Essex Wine Review

NOTES FROM THE WINEMASTER:
Pelee Island Winery presents its finest Chardonnay Vineyard. Our Viticulturalist has specially selected his most prized grapes for this wine. Only the highest quality, “free-run” juice - that which flows prior to any pressing - is fermented and aged in oak barrels.

These grapes were picked early on a mid-September morning when the Chardonnay grapes had reached 20.9 degrees brix. The grapes were sent to the winery via the Pelee Island ferry service. The Chardonnay grapes were then crushed and pressed and then transferred to a jacketed stainless steel tank where it is cooled to 15 - 16 degrees Celsius and allowed to ferment.

This Chardonnay makes a wonderful accompaniment to cheeses, seafood and white meats. Whatever you serve this wine with should be as delicious and full of wonderful light flavours as the Chardonnay itself.

GRAPES: 100% Chardonnay
BRIX: 20.9°
ALCOHOL: 13%
RESIDUAL SUGAR: 2.8 g/L
AVAILABLE IN: 750 ml
Sugar Code: (0)

750ml bottle $12.95

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Winemaker’s Notes:
None.

Price: 750 ml $19.95

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Winemaker’s Notes:
This dark, bold full-bodied wine has intense plun and dark cherry flavours, gently followed by the flavour of soft oak. For the perfect dinner serve this wine with beef tenderlion or grilled lamb chops.

Price: 750 ml $14.00

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Winemakers Notes:
Persistent cold temperatures during the harvest periods allowed for optimal concentrations of sugars,yielding exceptional quality reflective of the extended growing season. The award-winning Late Harvest wines that wear the CEV label are the ultimate expression of our master winemaker’s art.

Appellation: VQA - Ontario
Blend: Vidal 100%
Brix at Harvest: 27.5
Fermentation: Stainless steel tanks
Aging: Stainless steel tanks
Residual Sugar: 70 g/l
Alcohol Content: 12 %
Production: 1880 cases
Winemaker: Carlo Negri

Tasting Notes: Colour: Golden straw
Bouquet: Melange of peaches and apricots, honey and rose
Taste: Pineapple, apricot and honey flavours with crisp acidity and long finish
Serve at: 8º - 10º C

Price for 375 ml bottle $12.75

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Colour: Golden straw with grey highlights
Bouquet: Aromatic, lychee and Bosc pear tones
Taste: Lychee and tropical fruit notes with clean, soft finish
Serve at: 8º - 10º C

Winemakers Notes:
Appellation: VQA Lake Erie North Shore
Blend: Gewurztraminer 100%
Brix at Harvest: 20.5
Fermentation: Cold fermented stainless steel tanks
Aging: Stainless steel tanks
Residual Sugar: 8 g/l
Sugar Code: 1
Alcohol Content: 12.3 %
Production: 1100 cases

Winemaker: Carlo Negri

750 ml $15.30
Colio Estate Vineyards (CEV)-Ultra Premium VQA

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Winemakers Notes:
This Riesling shows our winemaking team’s ability to stay true to varietals and create fruit forward, food friendly wines.

Appellation: VQA Lake Erie North Shore
Blend: Riesling 100%
Fermentation: Stainless steel tanks
Aging: Stainless steel tanks
Residual Sugar: 23 g/l
Alcohol Content: 10.5 %
Production: 1,100 cases
Winemaker: Tim Reilly
Size: 750 ml bottle
Price: $11.55

Colour: Slightly green hue
Bouquet: Honey, sweet tree fruit
Taste: Honey, green

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Winemaker’s Notes:
This honoured varietal stands on its own with a medium body and well structured tannins. Herbaceous, yet fruity aromas of black current are enhanced on the palate, followed by a long bitter-sweet chocolate finish. Matches well with grilled steak and and Asian cuisine.

Sugar Code: 0
VQA 750ml bottle $18

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Winemaker’s Notes:
Characteristic deep, opaque, staining purple colour - don’t splash this on a white tablecloth! A different treatment from the regular Baco gives this wine a more elegant countenance with sweet wild berry aromas, a touch of jammy blueberry and nuances of new oak. This palate is juicy and lively with an invigorating finish. This one’s higher pedigree calls for a rare steak or lamb chops right of the grill.

Winner at the All Canadian Wine Championships for 2007.

750 ml $24.95

This wine was in the barrel for 20 months

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Winemaker’s Notes:
Deep, dark, almost black colour with meaty character and smoky aromas of elderberry. This baco is rustic and wild with a chewy palate and long, juicy finish. Amazingly adaptable– serve with burgers off the barbecue or braised lamb shanks.

750ml $14.95

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Winemaker’s Notes:
Loads of cassis and jammy, blackberry preserves on the nose with just a slight herbaceous edge. Focused core of cassis, fresh-dug earth, woodsmoke, toasty oak and sweet vanilla. Firm, yet silky, tannins support this approachable effort to the finish, which ends with a dry note of cocoa and a touch of underbrush. Drinks well enough now but would improve with cellaring through 2010.

Food match: Grilled beef tenderloin, beef strip loin, or prime rib of beef.

Blended red wine:
35% Cab Franc, 35% Cab Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 10% Pinot Noir

750ml $16.95

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