Fielding Estates is one of the first Niagara wineries to which I was introduced and one which I immediately gravitated towards. I first visited it soon after it opened, almost a decade ago, and their wines have been trusted friends ever since. I was first served tastings by Heidi in their start up Quonset ……
Karlo Estates – Lake on the Mountain Riesling (2010)
As popular as Karlo’s rosé (previously reviewed here), I would wager their biggest seller is probably this Riesling, and for good reason. As you will hear when you taste this wine at the winery, this wine is emblematic of Richard Karlo and his reputation for bringing balance and creativity into his wine. With a bit more upfront…
Karlo Estates – Frontenac Gris Rosé (2011)
Nothing quite says summer heat like a good rosé. It’s the wine I reach for when I’m hot and parched but still want wine. While I’d almost always prefer a good red, in the heat of the summer, when the ambient outdoor temperature will warm a glass of red before you get through a few…
Cycles Gladiator Petite Sirah (2012)
Here’s a grape that I quite adore for its huge body and rich taste: petite sirah (aka “Durif” outside California and Israel). This is a wine from a black-skinned grape variety, a variety known for its body and which is often used to embolden blends made from weaker grapes. If you don’t like red wine —…
Giordano Barbera D’asti (2007)
I had a number of options in choosing what to pair with my osso buco. I did think local … really, I did. But in the end, I went to the terroir of the dish, I went to Northern Italy, and I selected from my cellar a wine that’s been sitting there for about 5…
Keint-he Winery – Chardonnay (2009)
Moving to another burgeoning wine region of the country, Prince Edward County. This hidden peninsula is quietly tucked away between where Lake Ontario gives its final gasp and becomes the head waters of the St Lawrence, this is a relatively young wine producing region with some delicious secrets that I’ve quite grown to love…
Red Rooster – Gewürztraminer (2012)
One sip, and you’re caught in a flavourful and syrupy bouquet of white fruit: pear and lychee. And, if fruit-forward isn’t enough, well, it ends with a splash of citrus: yes, as the label reads, you will certainly taste a fully-ripe and sweet grapefruit at the end. Produced on the southern tip of Okanagan Lake…
Malivoire Gamay (2012)
Food and wine … a splendid marriage for the ages. Starting in 2014, I’ll be adding a few wine reviews to my blog. I make no pretensions of being a wine critic or sommelier. I have no credentials other than my palette which loves to explore and taste. And while I have no pretensions, I…