Colchester Ridge Estate Winery:

Last Thursday night Stargazers was pleased to welcome Bernie Gorski from Colchester Ridge Estate Winery (CREW). Colchester Ridge has been open for 2 years now and their passion is really starting to shine in their wines. Bernie, who happens to own another business hauling bulk wines for the local wineries, makes very approachable and fruit forward wines. Some of the wines that we featured last Thursday were his Chardonnay which features a crisp apple nose and lively acidity. The full creamy body has a hint of anise that went well with a tarragon cream sauce. He currently has two other white wines, a gewurztraminer and a sauvignon blanc, and he plans to release a riesling soon. Bernie’s wife Nancy and I had a debate about whether the Gewurztraminer tastes more like Pez candy or Bananna popsicles (in the end we decided that both flavours are there).

I think Bernie shines with his full bodied, easy to drink reds. He has a Cabernet Merlot blend as well as a straight Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Cabernet Merlot is a big full bodied wine wine waxy crayons aroma with deep current, black pepper and wood notes. The tannins are quite pronounced but do balance out with 15-20 minutes in the glass. The single varietal wines are along the same big easy drinking style.

One wine that surprised me was Bernie’s icewine. I tasted it in early February and at that time it taasted like eucalyptus, mango and grapefruit with a racy acidity. After tasting it again now, the wine has changed dramatically. The eucalyptus and the racy acidity has balanced out leaving a very beautiful mango/peachy wine. I can only look back and say that in February it was going through a classic case of bottle shock.

Now I don’t think there is any scientific proof that wines go through a funk (a period of time where it doesn’t exibit its true flavours and potential) for the first month or so after being bottled, but winemakers know it is so. Wine can also go through periods of funk as they age so if you have a number of bottles in your cellar and you try one that doesn’t seem to be as good as the last bottle you tried, make sure you wait a month or so before opening up the next bottle as it may just be in a funk.

On another note, this summer is going to a busy time in and around the wineries this year. Make sure you check out some of the winery festivals such as Mastronardi winery’s Festival of Dionysis coming up June 7. It is a fantastic party every year, for more information take a look at the Mastronardi newsletter ar http://www.mastronardiwines.com/newsletter/springsum08.pdf.

"Better than reading a James Harriot Novel.”

That is what one of the guests said about Harold Wagner last Wednesday evening when he hosted a winemaker’s dinner at Stargazers. Not only did the wines shine through the evening, but Harold’s storytelling ability is second to none. For two and a half hours Harold entertained with stories about his horses, apples (and visiting kindergarten classes during harvest), and his foray into winemaking. If you missed the evening the next event is scheduled for April 24th and features Bernie Gorski, Owner and Winemaker at Colchester Ridge Estate Winery (CREW).

Bernie has a different story to tell. Bernie is an entrepreneur who has a passion for wine. Beginning as an amateur winemaker, Bernie has built Colchester Ridge from the ground up… starting with good grapes and a lot of TLC in the winery. It is my understanding that CREW is Bernie’s retirement project, a business that he loves and can focus his attention on when he decides to step down from his other businesses. I am sure that Bernie will be just as entertaining as Harold, just in a different way. Similarly, Bernie’s wines have a different personality to them than Harold’s.

CREW’s wines are big and powerful. His whites are bone dry and have some really interesting characteristic. His 2005 Chardonnay was really non-descript, but his 2006 is stellar! It has a crisp apple nose, with a full creamy body and a hint of anise that really adds some interest. His Gewurztraminer is a dry Alsatian style with sweet candy nose (just like Pez right out of MJ’s Lightning McQueen dispenser), with a dry lemony finish, but it is the reds that stand out at CREW.

All of Bernie’s red wines are built on big structure… ripe fruit with lots of tannins and generous use of oak. Both the 2005 Cabernet Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are big wines that need some time to balance out the tannins. The Cabernet Merlot has a waxy crayon aroma with deep current and black pepper flavors. The Cabernet Sauvignon is more elegant with a blueberry nose, creamy cassis flavors and rich firm finish.

Bernie has also just released his first Ice Wine. I would describe his 2006 Vidal Ice wine as an Icewine for those who don’t really like Icewines. It has the stereotypical brown sugar aromas but instead of being sweet and syrupy, it is warm and racy with acidity. The flavors range from grapefruit to mango with a healthy dose of eucalyptus thrown in.

We have prepared a stellar menu for the night featuring Blue Marlin paired with the Gewurztraminer, and Elk with a blueberry jus complimenting the Cabernet Sauvignon. I would recommend making reservations for this event early as we are intent on keeping this an intimate evening and limiting the number of seats available. To book your spot call me at (519) 351-9351.

WINEMAKERS DINNER
Hosted by Bernie Gorski
Colchester Ridge Estate Winery

Thursday April 24, 2008
7:00

CHICKEN SATAYS
Served with a tarragon cream
Chardonnay 2006
(Crisp apple nose with lively acidity. Full creamy body with a hint of anise)

*****
GRILLED BLUE MARLIN
Infused with coriander on a romaine leaf with a citrus salsa
Gewurztraminer 2006
(Sweet Pez candy on the nose with a dry lemon and citrus flavors)
*****
DOUBLE SMOKED BACON AND CARAMELIZED ONION TART
In a house made pastry shell with hints of blue cheese
Cabernet Merlot 2005
(A Huge full bodied wine waxy crayons aroma with deep currents, black pepper and wood. The tannins are quite pronounced but do balance out with time in the glass.)
*****
LEMON& MINT SORBET
*****
GRILLED ELK
On sautéed red skin potatoes with a blueberry demi glace
Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
(A well structured cabernet Sauvignon with blueberry nose,
creamy cassis on the palate with a firm creamy finish)
*****
MANGO FLAN
Ripe mangos glazed over a shortcake shell
Ice Wine 2006
(Brown sugar nose with eucalyptus, mango and grapefruit.
Very warm with a racy acidity without being too sweet or syrupy)

$75
Per person