Monday, September 8^th: Tasted a case of Niagara College wines this morning:

NCTW Balance Brut (N/V)
A blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Pale straw colour; active mousse of tiny bubbles; toasty. Leesy, apple and lemon zest bouquet; light-bodied, crisply dry, elegant, apple and lemon flavours. Lives up to its name on balance. Great length. (90)

NCTW Balance Chardonnay Barrel-Fermented 2021 (St. David’s Bench)
Light straw in colour; apple bouquet with caramel notes and oak spice; medium-bodied, dry, toasty, crab apple flavour; well-balanced, nicely integrated oak; firmly structured. (89)

NCTW Dean’s List Riesling 2024 (St. David’s Bench)
Palest straw colour; lightly floral, grapefruit bouquet; light-bodied, just off-dry, honeyed grapefruit and lime flavours. Good length. Drink now but will cellar well for five years. (90)

NCTW Dean’s List Chardonnay 2019 (St. David’s Bench)
Pale lemon colour; toasty nose of yellow apples with a floral grace note; medium-bodied, dry, apple and melon flavours with a toasty oak note; Lovely mouth-feel, great length. Drink now and through 2028. (90)

NCTW Dean’s List Viognier 2023 (St. David’s Bench)
Pale straw in colour; honeysuckle and peach bouquet; medium to full-bodied, dry, spicy peach flavour. Lovely mouth feel, great length. (89)

NCTW Dean’s List Cabernet France Rosé 2023 (Four Mile Creek)
Light pink in colour with an orange tint; spicy, cranberry nose; medium-bodied, crisply dry, cranberry and strawberry flavours carried on lively acidity.

NCTW Balance Pinot Noir 2021 (Four Mile Creek)
Light ruby colour with a tawny note; raspberry and tealeaf notes on the nose; medium-bodied, dry, raspberry flavour with well-integrated oak. Lovely mouth-feel. Drink now and through 2028. Purple colour; floral, ripe plum bouquet with oak spice; medium-bodied, dry, mouth-filling flavours of plum and black cherry with well-integrated oak; firmly structured with ripe tannins. Hold 1–2 years. (91)

NCTW Balance Syrah 2023 (Niagara Lakeshore)
Deep purple in colour; cedary, blackberry with white pepper notes on the nose; medium to full-bodied, dry, savoury, mulberry flavour with oak notes; well-balanced and firmly structured, and lively spine of acidity. (89)

NCTW Dean’s List Cabernet Franc 2022 (St. David’s Bench)
Deep ruby-purple in colour; cedary, spicy, black plum nose with oak notes; medium-bodied, dry, plum and black cherry flavours with a floral lift; firmly structured, well-balanced and a muscular mouth feel. Hold 1–2 years. (90)

NCTW Dean’s List Merlot 2020 (Niagara Peninsula)
Deep purple colour; blackberry and pencil lead bouquet with oak spice; full-bodied, dry, richly extracted plum and blackcurrant flavours with evident but ripe tannins. Hold for two years. (92)

NCTW Dean’s List Meritage 2020 (Niagara Peninsula)
56% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, with Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot.
Dense purple in colour; spicy, cedary nose of black fruits; medium to full-bodied, dry, savoury, blackberry and black plum flavours with well-integrated oak and supple, chewy tannins. Hold for two years. (91)

Tuesday, September 9^th: Since Deborah is away in France for a week, I decided to give my liver a vacation and drink no wine till she returned (!). Some friends suggested the four of us go to dinner at Aura, an Indian restaurant in Niagara-on-the-Lake, but pop into their house for a pre-prandial drink. I had an alcohol-free Mojito, whatever that is.

Friday, September 12^th: Prepared lunch for my friends (five of us and two Samoyeds). I served a charcuteries board, with Murviedro Brut Nature Cava, prosciutto-stuffed pasta pockets in tomato sauce and salad, with Malivoire Moira Rosé 2023. Dessert: slices of carrot cake.

Saturday, September 13^th: Mercifully, Deborah returned safe and sound and I celebrated by opening a bottle of Marty Werner’s MW Cellars Sauvignon Blanc 2024 with a pasta and pesto sauce. And a cognac.

Upshot of my dry week: I lost four pounds.

(photo of bottle, not me!)