Reif Estate 2006 Cabernet Franc

Found April 2011

As I sit at my desk to write this unfortunate review I can think of only one word to describe this wine: sinister.  I was at a get together with friends who appreciate Ontario wines and I thought this would be an interesting wine to try.  Here's why:  A few years back I held a Cabernet Franc Challenge and this wine was one of those wines that ended up in the bottom tier of the judging, I set it aside in the hopes that it would come around (after all it was one of the youngest Francs in the competition and the producer usually makes good product).  As it turned out my hope was for not.  This wine was nasty from the get go and now 5 years from Vintage date it has no redeeming qualities to it whatsoever.  Words around the room used to describe it were "bitter", "nasty", "cough syrup", "weird" and "not even good enough for salad".  I don't know what else I can say after that except if you happen to have any of this wine in your cellar (as I did) you might want to take the bottles directly to the sink, do not pass go because you will definitely not collect 200 dollars ... pour it down, my friends, pour it down.  Lost & Found Rating:  Trash

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Calamus Estate 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon

Click here to read the original review from February 2008

(Re-Tasted April 2011) ... It was not really a good day for trying Ontario wines, some days are just like that, you want to drink wine from a region but everything you open doesn`t work out.  You probably read about the nasty Reif 2006 Cabernet Franc opened earlier this day, well later we opened a bottle of Calamus 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, with better, but not great results.  The nose was initially rife with acetone notes and a little bitter on the palate.  After finishing those few mouthfuls I grabbed up the bottle, screwed the cap back on and gave the bottle a vigorous shaking, much to the room`s shock.  I then poured myself another tasting.  The results of the sudden shock of aeration vastly improved what was shaping up to be a miserable drinking experience ... the acetone crept into the background and revealed dried blackberries and forest floor aromas.  The bitterness also abated and turned into dried blackberry on the tongue, but there was also a prevalence of  bitter wood tannins making there way up the back palate and onto the finish, which I suspect will soon take over the front as well.  As my host pointed out, `this wine is on the decline`; so if you have some in your cellar the time to drink it now, give it plenty of air, and a good shake.

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Angels Gate 2006 Sussreserve Riesling

 

Click here to read the original review from April 2007 - OWR Newsletter #55

(Re-Tasted April 2011) ... I feel I got really lucky with this wine.  Better yet, I feel that Angels Gate got really lucky with this wine.  Not because it worked from concept to wine - the idea of Sussreserving is not a new one - but because they sealed it with a plastic cork and there seems to be little damage to the wine because of it.  I am not going to get into a rant about plastic cork here, though I think they are a blight on the wine world - but I will say that my bottle seemed to be okay (for the most part), if you have any in your cellar, it might not be.  Anyway, tonight was Chinese food night and so a Riesling seemed to be the perfect thing to pair it with.  On the nose this wine have a slight petrol note, some sweet tropical aromas (like pineapple in syrup) and just a hint of oxidation, just a hint mind you.  On the palate there was plenty of apple juice like qualities and a slight lemon rind bitterness on the finish.  All-in-all not bad for 6 years from Vintage date and being under plastic this whole time.  But as I said, if you have any in your cellar or collection, it`s time to fish it out and test the waters, so to speak. 

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