Tuesday, April 30^th: Went to Flat Rock Cellars to taste the newest, unreleased vintages of their single-vineyard Capstone Series wines (Gravity Pinot Noir, The Rusty Shed Chardonnay and Nadja’s Vineyard Riesling) as well as a chance to take an early look at the 2023 vintage in barrel and to experience the new tasting room that overlooks the vineyard.

Flat Rock’s owner, Ed Madronich

We started with a new, experimental wine – Flat Rock Cellars Pinot Noir/Chardonnay 2023 – a Pinot Noir with 20% Chardonnay. Unfiltered, barrel sample. Red berry nose, medium-bodied, dry; spicy, raspberry flavour with a floral note; fresh and fruity. (90)

Flat Rock Cellars Capstone Series Pinot Noir 2023 (unfiltered, barrel sample)
Ruby-purple in colour; cedary, vanilla nose of raspberries with a light floral note; medium-bodied, dry, lean and sinewy; Burgundian style. (91)

Flat Rock Cellars Gravity Pinot Noir 2021
Mature ruby colour; earthy, black tea and raspberry on the nose; medium-bodied, dry, elegant; firmly structured and well-balanced. (90)

Flat Rock Cellars Gravity Pinot Noir 2014
Tawny-ruby in colour; sweet strawberry bouquet with oak spice; medium-bodied, dry, Burgundian style (reminiscent of a Volnay); beautifully balanced, great length. (93)

Flat Rock Cellars Rusty Shed Chardonnay 2023 (barrel sample – unfiltered)
Straw colour with a greenish tint; green apple and vanilla nose; medium-bodied, dry, well-balanced, well-integrated oak; green apple flavour with lively acidity, (91 – 92)

Flat Rock Cellars Rusty Shed Chardonnay 2021
Straw colour with a lime tint; toasty, apple nose; medium to full-bodied, dry, green pineapple flavour; juicy and well-balanced, Great length. Comes on like a Pouilly-Fuissé. (93)

Flat Rock Cellars Rusty Shed Chardonnay 2014
Straw colour with a lime tint; toasty, barnyard, apple nose (very Burgundian) beautifully balanced flavours of peach and pineapple. (94)

Flat Rock Cellars Nadja’s Riesling 2021
Bright, straw colour; floral, grapefruit nose; light-bodied, crisply dry, lime and grapefruit flavours; great length in the mouth. (91)

Flat Rock Cellars Nadja’s Riesling 2014
Straw-lime in colour; minerally, petrol and citrus nose; off-dry, light-bodied, honeyed grapefruit flavour, very elegant, Rheingau Spätlese style; great length. (94)

Flat Rock tasting

Friday, May 3^rd: Tasted the following wines from River Stone Estate Winery in the southern Okanagan.

River Stone Estate Winery Sauvignon Blanc 2023
Pale straw in colour; intense nose of green pepper and passionfruit (very Marlborough, New Zealand, in style); medium-bodied, dry, fresh gooseberry and green plum flavours with a long green apple finish. (91)

River Stone Estate Winery Splash 2023
A blend of Pinot Gris, Viognier, Gewurztraminer. White gold in colour; aromatic, floral, peachy nose with a thread of minerality; medium-bodied, just off-dry with a peach and lychee flavour. A little Gewurz goes a long way! Well-balanced and easy drinking. (90)

River Stone Estate Winery Cabernet Franc Rosé 2023
Burnt orange-pink in colour; lightly floral, strawberry and watermelon nose with a note of crushed stones; dry, medium to full-bodied, dry, ripe red berry flavours carried on lively acidity. (90)

River Stone Estate Winery Cabernet Franc Boulder City Vineyard 2021
Ruby colour; cedar, vanilla and redcurrant bouquet with oak spice; medium to full-bodied, dry, well-balanced, firmly structured with ripe tannins; flavours of red and blackcurrant and black plum. Needs two years of cellaring to reach its peak. (90–92)

River Stone Estate Winery Sparkling White Merlot 2023 (“with a touch of Malbec”)
Salmon pink in colour; active mousse; strawberry bouquet; light-bodied, well-balanced, off-dry flavour of wild strawberries. (89)

River Stone wines

Saturday, May 4^th: Nina Hofer picked me up at 7:30 am to drive to Toronto. We are both judges at the Ontario Wine Awards held at George Brown College on Adelaide St. We tasted 125 wines in ten flights.

Tasting at the Ontario Wine Awards

On the way back home, Nina’s car broke down on the QEW. She managed to steer it to the side of the road and called CAA. There was a pool of steering column fluid under the front of the vehicle. The first tow truck that arrived did not have room for two passengers, in spite of the fact Nina told them were were two people. About an hour later, her Lexus was loaded on to a flat bed of a second truck. A scary experience. (And, to compound the misery, the Leafs lost!)

Telltale damage to the Lexus’s steering column

Sorry sight

Sunday, May 5^th: Today Deborah and I leave to for annual wine tour to the Rhône Valley, flying to London and then Lyon. The a couple of nights in London. Looking forward to tasting at Canada House on May 14^th.

Other wines tasted this week:

Château des Charmes Aligoté Cuvée Michèle 2021 ($15.95, Niagara-on-the Lake. In memory of Michèle Bosc, $1 from the sale of each bottle of Cuvée Michèle Aligoté at the winery or online will be donated to the Camp Kerry Society, which specializes in providing bereavement programs and support to individuals and families impacted by serious illness, grief and loss.)
Bright, pale straw in colour; minerally, citrus and white peach nose; light-bodied, crisply dry; apple and green peach flavours; fresh and lively on the palate. (89)

Château des Charmes Sauvignon Blanc 2022 ($15.95, Niagara-on-the Lake)
Pale straw in colour; grassy, green plum nose; medium-bodied, dry, green apple, green plum and lemon flavours with a touch of bitterness on the finish; good length. (89)

Château des Charmes Gamay Noir 2021 ($15.95, Niagara-on-the-Lake)
Ruby red in colour; toasty, cherry bouquet with oak spice; medium-bodied, dry; sour cherry flavour carried on lively acidity, Good length. Great value, (89)

Château des Charmes Pinot Noir Cuvée Michèle 2021 ($16.95, Niagara-on-the-Lake)
Ruby colour with a tawny rim; cedary, black raspberry bouquet with oak spice; medium-bodied, dry, mature, cherry and strawberry flavours. Lovely mouth feel; ripe tannins on the finish. (90)

Château des Charmes Fumé 2022 (St. David’s Bench)
Bright, straw colour; grassy, green plum bouquet with oak spice; medium-bodied, dry, crisp, green apple and green plum flavours; well-integrated oak. Great length. (90)