Fratelli Alessandria Dolcetto d'Alba 2015

Fratelli Alessandria Dolcetto d’Alba 2015 

Fratelli Alessandria Dolcetto d’Alba 2015 

Ruby-purple colorNose of wild berries, cherries, plumearthspices and some flower notes. Flavors are about the same as the aromaswith extra notes of crushed black berries. This is expressive, joyful, round, fruit loaded and lifted by a good acidityWhat a tasty treat! Very good (89)

Made of Dolcetto. Aged in stainless / cement tanks for 5 to 7 months. Alcohol level of 13,5%

Still available in SAQ stores for 21,95$ (Code SAQ : 11580186) 

Fratelli Alessandria’s website: fratellialessandria.it 

They are represented in Québec by Oenopole: oenopole.ca 

Here’s a link to a post that followed a tasting-meeting with Vittore Alessandria: dansmonverre.ca/fratelli-alessandria/

Fratelli Alessandria Dolcetto d'Alba 2015

Fratelli Alessandria Dolcetto d’Alba 2015

Malivoire Gamay Niagara Peninsula 2015

Malivoire Gamay Niagara Peninsula 2015 

Malivoire Gamay Niagara Peninsula 2015 

Medium dark ruby color. Fine but shy nose of flowers, cherries and earth. Way more expressive on the palate with an explosion of red fruits, ground cherries, dried flowers and a bold and present spiciness. Just long and concentrated enough, it stays fresh and refreshing due to its good acidity level. Again a bottle that went empty the minute it was open! Very good+ (90)

Made of Gamay.  71% of the wine went through malolactic fermentation and was aged in 75% French and 25% American oak barrels for 10 months. Alcohol level of 12,%5

Available in SAQ stores for 19,50$ (Code SAQ :  11140498) 

Malivoire’s website: malivoire.com 

Sample proposed by Le Maître de Chai: maitredechai.ca

Malivoire Gamay Niagara Peninsula 2015

Malivoire Gamay Niagara Peninsula 2015

Domaine du Cros Lo Sang del Païs Marcillac 2015

Domaine du Cros Lo Sang del Païs Marcillac 2015 

Domaine du Cros Lo Sang del Païs Marcillac 2015 

Ruby color with purple hue. Bloody and meaty yet showing freshnessberries and spices notes. Crunchy fruit flavors on the palate with more dark berries than red oneswith some sweet spicesmeat notes and everything for a wine to pair well with BBQ grilled meat dishes. Good+ (88)

Made of 100% Fer Servadou. Aged in stainless tanks. Alcohol level of 12,5% 

Available in SAQ stores for 16,80$ (Code SAQ : 00743377) 

Domaine du Cros website : domaine-du-cros.com 

Sample proposed by Trialto: trialto.com 

Pierre Gerbais Grains de Celles Champagne Extra Brut

Pierre Gerbais Grains de Celles Champagne Extra Brut 

Pierre Gerbais Grains de Celles Champagne Extra Brut 

Light gold colorNose of freshly baked bread, green appleslemon and an obvious salty scentCreamy and vinous at first when you take a sip, the acidity and salty freshness kicks in after to bring tension on the finish, this is quite enjoyable and clearly on the QPR side as it is affordable for a Champagne of that quality! Excellent (91)

Made of 50% Pinot Noir, 25% Pinot Blanc and 25% Chardonnay. Aged on its lees in tanks, then on lattes for 30 months before disgorgement. Dosage of 3-4g/l. Alcohol level of 12% 

Available in SAQ stores for 46,50$ (Code SAQ : 13212141) 

Pierre Gerbais website: gerbais.com 

Oenopole is the agency that represents them in Québec: oenopole.ca

Pierre Gerbais Grains de Celles Champagne Extra Brut_2

Pierre Gerbais Grains de Celles Champagne Extra Brut

Baron de Ley Grand Reserva Rioja 2010

Baron de Ley Grand Reserva Rioja 2010 

Baron de Ley Grand Reserva Rioja 2010 

Dark garnet colorDepth and dense nose where berry notes goes along with spices and oak. On the palate the structure and the rectitude of the wine are almost overpowering the flavors by being a little severe, but air did brought up dark berriesspicesearth and oak flavors. May feel more dense than complex at this stage, but shows a good ageing potential for up to 15 more years. More classic styled Rioja wine which I like. Very good+ (90)

Made of 100% Tempranillo. Aged 24 months in 50% American oak and 50% French oak, then 5 years in bottle prior to release. Alcohol level of 13,5%

Still available in some SAQ stores for 34,00$ (Code SAQ : 00738997 

Baron de Ley’s website: barondeley.com 

Sample proposed by Les Sélections Fréchette: selectionsfrechette.com

Henry Marionnet Domaine de la Charmoise Touraine 2016

Henry Marionnet Domaine de la Charmoise Touraine 2016 

Henry Marionnet Domaine de la Charmoise Touraine 2016 

Dark ruby color with purple hue. Nose of ripe red and black berries with spices note, earth and violet flowersQuite concentrated on the palateit still finds balance due to its acidity level and a sour-bitter finish that brings in some crispyness to the wineFeels structured (for a Gamay of course, not generally speaking!), it’ll hold on for a few years, or few minutes in your glass as it’s the two options offered with this wine! Good+ (88)

Made of  Gamay from vines planted between 1967 and 1978. Aged in tanks. Alcohol level of  12%

Available in SAQ stores for 16,75$ (Code SAQ : 00329532)

Henry Marionnet’s website: henry-marionnet.com

Sample proposed by VINS FINS L’agence: www.sdvf.ca

Henry Marionnet Domaine de la Charmoise Touraine 2016 

Henry Marionnet Domaine de la Charmoise Touraine 2016

El Coto Crianza Rioja 2013

El Coto Crianza Rioja 2013 

El Coto Crianza Rioja 2013

Dark ruby colorNose of black berriesspicessmokevanilla and oakSilky mouth feel where the oak flavors coats the fruit without any excess. The smoky and spicy notes with the vanilla with garnish the finish. Could get some air in a decanter to help the wine being even more expressive. Good+ (88) 

Made of Tempranillo. Aged 12 months in new Amerian oak barrels, then 6 months before release. Alcohol level of 13%

Available in SAQ stores for 16,10$ (Code SAQ : 11254188)

El Coto de Rioja’s website: elcoto.com

Sample proposed by Les Sélections Fréchette: selectionsfrechette.com

Dominique Piron Domaine de la Chanaise Morgon 2015

Dominique Piron Domaine de la Chanaise Morgon 2015

Dominique Piron Domaine de la Chanaise Morgon 2015

Semi-dark purple colorNose of baked berries, super present warm spices notes and some earthChewycharmingjuicy with a more powerful finish than this type of wine usually offersit is still drinking quite nicely and easilyFlavors of ripe berries and spiceseverything to please the guests! If you still have some bottles arounddare to put some down in the cellar as this wine has all the structure needed to aged over a few years. Good+ (88)

Made of Gamay. No information available on ageing / winemaking. Alcohol level of 13,5% 

Was available in SAQ stores for 22,05$ (Code SAQ :  10272966)

Domaine Dominique Piron’s website: domaines-piron.fr

Represented in Québec by LCC Vins et Spiritueux / Clos des Vignes: lccvins.com

Mes premières vendanges à Prince Edward County

My first harvest experience in Prince Edward County

My first harvest experience in Prince Edward County

Grange of Prince Edward

The great fireplace at Grange of Prince Edward

Spring has sprung, so why not write a post about what I did last fall? It’ll help to prepare the new season of course!

Camping season of course, as it is for my family and me a great way to explore lots of new places and to meet the most wonderful people around. But camping is also a way for me to hit the wineries that are on our vacation path, from this new season to the upcoming harvest.

I’ve been a winelover for quite some years now and I like to visit or re-visit with my family and friends some wineries we liked over the years. But one thing I didn’t did before was participate to grape picking during harvest.

I tried to be able to attend some picking activities in my home closer reach, but I wasn’t able to do so as rain mainly got in the way. The next place to try was then the beloved Prince Edward County! Located in South-East Ontario, a 4 hour drive from Montréal area, this was the place we’re we’ll have our first harvest experience. A great way to end a camping season too!

Grange of Prince Edward Vineyards & Estate Winery

There again rain played us all, as we were supposed to go at first at Grange of Prince Edward to pick up Gamay grapes, a real dream to me, one of the biggest fan of that grape! This didn’t stopped our host to gladly welcome all attendees who were there to give a hand during that harvest season.

Grange of Prince Edward Select wines

Grange of Prince Edward – Some of the Select range wines

The humble and really kind Maggie, of the mother-daughter winemaking team, still managed to taste through recently released wines of the “Select” range. From a more structured Pinot Noir to a bright an enjoyable Gamay (amongst my favorite there), then a Riesling just lively enough and a round and fruity Chardonnay wine.

Then we had the privilege to get serve a well comforting meal, paired with the wines we tasted. It was really enjoyed!

Bad weather did got away so we could walk in the vineyard and watch freshly picked Riesling grapes being crushed to produce what’ll become wine!

To taste such freshly pressed juice do help to see what the wine will be, help understanding how a basic product will become wine and what the winemakers have to work with.

Grange of Prince Edward

Freshly presed Riesling juice

All the explanations we received showed us how much work it is to farm vines, from all season long task to prepping them to survive winter. They do at Grange what most of the area wineries do, they select the best branches they can to did them down, putting soil over them to protect them against frost damage. This is so demanding! But every minute they spend working in the vineyard is worth it to allow them to make such great wines, despite all the challenges a cool climate environment can bring to them.

This was a great day, spent with amazing people, but still, something was missing. We wanted to pick up grapes!

 

Vue sur les vignes chez Grange of Prince Edward

Vineyard view at Grange of Prince Edward

Norman Hardie Winery

That the moment when a plan B came out. The following day, Norman Hardie was hosting a “Harvest Experience” day at his winery. This fell in at the right time, especially as this place is also amongst my favorite in Prince Edward County! This is where we would be harvesting rapes for the first time.

Norman Hardie - Vignes de Pinot Noir

Norman Hardie – Pinot Noir vines

It is a really romantic moment to look a fruit loaded vines, bathed in a warm sunlight from a beautiful fall day.

As it is always, this is a welcoming and generous place. From the morning they were prepping the day to help this moment be a success. Nice welcome, coffee was placed in our hands to help us out wake up a little. On one side a whole pork was slowly cooking over a fire and on the other side, the pizza oven was firing as the first pie were getting cooked. We couldn’t be happier, as our smiles showed, as we knew that this would be a great day!

Then we received our instructions; we would be picking Pinot Noir grapes, a second pass in the vines as riper fruit were already picked. The 30 volunteers jumped into the vines to get those beautiful grape bunches!

Even if we were not really used to this, it never lowered our excitement and fun! Even the kids enjoyed it more than we did anticipate.

 

Norman Hardie - Activité familiale

Our kids helping!

Lunch break was filled with amazing pizzas, as they always are, all that under the prettiest sun we could’ve wished for. As soon as we were over, we jumped back at our tasks looking to pick grapes in the close-by main building vineyard.

Our goal to be part of a harvest experience was to dig in, not to overview a process made by others. Mission accomplished!

Norman Hardie - Fruits de la récolte

The fruit we picked that day

We did managed to pick up enough fruit that day to produce up to 150 cases of wine! We were told that the Pinot Noir fruits would make a rosé, soon to be available (2017 summer). Can’t wait to have a glass of this wine (or a few bottles!)! Having the feeling of doing something in the winemaking process of a wine, even if it’s a lower role we played is kinda cool.

Then came the awaited lunch where we had the whole roasted pork that fulfilled our needs. Of course we did enjoyed some wine, especially the newly release at that time Gamay from Norman Hardie!

While being at the winery, we did taste the whole range of available and upcoming wines. We couldn’t have done less!

Taste many of Norman Hardie’s wine requires focus, but also notes! There was quite a lot, but it was so enjoyable as always! This is anyway, one of the main reason I visit wineries…

Most of the wines are single varieties and usually are from both region Norman Hardie is working with; Prince Edward County and Niagara. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, then the blends of whites (regions and varieties), the special ones (Cuvée des Amis was the best of them!), a rosé and of course then Gamay we enjoyed earlier.

Another to a beautiful stay inPrince Edward County

Happy, pleased, all smiling, this is how another stay in this amazing region has ended again. We love Prince Edward County!

We’ll be back for another harvest experience, but also long before that period as we like the place so much!

Prince Edward County

Thanks again Prince Edward County for being so enjoyable and welcoming!

Grange of Prince Edward Select Gamay Pinot VQA Prince Edward County 2014 

Grange of Prince Edward Select Gamay Pinot VQA Prince Edward County 2014 

Grange of Prince Edward Select Gamay Pinot VQA Prince Edward County 2014 

Light, bright and shiny ruby color. Nose of red berries, wet eart, spices and a light flowery breeze. Bringht and explosive red fruit flavors on the palate. A little lower acidity level that what I am used to from the region, but still have enough freshness. Spices burst on the finish that last for a good moment. This is one very enjoyable wine! Very good (89)

Made of  Gamay and Pinot Noir of equal share. Co-fermented. Aged in neutral French oak barrels. Alcohol level of 12,8% 

Available at the winery for 25,00$

Grange of Prince Edward’s website: grangeofprinceedward.com

Bambara Sélection represents them in Québec: bambaraselection.com

Grange of Prince Edward Select Gamay Pinot VQA Prince Edward County 2014 

Having a lunch with a view on the vineyard!