Ontario offerings: yours to discover
Did you know that Ontario has a thriving wine culture? You may have noticed that the LCBO has a small section dedicated to so-called “VQA” wines. The Vintners Quality Alliance ensures those are wines made entirely from grapes grown here, in Ontario. Many of them come from vineyards close to Toronto: in Lincoln, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Prince Edward County, and elsewhere.
In this issue of Ultra Vires, we at In Vino Veritas wanted to shed some light on these local wines for two reasons. First, we believe that it is important to support our own economy. Second, and more importantly, Ontario is home to some excellent (and undervalued) wines. Also, Danica is reviewing some ciders, because it is the season!
On another note, please welcome our two, new, 1L representatives, Amy Lin and Kimia Veisi Nezhad! They will be writing reviews and helping with operations. Amy will also be hosting our fall tasting event, My Cousin Vino, which happens November 1. You can find more information about that on Facebook.
Danica
Some of my favourite wines are from Ontario but, since the Fall season is upon us, I’m going to go against the grain (vine?) and talk about Ontario ciders instead. While the cooler weather and changing leaves has many people reaching for pumpkin spice-flavoured everything, for me, it signals the start of cider season.
When it comes to picking out cider at the LCBO, there are more options than just trusty ol’ Sommersby. For those of you who prefer plain apple cider without any weird fruits or flavours added, I would recommend Pommies Cider ($3.30/can at the LCBO). I find the tricky part about picking out cider is that they tend to be either way too sweet or way too sour, but Pommies falls nicely in the middle. It is still on the drier end of the spectrum, but it has enough sweetness that it will not make your mouth pucker with every sip.
If you are looking for a more unique cider, one of my favourites is the Shiny Apple Cider with Pinot Noir ($3.80/can at the LCBO). I found the regular Shiny Apple Cider to be a bit too tart for my liking, but the Pinot Noir version balances out this tartness with some delicious red fruit flavours. The cranberry and strawberry notes from the pinot noir are a nice twist on the traditional apple cider taste and add sweetness without being overwhelming. Best of all, this choice lets me combine two of my favourite things: cider and wine.
Tom
In my opinion, Ontario’s viniculture shines brightest in its Rieslings. Presently, Tawse Quarry Road Organic Riesling 2016 is my favourite wine, because it pairs astonishingly well with the spicy, Indian and Thai dishes which make up a large part of my diet. This VQA wine, which is bottled in Lincoln, south-east of Hamilton, and has a delicate, vegetal nose, with faint whiffs of latex. Take a sip and it reveals what some aficionados describe as “juicidity”—a thirst-quenching, off-dry blend of tangy citrus and pear. Beautifully balanced acidity and low alcohol content (10.5%) make for easy drinking. $24.95 at LCBO Vintages stores.
If you love dry Riesling, but need something a little more “everyday” in terms of price, then I encourage you to try Pelee Island Lighthouse Riesling. This wine is named for Lighthouse Point Provincial Nature Reserve, which is at the northern tip of Pelee Island, Canada’s southernmost point (save for the miniscule Middle Island). There is something cheery about it. It is the colour of pale straw, and as you swirl it around in your glass, you can faintly smell peach and pear. Those aromas carry through to the flavor, which also has bracing acidity. This is a simple, crisp wine — a fine choice for $11.45 at the LCBO.
Amy
As we waltz deeper into autumn, I am still dreaming of summer with a bottle of Château des Charmes’s Aligoté 2017. Aligoté is an underrated cousin of Chardonnay that is also native to Burgundy. But before you jet off to France or even trek down the aisles of French wines at the nearest LCBO, consider trying Château des Charmes’s local take on this easygoing white. There is a reason why it took silver at this year’s National Wine Awards of Canada. And yet it will only set your bank account back $15.95.
Upon opening the bottle, the first thing you’ll notice is the burst of fruity aromas. This is followed by bright notes of green apple and ripe pear that shines through on the palate. With its crisp yet subtly sweet finish, this light-medium-bodied white is a well-articulated expression of liquid sunlight on a warm, pale-blue August afternoon. This is a versatile wine that pairs wonderfully with seafood or chicken but is delicious on its own — just be sure to serve it chilled.
Jason
I endeavoured to find an up-and-coming producer experimenting with obscure grapes in Ontario. What I got was Quai du Vin’s Ehrenfelser 2016. This varietal was invented by crossing Riesling with an Alsatian table grape. It is neither well known nor highly regarded, but it has taken a hold in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley, owing in part to its adaptability to short seasons that would be unsuitable for Reisling. Now, Quai du Vin has brought the wine to Ontario, cultivating a new vineyard on Lake Erie’s northern shore, south of London.
Nosing this white reveals a strong odor of tires, garden hoses, and assorted rubber products. It is reminiscent of a sweet compost on the palate, hurling its off-dryness at you with reckless abandon. If you can stomach the queasiness of the first few sips, the finish is surprisingly smooth, although notably missing the acid of an Ontario Riesling.
This wine drinks below its $18.80 price point, but it is not a write-off. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a Pinot Gris and some adventure, but who also wanted to buy locally.
Kimia
There is no shortage of good Chardonnays in Ontario, but Cave Spring’s 2016 vintage offers something a student can appreciate: value. At $15.95, this would be a great wine to have in your fridge for casual drinking. Cave Spring’s VQA chardonnay is pale in colour and not too aromatic. Although, subtle citrusy and floral notes can be distinguished. On the palate, it is ripe and fruity with dominant pear and apple flavours. But it is also dry, crisp, and a bit sour. The finish is bitter-sweet, in more ways than one! It would pair well with simple seafood dishes. Available at the LCBO.
If you are looking for something for after dinner—something to pair with light desserts—try Château des Charmes Vidal Icewine 2017. This golden VQA icewine is rich and balanced. On the nose, it is both floral and fruity, with apricot dominating and a subtler sweet orange and honey scent. On the palate, it is viscous and sweet. Yet, it has a surprising dry finish that makes it more complex than your run-of-the-mill icewine. At the LCBO, it costs $27.85 for a 200 mL bottle, which also makes it relatively good value.
