Wine Council of Ontario Tour of Lake Erie North Shore wineries, part one of three

 The Time and Date: Tuesday Aug 24 through Thursday Aug 26, 2010
The Event: Lake Erie North Shore and Pelee Area Wine Country FAM Tour
for Wine Writers' Circle of Canada and other media, courtesy of the
Wine Council of Ontario.
The Venue: Bus, host wineries, and the Windsor Hilton Hotel.
The Target Audience: WWCC members and other wine media
The Availability/Catalogue: a few are at the LCBO, but most wines
tasted were only available at the winery. This is the FIRST of THREE
reports. All grape wines were VQA Ontario, LENS, or Pelee Island.
The Quote/Background: we were to taste wines and interview principals
to increase our understanding of the LENS and Pelee wine appellations
(microclimates) plus wine country experiences in the area. Many of the
new wineries host events such as weddings, team building, corporate
parties, and the like.
The Wines: we visited or tasted wines from 10 different wineries, from
the largest Pelee Island Winery (400K cases, over 64 different wines)
to Muscedere Vineyards (less than 2,000 cases, 10 different wines). The
following listings are my summaries; there were only a handful of wines
that failed to score 85 or more points.

 

**** Four Stars (91+ in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Muscedere Vineyards Meritage 2008, $30 – 80 cases, 64%merlot,
22%cabernet sauvignon, 14%cabernet franc.
-Muscedere Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, $30 – 115 cases
-Colio CEV Twelve Barrel Shiraz 2008, $25 – summer 2011.
-Colio CEV Cabernet Franc Reserve 2005, $21 – retail stores
-Colio CEV Carlo Negri Signature Merlot Reserve 2002, $60 – retail
stores.
-Colio CEV Merlot Reserve 2005, $20 – retail stores
-Colio CEV Merlot Reserve 2008, $20 – early 2011 release
-D'Angelo Vineyards Old Vines Foch Reserve 2005, $20
-Mastronardi Estate a'Dorah Sparkling NV, $12.75 43%riesling, 28%pinot
gris, 29%chardonnay
-Mastronardi Estate Brianje Riesling 2008, $15
-Mastronardi Estate Barrel Fermented Chardonnay Reserve 2006, $16
-Pelee Island Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Petit Verdot 2007, $19.95
-Pelee Island Winery Chardonnay Barrique 2007 Pelee Island, $14
-Pelee Island Winery Pinot Gris Vendage Tardive 2008 Pelee Island,
$15.95

 

***1/2 Three and a Half Stars (88 – 90 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Muscedere Vidal Blanc 2009, $14
-Muscedere Pinot Noir 2008, $25
-Muscedere Syrah 2008, $40
-Colio CEV Reserve Chardonnay Barrel Aged 2009, $17.95 – retail stores
-Aleksander Estate Baco Noir 2009, $13.80
-Colchester Ridge Estate Meritage 2007, $20 - 41%cabernet sauvignon,
26% cabernet franc, 33% merlot
-Colchester Ridge Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, $18
-Colchester Ridge Estate Cabernet Franc 2007, $15
-D'Angelo Vineyards Cabernet Franc 2007, $11.99
-D'Angelo Vineyards Baco Noir 2007, $15
-Smith and Wilson Estate Lighthouse 2009, $14 – viognier and chardonnay
-Smith and Wilson Estate Smith's Vidal, $12
-Smith and Wilson Estate Riesling Sussreserve, $13
-Smith and Wilson Estate Raleigh Vines, $14 – cab-merlot
-Smith and Wilson Estate Double Barrel 2007, $15  – cab franc-merlot-
syrah
-Mastronardi Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, $18
-Mastronardi Estate Merlot 2007, $18
-Sprucewood Shores Estate Chardonnay 2008, $11.95
-Sprucewood Shores Estate Lady in Red 2007, $14.95 – cabernet
sauvignon/franc as 80/20
-Sprucewood Shores Estate Meritage 2007, $21.95 – 40%cab sauv/30%cab
franc/30%merlot
-Sprucewood Shores Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2007, $24.95
-Pelee Island Winery Lighthouse Cabernet Franc 2008, $11.95 +145441
-Pelee Island Winery Pinot Noir 2008, $12.95 +135939
-Pelee Island Winery Alvar Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2009, $12.95
-Pelee Island Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Pelee Island $24.95
-Pelee Island Winery Shiraz Reserve 2005 Pelee Island, $19.95
-Pelee Island Winery Shiraz Reserve 2007 Pelee Island, $19.95
-Pelee Island Winery Dry Riesling 2008, $10.95 +136028

 

*** Three Stars (85 – 87 in Quality/Price Rating terms):
-Muscedere Rose 2009, $14
-Muscedere Cabernet Franc 2008, $16
-Colio CEV Lily Sparkling 2008, $15 (50% riesling x traminer, 50% pinot
noir)
-Colio CEV Cabernet Franc Reserve 2007, $21 – retail stores
-Aleksander Estate Pinot Noir 2008, $24.95
-Colchester Ridge Estate Chardonnay 2009, $13
-Colchester Ridge Estate Gewurztraminer 2009, $15
-D'Angelo Vineyards Blanc de Blanc 2007, $10 – 50% chardonnay, 50%
vidal
-Smith and Wilson Estate Vista del Lago 2009, $14
-Smith and Wilson Estate Ridge Rock Rose 2008, $12
-Smith and Wilson Estate Riesling Dry 2007, $12
-Smith and Wilson Estate Pinot Grigio 2009, $14
-Mastronardi Estate Pinot Grigio 2008, $12 – LCBO Winery to Market
program
-Sprucewood Shores Estate Pinot Gris 2009, $12.95
-Pelee Island Winery Blanc de Blanc Vidal-Riesling 2008, $9.95 +276170
-Pelee Island Winery Chardonnay Non-Oaked 2009, $10.95, +136044
-Pelee Island Winery ECO Trail Chardonnay-Auxerois 2008, $10.25 +591719
-Pelee Island Winery Monarch Vidal 2009, $10.25 +393405
-Pelee Island Winery Pinot Grigio 2009, $12.95 +326413
-Pelee Island Winery Dry Riesling 2009, $10.95 +136028
-Pelee Island Winery Cabernet Franc 2009, $11.45 +433714
-Pelee Island Winery Alvar Chardonnay Gewurztraminer 2009, $12.95
+198226
-Pelee Island Winery Cabernet Merlot "Stepping Up to the Plate" 2008,
$12.95 +435321
-Pelee Island Winery Alvar Pinot Noir 2008, $14.95 +458521

 

The Food: two of the wineries (Colio plus Smith and Wilson) offered us
cheeses and crackers.
The Downside: as always, it was getting on and off the bus, assembling,
and then departing.
The Upside: a great opportunity to taste wines not tasted before.
The Contact Person: Magdalena@winesofontario.org
The Marketing Effectiveness (numerical grade): 93.

 

 

Chimo!  www.deantudor.com AND http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com