September 2009 Niagara Trip: 7 Tasted of 7

It was time for another jaunt along the Niagara Wine Route. The Vintages release on September 12th featured eighteen wines from Niagara’s 2007 vintage and Beppi’s column (G&M, Sept 12, 2009) headlined ‘The sunshine of 2007: Ontario's best vintage ever’ provoked me to do some travelling of my own. Leaving at noon I was home by 4pm (95km return trip to Vineland plus 15km to and from wineries) with seven bottles from five wineries visited and fourteen tastings.
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The plan was to take QEW exit 57 north to King St (Hwy 81) and head west to the No. 99 Wayne Gretzky Estates then on to Cherry Avenue heading south to Tawse Winery, Featherstone Estate Winery, Ridgepoint Wines then over to Calamus Estate Winery for a hot sausage and riesling before heading home. Tastings at the first stop, No. 99, followed by Tawse meant I had to head to Calamus for a much needed meal stop. ‘Fallstock‘, a tasting of wines accompanied by homemade sausage on a bun was welcomed at that point in my trip. I picked up a few bottles of their 2008 Pinot Gris and after an hour of music and milling with the goodly crowd I returned to my planned stops at Featherstone and Ridgepoint (click on photo for enlargement).
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Mauro Scarsellone is a first generation Italian-Canadian who became a successful accountant. But his parents’ agricultural roots ran deep, and his personal dream was to open a winery. In 1995, He and his sister Anna opened Ridgepoint Wines. As well as producing distinctive wines his kitchen prepares some of the best home made Italian meals on the Escarpment. I thoroughly enjoyed munching into a Pizza Diavolo before heading home.

The advantage of shopping directly at a winery is fairly obvious: you taste what you buy, limited quantity and/or craft wines are only available there, you get to try the latest releases and to meet staff having first hand knowledge of the vineyards and the wines they create. And besides, the Niagara Peninsula landscape is one of the most congenial atmospheres for buying wines... and it's the season for Golden peaches.

The popularity of the Niagara Wine Route is starting to show if Saturday was an example. Countless bike tours doing the route as well as bus tours and stretch limos plying their personalized service in style. I also caught up with a 100km bike rally sponsored by Mountain Equipment at Ridgepoint.

The weather showed an autumn breeze, cool with plenty of sun. The QEW was busy but still moved in both directions at 140kph. Wines when tasted will be in bold and be resequenced by rating. 
 
Cheers, Ww

• No. 99 Wayne Gretzky Estate ‘Estate Series’ Shiraz/Cabernet 2007 VQA Niagara Peninsula, 92-2 -- O, Vineland, Ontario, #Winery, $22.95
• Ridgepoint Wines Medium Dry Riesling 2008 VQA Twenty Mile Bench, 88-1 -- O, Vineland, Ontario, #088864, $15.25
• Tawse ‘Sketches of Niagara’ Unoaked Chardonnay 2008 VQA Niagara Peninsula, 86 -- O, Vineland, Ontario, #Winery, $18.20
• No. 99 Wayne Gretzky Estates ‘Estate Series’ Riesling 2007 VQA Niagara Escarpment, 86 -- O, Vineland, Ontario, #Winery, $17.95
• No. 99 Wayne Gretzky Estates Riesling 2008 VQA Niagara Peninsula, 85 -- O, Vineland, Ontario, #144865, $14.95
• Tawse ’Sketches of Niagara’ Merlot Cabernet 2007 VQA Niagara Peninsula, 84 -- O, Vineland, Ontario, #130252, $19.95
• Ridgepoint Wines Blanc de Noirs 2008 VQA Twenty Mile Bench, 84 -- O, Vineland, Ontario, #Winery, $15.25

(G - General listing, V – Vintages, O - Other, r-v - Rating-Value)

  
TASTINGS:

TAWSE ‘SKETCHES OF NIAGARA’ UNOAKED CHARDONNAY 2008 VQA Niagara Peninsula, Vineland, Ontario, 12.0% D, #Winery, $18.20 (Tasted September 15, 2009)
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The winemaker’s notes state “A bright and aromatic nose awaits on this clean and crisp unoaked chardonnay. Tropical and stone fruit intimations marry with just a hint of flint and soft white floral notes on the nose while the palate echoes the fresh fruit aromas and offers refreshing juicy acidity, medium weight and a long, pleasing finish.” My notes: I last tasted a Tawse wine on June 27th, 2006, a 2003 Pinot Noir at $28, thinking it ‘an uninteresting sipper’ and ‘not a value’. It was time to update my experience. The 2008 'Sketches' unoaked chardonnay has an almost clear blond colour, polished bright in the glass and a delicate aroma of honey and melon. A thin film offers some legs but reluctantly. The first sip has a pronounced mineral aspect along with a green apple and melon flavour leading to a long refreshing finish. Almost a tooth cleaner this has a medium body and should go with most seafood dishes from oysters to crabcakes. An extra dry sipper that may cellar for a few years but I’d try a year at a time. 86
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TAWSE ‘SKETCHES OF NIAGARA’ MERLOT CABERNET 2007 VQA Niagara Peninsula, Vineland, Ontario, 13.0% XD, #130252, $19.95 (Tasted September 18, 2009) CS
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The winemaker’s notes state “Deep ruby in colour, this rich blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc has a medley of red currants, cinnamon, cedar and dried flowers on the nose. Medium to full bodied, the ripe red fruit and bright clean acidity of this wine balance the smooth but firm tannins and lingering finish with just a hint of vanilla.” A Vintages release on Sept. 12, 2009 with comment from Christopher Waters (Vines, Mar/Apr 2009) who gives it 4 of 5, “… Made in an appealing Bordeaux style, with serious structure, remarkable purity of fruit and refreshing acidity, this red blend is a great candidate for cellaring.” My notes: Purchased from the winery. A clear ruby colour and starts with a thin film and no tears then a few slow ones as the film builds. A subdued nose has blue-, blackberry and cinnamon scents evenly divided. The first sip has a smooth texture, fine tannins and a delayed tartness making this a bright well balanced sipper. The finish continues a berry and bramble theme leaving the mouth with a dry mineral tinge. A meal red… should be good paired with a mixed grill, Italian sausage, mild back ribs or a beef Wellington. Clean, medium-bodied that may develop more depth with a few years cellaring. Not a value now. 84
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No. 99 WAYNE GRETZKY ESTATES RIESLING 2008 VQA Niagara Peninsula, Vineland, Ontario, 11.3% D, #144865, $14.95 (Tasted September 23, 2009) CS
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The winemaker says “… bright citrus fruit with a hint of sweetness combine to complement riesling’s natural fruit forward nose and long, lush palate structure. Drinking well now and will evolve further… over the next 3 - 5 years.” My notes: Having tasted the 2006 Meritage (Ww80), the 2007 Merlot (Ww89) and the 2007 Unoaked Chardonnay (Ww85) earlier this year I was interested in trying No. 99’s other varietals within my price target: two Rieslings and a 2007 Shiraz/Cabernet blend. This lower tiered Riesling is a soft clear blond colour and has a delicate honey, grapefruit and nettles scent on pouring that dissipates quickly then returns as the chill mellows (or as the glass empties). A soft roundness, some grassiness and a tinge of orange makes this white a reasonable sip. The finish is smooth with sufficient body, a lemon tang and a dry grassy edge to pair with grilled arctic char slightly lemon’d and greens of baby arugula and water cress. A drink now. 85
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No. 99 WAYNE GRETZKY ESTATES ‘ESTATE SERIES’ RIESLING 2007 VQA Niagara Escarpment, Vineland, Ontario, 11.5% D, #Winery, $17.95 (Tasted September 16, 2009)
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The winemaker says “… sourced from the Beamsville Bench and Twenty Mile Bench to highlight the structured lime acidity , refreshing minerality and delicate fruit profile of the Niagara Escarpment riesling.” My notes: A VQA wine designated as ‘Niagara Escarpment’ has 85% of its grapes sourced in three possible sub-appellations: Short Hills Bench, Twenty Mile Bench and Beamsville Bench. The remaining 15% can be from any other sub-app in the Niagara Peninsula. For this riesling, airing and allowing to go slightly off chill before serving is recommended. The colour is a golden blond and the nose has delicate scents of green apple and tea. Is it my imagination or is there a whiff of a fortifier? I get the same aroma in other Niagara whites so it may be the local ‘terroir‘. A swirl brings a thin film to the glass forming fast tears. A lightish medium-body with mineral coming first followed quickly by more delicate green apple - not too tart, reasonable for a dry sipper - and a faint lime zest. There’s some silk in a long chalk edged finish. This would be a good match for lobster, crab, light fishes or mussels in a mild curry with tender basmati rice. Not likely to cellar long. 86
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No. 99 WAYNE GRETZKY ESTATES SHIRAZ/CABERNET 2007 VQA Niagara Peninsula, Vineland, Ontario, 12.7% D, #Winery, $22.95 (Tasted September 16, 2009)
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The winemaker says “…. blends the focus and finesse of carefully selected blocks of shiraz and cabernet sauvignon that epitomize the ripeness and concentration from this stellar vintage to produce a powerful and complex cellar worthy red wine.” My notes: There’s a purple cast to the deep ruby colour giving this blend a regal glow. An oakiness in the nose suggest decanting or letting air but there’s sufficient cherry and plum to skip this and go right to sipping. A full body, a velvet texture, fine tannins and rich ripe cherries tinged with humidor makes the first sip interesting. The tannins carry a cedar tainted fruit to a long dry finish. Have with prime rib or beef tenderloin - any grilled beef or lamb. Will likely cellar well for five years of so - still young. 92
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RIDGEPOINT WINES MEDIUM DRY RIESLING 2008 VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Vineland, Ontario, 12.5% D, #088864, $15.25 (Tasted September 21, 2009) CS
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There are no notes from the winemaker for this label. My notes: A pale golden in the glass with scents of lemon blossom. The film is thin with just a few tears and the first sip has the flavour and tang of green apple plus a touch of melba. Astringent and almost a tooth cleaner this is a smooth and refreshing sipper, on the light side of medium-bodied, that leaves a dry lining to the mouth. Plan on having as a beverage option at a buffet table of mixed dips, hors d’oeuvres, or a cold plate of ham, tuna fish and other ‘spread’ sandwiches - also pair with seafood dishes - was great with a tomato, goat cheese and asparagus pizza. This should cellar quite well up to two years - perhaps longer. 88
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RIDGEPOINT WINES BLANC DE NOIRS 2008 VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Vineland, Ontario, 12.5% D, #Winery, $15.25 (Tasted September 19, 2009)
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The winemaker says “Our Blanc de Noirs or White Pinot Noir was vinified in a manner that allowed us to make a white wine from red grapes grown on our Estate atop the Niagara escarpment. The result is a more complex and refreshing white wine. This nicely structured wine exhibits lovely floral and honeysuckle aromas with lingering flavours of honey and melon on the finish. This wine should be enjoyed in its youth and served chilled to enhance its refreshing acidity.” My notes: A delicate peach colour with aromas of tea and stone fruit followed by flavours of tea and stone fruit, then a finish that carries along a seam of bright tang giving this light rosé a refreshing ending. Served chilled, an ideal drink for sitting on a shaded patio while munching on a Pizza Diavolo, listening to anti-starling bursts and watching grapes ripen on the vine. Not for cellaring, a recreational almost dry sipper. 84
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