Whenever anyone asks me how I started developing an expertise in wine, I reply the same way: “I began by making day trips to Niagara”. This is of course a lie – I first began by conditioning myself with a liver-strengthening regime involving aerobics and cask-strength MacCallan.
But the principle is basically true: visiting Ontario’s wineries is the cheapest and most unpretentious way to give yourself an education in wine. In one afternoon, you can sample dozens of wines, comparing varietals, vintages and styles in a way that is impossible by merely walking into the liquor store.
But if you won’t come to the wine, the wine will now come to you. Last week, the 21 wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake presented the best of their new releases in a splendid event at the Toronto Board of Trade in conjunction with the iYellow Wine Club – hopefully the first in what will become a regular event.
I wasn’t expecting gourmet fare at the Board of Trade, but I have to tip my hat to their in-house caterers, Oliver & Bonacini (famous for Canoe restaurant). In particular, their lamb in lemongrass syrup was a perfect backdrop to the many rustic Ontario reds. I also noticed that after a certain point, my lovely companion stopped speaking to me because it interfered with the urgent task of cramming Roquefort into her mouth.
Niagara-on-the-Lake is the easternmost subregion in Niagara – a land with fertile soil that can prove both a blessing and a curse for some vineyards. I did my sporting best to try a glass of each of the 42 new (or new-ish) wines on offer. Now that my headache is winding up, here are my two top picks for white wine:
- Stratus 2006 “Wildass White” (
$19.95[Ed. Note: No longer available], available from winery or by special order). Wildass is the second label of Stratus, a Niagara winery that is making an ambitious dash to establish itself as one of Ontario’s ultra-premium wineries. Stratus specializes in blending different grapes in order to create complex wines; thus the Wildass is an eclectic mix of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Gewürztraminer and Riesling. The resulting smorgasbord has notes of nuts, grass, marzipan, vanilla, peach nectar, poached pears and just a hint of kitchen sink. 89/100. - Niagara College 2007 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay (
$18.95[Ed. Note: No longer available]). The Niagara College teaching winery has a reputation for crafting wines that sometimes outclass the professionals. This lovely bottle captures the dynamic tension that singles out good Chardonnay. The wine is rich, but also light and refreshing. The nose and palate have a buttery texture, but it is kept lively by streaks of spearmint and crisp apple. Truly delicious. 90/100.
Matthew Sullivan is a civil litigator in Toronto. He writes a weekly blog entry here on lawandstyle.ca. The Short Cellar column appears in the print edition of Precedent. Matthew can be reached at matthew@lawandstyle.beta-site.ca