This is 100% Cabernet Franc with 52% of the grapes dried for 125 days in the appassimento style. It is a beautiful thing with a thick and rich nose of cassis, blackcurrants, fine herbs, plums, gorgeous oak spice and sweet cedar undertones. The dark, juicy fruits are joined by kirsch, rousing spice notes and electric acidity on the palate.
This special bottling of sparkling Vidal Icewine has quickly become a favourite of mine, and a style I hope catches on with every Icewine producer in the peninsula. It starts with rousing, invigorating aromatics of sweet apricot, peach tart and exotic tropical fruits. The bubbles from this charmat-method sparkler dance nimbly in the glass but explode on the palate with alluring sweetness and playful effervescence. The flavours are gorgeous with peach compote, orange peel, citrus, mango, apricot and honeycomb all delivered on a racy spine of acidity. Herein lies the future of Icewine. Wow.
Just over 20% of the fruit was botrytis-affected (BA) and after wild fermentation it reached 30 g/l of residual sugar. The nose is unlike anything else you will whiff in Niagara with notes of wild alfalfa honey, creamy pear, wild flowers and cantaloupe. It’s viscous on the palate with super ripe fruits, and concentrated with honey and spice that comes at you in layers.
Ruby colour. Lightly cedary nose of black raspberries. Medium-bodied, dry, greater concentration of flavour than the QG’s regular Pinot. Rich black raspberry flavour carried on lively acidity to a firm finish of resolved tannins.
Fruity malt aroma with yeasty and lightly hoppy scents give way to fruity and malty flavours with pleasant, gentle hoppy bitterness in the mouth. Will appeal to most palates.
Opaque plum-red. Nose of blackcurrant, lanolin, liquorice and tea. Medium-bodied, tastes of cassis and strawberry jam with a few drops of bright acidity. In the glass, opens up to chocolate and coffee scents and raisin pie flavours. Tannins are still harsh; this needs more time but will be great.
Aromatic redcurrant, ripe berry and a distinctive herbal scent yield to darker fruit flavours in a full-bodied, well structured package. This is a solid, satisfying wine, true to the style of Argentine Malbec and a steal at the price.