Fielding Estate Winery 2006 Sparkling Riesling

Click here to read the original review from July 3, 2007 Weekly Wine Note

(Re-Tasted May 2011) ... Another Friday night and another bottle of bubbly opened ... tonight we were celebrating being young and alive, or was it the coming of spring weather on the weekend, or maybe because it was a quiet night at home ... really do I need a right proper reason to open bubbles?  I chose this inaugural Fielding bubbly for this non-occasion and wondered how a 5 year old sparkling Riesling would taste.  First I have to say the bubbles were quite persistent and long living for a wine that was made in the Charmat method (I expect shorter lived bubbles, you know, they die in the glass 20 minutes after the wine has been opened).  The nose was baked apple and pear, while the palate showed hints of petrol and lovely tangerine notes.  Not sure what I expected but what I got was more than I bargained for - I still have a bottle of this left, will be interesting to taste in another few years.

For more wine reviews and related articles go to www.ontariowinereview.com, while there sign up for Michael's free bi-weekly newsletter.

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

For more wine reviews and related articles go to www.ontariowinereview.com, while there sign up for Michael's free bi-weekly newsletter.

 

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.

For more wine reviews and related articles go to www.ontariowinereview.com, while there sign up for Michael's free bi-weekly newsletter.

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. 

For more wine reviews and related articles go to www.ontariowinereview.com, while there sign up for Michael's free bi-weekly newsletter.

Stoney Ridge 2005 Wismer Vineyard Cabernet Franc Reserve

Click here to read the original review from January 2008 ... OWR Newsletter #74

... and also the Taste It Again review from March 3, 2009

(Re-Tasted March 2011) ... Why I seem to drag this wine out in March I am not sure.  Two years ago, almost to the day, I pulled a bottle of this out from the cellar and gave it a re-taste, and it showed very well.  Not surprising, it was only a year from whence I tasted it (or at least posted my review).  Now some 3 years from the original review, two years from last tasting and 6 years from vintage date it is time to re-taste this wine again.  This wine was made by Stoney Ridge's then winemaker Liubomir Popovici and he has done some really good work on this wine.  The nose has some great blackberry, cassis, cedar and good spices lingering around; the taste is loaded with spice, cassis, chocolate liqueur, some dried red fruits (namely raspberry and cherry).  Across the tongue it is smooth yet with enough tannins to make it interesting, there is still a few years left in this bottle and as I check my inventory I see I will be reviewing this wine a few more times before I am done with what I have.  I am sure that over time winemaker Liubomir P has been referred to as "Lube" ... and I would say this is a good oil (wine) by Lube with no filler; (though I am not sure if it is unfiltered - or the pun would be even better).  If you have any of this wine you could sit it for a few more years or enjoy it now with a little decanting.

For more wine reviews and related articles go to www.ontariowinereview.com, while there sign up for Michael's free bi-weekly newsletter.

Reif Estate 2004 Merlot

Found February 2011

As a result of a misstep, this same night, with a Jackson Triggs 2004, I opened a same vintage Merlot from Reif ... first I was glad to see a real cork closure ... now let's see if it made a difference to this dismal year dated wine.  While not the most exciting or impactful nose the wine did show signs of being drinkable.  When left to stand the wine gave off rotted aromas that were kind of off-putting, but when aerated you could find dried raspberries, dried leaves and cedary notes.  The palate proved to be inviting and off-putting all at the same time.  A tad herbaceous, some cedar (especially on the finish), a very forest-floor, dried leaves character passing over the tongue ... for those who like those mature flavours in wine this was a very interesting specimen, although it tasted much older than it was.  All-in-all it was drinkable, but barely.  If you have any in the cellar this wine is past its prime and on a downward trajectory from its peak, but still I found it enjoyable in a purely academic way.  Lost & Found Rating:  Tolerable

For more wine reviews and related articles go to www.ontariowinereview.com, while there sign up for Michael's free bi-weekly newsletter.

Jackson Triggs 2004 Proprietors' Reserve Cabernet Franc / Cabernet Sauvignon

Found February 2011

Now I know 2004 was not a great year in Ontario, especially for reds, but I remember being a fan of this wine from J-T and thinking maybe in a few years time it'll show just as nicely if not better than on the day I first tried it.  Well now 6 years later I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt, I was wrong ... the wine has aged piss-poorly to put it delicately.  Smells of rotting fruit, forest floor (read: rotten leaves / vegetation) and oxidation plague both the nose and palate ... the taste is bitter and nasty.  As I said before, I know 2004 was not a great year, but J-T could have given this wine a fighting chance by using a better closure, the plastic cork did this wine a real disservice.  If only producers would put that warning on the packaging ("sealed with synthetic cork") then I, and other wine lovers like me, who age their wines, wouldn't be so disappointed when we open a bottle sealed with this soul-sucking nastiness ... fact is, had I known I never would have laid it down in the first place.  Lost & Found Rating:  Trash

For more wine reviews and related articles go to www.ontariowinereview.com, while there sign up for Michael's free bi-weekly newsletter.