Canadian Wine Guy

Ok, I have to start out by saying the name of this one made me giggle. Niagara’s escarpment is a mere bump in comparison to any kind of mountain range so I find it amusing to think Niagara has the gall to call anything “elevation”. To top it off they hyped this wine as being sold to their Wine of the month club first as an “exclusive”. Ok so I admit, I’m already a little biased before I even pop the cork. Always better to admit it. This was a wine review wasn’t it … right, right, back to our regularly scheduled program 🙂 The wine is pale in color mild on the nose. This bodes well … On the mid pallet the wine is slightly thicker, not watery and then it starts … this is quite a sweet Riesling. Lots of honey suckle. If I had to put it on a German scale I would say this is a Spatlese. No where near as sweet as an Auslese and definitely not as syrupy. On the finish the wine is again dominated by sugar. I would have to say this is not to my tastes. I prefer the drier Rieslings. I would give this no better than an 87. They say a good marketer can sell anything … well, good luck with that 🙂 $25.20 at the winery (not in the LCBO). Yikes.

Notes from the winery: Product Description
Subtle aromas of flint and lemon zest reveal a hint of effervescence on the nose. The palate is as refreshing as having delicious sweet pink lemonade on a hot summer day. Even before tasting this wine you won’t be able to wait for the next sip.

The balance of this wine is remarkable. The acidity, sweetness, alcohol and extract are all in perfect concert delivering a taste sensation that fills you from head to toe. The light spritz that is found upon opening (original carbon dioxide from fermentation) magnifies the zesty lemon lime characteristics and is also a testament to the gentle care this wine has received since it’s birth. It’s youthful punch and perkiness will please us now but it’s deep inner greatness will only be revealed with years of mindful cellaring.

Appellation: Niagara Escarpment
Varietal: 100% Riesling
Alcohol Percent: 8.0 %
LCBO Sugar Code: 3
Residual Sugar g/L: 32.5 g/L
Brix at Harvest: 17.8
Total Acid g/L: 9.90 g/L
Cases Produced: 1,142
Drinking Through: Now – 2015
Service Temp.: 8 – 10 oc

Dark in color mild on the nose. On the mid pallet are some plum and some cherries. On the finish are some tannins and some metallic flavors. It has some of that Niagara terroiir taste and a med to long finish.88 or so. A nice Merlot. Not as fruit forward as some. Not available in the LCBO, $19.95 at the winery.

From the Winery web site:
A medium-bodied wine that has silky tannins and moderate acidity. Flavours of juicy cherries and plums fill the mouth while red berries and plums linger on the finish.

AWARDS: SILVER – Grand Harvest Awards 2010

Winery web site.

I tasted this wine at Corks when I was there. The wine is dark in color with lovely dark berries and some oak on the nose. On the mid pallet the tastes match the nose. You can definitely taste the cab sauv and cab franc in the wine. The finish is medium in length and nice and smooth, The tannins and alcohol are well under control. It’s a big wine, but not too over the top. I’d give it an 88 or so. Quite enjoyable. I enjoyed it with pizza and it went well, holding it’s own nicely.

From the LCBO web site:
CREEKSIDE ESTATE LAURA RED 2007 VINTAGES 117960 | 750 mL bottle Price: $ 19.95
Wine, Red Wine 12.7% Alcohol/Vol.

Sugar Content : XD

Made in: Ontario, Canada By: Creekside Estate Winery
Release Date: Dec 11, 2010

Description
For the first time, Creekside has produced a full Bordeaux blend – consisting of 39.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 6% Malbec and 0.5% Petit Verdot – and the results are spectacular. This wine won Double Gold at the 2010 All Canadian Wine Championships, and 1st Place at the 2009 Royal Winter Fair Wine Competition. The producer suggests enjoying with pulled pork sandwiches or with a hearty soup.

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The last time I tasted one of the wines from No 99 I was not impressed.
These wines are dedicated to supporting the Wayne Gretzky foundation with all profits going there. A charity that brings hockey to underprivileged kids. Yet another example of Wayne being a gentleman and giving back to the country that made him who he is.

I tasted the wine at Corks.
The wine is dark in color lots of dark berries on the nose. On the mid pallet the taste matches the nose with dark berries and some deep rich flavors. On the finish the wine has some lovely silky tannins with a medium finish. The shiraz is not peppery at all and the cab is dominant in the tastes. It is reasonably complex wine. I would give it an 89 or so. I paired it with pizza and it went very well.

From the LCBO web site:

WAYNE GRETZKY ESTATE SERIES SHIRAZ/CABERNET 2007 VINTAGES 162180 | 750 mL bottle
Price: $ 22.95 Wine, Red Wine 12.7% Alcohol/Vol.

Sugar Content : D This is a VQA wine

Made in: Ontario, Canada By: No. 99 Wayne Gretzky Estates
Release Date: Oct 30, 2010

Description
From the lauded 2007 vintage comes this well-made Shiraz/Cabernet blend from The Great One’s winery. The Shiraz plays forward on the nose with aromas of blackberry, pepper and underbrush. The Cabernet is nicely represented by cassis, with the Shiraz contributing peppery spice. Dry, crisp and fruity with soft tannins for balance. Medium-full bodied with a crisp, medium-long, fruit-filled finish. A great wine to enjoy with a rich pasta sauce while tuning into Saturday-night hockey.

The Winery

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I’ve been to East Dell winery before but have not eaten there before. They have a lovely deck in the summer where they serve as well as an inside area for year round dining. We ate there this time and the food and service were good and the prices were not bad either. They offer a nice tasting room as well as flights that can be ordered with your meal.

East Dell wines are consistently good. Here are some mini reviews of the wines we tasted at the Winery.

East Dell wines at the LCBO

I try hard to capture good and thorough notes. Of particular importance is the year. Niagara really does vary significantly year to year. Unfortunately I didn’t get the year of what I tasted at East Dell. Sorry about that.

Riesling $12.95
This wine is pale in color sweet honey suckle on the nose. Varietal Auselese came to mind. On the mid pallet the wine is smack on what is expected but it is not as sweet as the nose. The wine is medium in length. Not a bad Riesling at all. And given the price it’s a good deal! I would give it an 88 or so.
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Pinot Noir $12.95
Ruby in color, with a smokey nose. Some lovely varietal Pinot smells coming through. Rustic notes and the like. On the mid pallet the wine is bang on with the flavors to match the nose. Some nice rustic flavors coming through. The finish is medium in length with a nice dryness to it. I enjoyed this one. Another 88! Again a good deal for the price. Given how pricey Pinot Noir’s often are, I will be getting one of these for a more detailed tasting. And this time I’ll note the year! DOH.
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2007 Cab/Merlot $12.95
Niagara cabs can sometimes be big tannic monsters. Taming this beast can be the challenge. One of the ways they do this is to cut it with Merlot to soften it. This wine is dark in color with lots of dark berry smells coming off the glass. On the mid pallet are dark fruits to match the nose. This wine is smooth and well made. East Dell has done a wonderful job of managing this one. It’s well balanced and food friendly. We had this one with lunch and enjoyed it. The finish is on the lighter side of medium. I would also give this one an 88.
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2009 Reserve Sauv Blanc ~$18
This wine is pale in color with lots of lemon and citrus coming through. On the mid pallet the wine’s flavors match the nose with lemon and citrus dominating the flavors. It has a medium finish that lingers nicely. This is a smooth well made, food friendly Sauv Blanc. They’ve done this one VERY well. Unfortunately it is not available in the LCBO. I would give it an 89. I bought one and had it and quite enjoyed it. Sauv Blancs are definitely amongst my favorite white wines. So food friendly. And this is a good one.

2008 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay Reserve $17.95
This wine has a not great nose with some sulphur coming through. On the mid pallet this wine is a slightly buttery chard I’d say right in the middle of the road. On the finish there is some tartness not consistent with a chard. For me this wine is not great and I found the chard and the tartness fighting. I would give this an 87 or so.
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2009 Black Cab $12.95
This wine is a blend of cab sauv/cab franc/baco noir. On the nose some wood and black fruits are coming through. On the mid pallet the dark fruits match up with the nose. On the finish the wine is slightly tart with some tannins coming through. This is not a bad wine and given the price it’s a good deal. I would give it an 87.

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2006 Cab franc Reserve $22.15
Deep red in color rich on the nose. On the mid pallet the wine is a big Niagara style Cab Franc. Loads of black fruits. This wine is big in the mouth and has lots of tannins on a long finish that builds in the mouth with some nice dry pucker power! The oak is present on the finish but not overwhelming. This is a well made cab franc, but it is a bruiser. Some time in the bottle will help smooth it out. Of course that will also take away some of it’s distinctiveness! I would give this one a 90.

Overall of the wines I tasted I was quite impressed with East Dell. They are continuing to make improvements in their product, and have kept their prices very reasonable. The restaurant is nicely done and well worth a stop over. In the words of the terminator … I’ll be back 🙂 End bad jokes here.

East Dell Winery