The Demystified Vine

Niagara Bench Wine Tour Part IV – Tawse Winery

Valerie Stride, WSET ADV Certified

February 20, 2013

Next stop: Tawse Winery

I was very excited to visit Tawse, because during the 2012 International Wine Fest in Vancouver, my favourite wine of the night was their 2010 Sketches Riesling. It won Gold at the 2012 Canadian Wine Awards, and Tawse won Winery of the Year in 2012 for the third year running. I willingly admit, I was looking forward to seeing what this winery had to offer. After all, until recently, there was NO way of getting Ontario wines out to BC – unless you flew or drove, bought some, and brought it back.

Tawse was certified organic and biodynamic in 2010, although they have been practicing these farming techniques for a very long time. As posted on their website, their philosophy states:

We use organic and biodynamic farming techniques to ensure the health of our vines and the vitality of our soils. Biodynamic farming is an approach that sees the vineyard as its own self-sustaining ecological entity It’s based on traditional agricultural practices such as planting and harvesting at certain points in the lunar calendar. Much of our fruit is sourced from old growth, low yield vines, giving our wines great depth, richness and character.

I had set up an appointment at the winery through Daniel Lafleur – their National Sales Manager – and although Dieter wasn’t there by the time the group made it in due to the snow, we were taken good care of by Ken. We tried a wide range of Rieslings and Pinot Noirs — all of which were beautifully unique and distinct.

Looking into the tasting room.

As it turned out, that wine tour turned into a “Riesling” day. At Tawse, we were able to try 4 of their 6 listed Rieslings. Their 2011 Wismer Foxcroft Single Block Riesling was a wine to savour! Notes of candied apples, pink grapefruit, petrol, and citrus juices combined to accentuate the hint of petillance that graced the glass. It was tart, but not offensively so. With only 1330 bottles made, one would be foolish not to scoop up a bottle.

The 2011 Quarry Road Estate Riesling carried more petrol notes than the Wismer Foxcroft, which I enjoyed. It was mouth-wateringly tart at mid-palate, and bursts of sour peaches and green apple were vividly present. The minerality in this Riesling was tongue-catching; distinct and chalky, as the website states, “limestone minerality is detected”.

Our friendly host, Ken!

Onto the 2011 Tawse Riesling, this wine leans more towards a typical new world Riesling. Its off-dry style complements the lemon-lime notes and mineral nuances. The fruit in this Riesling was combined from a number of different sites, whereas the above two were from select areas of land owned by Tawse. Easy drinking and approachable, this Riesling is good to enjoy at any time of year or day (past noon, of course!)

Last, but not least, the 2010 Sketches of Niagara Riesling was poured into the glass. Save the best for last, right? The flavour profiles in this Riesling are well-developed. Bursting with notes of lemon juice, pear, grapefruit, tart apple, and a minerality that produces a long length, this was joy in a glass. Of course I bought some!

Barrels and barrels and barrels, oh my!

Next was a flight of Pinot Noir. I personally adore Pinot Noir, and I wish more people enjoyed it. It is one of the most finicky varietals to grow, and it also is one of the most faceted varietals which, depending on its development, can show anything from youthful bright fruits to mushroom and gamey notes.

Tawse’s 2009 Laidlaw Vineyard Pinot Noir showed classic notes of cherries and raspberries, but there was something internally different about the bouquet, which I couldn’t entirely put my finger on. I deciphered it to be an aromatic note of roses. Strange, I know. The palate was dry, with notes of sour cherries, firm acid, light in body, and with a graceful mineral finish.

2009 Quarry Road Estate Pinot Noir was next on the line-up. A lovely representation of red fruits, medium tannins, and high acid, this Pinot Noir was earthy, and had essences of cherry cordial, with a salty-like mineral finish. Just gorgeous.

Onto Cherry Avenue – the street where the winery is located. The 2009 Cherry Avenue Estate Pinot Noir combines sweet red cherries, blushing, ripe raspberries, black cherry, and currant on the bouquet. The palate reveals cherried earth, hints of mushroom, and a dusty minerality. Holy Moses, that was good.

The private tasting room for wine club members.

In addition to the lovely Riesling and Pinot Noir that my group indulged in, we were pleased to sample Tawse’s 2011 Quarry Road Estate Gewurztraminer which boasted of allspice and tropical fruit with a long finish. Their 2011 Sketches of Niagara Rose was a glass of raspberries, cherries, and bubblegum with medium acid. I bought a bottle; it was juicy! Lastly, their 2009 “Spark” (a sparkling Chardonnay) was done using the traditional method and spent 30 months on lees. With high acid, its tartness balanced out the apple and chalky minerality in the glass. The bouquet was soft and flowery with hints of yellow apple and white pear. If you’re a fan of sweeter wines and IF can get your pretty paws on a bottle, why not try their 2010 Cabernet Franc Icewine? You can thank me later.

Thank you to Tawse Winery, and to Ken, our lovely host, for a phenomenal tasting experience and your kind hospitality.

Cheers!

Niagara Bench Wine Tour Part III – Lunch at About Thyme Bistro

Valerie Stride, WSET ADV Certified

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February 11, 2013

It’s lunch time, folks! How could I not talk about this amazing experience?

Next stop: Lunch at About Thyme Bistro

This quaint little restaurant was recommended to the group by one of my partner’s friends. She researched local and good places to eat in and around the area of where we were tasting. Getting there was fine. Getting the vehicle up their hilly driveway in our rental car without snow tires from Avis was not fine (see Part I). As we pulled into the driveway, Martin and I quickly realized that we were driving downhill to the parking lot, and without being able to entirely “stop”, we proceeded to spend a solid 20 minutes attempting to get the vehicle back up the hill to park somewhere near the street. We were having no luck. Martin’s friends tried. Suddenly, the cook from the Bistro came out in his shorts, t-shirt and chef hat on, and offered to help. After a few successive tries and some salt, he got the car up. Three cheers (again and again) for Ryan — the hero of the day! Needless to say, we tipped really well.

Located at 3457 King Street in Vinelands, About Thyme Bistro provided us with a wholeheartedly fun dining experience. The 6 of us sat at the back of the restaurant at the communal table, surrounded by the soft chatter of other diners.

Communal table. Photo from http://www.theniagaralocal.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/at9-1024×768.jpg

The menu, in all its modesty, is unfathomably filled with delectable goodies. Whether you are in the mood for the Soup of the Day ($6, made with vegetable stock made in house), a Bistro Hamburger ($15, house-made patty), or a more refined dish like Trout Fillet ($17, pan seared and served with Red ‘Cargo’ Rice, Indian Lentil Saute and Red Wine-Orange sauce), About Thyme had you covered. I chose to have the Bistro Poutine ($12) which, well, turned my crank. Here is the description right from the menu:

A twist on a great Quebec classic – we start with hand-cut Yukon Gold fries, top them with duck confit, grated aged cheddar and then finish it with house-made foie gras sauce.

Yes, folks. Read that again, and then look at the photo below:

Bistro Poutine @ $12-
Photo by Valerie Stride

Shawna, one of the fellow wine lovers, ordered their Charcuterie Plate ($19). If I had two stomachs or more, I probably would have ordered that as well. Filled to the edges with various slabs and slices of protein, I couldn’t help but stare at the plate. Cured and smoked meats, fish, house-made pates, and pickles graced the cutting board. Use your imaginations. For their entire menu, click here.

In addition to all this wonderfulness, I want to point out that About Thyme Bistro also has this really neat idea to keep low corkage fees. Why wouldn’t you, considering folks could buy a bottle from the area knowing they could open it at the Bistro for only $5- and sit at their communal table?

I would like to extend a warm thank-you again to those at About Thyme Bistro for their phenomenal service, food, and kind-hearted employee, Ryan, for a wonderful dining experience. I’m sure they are thankful we stopped by too; apparently everyone in the bistro had been watching us trying to get the car up the hill. Go team!

…Part IV coming soon! Up next: Tawse Winery!

Cheers!

Niagara Bench Wine Tour Part II – Angels Gate & Fielding Estate

Valerie Stride, WSET ADV Certified

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February 4, 2013

The wine tour continues!

Next stop: Angels Gate

Angels Gate Winery
Photo by Valerie Stride

Next on our list of wineries to visit was Angel’s Gate. Angel’s Gate is just up the road from Thirty Bench, and so it was a quick hop across the bench. Angels Gate does higher volume in Niagara as compared to most wineries. They produce approximately 35,000 cases per year, and they have, when all is said and done, won a variety of awards. They boast this in their tasting room. Have a look at the photo below. All of the grapes for Angels Gate are grown throughout Beamsville, and are all owned by the winery. This was good to know, since a lot of wineries actually purchase their grapes from “trusted” growers in the region.

Awards wall at Angels Gate
Photo by Valerie Stride

This winery, as well as many of the other wineries in the Niagara bench area, make quite a few Rieslings. Their 2007 Single Vineyard Riesling is priced at $16.95. I love a Riesling that has that petrol nuance in it, and I can actually handle quite a bit of minerality in my Riesling, but I wasn’t expecting to feel like I was drinking a glass of Vaseline. I found that to be surprisingly shocking, because the nose was so light in intensity. The palate revealed some peach and citrus, but the clay loam soils imparted an overpowering presence in that wine, in my humble opinion. The wine I thought was most intriguing was their 2010 Sussreserve Riesling. This was a very good introduction Riesling for those who are not used to Riesling, or who have never tried it. Agreeably fruity, the first thing that came out of my mind when I smelled and tasted it was, “A stick of Juicy Fruit.” A dry wine with loads of tropical fruit and a strong minerality, this was a bargain for your buck. At $13.95/bottle, who wouldn’t want a bottle of this “sussreserve” wine? (Note: Sussreserve is the technical term for when pressed unfermented grape juice is added post-fermentation to add sugar/sweetness to the wine.)

Next stop: Fielding Estate Winery

As it was actively snowing, the tasting room atop a small hill overlooking acres of vineyard, was not crowded. In fact, I think Andrew, our gracious host at Fielding, was surprised to see such dedicated tasters arrive to the tasting room that morning!

Fielding Estate is a 7 year old winery. Ken and Marg are the proprietors, and it is a small, family run winery. Andrew assured us that the folks are very hands-on in the making of all of their wine. With 13 acres to pick from, and 36-38 acres a few kilometers away, this winery produces approximately 8,000 – 10,000 cases per year. Their winery has been founded on white wine varietals – the aromatics – Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and Pinot Gris. Interestingly, many of the folks running the show around Fielding Estate are in their early 30s. I was so happy to hear this, because I think that we need more 30-something representation in the wine industry! (Am I giving away any age information now?)

Their 2011 Estate Bottled Pinot Gris was refreshing and crisp. At 12% abv, this Pinot Gris was well represented by a citrus backbone. Pears and pineapple came to play. Overall, well-balanced. This wine won Bronze at the Canadian Wine Awards! Their 2011 Gewurztraminer was a fine combination of violets, tropical fruit (pineapple), peaches, and grape. Dry, with a white peppery finish. Lovely deal for only $15.75!

Fielding’s spacious and architecturally cool tasting room!
Photo by Valerie Stride

The Estate Bottled Riesling (2011) was a nice balance of citrus, aromatic florals, and petrol with hints of pear. The palate had the slightest hint of petillance (fine prickly sensation) which highlighted the tart peach and lemon on the palate. Bravo! Their 2010 Viognier is also of note: pronounced intensity on the nose, this Viognier was extremely floral; just the way I like my Viognier! Violets and roses wafted out of the glass alongside peach and apple slices. The palate had an interesting viscosity unlike any other Viognier I have ever tried; it was thick and oily. For me, this was a new experience, but an interesting experience nonetheless!

…Part III coming soon! Next stop: lunch at About Thyme Bistro. You won’t want to miss this post!

Cheers!

Niagara Bench Wine Tour Part I – Organized Crime & Thirty Bench Wine Makers

Valerie Stride, WSET ADV Certified

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January 29, 2013

It was the early morning of December 29th, 2012. The buzzing of my alarm woke me out of a deep sleep. I was alright with that though, because I knew that I was going to be heading to Niagara to do a winery tour of the Niagara Bench. On the list of vineyards and wineries to visit were:

Thirty Bench
Angel’s Gate
Organized Crime
Fielding Estate
Hidden Bench
Tawse
Ridgepoint
Vinelands
Kacaba Vineyards
Cave Spring Cellars
Diprofio Wines

You know what they say: Make a plan, and the big guy will laugh.

Knowing of the adventures I was going to have that day, I quickly dropped my legs from over the side of the bed, stretched (Ok, maybe I didn’t stretch: we can do this like in the movies, right?), yawned, and smiled gleefully. Upon peering outside, the grin faded. It had snowed all night long, and it didn’t seem like there was a stopping point in the near future. Believing that the Avis Rental Car dealer would have snow-tire-equipped vehicles to travel 300-400km was just too idealistic. By 9am, my partner and I were informed that not only did our rental car not come with snow tires, but that none of the vehicles that they had had snow protective equipment. [Insert grumble here about not being impressed.]

The trip to Niagara proved slow; the highways were mostly just very wet, but side streets were screaming to be plowed. It took a while to get there, but we did…and safely.

As the weather was a mish-mash that day, we had to do some passenger-seat text messaging to reorganize some of the plans. Martin and myself, as well as another couple, decided to hit up Organized Crime first. Despite the sign saying they were open for tasting, it appeared that they were, indeed, not open. There were 3 cars sitting outside waiting to taste, but no luck! Unfortunate, considering I really wanted to try some of their wines. I have heard some interesting stories about both the wines and the folks who run the winery. Maybe next time?

Next stop: Thirty Bench.

What a warm welcome from Karen, who was running the tasting room.

Thirty Bench Wine Makers are known for their Rieslings. Sixty percent (60%) of their plantings are Riesling, in fact, and they have won a number of medals because of their craftiness. Their first vintage was in 1992, and Emma Gardner is currently their winemaker. This winery is not certified organic, but they are using organic practices to ensure top quality wines are produced. Their vineyard area is mainly shale, flint, and limestone, and these soil composites contribute to the distinct terroir that creates Thirty Bench wines.

Their vineyard is separated into three distinct areas: Wood Post, Steel Post, and the Triangle block. Each area has Riesling planted in it, and it was a phenomenal experience to try each of the Rieslings that came out of each of these areas.

Getting a tutored tasting at Thirty Bench.

The 2011 Wood Post Riesling area produced a light intensity bouquet Riesling with hints of petrol, and steely/stoney minerality. Unripe peach and green apple were found in this short length wine. In 2011, the Steel Post Riesling section of the vineyard produced an off-dry, stronger wine with distinct citrus notes. Lemon-lime, red apple, lighter minerality (than the Wood Post), and a medium finish can all be found in their 2011 vintage. Lastly, the Triangle Vineyard Riesling was also off-dry in style, but was filled with super rich & ripe peach, infused with citrus tones and petrol, with a dash of fuzzy peach skins on the palate. The finish was gorgeous, with a light limestone minerality note.

It was so educational to try the flight of Rieslings all together, as they each brought something new and interesting to the table. In addition, our group also got to try Thirty Bench’s “Small Lot Gewurztraminer“. This 2011 vintage wine was placed at 13% abv, and was stainless steel fermented. It spent 3 months in French oak, and it was a most beautiful pale gold colour. Tropical fruit filled the glass, and notes of pear, honey, and rose were all present. The alcohol on the palate was a bit heavy for my taste, but this dry and crisp wine was a definite winner. It wasn’t oily like an Alsatian Gew, and the uncharacteristic minerality was a nice added touch.

I also had the chance to try their Small Lot Chardonnay, Winemaker’s Red, 2009 Small Lot Pinot Noir, 2010 Small Lot Pinot Noir, 2008 Small Lot Merlot, 2010 Small Lot Cabernet Franc, 2010 Small Lot Benchmark Red, and their fantabulous 2007 Riesling Icewine. The Icewine was an abundance of orange marmalade, honey, caramel, grape, and butterscotch, with a hint of that lovely petrol. A treat indeed!

…Part II coming soon! It will feature Angel’s Gate Winery and Fielding Estate.

Cheers!

Demystified Vine’s 12 Most Memorable Wines of 2012

Valerie Stride, WSET ADV Certified

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January 1, 2013

Happy New Year everyone! Twenty-twelve came and went; it mimicked the blink of an eye! It was as though 2012 was on a bullet train. I’m glad that I had the opportunity to try some wonderful and not-so-wonderful wines throughout the course of last year.

I am also happy to announce that my domain name is now http://demystifiedvine.com!

For those of you who know me well, I don’t particularly take well to these point-schemes that try to “grade” wine on a 100 point scale. Before you jump on that, let me just say that I understand that there are really good wines in the world. I also understand that there are places in the world that make wines exceptionally well. Awesome. Please share! [Insert grin here.] That being said, I also support and wholeheartedly believe that a wine experience is individualized. I may think that Yellow Tail is plonk, but that is not to stop Johnny-boy from enjoying a glass. Good on him. More of the better stuff for me! [Wink!] If Yellow Tail can bring you pleasure, Johnny, you can skip over the Mazoyeres Chambertin Grand Cru; I’ll take your portion.

On that note, and all joking aside, below you will find a listing of some of the most memorable wines I drank during 2012. Feel free to shoot me an e-mail at valerie@demystifiedvine.com if you have any questions about any of them.

Disclaimer: These wines are NOT, I repeat NOT, listed in ascending or descending order. They were all just really good wines with really good things happening in those bottles.