Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Grand Reserve Merlot 2010, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

 

From the very good 2010 vintage here in Ontario this Merlot has been sold out since last fall. This wine is 100% Merlot grapes with maturation in French oak for 18 months and alcohol comes in at 13%.

 

This Merlot opened up with a very sensuous bouquet of cherry, plum, vanilla, chocolate, toast, cedar and savoury spices. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied, slightly creamy and very smooth, balanced acidity and silky tannins. The wine finish is long, tasty, with flavours of creamy bakers chocolate, soft seductive fruit and gentle wood spices lingering. I love the savoury personality of this well made and beautifully balanced Merlot. A real treat, score 91 points.  

 

Purchased September 26, 2012 at the Glebe Wine Rack store in Ottawa at $19.95 



Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Grand Reserve Pinot Noir 2010, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

From the very good 2010 vintage in Ontario, this Pinot Noir maturation took place in French oak for over 10 months and alcohol comes in at 13%.

This wine opened up with an attractive bouquet of wild strawberry, plum, gentle wood spices and vanilla notes. On the mouthfeel, light-medium bodied with soft seductive fruit and spices flavours, fresh acidity and silky tannins. The ending is so smooth with those same soft berry fruit, sweet spices and fine tannins lingering. What you get from this Pinot Noir is a wine with great harmony, elegance and finesse, exactly the style of Pinot Noir that hits all the right notes for me. Strongly recommended, score 91 points.

Purchased March 30, 2013 at the Wine Rack in Ottawa at $19.95

Inniskillin Winemakers Series Three Vineyards Cabernet Franc 2010, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

Unfortunately there was no information posted on this wine from the winery web site. This wine did manage to score a gold medal at the Wine Access 2012 Canadian Wine Awards in the Cabernet Franc category and a top five finish in the red wine of the year category.

This wine opened up with aromas of red and black fruit, vanilla, savoury spices and sweet oak. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, flavourful, quit luscious with flavours of blackcurrant, stewed plum and tobacco leaf, noticeable acidity and fine well integrated tannins. Crushed ripe wild berries explode on this wine and a very smooth finish. While this wine may not be very typical of a Cabernet Franc in my view, in this very warm 2010 vintage, Inniskillin managed to make a very flavourful wine. Strongly recommended, score 89 points.

Purchased December 21, 2012 Wine Rack in Ottawa at $22.95

Henry of Pelham Reserve Cabernet/Merlot 2007, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

From the very good 2007 vintage in Ontario, this wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot; aging took place in French and American oak barrels (40% new) for 18 months.

This wine opened up with aromas of blackberry, cherry, plum, leather, tobacco, cracked pepper, vanilla, savoury and herbal notes. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied, dried herb flavours, spicy with fine texture, fresh acidity and silky tannins. Medium length on the finish, dry with savoury notes and tobacco flavours. I truly enjoyed the moderate alcohol at 13.5%, very well balance and enjoyable, savoury style red blend. Score 90 points.

Purchased September 3, 2011 LCBO New Release (395855) at $24.95

Le Clos Jordanne Claystone Terrace Pinot Noir 2008 VQA Niagara Peninsula, Twenty Mile Bench, Ontario, Canada

From the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay specialist, Le Clos Jordanne, this is a very masculine and slightly rustic style of PN. Maturation took place in French oak, 35% new oak and the remaining barrel percentage was a mix of used oak (from one to four years old barrels) with alcohol coming in at 12.5%.

A very exotic bouquet on this PN with aromas of sour cherry, pomegranate, forest floor, smoky, gentle wood spices with a strong stony minerality. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, flavours of blueberry, vanilla and wood smoke with a silky smooth texture, fresh acidity and fine tannins. This wine finish is long, smooth with complex flavours lingering. Again, this is another wine where the cork wasn’t exactly up to par, with dry wine on the foil and a soft, slightly wet cork. This PN is definitely not fruity or elegant, this is a more masculine, slightly edgy, mineral driven kind of PN. I would have preferred a little more fruit, but Le Clos Jordanne still managed to make a very interesting and enjoyable wine in a challenging vintage. Score 88 points.

Purchased August 6, 2012 at the Wine Rack in Ottawa for $35.00

Five Rows Sauvignon Blanc 2011, St David Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada

I had the opportunity to enjoy this wine over dinner, with friends at a local restaurant, Beckta Dining & Wine. Five Rows is a boutique winery, all estate grown fruit with a very interesting story. There were 99 cases produced of this Sauvignon Blanc (SB), 75% of the SB was fermented in four older French oak barrels (2x 2007 DAMY and 2x 2003 Berthomieu) the remaining 25% in stainless steel.

This wine opens up with aromas of citrus fruit (lemon-lime), gooseberry, yellow plum with light spices and vanilla notes. On the mouthfeel, a light to medium bodied wine(alcohol coming in at 12.4%), soft texture and refreshing flavours with excellent fruit-acid balance. The finish is very fresh, crisp with great energy and length. This is a well crafted, elegant Sauvignon Blanc, which when on a wine list makes the work of the Sommelier easier, because of the wine’s food friendly nature can easily match with so many varieties of food. In our case, three different appetizers paired with Five Rows Sauvignon Blanc 2011 and very much enjoyed by all. It is always nice to discover a new winery, thanks to Beckta’s Sommelier, Pieter Van den Weghe, for the excellent recommendation. Wine score, 91 points.  

Five Rows web address; http://www.fiverows.com/

Beckta Dining & Wine; http://beckta.com/

Enjoyed on September 7, 2012, restaurant price $58.00.