Tag Archives: Henry of Pelham

Somewhereness over the Canadian wine rainbow

Gray Monk Vineyard, Kelowna, BC PHOTO: TOURISM KELOWNA/BRIAN SPROUT

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Canada’s wine business is booming. To what do we owe this present day Renaissance of pleasant surprise and coast to coast quality? Passionate industry professionals for sure. We can thank the winemakers, marketing specialists, expatriate wine pros arriving in droves and especially the expert farmers and growers. A sea of grape-driven humanity, forging a template of success but also working together, towards a common goal.

Above all else, the rainbow’s fulcrum is the “somewhereness” of Canada’s wine regions. Terroir is the great catch word for wine. A vine’s home determines its potential, its structure, its sense of place. Micro-climates, soil, geology, altitude, slope and vegetation all contribute to the make-up of a wine forged from that specific parcel, lot or locale. If you are from Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Austria or anywhere else where wine has been made for centuries, well then there is nothing new or revelatory about this train of thought. If you are from Nova Scotia, British Columbia or Ontario, the discussion exudes relevance.

Thanks to Robert Bell’s Wines in Canada, we have a great understanding of our vinous roots across the country. Johann Schiller, a German who served with the 29th Regiment of Foot in Quebec in 1784, is considered to be the father of the Canadian Wine Industry. Some of the first grape vines in Canada were planted in Nova Scotia in the 1600s. Today the maritime climate of the Gaspereau Valley is the catalyst behind a host of terrific Sparkling wines. In B.C. the Okanagan Valley is king. Defining geology and terroir in its sub-appellations is neither easy nor much discussed (as compared to Ontario), yet the wines of the sun-drenched shelf of land on the eastern slopes of Lake Okanagan’s Naramata Bench are surely ready to explode onto the scene.

It was nothing less than fortuitous for me to taste a Naramata Bench gem at the hands of a generous dinner guest. Without the tie of an unobstructed coast to coast railway carrying wine to and fro, Canadians are mostly shut out from their out-of province wine brethren and sistren. The most glaring unifying obstacle is the issue of guarded provincial borders. Sandra Oldfield of Tinhorn Creek in B.C. shouts this out loud:

Ontario’s scene is bursting with kinetic and frenetic energy. If you are a disbeliever just check out Ontario Wine Chat or MyWineShop.ca, or better yet, head on down to Cuvée 2013 this coming weekend. For a comprehensive look at our province, make sure you read A Pocket Guide to Ontario Wines, Wineries, Vineyards, & Vines by Konrad Ejbich. The discourse concerning somewhereness in Ontario is in full swing. In October of 2012 I wrote, “Character and quality has never been better. Riesling continues to impress and let us not ignore the high level of ever-evolving Chardonnay vines. Reds have made great strides, especially Pinot Noir, Gamay and Cabernet Franc. The future looks very bright for Ontario [wines].”

Reds from significantly warmer sub-appellations on the Niagara Peninsula, specifically Niagara River, Four Mile Creek & St David’s Bench, speak of their cozy abodes. Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, varietals that benefit from extra hang time, are not only showing promise but excellence, especially in optimum climatic years like 2007, 2010 and waiting in barrel, 2012. Forgive me for waxing neo-nostalgic but welcome to the golden age. Here are four currently available Canadian wines to look for.

From left to right: Henry of Pelham Estate Chardonnay 2010; Fielding Estate Cabernet Franc 2011; Norman Hardie Chardonnay 2009; Nichol Vineyard Syrah 2009

The grape: Chardonnay

The history: H of P has been working this Burgundian grape in so many styles, from so many vineyards

The lowdown: From another up and coming Niagara appellation, the Short Hills Bench

The food match: Grilled Halibut, olive oil, garlic, fresh thyme, lemon emulsion drizzle

Henry of Pelham Estate Chardonnay 2010 (268342, $19.95) is the best one yet. Some A16 but in a breezy, over the falls, misty wash. Like Riesling in a way, especially considering the Bench minerality. Sweet, creamy palate. Good stuff.  88

The grape: Cabernet Franc

The history: From the team of Grape King Curtis Fielding and winemaker Richie Roberts, 100% Niagara Peninsula grown grapes including fruit harvested from the estate vineyards

The lowdown: The Five Rows (Lowery) Vineyard is fast becoming THE go to terroir for the best possible red grapes in all of the Niagara Peninsula

The food match: Grilled Dry-Rub Butterflied Chicken, bbq sauce glaze

Fielding Estate Cabernet Franc 2011 (Approx. $21) has to be the best yet from @RichieWine. From a 35-acre Grand Cru (Five Rows) vineyard in the making in the heart of the warmest Niagara locale (St. David’s Bench). Zanthoxylum, capsicum and pencil shaving. Ropy grain, chewy, sylvan charm. 90  @FieldingWinery

The grape: Chardonnay

The history: Prince Edward County’s iconoclast. Norman Hardie is “possessed of a will to hunt down the object of his life.”

The lowdown: French vines, limestone soils, unmistakable kiss from Mr. Hardie

The food match: Shrimp and Coconut Étouffée, peas, kale

Norman Hardie Chardonnay 2009 (184432, $35, SAQ, 11638501, $38.75) rocket launches spatially atomic as a bound, caryopsis hurtling of mineral schist, tangy stone fruit and smoking kernel. Angles to a vanishing point, laser perspective. Will realize a unique and defined vinous exegesis. Cosmic expression of Chardonnay out of Prince Edward County. 91  @normhardie

The grape: Syrah

The history: Alex Nichol was the first to commercially plant Syrah in the Okanagan in 1989

The lowdown: From a Naramata Bench vineyard owned by Ross Hackwith on a pocket of land tucked against steep, heat-radiating red granite cliffs

The food match: Braised Beef Short Ribs, coffee infused demi-glace

Nichol Vineyard Syrah 2009 ($35) is unquestionably the heftiest 12% you will ever experience. Cool climate Syrah, Northern Rhône meets Victoria (Oz) dare I say, nidorous, smokey, a quenched fire. Dark chocolate covered black olives. Stonking resolve, Naramata nerve, stirring. Oh.  91  @nicholvineyard

Good to go!

Lock, stock and sparkling wines

PHOTO: MICHAEL GODEL, FOR CANADA.COM

as seen on canada.com

 

Some invitations are just better than others. On the rarest of occasions the thrill is easily won, such as my recent inclusion at an epic wine and food tasting. On Tuesday I sampled nine delectable dishes prepared by Chefs Todd Clarmo and David Chow at Stock Restaurant in the Trump Hotel Toronto.

The invite came by way of Wine Country Ontario and PR Director Magdalena Kaiser-Smit. The purpose? To sample 18 Ontario sparkling wines, presented alongside Chefs’ cuisine, by house Sommelier Zoltan Szabo. The food and wine pairings were sublimely orchestrated, elevated by the assistance of and in turn, kudos is to be fired out Master Sommelier John Szabo‘s way.

Be immersed in the emerging industry that is Ontario Sparkling wine and you will find yourself amazed. Angelo Pavan of Cave Spring Winery spoke to the group and was emphatic in saying “Niagara is not trying to make Champagne,” but, he added, ” I think we in Niagara can do Sparkling wine better than anywhere in the world, with the exception of Champagne.”

Lead by the pioneers Château des Charmes, Trius and later, Henry of Pelham, production of Ontario bubbles began to take off after 2000. Pavan didn’t want to try at first because, “it was too much work.” At some point he realized that our climate is more than ideal, most notably because acidity does not drop off in Niagara, due to an extended harvest time. Warm climate producers (like California, South Africa and Australia) may have a two to three-day harvest window and they have to pick at night, or else the grapes begin to oxidize. Pavan sees warm climate, New World fizz as very drinkable, if soft, lacking in acidity and balance.

The production of vintage-dated fizz in Ontario is certainly fashionable, as witnessed by more than 60% of the wines present, but for the purposes of consistency, local weather conditions should see the future trending a non-vintage path.

Sparkling Wine Tasting

Stock Restaurant at the Trump Hotel

December 11th, 2012

First Group of Nine

Casa-Dea Estates Winery, Dea’s Rosé 2011 ($19.95) charms like Strawberry seltzer with a sappy tang and the chalky, calcareous limestone schist of Prince Edward County.  87

Château des Charmes, Rosé Sparkling Wine, Estate Bottled 2009 ($28.95) elevates pink bubbles from a good, acidified vintage with red pear, pink grapefruit aromas. A bit unpronounced, though that works for balance, keeping the A16 and confiture in check.  87

Angels Gate, Archangel Chardonnay Blanc de Blancs 2010 ($21.95) bursts forth in a big, barm way. I hope that I don’t fall in love with this B de B. Inflection the colour of lime and duly scented, but also pithy lemon. Parochial attitude, cutting to tonic at closing time and “the music’s fading out.” Didn’t happen.  86

Mike Weir Wine, Sparkling Brut 2009 ($24.95) shows off a premium mousse with the finest mist yet. Minor atomic note, with pear, mild toast and a touch of residual sweetness. Honeycomb gives way to the slightest charred, cabbage accent. Not unlike Loire Vouvray in that sense.  88

Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate, Entourage Grand Reserve Brut 2009 ($22.95) is a sweet-smelling misty mousse waterfall where white grapefruit replays from vapor to flavour. Dryest fizz yet playing the Angostura angle. Good length.  88

Cave Spring Cellars, Blanc de Blancs Brut NV ($29.95) sees no malolactic fermentation and sits at the top end of dry (12-14 dosage). Most of the fruit is 2008, despite the NV designation. A soda fountain of argon and nitrogen bunsens forth through clean lines and carries an entire cider house orchard of Spartan apple. This one certainly hints at Champagne-like characteristics, of brioche and toast. The apples never relent.  89

Flat Rock Cellars, 2008 Riddled ($24.95) is a completely different animal. “It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma; but perhaps there is a key.” The key might be the yeast that brings animale to the wine. A bit fat and flat, with tropical notes of lychee and almond. Speeds up but is a bit of an acquired taste.  87

Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery, Cuvée Catharine NV ($29.95) is a classic bottling, quite refined, offers the most yeast yet and is obviously the most Champagne-like of the eight so far sampled to this point. A go to Pinot and Chardonnay blend, essential bubbles for holiday cheer.  89

Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery, Cuvée Catharine Estate Blanc De Blancs ‘Carte Blanche’ 2007 ($44.95) turns the brioche quotient up several notches and is consistent with last month’s note: “combines the exceptional ’07 growing season’s rich fruit with early harvested acidity and extreme patience to result in one serious Ontario sparkling wine. A frothing tonic of citrus zest, baking apples, soda bread, cut grass and creamy grume. Long and true.” 90

Ontario Sparkling & Culinary Tastes

Begin

Baby Kale & Heirloom Carrot Salad

russet apple, québec goat cheese

Cold Poached Lobster Salad

organic greek yogurt & bergamot dressing

Hamachi, Fennel & Citrus Crudo

chilli and tarragon

The Grange of Prince Edward, Sparkling Riesling 2010 ($24.95) seems more late harvest, Spätlese than Sparkling. Nectarous juice with a squeeze of suspended honey and a light citrus spritz. Waited for the sear but it didn’t arrive. Good Riesling though.  85

Trius Winery, Trius Brut NV ($24.95) emerges as elegance defined for dry, Niagara effervescence. Pear, poivre and candlenut do battle then the wine turns and walks silently away. Had its moment in the sun but is perhaps not so refined.  87

Tawse Winery, David’s Block Chardonnay “Spark” 2009 ($39.95) has thankfully shed its baby fat, the cheesy whey that sat atop all else last time I tasted. Today the epoisses is now mild Niagara Gold, or a creamy, Triple-Cream Brie. Still a wine of lees and leisure, with tangy green apple and sharp, piquant flavour.  88

Continue

Braised Veal Shank

yukon potato gnocchi, picholine olives

Roasted Magret of Duck a L’Orange

buttered savoy cabbage

Maple Broiled Black Cod

edamame puree

Huff Estates, Cuvée Peter F. Huff 2008 ($39.95) works expertly alongside the veal. Austere, dry, flinty wine of slate, like Chablis. Green apple, lemon, lime and almond. A bit tough but well-built.  90

Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery, Cuvée Catharine Rosé NV ($29.95) and its fine, strawberry mousse is at the head of its Ontario class. Vanilla, Ida Red apple and bitter nut combine like a smooth, creamy, Mediterranean spread to dip the warmest, fresh-baked bread.  91

13th Street Winery, Premier Cuvée 2008 ($34.95) perpetuates the apple theme but here it is subdued, sweet and with blossoms too. There is honeycomb, citrus and an herbal, grassy component no other wine has shown. Lean, perhaps but that’s the minerals talking. Very pretty.  91

Finish

Coffee Crusted Pecorino Romano

clementine gratin

White Chocolate Ganache

greek yogurt, carrot, yuzu

Pain Perdu

tangerine, lychee, marcona almond

Cave Spring Cellars, Blanc de Noirs Brut 2006 ($34.95) is age apparent, tanning ever so slightly. Dry, amber toast, nutty notes, really well-balanced. Fun to see this development, even if it’s fading gracefully.  90

Inniskilin Wines, Sparkling Vidal Icewine 2011 ($79.95) is delicious, don’t think it isn’t, but the high proportion of ice wine makes it just that. Not convinced the bubbles add any depth. This is Icewine first and Sparkling wine second.  Novelty.  88

Hinterland, Ancestral 2012 ($25.00) is not the best wine but it steals the show. The dayglo colour should lead to a cloying sweetness but no, it’s remarkably off-dry. Cherries, not strawberries are here and yes, in a Kool-Aid kind of aromatic way. The taste is very savoury and the sweetness is brought out by the Pecorino.  90

Good to go!

Holiday Drinks: Sparklers and ‘stickies’

Photograph by lily, Fotolia.com

Photograph by lily, Fotolia.com

as seen on canada.com

December is the month where get-togethers trend bubbly to pudding. Dry table wine will fill the festive middle but if ever there was a time of year where the libations bookend as sparkling and “sticky,” the holidays would be it.

“Stickies” is the term the Aussies use to describe sweet wines, also elsewhere referred to as pudding wines, off-dry wines or dessert wines. Every wine-producing region has a version. There is Ice Wine, Ice Cider, Port, Sherry, Tokaji, Vin Santo, Sauternes, Late Harvest, Auslese, Setubal, Banyuls, Sélection de Grains Nobles, Cote de Layon, Madeira, Quarts de Chaumes, Recioto and…the list goes on. A thimble full is often all that is needed to satisfy a postprandial, holiday craving.

I encourage every meal to start out on a sparkling foot. Nothing opens up the palate like a glass of fizz, or gets guests in the mood for the night ahead. A fluteful will suffice (or two if its Krug) to open the doors of vinous perception.

Here are seven sparklers and “stickies” to look for this holiday season.

Sparklers and "stickies"

The grape: Glera

The history: From Conegliano, in the province of Treviso.

The lowdown: The “Brut” designation means it’s dry, even for Prosecco. A skilled winemaker can elevate a Prosecco such as this beyond the realm of aperitif into courses unknown

The food match: Bertoldi’s Wild Boar Ragu & Gemelli Pasta

Masottina Brut Prosecco (297838, $16.95) jumps out with an effervescenza very few Prosecco display. Venetian hibiscus, creamy lemon marzolino and capped by a Trevisan chicory accent. Lovely stuff.  88

The grapes: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris

The history: Okanagan fizz made in the Method Traditionnelle style

The lowdown: Champagne character comes as a result of spending 24 months sur-lie

The food match: B.C. Fanny Bay Oysters on the Half Shell

Blue Mountain Brut (206326, $27.95) walks faintly then explodes like a house on fire. A thick, embroidered hodgepodge of coal-driven, microbic complexity. Big tang for the buck, of citrus and pear tarte tatine.  89

The grape: Chardonnay

The history: An Ontario stalwart goes it alone with its first dated vintage fizz

The lowdown: Early harvested from Short Hills Bench estate vineyards and aged 54 months on the lees

The food match: Roast Salmon with Sweet and Sour Five-Spice Cranberry Sauce

Henry of Pelham Cuvée Catharine Carte Blanche Blanc De Blanc 2007 (315200, $44.95) combines the exceptional ’07 growing season’s rich fruit with early harvested acidity and extreme patience to result in one serious Ontario sparkling wine. A frothing tonic of citrus zest, baking apples, soda bread, cut grass and creamy grume. Long and true.  90

The grapes: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir

The history: A house driven by its terroir, the limestone, sand, chalk and clay of the valley and the river Marne

The lowdown: Pink Champagne made by blending white and red wines

The food match: Colville Bay Oysters, shallot mignonette

Tarlant Rosé Brut Champagne (664680, $49.95) goes yeast in a large way and fresh-picked strawberry faintly. Influenced by hircine and Sparnacien marks, this pretty in pink sparkler will conjoin small bites and appetizers.  90 

The grapes: Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Amarela, Rufete and Malvasia Preta

The history: Dates back to 1737, under the ownership of Sogrape since 1997

The lowdown: Single-vintage Port, bottled between the 4th and the 6th year thereafter. This one was bottled in 2011. Can be further aged but if you prefer young, accessible and cheaper, try Offley Port Ruby (293654, $13.95)

The food match: Upper Canada Cheese Company Niagara Gold

Offley Late Bottled Vintage Port 2007 (70086, $19.95) proves my theory that LBV is the most underrated, younger sibling sweety in the business. You really do get all the attributes of a Vintage Port from a well-designed LBV. The Offley gets figgy with it, with tons of spice, dried apricot and prune flavour. Full bodied, balanced and with the heat set to simmer.  90

The grapes: Tinta Madeira, Souzão, Touriga Nacional and Tinta Cão

The history: Traditional Portuguese grapes used to make Port or Madeira

The lowdown: Pedroncelli the Zinfandel master pulls a rabbit out of the hat with this single vintage, Dry Creek Valley Port. There will be detractors but the value here is worth a look

The food match: Blue-Veined Cheeses, dried fruit

Pedroncelli Four Grapes Vintage Port 2006 (204487, 500 mL, $19.95) throws a gamut of Port aromas and flavours out of the glass. Christmas cake, dark chocolate, figs and mocha for sure. Further along in its evolution than its Porto counterparts so drink up.  89

The apples: Macintosh, Spartan, Lobo, Empire and Cortland

The history: Founded in 2007 by Daniel Brongo, Patricio Brongo and Francisco Antolino

The lowdown: High quality iced cider made from indigenous apple varietals in St-Joseph-Du-Lac

The food match: Brebichon Cheese from Les Fromages du Verger

Antolino Brongo Cryomalus Ice Cider 2009 (309492, 375 mL, $33.95) wakes me with a start as I have never nosed anything quite like this before. Like grape must and heated wax, like an herbal tea infusion, like apples in stereo. The aromas are closed in, as if in a conundrum and it is not until you swirl the viscous amber liquid in your mouth that it all comes together. Remarkable sticky that shows “the world is made of energy and the world is possibility.”  92

Good to go!

Fab five Movember wines

Duck Tacos and Lafond Pinot Noir 2010

as seen on canada.com

Mustaches rock. Getting your prostate checked out, not so much. Raising funds and awareness for men’s health while drinking a glass of wine? Good combo.

Last year 854,288 men worldwide registered to grow moustaches, raising a staggering $125.7 million CAD to change the face of men’s health. The Movember Wine Company out of Walla Walla, Washington is doing their part in supporting Movember by donating a portion of the sales to prostate cancer research.

Whether you are a participant, a supporter or just someone looking for a good bottle of wine this weekend, here are five current releases to sidle up alongside the stash.

Fab Five Movember Wines

The grape: Pinot Gris

The history: In a Skyfall Euro-world, nobody does it better than Alsace

The lowdown: The vineyard sounds like a law firm or a duet but this Grand Cru PG is the stuff of legend

The food match: Portuguese Picadinho, pork bits and shrimp

Dopff & Irion Vorbourg Pinot Gris 2009 (292227, $17.95) is most unusual in its viscous, Loire-like, demi-sec residual Chenin Blanc grain, verging on Spätlese. The candied palate is widened by blossoms and minerals with a spice kick coming in on the back bite. Kickin’ PG worthy of a perennial visit through 2018.  90

The Grape: Albariño

The history: You say Alvarinho, here I say Albariño, the Galician name

The lowdown: From Rias Baixas in northwest Spain, versatility thy name is Albariño

The food match: Roast Black Cod, salsa verde, olive tapenade

Pazo Pondal Leira Albariño 2011 (115816, $15.95) may sport the hue of Cava and indicate bubbles spinning around like a frotteur but its “gotta have no illusions” about itself. A hint of seltzer in a sparkling, platinum hue swirls to honey and paraffin. Acts and looks sharp yet remains in balance.  90

The grapes: Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot

The history: H of P is named for Henry Smith of Pelham’s nom de plume

The lowdown: Hard to imagine Mr. Speck Sr. putting together this kitchen sink red blend but good on the brothers for getting this one right

The food match: Du Puy Lentil Soup, porcini mushroom, speck

Henry of Pelham Family Tree Red 2010 (247882, $18.95) shows good concentration befitting the  poker-faced vintage. Vanilla, cocoa and currants mingle in their oak bath in graceful continuance. Well-made Short Hills Bench brew.  88

The grape: Pinot Noir

The history: Pierre Lafond is a pioneer grower in the Santa Rita Hills viticulture area

The lowdown: Proletariat Pinot of efficiency and loyalty with a price tag that has remained fixed for a decade

The food match: Smoked Duck Tacos, pickled vegetables, bbq hoisin

Lafond SRH Pinot Noir 2010 (998666, $26.95) ain’t no “jive turkey so close to Thanksgiving.” There is a jam factor but don’t be thinking it’s trading places for Shiraz. The sweet and tart berry red fondant fruit shows smoke, ash tea and spiced, plum pudding. Duck, duck, goose.  88

The Splurge

The grapes: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Cinsault

The history: Michel Lucien is a rock-solid citizen, offering up the best of the Rhône to the world

The lowdown: The best deal in CdP, bar none

The food match: Crispy Duck Confit, trumpet mushrooms, savory pesto

Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2010 (700922, $53.95, SAQ 10817461, $50.50) will dare you to claim any better value from the storied appellation. “Da price boss, da price!” Like I’ve landed on Fantasy Island where Châteauneuf is flowing and it’s always affordable! Kirsch galore, a Rhône cat, sensuous and gorgeous. Goldfinger garrigue, with herbs and acidity so alive and purring. Approachable now, the heavenly structure will see the Donjon through 2025.  94

Good to go!

The 2012 harvest and six current Ontario releases

Backyard Tomato, Basil and Nasturtium

as seen on canada.com

Ontario wine lives well, but the playing field is rapidly changing. Greatness, albeit in fits and spurts, can comfortably be adduced from vineyards going back to at least 1998. I’ve no intention of raining on recent parades but 2012 is shaping up to be something extraordinary. A collective level of confidence and consciousness, meted by a hot, dry summer will surely translate to a banner year for Ontario wines. Niagara’s Man Friday suggests we’re  “heading for a concentrated and ripe (but small) grape Harvest for 2012.” That said, if the tweets and comments coming from the winemakers out of Niagara and Prince Edward County are any indication, some “best ever” bottlings are on the horizon…

Some “best ever” bottlings are on the horizon:

Dan Sullivan, Rosehall Run:

“Fast, furious and fantastic- if the weather holds a little longer this year’s harvest will be a grand-slam in quality!”

Paul Pender, Tawse:

“Harvest has begun in earnest. 16 tonne of premium organic Chardonnay picked and processed.”

Richie Roberts, Fielding Estate:

“Picking Beamsville bench old vine Sauv Blanc today. Coming off with beautiful acid and flavour. Giddy up.”

Brian Schmidt, Vineland Estates:

“We have had an incredibly HOT and dry year.. Weights are quite low but quality is very high.”

Marlize Beyers, Hidden Bench:

“Sparking cuvée pick done and pressed, looking good by the numbers but tasting even better.”

Kevin Panagapka, 2027:

“Crazy early year.. Sparkling in the bag, Pinot next on the radar.”

In the meantime…

While we wait patiently for 21st-century master strokes of vinous genius, here are six current releases to fill your stems.

2027 Falls Vineyard Riesling 2011 (294041, $18.95) from the racy Vinemount Ridge finds Mr. Panagapka in Single-Vineyard heaven. May not be a Genesis ode to a Pat & Lyle ambient masterpiece but the VINTAGES release happens to be on the 32nd anniversary of  Bill Evans’ passing. Flint, lemon yellow sintered micro crystal, bone-dry, brisk acidity. One for the vine. I thought I recognized the 2027 “by the way he fell, and by the way he stood up, and vanished into air.”  89

Lailey Vineyard Chardonnay 2010 (193482, $19.95) looks buttercup yellow and casts a pungent spice note, a trompe d’ail. Resolves quickly into ubiquitous balance and elegance, subtle beauty, body then melting to a creamy, slightly bitter finish. Almost great and one of the best to date.  88

Vineland Estates Elevation Riesling 2011 (38117, $19.95) reserves the right to live off the land with local knowledge and extreme confidence. Riesling made in the vineyard like no other. Off-dry, lingering lemon/lime and utopian acidity. Who knows what minerality lurks in the vineyard of St. Urban? The Escarpment knows.  88

Featherstone Cabernet Franc 2010 (64618, $16.95) of rooted mahogany and well-deep, depth of fruit is solid as a rock. Lends credence to naming 2010 as Ontario’s best Cab Franc vintage ever, as previously noted. Excellent value here.  88

Henry of Pelham Reserve Pinot Noir 2007 (268391, $24.95) is the bomb. Effectively Cali-candified, it floats in the rarefied air of upper echelon Canadian Pinot. All is resolved at this juncture; fruit, acidity, tannins. A note of rare, roasted game bird keeps it real. Impressive.  89

Norm Hardie County Unfiltered Pinot Noir 2010 (125310, $35.00) may just be the most beautiful purple meets ruby-red Canadian Pinot I have ever laid my eyes on. Vibrant red berries, wildflower blooms and scraped vanilla beans. Warm cereal cooking on a campfire. Then the fruit is turned upside down by carbonate limestone. Wait five years for the mineral to meld into magic.  91

Good to go!

Top ten Labour Day long weekend wines

Dry-Rub Ribs. Photo Courtesy of Jill Chen at freestylefarm.ca and Barque Smokehouse

as seen on canada.com

Long weekends have a built-in preference for the obvious. Get into the water, fire up the BBQ, indulge the palate, imbibe of good drink. Relax, chill, take advantage of the last free stretch before the race begins again. When shopping these next few days, here is your list of weekend wines.

The grape: Pinot Blanc

The history: Consummate Alsatian vin de table varietal

The lowdown: Peaceful, easy, loving and charitable white wine, just like the Knights of Malta order, represented on the label

The food match: Grilled Turkey Breast rubbed with sage, thyme and olive oil

André Blanck et Ses Fils Rosenburg Pinot Blanc 2011 (626606, $13.95) is your weekend summer refresher, your sundowner, your all-purpose white. Oily, mineral-driven, long, acidity at its PB best, full finish. For appetizers, salads and mains. Versatility be thy name.  88

The grape: Malbec

The history: Always and forever Argentina’s red darling

The lowdown: A three vineyard mix brings complexity to an entry level wine

The food match: Sirloin Shish Kebabs in red wine marinade

Monte Quieto Quieto 3 Malbec 2009 (275701, $14.95) is black and blue, slightly reductive and yet pretty for Mendoza. From three vineyard sources, Vista Flores, Ugarteche and Agrelo. Spice rub, orange zest and lit, wooden-scented stick. 87

The grape: Chenin Blanc

The history: Loire white horse, here sparkling and quite dry

The lowdown: Made in the traditional Champagne method at a fraction of the cost

The food match:  Steamed Mussels with fennel, sparkling Chenin Blanc and tomato concassée

Domaine De Vaugondy Brut Vouvray (154567, $16.95) is brimming with orchard scents, of fruit, leaves and earth. A baking pear tarte tatine, with a crumble of chèvre over top. The pears replay to taste, verging into crème caramel. Top example at the price.  88

The grapes: Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara

The history: Made with partially dried grape skins that have been left over from fermentation of Amarone or recioto

The lowdown: The best version I’ve tasted in 2012

The food match: Pasta Bolognese

Silvano Piacentini Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso 2009 (289637, $16.95) combines semi-sweet chocolate with, of all things, ripe peaches. Very pretty, floral, sweet, candied Valpo with biting acidity and even some austerity. Best in a while. Needs a two year wait or a two hour decant.  89

The grape: Chardonnay

The history: H of P has been working this Burgundian grape in so many styles, from so many vineyards

The lowdown: From another up and coming Niagara appellation, the Short Hills Bench

The food match: Grilled Halibut with olive oil, garlic, fresh thyme and lemon emulsion drizzle

Henry of Pelham Estate Chardonnay 2010 (268342, $19.95) is the best one yet. Some A16 but in a breezy, over the falls, misty wash. Like Riesling in a way, especially considering the Bench minerality. Sweet, creamy palate. Good stuff.  88

The grape: Pinot Gris

The lowdown: Alsace comes to New Zealand in an off-dry suit

The lowdown: Continues a welcoming trend for PG in Marlborough on the South Island

The food match: Grilled Rainbow Trout with mild chile-lime dusting

Momo Pinot Gris 2011 (163535, $19.95) is a freshly opened can of spiced nuts. Like the unavoidable Loire itself, a river of Kiwi off-dry sensibility meets an Aussie Semillon, lemon and paraffin quality. A unique white for food.  88

The grape: Malbec

The history: Argentina’s red horse in fine form

The lowdown: Mendoza at its finest under $20

The food match: Rotisserie Grill Standing Beef Rib Roast

Vistalba Fabre Montmayou Gran Reserva Malbec 2009 (279802, $19.95) shows no shortage of oak, extraction and modern ego. The most purple of Malbec and at 15% abv is remarkably not heavy or liqourfied. Very black cherry in flavour, with whiffs of spice and smoke. Gorgeous Napa-like texture and voluminous velocity.  90

The Semi-Splurge

The grape: Zinfandel

The history: Where once it played last fiddle to virtually all other California varietals, it’s planting and notoriety are speedily increasing

The lowdown: A Shelton Zin from a newer AVA so priced to sell

The food match: Dry-Rub (with extra herbs) Baby Back Ribs glazed with Ancho Chile BBQ Sauce

Carol Shelton Monga Zin Old Vine Zinfandel 2008 (282525, $26.95) of a single (Lopez)  vineyard, “an only pawn in the game of life.” is intensely herbal of the wise-leaved kind. The Cucamonga Valley brings more blazing brush floor, saddle leather and less bramble to Zinfandel. The extraction is of big body and soft heart. Have a cigar. “They’re gonna love you.” 90

Other wines of note:

Château Cesseras Rouge 2008 (590570, $19.95) is a Minervois from the Midi that I return to in every vintage.  A poster child for southern French pastis and sun-kissed abaisser attitude. Chocolate, fruit and tar are all in balanced clarity. Sweet, sweet, Syrah.  89

Riserva Il Falcone 2007 (177295, $21.95) by one of Umbria’s preeminent producers, Castel del Monte is certainly a crowd pleaser. Lush and rich styling, from the region’s own Uva de Troia varietal. Ripe, black olives in every sip. Taut and plummy, unctuous and finishing with a pepper kick.  89

Good to go!