Suggestions needed

Posted on July 31, 2012 by CanadianWineGuy

Next week will be Niagara Wine Week 2012 for the CWG family, if you would like to influence the where we go, vote in the poll below!

Which Wineries should be visited for 2012 Niagara Wine Week? Choose a maximum of 8
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2006 Grgich Hills Estate Chardonnay

Posted on July 30, 2012 by CanadianWineGuy

With both another gorgeous summer night in the big smoke and a need to clear valuable cellar space it was time to drink. This wine, according to Cellartracker was a year overdue drinking, which I doubted was accurate, but still made it a prime candidate for consumption. This wine was purchased on one of my many jaunts through SFO airport on route home. The $55 was for sure excessive at the time, and some years later makes me question my sanity, but I bought it none the less. So here we are, a lovely southern Napa Valley Chardonnay uncorked and beckoning us to enjoy.

A brilliant straw colour greeted us with almost a smile. Serving it between 15c & 16c allowed the nose to be ready on pouring. Floral notes and soft tree fruits like peach and apricots start your senses. The wine is soft but still fruity with hints of honey and lemon. Elegant is a very good way to describe this. Elegant and polished. Maybe this was fifty-five well spent dollars afterwards. Unlike most of its Californian brethren, this wine was not buttery as malolactic fermentation was not allowed. Overall this was a pleasure, and even with the cost worth every penny.

The CWG Subjective Rating is 88 out of 100.

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2006 Angels Gate Old Vines Chardonnay

Posted on July 29, 2012 by CanadianWineGuy

With space extremely limited in the CWG cellars (well 115% capacity reached and counting) it was time to thin the herd. Where better to start then a 6 year old Beamsville Bench Chardonnay. Angels Gate winery may be known more for its amazing restaurant and scenic overlook of the lower bowl leading to Lake Ontario than for its wine, but this is one of the nice whites that annually come out of the picturesque vineyard. With The bench becoming more and more renown for its cooler climate Chardonnays it is a great time to get interested in them if you are not already. Great growing conditions, stronger and stronger winemakers and vines reaching their maturity have led to some amazing Burgundy style wines lately from the subregion. On to this wine that comes from 30 year old vines that was barrel fermented and allowed to age on its lees!

A beautiful yellow wine flows from the bottle as light floral notes tickle your nose. The first few sips yield a full bodied Chardonnay with a great amount of vanilla and caramel. Hints of melons, pineapples and other citrus linger but never overwhelm. The finish is neither long nor is it short, seems to just slowly tail off, almost like butter… The acidity is fresh and one could describe this as crisp. The wine overall opens up nicely but take care to serve it in the correct stemware (Chardonnay/Burgundy) as this wine will not give you much when consumed from narrow or deep glasses. Not a classic but a wine worth a nod to your host that serves it, or the guest that brings it.

The CWG Subjective Rating is 86 out of 100

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MOMO PINOT NOIR 2009

Posted on July 27, 2012 by John Galea

New Zealand is known best for Sauv Blanc and Pinot Noir. I like Pinot Noirs, but everyone does. Garnet in color with a mild nose of red berries, strawberries and raspberries. On the mid pallet this wine matches the nose with strawberries and raspberries as the dominant flavor. It’s slightly sweet. Not too much but noticeable. There’s some rustic flavors expected from a pinot noir. With food this wine did not stand up well. I paired it with salmon and it came out flat on the finish. On it’s own you can get some mild acidity, some mild tannins that build in the mouth. This is a subtle wine for sure. I would give it an 88 or so. For the money there are definitely better Pinot Noirs. Not the least of which would be one of my favorites Flat Rock Gravity Pinot Noir.

From the LCBO web site:
MOMO PINOT NOIR 2009 VINTAGES 163972 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 19.95

Made in: Marlborough, New Zealand By: Seresin Estate

Release Date: Apr 28, 2012
14.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Sugar Content: 4 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: XD – Extra Dry

Tasting Note
A wonderfully smooth and classy expression of ripe red fruit flavors, warm baking spices, vanillin and mineral accents. Very harmonious, with a long finish. Drink now through 2016. Score – 90. (MaryAnn Worobiec, winespectator.com, June 30, 2011)

Check LCBO Stock.

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Lailey 2011 Sauvignon Blanc

Posted on July 25, 2012 by John Galea

I tasted this one at the winery as well as at The Charles Inn at dinner. Pale in color with a nice nose with some, with some green grassyness, and minerality coming through. On the mid pallet nice green flavors and some acidity to match the nose. On the finish there are some mild grapefruit tartness. Medium in length this is a nice food friendly wine. I would give it an 88-89. It’s unfortunately not in the LCBO. Available at the winery for $20.20. A lovely example of minerality from Niagara on the Lake.

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2009 Marynissen Gamay Noir

Posted on July 23, 2012 by John Galea

Garnet in color with an earthy almost pinot noir like nose. Quite pleasant and inviting. On the mid pallet the wine displays some nice pinot noir like flavors, some mild strawberries and some nice firm rustic flavors. On the finish the wine has some lovely tannins, medium in length, some nice dryness and great complexity. This is a lovely wine. I would give it a solid 89. Not available in the LCBO but available at the Winery for a shockingly low price of … $12.80.

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ÁLVARO PALACIOS PLÁCET VALTOMELLOSO 2009

Posted on July 21, 2012 by John Galea

Another wine from the WineAlign Spanish wine tasting at the Spoke club featuring wines from ÁLVARO PALACIOS. The event was run by David Lawrson and featured the wine maker, Alvaro Palacios, sharing his passion with wine making! Woodman Wines and Spirits carries all of their wines by the case, this one is not in the LCBO.

Pale in color with a mild nose. On the mid pallet there are some slightly sweet flavors, some tartness and some minerality. The finish on the wine is medium in length and builds nicely in the mouth. Be sure to serve this one on the colder side. This is a very food friendly wine with some nice complexity. I would give it an 89. It’s available in cases of 6 from Woodman for $32 a bottle.

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2009 Marynissen Oaked Chardonnay

Posted on July 19, 2012 by John Galea

My nephew has been encouraging me to stop by Marynissen for a while now so when we were in Niagara on the Lake we stopped by the winery. I have to say I was impressed with the wines. Niagara on the Lake has been making wines longer than (thus older vines) the Beamsville area that I know better. And I am told Marynissen is one of the original wineries in Niagara! In my time in Niagara on the lake I discovered the whites to be more mineral and the reds to be softer (in comparison to Beamsville area).

Pale in color with a mild nose showing some varietal chard bouquet. On the mid pallet this is a chablis style chard. The fruit comes through nicely. The oak is well under control. If your looking for a buttery creamy chard this ain’t it 🙂 It’s got some lovely minerality, and the fruit is forward on the tongue. The wine is medium in length with a nice crisp mouth feel and a finish that builds nicely in the mouth! This is a food friendly wine. Be sure to not serve this wine too cold or you will miss a lot of the depth of this wine. Allow it to warm up once it’s out of the fridge. I would give it an 88-89. None of Marynissen’s wines are in the LCBO so a trip out to the winery is in order. The wine is bargain price of $12.80 a bottle. Wow!

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Borgogno 2010 Barbera D’Alba Superiore

Posted on July 17, 2012 by John Galea

Trialto recently held a Borgogno Barolo tasting at the fine wine reserve!

Dark in color with a fair amount of wood on the nose. On the mid pallet this is a semi sweet fruit forward easy drinking wine. On the medium finish there are some fine tannins and some bright acidity. I would give it an 88-89. A very food friendly wine. Available by the half case for $19.95 a bottle from Trialto, not in the LCBO yet but coming in Nov to Vintages.

The winery.

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2010 Canyon Oaks Cab Sauv

Posted on July 15, 2012 by John Galea

Vinexx hosted a tasting event at Martini house in Burlington. This wine is on their by the glass menu at $10 for a 6 oz pour so I thought I’ve give it a whirl. Dark in color with a lovely nose of red berries, mostly cherry. On the mid pallet this wine is a fruit forward California style Cab with Cherries abounding. The wine is medium in length on the finish with some tannins and a smooth flavor that builds nicely in the mouth. I was shocked to discover the wine is only $12.95 a bottle available from Vinexx in cases of 12. A very nice wine. I would give it an 89 or so. I would not expect this to age all that well. More of a drink now feel to it.

From Vinexx’s page:
2010 Cabernet Sauvignon
Region/Appellation: California
Alcohol: 13%
Tasting notes
The Canyon Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon offers fresh fruit aromas of cassis, mint and ripe berries. These same fruit characteristics explode on the pallet. Extensive aging on Oak adds complexity to this exceptional wine. Soft, supple tannins lead to a long smooth finish.
Case configuration: 12 X 750ml
Product number: Consignment
Distribution: Consignment
Price: $12.95

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VALDEMAR INSPIRACIÓN VALDEMAR 2006

Posted on July 13, 2012 by John Galea

Dark in color with a rich nose of dark berries. On the mid pallet the wine displays some subtle dark berries, intense dried berry flavors. On the medium finish the wine displays some lovely subtle flavors, some silky smooth tannins and some nice dryness that builds in the mouth. This wine is very complex for the price and has some very nice levels going on. Impressive. I would give it an solid 90-91. Yumm. Pair it with steak lamb etc!

Check LCBO Stock

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CHATEAU SMITH CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009

Posted on July 10, 2012 by John Galea

Dark in color with a dark berries nose. On the first sip right out of the bottle the wine first starts out on the front of the mouth as having some deep rich red berries which your just starting to appreciate and then bam right on the back of the mouth are some strong firm acidity. Almost to the point of being bitter. On the finish there are some tannins and some nice dryness but the acidity is the overwhelming presence in the mouth. If your going to buy this one, for my tastes, you need to either plan to breath it a minimum of an hour or plan on aging it. The LCBO site says it will keep until 2016 and I can believe that one no problem. After an hour of breathing the bitterness had passed and left you with the dark berries, in the mouth. The tannins become velvety and smooth and they build very nicely in the mouth and some nice dryness. We paired it with a striploin on the BBQ and it held up very well. I would give this an 89. For now the firm acidity is quite overwhelming. The fault here is mine, I did not leave enough time to properly breath this wine.

From the LCBO web site:
CHATEAU SMITH CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2009 VINTAGES 280107 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 24.95
Made in: Washington State, USA By: Charles Smith Wines
Release Date: May 26, 2012

Wine, Red Wine 14.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Sugar Content: 5 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: XD – Extra Dry

Tasting Note
Supple and inviting, with complex flavors of dark berries and plum shaded with hints of bacon and star anise. The finish rolls along unimpeded by the polished tannins. Drink now through 2016. Score – 91. (Harvey Steiman, winespectator.com, Dec. 15, 2011).

Check LCBO stock.

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2009 PETER LEHMANN BAROSSA SHIRAZ

Posted on July 6, 2012 by John Galea

Another one I tasted this one at the Toronto Wine and Spirits festival. Inky dark in color with lovely rich black berries coming through on the nose. This one has a lovely nose to it. Particularly nice! On the mid pallet black berries ooze in the mouth with lovely rich flavors. On the medium length finish the wine has some tannins and some mild acidity along with some pepper and some dryness. I would give this one an 89. According to the tasting notes they gave out, this is the 30th year of making this particular wine!

From the LCBO web site:
PETER LEHMANN BAROSSA SHIRAZ LCBO 572875 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 19.95

Made in: Region Not Specified, Australia By: Peter Lehmann Pty. Ltd.

Style: Full-bodied & Smooth Wine, Red Wine 14.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Sugar Content: 5 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: XD – Extra Dry

Tasting Note
deep ruby with purple highlights; ripe red and black berry aromas with peppery spice; full bodied; juicy berry flavour with soft oak in medium finish

Check LCBO stock.

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2011 Henry of Pelham Sauvignon Blanc

Posted on July 4, 2012 by John Galea

Stopped by the Red Lobster the other day and this one was on the by the glass menu. I’ve had a string of good Niagara Sauv Blanc’s lately so I thought I’d give it a try. Pale in color with a grassy nose. On the mid pallet there’s a grassy flavor to go along nicely with the nose with a hint of sweetness. The wine is on the lighter side of medium on the finish. I would give this an 88 or so. I paired it with Snow Crab (which I have to say the Keg does better) and it went well. I was reasonably impressed by this wine. Not bad at all. It’s a softer wine. Very food friendly.

From the LCBO web site:
HENRY OF PELHAM SAUVIGNON BLANC VQA LCBO 430546 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 14.95
This is a VQA wine

Made in: Ontario, Canada By: Henry Of Pelham Family Est. Winery

Style: Light & Crisp Wine, White Wine 12.5% Alcohol/Vol.

Sugar Content: 5 g/L
Sweetness Descriptor: XD – Extra Dry

Check LCBO stock.

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NHL Alumni Hat Trick Wines

Posted on July 2, 2012 by John Galea

I tasted these two at the Toronto Wine and Spirits festival. Ok, I have to admit it, I’m a sucker for the whole NHL Alumni thing. Brings back fond memories of when I was a kid and hockey players did it because of their love of the game. So I tried both of these wines … These wines are made from grapes bought on the open market, they have no vineyards of their own (or so I was told). I have to admit, I’m never a fan of this kind of winery. Now that said, there are lots of wines that come from France from wineries that do exactly that. They call them Negotiants.

Hat Trick Red:
Dark in color with a mild nose. On the mid pallet there are some red berries coming through. The wine is on the lighter side of medium in finish there are some tannins as well. To be honest there is not a lot going on in this wine. I would call it plonk. But then again what do you expect for $12.95. I would give it an 87-88. Not terrible, but not great either. Check LCBO stock.

Hat Trick White:
Pale in color with a mild nose. On the mid pallet this wine is a light easy drinking summer sipper. Refreshing and easy with not a lot going on. Very mild on the finish. If your looking for something cheap, this may just fit the bill. I would give it an 87 or so. Again, nothing awful but nothing amazing either. Check LCBO stock.

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2001 Lodge Hill Shiraz

Posted on June 30, 2012 by John Galea

I’ve had this one in the cellar August 2004. The write I had said drink now through 2012. Proper record keeping and cellar management are key to not missing the wine before it’s peak! If you need help with your cellar check out my wine services!

Inky dark in color with a mild nose of dark berries. On the mid pallet the wine is even now deep and rich. Almost jammy. Lots of dark berries coming through. Still quite intense. On the finish the wine has some lovely fine tannins and still some pepper. There’s a strong alcoholic presence as well. This wine needs some breathing for sure to mellow it out. There’s still lots of life left in this one. I would give it a solid 90. Yumm!

From the LCBO web site for the current year:
JIM BARRY THE LODGE HILL SHIRAZ 2009 VINTAGES 998476 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 24.95

Made in: South Australia, Australia By: Negociants International
Release Date: Jan 21, 2012

Wine, Red Wine 14.0% Alcohol/Vol.

Sweetness Descriptor: XD – Extra Dry

Tasting Note
Polished, generous and distinctive for the savory, minty nuances around a plush core of raspberry and blackberry fruit. Finishes with focus and finesse. Drink now through 2019. Score – 91. (Harvey Steiman, winespectator.com, May 31, 2011)

Check LCBO stock for the current year.

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2009 Rosehall Run Chard Cuvee County mini review

Posted on June 23, 2012 by John Galea

Another one I tasted this one at the Toronto Wine and Spirits festival. This wine is made from county fruit. If you are tasting Prince Edward County wines you have to ask. They sometimes bring in fruit from Niagara to keep the equipment busy. This one is not. Be sure to read my write ups from my two trips to PEC if your heading out there! Trip 1 and Trip 2!

Pale in color with a mild nose. On the mid pallet this wine is beautiful fruit forward chard. The oak is well under with little to no vanilla present. On the finish there is some light acidity but little to disturb the beautiful fruit coming out of this wine. I would give it a solid 89. Unfortunately none of it left in the LCBO when I checked 🙁

Check LCBO stock.

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SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE CHARDONNAY 2010 mini review

Posted on June 19, 2012 by John Galea

When I’ve traveled down to Niagara I have spent a lot more time in the bench area near Beamsville. So I don’t know the Niagara on the Lake area (where this wine is from) very well. The tastings I have done down in this area have show much softer reds and more minerally whites. I’m looking forward to the iYellow tasting at Liberty on June 21st where they are featuring Niagara on the lake wines! By the way you can find iYellow on facebook as well as Niagara on the Lake wineries also on facebook. I digress …

I tasted this one at the Toronto Wine and Spirits festival. This wine is pale in color mild varietal chard nose. On the mid pallet this wine is a beautifully made fruit forward chard. Slightly buttery, slightly creamy. The oak is very much in check with little to no vanilla present. The wine is on the lighter side of medium on the finish. It builds very nicely in the mouth with the fruit forward tastes coming through nicely. I was VERY impressed by this wine. I would give it a solid 89. Sadly, there’s almost none of this left in the LCBO 🙁

From the LCBO web site:
SOUTHBROOK TRIOMPHE CHARDONNAY 2010 VINTAGES 117572 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 21.95
This is a VQA wine

Made in: Ontario, Canada By: Southbrook Farms Winery
Release Date: Jun 23, 2012

Wine, White Wine 13.1% Alcohol/Vol.

Sugar Content: 5 g/L Sweetness Descriptor: D – Dry

Description
Our Quality Assurance Laboratory has determined that this organic wine has <6 mg/L of free sulpher.

Tasting Note
This has a lovely, ripe nose consistent with the warm 2010 season. Expect yellow pear-pineapple fruit, even a trace of raisin, nicely fitted with floral notes and background cream and butterscotch from the barrels. It is quite rich and rounded but stays vibrant and even a bit delicate thanks to fresh youthful acidity. The 13.5% alcohol gives it volume but there is no significant heat on the finish. Very good to excellent length. Drink over the next three years; I am not sure it has the structure to age as long as some previous vintages. Score – 90. (David Lawrason, winealign.com, March 2012)

Check LCBO stock.

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