My wife has a strong dislike for Chardonnay but a fond love for Chardonnay Musqué. This raised the question in my mind, what makes Chardonnay Musqué different from Chardonnay? Is there truly a discernible difference? My wife argues that absolutely there is.
I set forth on a research expedition to determine if there is a difference, and if so, why.
What I learned is that Chardonnay Musqué is an aromatic mutation of the Chardonnay grape. It is grown principally in the vineyards of Canada’s Niagara Peninsula and New York’s Finger Lakes.
The typical Chardonnay Musqué wine is off-dry, medium bodied, and has the distinctive, grapey, Muscat-like aroma. Depending on the region and producer, other flavours and aromas might range from tropical fruit to cinnamon-tinged lemon sorbet.
There are over 40 different clones of Chardonnay, but only two of these can be called “Musqué” due to their aromatic qualities. For you techies they are Clone 77 and Clone 809. These wines are generally unoaked in order to preserve the fresh and fragrant aromas natural to the grape. This is the reason why my wife likes it so much (she has a real aversion to any oaked white wine)
Several Ontario vineyards are now planted with musqué clones and the grapes may be used as either part of a blend or bottled on their own.
Generally these wines are best when consumed relatively young. The aromas of Chardonnay Musqué are reminiscent of Viognier or even Torrontes, and it can be made in a range of styles from dry to a little sweet to quite sweet, sometimes even with a slight spritz.
Chardonnay Musqué can be enjoyed on its own on a warm spring or summer day, or paired with mild curries, sushi, salads, grilled salmon, or seafood.
There are several Ontario wineries using one or both Chardonnay Musqué clones in their wines. Trail Vintner’s Weiss uses Chardonnay Musqué as part of a Riesling Chardonnay Musqué blend, while other producers, such as Chateau des Charmes, Cave Spring Cellars, and Vineland Estates, prefer to bottle the clone on its own.
A few Ontario Chardonnay Musqués:
Chateau des Charmes
Paul Bosc, founder of Chateau des Charmes, chose the particularly fragrant and interesting Clone 809 for his Chardonnay Musqué. Only about 500 cases are bottled by the winery annually. The 2015 vintage is available from the winery or online for $14.95.
Cave Spring Cellars
Cave Spring Cellars 2016 Chardonnay Musqué is made from 100% Chardonnay Musqué Clone 77. This wine is fermented in stainless steel and unoaked so as to maintain every nuance of the delightful aromatics of the Chardonnay Musqué grape. It’s a wine of refinement and class. Floral, yes, but it also offers bright citrus, tropical fruit, peach and a hint of vanilla aromas. Try it with green salads or shrimp Pad Thai. It is available from the LCBO for $17.95.
Vineland Estates
Their 2016 Chardonnay Musqué is available from the winery or online for $17.95. The wine is described as having an abundance of warm summer melon, lime zest and tangerine aromas that roll in the glass while the welcomed edge of acidity focuses and the perfect trace of a bitter finish.
Trail Vintner’s Weiss
The 2017 Riesling Chardonnay Musqué blend is available at the LCBO for $19.95. According to Natalie MacLean it is a delightful, vibrant white wine blend of Riesling and Chardonnay Musqué grapes form Prince Edward County. It has aromas of daisies, lychee, apple blossom and white peach, and is balanced with racy acidity for shellfish and vegetarian dishes.
If you are a fan of Chardonnay, and unoaked Chardonnay in particular, trying Chardonnay Musqué would be well worth your while; just ask my wife.
These are some wines and wineries which have been in the spot light for doing good things during the past year or so and would be worth while checking out if you have the opportunity.
The wineries presented here are based on my own interpretation of critic reviews and award results over the past year or so. However, the overview of each winery is based on information provided directly from the winery.
Unfortunately not all of the wines mentioned will be found in your local wine or liquor store. Many have to be obtained or ordered directly from the winery using their web site. Some can be found in select restaurants. I have included wines that have since been sold out in order to note that future releases of these wines should receive due consideration.
In order to be unbiased, the wineries are being presented in alphabetical order.
Big Head Wines
According to their web site, Big Head is a family of passionate individuals that love all things vinous. They have been making wine in the Niagara area for over a decade, and this is their first project on their own. They source only the best fruit from the Niagara region, working closely with growers that share their attention to detail and pursuit of the highest quality.
The wines of recent notoriety:
2018 Gewurztraminer – Sold out
2017 Chardonnay Stainless – Sold out
2017 RAW Syrah – $48 at the winery
2016 Special Select Late Harvest Riesling – $38 at the winery
2017 RAW Chenin Blanc – $38 at the winery
Creekside Estate Winery
Creekside Estate Winery opened in 1997 in small-town Jordan, Ontario. The Winery is run by industry veterans who have decades of experience in their respective fields.
The wines of recent notoriety:
2017 Iconoclast Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon – $23 at the winery, sold out at the LCBO
2016 Broken Press Syrah Reserve – $55 at the winery
2015 Broken Press Syrah Reserve – Sold out
Flat Rock Cellars
Flat Rock Cellars vineyard produces low yields, utilizes progressive viticulture practices and hand picking and sorting of the grapes.
Founded in 1999 on a section of the Niagara Escarpment known as the Jordan Bench, Flat Rock Cellars is located on a gently rolling slope.
Their predominant wine is red. The rocks that are the geological foundation of the winery and found throughout the property are the roots of the Flat Rock Cellars name.
When Coyote’s Run was sold and closed, Dave Sheppard returned to Flat Rock and is back at the helm of winemaking – and for Flat Rock this is an amazing coup.
The wines of recent notoriety:
2015 Gravity Pinot Noir – $50 at the winery
2017 Chardonnay – $19.95 at Vintages at the LCBO
Hidden Bench Estate Winery
The critically acclaimed estate winery is in the heart of the Beamsville Bench. Premium wines are crafted using only certified organic estate fruit with sustainable, non-interventionist winemaking techniques.
They create only 100% estate grown wines in two series: the Estate Series, which are blends of their three vineyards; and the Terroir Series, which are single vineyard and/or barrel selection, limited production wines.
They produce 100% estate premium Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling.
The wines of recent notoriety:
2017 Pinot Noir Unfiltered – Sold Out
2016 Chardonnay Felseck Vineyard – $42.20 at the winery
2017 Estate Chardonnay – $29.95 at the winery
2016 Chardonnay Tête de Cuvée – $48.20 at the winery
2016 Riesling Felseck Vineyard – $30.20 at the winery
Konzelmann Estate
The winery began in the small German town of Uhlbach near the turn of the 19th century, when a restauranteur named Frederick Konzelmann left the culinary trade to pursue the craft of winemaking. By 1984 the Konzelmann family immigrated to Canada, purchased a lakefront peach orchard and created the vineyard.
The wines of recent notoriety:
2017 Lakefront Series Pinot Blanc – Sold out
2016 Meritage Reserve – Sold out
Leaning Post Wines
Leaning Post began as a virtual winery and is proud to now have the quaint tasting room at 1491 Hwy 8 on their home property in Winona, Ontario. Ilya and Nadia are the brains and passion behind Leaning Post Wines. It started with a dream to take unique, interesting single vineyard blocks in Niagara and turn them into distinctive, terroir driven wines.
Ilya has been a winemaker in the Niagara Region for the last 17 vintages working at Daniel Lenko Estate Winery, Foreign Affair and now at Leaning Post Wines. Ilya is also a consulting winemaker at the Good Earth Winery.
The wines of recent notoriety:
2017 Chardonnay Senchuk Vineyard – Sold Out
2016 Chardonnay Clone 96 – Sold out
Malivoire Winery
The winery began in 1995 with the purchase of what is now known as the Moira Vineyard, followed by the acquisition of the larger property where the winery now stands. Original plantings of Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Gamay and Pinot Noir were supplemented in the following years by additional vinifera varieties. Today Malivoire operates at the top of its capacity, producing twenty-four thousand cases of wine per year.
The wines of recent notoriety:
2016 Stouck Merlot – Sold out
2017 Old Vines Foch – $26.95 at the winery
2016 Pinot Noir, Small Lot – Sold out
2016 Courtney Gamay – Sold out
Marynissen Estates
Marynissen Estates has its roots deeply embedded in the soil of Niagara-on-the-Lake. Located in the Four Mile Creek sub appellation, the estate is home to the oldest commercial planting of Cabernet Sauvignon in Canada. The property, an old pig barn, was purchased in 1953 by viticulture pioneer John Marynissen and his wife Adrianna. John and Adrianna began growing their own grapes in 1976, planting the classic European vinifera grape varietals Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Merlot and Gamay Noir. There focus is on small-lot winemaking.
The wines of recent notoriety:
2015 Heritage Collection Red – $34.95 at the winery
2015 Platinum Series Pinot Noir – Sold out
Megalomaniac
The winery first opened its cellar doors to the public in 2009. All operations from harvest to administration and even tastings took place in the underground cellar. Today, guests experience the Megalomaniac portfolio within a newly constructed establishment built above the original cellar.
The wines of recent notoriety:
Bubblehead Sparkling Pinot Noir – $34.95 at the winery
2017 Coldhearted Riesling Icewine – $39.95 at the winery
2018 Sparkling Personality – $19.95 at the LCBO
2016 Big Mouth Merlot – Sold out
Peller Estates Niagara-on-the-Lake
At the age of 58, thirty-four years after arriving in Canada, Andrew Peller’s modest Okanagan vineyard inspired a vision for the entire family and he opened wineries in British Columbia, Ontario and Nova Scotia.
The wines of recent notoriety:
2018 Private Reserve Sauvignon Blanc – Sold out
2017 Andrew Peller Signature Series Riesling – Sold out
Rosehall Run Vineyards
Dan and Lynn Sullivan, with support from Cam Reston, founded Rosehall Run in 2000. The 150-acre farm was selected due to its proximity to Lake Ontario. One of the earliest Prince Edward County wineries established in the west central region known as Hillier Ward; planting of the vineyard began in 2001 with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Today there are 25 acres of vinifera including Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Muscat and Tempranillo.
The wines of recent notoriety:
2017 JCR Pinot Noir – $39.95 at the winery
2016 Cabernet Franc Single Vineyard – $34.95 at the winery
Tawse Winery
Situated on the lower slopes of the Niagara Escarpment, Tawse is a family-owned organic and biodynamic winery, voted Canada’s Winery of the Year in 2010, 2011, 2012 & 2016. Founder Moray Tawse purchased 6 acres on the Cherry Avenue property in 2001. In 2005 he opened his state-of-the-art winery, complete with a six-level, gravity-flow design, geo-thermal system and a wetland bio-filter. The inspiration for his first Niagara property came from his love of Burgundian Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Uniting traditional winemaking techniques with state-of-the-art technology, Tawse is dedicated to producing terroir-driven wines of exceptional elegance, depth and character.
The wines of recent notoriety:
2015 Meritage – Sold out
2016 Riesling Sketches of Niagara – $19.95 at the winery or the LCBO
2015 Chardonnay, Robyn’s Block – Sold out
2013 Lenko Vineyard Chardonnay – Sold out
2015 David’s Block Cabernet Franc – Sold out
Tawse 2013 Quarry Road Chardonnay – Sold out
The Foreign Affair
In 2000, taking a leap of faith, Len and Marisa Crispino bought prime farmland in the Vineland area of the Niagara Peninsula starting their journey to becoming one of the pioneers of appassimento in Canada. They then sourced quality vinifera varietals from Europe (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Riesling) and after three years, the first crop was harvested in 2004.
When the grapes have fully ripened, the best bunches are hand harvested and placed gently in single layers on racks to air dry in their drying barns. They are left to dry naturally until their weight is reduced to approximately half, which can take between 2 and 3 months. The grapes are then hand sorted and crushed. This process concentrates the ripe flavours and adds the full-bodied character they are so well known for.
The wines of recent notoriety:
2015 Dream (red) – Sold out
2015 Temptress (red) – Sold out
The Organized Crime Winery
This small boutique winery is located on the Beamsville Bench of the Niagara Peninsula. Their parcel of south-facing land lies over the hillside edges of the Bench, and provides an ideal environment for cool climate winegrowing.
They farm the land themselves and assist in the winemaking throughout all stages of the process. Production volumes are very small. They lean towards the passion side of the business, rather than the commercial.
The wines of recent notoriety:
2017 Cuvée Krystyna Chardonnay – Sold out
2017 Limestone Block Chardonnay – $21 at the winery
2016 Cabernet Franc – $42 at the winery
Thirty Bench Wine Makers
“The Bench” is a narrow plateau that slopes gradually from the cliff of the Niagara Escarpment. Its mineral-rich soils, unique topography and favourable airflow patterns have made it one of Niagara’s most coveted sub appellations for growing grapes. Being tucked beneath the Escarpment offers the vineyards a longer season that allow grapes more time to ripen and cooler nights that help intensify flavours.
Thirty Bench wines are made exclusively with grapes from their own vineyards. The vines are hand cropped and thinned to produce very low yields that offer exceptional quality and an intensity of fruit.
They are committed to “Small Lot” winemaking which means many of the wines are made in extremely limited numbers.
The wines of recent notoriety:
2017 Small Lot Riesling Triangle Vineyard – $29.95 at the winery
2017 Small Lot Riesling Steel Post Vineyard – Sold out at winery
2017 Small Lot Gewurztraminer – $29.95 at the winery
Trius Winery
It’s been over 27 years since Trius Red, a Bordeaux blend-inspired wine produced by Hillebrand Winery entered the international wine scene when it became the first-ever Canadian vintage to be recognized as the Best Red Wine in the World. In addition to positioning Trius Red as the little big red that could, the win marked an important step for the Canadian wine industry, sending a signal that Canada’s wine could stand on their own against old world wines.
While Trius Red was originally the only Trius wine in the Hillebrand Winery portfolio, over time the portfolio grew to include sparkling wines and other offerings including Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling. In 2012, Trius Winery was born.
The wines of recent notoriety:
2017 Showcase Clean Slate Sauvignon Blanc Wild Ferment – Sold out
2016 Red Shale Cabernet Franc Clark Farm Vineyard- $65 at the winery
Two Sisters Vineyards
Two Sisters is located at the northern tip of the Niagara River sub-appellation bordered by the Niagara River to the East and Lake Ontario to the North. The river’s flow creates air convection currents which create moderate temperatures and draw cold air away from vineyards and into the river gorge. To the north, breezes from Lake Ontario provide a reliable and widely distributed moderating effect on temperatures throughout the seasons. These air currents ward off early spring and late fall frosts and most notably support an extended growing season giving us an advantage on their later-ripening varieties.
Two Sisters is committed to produce ultra-premium reds which require superior viticultural practices. They emphasize the varieties the estate grows best with their terroir; Cabernet Franc with its earthy structure, Cabernet Sauvignon for its rich, muscular presence and Merlot for its perfumed, elegant harmony between red and dark fruit aroma and taste. Their objective is to let the grapes hang well into the autumn.
The wines of recent notoriety:
2016 Unoaked Chardonnay – Sold out at winery
2013 Stone Eagle Special Selection (red)- $77.80 at the winery, Sold out at LCBO
Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate
Nestled into 11.5 acres of the Niagara Peninsula, the Niagara Estate vineyard makes the most of this cool climate viticulture region.
Premium quality grapes flourish around Niagara-on-the-Lake because of the warming and cooling influences of Lake Ontario and its proximity to the Niagara Escarpment. The Niagara Estate produces the same high quality wines that you would associate with similar world-class regions such as Burgundy, Oregon and New Zealand, but with its own distinctive characteristics resulting from the unique terroir of the area.
The vineyard features 3 classic varietals: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Riesling grown from the finest vinifera clones and rootstocks, custom grafted in France. The winemakers also work very closely with a number of carefully selected grape growers in the Niagara region to augment their supply of premium vinifera grapes such as Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gewürztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc.
The wines of recent notoriety:
2016 Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Grand Reserve Merlot – $25.95 at the winery, Sold out at LCBO
Personal Taste
Prices can range dramatically on the wines within and between the various wineries. Some of the wineries are mainstays that have been producing great wine for many years. Others are newer to the industry and are making an impressive name for themselves.
On numerous occasions I have enjoyed the wines of Flat Rock Cellars, Jackson-Triggs, Konzelmann Estate, Malivoire Winery, Marynissen Estates, Peller Estates, Rosehall Run, Tawse, and Trius. More recently I have discovered Two Sisters (a winner in my opinion).
I have yet to have the opportunity to try any wines from Big Head Wines, Creekside, Hidden Bench Estate Winery, Leaning Post, Thirty Bench, Organized Crime or The Foreign Affair.
I must admit that I have tried both Trius and Megalomaniac wines but did not find either to my liking. That is not to say that their wines are not good, they just don’t strike a chord for me. Trius is, in fact, one of the most critically acclaimed wineries in Canada and has been for many years so the quality of their wines is top notch.
If you get the chance to visit any of these wineries or see their wines in your local wine or liquor store, any of their wines would be well worth a try. Don’t limit yourself specifically to the particular wines I have highlighted here.
The practice to sell wine before it’s bottled, commonly known as “en primeur” or wine futures, is well established across many wine regions like Burgundy, the Rhône Valley, Piedmont Port and in particular, Bordeaux. The major châteaux of Bordeaux offer about 80% to 90% of their previous year’s wine production for sale as futures.
Beginning in late March or early April, the châteaus host tastings for the trade to evaluate the potential quality of the vintage harvested during the previous autumn. This is the first opportunity to purchase the new vintage. At that point the wines have just been placed into barrels and are still about two years from reaching the market in bottles.
Over the course of the spring, the châteaux release their trade prices for the vintage based on the initial response to the wines, as well as current economic conditions. It will be interesting to see how this proceeds this spring given the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting effects on the economy.
The wines first go through courtiers (brokers) who take a small percentage of the cost. Next the right to sell the futures is passed on to the négociants (shippers), who set a new price for the wine, referred to as the ex-négoce price. With very few exceptions, no one deals directly with Bordeaux’s châteaux; they deal with the négociants.
Why Buy Wine Futures?
There are a few advantages of buying wine futures. The wine is often the least expensive at the first release because the margins made by wine merchants are the smallest. It is common for the price of the wine to increase and the margins made by wine merchants to also increase once the wine is offered for sale in the bottle.
Futures may be the only way for individuals to obtain high quality, low quantity, hard to find wine as such wines are often sold out prior to them being available for distribution.
Futures enable an individual to purchase a special wine for a special birth year, or as a gift or for weddings and anniversaries.
Futures enable people to purchase the latest vintage of wines that they like to get every year and where there is generally strong demand, such as Mouton Rothschild, La Mission Haut Brion, Cheval Blanc, Lynch Bages, Montrose, Pichon Lalande, Pontet Canet and Haut Bailly.
Wine futures, like other commodities, can be purchased with the hope or expectation that there will be a return on investment. Those who invest do so to secure high-quality wines at the best prices, but there’s no guarantee that they will be more expensive upon release.
Other Considerations
The wines are often not quite ready for consumption at the time they are released for distribution. This then requires the purchaser to have a suitable location to store the wine until it is actually consumed. Suggestions on cellaring wine can be found in my post from August 24, 2019, “Drink or lay down and how to cellar those you keep”.
Since any wine you purchase in this manner won’t be delivered for about 2 years, you will need to keep track of what you ordered, the quantity you ordered, the anticipated delivery date, and how much you deposited and what portion is due on delivery.
Selecting & Ordering Futures
I have purchased Bordeaux futures several times through my local liquor store. Once a year the store releases a catalogue containing all of the wine futures they have access to that particular year. The catalogue provides reviewers comments about each release, a scoring of the wine, the price per bottle, and the number of bottles available.
On the identified sale date, individuals can then order their selections either online or by calling a specified telephone number.
Realizing the Futures
When the wines are released from the winery they will be shipped to the wine merchant, who then contacts the purchaser. Since the wines are packaged and shipped direct from the chateau they are securely packed and often in a wooden crate that clearly identifies the chateau.
The wines can then either be cellared in the crate or placed on a shelf or wine rack until you are ready to enjoy them.
I recently read an article announcing that the Sandbanks Winery, one of the first in Prince Edward County, has been sold to Arterra. Catherine Langlois had operated the winery since its inception in 2001. Over the years Sandbanks has become most famous for its Baco Noir, Marechal Foch, and Riesling. Over the years there have been some other wonderful creations, such as the one time offering of a bold red that was a personal favourite, which I believe was called Bin 41.
Since inception Sandbanks Winery has proven to be a great place to visit and sample their award-winning wines. I have always found their staff to be knowledgeable and friendly. The uniqueness of their wine even included the labels, which were designed by a family friend.
It is not surprising that Sandbanks had received such attention by Arterra, given Sandbank’s dominance in Prince Edward Country.
According to the press release, by joining Arterra, Sandbanks will now have the resources and expertise to further enhance the winery’s capabilities.
So Who is Arterra?
Arterra Wines Canada has grown and evolved to owning and distributing 100+ wine brands, including seven of the top 20 brands in Canada. Its Canadian headquarters is in Mississauga, Ontario. Arterra Wines Canada operates eight wineries and over 1,700 acres of premium vineyards in Canada’s wine regions.
It also owns and operates Wine Rack retail wine stores in Ontario and sells wine kits and products for winemaking through its RJS Craft Winemaking brand. It employs approximately 2,000 full-time and part-time staff across the country.
Arterra has been making wines in Niagara and the Okanagan for the past 150 years. According to their web site, Arterra Wines Canada has been a pioneer in the Canadian wine industry with their origins dating back to 1874 when the Niagara Falls Wine Company was founded. One hundred twenty years later, they became known as Vincor International. Throughout the 20th century, wineries like Jackson-Triggs and NK’Mip were founded and acquired. Also purchased were New Zealand’s Kim Crawford.
In 2006, they were acquired by Constellation Brands, a U.S.-based company that is a leading international producer and marketer of beer, wine and spirits. In 2016, the Canadian branch of Constellation Brands was acquired by the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, and Arterra Wines Canada was born.
In addition to the most recent acquisition of Sandbanks, and the wineries mentioned above, Arterra controls Inniskillen, and Le Clos Jordanne. Internationally, they have Sawmill Creek, Bodacious, Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi, Ruffino, Naked Grape, BÙ By Jessica Harno, and Wallaroo Trail.
According to Arterra, Catherine will continue to drive the Sandbanks brand for years to come. Hopefully that will be the case. Even if Catherine remains at the helm it will be interesting to see what direction the winery heads in now.
Whether there will be an impact on the smaller privately run wineries in the region remains to be seen. My guess however, is that impact, if any, will be minimal as most of these wineries are not marketing their products nationally or internationally. In fact, the sale may prove good for their businesses as people touring wineries often want to visit the grassroots operations, not the perceived big conglomerates where there is at least a perception of being impersonal.
We will have to wait and see what is now in store for Sandbanks for 2020 and beyond. I, for one, truly enjoy their wines and hope they remain top notch for years to come.
Over 84% of the U.S.’s wine production comes from California, 5% from Washington, 3% from New York, 1½% from each of Oregon and Pennsylvania, and the balance from the rest of the nation. Surprisingly there are 41 wine producing states.
The U.S. follows the Appellation System, similar to France and Italy, whereby there are currently 242 American Viticultural Areas (AVA). In order to have an AVA appear on a wine label, at least 85% of the grapes used to produce the wine must have been grown in that particular appellation.
I have elected to discuss in more detail the wines of California, Washington, and Oregon as these are the wines that are available from Canadian retailers. For whatever reason wines from New York, though having higher production levels than Oregon, are not as readily available to much of Canada.
For a state or county appellation to appear on the wine label, 75% of the grapes used must be from that state or county. Some states have stricter requirements. For example, California requires 100% of the grapes used be from California for a wine labeled as such, and Washington requires 95% of the grapes in a Washington wine to be grown in Washington.
For bottles labeled with a varietal, at least 75% of the grapes used to make the wine must be of that varietal. In Oregon, the requirement is 90% for certain varietals, such as pinot noir. The requirement is a minimum of 95% in California.
California
California has been stereotyped as a producer of big, blockbuster-style reds and ripe, oaky whites. However, while these wines do exist, elegance and subtlety also play their part.
Napa and Sonoma are two regions that dominate Californian wine, but other regions are gaining in reputation, particularly those south of San Francisco, such as Paso Robles, Monterey, Santa Cruz Mountains and Santa Maria Valley. The wine must be from a particular vintage for that year to appear on the label.
California’s most renowned grape varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. However, there are significant amounts of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, as well as lesser amounts of a number of French varieties, such as Syrah, Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier, and Mourvèdre.
Oregon
Oregon has a great reputation for Pinot Noir and aromatic white wines, such as Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. The region is on the same latitude as Burgundy, but benefits from more consistently sunny summers and very cool nights.
There are now more than 400 wineries producing pinot noir in Oregon across many sub regional areas, with the Willamette Valley having the greatest concentration of wineries. The Pinot Noir produced there has higher natural acidity than those from California. They also often have a savoury characteristic on the nose, but generous red berry tart fruits on the palate. These wines can develop great complexity with age and at their best represent some of the most serious fine wines produced in the USA.
Washington
The state of Washington is second after California in terms of importance for wine and offers a great diversity of terroirs. All of the wine growing regions are in Eastern Washington where the Cascade Mountain range acts as a rain barrier allowing for vines to grow. The climate is generally continental with hot dry summers and a significant diurnal temperature flux with summer night time temperatures dropping by more than 15 degrees. Washington is becoming recognised globally for the production of fine Cabernet, Merlot, Riesling and Chardonnay.
Zinfandel
The one grape varietal that is pretty much exclusive to the U.S. and California in particular, is the Zinfandel. The Zinfandel grape is very challenging to grow. It does not ripen evenly and full ripeness can be hard to achieve without reaching high sugar levels and, therefore, alcohol. The best wines, often made from the lowest viable yields, will have an intensity of fruit that more than handles the higher alcohol. Older or particularly well-balanced vineyards tend to achieve good levels of ripeness at lower alcohol levels.
The grape’s reputation has been knocked somewhat by certain growers favouring quantity over quality with plantings in unsuitably hot climates and yields that were more than was good for it. But in the right hands the grape can really excel across all price levels, producing wine that is muscular, intense and spicy, yet structured and abundantly fruity.
Final Thoughts
With regards to American wines, Zinfandel is well worth a try, and if you like big and bold wine, California Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay may be to your liking. My personal favourites would include Oregon’s Pinot Noir. Oregon Pinot is more expensive than similar wines from California or Washington, and often more difficult to find, but in my opinion the flavour difference is worth the extra effort and cost to acquire one.
A fortified wine is a wine-based beverage that is often enjoyed as a before or after dinner drink. These still wines have been “fortified” with a distilled spirit such as brandy. The original use of fortification was to preserve the wine as it was prone to turn to vinegar during long sea voyages.
The spirit added might also enhance the wine’s natural flavors. The liquor is added to the base wine during fermentation. This fortification process increases the alcohol content from 12% – 13% up to around 17% – 20% by volume.
Fortified wines can be made in either a dry or a sweet style. The middle-ground of medium-sweet or medium-dry is covered in virtually all of the fortified wine categories and they will vary from one producer to the next.
How Fortified Wine is Made
Many fortified wines are blends of various grapes and vintages. Fortified wines are not distilled so are not liquor even though they are sometimes mistakenly categorized as such. This is particularly true of vermouth because it is used in making martinis.
Quite often, the fortifying liquor is simply called a “neutral grape spirit.” Essentially, this is a brandy or eau de vie (the water of life). The amount of time a wine is allowed to ferment before being fortified determines whether it will be sweet or dry.
Once the alcohol is added to the wine, the yeast stops converting sugar to alcohol and all of the remaining grape sugar is left in the wine as residual sugar. If a sweeter fortified wine is desired, the neutral grape spirits are typically added within the first day and a half of fermentation. To make a dry fortified wine, you would allow the full fermentation process to run its course. This consumes the remaining sugar before adding the neutral grape spirits.
Most fortified wines have no additional flavoring agents. However vermouth often has botanicals added during the process to give it an herbal flavour.
Aging
Many fortified wines undergo aging in wood casks. The actual aging time depends on the fortified wine. In general, the cheaper the fortified wine, the less time it has spent aging in oak. As a result of this deep wood aging, many fortified wines will benefit from decanting and aeration. For additional information on decanting see the November 9, 2019 post “To Breathe or not to Breathe”.
Types of Fortified Wine
The types of fortified wine vary by regional preferences or the methods used in producing them.
Madeira
Madeira is a white fortified wine from the Portuguese island of the same name. It comes with various classifications, including by grape and age. The wine can range from dry to sweet, and is most notable for its aging process known as estufagem. Madeira is made from a combination of heating and aging, along with oxidization and mild pasteurization. Madeira can be produced in two ways: either over a period of months with hot water tanks or steam, or naturally over a period of decades.
Marsala
Marsala is an Italian specialty originating in Marsala, a city on the Italian island of Sicily. It is classified by both color and age, with sweet and dry varieties represented. Sweetness is measured by grams of residual sugar per litre. Alcohol content ranges from 15% to 20% by volume, and styles run from dry aperitivos to sweet dessert-style wines.
Commandaria
Commandaria is from Cyprus and is predominately a sweet dessert wine. It’s made with only two types of grapes, Xynisteri and Mavro, which are indigenous to the island. It’s said to have a history of production stretching back nearly 3,000 years. Maximum alcohol content is 20% by volume, and the wine’s taste is highly rich, sweet, and fruity.
Moscatel de Setúbal
The Portuguese love their fortified wine, and this is another geographically specified rendition coming from the city of Setúbal, located in the Setúbal Peninsula along the country’s coast. It’s primarily made from the Muscat grape, and is dominated by a single company, José Maria da Fonseca. The style is known for more floral, and sometimes funky aromas because of the Muscat grape skins that are added after the distilled spirit has been incorporated into the wine.
Port
Port wine is the best-known fortified wine. It originally comes from Portugal’s Duoro Valley. However, it is now produced throughout the world. You can choose from tawny, ruby, vintage, and white ports. Grapes must be grown and processed in the region, and to become port, the wine is fortified with unaged brandy before fermentation is complete to yield a product with around 20% per volume. Port is most commonly rich and sweet, but a range of styles exist.
Ruby Port
Ruby Port and Reserve Port are fruity Ports that are aged for a short time in a vat or tank. They are intended to be drunk at a young age.
Tawny Port
Tawny Port is aged in vats, and Aged Tawny can be aged for up to 40 years. The older the Port, the more intense the ageing bouquet is, adding complex layers of flavours to the standard fruity tastes. Aged Tawny is typically available in 10, 20, 30 and 40-year-old formats. It will be bottled when it is ready to be drunk, meaning that you can drink it straight away without having to patiently wait for this ageing process to happen.
Vintage Port
The finest wine available from a specific vintage will be bottled earlier than most Ports and will require bottle aging to mature the flavours further. This is quite different to the other types of Port, which are matured in vats and ready to drink when bought. There won’t be a Vintage Port every year, as only the very best harvests are turned into Vintage Port.
Late Bottled Vintage Port
Late Bottled Vintage Port is produced from a single vintage wine that is aged for around seven years in a cask, as opposed to being bottled earlier as with the Vintage Port. This process creates a very fruity, yet highly tannic wine.
Sherry
Sherry is a well-known fortified wine produced in Southwest Spain. It comes in fino (dry and light-bodied) and oloroso (dry but richer) styles.
Sherry originates from Andalucía in the south of Spain. Viticulture has been practised in this region for over 3,000 years, making it one of the oldest wine producing areas in Europe.
The primary grape type used is the Palomino Fino varietal, which is a white grape with good levels of acidity. While Palomino Fino is used for most styles of Sherry, the Pedro Ximenez grape is used for sweeter styles of wine.
The process of producing sherry is very complex and particular and differs from other fortified wine-making practices. White wine is fermented and placed in a ‘Solera System’ which are barrels that are stacked up on their sides in a pyramid-like shape. Yeast develops on the wine, known as flor, which stops the wine turning to vinegar and adding extra spice and flavour to the wine. The wine gets transferred from the top of the Solera system down through each layer over time, blending with older wine each time to create a complex ageing process. Alternatively, sherry can be aged oxidatively, by being left in contact with the air.
A number of types of sherry are produced:
Fino
Fino is a dry sherry that is aged solely under the yeast layer, producing a lighter drink, in both style and colour. It is also the least alcoholic form of Sherry, as it will only be fortified to 15% by volume.
Oloroso
Oloroso sherry is produced simply by leaving the wine in contact with the air, so no yeast is added to this style. It, therefore, presents far more intense flavours and colours and tends to be far more alcoholic than Fino sherry – usually a minimum of 18% by volume.
Palo Cortado
Palo Cortado and Amontillado style sherry is aged firstly under flor, before being aged oxidatively, producing a dry wine fortified to around 17 % by volume.
Cream Sherry
Cream and Dulce Sherry is produced using a sweeter grape varietal for a more dessert-like sip. These sherries tend to see the most variation in quality and price.
Vermouth
Vermouth is probably better known as the “other” ingredient in a martini, but it’s great to sip on its own as an aperitif. It is generally available as either dry or sweet. Vermouth is produced worldwide and varies in taste and quality depending on the producer.
Others
There are other fortified wines that do not fit conveniently into one of these categories. Those typically rely on proprietary recipes and, quite often, utilize a special blend of herbs or botanicals to make them distinct from all others. Dubonnet and Lillet are two labels that fall into this non-category.
Storing Fortified Wines
Since fortified wines vary by style, it’s difficult to give general guidelines about storing and serving. While it is best to look into the recommendations for a particular type, there are a few suggestions you can keep in mind.
Unopened bottles of fortified wine can be stored in a cool, dark location. Some, such as fino and manzanilla sherry, should not sit on the shelf long after bottling. Others will be okay for a few months.
Once opened, it is best to drink fortified wines as soon as possible. However, vermouth can retain its flavor for up to three months. All open bottles of fortified wine should be stored upright in the refrigerator.
Serving Recommendations
Similar to other wines, serving temperatures vary with fortified wines. While some are best chilled, others should be served at room temperature. This is also going to depend on your personal preference as well.
While any fortified wine is designed to be enjoyed straight from the bottle, they’re useful in mixing up cocktails. They’re often best in simple drinks, such as the sherry cobbler and white port and tonic.
Fortified wines also make a great cooking wine. If you find that your wine is too far gone to drink, add it to a sauce or another recipe that calls for a little wine.
Foods Pairings
Food pairings depend on which type of fortified wine you are drinking. In general, fortified wines are known as both an aperitif and a dessert wine option. Many kinds of cheese, nuts, fruit tarts, and cream-based or chocolate desserts have found a magnificent pairing partner in a fortified wine.
There is increasing evidence of celebrities being associated with wine brands. However, it is not a recent phenomenon, though it has certainly garnered more attention in today’s Information Age. Usually celebrities have a large amount of wealth accumulated, which makes the significant investment in opening a winery or vineyard negligible.
There are many reasons that celebrities gravitate to the world of wine. Starting a winery or vineyard can offer some tax benefits. Some celebrities, such as the Italian-American director Francis Ford Coppola, come from a family with a long history of winemaking. Others such as the British singer Cliff Richard, have been lifelong wine enthusiasts and enter the wine industry in order to do something that they enjoy. Still others like the challenge of a new enterprise. Some celebrities enter the wine industry simply because they can.
Celebrities, such as the American actors Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Johnny Depp, and British football star David Beckham and his wife Victoria, own vineyards and wine estates solely for personal use. Some other celebrities leverage their name recognition as a selling tool in the wine industry.
Celebrities have different degrees of involvement in their wineries and vineyards. Nearly all of them partner, in some form of collaboration, with a winery or winemaker who is already established in the industry.
Sarah Jessica Parker, the former Sex and the City star, has debuted her Sauvignon Blanc and Rosé collection. She has a partnership with New Zealand-based winery Invivo. The self-proclaimed wine lover is said to have her hand in every step of the winemaking process, including naming and design of the bottles.
The Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, owns two vineyards that sell grapes to California wine producers.
Sometimes the celebrity may own their own “wine brand” which is produced with the collaborating winery instead of owning a physical winery or wine estate itself. An example of this is Wayne Gretzky Estates, which is one of the brands owned by Andrew Peller Limited, who also owns Peller Estates Winery, Sandhill, Trius Winery, Red Rooster, Calona Vineyards and Thirty Bench Wine Makers. Each is a unique winery operating with its own vintner, wines and labels. I am sure that Mr. Gretzky is involved to at least some degree in the winery’s operation.
Some celebrities lend their names to a winery for a special wine production. Examples of this include Niagara’s Stoney Ridge, who produces The Tragically Hip Fully Completely Reserve Red and The Tragically Hip Ahead by a Century Chardonnay.
Tawse winery has created Cuddy, a sparkling wine that has been developed in partnership with Blue Rodeo lead singer, Jim Cuddy.
For the art lovers out there, Niagara’s Diamond Estates winery produces McMichael Collection Tom Thomson Cabernet Franc and McMichael Collection Tom Thomson Barrel-Aged Chardonnay, paying for the rights to have Thompson’s paintings displayed on the bottle.
Does celebrity ownership impact the price of the wine? If the celebrity is involved in the ownership or operation of the winery, I would say no. However, where endorsements or royalties are being paid by the winery to the celebrity, I would speculate that such costs do impact the price. As a result, in this situation the consumer pays marginally more for a wine bearing the name of a celebrity than another wine of a similar quality.
However, if you are a fan of a particular celebrity or a particular label design, then the novelty may be worth the slight increase in cost. After all, the beauty (and taste) lies with the consumer.
Personally, I find Portuguese wines a bit of a mystery. Although there are some excellent creations being produced, they don’t seem to receive the same notoriety as wines from Italy, Spain or France.
Because Portugal’s wine culture developed in relative isolation, there are many grape varieties that do not grow anywhere else in the world. There are over 250 indigenous varieties and a few imports that have adapted well to the Portuguese landscape. According to many wine experts, Portugal is the last frontier of wine in Western Europe explored. So with all the excitement this region offers, let’s take a look at what there is to know about the major wines and the regions.
DOC (or DOP) – DOC stands for Denominação de Origem Controlada and means the wine comes from a strictly defined geographical area with recommended and permitted grapes and maximum vine yields (to control quality). Technically there are 31 DOCs in Portugal although 3 of them overlap, making it seem more like 28.
Vinho Regional (or IGP) – Portugal is divided into 14 regional wine areas which have less strict rules for controlling which types of grapes are used, as well as maximum vine yields. While this implies that the wines will not be as high quality, many producers in Portugal use the Vinho Regional designation to create excellent wines using grapes or blends not allowed in DOC.
Vinho (Wine): The most basic classification of Portuguese table wine. These wines are generally not distributed outside of Portugal.
Each region is managed by a regional “Wine and Vine” commission, the Comissão Vitivinícola Regional (CVR). Each CVR supervises and controls the quality regulations in order to ensure quality and to maintain each region’s individual character.
Portuguese Wine Terms
Vinho Tinto – Red Wine
Vinho Branco – White Wine
Quinta – Wine farm. You’ll often find this word as part of a winery’s name on the label of wines.
The Wine Regions
Douro Region
Port is the most famous, and most copied, wine from Portugal and it grows in the Douro Valley.
Wines of Douro
Port – Fortified sweet wines; specifically LBV Port, Tawny Port, and Vintage Port wines which are the best and made by blending “port grapes” which include Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), Tinta Barrocca and Tinto Cão among many others.
White Port and Pink Port – Beyond the red Port there are also Port wines made with the rare white wine varieties in the region. Rosé Port is relatively new.
Tinto Douro – Full-bodied red wines. The same red grapes of Port wine are used to create full-bodied, tannic, age-worthy red wines.
Douro Branco – Light-bodied white wines. Douro Branco are crisp, minerally white wines with very little fruity flavour, subtle flinty notes and salinity, and high acidity. Douro white wines are a little harder to find and include the white Port varieties of Rabigato, Viosinho, Gouveio, and Folgazão.
Terras de Cister (Távora e Varosa) Region
Terras de Cister – Sparkling wines
This area produces wines with much more elegance and acidity than Douro, making it ideal for sparkling wines. There are a growing number of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vineyards being planted along with the regional varieties of Malvasia Fina (aromatic white), Cerceal (light white), Gouveio (light white), Aragonês (aka Tempranillo), Tinta Barroca (red) and Touriga Franca (red) among others.
Transmontano (Trás-Os-Montes) Region
Tinto Transmontano – Full-bodied red blends
The most common wine from this area is Transmontano, which is a regional red blend. Wines are full-bodied, punchy, with higher alcohol levels.
Minho (Vinho Verde) Region
Vinho Verde wines are best served young when the wine is at its peak of aromatics and crisp acidity.
Wines of Minho
Branco Vinho Verde – Light-bodied white wines. Wines often have a slight spritz and fruity, lemonade-like flavors with notes of melon, gooseberry and chalky texture. White Vinho Verde wines are made with a blend of several grape varieties including Arinto, Azal, Trajadura, Loureiro and Alvarinho (a.k.a Albariño).
Rosado Vinho Verde – Rosé. The Rosado wines offer red berry flavors with quenching acidity like lemonade. The reds/rosés of Vinho Verde are found primarily in the southern part of Minho in the sub-regions of Amarante and Paiva. Red grape varieties include Alvarelhão, Amaral, Borraçal, Espadeiro, Padeiro (quite rare).
Alentejo Region
The Alentejo region contains many progressive and modern wineries making red wines that offer generous fruit and mocha flavors with refined tannins from careful wood aging strategies. White wines from the Alentejo range from medium-bodied refreshers to full-bodied in a style similar to Chardonnay.
Wines of Alentejo
Tinto Alentejo – Full-bodied red wines that are typically blends made with Aragonês (Tempranillo), Trincadeira, Castelão, Alfrocheiro and Alicante Bouschet.
Branco Alentejo – Light-bodied and full-bodied white wines made with Arinto (fuller in style), Antão Vaz (fuller in style), Roupeiro and Fernão Pires (an aromatic white variety).
Alentejano (IGP/Vinho Regional) – Full-bodied red and white wines from a larger encompassing region that may include non-indigenous grape varieties (Viognier and Syrah are growing in popularity here).
Lisboa Region
There are many wines from the various regions in Lisboa (Alenquer, Bucelas) that are already making their way into stores internationally. While there is great quality found in Lisboa (Bucelas, Colares, Alenquer, Arruda) most of the wines you’ll find available are great for everyday drinking.
Wines of Lisboa
Alenquer – Concentrated, high tannin red wines made with Castelão, Alfrocheiro, Aragonês (Tempranillo) and Touriga Nacional
Bucelas – Light-bodied, citrus and beeswax-driven, age-worthy white wines made with Arinto. .
Arruda – Full-bodied red wines that often include international grape varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah
Colares – Very rare find. Golden colored, full-bodied white wines in an oxidative style made with Malvasia Fina
Óbidos and Lourinhã – Light-bodied aromatic white wines particularly with Fernão Pires
Torres Vedras – simple, low-alcohol refreshing white wines.
Setúbal Region
The region of Setúbal is famous for a fantastic rich, deep gold colored dessert wine called Moscatel de Setúbal
Dão Region
Wines from the Dão are lighter in style than in the Douro but have shown to age very well because of the tannin and acidity development from growing in high altitude areas with rugged soils of decomposing granite and schist (similar to Douro and Priorat).
Wines of Dão
Dão Alfrocheiro – Medium-bodied red wine with red berry flavors, licorice and spice notes
Dão Jaen (a.k.a. Mencía) – Full-bodied red wine. Raspberry and black cherry flavors with moderately high acidity and mouth-drying tannin.
Dão Touriga Nacional – Full-bodied red wine. Deep black fruit flavors with chocolate and mocha with refined tannins and medium plus acidity
Terras do Dão and Terras de Lafões – The Vinho Regional wines of the Dão with more experimentation and blends that include international varieties (Indi blends)
Tejo Region
Tejo plants all kinds of grapes, from Alvarinho (the grape of Vinho Verde) to the full-bodied blackish Alicante Bouschet. This is a good region for getting super value from Portugal.
Wines of Tejo
Red “Indi” Blends – Blends consisting of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Touriga Nacional, Trincadeira and Castalão
White “Indi” Blends – Consists of blends with Fernão Pires (an aromatic white wine), Arinto, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay
Beira Atlântico (Bairrada) Region
Baga is the highly productive red grape of Beira, grown in Bairrada. From the aromatic and delightfully pink sparkling wines by Luis Pato to the soft, structured light-bodied red wines by Niepoort, this area is one of the new frontiers of winemaking for the Portuguese.
Wines of Beira Atlântico
Tinto Bairrada – Made from Baga and ranging from dense, tar-like, high acid reds to delicate, red fruit-driven wines with finely textured tannins and the ability to age.
Branco Bairrada – Made from the aromatic Fernão Pires (called Maria Gomes here), Bical and Arinto
Sparkling “Brut” Bairrada – Delicious beeswax-driven sparkling wines made with early picked Baga and Fernão Pires.
The Beira Interior
The most mountainous region in Portugal has one of the most challenging climates to produce grapes. With a shorter growing season the reds have red-fruit driven flavors with herbaceous smoky notes and a juicy finish while the white wines tend to be lean with chalky minerality. There are many old vines here as well as producers using native yeasts and organic viticulture.
Wines of the Beira
Tinto Beira – Red fruit-driven wines of Murufo, Bastardo, Alfrocheiro, Trincadeira and Touriga Nacional
Branco Beira – Lean, chalky white wines of Síria, Arinto, Malvasia
Madeira & Pico Island (Azores)
Verdelho is the main regional white wine grape. Wine from Pico is golden, viscous liquid that is hauntingly sweet, tart and somewhat salty with a smokiness from the volcanic landscape. Madeira, on the other hand, has the most collected and appreciated fortified wines in the world.
Algarve Region
There are nearly 2500 acres / 1000 hectares of grapes in the Algarve. The wines aren’t designed to age, but there is hope in particular for red wines with Alicante Bouschet, Syrah and Aragonês (Tempranillo). These drought-climate varieties still manage to have juicy acidity and create more smoky sweet, dusty notes on the finish somewhat reminiscent to South Australia.
The wines of Portugal are well worth a try. The wines are both good and available at a favourable price point.
Are you suffering from the mid-winter blahs? If so, have you ever given any thought to hosting a wine party? A wine party provides the opportunity for self-awareness as you may discover you like a wine you never thought you would. It is a great way to expand your horizons and try different wines.
Depending on the number of participants, ask each person or couple to bring a favourite wine. It doesn’t need to be expensive and you can even put a price cap on it if you like.
If you will be sampling both whites and reds then follow the standard practice of wine tasting – whites first, reds last. You could also do a theme tasting, such as have all the wines from the same region or country, or wines made with the same grape varietal.
Blind tastings where the labels are covered can be both challenging and fun. Doing a blind tasting allows your participants to try and identify the wine they brought. You can try identifying the various types /varietals, and possibly even hazard a guess as to the country/continent of origin that each wine came from.
When tasting the wine you can see if you can distinguish between the different smells and tastes, such as florals, honey, fruit varieties, cedar, chicory, earthiness, leather, tobacco, etc. and then see whether your perceptions match the wine reviewers’ claims.
Also consider suggesting food pairings that may complement the wines.
The portions for each tasting need not be more than 2 ounces and it isn’t necessary to swallow the wine. For those who don’t want to swallow, disposable beer pong glasses make great spittoons.
It is also a good idea to provide water and plain crackers, such as Carr’s Water Crackers, so you and your guests can refresh your palate between wines.
I hosted a tasting where I invited several couples, asking each couple to bring a bottle of white and a bottle of red of their choosing. I made up score sheets where each person indicated what they tasted, how they rated it, and guessed at the varietal of the wine. I also provided them with a “cheat sheet” to help them organize their thoughts and aid in their decision making. The rating card and cheat sheet are below.
The person with the highest score was awarded a prize. The tasting was followed by dinner and each person could then select their own wine pairing from all the wines we had tasted.
If you don’t have an adequate number of wine glasses on hand, I suggest purchasing inexpensive glass ones. Your local Dollar Store should have a suitable selection to choose from. In addition to being more environmentally friendly, they are also much less flimsy and less susceptible to spills than plastic glasses.
Your wine party can be as simple or elaborate as you want to make it. The most important thing is to have fun.
Sláinte mhaith
Score Card
Judge # ______ Wine #______
Determine the Sweetness or Level of Dryness
Do you feel a tingling sensation on the tip of your tongue?
Is there a slight oily sensation in the middle of your tongue that lingers?
Wine has a higher viscosity; wine tears on side of glass slowly. (also an indicator of high Alcohol)
WARNING: A bone-dry wine can often be confused with a wine with high Tannin.
Do you consider this to be a sweet or dry wine?
Acidity
Acidity is tart and zesty. Tasting acidity can be confused with the taste of higher Alcohol. Wines with higher acidity feel lighter weight because they come across as ‘spritzy.’
Acidity Characteristics:
Tingling sensation that focuses on the front and sides of your tongue. Feels like pop rocks.
If you rub your tongue to the roof of your mouth it feels gravelly.
Your mouth feels wet, like you bit into an apple.
HINT: It is common for wines grown in cooler climates to have higher acidity.
Do you consider this wine to have a high acid content? Yes or No
Tannin
Characteristics of Tannins
The wine tastes bitter on the front inside of your mouth and along the side of your tongue.
Tannin makes your tongue dry out.
After you swallow you feel a lingering bitter/dry feeling in your mouth.
CAUTION: Tannin can often be confused with the term “dry” because it dries your mouth out.
Does this wine have a high tannin content? Yes or No
Fruit
Wines are often characterized by their main fruit flavours. Tasting for fruit flavours in a wine can help you better define your preferences. For instance, wines that have strawberry notes lead into a very different set of wines than enjoying wines that taste like blackberries. The level of fruitiness that you taste in a wine leads to very different growing regions.
Tasting for fruitiness in a wine
Red wind characteristics: red fruits such as raspberry or dark fruits like blackberry and blueberry
White wine characteristics: lemon and lime or peach and yellow apple
Can you name 3 different fruits easily? If so, what are they? ______________________________________
Do you find it difficult to pick out a single fruit flavor? ___________________________________________
Does the wine give you stronger impressions of other flavors such as grass, bell pepper, black pepper, olive or meat? ___________________________________________________________________________________
Body: Light to Full-Bodied
Alcohol Level ABV (or Alcohol by Volume) adds body. The wine will have a higher viscosity which is easily seen in watching it bead on the side of the glass. A high alcohol wine typically tastes fuller bodied than a light-alcohol wine.
Tasting body in wine
How does the wine seem lighter or bigger ?
How long does the taste last in your mouth after you’ve swallowed? _________ seconds
Is the wine full bodied up front but then drops off at the finish? YesNo
YOUR OVERALL RATING
I cannot tell a lie; this wine does not suit my taste in any way, shape or form.
I am not a fan. It is a bit of a “yawner” if you ask me.
I would be willing to serve this as a house wine for dinner parties.
Yummy, I would be willing to serve this to close friends and/or on special occasions.
Share – no way. I want to keep this all for myself.
I think this wine came from ______________________________________ (country or continent)
The climate for producing British Columbia wine is very unique. All of the BC vineyards are located at the northern extremes of where grape growing is possible. The vineyards are located in two main areas. About 4 hours’ drive east of Vancouver are the Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys. The second area includes the smaller wine regions of the Fraser Valley, Gulf Islands and Vancouver Island.
British Columbia’s wine industry has seen significant growth over the past 25 years, increasing from 17 wineries and 1,476 acres of vines in 1990 to over 270 wineries and over 10,260 acres today. The B.C. Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) is the provincially-regulated appellation of origin and quality standard for Wines of British Columbia. BC VQA wines must be made from 100% B.C. grapes and meet standards for origin and production, vintage, varietals and quality characteristics that were discussed in my June 22, 2019 post, “Selecting Canadian Wines”.
Vancouver Island
On Vancouver Island, a provincial government-funded trial, called the Duncan Project, determined that grape production was viable. The study identified Pinot Gris, Auxerrois and Ortega as having the capability of thriving in this seaside environment.
Vancouver Island is now home to a dedicated community of family grape growers and winemakers. There are now 26 wineries in this appellation.
Common varietals include:
Pinot Gris
Ortega
Siegerrebe
Pinot Noir
Maréchal Foch
Gulf Islands
The Gulf Islands are situated in the Georgia Strait which separates Vancouver Island from the mainland, and connected by a network of small ferries. The Gulf Islands are home to about a dozen wineries that are located on each of Salt Spring, Pender, Saturna, Quadra, Gabriola, Hornby and Denman Island. They display an easygoing lifestyle that allows time to savour the quiet moments with a nice variety of unpretentious wines.
Grape varietals include:
Pinot Gris
Orteg
Pinot Noir
Maréchal Foch
Fraser Valley
The Fraser Valley region includes Vancouver, Surrey, Richmond, New Westminster to Delta, Langley, Aldergrove and Abbotsford in the east. The Fraser Valley region is dedicated to producing high quality, handcrafted wines with diverse varieties and styles. There are about 25 wineries in this region.
Common varietals include:
Siegerrebe
Pinot Gris
Bacchus
Pinot Noir
Similkameen Valley
The Similkameen Valley includes 15 wineries that are set amongst the dramatic backdrop of rugged and picturesque mountains. Considered the “organic capital of Canada”, the area is known for small farms and producers dedicated to creating quality produce, delectable foods, and award-winning wines.
Due to the tall surrounding mountains, and the reflectivity of the rock, heat remains in the valley late into the evenings. The valley is arid with persistent winds that can reduce the moisture in the vines and the soil. Even above ground irrigation can evaporate before touching the ground. The wind does minimize mildew, so vineyards generally don’t require frequent spraying.
Grape varietals include:
Chardonnay
Riesling
Merlot
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Franc
Okanagan Valley
Boasting 185 wineries and 84% of the province’s vineyard acreage, the Okanagan Valley is BC’s premier grape growing region. The valley stretches over 250 kilometres, across sub-regions, each with distinct soil and climate conditions suited to growing a range of varietals from sun-ripened reds to lively fresh and often crisp whites.
The 185 wineries include everything from quiet family-run boutique vineyards to world-class operations. The Okanagan Valley wineries are rich in tradition and character, consistently ranking among the world’s best at international competitions.
The Okanagan Valley consists of 8 sub-regions – Kelowna / Lake Country, Peachland / Summerland / Penticton, Naramata Bench, Scaha Bench, Okanagan Valley, Oliver, Golden Mile Bench and Osoyoos.
Golden Mile Bench
The Golden Mile Bench was the first sub-Geographic Indication, created in 2015 within the Okanagan Valley wine region followed by Okanagan Falls, Naramata Bench and Skaha Bench. Grape production in such areas must produce at commercially viable levels.
Located on the western slope of the valley south of Oliver and across from the Black Sage Bench, the Golden Mile Bench’s southerly aspect provides a warm climate. Its location on the west side of the valley is a cooler region than its eastern neighbour.
A wine made exclusively from grapes grown in the sub-appellation can use the term Golden Mile Bench as a Geographical Indication on a BC VQA Wine label. It’s the location the grapes are grown, rather than the location of the winery that is relevant.
Common varietals include:
Chardonnay
Gewürztraminer
Merlot
Kelowna / Lake Country
B.C.’s first vines were planted in Kelowna in 1859. Kelowna also boasts the province’s oldest continually operating winery, Calona Vineyard (est. 1932). Many of the first families of the BC wine industry call this area home: the Heiss family, who established Gray Monk Estate Winery; the Cipes of Summerhill Pyramid Winery; and the Stewart family of Quails’ Gate Winery.
Grape varietals include:
Riesling
Pinot Gris
Gewürztraminer
Chardonnay
Pinot Noir
Peachland / Summerland / Penticton
This region combines an exciting area of new development with wineries and vineyards that are more than 25 years old. The sub-appellation is renowned for delicious Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer and Rosé. There is also an outstanding lineup of sparkling wines.
Grape varietals include:
Riesling
Gewürztraminer
Pinot Noir
Naramata Bench
On May 13, 2019, wineries in the Naramata Bench joined Skaha Bench, Okanagan Falls and Golden Mile Bench, near Oliver, as wineries that meet the requirements of the Wines of Marked Quality Regulation. B.C. wines and wineries meeting these requirements are certified that they achieve certain wine production standards, and are enabled to use protected labels that are prescribed under this regulation.
Naramata Bench is roughly defined as the bench lands between Penticton Creek and Okanagan Mountain Park on the east side of Okanagan Lake. Nowhere else in the Okanagan Valley are there so many wineries in a single area.
The vineyards of Naramata Bench boast ideal conditions for full-flavoured white varietals, as well as earlier ripening, elegant reds.
Common varietals include:
Chardonnay
Pinot Gris
Merlot
Pinot Noir
Scaha Bench
On May 13, 2019, wineries in the Skaha Bench joined the Naramata Bench, Okanagan Falls and Golden Mile Bench, near Oliver, as wineries that meet the requirements of the Wines of Marked Quality Regulation. Skaha Bench covers a 10-kilometre stretch from the outskirts of Penticton and along the eastern shore of Skaha Lake.
Wineries in Skaha Bench include Blasted Church, Black Dog, Painted Rock, Pentage and Crescent Hill.
Common varietals include:
Chardonnay
Pinot Gris
Pinot Blanc
Merlot
Pinot Noir
Okanagan Falls
On July 27, 2018, the Province named Okanagan Falls a Sub-Geographical Indication within the Okanagan Valley wine region, meaning consumers will now see a confirmation on labels of certified BC wine is from the region.
From the shores of Skaha Lake to the tip of Vaseux Lake, this cluster of award-winning wineries offers unsurpassed winery experiences, and great wines. The wineries in and around Okanagan Falls have been producing some of BC’s most celebrated wines for many years. Warm days and cool nights produce wines with ripe fruit character and acidity. There are a variety of vibrant sparkling wines and crisp Rieslings to complex Pinots and rich Syrahs.
Grape varietals include:
Riesling
Gewürztraminer
Pinot Noir
Syrah
Oliver
Oliver has been referred to as the ‘Wine Capital of Canada’. It is home to nearly half of British Columbia’s vines and more than 40 wineries. To the west, the Golden Mile Bench is ideal for white wines such as Pinot Gris and Chardonnay, and bright fruity reds like Cabernet Franc.
To the east lies the Black Sage Bench which cultivates powerful red wines and full-flavoured whites. The combination of hot days and cool nights produce fruit with a perfect balance of exceptional flavours and vibrant acidity.
Common grape varietals include:
Pinot Gris
Chardonnay
Merlot
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Franc
Osoyoos
Osoyoos lies at the southern-most tip of the Okanagan Valley, near the Canada-USA border. Officially Canada’s hottest spot, this is red wine country.
Osoyoos Larose Le Grand Vin red blend has become a favourite of mine after my brother introduced it to me several years ago. I now pick some up whenever I come across it in Ontario.
Grape varietals include:
Chardonnay
Merlot
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Franc
Syrah
Kootenays
The Kootenays is situated in the southeastern corner of British Columbia.
In select microclimates, grapes have been grown in the Kootenays since 1995. Although a new viticultural area, ground crops and orchards have been cultivated there for many decades.
6 wineries are located in this region.
Common varieties include:
Gewürztraminer
Pinot Gris
Pinot Noir
Maréchal Foch
Lillooet
One of the oldest towns in the province, Lillooet is located at the southern tip of the Cariboo Chilcotin region. The climate is very similar to the traditional grape growing regions in the Okanagan Valley with long, hot, dry summers. However, nights are cooler, making average summer temperatures slightly lower than the Okanagan, but at the same time preserving the fresh crisp acidity in the wines. Viticulture is a recent development with only 2 wineries at present.
Common varieties include:
Riesling
Chardonnay
Pinot Gris
Pinot Noir
Cabernet Franc
Shuswap
The Shuswap region is located north of the Okanagan Valley. Wines have been produced here since 1997, predominately of cool climate varieties as it is one of the most northerly grape growing regions in North America. Shuswap Lake is the dominant feature in the region. Each of the 10 vineyards has its own microclimate, giving special character to its wines.
Common grape varieties:
Ortega
Siegerrebe
Gewürztraminer
Kerner
Maréchal Foch
Thompson Valley
On the edge of cool climate viticulture, the 4 Thompson Valley wineries are pioneering an exciting new region and expanding the boundaries of quality BC winemaking. It is nestled amongst the North and South Thompson Rivers in and around Kamloops, in the rain shadow of the high coastal mountains, with the semi-arid conditions and diverse microclimates.
Common varieties include:
Riesling
Chardonnay
Marquette
Maréchal Foch
Although I have had the pleasure of visiting British Columbia several times I have never had the opportunity to experience any of the wine regions. In particular, being a huge red fan, I would love to travel to the Osoyoos area and sample the wonderful offerings there.
A Layman's Wine Musings 