Red Wine Long Weekend: Washington State and a Value Primitivo

This past weekend I had two red wines that were worth reviewing. One is from Washington State, a region that is poorly represented in Ontario. The other was a killer QPR (Quality Price Ratio) Primitivo from Southern Italy.

Before the review, just a little rant on poor representation at the LCBO. Two American regions that are really unappreciated are the wines from the North West (Washington State & Oregon). These two regions are making some spectacular wines, yet we are unable to buy them. There are some world class Pinot Noir being made in Oregon, as well as Chardonnay and even Syrah is making a push. In Washington, many red varietals are thriving like Cabernet, Merlot, Cab Franc and Syrah. The wines from the Pacific North West are also well priced compared to the same varietal in California. I hope in the near future that I will see more wines from these two regions in the LCBO.

Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 $19.95
- Dark ruby in colour. This Columbia Valley Cabernet had profound aromas of casiss, all spice, vanilla, and ripe dark fruit. Very oak dominate on the palate. Creamy texture and full body. Dark blackberries and plums try to escape, but oak dominates the finish. 87 Points

Oggi Primitivo 2011 $8.98
- My wife enjoys the Pinot Grigio and the price of this red is right for a summer time sipper! Primitivo is a close relative to Zinfandel, but this wine is more elegant and less jammy than it's California counterparts. Medium ruby in colour. A very inviting nose of red cherries, cedar, and raspberry. Great fruit on the palate with a pleasant and not "cheap" finish that you expect at this price point. Light and fresh with good tannin/acidity integration. Shows like a $15-18 wine. Great QPR for the summer. 88 Points 

Five Rows Craft Wine 2013 release

Last year in April, on a cold windy day I took my sister and mother wine tasting in NOTL. That day we discovered Five Rows in St. Davids. A lovely small production winery. Fast forward one year later, we made another trek to Five Rows. This time my wife came with us and it was just as cold!

I have come to really respect what Wes Lowrey and Five Rows is doing. When they started the winery back in 2001 they were focused on small production. Today their production may be a bit larger, but they are aware of not getting too big. As they feel that it will effect the quality of their wines.  

This trip to Five Rows was my first time to try their whites. Small production also means selling out quickly, so I was happy to see what the whites were like. Five Rows produces three white varietals, Sauvignon Blan, Pinot Gris, and Riesling. We also tried their three reds as well Pinot Noir, Shiraz (Shiraz clone, but more Syrah like in character), and Cabernet Sauvignon. 

Here is the low down and tasting notes.

Five Rows Sauvignon Blanc 2012

- It was light straw in colour. This was by far the most aromatic white of the tasting. Aromas of peach, citrus, and an interesting flinty note. The citrus and stone fruit continued on the palate. Really nice acidity (something that I found in all of the whites). A great palate cleanser! Reminded me of a Sancerre or Touraine Sauv Blanc. 88 points

Five Rows Pinot Gris 2012

- Light straw in colour. Had to really get my nose in the glass to get at the aromatics. Pear, apples, and almond came through. Apple and melon strike the palate. Good acidity with good length. A clear favourite with the ladies. 87 points

Five Rows Riesling 2012

- Pale straw. Strong aromas of citrus peal (lemon & lime) and floral notes. The citrus wave continues on the palate with crisp acidity that makes you want to come back for more. The Riesling haters in the group enjoyed this wine! Riesling is certainly a strength in Niagara! 88 points

Five Rows Pinot Noir 2010

- Pale ruby in colour. Aromas of fresh red fruit, cranberry, and coffee. This was quite a young wine and was tight on the palate. Red fruit and cedar on the palate. Good acidity with strong tannin's  One of the better 2010 Niagara Pinot's that I have tasted. I tend to favour the 2009 style of Niagara Pinot over the recent 2010 releases. It will be interesting to taste this wine in a few years and see how it integrates. 90 points

Five Rows Shiraz 2010

- Deep ruby in colour. Dark fruity, pepper spice, and game notes dominate the palate. Very elegant and great balance to this wine. A well structured wine that will develop into an interesting red in the future. I am really liking the N.Rhone Syrah play that is starting to take place in Niagara. 91 points

Five Rows Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

- Deep ruby in colour. Dark fruit, hint of green pepper and all spice. A constant theme of the reds was "tight". All wines could benefit from decanting or cellaring for a year or two. Strong & fresh acidity on this Cabernet. Good acidity is a great indicator of a cellar worthy wine. 89 points 

Yet another great tasting at Five Rows. I tried to find out if they will ever expand and make a Cab Franc, all I got was that they have thought of making one. I'll look forward to that! 

Keep up the good work Wes and Lowrey family.

Cono Sur Bicicleta Viognier 2011

As the weather gets warmer, it spurs us to buy/drink more white wine. One of my go-to white wines of recent has been a very unusual grape varietal. When you think of summer whites you tend to think about fruity Sauvignon Blanc, crisp Riesling, or a full bodied Chardonnay. I enjoy all three of these varieties, but one grape that has had my attention of late is Viognier. This white grape is usually found in the South of France, but I am focusing my attention away from Viognier’s home and looking towards Chile.

Cono Sur Bicicleta Viognier 2011

Price: $8.95 (on sale till the end of the month)

This Chilean white is pale straw in colour. A very aromatic white. Tropical and stone fruits dominate the nose (pineapple & peaches) with a hind of floral notes, which are typical of Viognier. The tropical and stone fruits continue on the palate with fresh acidity and great length. A very enjoyable summer white! 88 points

1855 Bordeaux Classification: Still Meaningfull?

Our society is obsessed with ranking. We desire to know who or what is the best of the best. There are countless publications and websites that focus on figuring out what universities, cars, athletes, and in this case, what wine is in a class of its own.

I understand why we as a society rank everything, but is it always required. Also with regards to certain rankings, are they relevant today? A great example is the Bordeaux Classification of 1855. Is this 150 plus year old classification meaningful today? Is it an effective ranking of quality claret in the Medoc? The quick answer is no, but there is some merit to the Classification of 1855.

Link: Full 1855 Bordeaux Classification

http://www.bbr.com/wine-knowledge/medoc-classification

The big question that we should be asking ourselves is why are we following a classification that was created in 1855? In 158 years, a lot has changed in the Medoc. Chateaus have gone under new ownership, chateaus have purchased bigger plots of vineyards, new chateaus have been established and new vineyard and winemaking techniques have been used. Another glaring issue to the 1855 rankings is that it did not include the communes of St. Emilion, Pomerol, or the sweet wines of Barsac and Sauternes.

The 1855 Classification of Bordeaux took place while Napoleon III was in power of France. They established the rankings by looking at which wines were the most expensive to buy (single bottle), which they felt meant higher quality. The classification of 1855 ranked all of the chateaus in the Medoc into five groups, or in the case of Bordeaux, five “growths”. In the end, four chateaus were awarded “First Growth”. These were the best chateaus in Bordeaux which included Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Chateau Margaux, Chateau Latour, and Chateau Haut Brion. A fifth was added in 1973, when Chateau Mouton Rothschild was given the honour after years of petitioning. This was the only change to ever happen to the 1855 Classification of Bordeaux. Over time, these five First Growths have show that they belong at the top. They continuously produce outstanding wines, even in poor vintages. These First Growths deserve to be the best, but should they have company?

Top wine critics from around the world have discovered that there are non First Growth chateaus producing exceptional wines. In many reviews of past vintages, critics have used the term “First Growth like” to describe that a chateaus quality rivals the likes of Mouton, Lafite, Haut Brion etc. Of recent years left bank chateaus like Pontet Canet, La Mission Haut Brion, Leoville Barton, and Ducru Beaucaillou have wowed critics and wine lovers with their “First Growth like” quality. This “First Growth like” quality is also found in the right bank with Vieux Chateau Certan, Figeac, and Trotanoy to name a few (could also include the likes of Cheval Blanc & Petrus, who are considered First Growths). Sadly, for these chateaus, the classification of 1855 remains the same. This is bad news for the chateaus, but great news for the consumer. Prices for these “First Growth like” wines remain lower than the four figure amount that First Growths demand.

Should Bordeaux abolish the Classification of 1855, re-classify themselves, and included the chateaus of St. Emilion and Pomerol? Maybe, but it will not happen anytime soon. Or at least I cannot foresee it happening due to one large factor, re-classification would create too much drama in Bordeaux. If re-classificatoin occurred, there is a good chance that there will be disappointed chateaus, like a 2^nd Growth being bumped down. A prime example is the newly classification of St. Emilion that has recently been established. Two chateaus in this region were awarded to the top class of Premier Grand Cru Classes A and joined the likes of Cheval Blanc and Ausone (Chateau Pavie & Chateau Angelus), but there were many other chateaus that felt like their were snubbed and now have their lawyers fighting their cause. Drama central!

Is the Bordeaux Classification of 1855 relevant today? No, not really. In a perfect world, all chateaus would be equal and there would be no ranking. I cannot recall any other wine regions that have a ranking classification like Bordeaux. If anything, the Classification of 1855 creates great debate around Bordeaux lovers. So, is Montrose better than Lynch Bages? Lascombes better than Palmer? In the classification rankings they are, but in the end you should have the final say.



The 5 First Growths of Bordeaux



Cruising With Wine

My wife and I recently returned from a vacation in the Caribbean. We took a cruise with her parents and sister for a week (my first cruise). We booked our cruise through Royal Caribbean. The cruise began in San Juan, Puerto Rico. While on the cruise, we stopped at the following countries:

St. Thomas (U.S. Virgin Islands)

Castries (St. Lucia)

Pointe-Pitre (Guadeloupe)

St. John’s (Antigua)

St. Croix (U.S. Virgin Islands)

Before we departed for our trip, I began to do some research about Royal Caribbean’s wine service/wine list. Through browsing countless websites I was able to find out that Royal Caribbean just added a new rule that allows patrons to bring two bottles of wine per Stateroom on board. In total I planed to bring six bottles in total, as my in-laws and sister-in-law would declare the other four bottles. I brought the following wines onboard:

Corte Riva Cab Franc 2006

Painted Rock Red Icon 2009

G.D. Vajra Barolo Albe 2007

Tarras The Canyon Pinot Noir 2008

Chanson Pere et Fils Savigny-les-Beaune Hauts Marconnets 1er

Maison Roche de Bellene Gevrey Chambertin VV 2009

* All wines showed well.

I was very happy that I could bring wine on board for dinner while on vacation. The Royal Caribbean wine list was not horrible. Actually their prices were very reasonable and less expensive than what restaurants would charge for wine. By bringing wine with me, I was able to save some money and drink wines that I knew I would enjoy!

The cruise was very enjoyable, but I did run into a few issues/problems regarding my wine and the service provided. My first problem occurred when my luggage arrived to my room. When I opened my luggage and took out my wine travel box (Styrofoam inserts that hold six bottles) I was surprise to find only two bottles in the box and a note. The note stated that Royal Caribbean was holding onto my other four bottles because I was only allowed to bring two bottles per Stateroom. My wine would thus be held hostage for the duration of the cruise. I found this to be very frustrating, especially since they damaged my wine box in the process of confiscating the four bottles of wine. Thankfully, Guest Relations were able to understand my explanation and by the end of the night I had the remaining four bottles returned to my room. A good way to end my first day!

My second problem/issue came while attending dinner on the first night. When we arrived to our table I saw their wine glasses. They reminded me of the wine glasses that you would find at an older Italian restaurant. I do not want to sound like a snob, but this is an issue that a lot of wine enthusiast run into while dinning at restaurants. I am a strong advocate that small glasses dampen the experience and overall enjoyment of the wine. I do understand why they use these glasses, as they are very durable and not as expensive as a Riedel or Schott Zwiesel. For the duration of the trip I was able to live with this minor issue. Another problem that I ran into regarding glassware was the main dinning room lack of decanters. I was able to get a decanter for our first night, but the next night the waiter told me that all their decanters were being used. To give you a better explanation, this cruise ship has a main dinning room as well as separate restaurants on board. These restaurants are not included in your trip package and cost an extra $25 to $35 per person. I guess the main dinning room guests are not as important as the ones who are paying on top of their trip package. Oh well….

The next problem that I ran into was that the temperature of the wine that we were having for dinner was a bit too high for my liking. Whites should be served at 8-11 degrees Celsius, while red should be served at 16-18 degrees Celsius. The warmth of the Caribbean was heating up my wine! To solve this problem I would order an ice bucket (with ice) to our room and chill the reds. I did this an hour before dinner. This seemed to solve the problem. By the time our main course was served, our wine was at an ideal temperature. I did chill the lone white Burgundy for a longer time while in our room and also put it on ice while sitting down to dinner. It was a very enjoyable Chardonnay.

With all of these problems occurring, there was one positive outcome. During the six nights that I brought wine to dinner, I was only charged for corkage ($25) once! I am not sure why I was able to get away with this. Maybe our waiters forgot to charge me. All I know is that I saved a total of $125 and I am not complaining!

Overall I had a great time while on this trip. I got to experience what life is like on a cruise ship, meet a lot of great people, and visit some really nice countries. If given the opportunity again I would jump at the chance to go on another cruise. I would also not hesitate to bring wine with me!

M. Chapoutier Brings Elegance to Aussie Shiraz

The country of Australia is known for a lot of things throughout the world. When thinking of the "Land Down Under" you may think of Kangaroos, Koalas, cool Aussie accents, and BIG Shiraz's! Over the past decade, Australian Shiraz has been known for its big candy fruit and high alcohol levels. This style of wine began to gain popularity with the Yellow Tail crazes, which then led many more producers trying to emulate that big style and to push the envelope further. This type of Shiraz has came under a lot of scrutiny, as people feel that Australia should focus on making more elegant Shiraz, similar to the Northern Rhone. Thankfully, Australian wine producers are starting to create great wines that emulate the Syrah from the Northern Rhone, yet obtains it's own identity in the process.

This style of elegant Australian Shiraz's usually comes from producers who have a French winemaking background. A prime example of this is the great Michel Chapoutier. Since the 1980's, Michel has been a driving force in quality and introduced biodynamic to his families winery. In 1997, Michel expanded into Australia and began to partner with local producers and a American wine importer (Terlato). He also bought land in the Victorian Pyrenees under his own label, Domaine Tournon. Here are my thoughts on his Shay's Flat label:

M. Chapoutier Shiraz Domaine Tournon Shay's Flat  Vineyard 2010

This is not your typical Aussie Shiraz! This wine was extremely dark in colour, as the cork end was pitch black! When I opened the bottle the aromas reminded me more of a Northern Rhone St. Joseph than your typical Barossa Shiraz. This wine gave aromas of black fruit (blueberries and blackberries), cinnamon spice and gamey notes. On the palate this wine had great structure and balance. Flavours of dark fruit and white pepper were dominate on the palate. This wine had great length. I really appreciate a wine that evolves throughout the night, as this wine did. This wine has a more "modern style" which gives you a sense of place. A great value at $30, but sadly a majority of the bottles are gone in Ontario. Luckily I have a few in the cellar. A solid and enjoyable Australian Shiraz! 92 Points 

Lailey Vineyards Big Pinot Tasting






Lailey Vineyard Big Pinot Tasting 2013
(From Left to Right: 2010 Pinots, 2011 Pinots, and 2012 Pinots)

   

This would be my second time attending this sit down Pinot tasting. The last tasting I attended we compared Lailey's 2009 Pinot Noirs to their 2010's. This years format was a bit different, as their 2011 Pinots were not up to their liking. To fix this they blended three vineyards into one and called it 3.7 (3 Vineyards and 7 barrels). Lailey Vineyard winemaker Derek Barnett came up with a great wine line-up for this tasting. We started with two of their 2011 Chardonnays and then moved onto their Pinots. Over the course of the tasting, Derek discussed many different topics. From the issue of colour (or lack their of in Lailey Pinot's) to the challenges that each vintage gave during the growing season. The wines were paired with delicious food pairings by Chef Ryan Crawford. Here is the wine breakdown by flight.

Flight 1: Chardonnay

Lailey Vineyard 2011 Chardonnay Brickyard: $30

- Golden straw in colour. Aromas of citrus fruit, apple, and minerality. Citrus fruit on the palate with great mouth feel. I really enjoy this form of chardonnay, not too much oak. It ended with great acidity and a touch of apple spice. Great length. 91 Points

Lailey Vineyard 2011 Chardonnay Canadian Oak: $25

- Golden straw in colour. Aromas of coconut, tropical citrus fruit and a bit buttery. Very interesting to see the effect Canadian Oak has on chardonnay. This wine had a heavier mouth feel and continued with tropical fruit. A bit of spice on the end with low acidity. Length seemed to flatten out and fade. Surprisingly this was the favourite of the group, but not for me. 87 Points

Flight 2: 2010 Pinot Noir
Lailey Vineyard 2010 Pinot Noir Canadian Oak: Sold Out
- This is my second time tasting Lailey's 2010 Pinots. Pale ruby colour. Aromas of sour cherries, spice, and cedar. On the palate the sour cherries continued with strong acidity with decent length. I felt that the 2010's were one dimensional, as their were fruit in your mouth with little complexity. This may be due to the warm vintage. Enjoyable, but nothing to make you stop and think. 87 Points

Lailey Vineyard 2010 Pinot Noir Brickyard: $35

- Pale ruby in colour. This 2010 had a little less sour cherry on the nose and was accompanied by strawberries and minerality. The red fruit continued on the palate, along with spice. A very light and fresh wine. A winner with the group. It still had the big fruit, but was a bit more interesting on the finish. 88 Points

Flight 3: 2011 Pinot Noir

Lailey Vineyard 2011 Pinot Noir Niagara Peninsula: $25

- The fruit for this wine is sourced from different vineyards in the Niagara Peninsula. This is their entry level Pinot Noir. There were only two Pinot Noir labels made in 2011, the Niagara Peninsula and the 3.7. Pale ruby in colour. Aromas of cherries, cedar box, and spice. Good red fruit and acidity on the palate. A bit more complex due to the cooler growing season. 89 Points

Lailey Vineyard 2011 Pinot Noir 3.7: $25

- Like I stated before at the beginning. The 3.7 label was created because Derek felt that blending three of their vineyards would be the best path to take in 2011. This was very creative problem solving on Derek's behalf, and it turned out to be a very enjoyable wine. Pale ruby in colour. More appealing nose of light red fruit and minerality. It had a good creamy mouth feel and great acidity. I bought a bottle for the cellar to see where it will go. The better 2011 of the two Pinots. 90 Points

Flight 4: 2012 Pinot Noir

* Here is a quick rundown of the 2012 growing season. Derek stated that it was the easiest growing season he has ever had. The weather was near perfect throughout the year and made some wines that I am looking forward to trying again in the fall. My scores for these two wines may change as they unfold.

Lailey Vineyard 2012 Pinot Noir Wismer (Lot 48)

- The Colour in these wines were the complete opposite of the 2010's & 2011's, as both 2012 were dark ruby in colour. Aromas of cedar, sweet red fruit. Great red fruit on the palate and outrageous drying tannins and strong acidity. A more delicate wine between the two. I have never tasted a Pinot Noir like this in Niagara. It will be very interesting to see where this wine ends up. A favourite of my wife and I. 92 Points now......

Lailey Vineyard 2012 Pinot Noir Old Vines

- Dark ruby in colour. It had a similar nose of cedar and red fruit, but was a bit lighter on the nose. On the palate the red fruit was very faint. The fruit was being overthrown by the huge, bully tannins. Nice acidity to back up those muscular tannins. This wine made my mouth feel like it just went ten rounds with Mike Tyson, a very strong pinot. Very unique to Niagara. I am very eager to see how these two turn out. 91 Points now.....



Lailey Vineyard 2009 Brickyard Pinot Noir


(Surprise) Flight 5: 2009 Pinot Noir

Lailey Vineyard 2009 Brickyard Pinot Noir: $35

- Since Derek started talking about colour in their Pinots, he decided to open a bottle of their 2009 Brickyard Pinot Noir, a real treat! 2009 was a wonderful year for pinot noir in Niagara and a favourite vintage to look for when shopping or out at a restaurant. These wines are drinking well right now and could live on for another three to four years. This wine was wonderful. It's colour was a lovely meadium ruby. It had a complex nose of strawberry, cranberry, cedar box, and minerality. The red fruit continued in the mouth. This Pinot had great mouth feel and was long lasting. A wine that you would want to savour slowly to take in it's beauty. 93 Points

Bravo to Lailey and their team.