All posts tagged Clos Jordanne

Dreaming of Clos Pinot for the Holidays

by Kato on December 20, 2009 in Vintages Picks, Wine Picks with 1 Comment

closNiagara’s Clos Jordanne has just released its 2007 Pinots and Chardonnays ($25-70) and they are as impressive as the previous releases from this organic winery. I think that the Chardonnays will need a year to lose their youthful sweetness and the single vineyard Pinot will certainly be more together with time. However, there’s one Pinot that’s ready to go and it’s the Village-Reserve, which happens to be the least expensive – and has always been one of my favourites from this winery.

I like it for its vitality, its rustic country feeling and honesty. Sure the high-priced single vineyard wines may be prettier and more gifted, but the Village-Reserve is more down-to-earth and a more engaging drink and food partner. It will keep you at the table and suggest a second bottle. The original purpose of wine.

Winery manager Thomas Bachedler has done an amazing job with Le Clos and just in case you missed my earlier blog, the good news is the wines are now sold at Wine Rack stores.

Le Clos Jordanne 07 ‘Village Reserve’ Pinot Noir, VQA Niagara
$25 Wine Rack stores Vintages 33894

P.S. Le Clos Jordanne is one of the few premium Niagara wines marketed internationally (other than Icewine). Too bad the label is so conservatively nice! How Canadian eh.

LCBO Vintages Saturday Dec 5

by Kato on December 3, 2009 in Vintages Picks, Wine Picks with No comments

THE LOW DOWN: Vintages always produce glitzy catalogues for the holidays, but the wines are seldom as good as the photography. Good wine don’t appear on demand. Regular readers will know that I frequently recommend something for Christmas in June and summer wines in the winter.

I will be covering Sparkling, Sweet and other holiday favourites over the next few weeks but you should consider the following for novelty and down right good value. The Chilean Pinot and Chardonnay, or the French Fitou and Vouvray pair would wow most dinner party guests. Grüner Veltliner would be a lively start for your holiday parties and Mas Donis would hit the spot later in the evening. If you’re favouring local, Le Clos Jordanne is a world champ in Pinot Noir at its price point.
Slainte,
Billy
grunerWHITES
Wine style: Fresh white
Markus Huber ‘Hugo’ 08 Grüner Veltliner, Austria 641506 $13.95
Lively, super refreshing and jazzy. Lots of energy. The perfect opening act for your holiday events. Or for after work chilling out. In screw cap. You may never go back to Pinot Grigio!

vouvrayWine style: Fresh white
Donatien Bahuaud 08 Vouvray ‘Les Grands Mortiers’, Loire, France 140889 $16.95
Something different. Tart white with gorgeous honey sweet flavours. A yin yang of refreshment and charm. And modest alcohol. A lovely anytime sipper, aperitif or brunch wine.

tabliWine style: rich white
Tabali 07 Chardonnay ‘Reserva Especial’, Chile 663005 $18.95
The glamour of Chardonnay without the usual overkill. Understated richness and tons of zest. Refreshing enough for an aperitif, big enough for the main course.

closREDS
Wine style: rustic red
Le Clos Jordanne 07 Pinot Noir ‘Village Reserve’, VQA Niagara 33894 $25.00
Gutsy edition of Pinot with the earthy character of Burgundy. Bravo! If you enjoy traditional wines this is a super value. And a role model for the future of local Pinot. Partner with bistro-style foods. Or the big bird on the 25th.

errzPinotWine style: rich red
Errazuriz 08 Pinot Noir ‘Wild Ferment’, Chile 510396 $18.95
The ripe fruit flavours and richness of New World Pinot combined with something earthy and funky. Lots of vitality too. Pinot to flatter food. Another good partner for Christmas dinner.

monttauchWine style: rich red
Mont Tauch 07 Fitou ‘Tradition’, France
142810 $16.95
A semi-rich south of France red (Syrah, Carignan, Grenache) with lots of flavour – including earth. Wine with a sense of place. The perfect partner for any home cooked meal.

masdonisWine style: rich red
Cellers de Capacanes ‘Mas Donis’ 07 Monstant, Spain 705863 $16.95
A Spanish edition of Côtes du Rhône – with more octane. Delicious flavours, warming richness and vitality. All my favourite qualities in a winter red. Hearty foods.

inniskillinsparklingiceSWEET/SPARKLING
Inniskillin Sparkling Vidal Icewine, VQA Niagara 560367 375ml/$69.95
One of the most decadent wines on the planet. The exotic tropical flavours of Icewine combined with tingling bubbles. A glorious holiday treat. Chill well and sip slowly. After dinner, or late afternoon before dinner.

LCBO Vintages Saturday Nov 7

by Kato on November 5, 2009 in Vintages Picks, Wine Picks with No comments

Vintages Saturday November 7th 2009

THE LOW DOWN: This is Vintages at its best. Offering wine styles not generally available. In whites there’s seductive Viognier, classy Quincy and an upscale Pinot Grigio. Those who share my fondness for rustic reds will have a field day with no less than six picks. I’m offering six rich reds too with Val Joanis Syrah leading the show for value.
quincyWHITES
Wine style: FRESH WHITE
Jean-Michel Sorbe 08 Quincy, Loire, France 608877 $18.95
If you share my fondness for slightly tart whites with crystal clear flavours here’s a must buy. Spring day freshness and a great lift for the senses. Jazzy aperitif – but needs the summer season. Stick a few bottles away till then.

stoccoWine style: NICE & EASY WHITE
Stocco 08 Pinot Grigio, Friuli, Italy
135558 $14.95
The zesty quality of PG combined with sweet kisses. Yummy, yummy stuff. Sip anytime. Would be a huge hit at holiday parties.

nordViognierWine style: RICH WHITE
Laurent Miguel 08 Viognier ‘Nord Sud’, Languedoc, France
673236 $16.95
Would be hard to find a prettier wine. Lush, lovely and slightly sweet. A lover’s kiss. Best with spicy/hot food. If you’ve never had Viognier this would be a good first date.

yulmbaViognWine style: RICH WHITE
Yalumba 08 Viognier, Eden Valley, Australia
954644 $22.95
Lush, exotic, glamorous and sure to seduce. Movie star edition of Viognier. A super-rich white to sip late evening on the couch.

edenvalleyWine style: RICH WHITE
Thorn-Clarke Eden-Valley 08 Chardonnay ‘Terra Barossa’, Australia
651349 $14.95
Well mannered Chard with lots of refreshment and a good-with-anything feeling. Upscale house wine.

REDS
Wine style: RUSTIC RED
Boeri 08 Dolcetto, Monferrato, Piedmont, Italy 134825 $13.95
Gutsy, tart, earthy red. Very local – add crusty bread and cheese and you’re in Italy. Wine this rustic is seldom exported. Not for the Shiraz drinker but a must for fans of traditional wines. You know who you are!

ascheriWine style: RUSTIC RED
Ascheri 07 Barbera d’Alba ‘Fontanelle’, Piedmont, Italy
982462 $17.95
Classic Barbera – rustic, invigorating and challenging. The feeling of stepping into an old country café filled with decades of history and local flavour. A bit scary at first but hang in and the rewards will be priceless. Drink with, and as you prepare an Italian supper.

gourgWine style: RUSTIC RED
Ch. de Gourgazaud 07 Minervois ‘Cuvée Mathilde’, France
958629 $14.95
Lots of bistro character here. Not for the timid. Gutsy wine to pair with hearty meals. You’ll that you’re in France.

coyotecab

Wine style: RUSTIC RED
Coyote’s Run 07 Cabernet Franc ‘Black Paw Vineyard’, VQA Four Mile Creek, Niagara 50450 $19.95
Seriously tart red that could be a Barbera. But what a wonderful expression of the lively Cab Franc grape. Invigorating stuff for early in the evening and to partner with traditional bistro foods.

lafaurieMonbWine style: RUSTIC RED
Ch. de Lafaurie–Monbadon 05 Cotes de Castillon, Bordeaux
140012 $15.00
Take a trip to a French bistro with this rustic red. Refreshingly real. I love the backstreet character. Beef or lamb.

bruscoWine style: RUSTIC RED
Barbi 07 ‘Brusco dei Barbi’, Tuscany, Italy
673160 $14.95
Traditional Tuscan expression – lots of earthy flavours, even a little gamey. The tangy bite that gets the taste buds craving food.  If you’re a fan of late Fall this is your wine. Have with anything oven–roasted.

valjonaisWine style: RICH RED
Ch. Val Joanis 06 Syrah, Rhône, France
965616 $15.95
Wonderful earthy, peppery rich red. You can taste the south of France. Stock up for winter. What a great value.

vaceryaresWine style: RICH RED
Pierre Amadieu 07 Vacqueyras, Rhône, France
76398 $21.95
A mini Chateauneuf du Pape. Super rich, slightly sweet and very fireside. A winter warmer.

rochesWine style: RICH RED
Ch. Les Roches de Ferrand 05 Fronsac, Bordeaux, France
138669 $24.95
If you’re up for a traditional evening of Bordeaux and roast beef here’s a wine that won’t blow the budget. Dusty dry, appetizing and self assured. Best with people of similar character.

closdeBoisWine style: RICH RED
Clos du Bois 06 Merlot, Sonoma, California
34900 $19.95
The folks at Clos du Bois are really good at combining Californian richness and ripeness with some French elegance. And delivering it at a reasonable price. Guaranteed to impress.

eldestonFriendsWine style: RICH RED
Elderton 08 Shiraz ‘Friends’, Barossa Valley, Australia
660480 $15.00
Perfectly named! This is crowd-pleasing stuff that would work with ribs, turkey or for the weekend bash. Nothing dark or dense – more of the bright, lively spirit of Zin.

closWine style: RICH RED
Le Clos Jordanne 07 Pinot Noir, VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara
33951 $40.00
Wonderful earthy, manly Pinot. A must buy for the fan, but it needs a year or two to really shine. Le Clos Jordanne is one of the top wineries in Canada for sure. You can find a selection of their wines at the better WineRack stores.

Niagara Wine Tours

by Kato on April 13, 2009 in Food & Restaurants, Travel Notes, Wine Picks with Comments Off

before you go Pick up a copy of Wineries of Ontario at LCBO stores. It has maps and all the contact info for wineries, restaurant and hotels. www.winesofontario.ca

the low down The wonderful 07 Vintage is the current hot topic but don’t overlook the wines of 06, which are drinking really well right now. This cool year produced light wines that are truly local in character.

There are 2 district regions – the flat lands of Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL) and the more sloped escarpment of Beamsville/Jordan/Vineland. The two regions are separated by the city of St. Catharines. If you’re on a day trip, I suggest you don’t try to visit both regions as this involves highway travel and that ruins the Niagara experience. The QEW is to Niagara what Yonge Street is to Toronto – a central artery best avoided. You need at least two days. Three would be better – especially if you want to take time to smell the roses. I like to do the Niagara-on-the-Lake region first, heading down York Road to Queenston, and then up the beautiful Parkway. A little refreshment on the back patio of the Riverbend Inn, and I’m in the zone.

Don’t spend all your time at wineries. At least take a break for lunch.

When confronted by a tasting bar with dozens of wines, try saying this: “Take me through a day of wine – lunch, aperitif, appetizers, main course, after dinner, nite cap. And how about something novel, an adventure?” This way you’re tasting with context in mind.

Niagara is producing some of the most exciting $20-$30 wines in the world.

Treat yourself. If you’re spending a few days consider staying at Inn on the Twenty in Jordan. Upscale but friendly, relaxed and everything in good taste. Some rooms have a garden, and breakfast in the grand dining room is a fab way to start the day.

On the restaurant scene, Stone Road Grille, located just outside Niagara-on-the-Lake is a rare Ontario edition of the bistro experience. Locally popular, personable owners and staff, bustling, informal atmosphere, generous  food portions, a commitment to local produce and wines, reasonable prices…you must go. (Reservations 905-468-3474)

best new attractions: Southbrook’s stunning modern winery – with a ‘great wall’ and pizza patio. Organized Crime’s sexy tasting room. Olson’s Foods and Bakery shop at Ravine Winery. Chefs Michael and Anna Olson have opened a big food shop/café on a lovely woodsy hillside in the village of St. David’s. It’s part of a complex containing Ravine Winery. Top quality foods and a rustic setting – can’t beat that.

Best winery reception on my last visit was by Lindsay at Thirty Bench. Most intelligent restaurant service was Christina at Hillebrand. Continue reading →

 

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