New wines tasted this month

SOME NEW PRODUCTS TASTED THIS MONTH --

 

 

From Pelee Island Winery,

 

1.Pelee Island Vinedressers Cabernet Sauvignon/Petit Verdot VQA Ontario 2010, +530000 Winery, $19.95: gobs of both red and black fruit, mocha and toast, some drying in evidence at this stage, good food wine. 13% ABV. French, US and Hungarian oak used. 75% Cabernet. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

 

2.Pelee Island Vinedressers Cabernet Sauvignon VQA Ontario 2010, +530576 LCBO, $16.25: typical MVC for Cabernet, with black fruit and toastiness. Needs time, certainly. One to lay down. 13% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

3.Pelee Island Vinedressers Chardonnay VQA Ontario 2012, winery only, $14.95: a modestly priced rich chardonnay, brimming with fruity tones and a good body, almost late harvest in depth. Creamy and some vanilla and spicing, but little evidence of oaking. 13% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

4.Pelee Island Barrique Chardonnay VQA Pelee Island 2005, winery only, $13.95: still available, an amazing survivor through eight years of cellaring. Lots of life, somewhat off-dry, late harvested, excellent body and smokey. Food or sip (or both). Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

5.Pelee Island Singing Moon Pinot Blanc VQA Ontario 2012, LCBO Limited Release Wines to Watch Spring 2014, +326000, $14.95: with apple and citrus tones, this is like a lean, low alcohol (only 10% ABV) chardonnay suitable for a social wine gathering. Pinot Blanc is not seen too often in Ontario. Some auxerrois (14%) has been added for spine. Twist top. Quality/Price rating is 88 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

6.Pelee Island Pinot Grigio VQA Ontario 2012, +326413, $13.95: good colour from the Gris component, 12.5% ABV. Flavours of stone fruit but with some pear drops, rich, mid-palate crispness, perhaps better with food. 15% chardonnay added. Twist top. Quality/Price rating is 88 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

7.Pelee Island Pinot Gris Vendange Tardive VQA Pelee Island 2008, winery only, $16.95: probably one of the finest wines Pelee IW has ever made (of course, it is a personal fave of mine), in the distinct Alsatian style of (almost) late harvested Pinot Gris: rich, mid-sweet on the palate, but comforting. Definitely in the Gris mode and not the Grigio style. Already five years old and improving since I last had it, accented by pear tones which have gained strength as the wine ages. 13.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 92 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

 

8.Pelee Island Alvar Pinot Noir VQA Ontario 2010, +458521, $15.95: one of their top end pinots, consistent from year-to-year. This vintage shows off much red fruit (cherries) and some vegetative patches (earth, mushrooms, herbs) good for food. 13% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.

Chimo! www.deantudor.com