Essex Wine Review

Winemaker’s Notes:
With it’s beautiful garnet colour, the 2008 Cabernet Franc opens with the juicy flavours of red berries and sweet cherries. Berry flavours linger in the finish.

Food Pairings:
Best served with slow roasted back ribs, grilled veal and lamb chops.

VQA Lake Erie North Shore
Estate Bottled

12.8% alc./vol.

Price: 750 mL $14

Rate and review Aleksander Estate Cabernet Franc 2008

Winemaker’s Notes:
This spectacular 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon has aromas of sweet smoky raspberries and dark chocolate truffles. Flavours of black currents and roasted vanilla coffee bean dance along the palate. The well structured tannins will ensure graceful aging. Pair with roasted leg of lamb, prime rib and sharp cheeses.

VQA Lake Erie North Shore
13.3% alc./vol.

Price: 750 mL $18

Rate and review Mastronardi Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

2008 Pinot Gris Vendange Tardive

Winemaker’s Notes:
Pinot Gris at it’s best produces wines that are soft, perfumed with more color than most other white wines.

Food Recommendations:
With a rich pear flavor and a touch of sweetness this wine makes an ideal aperitif. It is best with old age cheese, blue cheese, nuts (walnuts) and Peking duck.

Grape Composition: 100% Pinot Gris
Alcohol: 13%
Sugar Code: (0)

VQA Pelee Island
Price: 750 mL $15.95

Rate and review Pelee Island Pinot Gris 2008

Winemaker’s Notes:
One of our fullest reds, with the warmhearted character that Merlot fans enjoy. A good balance of richness, mellow sweet flavours and the essential bite for food. Delicious now but could be aged a year or two.

These grapes were left on the vine until early October.

This wine would be excellent slightly chilled and served with a beef or lamb dish. A superb choice for the summer BBQ or dinner table.

GRAPES: 85% Merlot - 15% Zweigelt
ALCOHOL: 13.5%
RESIDUAL SUGAR: 3.0 g/L
Sugar Code: (0)

VQA Ontario

Price: 750 mL $12.95

Rate and review Pelee Island Merlot Reserve 2008

Winemaker’s Notes:
Aroma: bell pepper, black berry and black currants.
Palate: moderate tannins and acidity, notes of spice with a long finish.
Burgundy red in colour with colour to the rim.

VQA Lake Erie North Shore
13% alc./vol.

Price: 750 mL $16.95

Rate and review Viewpointe Cabernet Franc 2005

Winemaker’s Notes:
Not quite a dry wine, Gewurztraminer is a pleasant afternoon glass by itself, and has enough weight and length to match well with spicy dishes, seared scallops or veal scallopini.

GRAPES: 100% Gewurztraminer
Alcohol: 12.5 %
Sugar Code: (1)

VQA Ontario

Price: 750 mL $14.95

Rate and review Pelee Island Gewurztraminer Reserve 2006

Winemaker’s Notes:
Ripe smooth and polished, this full-bodied Pinot Noir has elegant black cherry, currant and toasted oak flvours. This wine is best enjoyed with red meats, roast pork and ham.

The harvest for these grapes was in late September when they had reached 22.8 brix. The grapes were crushed but not pressed, then placed in a temperature-controlled rotary fermenter (18-20 degrees Celsius) for 5 to 7 days to draw out the colour from the skins. They were then pressed and the juice was placed in European-style French Oak barrels to finish fermenting. After about two weeks the wine was racked into an aging-barrel.

During maturation, the wine spent about eight to twelve months in European-style French Oak barrels with about 25 to 30% of the wine experiencing a malolactic fermentation.

This wine is best when enjoyed with grilled or roasted red meats, roasted pork, ham and Atlantic Salmon.

GRAPES: 100% Pinot Noir
ALCOHOL: 13.5%
RESIDUAL SUGAR: 2.9 g/L
Sugar Code: (0)

VQA Pelee Island

Price: 750 mL $14.95

Awards: 2009 Ontario Wine Awards BRONZE

Rate and review Pelee Island Pinot Noir Reserve 2007

Winemaker’s Notes:
Aroma: Cassis, black cherry, black currant, spice, pepper, dark chocolate, leather.
Palate: leather and moderate tannins and acidity, notes of spice with a long finish.
Burgundy red in colour with colour to the rim.

VQA Lake Erie North Shore
13% alc./vol.

Price: 750 mL $16.95

Rate and review Viewpointe Cabernet Merlot 2005