SOME NEW BEVERAGE SAMPLES SENT TO ME FOR TASTING THIS MONTH –
1.Henry of Pelham Cabernet-Merlot 2016 Speck Family Reserve Tier VQA Short Hills Bench, +616433 Vintages, $39.95 June 2019: made from HOP's oldest Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot vineyards in the style of Bordeaux, from specially selected barrels for this top level. Aged in French and US oak for 18 months (40% new barrels). I did enjoy this wine over a week after opening with daily tasting and decanting. Needs more aging to appreciate some nuances of the black fruit. Best with wine-braised foods such as lamb, venison or other game, wild mushrooms (as appropriate). 13.5% ABV, vinified with cropping and selection. Merlot49/Cabernetsauvignon37/Cabernetfranc14%. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
2.Gerard Bertrand Reserve Speciale Viognier 2017 IGP Pays d'Oc, +147975, $14.95 Vintages May 2019: aromatic but on the dry side, perfect as a social wine or for first course. Expect peachy and orange character, but of course no oak. Youthful and useful with nuances of orchard fruit and spicy nuts. No malolactic fermentation. Could go either way with or without food, hence versatile. 13.5% ABV, cork closure. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
3.Henry of Pelham Family Tree White 2016 VQA Niagara Peninsula, +251116, $17.95 Vintages May 11: HOP makes a very serious blended white wine and red wine, with grapes from their own sites (about 40% of the blend) and from across Niagara. The grapes change from year to year, as do the percentages. For 2016, they've got chardonnay (40%), viognier (29%), gewurztraminer (19%), and chardonnay musque (12%). Each, of course, contributes various distinctive aromatics and flavour profiles. Not only that, about 40% of it is barrel fermented and aged in barrel for 8 months (I'm guessing it's mostly chardonnay), and the balance is in stainless steel with no malolactic so as to preserve freshness (the wine is about 2.5 years old now). So we have orchard fruit, citrus, and some lingering spicy aftertaste. Still a classic cork closure, 13.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 88.5 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
4.Gerard Bertrand Terroir Fitou 2017 $16.95 +403683 Vintages May 25: Bertrand continues to advance the Terroir series (and the Grand Terroir series) with more localized vineyards. Here it is Fitou, with its grenache and carignan grapes, vinified separately. The carignan has carbonic maceration for two weeks; the grenache is done in traditional style. Some of the wine is barrel aged for a year. Everything here seems to be concentrated in aromas and flavours, red fruit and undergrowth dominating. 14% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
5.Quinta de Curvos Loureiro Vinho Verde 2018, +471284, $12.95 Vintages June: 12% ABV, with lightly floral tones on the nose and on the palate, ending with aromatic softness. 100% Loureiro done up as a vinho verde. Best sipped or with Asiatic appetizers. Quality/Price rating is 88 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
6.Henry of Pelham Family Tree Red 2016 VQA Ontario, +247882, $18.95 Vintages: This red blend for 2016 (the blend can change with each release) comprises syrah (32%), cabernet franc (15%), cabernet sauvignon (18%), merlot (30%), and baco noir (5%). The latter may have resulted in a VQA Ontario designation rather than a VQA Niagara. It's all barrel aged, 65% French oak and 35% US oak for 17 months. It is substantial, reflecting the aromatics and flavour profiles of the grapes used. Cherry-berry tones, fresh spices on the finish, some spine to stand up to hearty food. Cork closure, 13% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 88 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
7.Henry of Pelham Baco Noir Classic 2018 VQA Ontario, +270926 LCBO $15.95: As with their previous baco noirs at all levels, HOP has maintained the rich jammy character but the price has risen $1. This entry level baco has also been re-titled "Baco Noir Classic" and I suspect other HOP entry level varietal wines will also be labeled "Classic", probably with a price rise of a dollar or so. US barrels are used for more than six months aging. It is still too young for today [only seven months old], needs another year or two. 12.5% ABV. One of the top General List bacos in Ontario. Quality/Price rating is 88.5 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
8.Speck Brothers Revel Cab Noir 2017 VQA Ontario, +575662 $16.95 General List LCBO: an out-and-out party wine (you are expected to revel). The bumpf says "big, bold...ripest...warmest...rich flavor [their US spelling]...go large...vibrant", but the taste is black cherry, black currant, blueberry, vanilla. Oak aged for 6 months, should be good with any meaty BBQ. Party on! Quality/Price rating is 87 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
9.Jim Barry The Lodge Hill Shiraz 2016 Clare Valley, +998476 $22.95 Vintages: Barry's vineyard was first planted in 1977 at high altitudes. The entire Clare Valley (well-known for its Riesling) produces just over 1% of Australia's entire wine flow. This is a typical Shiraz, 100%, in the Oz mode, aged in some French oak, with plummy black fruit tones – but with none of that sweaty-bretty leather saddles from the Rhone. Released in time for the beginning of the BBQ season. 13.6% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 88 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
10.Queenston Mile Vineyard Chardonnay 2017 Estate Bottled VQA St. David's Bench, $35 at winery & online: from a boutique winery in NOTL, associated with the winemaking team at Creekside. It is a big, big wine made even bigger if you let it breath for a few days. In fact, it had been called almost blowsy and shameless. Barrel fermented and then aged a year in French oak. After being open a few days it gets to become sophisticated. With its ripe orchard fruit and buttery complexity, it can be best as a sipper to grace a thoughtful conversation. Unctuous and long lush finish. 12.8% ABV. 308 cases. Quality/Price rating is 92.5 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
11.Queenston Mile Vineyard Pinot Noir 2017 Estate Bottled VQA St. David's Bench, $40 at winery & online: from a boutique winery in NOTL, associated with the winemaking team at Creekside. It is another big, big wine from a 50 acre vineyard. Small batch fermentation leads to a year in French oak. After that, it's a cool climate Burgundian styled wine that goes all the way to delight with cherry-berry and Ontario cranberry tastes on the mid-palate. There is also some forest floor in the underbrush finish. Definitely a food wine. Tried daily over the course of a week (it got better). Another wine to sip and savour, delightful. But do keep some bottles for a few years. Twist top employed. 12.7% ABV. 863 cases. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
12.Queenston Mile Vineyard Blanc de Noirs 2015 VQA St. David's Bench Traditional Method $50, winery & online: an exciting yeasty toasty sparkling 100% pinot noir offer, 26 months on the lees. Opens with citric tones and some anise, but then becomes a heavy weight with a toasty mouthfeel and bitter almonds on the finish. Should be better in a few more years. 12.5% ABV. 60 cases. Quality/Price rating is 91.5 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
13.Queenston Mile Vineyard Mile High 2017 VQA Ontario Charmat Method $35, winery & online: chardonnay and chardonnay musque make up the blend. It's balanced and ready for drinking now, with orchard fruit and citric tones upfront on the nose leading to a fruity off-grape (musque) mid-palate taste, and with some resolve on the finish. Good with appetizers or as a sipper. My wife loved it. It's charming for sure, but the price...12.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
14 & 15.Queenston Mile Vineyard Mile White 2017 VQA Niagara Peninsula $25, winery & online, plus Queenston Mile Vineyard Mile Red 2016 VQA Niagara Peninsula $25, winery & online: I'm doing these together because of the similar techniques and prices. Blended wines are the recent coming thing in Ontario since the winemaker can take a bit of everything and produce a consistent product from year to year, not to mention balancing the wine in off-vintages. Sources here are from across Niagara Peninsula. The White is very good, with a blend of mostly chardonnay, followed by pinot gris, viognier, sauvignon blanc and semillon. I had to drill through the website (at www.queenstonmile.com) to dig this up via the varietal directory. Orchard fruit and citrus dominate with aromatic florals from the white grapes. The Red version is syrah 56%, rest is merlot, gamay and some cab sauvignon. Creekside specializes in syrah, and it is here in abundance, with lotsa smoke and pepper for your BBQ. White 12.5% ABV; Red is 13% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 88 points apiece by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
16.Huff Estates Merlot 2018 VQA Ontario, $20 at winery, also at Vintages +134239: very fruity, maybe fruit gone wild, no oak or other aging – just stainless steel. Typically bright red and black fruit style, cherry-berry even. Slightly tannic finish at this point, expected to smooth out over the next year or so. One of the better merlot wines in Ontario. First course or cheese. Twist top. 12.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 88 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
17.Huff Estates Chardonnay South Bay Vineyards 2017 VQA Prince Edward County, $30 at winery: 14 months in French oak, about 15% new. Slightly smokey, citric tones and some minerality, good balance and nuances between the elements. Long toasty finish, needs buttery food. Not really a sipper, and don't overchill. 13% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
18.Huff Estates Cuvee Janine 2016 Sparking Rose Traditional Method VQA Prince Edward County, $30 at winery: 90% pinot noir and 10% chardonnay, with 20 months on lees (first made in 2010 with two years on lees). Traditional method as in Champagne. Dark rose colour, just a shade paler than most Alsatian still pinot noirs! Good brisk refreshing bubbles accent the black fruit tones. Long dry finish suggests food as well as sipping. 12.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
19.Huff Estates Pinot Noir Reserve 2017 VQA Prince Edward County, $40 at winery: all pinot noir, with a year of French oak (10% new) showing off plenty of strawbs, cherries and other red fruit. Some forest floor in evidence (suggesting earthly food and mushrooms), with finishing acidity integrating well with dark chocolate (even mocha) tones. 12% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
20.Huff Estates Cuvee Peter L. Huff 2016 Blanc de Blancs VQA Prince Edward County, $40 at winery: the 2015 vintage is at LCBO +198754 for $32.35. 100% chardonnay done up in traditional Champagne method. Lots of smoke and toast with some forest floor, much like the South Bay still chardonnay. Here, the wine was on its lees for 24 months. Opens with some orchard fruit, followed by citric and butter tones on the mid-palate. The wine is still young and needs more time for resolution. 12.5% ABV. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures.
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Chimo! www.deantudor.com
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