Essex Wine Review

Winemaker’s Notes:
Brilliant! Full bodied and delicious this wine offers the palate a rich variation of flavors to explore. The bright aromas of red licorice and cherry reflect in a wine exhibiting great balance amongst fruit, acid, tannin, and body. The mid palate is lush and hints at black cherry, with an excellent finish that lingers on the tongue and in the mind. Enjoy.

Blends:
40% Cabernet Sauvignon
30% Cabernet Franc
30% Merlot

VQA Lake Erie North Shore
13% alc./vol.
Sugar Code: 0

Price: 750 mL $21.95

Rate and review Sprucewood Shores Meritage 2007

Winemaker’s Notes:
You will find very ripe, plumy-sweet flavours and richness in this wine. It has a rustic character. Some would also call it a bistro style,”elbows- on-the-table” wine. Great with stews, red meat or tomato-based dishes.

VQA Ontario

GRAPES: 87% Cabernet Franc, 10% Zweigelt, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon
ALCOHOL: 13.5%
SUGAR CODE: (0)

Price: 750 mL $11.95

Rate and review Pelee Island Lighthouse Cabernet Franc 2009

Winemaker’s Notes:Made from hand picked Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and barrel aged for a year, with this wine continues the tradition of excellence which began with the “Vinedressers” of Pelee Island Winery, to shine into the next millennium.

Tasting Note:
When it’s done well in Ontario, Cabernet Sauvignon can really shine, and shine this one does. Look for plenty of spicy fruit, cherry, plum, bramble, cassis, cedar and woodsmoke on the nose. The dry, tangy, medium-full bodied palate has a whack of youthful tannins with good layers of fruit. This is an excellent ’08 and will cellar for 2-4 years. Serve with rosemary-crusted rare steaks. (VINTAGES panel, Oct. 2010)

VINTAGES# 530576

ALCOHOL: 13%
VQA Pelee Island
Price: 750 mL $19.95

Rate and review Pelee Island Cabernet Sauvignon 2008.

Winemaker’s Notes:This full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits a dark ruby colour and flavours of dark fruits such as black cherries, plums, and black currants. This wine was aged twelve months in French oak barrels. An excellent pairing for steak, lamb or venison.

Hand-harvested: October 18th, 2008
Total production: 125 cases

VQA Lake Erie North Shore
13.2% alc./vol.
unfiltered

Price: 750 mL $30

Rate and review Muscedere Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2008.

Winemaker’s Notes:
This full bodied Meritage is a blend of 64% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Cabernet Franc. Each variety was aged over twelve months in French oak barrels before being blended.

This Meritage is full of flavours including: cherries, plums, and dark chocolate. An excellent pairing for steak, braised lamb shanks or roast beef.

Hand-harvested: between October 6th and October 22nd, 2008
Total production: 85 cases

VQA Lake Erie North shore

12.9% alc./vol.
unfiltered

Price: 750 mL $30

Rate and review Muscedere Vineyards Meritage 2008.

Winemaker’s Notes:
This year’s wine is quite the elegant lady. Her perfume is like licorice and raisin, and you taste the cherry when your lips meet hers. She’s bold and medium bodied, with a soft and gracious finish. Serve with tomato based sauces, veal, and cuts of well marbled steak.

VQA Lake Erie North Shore
12.5% alc./vol.
Sugar Code: 0

Price: 750 mL $14.95

Rate and review Sprucewood Shores Lady In Red 2007

Winemaker’s Notes:
One of our four new wines in the “Alvar” collection. Pinot Noir’s flavours are reminiscent of sweet red berries, plums, tomatoes and cherries.

It is well-suited to pair with poultry, beef, fish, ham, lamb and pork. This wine should play well with creamy sauces, spicy seasonings and may just be one of the world’s most versatile food wines.

GRAPES: 85% Pinot Noir, 15% Cabernet Sauvignion
ALCOHOL: 13%
Sugar Code: (0)

VQA Ontario

Price: 750 mL $14.95

Rate and review Pelee Island Alvar Pinot Noir 2008.

Winemaker’s Notes:
One of our four new wines in the “Alvar” collection. A full-bodied wine characterized by plum, cherry, blackberry, vanilla and tobacco flavours.

Alvars comprise a small percentage of the Earth’s ecosystems by land extent; although some 120 exist in the Great Lakes region, they comprise only 0.2% of the land area there. They provide a natural habitat for many rare birds, butterflies, plants and trees. The hop tree is one of them. A rare tree found in such Alvars along the shores of Lake Erie.

Cabernet Sauvignon is often referred to as the “King of Red Wine Grapes”. This wine is full-bodied characterized by plum, cherry, blackberry, vanilla and tobacco flavours.

Try with red meats, heartier tomato- based pasta’s, lamb, strong-flavoured cheese and dark chocolates.

GRAPE: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
ALCOHOL: 13%
Sugar Code: (0)
VQA Ontario

Price: 750 mL $14.95

Rate and review Pelee Island Alvar Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Winemaker’s Notes:
Full bodied, bold tannins with blackberry and licorce flavours. Serve with steak, veal, chocolate or aged cheese.

VQA Lake Erie North Shore
12.5% alc./vol.
Sugar Code: 0

Price: 750 mL $24.95

Rate and review Sprucewood Shores Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2007

Winemaker’s Notes:
You will find very ripe, plumy-sweet flavours and richness in this wine.
A rustic wine with character. Some would also call it a bistro, elbows on the table wine.

VQA Ontario

Grape Composition: 85% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon
Alcohol: 13 %
Sugar Code: (0)

Food Recommendation:
Great with stews, red meat or tomato-based dishes.

Price: 750 mL $11.95

Rate and review Pelee Island Lighthouse Cab Franc 2008