Too much tannin? No, just a ComicCon participant
Monday, August 24th: I received the following samples from Palatine Hills to review:
Palatine Hills whites and rosé
Palatine Hills Savage Brut Sparkling (traditional method)
Deep golden in colour; subdued mousse of fine bubbles; toasty, leesy bouquet of peaches; light to medium-bodied, dry; dried apricot flavour carried on fresh acidity, Drink now and through 2027. (89)
Food pairing: aperitif wine; oysters; sushi; strawberries.
Palatine Hills Pinot Grigio 2025 (Lincoln Lakeshore)
Almost water white; spicy, peach nose; medium-bodied, dry, peachy-melon flavour with a floral top note. Easy drinking, lovely mouth-feel. Drink now. (89)
Food pairing: goat cheese; mussels; seafood pasta.
Overtime Sauvignon Blanc 2024
Pale straw in colour; grassy, gooseberry nose; medium-bodied, dry, herbal, green plum flavours; firm finish with a touch of bitterness, Drink now. (88)
Food pairings: asparagus, artichoke; grilled pork.
Overtime Chardonnay 2023
Light straw colour with a greenish hue; toasty, apple bouquet; full-bodied, dry, viscous, apple flavour with a buttery note and a touch of bitterness on the finish. Drink now and through 2027. (88)
Food pairings: grilled fish; Camembert; chicken salad.
Palatine Hills Viognier 2024
Pale straw in colour; aromatic nose of honeysuckle and peach; medium to full-bodied, floral, peach and muskmelon flavours. Drink now. (89)
Food pairings: lobster bisque; roast chicken; blackened scallops.
Palatine Hills White Merlot 2025
Blush pink; lightly cedary, redcurrant and cranberry nose; full-bodied, just off-dry; expressive redcurrant and strawberry flavours with a slightly hard finish. Drink now. (86)
Food pairings: charcuterie; cheddar; hot dogs.
Palatine Hills reds
Palatine Hills Merlot 2024
Deep purple-ruby in colour; spicy, plum and currant nose with vanilla oak notes; medium to full-bodied, juicy red and black fruit flavours; well-balanced, firmly structured; good length. Drink now or hold 1 – 2 years.
Food pairings: roast beef; lamb chops; grilled mushrooms.
Overtime Merlot 2020
Deep ruby in colour with a tawny hue; cedary, plum and blackcurrant nose with oak spice; full-bodied, dry, savoury black fruit flavours with lively acidity, well-integrated oak and a bitter chocolate finish. Can be opened now but will reward 1–2 years’ cellaring. (90)
Food pairings: steak; beef stew; gourmet burgers.
Overtime Merlot 2021
Deep ruby in colour; cedary, plum and blackcurrant nose with a top note of oak spice; medium-to-full bodied, beautifully balanced, firmly structured with well-integrated oak and evident but ripe tannins on the end taste. Hold 1–2 years, (90–91)
Food pairings: red meats; game; hard cheeses.
Overtime Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
Deep purple-ruby in colour; cedary, blackcurrant nose with oak spice; full-bodied, dry, savoury with green fruit notes; firmly structured with a green pepper finish. Hold 1–2 years. (88)
Food pairings: roast lamb; steak; Gorgonzola.
Overtime Meritage 2021
Dense purple in colour; cedary, blackcurrant bouquet with oak spice; medium-to-full-bodied, dty. firmly structured; juicy, black and redcurrant flavours; well-balanced, nicely-integrated oak and good length. Hold 1–2 years. (90–91)
Food pairings: roast lamb; duck; game birds.
Dinner: Pasta with pesto linguine and sausages and the opened bottle of Overtime Meritage 2021.
Tuesday, August 25th: Dinner: Deborah made Easy Lime Chicken (from Gimme Some Oven) and we opened a bottle of Schuele Vineyards Small Lot Fume Blanc 2025 (Lincoln Lakeshore).
Thursday, August 27th: Deborah and I visited the Pump House Gallery in Niagara-on-the-Lake to see portraits of winemakers painted from photos (most taken by my friend Don Troyer) by artist Nancy Wardle.
Grape sculpture outside the Pump House Gallery, donated by the Bosc family
Peter Gamble and Ann Sperling
Allison Findlay, the first female winemaker at Niagara College Teaching Winery
Bill Redelmeier, proprietor of Southbrook Organic Vineyards
Dinner: shrimps in cream sauce with rice and asparagus with Trius Showcase Wild Ferment Chardonnay 2022.
Shrimp in cream sauce wine
Friday, August 28th: Deborah said she wanted a cheese soufflé for dinner. So, as a dutiful husband, that’s what I made – and served it with a bottle of Monte Creek Cabernet Franc 2023.
The Cab Franc, obviously floored by my soufflé
Saturday, August 29th: Deborah and I took the GO Train into Toronto to meet our friend Louie, his wife and new baby Albert for lunch. We bought Albert his first Blue Jays jersey. (Louie is the grandson of my late friend Michael Prior. I was at Epsom College with Mike eons ago.)
Albert
The train was packed with Jays supporters off to see the game – and ComicCon fans attending the convention – all in their “finery.”
This woman made the reverse bear trap from the horror movie Saw as her ComicCon costume
Another ComicCon attendee
We had lunch at Jack Astor’s, which was a mistake. The fries arrived cold. Took an early train back to Burlington so that we could attend Southbrook’s Estate Dinner in the evening, featuring Chef Tony DeLuca.
Estate dinner wines
Our friends from England, Alison and Richard, arrived soon after we got back. They will be staying with us for a few days. Alison and Richard run the Essex Wine Awards competition.
Sunday, August 30th: Lunch at Stonewall Winery with friends Adam and Zeena and Nora and Jack (who have made it a point to visit every winery in Ontario!).
Aperitif at Stonewall Winery
My lunch – Chinese street corn
