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Domaine Buisson-Charles Meursault Les Tessons 2011

Domaine Buisson-Charles Meursault Les Tessons 2011

Domaine Buisson-Charles Meursault Les Tessons 2011

Beautiful golden color. Complex nose of citrus fruits, ripe fruits, flowers, salty notes and fine oak aromas. Followed flavors of fresh pineapple, citrus fruit and minerality shows again, but what impresses me the most is the texture of the wine. There is a round and fat mouthfeel, but finesse, there is acidity, but it doesn’t hide the richness of it while being remarkably balanced. Excellent+ (92) 

Made of Chardonnay from 40+ years old vines. Aged in oak barrels with 20% being new. Alcohol level of 13,5%

Available through private import.

Domaine Buisson-Charles website, mastered by the winemaker, Patrick Essa: buisson-charles.com

They are represented in Québec by Séguin-Robillard: seguinrobillard.ca

Domaine Buisson-Charles Meursault Les Tessons 2011

Tawse Chardonnay Niagara Peninsula VQA 2012

Tawse Chardonnay Niagara Peninsula VQA 2012

Tawse Chardonnay Niagara Peninsula VQA 2012

Couleur doré léger. Arômes de pommes, de poires, il y a un peu de notes d’agrume ainsi qu’un côté salin et floral. Assez vif en bouche avec beaucoup de fraîcheur, du fruit tel que perçu au nez et le vin se termine sur une finale minéral. Très bien (89)

Composé de Chardonnay. Fermenté et élevé en barriques de chêne français. Fait 13% d’alcool

Disponible à la SAQ pour 23,50$ (Code SAQ : 11039736)

Le site internet de Tawse Winery: tawsewinery.ca

Échantillon proposé par La Société de vins fins: sdvf.ca

tawse-chardonnay-niagara-peninsula-vqa-2012_2

Jean-Paul et Benoit Droin Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons 2010

Jean-Paul et Benoit Droin Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons 2010

Jean-Paul et Benoit Droin Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons 2010

Is it a Great wine or a wine that was drinked at the perfect moment? I opened this bottle in a well planned moment; at the beach to pair the salty breeze of the ocean with the classic seashell feel of a Chablis!

Medium gold color. Nose showing finesse, saltyness, lemon and mineral notes. Bright flavors of green apples, poached pears, peaches, honey that brings some roundness to the mid-palate, then comes the salty notes with acidity in a great finish. The wine is ready and was opened at the perfect moment. Very good+ (90)

Made of Chardonnay. 25% of the wine is fermented then aged in oak barrels for 10 months. Alcohol level of 3%

Droin’s website: jeanpaul-droin.fr

Vini-vins is the agency representing Droin in Québec: vini-vins.com

Droin Chablis 1er Cur Vaillons 2010

Domaine Pattes Loup Chablis Villages 2014

Domaine Pattes Loup Chablis Villages 2014 

Pale gold straw color. Nose of lemon, wet rocks, honey and flowers. Round on the palate with flavors of lemon, honey and flowers with that mineral and salty notes of wet rocks. The acidity kicks in in the finish that last in freshness. The kind of Chablis I like! Very good (90)

Made of Chardonnay from 55 years old vines. Aged in a mix of stainless tanks and concrete eggs. Alcohol level of 12,5%

Available in SAQ stores for 34,75$ (Code SAQ :12610789)

Domaine Pattes Loup’s website, property and managed by Thomas Pico: pattes-loup.com

Oenopole represents Thomas Pico’s wine in Québec: oenopole.ca

Domaine Pattes Loup Chablis Villages 2014

Closson Chase The Brock Chardonnay Niagara River VQA 2014

Closson Chase The Brock Chardonnay Niagara River VQA 2014

Closson Chase The Brock Chardonnay Niagara River VQA 2014

Bright gold color with green hue. Mineral nose with pineapple and mapple water, then pear, apples and spices. The oak does show, but with some air did blended nicely with the fruit. Flavorful and deep, this feels so young! Flavors are accurate to what was on the nose with a narrow but long finish. Different from the International and typical Chardonnay, but true to what I’ve tasted yet coming from Ontario. A good product offered here and very well priced and won’t be afraid of being cellared for a few years. Very good (89)9)

Made of 100% Chardonnay from rented vines in Niagara. Got no information about its ageing, but have seen oak. Alcohol level of 13,5%

Available in SAQ stores for 23,10$ (Code SAQ : 12855516)

Closson Chase’s website: clossonchase.com

They are represented in Québec by Sélection Caviste: selectioncaviste.com

Hidden Bench

Visit at Hidden Bench

Visit at Hidden Bench

Back from a “day job” assignment in Niagara region and having some free time ahead. Why not stop and visit a winery since I couldn’t be in a better place for that, especially at that moment, a beautiful and sunny day! With the goal of trying a new place, I reached a friend who knows his way around and he comes back to me with this suggestion: Hidden Bench.

Located in the Lincoln / Beamsville area, the place is charming, pretty and surrounded with peach tree. With Pinot Noir vines all around, the stone and wood building of the winery are also giving that welcoming and warm feeling.

Hidden Bench

And it does not stop there, despice the work that is going on there (it will be even prettier this summer or shoud be by now, since the welcome also came from the people there. It followed with a discussion with Mike for what type of tasting I was aiming at (I described him my wine tastes and he selected perfect matching wines!), and then I had to work!

Having about 100 acres of lad, close to 84 have vines on it. The first ones were planted in 1977 which is pretty soon for this young wine region. They have many grapes varieties as the classic Pinot Noir (about half the production here) and Chardonnay, Riesling often good coming from the area and even Bordeau type vines inluding Malbec of which they are the largest producer of Ontario.

Hidden Bench Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir vines

And now, what about the wines? Here is my notes on what I have tasted there:

Hidden Bench Riesling Roman's Block Beamsville Bench 2013

Hidden Bench Vineyards & Winery Roman’s Block Riesling Beamsville Bench VQA 2013 

When I said what type of Riesling I like, Mike proposed me this one, made of the older vines of the house. Nose and palate of green apples, lime, good minerality and somehow rich, but balanced with a tangy acidity and slightly bitter which makes me like the wine even more. And the finish is so long!

Lorsque j’ai décrit ce que j’aime d’un Riesling, Mike m’a proposé ce vin, tiré de vignes parmi les plus vieilles du domaine. Arômes et saveurs de pommes vertes, de lime, bWhenien minéral avec une certaine richesse, mais c’est surtout cette acidité légèrement amère, surette que j’aime tant qui me fait apprécier ce vin. Et que dire de la longue finale!

Does have 10g of residual sugar and an alcohol level of 11%. It’s a beautiful crafted wine, so tasty. Sold only at the Winery.

Hidden Bench Chardonnay Estate Beamsville Bench 2013

Hidden Bench Vineyards & Winery Chardonnay “Estate” Beamsville Bench VQA 2013 

Typical cool climate Chardonnay feel with a well balance oak and pear, butter notes, quite complex, especially on the palate without being heavy or overly deep.

Aged 10 months in oak barrels and an alcohol level of 13%

Available at the SAQ for 31,25$ (Code SAQ : 12583047)

Hidden Bench Pinot Noir Estate Beamsville Bench 2013

Hidden Bench Vineyards & Winery Pinot Noir “Estate” Non Filtré / Unfiltered Beamsville Bench VQA 2013 

This smelled so good! Perfumed, fresh, pure, loaded of small red berry notes on the nose, then a fruit explosion on the palate and mineral layers. Then the spices kicks in as long with wild berries and a light bitterness on the finish that gives even more satisfaction with this wine.

Aged 12 months in French oak barrels, 20% being new. Alcohol level of 12,7%

Available at the SAQ for 35,25$ (Code SAQ : 12582984)

Hidden Bench Terroir Caché Beamsville Bench 2013

Hidden Bench Vineyards & Winery Terroir Caché Beamsville Bench VQA 2012 

And then came this Bordeau blend type wine. Deep color with smoke and spices coming from the Merlot grape as it is for a good proportion in the blend. Aromas and flavors of black berries, coffee, noble greens (when it is balanced like that, I find that it adds to the wine instead of ruining it…). Mouth coating with a very long finish. Might feel of seems too wide of overwhelming, but it’s so young! This should age even if is approchable with some air.

Made of Merlot (46%), Cabernet Franc (25%), Cabernet-Sauvignon (16%) and Malbec (13%). Aed 21 months in aok barrels. Alcohol level of 13,9%

The 2011 vintage is available at the SAQ for 39,50$ (Code SAQ : 12306411)

Did I liked it? Of course! Don’t be surprise as I will post more notes on wines from Hidden Bench in the following months. I even hope that I’ll have the opportunity to go back visit the winery in a futur trip in Niagara. Do the same!

Thanks again to Sean for the suggestion and Mike for the tasting, his precise choices regarding my tastes and the time he took explaining me how things are at Hidden Bench.

One more flower for the type of glasses they use, Spiegelau Pure series, even for the water glass and that each tasting station have its own spittoon. It makes the experience even better with this additions.

Hidden Bench website: hiddenbench.com

Maitre de Chai is the agency representing Hidden Bench in Québec: maitredechai.ca

Hidden Bench

Visite à PEC – Hinterland

PEC vineyard visit – Hinterland

PEC vineyard visit – Hinterland

For our camping trip we did only plan two vineyard visits, because a a family trip can’t only be done to satisfy one’s passion. But a bottle of Whitecap, a Charmat (bubbly wine made the same way as Italian Prossecco) from the recent 2015 vintage coming directly from the vineyard and brought by a friend, bottle that we had the first night by the fire. That bottle went down so fast without being able to explain why, that a visit at Hinterland became a necessity… to buy more of that wine!

With my friend suggestions and recommandations in hands, we met Jonas Newman and his wife, both owners and founders of the winery and the Brewery located just aside, County Road Beer. Both were smiling, welcoming and clearly passionnate about what they do (one just have to listen to them or to see Vicky passing by, stopping when she sees what we were having, pouring herself a glass, then going back to where she was heading to…) to fully understand!

Then we discussed about wine in general and wines coming from Hinterland, of where our interest for their products came from. Jonas explain that he passed few years learning, studying and working perfecting ways to make sparkling wines. No way he would have ended up making sparkling wines without cleary be into it! After all, as Jonas said, being an engineer or an architect doesn’t make you a winemaker…

When we talked about the Ontario VQA system, he said that in a way he’s lucky since sparkling wines are more into standards and easier to be approved by the board. Not always the same results for other types of wines or products, as his sparkling cider is and the chances are quite low for this one to be certified…

Here is quick notes on what we did taste:

First, the 2015 Borealis, a pink Charmat, then the Ancestral, a traditionnal method wine, pink also, both having red berry notes, very fresh. I liked the last one just a touch more than the other. Then Les Étoiles 2009 (so lucky am I to have some in the cellar!) and the 2012, blends of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, aged up to 26 months before being disgorged, deep and complex, creamy mouth feel, the 2009 being even better due to the additionnal age of the wine, adding more complex notes and finesse.

From the products to be release, we tasted the 2011 Sacrement, clearly the best wine we had there, close to a Champagne. So complex, round, charming and was drinking very well. The minute it’s released, I’ll jump on it.

Then the sparkling cider with an unbelievable nose and perfeclty refreshing, a Gamay from bought grapes from Niagara (there is a whole story about this one…) and a fuly concentrated but typical Syrah wine.

Hinterland

Since I already have some of their wines at home and that our visit goal was to purchase more of the Whitecap, that’s what we did! Especially since it’s not going to be sold at LCBO’c stores for that vintage. We were satisfied with that tasting, but it was not going to stop there…

County Road Beer

When we asked if we could also buy beers from County Road Beer, we ended up with a “no” ! We had to taste first!

We did then take to time to taste the range they are offering to make better chioces based on our taste. We ended up buying 3 differents beers!

County Road Beer

Our kids liked the plae as we did, for the open spaces behind the winery buildings where they were able to run and play, with chicken all around! Our tasting was then just more smooth and pleasant. A new beer garden is also opening pretty soon for the complimentary lunch!

We will be back for sure!

Visite à PEC – Hinterland

Hinterland Wine Company

Jean-François Ganevat Le Montceau Côtes du Jura 2014

Jean-François Ganevat Le Montceau Côtes du Jura 2014

Jean-François Ganevat Le Montceau Côtes du Jura 2014

Foggy and intense gold color. The nose is intriguing, hard to describe and is like nothing I had before. I would picture it as a blend of aromas of apples, rhubarb and orange spreaded over a slate rock, plus some smoke and pie crust dough. Even more dense on the palate with apple and tangerine flavors, quite round at first then it straighten up with mineral chalk and rocks with a salty touch. Wide on the palate while being straight forward, long, genuine and tasty. One special thing I liked about that wine is that impression of control and balance. Excellent (91)91)

Made of Chardonnay planted on marnes du Lias type of soil. Organic farming, natural winemaking, no sulfur added. Alcohol level of 12%

Very small quantities available at the SAQ for 40,25$ (Code SAQ : 12884392)

More on Ganevat wines:

vosselections.com/ganevat

kermitlynch.com/ganevat

réZin Sélection is the agency that imports Ganevat’s wines in Québec: rezin.com

Jean-François Ganevat Le Montceau Côtes du Jura 2014

Norman Hardie Winery

PEC vineyard visit – Normand Hardie Winery

PEC vineyard visit – Normand Hardie Winery

It was a Beautiful breezy day in the County. After good night sleep at Sandbanks Provincial Park we head to Norman Hardie’s vineyard, a place which I appreciate so much for wines (You just have to follow my Instagram account to realize it, I open bottles of Norm’s wines several times a year!) and for the wonderful setting.  It would be lie that to say that we don’t go there for the pizza too!

A table was reserved for our group, warm welcome, we were expected. Only a short time later we have a glass of the new vintage of the Calcaire, the 2015, a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot gris and Riesling. This wine will put the tone for this visit! Fresh, lively, mineral and oh so much delicious, we liked it so much we left with some bottles after!

Norman Hardie Winery Calcaire

 

Then meeting with M.Hardie himself who goes table to table make sure that everyone is well served and have pleasure while being omnipresent on the patio, giving vigorous and generous handshake, just like the place!

Follows pizza baked in an exterior wood oven (the best pizzas which I ate – if I exclude those made by my wife), a glass of 2014 County Chardonnay, 2014 Cab Franc (the wine I prefer – since I’ve known this winery), all this under a radiant sun. We had a blast! The crowed patio confirms the popularity of the place, well known for its pizzas as well.

Norman Hardie Winery Pizza

How to continue the visit? With a stop at the tasting bar of course ! We enjoyed it the 2015 Riesling, just bottled, made of County and Niagara fruits. Mineral, round on the palate at first then the finish kicks in with a good aciditylesvel and flavors of citrus fruits. Then we had the 2013 Niagara Chardonnay, more lively than the other enjoyed vintages, with notes of smoke and not too tropical / ripe fruit flavors, making this vintage quite good and well made. The 2014  County Chardonnay is a little more oaky at this stage, but a bolder acidity gives to the wine liveliness and some freshness while being a tad more complex and mineral than its cousin from Niagara. This last wine will be really beautiful in 1 – 3 years.

Then followed the red wines, all from the 2014 vintage, with Pinots giving red berry notes, some spices, a gentle minerality, and a slow but blooming complexity with a green and typical note of cooler area Pinot, bringing this near quench thirsty-filler capacity paired with ease of drinking. And the Cab Franc… theirs is so good! Just enough concentration, it’s fresh, spicy, juicy, it drinks so well and what about the alcohol level, not even reaching 11%! Bought some bottles of this one, again. Got to have enough bottles in the cellar to last until the next vintage release…

Quick thank you talk with Norman before going back to our camp site to this very occupied man who has to run to the airport to catch a flight to England where he was part of the International Cool Climate Wine Symposium, which the results of his wine can be found here in an article published on Jancis Robinson website.

One again we had a great moment, quite occupied, as the staff was too! We ended that day at the beach, located only a few minutes from the winery with a glass of Cab Franc in our hands…

Norman Hardie Winery Cabernet Franc

Special thanks to Sean and Claude, two personaly known staff members for their time !

As this visit ends, the desire to come back is already there, wishing to be back as soon as possible…

The winery’s website: normanhardie.com

The agency who is representing Norman Hardie in Québec: vindamejeanne.com

For my other tasting notes on Norman Hardie wines from my blog: more tasting notes of Norman Hardie’s wines

Sandbanks Prince Edward County

 

Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Saint-Aubin 1er Cru La Chatenière 2013

Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Saint-Aubin 1er Cru La Chatenière 2013

Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Saint-Aubin 1er Cru La Chatenière 2013

Medium dark gold color. Complex nose of grilled pineapples, grapefruit, pear, spices, oak and just a hint of salty water breeze. Flavor profile is about the same with the addition of chalk, lime in a round mouthfeel that still gives room for the acidity to show. This is young or course and oak is there, but drank over 8 hours it did showed how good this will be after few years of ageing. Excellent+ (92)

Made of Chardonnay from vines planted in 1970. Aged in 350 litres oak barrels, 30% being new. Alcohol level of 12,8%

This wine was sold at SAQ Signature stores for 66,00$ (Code SAQ : 12706001)

La Céleste Levure represents Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey wines in Québec: lacelestelevure.ca

Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Saint-Aubin 1er Cru La Chatenière 2013