Tawse Quarry Road Riesling 2019 (Vinemount Ridge)
Pale straw in colour; minerally, grapefruit nose with a light floral note; developing petrol aromas; just off-dry, honeyed grapefruit and lime flavours with zesty acidity. Long, crisp finish. Can be opened now but will age well for several years. (90) Continue reading
Monday, April 25th: A tasting of Ontario wines at the renovated Park Hyatt Hotel in Toronto. Fifty selected wines in the press room with 200 in the main ballroom. It was quite like pre-COVID times! An air of celebration in the room. (It proved what a magnificent vintage 2020 is!)
The Top wines I tasted (90 points or over) were:
Then on to the Wines of Portugal Grand Tasting with 37 stands featuring 42 wineries. Tasted selectively and really enjoyed Maria Bonita Vinho Verde Loureiro 2020, Casa Santos Lima Valcatrina 2020 (a Touriga Nacional, Alicante Bouschet and Syrah blend from the Alentej), Symington Family Estates Florão 2018 and Quinta da Fonte Souto Vinha do Souto 2018, both from the Alentej, and Boas Quintas Opta Dão Gran Reserva 2017. Best value: Vidigal Porta 6 2020 (Tinta Roriz, Castelao, Touriga Nacional blend – $13.95). And some delicious Kranemann 10 Year Old Tawny.
Andrzej Lipinski
Deborah and I visited Big Head’s new facility in Niagara-on-the-Lake and tasted a few of the 42 wines that Andrzej Lipinski has on the market. The new winery is 7,000 square feet and Andrzej showed us the plans for an expansion to 28,000 square feet. The winery now houses a goodly number of cement and clay fermenters as well as stainless steel. His RAW series are wines made in concrete tanks. Continue reading
Rosehall Run wines
My office, according to my wife, is a mess. There are papers everywhere and I confess that one pile concealed notes I have written on wines kindly sent to me by Rosehall Run in Prince Edward County – wines I tasted several weeks ago but my notes went AWOL. Mea culpa.
But here they are… finally.
Rosehall Run Sauvignon Blanc Hungry Point 2020 ($28)
Bright, straw colour; grassy, grapefruit and green plum bouquet; medium-bodied, crisply dry, lemony, green pear and grapefruit flavours. Rounded mouth-feel from barrel-fermenting in “older, large barriques… one new Acacia barrel to the 6-months of barrel fermented elevage.” (89)
Rosehall Run Hungry Point Pinot Gris 2020 ($26)
Bright, straw colour; white peach bouquet with a mineral note and a touch of oak spice; medium-bodied, dry, white peach flavour; beautifully balanced, ending on a saline note. (90)
Rosehall Run JCR Chardonnay 2019 ($36)
Straw colour; spicy, toasty, apple nose; medium-bodied, dry, clove, lemon and apple flavours, beautifully balanced and well-structured. (91)
Rosehall Run Gewürztraminer Nedelko Vineyard 2020 ($28)
Bright, straw colour; aromatic nose of ginger and lychee; medium-bodied, dry, lychee and grapefruit flavours with a honeysuckle note. Lovely mouth-feel. (90)
Rosehall Run Small Lots “UV” Nedelko Vineyard 2019 (Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara, $39)
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot. Deep purple ruby in colour; cedary, plum and blackcurrant nose with new oak spice; medium-bodied, dry, juicy plum and blackcurrant flavours with ripe and pliant tannins. 20% aged in new French oak. (90)
I’ve also tasted some other wines recently:
Speck Brothers Family Tree “The Goat Lady” Chardonnay 2021 (Niagara Peninsula, $16.95)
Bright, pale gold in colour with a greenish tint; spicy, toasty nose of peach and green pineapple; medium-bodied, dry, creamy, clove, vanilla and pineapple flavours with well-integrated oak. Good value. (89) Continue reading
Bachelder 2020 Gamays
Thomas Bachelder left his heart in Burgundy; luckily, for the rest of us, he brought his winemaking talents to Niagara. Thomas thinks like a Burgundian. He only makes Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Gamay. This week is his La Violette Release (honouring his daughter Violette’s birthday). Rick VanSickle and I were invited to Thomas’ tasting room (in what he calls The Bat Cave) to sample the release: Continue reading
 | Frank Fraser on A Wine Lover’s Diary, part 759… |
 | Bob Josefchak on A Wine Lover’s Diary, part 749… |
 | Michael Scott on Wine of the Week for January 2… |
 | Cynthia & David… on A Wine Lover’s Diary, part 749… |
 | Dale on A Wine Lover’s Diary, part 746… |
