Colio

Colio:

Today Stephanie and I were down at Colio meeting with head winemaker Tim Reilly. Tim has been with Colio since 2002 and took the reigns from original winemaker Carlos Negri when he retired last year. Tim took the winemaking course at Niagara College and learned from Jim Warren and others in Niagara. Tim began to change the style of Colio’s white wines beginning with the 2003 vintage changing the style of Colio’s Pinot Grigio to what it is today, and award winning full bodied style. In his second vintage, his new style Pinot Grigio won a gold medal at the All Canadian Wine Championship. The 2007 Pinot Grigio has ripe pears with brown sugar notes and a clean long finish. Tim is taking Colio’s white wines to a new level as he launched a Reserve Riesling. It is dry with lots of forward fruit without being too acidic. There are lots of mineral notes and a hint of petrol that I am sure will come through more as it ages. This Riesling does drink well young, but will only improve with age.

Tim also led us through a tasting of the 2005 CEV Reserve Red wines. This is the first vintage that Tim has had complete control of the reds. Starting with the Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Stephanie and I were both impressed. The nose on the Cab took me back to the tour of Napa Valley Steph and I took two years ago—lots of mint and eucalyptus. Unlike California Cabernets Colio’s is a finesse wine. There are nuances of cassis, red fruit and barnyard (aka Brett). The Reserve Cabernet Franc shows great potential as well as the structure is solid and cherry flavors are beginning to develop. The Reserve Merlot tastes the youngest of the three wines. Similar to the Cabernet Sauvignon, the Merlot showed mint and cedar notes but the tannins need to soften with some time in the bottle.

Tim took a tank sample of the 05 Reserve Meritage. It was starting to drink well despite not being bottled yet. Both Tim and I agree that the best example of what Lake Erie North Shore can produce is in our blended wines. The Meritage shows lots of potential with balanced tannins, ripe fruit and balanced acidity. To finish off the reds Tim had a sample of his 6 barrel Shiraz that should hit the shelves by the fall. It has lots of pepper and spice on the nose and the flavors remind me of Dr. Pepper—sweet cherry cola flavors.

On thing that I surprised me is Colio’s new pricing strategy. Their goal is to keep all their Reserve wines under $20 (except for their Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon which is priced at $21.95 because Cabernet Sauvignon is more expensive to grow). The wines are a phenomenal value considering Reserve wine in Niagara routinely hit $30 and up.

Aleksander Cabernet Sauvignon

I was down at Aleksander Estate winery the other day and they have released their new Cabernet Sauvignon. Now I have always liked Izabela and the Bembin family for what they have done with their family winery. The history of the winery is very interesting, how her father Alex was working at a winery in Austria before coming over to help at Pelee Island Winery before buying 5 acres and planting vineyards himself. As it happens with family businesses, what started out as a vineyard to supply other wineries with grapes turned into a winery itself.

Izabela and Alex are both great winemakers and their wines are very well made, but in a simple grass roots of winemaking style. They do not have the room in their current winery, nor are they in the position to barrel age their wines or experiment with their wine. The wines they produce are clean, fruit forward with an individually Aleksander stamp on them. The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon follows their style to a ‘T’ as it is clean and bright with ripe raspberries and a good acidic backbone. I would suggest sitting down with this wine and some grilled pork for a decadent food and wine experience.

The Ontario Wine Awards

This week the results of the 13th annual Ontario Wine Awards were announced with a number of local wines bringing home awards. Colchester Ridge pulled home a gold medal for their Chardonnay and Pelee Island won two silver medals for their 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2005 Shiraz. Right on the heals of the Pelee Shiraz was the yet to be released 2006 “Watercress Creek” Syrah from Smith & Wilson which won a bronze.

Bronze medals were also handed out to Colio for their 2005 CEV Merlot Reserve and to Smith & Wilson for the 2006 Viognier.

Five medals for our wineries s a really good showing at this event. I am excited for all the local wines as the annual All Canadian Wine Championship is to be held in two weeks time. Last year 20 wines from Lake Erie North Shore brought home hardware.

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

Cuvee 2008

Cuvee 2008

So this past weekend I was down in Niagara for the 20th Annual Cuvee festival. It is a charity event Wine Council of Ontario to benefit the Niagara Community Foundation. On the Friday night there was a Gala held at the Fallsview Casino that included a tasting of a number of wines from Niagara and a few from Prince Edward County and Lake Erie North Shore, as well as an awards ceremony.

21 wines were awarded medals from different wine styles. The wines, submitted by 55 wineries from across the province, were judged by the winemakers themselves giving the Cuvee Gala an “Academy Awards” feel to it (the wine industry recognizing itself). The big winner of the night was Creekside Estate Winery who pulled home four different awards, but I think the surprise of the night was when the award for best Cabernet Sauvignon went to Pelee Island for their 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve. This wine is the only wine recognized with an award that was not from the Niagara Peninsula. I was please to Congratulate Winemaker Martin Janz after the awards presentation and enjoy a glass of the Cabernet with him. The wine is drinking very well right now with luscious red fruit, hints of mint and leather and a touch of blood orange citrus. The wine is well structured with strong but integrated tannins. It is a very well made wine and very deserving of the Cuvee award. Congratulations to Martin and all the folks at Pelee Island Winery. Below is a list of the other winners of the night.

Best Red Wine: Thirty Bench Winemakers Benchmark Red 2005
Limited Edition Red: Creekside Estates Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
White Wine: Cave Springs Gewurztraminer 2006
Limited Edition White: Featherstone Estate Bottled Gewurztraminer 2007
LCBO General List Red: Hillebrand Artist Series Meritage 2005
LCBO General List White: Hillebrand Trius Riesling 2006
Sparkling Wine: Peller Estates Signature Series Ice Cuvee Rose NV
Sweet Wine: Reif Vidal Icewine 2005
Limited Edition Sweet Wine: Cattail Creek Barrel Fermented Vidal Icewine 2006
Meritage: Creekside Reserve Meritage 2004
Cabernet Sauvignon: Pelee Island Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2005
Cabernet Franc: Cave Springs Cabernet Franc Estate 2005
Merlot: Hernder Winery Merlot 2004
Syrah/Shiraz: Creekside Broken Press Shiraz 2005
Red Assemblage: Mike Weir Cabernet Shiraz 2005
Riesling: Thirty Bench Small Lot Riesling “Triangle Vineyard” 2006
Sauvignon Blanc: Jackson-Triggs Niagara Grand Reserve White Meritage 2006
Chardonnay: Niagara College Teaching Winery Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2006
White Assemblage: Hillebrand Trius White 2006
Gold Award: Henry of Pelham Reserve Riesling 2006
Gold Award: Stonechurch Riesling Dry 2006

On the subject of Pelee Island, I opened up their Premium Select Chardonnay 2006. This is another impressive wine. It has a creamy, almost caramel and tropical fruit nose. It is a pleasantly warm and luscious with good green apple acidity. I can imagine sitting down with a nice plate of brie and smoked salmon and being in heaven. I am really impressed with what Pelee Island is doing with their wines. It seems like as soon as you pay $14.95 or above for one of their wines the quality and value increases tremendously.