essex wine report

 

Sorry this is a week old. I forgot to post it. Must be getting old or just drank too much.

 

On Saturday, we decided to make a run to Aleksander winery out there in Ruthven. It's the closest to tso, yet she thinks that Mastronardi may actually be closer, but reality is that I can find Aleksander, so that's major to me.

The people there are really nice and we enjoy their wine. It's also neat that they were known to a particular winery on the bench. Maybe that's because their daughter went to the wine making program (can't pronounce the real term nor try to spell it) at Brock.

 

Tried several of their wines so here goes:

 

riesling: crisp and very fruity-- nice summer one and similar in style to the local rieslings. I bought a couple of bottles and I do like it

 

late harvest riesling: this one is more my style as it has the fruitiness of the grapes and a little sweetness to round it out-- man I must be getting old as I like a little sweetness. bought 2

 

chardonnay: the un-oaked is rather nice --again you can taste the fruit and without the oak, it is rather enjoyable bought 1 for tso

 

barrique chardonnay: here we have age and oak. A nice golden color and the taste just sneaks up on you. It's a little dear so I didn't buy any but the sample got better every sip. They have balanced the oak very well so don't think its like one of those Australians where I feel like a beaver.

 

raspberry: fruity fruity fruity really nice and I like it. Had to get another

 

cassis: extremely nice and fruity -- essence of the fruit

 

peach: much the same and I got some for my mum

 

I didn't sample the reds, as it was really hot so I will report on them at another time.

 

If you are out in Ruthven give them a try as they are nice and produce a very good product at a fair price.

 

It is awful outside. As I write this its ~ 95 out and humid. This type of weather is unacceptable to me but I remember days like this as a child so nothing is new. It actually seems cooler as I remember a yearly 100+ stretch and we didn't have ac back then. No I'm not that old. AC came out in the sixties but were huge and very expensive. I remember our first one. It was 220v took two people to lift and was noisy. Now a 10k btu unit is so light I can move it easily - how times have changed.

 

This sort of weather causes me to change my eating patterns. Pasta- no effin way am I going to boil 5 gallons of water in the kitchen. Bbq - nope too hot outside. Beef-you are kidding. Salads, Lebanese food, lunchmeat fit the bill as there is no heat involved.

 

I actually hate salads so bitter greens, vinegar, oil just don't go well with wine to me. I make my own dressing so its oil and vinegar based. So no creamy stuff to ease out the vinegar and I like those bitter greens so it looks like mineral water here.

 

Lebanese food. Now I love this stuff. I really owe the man who owned Byblos Donair by the university. I credit his food for getting me thru as it was sooo good. Hummus, taboulli, baba whatever is all so good and just works in this heat. Does that got anything to do with the heat in Lebanon. Well I haven't been there so I don't know but I think the sales of skis aren't high there. Now I've had some wine from the Bekaa Valley and it was quite good, but a red today just doesn't work for me. Olive oil, grape leaves, parsley, chick peas: hmmm, I have to go for my favorite--- vinho verde. Now you can't say that Portuguese and Lebanese food is similar but they both feature a lot of  olive oil and fresh things and besides both are hot so it may work. Vinho verde is the cinderella of the wine world. Cheap cheerful slightly bubbly and it just cuts thru oil for me. I just love it and best part is that the cheaper ones taste better to my pallet,

 

Now with the Italian cold cuts and cheese well one has to bow to reality. I can't think of any white that can keep up with a hot calabrese or even a good prociutto. There I will have to have a red but I have a box of sanagiovese in my wine fridge so that'll be it. I'll just chill it a little more than usual and put on a Felini movie. Yup that will do. Well they do keep showing seria a footie on the tube and as the out come was decided in advance watching old games wouldn't be that bad.

 

In these troubled times we all have to improvise. But that's the fun. Don't take out the wine book and go by some ‘expert's' view on what goes with what. Its what tastes good to you. I was drinking gamay noir with salmon years ago when ‘it wasn't' done (at least nobody told me so I thought I was  a rebel) but it worked for me. Face it, would you rather drink a nice Chianti with fish rather than 2 buck chuck? I mean the whole idea is to enjoy

 

Well here I go again saying nice things about Erie Shores. No, I am not an employee of the winery but they had such a nice open house yesterday I have to commend them.

 

The fact that the MG club was there made it special to me. It was like a car show and party rolled into one. I have a life task to convince tso that I want/deserve/need a sports car again. I really need something cool and hopefully old. I tried to show her an MG TD and it didn't do it. The MG A went over well but hallelujah the Morgan. That lovely piece of work from Malvern Link , so gorgeous so cool and guess what??? Tso thought she would look good in one. Now I need to find/steal/make about 70k and wait 15yrs on the waiting list and I can be happy. Life is good.

 

Well the open house wasn't what I expected. I have been to supplier open houses before and I just used them to get out of work. This was very nice. Bbq chicken and roasted pig, salads and desert. The food was really good and plentiful. They had some very fitting music which set the scene and seemed to appeal to all. What really was nice was the buggy ride. They had a carriage that toured their vineyard. Well I'm a city boy, so being around farm animals, fields, vines was a little too much for me. Add to this that the buggy master somehow knew tso. This was getting real strange. Add to this a wonderful lady took our picture and asked an address to send a copy. Well she used to live across the street from tso and knew her grandfather very well. Talk about the six degrees of separation. I am now in the county zone, like where is rod sterling???

 

As this is a wine blog, the wine was fine. I felt vindicated that the rose was everywhere. People seem to really like it which is good. Prices were good and the service was really nice. The glass wineglasses were a really nice touch. Oh yes, to my trained city boy eye, it looks like a good year for grapes there and I really like that, but remember I'm an engineer and not a farmer.

 

Congratulations, Harvey and Alma job well done. Glad I was invited!!

 

Now just waiting till the next one which I have to find my invite - hope its next week as I really like these open houses. I'll report on that one too

 

Monday:

I love summer, but right now its just too hot. I shudder to think how I managed two bbq's this weekend with another tonight.  Well its 95 today and it just doesn't look any better on  the temp front and on my wine cellar.

 

When it's hot, I tend to drink whites, and wow they've been hit rather hard lately. But my complaining isn't the basis for this, it's the result of a good thing.

 

Well after my tour of the county I thought I had enough white to last awhile, but I've had the luck to be around people who have never had any local wine and really liked them. The dry crisp wines seem to really work when it's this hot. And that is my point; I took several bottles to a bbq yesterday and they were universally liked. Not necessarily by wine snobs but the main result was that they wished they could get them where they lived. When I told them that due to the ridiculous policies of the LCBO that forces them out of the system they were a tad dismayed.

 

Why can't the provincial government get it thru their head that the wine industry can be an engine for job creation for this area. Windsor and the surrounding areas have been hit very hard by the restructuring of the car industry, yet we rank 4^th in average income, Lamington is voted the best place to live and  due to the depressed home values people can live quite well down here. Yup. there's worse places to live.

 

The wine industry can be an engine to help transition this area from manufacturing only to something much more. Though owning a winery has been called the easiest way to lose a fortune, no one can argue that it doesn't bring a lot of money to an area. One only has to look to Niagara Falls. Once a relatively sleepy area with only the tacky capital of Canada  (Niagara Falls), it now is booming and largely due to the wine industry.

 

 

What do we have?? London an hour or so away, about 3-400000 people in the county and then one other little benefit. We have Metro Detroit. Without a doubt there are two things they have. One is a lousy football team, and the other is a ton of money, even despite the auto industry issues. Add to this, gas at $3+: going to Kingsville is a lot closer and a hell of a lot cheaper (since the family  suv gets about 2 mpg) than Traverse City. All along the lake are American cottagers so how tough will it be to get more tourism. Metro Detroit has several million people let alone  getting into  Chicago and Cleveland markets.

 

For that to happen we need to get a little further down the development chain but we are on our way. Sure we need more wineries (they seem to be coming), good restaurants, artistic stuff et al. Remember we already have a lot of good things like the festivals at the river, Willistead Concours D'Elegance, and that great wine festival at Fort Malden. And what will a bustling appellation bring us?? Restaurants, hotels, wine purchases, and tourism, which will all result in  job growth. Maybe not the 30/hr Chrysler jobs, but it's a start, the spin off would be excellent. Like the casino, the money would largely come from outside the area thus being pure cash injections to the community.

 

Then why do I despair over the actions of the LCBO. Well if the people who sampled the wine last night were able to buy it at the LCBO they would be happy to buy it. Unfortunately, most vintners would lose a ton selling to them, and that my friends is the reality of our nanny state.

 

Here would be a fine example for our illustrious provincial government to allow some entrepreneurial activity, but somehow I cannot see that clown college doing anything intelligent. Simply why couldn't the province allow INDEPENDENT wine stores within the appellation. I do not mean the kiosks that are limited to one brand but real stores which are liberated from the pricing and stocking policies. Here one could sample and buy wines from a variety of vintners who are sold/stocked on the basis of the quality of the wine not necessarily how much they can produce.

 

The idea of being able to go to a store and buy/sample a Sanson, Colio, Pelee,or  Mastronardi all lined up against each other would be a winner. Place it in Windsor, Kingsville and Amherst burg and it would give exposure to our wines and keep the profits here, not Toronto, yes they will have to get their cut but at least with the proper rules the vintners could actually make some money.

 

 

After seeing the debacles of the pie police, the two high schools(only 50% over budget) being built here, the pit bull law ( Clayton Ruby will win this one for the good guys), the hand gun ban, and the electrical policies somehow I doubt that there guys would do anything to help out a fledgling industry.

 

This is something that really bothers me: the temperature that wine is served.

 

Why do people actually think that red wine should be served at kitchen counter temperature? My kitchen is hot and I don't like 80* pinot. Guys, get it together. Red wine is served at cellar temperature, that is mid 60's. yes cool, not cold cool. Chill them for a while and enjoy them much more. AERATE TOO.

 

Whites are to be served chilled, NOT EFFIN COLD. You serve that crummy Mexican beer with a lime as cold as possible. This does not apply with a Chablis, Riesling, fume, or even chardonnay.

 

Please treat your wine with love not abuse. Just like a fine ale, the temp is critical. Guinness at room temp is not good though better than at bud temps. I have bought extra Boddingtons so that when I got to the 2^nd pint it was the right temperature. I've also ordered my wine at a restaurant and have them set the red in the ice chest while I had a Manhattan or two. That way I could enjoy the wine although the wait staff were perplexed a wee bit.

 

Rant over.

 

Well I had to go to the south of the county today and man was I lost; it seems that I get directional impaired down there. There must be some sort of Bermudan effect.

 

Well I finally found Erie Shores. Well I bought some more rose. As you know I really like it and it's just a fun fun wine. when I got home I found some Konzellman rose - opps such a problem. I wished I had those everyday.

 

I was happy to find a new winery, Colchester Ridge, but it was closed. Its about 3 miles east of Erie and should be across the street from Viewpoint ( John- get it done so I can get some pinot - I just keep hearing good things and its been a long time since I first heard about it from you at the Boardroom before a game ). It looks really nice and I am just awaitin to do a tastin.

 

So I headed west along 50 to see the other winery- Sprucewood Shores: a birdie told me it was run by engineers so its gotta be good. But alas it won't be ready till next year but boy do the buildings look really nice.

 

Then I got really lost. I saw wheat and other green stuff. Man, where am I??? Are there bears around here??? I've seen the video of Churchill Man. and I would be a nice tasty treat for ol smokey. I was sweating  until I found Holiday Beach: bad memories from childhood. Now I'm really lost with bad flashbacks. This ain't good. Hold on a grape sign. yes I'm still in Kansas and behold-D'Angelo . good good I like that place. Didn't have to do a tasting as they are about ready to get their new wines out. He ages his wine a lot so it is quite different from the other wineries and he's won alot of awards. I like his cabernet and pinot (though I've only bought it from his library stock). As I am writing, I am drinking a 96 cabernet from his library that is wonderful. I rarely get to drink mature wine and it was good before aerating and after it was great! Had it with a new york which I covered in/marinated with herbes de provence before I grilled it. Magnifique.  D'Angelo also makes a real neat daily- it's a baco franc and its cheap and after aeration its really quite a bargain - I used it for a party and my snooty friends liked it. Good enuff for me.

 

Being the great geographer, I knew Sanson was just down the way so there I went. I really hate how they changed the street names to county roads. Well finding Sutton Creek golf club, I knew I was close but too far - oi, where was I. I could have called tso but she would have made fun of me so I guessed. Well there was the red barn. Good, I'm there and they're still open. New wines since the last time I was there too. I just love late harvest wines and their Late Harvest Vidal is no different. Sweet( bout a 2), fruity, round and just classy. These vidals just do it for me. Try one. They are so good and are a value. Face it the grapes are really for ice wine but down here the vidal just works really well. There's a certain red I won't talk about cos I want it all for me. But the shiraz is really nice and doesn't taste overdone like they can be - reminds me more of a syrah rather than shiraz and that's a good thing. I gotta get some lamb to make with it. Just think- some lamb racks smothered in herbs de provence, grilled to perfection( only like I can do) and accompany it with their shiraz - just like in the Rhone Valley- that would be a cool meal. Dessert: add some fresh fruit over good vanilla ice cream, doused with black pepper then drizzled with some fine balsamic - ouch , even I would be attractive to la bella femina.

 

Oops, forgot about Baco Noir. I've never been a fan. I have just drank too many bad ones. I can't quantify my issues but it's a musty taste to me kinda. Well lo and behold I'm now finding some I like. Erie Shore's new vintage is sooooo unbaco-y - I just really like it and bought a bottle today. They are really proud of it and I'm going to give it a try. Also Sanson has done the same to me. I tried the Baco Reserve today and it was also so un-baco-y - very nice too. It just shows how far the appellation has come.

 

I'm just so locking forward to the new releases, the 05's should be excellent and all indications are that they will get noticed.

 

Well it's the 4^th of July and I'm watching Sideways. This movie definitely isn't one of my favorites, maybe I just don't get it.

 

It's been really hot down here lately. This makes big reds basically out of the question but there are alternatives. You can have roses and whites but now there is another local alternative: fruit wine.

 

Leave the city and head toward Leamington and you'll soon see what I am talking about. Fruit trees everywhere. Well grapes are fruit too.

 

My travels have discovered three producers in the area. Well two in Essex county and one in Blenhiem. Well that isn't in this appellation, but its close and a real nice drive along the lake.

 

If I miss any please forgive, but I've had fruit wines from Wagner, Aleksander and Smith and Wilson.

 

Lets start with Smith and Wilson as I really like their wines. Style wise they remind me of Sanson wines ( to me a good thing). Their property is also beautiful. It's in Blenhiem and on the lake. Fifty acres on a beautiful slope to the bluff to the lake. What a view. When I talked to the owner, I got the feeling that he is a fruit farmer who makes wine rather than a "winemaker". To me that's great as I fully believe that the wine is made in the vineyard and not the cellar.

 

But back to the fruit wines. Theirs are really classy. There is complexity smoothness and flavors not necessarily associated  with fruit wine. This ain't Boones Farm. They have whimsical names which I find fun. Raspberry is the one that does it for me, but the back current is great too. TSO loves them all except one, which I like. We both think that all their wines are excellent.

 

Different in style is the Wagner product. These exude fruit. Just oodles of fruitiness and Harold is a hoot. He does a variety of fruits and again I like them all. There's apple wine and apple ice wine , black currant and of course raspberry. He's coming up with a cider soon so I'm just waiting for that one. He's a real nice guy and is just coming up with product after product so that's great.

 

Similar in style to the Wagner is Aleksander. They have a raspberry and a peach. Again very fruity but cultured.

 

My best taste test was during an FA Cup game. As I had to pay $20 to watch Liverpool I invited a friend over. Well it was early morning so I brought out an Aleksander raspberry wine. It was wonderful and went over very well. 2nd half and well we needed more, so I opened a raspberry from Smith and Wilson. It was so radically different, like it wasn't the basically same thing. Both were great but so polar opposites: big fruit taste with the Aleksander and smooth class with the S&W. Which is better???? Neither. Both were good in their own way and that's the fun. Its such a drag to always rate things and I would rather just enjoy.

 

And that I guess is why I'm writing this. I'm not going to slag anything and am just going to talk about stuff I like. That is just more positive and just more fun to me.

 

Grab a bottle of Wagner Black Ice and take it to a friend's to drink by the pool. It's not expensive and gives huge bang for the buck. They thought it was great and so did I. If we could only get APP to develop a fruitini then life would be even better.