There's no getting around the fact that, guaranteed heatwave or two every summer aside, southern Ontario is a "cool climate" region. Germany and northern France are in this category too - do you think of reds from those places? OK, maybe pinot noir (aka Blauburgunder).
Pretty much without exception, red wines require more heat units and sun to ripen properly, and the vines tend to be somewhat more sensitive to winter cold. Whites like riesling and chardonnay on the other hand are not only hardier in the vineyards when the temperature skids to -20 or lower, but they also produce great wines without as much heat and sun during the summer. Indeed in both cases, the most expensive and highly regarded examples come from Northern France or Germany. Hot climate chardonnay is quite a different beast than a sleek Chablis, and can be full, round and flabby. This is not typically a problem for Ontario's chardonnays. Having said that, a couple of the chardonnays I review this week are surprisingly full and fruity - both Daniel Lenko's and Kacaba's would fall into that category. There's also a very ripe sauvignon blanc from Colio down in Lake Erie North Shore.
Ordinarily, however, high acidity is the order of the day for most Ontario chardonnays, rieslings or sauv blancs. They will also not usually be overly fruity (though the rieslings and gewurztraminers can be intensely aromatic) and will not be too full or round in the mouth. Ontario winemakers don't tend to use much oak with their whites and indeed many of Ontario's chardonnays are unoaked. Rieslings and gewurztraminers are never oaked, except maybe in a blend.
As with many other places, the most expensive chardonnays from here are "barrel fermented" - which means they're quite oaky - but a lot of local producers seem to know when to stop. The Trius White in this week's release (a blend that includes some chardonnay), is a good example of judicious oaking.
Elsewhere
There are a few interesting French whites and Argentina delivers a well priced malbec and an interesting tempranillo. If you've had enough disappointments from pinot noir since the film Sideways and you're thinking about moving back to merlot, reliable producers Clos du Bois have a well priced - and very "California" - example.
To bring it back to Ontario, cabernet franc is one of the main Bordeaux grapes and has been touted as one of the best performing reds here. There's a great cab franc worth trying this week... and it's from, um, France.
To get a hold of any of these wines, visit the LCBO website to check availability near you.
Fielding Estate Winery Dry Riesling 2006. $16.00 ** TOP VALUE WHITE**
VQA Niagara
Very fruity nose with lime and cooked pear. Very dry on the palate, which has good acidity and is pleasantly less fruity than expected - clean and minerally. Niagara how I like it. 88 points.
Laurent Mabileau St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil 2006. $13.95 ** TOP VALUE RED**
Loire Valley, France
Here's a grape that does well in Niagara, but from its home in the cool Loire Valley. Terrific cab franc nose with ripe red fruit and bell pepper green notes. Super smooth on the palate, which is very dry and not too fruity. Acidity is high, but tannins are nicely balanced. Nice finish too. 88 points.
The Whites of Ontario
Cave Spring Estate Riesling 2007. $17.95 ** GOOD VALUE **
VQA Beamsville Bench
One of Niagara's most reliable producers of riesling, you can count on Cave Spring. A visit to the winery is recommended: it's one of the closest to Toronto and the village of Jordan is cute. With this one you'll get lots of fruit on the nose, including apple and lime, as well as the riesling petrol note. Fairly full bodied on the palate, which has a sweeter hint (likely due to the warmer summer that year), but there's the usual bracing Ontario acidity which balances it and lifts up the finish. 88 points.
Colio CEV Sauvignon Blanc 2006. $15.95
VQA Lake Erie North Shore
Rather riper than usual nose for an Ont. sauv blanc - but then it is from the "deep south" of the province. Good ripe fruit on the palate too, which has just a bit of grassiness as well as some citrus - not too typical, but good. 87 points.
Daniel Lenko Unoaked Chardonnay 2006. $19.95 ** GOOD VALUE **
VQA Niagara Peninsula
Not sure why Ontario's premier "boutique" winery isn't "Beamsville Bench" considering he's in Beamsville. Anyway, this one's got a fairly muted but fresh nose with even a hint of tropical fruit as well as peach. Super smooth on the palate, with acidity rising nicely towards the finish, which has a bit of lemon. Very nice. 89 points.
Jackson-Triggs Proprietors' Grand Reserve White Meritage 2007. $24.95
VQA Niagara Peninsula
White meritage is the white Bordeaux blend: sauvignon blanc and semillon. Muted but lovely nose with citrus fruit and a hint of tropical. Smooth and yet zesty on the palate, which has elegantly restrained fruit and a bit of a smoky note and a nice finish. Excellent. 89 points
Kacaba Vineyards Horizon Ridge Sur Lie Chardonnay 2006. $15.95
VQA Niagara Peninsula
Very fruity and ripe nose, but dry and fresh on the palate. There are some tropical fruit notes and a bit of butter. Fairly light and fresh, OK finish. 87 points.
Trius White 2007. $18.95 ** GOOD VALUE **
VQA Niagara Peninsula
Lovely nose on this blend of gewurz, riesling, pinot gris and chardonnay - lots of white fruit and a hint of vanilla and lemon. Fairly rich palate with yellow plums, peach and a hint of sweetness, but enough acidity to make it right. Good finish. 88 points.
The Sparkling Wines
Chapuy Brut Reserve Champagne. $54.95
Champagne, France
Rather aged nose on this one - odd for a non vintage and makes me wonder if this is a few years old now. There are hints of wet leaves and toffee. Nevertheless, very dry and fresh on the palate, which has lots of lemon, a bit of vanilla and some butter. Nice lingering finish with crisp acdity. 88 points.
G.H. Martel & Co. Prestige Brut Champagne. $47.95
Champagne, France
Fresh lively lemon nose with rich fruitiness. Very crisp and dry, fresh lemon fruit and even some pineapple. Smooth on the palate, with lemon drops on the finish. 90 points.
Bailly Lapierre Cremant de Bourgogne Reserve Brut. $19.95 ** GOOD VALUE **
Burgundy, France
Nicely fruity nose of muted apricot and honey. Lively and tiny-bubbled mousse with some lemon. Very fresh and clean and nice finish, just a tad on the sweet side. 88 points.
Canella Prosecco di Conegliano. $19.95
Veneto, Italy
Not a bad prosecco here - fresh and fruity nose with peach and floral notes. Fairly full and ripe on the palate, which has fairly big bubbles and is dry, but there is a hint of sweetness on the OK finish. 88 points.
The Other Whites
Juniper Crossing Chardonnay 2006. $18.95 ** GOOD VALUE **
Margaret River, Western Australia
Lovely nose with lots of fresh white fruit and a nice touch of oak. Smooth and medium bodied on the palate, which has a good balance of fruit and acidity and a bit of smoke. Fresh finish. 89 points.
West Cape Howe Sauvignon Blanc 2007. $19.95
Western Australia
Very lively sauv blanc nose with herbacious and grassy notes and an odd but not disagreeable darker note. Very pleasant on the palate, which is smooth and fresh, with lemon and grass giving way to a ripe fruity finish. 88 points
Blason de Bourgogne Chardonnay Macon-Villages 2007. $16.95 ** GOOD VALUE **
Burgundy, France
Fairly muted nose with some apple fruit and butterscotch. Fresh and smooth on the palate, which has more apple and a bit of lemon. Lovely finish. 88 points.
Roger Lassarat Terroir de Vergisson Pouilly-Fuisse 2006. $26.95
Burgundy, France
Richly bold nose with apple and lemon fruit as well as a surprising rich toastiness - Lassarat's wines are initially fermented in stainless steel and then placed in barrel, so I was expecting leaner. Very rich and fairly big on the palate, which has more apple and lemon fruit and a hint of smoke. Lovely and lingering fresh finish with another hint of smoke. 89 points.
Chateau de Tracy Mademoiselle de T Pouilly-Fume 2007. $25.95
Loire Valley, France
Nice and big sauv blanc nose on this one - herbaceous and grassy, as well as the bonus of tropical fruit. On the palate the acidity is good and crisp, there's lemon fruit on top of the tropical, and a lovely finish. 90 points.
Noel Bourgrier Vouvray 2007. $14.95
Loire Valley, France
Rich and fruity nose with peach and lemon notes. Feels a little "off dry" on the palate, which is packed with ripe fruit. Decent acidity and a sweetish finish on this chenin blanc. 87 points.
Frey-Sohler Riesling 2007. $16.95 ** GOOD VALUE **
Alsace, France
Here's a very Alsacian take on riesling - the appellation's most important varietal. Lovely but muted nose with a hint of petrol as well as peach and lime. Very smooth and fresh on the palate, which is very dry, the fruit's nicely muted and the acidity is crisp. Good finish too. 88 points.
Hilltop Premium Pinot Grigio 2006. $15.95
Neszmelyi, Hungary
Rich and fruity nose with peach, pear and aromatic notes. Quite round on the palate, but there's just enough acidity to keep it fresh and it rises nicely on the finish. An interesting pinot grigio. 87 points
Borgo Magredo Friuliano 2007. $14.95 ** GOOD VALUE **
Friuli, Italy
Fairly big and aromatic nose of ripe white peach fruit. Fairly light and fresh on the palate, which is nice and dry, though fairly simple and less fruity than expected. Nice finish with some lemon. 87 points.
The Red Wines
Clos du Bois Merlot 2005. $18.95 ** GOOD VALUE **
North Coast, California
Lovely rich nose with lots of dark red fruit as well as tobacco secondary notes. Smooth and quite juicy on the palate, which has blackberry, plum and cigar notes, and a bit of vanilla. Good acidity, nice finish. 88 points.
Mayu Reserva Carmenere 2005. $17.95
Elqui Valley, Chile
Not bad example of a not always reliable grape. The nose is peppery and slightly green, but there is dark red fruit too. The red fruit is quite ripe on the palate, which also has some pepper. Alluring dark notes as well, and a good finish. 87/88 points.
Vina Requingua Toro de Piedra Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 2006. $14.95 ** GOOD VALUE **
Curico Valley, Chile
Fairly big and dark nose with black cherry and coffee grinds. Tannins and acidity are both elevated and it's full bodied. This would be a good accompaniment to a big meaty dish. 87 points.
Domaine Duthel Douby Morgon 2007. $20.95
Beaujolais, France
Here's a lovely fruity Beaujolais - lots of cherries, strawberries and a bit of spice. Lighter bodied as expected, it's smooth and there's a hint of earth to give it some depth. Tannins are soft and the acidity is medium - this is easy drinking, but the quality's good. 88 points.
Cru de La Valee du Rhone Saint-Joseph 2003. $24.95
Rhone Valley, France
One of the higher quality appellations in the northern Rhone, Saint-Joseph wines are usually heavily - or fully - syrah based. Being from scorching 2003, this one comes across as a bit cooked on the nose, which has lots of ripe fruit. Smooth and elegant on the palate though, which is what you expect from St. Joseph. There's juicy plum, pepper and tobacco notes and a nice finish. 87/88 points.
Domaine La Haute Marone Gigondas 2005. $26.95
Rhone Valley, France
Lovely rich red fruit on the nose, super smooth and fresh on the palate. Plummy notes, a bit of spice, but not much in the way of secondary notes or darkness - but absolutely lovely. Good finish too. 89 points.
Famiglia Bianchi Malbec 2006. $16.95 ** GOOD VALUE **
Mendoza, Argentina
Rich and bold nose with lots of dark red fruit and spice. Ripe cherry fruit on the palate, which also has some vanilla and cigar notes. Acidity is fairly fresh and it's not overly tannic. 88 points
Zuccardi Q. Tempranillo 2005. $18.95
Mendoza, Argentina
Terrific bold and dark nose on this very New World tempranillo: cigar and earth notes over slightly extracted dark cherry fruit. Fresh acidity, full bodied and a bit of toast. Not like a Rioja, but nice. 87/88 points.
Paolo Conterno Bricco Sant'Ambrogio Barbera D'Alba 2007. $19.95
Tuscany, Italy
Rich dark nose here: black cherries, rose petals and tobacco. Smooth, fresh and lighter than expected on the palate. Good light fresh finish. 87/88 points.
Bodegas Atteca Old Vines 2006. $22.95 ** GOOD PREMIUM VALUE **
Calatayud, Spain
Super big nose with bacon and spice over dark cherry fruit. Super rich on the palate, which has lots of ripe berry fruit, tobacco notes and spice. Lovely lingering finish. 90 points.
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