Natalie Spytkowsky of Rosewood Winery creates one of the purest expressions in local Pinot. Her 09 is very Beaujolais-ish, refreshing, appetizing and fun to drink. One sip and you’ll think SUMMER – on the patio, with picnic, or a BBQed side of salmon. Of course you’ll be careful to only invite your favourite fun-times friends and foods. Buy this week because it’s $2 off. Vintages department.
ROSEWOOD 09 Pinot Noir, VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara (Vintages) 112177 $20.00 (NOW on sale! $18.00)
This release contains some classic editions of wine styles. A great learning opportunity. While the Argentina Pinot is a great drinking opportunity. As ever, all my picks over-deliver for the price.
WHITE
Wine-style: Fresh White (Classic Riesling)
HENRY of PELHAM 09 Reserve Off-Dry Riesling, VQA Short Hills Bench 557165 $15.95
Precision, poise and performance. A classic Riesling with the sleek, stylish character of a fast German car. Exciting yin yang of tartness and teasing peachy fruitiness. Quite dry and refreshing right now. Riesling fans should cellars a stash for summer patio lunches over the next five years.
REDS
Wine Style: Lively/Rustic/Rich Red
ALFREDO ROCA 10, Pinot Noir, Mendoza, Argentina 32979 $12.95
Pinot purists stay away. Those looking for something new in lightish reds should get on this right away. I’m calling it my Argentinian Beaujolais. So deliciously gulpable – my bottle was empty in no time. A fun red that I’m stocking-up on for summer events. Best lightly chilled.
Wine Style: Rich Red (Classic Modern Spanish)
BODEGAS CASTANO 06 Reserva ‘Pozuelo’, Yecla, Spain 35485 $14.95
Castano is located in the blazing heat of the south of Spain but this winery manages to produce rich red wines with wonderful fresh flavours and vitality. Not to mention nourishment, mystery and drinkability. Tasty stuff that feels very real. I’ll be drinking lots of this. Yes, it’s from the same winery as La Casona, the $8 bargain at regular LCBOs.
Wine Style: Rich Red (Classic Traditional Spanish)
BODEGAS IGNACIO MARIN 08 Garnacha ‘Old Vine’, Carinena, Spain 214205 $15.95
Crafted in the style of traditional Riojas – lots of vanilla sweetness and old world flavours. Wine that suggests dinner at your favourite Ye Old Mill Restaurant. Not for everyone, but worth exploring.
Wine Style: Rich Red (Classic South of France)
CH. de TREVIAC 08 Corbieres, France 670505 $15.95
France does blockbuster. Really well too. A solid, rich red that’s very together and satisfying. A few years of bottle has brought out some soul. Most New World wineries would charge a lot more for a show this big and interesting. I’ve recommended at least two previous vintages of Ch. Treviac.
Wine Style: Rich Red (Classic Chianti Riserva)
CASA TRIACCA 08 Chianti Classico Riserva ‘La Madonnina’, Tuscany, Italy 191361 $24.95
The woodsy, haunting, rustic feeling of good Chianti Riserva. Satisfying without a trace of excess or adornment. Fit for a King but more of a Country Squire because of the woodsy quality. Best with grilled or roasted meats.
P.S. PETALOS 09 Descendientes de L. Palacios, Biero, Spain 675207 $22.95
This red wine (and winemaker) gets rave reviews but I fail to see anything more than density and heft. Sure there’s impact but where’s the drinkability! Maybe in 2–3 years when the wine is less solemn and serious!
One of the recent best-things-to-happen in local wine has been the creation of the ‘blend’. Especially in whites. We now have a range of really interesting, multipurpose whites at reasonable prices, that I’ve featured in my blogs. Ravine Winery has taken the concept to the next level with a blend that’s not just friendly but also special, and stylish. The something different feeling. While it’s light ’n refreshing, it also creates the feeling of being at a seaside terrace in Italy or France. The good life! Naturally it will work best in the Summer for lunch/patio sipper/aperitif or whenever. But check it out now to get you in the mood.
Congrats to Ravine for developing a truly local, and stylish wine experience. While it’s not everyday priced I think you’ll see the value in the experience.
RAVINE 10 ‘Sand & Gravel’ York Road, VQA Niagara 260414 $16.95
IF YOU LIKE RUSTIC YOU’LL LOVE THIS LOCALI’ve just had an amazing local red. Not anything that would score big with Mr Parker and followers, nor impress on steak night, nor make your weekend party friends giggle with pleasure. This was a wine of the earth, a soulful drink, an honest drink with the rustic qualities found in old-fashioned Bordeaux reds.
So often local (and elsewhere) winemakers feel the need to soften/sweeten/tame the wild character in Cabernet Franc, but not Charmes. This is the real thing. A wonderful true expression that’s at peak right now. Best with any simply roasted/grilled meat.
Unfortunately there isn’t much remaining of this Vintages release. Do the store search by clicking on the wine name at http://www.lcbo.ca/lcbo-ear/lcbo/product/searchResults.do?ITEM_NAME=453415&ITEM_NUMBER=453415&language=EN
CHATEAU DES CHARMES 07 Cabernet Franc ‘St. David’s Bench Vineyard’, VQA St. David’s Bench, Niagara
453415 $25.95
BILLY AWARDS 2011
BEST LOCAL WINERY – The People’s Award
One of the major Canadian magazines has given their Winery of the Year award to Tawse. For the second year in a row. I’m in total agreement because this Beamsville winery has produced a huge array of stunning wines over the past few years. If you buy wines in the $20-$45 range Tawse delivers the goods as well, if not better, than anyone on the planet. Be sure to include it on your next Niagara trip.
Now, for my People’s Winery of the Year award. The winery that delivers the most excitement at everyday prices, and which scores for availability at the LCBO is Pelee Island. Pelee is a large scale producer with lots of experience in blending fruit from all over Ontario and offering good tasting, low priced wines. If you get out of urban centres and travel around the province you’ll see how Pelee has probably converted more people to ‘local’ than any other winery.
Over the past few years, however, Pelee has upped-the-ante with their ‘Lighthouse’ and ‘Alvar’ lines which offer fabulous varietal character plus. Amazing wines for $12–$15. To top it off Pelee’s ‘Secco’ is a great Ontario edition of Prosecco. It’s about time that GM/original winemaker, Walter Schmoranz, got some recognition for decades of great work in our local industry. Go Pelee!
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