Beamsville Versus Burgundy Round 1

There is a new fad in the wine industry, a quirky little cousin of the organic movement known as "biodynamic" and every wine producing region in the world seems to be boasting a new biodynamic winery every year.  Ontario is no exception.  As you might have learned from reading my post about my visit to the Beamsville Bench a few weeks ago, I really enjoyed my visit to the Tawse Winery, a biodynamic producer.  I spoke of my admiration for their passion and dedication as well as the quality of the wines produced there. But, do I think the quality of the wines has anything to do with the idiosyncrasies of the biodynamic movement?

Jancis Robinson has written that she believes the biodynamic movement "just makes for better tasting wines".   If that is true, then certainly anyone would find a biodynamic wine better regardless of their experience with wine in general.  What I mean, of course, is that if two wines are served to a group of people, one biodynamic and one non, the biodynamic should be clearly favoured, should it not?

A couple of weeks ago I pitted two wines against each other in a tasting.  One of these wines was a biodynamic wine from Tawse Winery, a 2009 Sketches Chardonnay.  The second wine was a Burgundy sustainably produced Chablis,  2009 Domaine Louis Moreau Chablis 1er Cru Vaulignot.  The people tasting were the usual group of friends some with a greater wine appreciation than others, but none with any expertise claimed or imagined.  They certainly would not have a prejudice toward one form of farming over another.  No mention was made before the tasting of one of the wines being a biodynamic wine.

To my thinking, if a biodynamic wine is superior because of its method of farming it should be favoured by people who like wine regardless of experience or the wine simply does not live up to the marketing hype.  Furthermore, if the wine is not the clear winner and you maintain  that these methods result in the best examples of wines from any region, you must then concede that your region is not as suitable for wine making.  Or, you have to admit that there is far more involved in making wine than the position of the planets or the burying of a bovine head for a specified period of time during a specific phase of the moon.  And, let me nip in the bud this next argument, if only experts can tell the difference, you must concede that your methods hold no relevance to the average consumer and labelling is irrelevant.

So, who was the clear winner?  Eight people were asked to pick their favourite wine and what region they thought the wine came from.  Two people picked the Tawse as coming from Niagara and one person guessed the Chablis as coming from France.  As for preference, 3 people declared a preference for the biodynamic wine and 5 preferred the sustainably grown product.

Ok, this is not the most scientific test in the world, but I bet I could run the tasting a thousand times with different people and get the same statistically insignificant result.  There is no discernible difference in taste from biodynamic processes, in my opinion.  If the claims of superiority were true, I would have expected, even in this small sampling, to have seen some indication that people preferred the Tawse Chardonnay.  Almost everything about these two wines was the same: vintage, bottle size, price, amount of oak and soil type.  The only clear difference, aside from the influence of the wine maker, was the approach toward vineyard management.  This clearly was not enough to overcome the winemaker's expert touch.

Does this mean I no longer love Tawse?  No.  I think they make great wine and I think they will get better at it; I just don't think that their biodynamic approach will have anything to do with it.  While we were tasting wine at Tawse we were told that, during harvesting, workers were instructed to discard any bunches of grapes that had any unripened fruit.  Not just the unripened berries, but the whole bunch was to be discarded.  This kind of attention to quality is what will make or break Tawse and, regardless of whether or not the "moon is in the seventh house, or jupiter is aligned with mars".

I plan to write more about organic and sustainable farming in future posts, in the mean time you can read this blog to give you an idea of the criticisms of biodynamic farming.

So, How About This Weather, Eh?

Not so long ago, I wrote about the challenging harvest that New Zealand and Australia were facing this season for their 2012 Vintage and highlighted how this impacts the price of wine.  We learned that climate and weather are impacting the process and, consequently, the price.

We in Ontario are not immune to these climate caused pressures and the Niagara region is especially affected by warmer seasonal average temperatures.  The Toronto Star has a very good article on the challenges facing the wineries from 2011/12's unusually warm winter and how this will affect the final product.

I have two thoughts on the subject, first: keep an eye out for early reviews of this year's Ice Wine from Niagara, especially the most renowned producers.  Ice Wine from Niagara has a worldwide reputation and is always in high demand.  Ice Wine is an excellent wine to cellar for a very long time.  If the small amounts are as good as the article suggests, this could be one of Niagara's better vintages and a good opportunity to enhance a fine collection.  Look for wines from Daniel Lenko, Royal de Maria, Inniskillen, Thomas and Vaughn, Magnotta, Pilliteri, Chateau de Charmes, Coyote Run and Creekside.  Be prepared to pay a little more than usual, but keep in mind: with ice wine a little goes a long way.

Secondly, I think that Niagara's best year might still be ahead.  Global warming is certainly changing the seasonal highs and lows for the region, but this winter came on the heels of two record breaking cold and snowy winters and we should probably expect that, for the next few winters anyway, perhaps a longer fall (resulting in riper fruit with more sugar) and then some cold temperatures at night late in December or early January (ideal harvesting conditions).  I do not think that it is inconceivable to expect a "perfect" winter at some time considering the way in which our climate has behaved.  

In the 90's I spent a lot of time writing Emergency Preparedness Plans and researching some of the threats clients should prepare for.  One such threat was global warming and the predictions of that theory that I familiarized myself with back then are rapidly coming to fruition ( get it, fruition, because it's a blog about wine) Anyway, one prediction was the increase in numbers and severity of severe weather events such as hurricanes, tornadoes and blizzards.  As well, the expectation was to see unusual warm weather in historically colder regions and cold and snow in traditionally warm areas.  We saw some of all that this past year with snow in Arizona, temperatures in the 20's(celcius) mid winter in the North East, large killer tornadoes in the midwest out of season, and the weather bomb in Australia/New Zealand, not to mention the bizarre weather of Europe this past year.

For the immediate future, farmers of all stripes will be facing challenges to produce a quality product in sufficient quantity, but for the wine producers, these challenges might be more profitable, in the short term at least, and the Niagara region might be well placed to be the most profitable.

A hat tip to Sarah for the link to the Star article.

Three Posties Walk Into A Tasting Bar...

...again and again and again and again.  And we all stayed sobre, for the most part.

On Thursday I and two friends (Iain and Sarah) took a road trip to the Beamsville and Twenty Mile Benches of the Niagara Region to check out some of the wine Ontario has to offer that is not readily available in LCBO stores.  I had identified 6 wineries of interest that I was hoping to have the time to visit and knew that some would still be on reduced winter hours, so I was sure to be flexible about the tour.  Having never been on a Niagara tour I had no idea what to expect but, it was a beautiful day, sunny and mild, and so we embarked on our adventure in a positive mood.

We left Markham shortly after 10 am and arrived at our first winery, Rosewood Estates, shortly before 11:30 am.   Rosewood is a fairly new winery having opened to the public in 2008 but, they are already attracting attention for their wines and for their unique offerings in honey products including a very nice Mead.  We were welcomed warmly by the staff and offered a 3 flight tasting of our choice of wines.  We chose to sample their 2008 Riesling, 2008 Pinot Noir and a 2007 Mead Blanc.  Both the Riesling and Pinot Noir were typical of what the Beamsville Bench has to offer with the Riesling being crisp, tart and very approachable.  It would be nice as an aperitif or with shrimp or light seafood.  The Pinot Noir was quite fruit forward with a balance of acidity and sweetness and the oak was noticeable but not overpowering the berry fruits typical of the grape.  I had never tasted Mead before and was pleasantly surprised at its clean taste and surprising acidity.  I was expecting something much more sugar loaded and richer and this was a wine I would gladly drink with sharp aged cheddar but also slightly spicy asian food. I picked up a Pinot Noir, Reserve Chardonnay and a Sussreserve Riesling all from 2009.  Tastings at Rosewood were $3 per person which was waved as we purchased some of their product.

Our next stop on the list was a winery that I had read much about, that has been garnering rave reviews for their wines, and which Beppi Crosariol had recommended as one of his top 8 wineries to visit in the region.  Now, we have all been told that if we have nothing good to say we should say nothing at all.  Well, I have something good to say so I am also going to have something not so good to say about this winery later.  Hidden Bench is quite possibly one of the best wineries in Ontario right now.  Fairly new, they are currently targeting the premium market and this is reflected in their prices which range between $24-$55, all well worth the money (pricing is done annually and will change from vintage to vintage to reflect the quality of each year) and the fact that they often sell out of their wines shortly after the release dates (one in spring, one in fall).  Many of their offerings are excellent choices for cellaring and have a balance and finish that just seems more refined on the palate than their neighbours at Rosewood.  The Chardonnay is especially nice with lemon and apple flavours, acidity and sweetness, and oak all in fine balance.  But before you enjoy the wonderful wines at Hidden Bench, you will first be struck by the beauty of the property and the wonderful patio with a magnificent stone fireplace built into the outside wall of the building.  The tasting room is equally impressive inside this renovated 150 year old farm house.  For $10 we tasted 3 of their wines, a Riesling, Chardonnay and red Meritage that was a blend of Merlot/Cabernet Franc/Cabernet Sauvignon/Malbec.  I purchased two of their wines, a 2008 Riesling and 2009 Pinot Noir.  You could not ask for better examples of what the Beamsville Bench is capable of in wine production.

The third stop on our trip was also recommended by Beppi Crosariol and is the biodynamic winery of Tawse.  All three of us fell in love with this winery the moment we drove through their impressive gates and up the winding drive to their state-of-the-art, gravity fed, wine making facility.  This sustainably focused winery has been named Canadian Winery of the Year for 2010 and 2011 and it shows.  We arrived without an appointment and were met by, perhaps, the friendliest person you will ever meet: Rheal.  Despite the fact we had not booked a tour and despite the fact that there was no one available to give us one, Rheal took it upon himself to give us a quick look into one of the barrel caves dug into the side of the hill the winery is built on.  Seeing all those barrels stacked up and experiencing the smell of red wine and oak was intoxicating even before the tasting began.  Rheal could not have been a better host and was so much fun to talk to about the winery, the vineyard, the winemaking process and the final product.  His passion for his work and his employer was infectious and we spent quite a while at this particular winery.  Tastings were supposed to be $3 for a flight of 3 wines but, Rheal managed to sneak in 5 leading us through what he felt best exemplified the wineries best work.  It was an amazing visit and the tasting fee was waived as we all bought some product.  I purchased a Pinot Noir, a Rosé and a Chardonnay which I have since used in a tasting (stay tuned for results).  Regrettably, we had to say goodbye to our new best friend and made our way into Jordan Station to purchase cheese and find a nice place to lunch.

The Upper Canada Cheese Company is owned by the same people who own Hidden Bench Winery and we had decided to stop in long before we knew this after seeing it advertised in a travel guide picked up at Rosewood.  This quaint little cheese shop with its own creamery, is an excellent stop and once inside we were immediately accosted by someone equally as friendly and enthusiastic as Rheal.  Five cheeses were laid out for tasting and all were excellent.  We enquired about a nice place for lunch, got directions, bought some groceries and made our way to look for the restaurant.

Zooma Zooma Cafe in Jordan looks, from the outside, like a century old cottage not too dissimilar to, though much smaller than, Auberge de Pommier.  From the inside, the two could not be more unalike.  Bohemian is the key word and the bright red painted walls with eclectic decor gives one pause to reconsider the choice.  But the food and service soon make you forget about the 1960's era formica topped table you are seated at and you settle in to enjoy very good food at extremely fair prices.  Entrees were an average of $9 and they serve pizza, sandwiches,salads and local wine.  A side of fries with smokey ketchup could be had for $3.  The three of us split a bill of $51 dollars which included two tea and a glass of Daniel Lenko wine.  Not a bad lunch to help re-energize for more wine tasting.

The next stop was not planned, but since we had become a little lethargic from cheese and lunch, we took the easy way out and visited Cave Spring Cellars conveniently located across the street from Zooma Zooma.  The tastings continued at Cave Spring as we tried the Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc at $1-$2 per wine tasted.  This fee was also waved upon purchase of wines from their store.   Unfortunately, tours of the facility are required to be pre-booked and the tasting room was relatively busy compared to other wineries and there was only the one staff member on duty.  We piled into Iain's truck and headed toward our fifth and final stop of the day.

Flat Rock Cellars was not one of my picks, it was suggested by Iain, and is an example of why you should stay flexible when visiting Niagara.  Flat Rock also has a state of the art, gravity fed, low environmental impacting, modern facility and the staff could not be more proud of it if they owned it themselves.  Sarah's favourite person from the tour (Kyle - equal in passion about wine to Rheal) led us in tastings of some of Flat Rocks finest offerings. First up, a 2010 Twisted, a blend of the regions best known whites: Chardonnay, Riesling and Gewurtztraminer.  This is a stellar wine that would be a great summer patio wine and would be great with potato salad and bbq fare.  We also tried the Pinot Noir and the Pinot Noir Rosé which were also quite approachable wines that would be great for patios and bbq's.   I did purchase a bottle of the Pinot Noir and was surprised that, despite having spent the least amount of money at this stop and having been given a quick-look tour of the processing area, the tasting fee of $5 was also waived.  I know at least two of us will be back soon to this winery, and one of us for the wine.

Having been my first trip to Niagara for the wineries I was not sure what to expect but I soon found out, that for wine lovers, this is a great way to spend a day and pick up some wines that are not carried in the local LCBO.  The people of Beamsville and Jordan are great ambassadors for the province: warm, welcoming, helpful and passionate about their region's biggest industry.  All but one of the wineries waved the tasting fee despite the fact that we did not all buy the minimum for waving.  All of the people, except one, greeted us with warm smiles and a sense of humour.  All, but one, were interested to know where we came from and what our experience with wine was.  All of them will, except one, see me again visiting their wineries.

The one exception is Hidden Bench, who I believe had the best wines but, gave us the worst experience.  Nobody appreciates more than I do all the hard work that goes into to making the products and producing the food that I put on my table and on the tables of my friends.  I am well aware that we were travelling outside the usual tour season and small wineries have a lot to do to prepare for the upcoming season but, there is a simple solution to ensuring you are not bothered when you don't want to be: hang a CLOSED sign up.  Many of the wineries I hoped to visit did just that and I will not hold it against them.  If you are too busy or unprepared to handle a small group in the middle of the week in a month like April, do yourself a favour and stay closed till the weekend.  But, may I make one suggestion to you Hidden Bench?  Perhaps, just perhaps, you could provide more than one glass to be shared among three people?  If you (and I don't know your name, ma'am) had not been the source of such amusement to us the rest of the day, and if the others in the region had not been so much your antithesis, my opinion of Niagara could have been as sour as the face you presented our entire visit.

But, we did not let that one low light ruin our day, and I can not emphasize enough how much I feel everyone in the province should make a point of touring the Beamsville Bench and Jordan Station.  Get out there now and enjoy some of the best wines in the world, because you are not likely to see them in the LCBO any time soon.   I guarantee your new favourite wine is just waiting for  you to discover it, and the friendly people of the region are waiting to introduce you.  Cheers!

On Giving Wine as a Gift

Image via WikipediaRecently, I was asked to recommend a wine for about $50 dollars that was to be given as a gift.  This request caught me off guard for two reasons: 1) I don't typically spend that much on wine and 2) I try a lot of different wines and don't have many go to bottles.  I did make a couple of suggestions based on wine I have tried and then gave some general guidelines for gifting that I would like to share here.

First let me say, I have three favourite regions for wine because these are the regions I have been exposed to the most.  I like the grapes, styles and characters of these regions and have not had a wine I didn't appreciate at some level.  If you are looking for a wine to give and you have a price range in mind talk to your local liquor store expert and ask for a Burgundy (if giving red, and Chablis are great for Chardonnay lovers) or Loire (if giving white) and Beamsville Bench (if you are giving something from Ontario).  I truly believe you can not go wrong with any of the wines from these regions and each has a wide price range from $10 to $100.

Burgundy and Loire speak for themselves and I would doubt too many people would take me to task on those.  But, you may not be too familiar with Beamsville Bench sub-appellation of the Niagara wine region.  I think this will change and you will soon be hearing a lot about this hidden gem.  With wineries like 30 Bench, Organized Crime and Fielding Estates, this area is poised to take off and become the "bench" mark (hehe get it?) for Ontario wines.  Just my opinion.

Niagara Harvest 2011

Ok, the Niagara region harvest is just about done, except for the ice and dessert wine varieties, and I have a prediction.  This is just an exercise and I claim no secret powers or even any expertise, I just want to go on record with what I think the 2011 year will bring for wineries.

This year saw the region reach record highs, albeit for short stretches, and the crucial months of September and October saw damp conditions, as did the early months of May and June.  The rain in late September and early October would have a negative effect on the Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Gerwurztraminer, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay due to a natural lowering of acid.  Look for the 2011 whites to lack the traditional tart apple components and I am guessing many producers will forego the high end wines and concentrate on less expensive, higher yield wines to keep profits up. Inexperienced wine makers will see whites that are flabby in taste.

Reds, on the other hand, might be quite interesting and I think will be a good year for those who have been cultivating Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot varieties.  These wines love the heat resulting in a beefier wine, and, with the right amount of oak, could have some very nice complexity.  I think it will be a good year for the red Canadian/International blends.  Look for some new projects from some of the smaller, more flexible wineries - I read that Rosewood was attempting a Bordeaux style of wine.

Overall, the weather presented an interesting challenge for wine makers in Niagara, as it usually does.  Climate change and a generally warming trend in the region means that Niagara may soon see their traditional grapes replaced by varieties associated with warmer climates.   I feel there will be some interesting times ahead for the industry and look forward to how they respond.  As for 2011, expect high yield, lower end whites and some very interesting reds.

That's my prediction, I'll probably be contradicted by the very first experts to weigh in but, let's see how I do once the wines hit the shelves (yeah, more wine tastings!).