I drive from Rochester to Toronto, Waterloo, and Hamilton fairly regular and I find myself astounded by how many wineries there are in the Niagara region. However, I’ve never had a wine from there that I liked that much. The rieslings, sauvignon blancs, chards, and ice wines (usually either vidal or riesling) are fine, but not, in my opinion, as good as their counterparts at the best Finger Lakes wineries.
So I was astounded, at a Rhone Valley varietal wine tasting I went to last week, to taste a syrah from the area that was a dead ringer for Cornas (a famously big rustic wine fro the same area as Cote-Rotie and Hermitage in the northern Rhone area of France): funky, gamey, meaty, perhaps a little less fruit and alcohol than a Cornas but could easily have been a Cornas from a less ripe year.
Here’s the wine: Peninsula Ridge Syrah Reserve 2006, Niagara Peninsula. I don’t think the notes on their web page are all that accurate, but, let’s face it, “elegant mocha” sells a lot better than “gamey funk”. It’s $30, which may seem like a lot for a syrah from Canada, but it’s worth it: I’m going to pick some up next time I drive through. It wasn’t just my uneducated palate that found it so fascinating — I tasted it with winemakers from two of the East Coast’s best wineries (Lamoreaux Landing and Sheldrake), among others.
I thought this would be a fun and crazy way to begin wine blogging.
Update. I just discovered that my localish Air American affiliate has a wine talk show on once a week. Who says liberals aren’t elitist? I detest all talk radio normally, but I may give it a try.
zmullls
The icewine up there is a special treat…
Laura W
FIRST!
And how can it be that I just this moment put up my Wine O’Clock ad?
Great job, DougJ. A weekly tradition, I hope. I was up at the wine bar in Arden, NC just today doing “biz” (which means I leave with a case for work and a case for me, of course.)
Edit: I knew if I blathered on I’d be SECOND!
Just Some Fuckhead
@Laura W:
Ya gotta decide before you even start if ya wanna be first or interesting.
Ked
We want the funk.
Though not that pricey stuff.
(I made a deliberate decision not to ever buy a bottle of wine for more than $10 years before I read about that study, though I admit it did make me feel better about that choice.)
JL
Thank you for this post. I have an important question about wine. If one wanted to have a toast at a bridal shower for thirty people, how many bottles of sparkling wine would one have to buy? {One toast and maybe one extra sip) My generosity is ruled by a tight budget.
JL
New York wines have never appealed to me but that is because they were the wine of choice at weddings in the small MA town that I lived in. It took me several years to realize that not all wine is a like.
DougJ
Maybe 6. Go with Cristalino or another cheap Spanish sparkler.
Just Some Fuckhead
I’ve got seven bottles of wine in the house. Two rieslings from Germany and Australia and five sauvignons from France, Australia and South Africa.
Where is Canada again?
DarrenG
The Niagara region is one of the oldest wine-making regions in North America.
The reason most people don’t know their wines is that they used native grapes like Concord and Catawba and didn’t manage to successfully cultivate Vinifera until late in the 20th century.
That being said, I’m still scared of anything Rhone-ish from Canada, but I’m a bigoted Californian that way.
Laura W
Here’s my offering (although I think I posted about it a while back.) I know we discussed value Spanish reds, and I mentioned I loved the Las Rocas 2006 Garnacha.
Well, looky what I found last month (and stocked up on today.) It’s as close to red as I can bear to drink once it gets above 60 degrees.
Edit: Where’s Dennis? Isn’t it just about Mock O’Clock?
JL
@DougJ: Thanks Doug. How does that compare to prosecco? Trader Joe’s has Prosecco for under ten last time I checked.
DarrenG
6 bottles for 30 people? You must be pouring West Coast-style…
For a simple toast, you can get 8-10 flutes 1/3 to 1/2 full per 750ml bottle. A normal wine serving would be 3/4 of a standard flute, but if all you’re doing is toasting most of that would go to waste.
Most inexpensive Proseccos are somewhat lighter than the Spanish wine recommended by DougJ. Perfectly serviceable for your purpose, I imagine.
Depending on where you’re at, you can get some decent cheap California Charmat-process sparklers for even cheaper, too.
DougJ
It’s drier. Prosecco is a little sweet.
GoodNewsForMcCain
Does this mean you’re gonna blog about wines and recipe pairings for a few weeks before dropping off the face of the earth?
JL
@DougJ: Maybe I’ll need to have a tasting before the event. Thanks
JL
@DarrenG: lol.. the bible belt.. Normally that means they guzzle!
DougJ
I think I may have that one at home right now. I’ll try it tonight if it’s what I have…unless I opt for a cocktail instead. I’m heavy into cocktails since I discovered those crazy bitters.
Svensker
We travel to Toronto frequently, as well. Very surprised to find that the reds there are much better than the whites — maybe it’s the hot summers? Anyway, we’ve found a number that aren’t bad (don’t remember the names, unfortunately), and a few in the $14-16 range that are quite decent.
Laura W
@DougJ: I got another rose today that I tried and liked last time but it’s in the trunk of the car and I’m too lazy to go get it. I’ll save it so I have something to offer next time.
Say, DougJ, do you think we could have an open WH Correspondents Dinner thread? I hadn’t planned on watching the Red Carpet coverage with Joan and Melissa that apparently starts at 8 on C-Span (I was gonna just tune in at 10 to drool over the Super Funny President we now have, Praise Shiva) but it might be kinda fun to mock the arrivals in real time? I hope Chip Reid comes. He’s dreamy.
Krista
I’m fortunate enough to actually have a good winery about 10 minutes away. A lot of their wines are award-winning, but the thing that gets me is that there are still those wine snobs who refuse to drink a local wine, thinking that because it’s local, it’s somehow inferior.
DarrenG
Speaking of inexpensive Spanish reds, one of my current staples is the ’07 Bodegas Borsao Campo de Borja. Around $7-8 most places, and very drinkable.
That depends entirely on where ‘local’ is in context.
HyperIon
funky wine…do not want
Downpuppy
Doug, Californey is the place you oughta drink.
Eastern wines- including New York & Ohio – are overly sweet crud. Like Boones Farm in fancy dres.
JL
Although this is a wine thread, I think I’ll go OT and ask if anyone has tried some of the Spanish olive oils.
sdstarr
British Columbian wines are gaining a good reputation, with wines from the Okanagan being especially good.
Though not as good as Washington Wines.
SteveinSC
DougJ: I’ve drunk the syrahs from the Cote Rotie and Hermitage, but never tried any Cornas, never heard of it to tell the truth. Any suggestions for shippers, merchants or vineyards to look for?
By the way, Spanish wines are cheap because they are no good. They are best made into sherry, the glory of Spain.
Just Some Fuckhead
So I went with the sauvignon blanc from one of those countries. It’s a bile-colored wine, a little ironic if things play out like I expect them to this evening. First impression, overpowering orange bouquet, very fruity- fruitier than a TattooSydney music link even. Taste, not dry, not a lot of aftertaste, not a lot of taste in fact. Quick rush of citrusy orange-lemony flavor followed by.. nothing. This one will disappear quickly paired with a joint.
Laura W
@Just Some Fuckhead: I think your eager fans would appreciate knowing at least what the label says (on the front) and a link to the maker’s site, or at least a link somewhere, semi-related.
Baby Steps, Fuckhead. We’ll get you there. Take yer time.
Just Some Fuckhead
@Laura W:
I rolled it myself, there is no label.
Edit: Oh, you mean the wine.
Krista
Nova Scotia. There isn’t a blessed thing wrong with the wine – it’s quite lovely, actually. Their 2006 Leon Millot won Double Gold at the 2008 Tasters Guild International. And their 2006 Eagle Tree Muscat is a delightful white wine – I’m more of a fan of red, but this stuff is excellent.
cleek
this one is my favorite red, right now.
it’s about $15 at Whole Foods.
DougJ
Not for whites, unless it’s the Russian River valley. And those can be pricey.
DougJ
Not a bad description of a mediocre New Zealand sauvignon blanc.
JL
There is a link for Newt at the top of blog. That’s not acceptable to me since Newt’s goons threw eggs at me for campaigning for his opponent. Truth be known, Newt was better than Tom Price.
Comrade Mary, Would-Be Minion Of Bad Horse
Doug, have you ever tried the Gewürztraminer from Cave Spring? It’s got a lovely balance of spice and floral and isn’t the over-sweet, hot mess so often passed off as a Gewurz.
Laura W
Favorite CA region for whites and Best Pinot Noir.
DougJ
By far!
Once when I was visiting Rochioli, which has the very best pinot noir vineyard of all, IMHO, they told me a story about how they used to sell to Gallo and get hosed because the alcohol content was on the low side for CA. Amazing how fast things can change.
JL
@DougJ: These are pricey but they do have some good whites. http://www.closlachance.com/Wines
I bought a few bottles at Whole Foods once because of the name.
DougJ
I’ll give it a try. I like gewurz when it’s good. And I find I like Finger Lakes/Canadian ones better than German and Alsatian ones.
asiangrrlMN
Um, any chance of a fresh new open thread? I don’t drink wine, and the old open thread is not fun at all.
DarrenG
Bah. I’m guessing you haven’t tried the many fine Chardonnays or Sauv Blancs from the Santa Ynez area, or Rousannes from the Paso Robles area Rhone Rangers wineries.
Not to mention the obvious big players from up North (but that does get back to the ‘pricey’ argument, I suppose).
Edit: If you like Gewurzes, also check out Claiborne & Churchill’s. They make a proper German style one, not the syrupy ones more often seen in the U.S.
Just Some Fuckhead
@DougJ:
I googled it and another reviewer said it tasted “sandy”. Nothing but “sandy”. This is where the life experience of getting yer 90lb weakling ass kicked on the beach comes into play. I’ve never tasted sand.
Keith G
Born in the Buckeye State, my memories of tippling in Canada mostly involve camping beside a lake, fishing, drinking Moosehead for breakfast. Molson for lunch and Labatt for dinner. Wine? Meh.
DougJ
It’s not a sensible note for a white wine, IMHO.
gil mann
But you repeat yourself.*
Man, it’s catastrophic economic crises like this that make me glad I’ve got the refined palate of your average german shepherd. Kendall Jackson Red, ten bucks for a bottle the size of a Subaru. While others are yammering on about “legs,” I’ll be wondering if I still have mine.
*homophones do too count
Just Some Fuckhead
@DougJ:
FWIW, I’m sorry that happened to you.
JL
CSpan is now covering the Correspondents dinner and Todd and Greta just walked in together. What’s up with that?
Watching it is sorta like watching the Oscars but with a shaky camera. Very odd, they have a carpet and everything.
Laura is going to have to live blog this cause I find it very odd.
DougJ
I like those as well, though not as much. (There’s some good rousanne/marsanne from Santa Ynez as well — Stolpman comes to mind.)
I still think that with a few exceptions, the better Finger Lakes rieslings are better, though.
Laura W
@JL: Laura will have to turn away from it in about 7 more seconds because all the SCREAMING and strobe lights make her have seizures.
Edit: Laura did not last 7 seconds.
Will wait for the 10pm Guest of Honor.
Edit 2: While waiting, will open the Las Rocas Rose.
JenJen
@Laura W:
Are you watching this madness? “Mr. Todd! Mr. Todd! Who are you wearing?!”
There’s POTUS and FLOTUS! FLOTUS looking impeccable as per usual, albeit (gack!!) bare arms.
In other news, my new Raclette Grill I ordered on the cheap from eBay arrived today!! Yippee!! I think I’ll have a party next Friday if anyone would like to try Raclette. :-)
Laura W
@JenJen: No. See above. I can’t deal with all that screaming from the whacko crowds, which is (one of many reasons) why I don’t watch the Today Show any longer.
I’m content to enjoy a quiet, leisurely, relaxing wine thread with no music links or Mac V. PC issues going on. Although, we almost got into Mac v. PC wars when people started flaming wines from anywhere but America, I guess?
JL
@Laura W: No wonder they don’t have time to research and report the news. They think they are as important as Brangelina. (lol, I just had to look up that fake name)
We actually could make up additional names such as Jomik
or Chuckagreg.
Barack is on and Michelle looks wonderful
Just Some Fuckhead
Someone tell me when Obama starts to speak and on what channel. I’ve got a pretty good groove going right now with the music and.. accessories and I don’t want to end it until the absolutest last moment.
JenJen
@Laura W: Sounds nice. I’m sure we’ll let you know if anything interesting happens.
Justin Timberlake hosting SNL tonight; not a fan but those are usually good episodes. “Bring it on down to Omelet-Ville!”
JL
@JenJen: OMG, funniest episode ever was Christmas present in a box.
DougJ
You know, I never thought I’d say this, but I like his music too. It’s the best stuff in that general genre since “Thriller” and “Off the Wall”. (I’m not saying it’s as good, just the best since then.)
Comrade Mary, Would-Be Minion Of Bad Horse
SNL made me give Justin Timberlake a chance. He’s not just funny, he occasionally has a good song, too.
(Well, I like this Korean pop song, too. It’s a long story-video, so the single itself starts at 2:18.)
Laura W
@JenJen: Oh thanks. I forgot to see if it was a new show and you are totally right…he is one of the funniest hosts, along with Baldwin and Walken. The skits seem to write themselves when those guys are on. They must be easy to write for, being so strong in personality?
I love that Omelet-Ville sketch. He’s freakin’ funny, and very versatile.
JenJen
@Comrade Mary, Would-Be Minion Of Bad Horse: This song of his is pretty damned sexy and provides motivational force when I’m working out. So, OK, I’ll cop to liking his music too, occassionally. ;-)
Please, please, please an episode of “The Barry Gibb Talk Show” tonight! You know Jimmy Fallon’s up for it.
If anyone is watching the WH Dinner thingy, can we talk about Jennifer Loven’s hair? OMG WTF.
JL
@JenJen: Her jokes detracted from her bad hairdo.
Comrade Mary, Would-Be Minion Of Bad Horse
Ah, JenJen, that’s another mashup by the same person who put together the video I linked. I have to confess that my iTunes includes several remixes of Love Stoned/I Think She Knows.
Here’s the Justice remix.
(Yeah, this has turned into an effete wine and Justin Timberlake appreciation thread. Deal.)
JenJen
@JL: You just gotta wonder, who spends hours in hair and makeup and at the end, with that result, checks the mirror and says, “Yeah, that looks good”?!
@Comrade Mary, Would-Be Minion Of Bad Horse: Those tribute vids aren’t bad, when there’s no artist video available, I guess. I think I heard that Justice remix you just linked before I heard the original version of the song, and I like the remix better because of it. Hey, I also like this by JT. A lot. :-) As a former music teacher, I would have played this chorus for my students just to demonstrate Perfect Pop Construction.
WH Dinner doesn’t resume until 9:40 pm ET? Huh? What, are they talking about “enhanced interrogation” right now or what? Ahh, they’re probably just eating. I wonder which menu items will show up in tomorrow’s Wingnut Talking Points FaxBlast?
Ash
Wow, Justin Timberlake appreciation on BJ? Never thought I’d see it. You people are WAY late to the game though, I’ve loved him for 10 years.
(I hope my BalloonJuice membership isn’t revoked for this relevation…)
Michael D.
You are probably the only person here who has been to Toronto, Waterloo, and Hamilton more than me. Good on ya! Nice places to visit – wineries or otherwise. Southern Ontario is not only beautiful, but fun. I love it. You are lucky to be able to go there so often.
Nylund
I lived in Toronto for a couple years and the wines were one thing I could never adapt to. State run wine stores that mainly only sold crappy Niagara wines or charged $20 for a crap wine that you an get in California for $ 4 or 5 dollars.
I was raised near Napa, Sonoma, etc. and wine is a big deal in my family and I’m admittedly a bit snobby about it, but wow, the wine situation in Toronto was fairly intolerable!
That being said, I am sure someone makes something decent, but as a rule it is pretty bad and always overpriced.
Ronzoni Rigatoni
Being from the Great Lakes region (OH, PA, NY) I kinda liked the wine blogging. Who is Tusjin Jimberlake?
JenJen
Speaking of Wine Blogging, DougJ and Ronzoni, I must recommend The Naked Vine: Wine Advice For The Rest Of Us written by my friend, Mike. Terrific wine advice, no snob factor, and it’s for anyone on a budget.
OriGuy
I did a winery tour a while back in Lake County, north of Napa. They are known for their Sav Blancs. Some names I remember are Ceago and Steele. Moore Family Vineyards had a very nice Syrah.
Laura W
@OriGuy: Lake County has some wonderful SBs.
I miss California tonight.
Gus
Yeah, an alcoholic beverage thread! Didn’t there used to be a Friday afternoon beer thread here?
Thankovsky
Bah, “Napa Valley of Canada.” If you ever want to sweep by the ACTUAL Napa Valley, let me know. :p
@Nylund:
Hell to the yeah! Napa area represent!
ImJohnGalt
@Nylund:
That was true enough even as recently as 10 years ago. In the last 10 years, however, the Canadian wine consumer has become much more sophisticated, and the government-run liquor stores have had to adapt. The Ontario Liquor Control Board is now the world’s single largest wine and spirits buyer. Their flagship stores rival any of the larger wine retailers that I’ve visited in my travels, and they have 200-wine tasting stations with opportunities to also sample scotches and other spirits. They also run regular wine courses, and invite the winemakers to run dinners paired with their wine, which they also speak about to those in attendance.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that we’re not just a bunch of fortified wine drinkers anymore, and the stores don’t look like they’re run by the comintern.
As others have mentioned, although the Niagara wine-growing region has lagged badly behind the Okanagan (aside from Ontario’s world-renowned icewines), recent (in wine time) vine transplantations and better vintners are finally bearing fruit, if you’ll pardon the pun.
I’ve had a lovely Viognier from Chateau de Charmes (whose other wines I really don’t like at all), but there are also a number of smaller vineyards in the area that don’t produce enough volume to sell at the LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) stores, so you can only buy them either at the vineyard itself, or at satellite stores run by the vineyards (the only other way to buy wine in Ontario) that are often in or adjacent to grocery stores here. Fielding is a particular vineyard that I’m fond of visiting, because they have a modern glass retail outlet and tasting room, and because their wines usually present as a great value.
Peller Estates has an interesting sparkling wine that includes a smidge of Ice Wine. I’m no fan of sweet wines in general, but again, if you want to support local farmers and industry (as I do), I’m always looking for local alternatives to supplant the imports to which I’m usually more attracted.
DougJ, the Globe and Mail recently did a story on a surprise Ontario Chardonnay that recently beat out a Bourgogne in a blind tasting that some are hailing as our “Judgement of Paris”. If you can find it, let me know how it tastes.
Also, let us know next time you’re coming to the T-dot, and perhaps we can have us a good ol’ Balloon-Juice potluck. I live right downtown in a loft large enough to fit whoever may be interested in coming. Now that the Blue Jays are actually turning out to be a decent team, we might even be able to make a day of it. [Yankees suck!]
HyperIon
@JenJen:
Raclette, mmmmh. (Homer sound effect)
with little potatoes.
Throwin Stones
Sonoma, better than Napa.
+a few
ice9
BC Okanagan Valley. Not better than Washington, but still very good. Tough to find in the US.
Icewine: gimmicky, inconsistent, dull.
ice
slightly_peeved
I still regret my girlfriend (now wife) and I didn’t spend more time sampling local wine when she lived here.
JenJen
@HyperIon: See, that’s why I love Balloon-Juice. Only place you’ll find Americans who have heard of Raclette! ;-)
Joel
My favorite wines..
– a shiraz from Château Tanunda near Adelaide
– a cabernet sauvingnon from Frog’s leap in Napa
– a strange port being discarded by a winery somewhere in the Victorian bush.. the grapes had been contaminated by the smoke from a bush fire, and it had a delicious, smokey flavor. Probably loaded with carcinogens, though.
going to portugal in a month, try my hand at some port and vinho verde…
Bill BelichickI
I used to love the Hermann J. Weimer Reisling, it had all the character of a decent Mosel. A $15 Mosel that is. I’d pay $20 for it, for the novelty. But after it won the NY Wine of the Year a few years back it shot up to $30. Sorry, but like Ty Law, Lawyer Millow, and Adam Viniteri, we found we can get alot more bang for the buck elsewhere and had to kick it to the curb. I’m sure those NYC folks who pay $3K /month in rent don’t mind, but I’m wearing three rings and it takes TWO NY teams between them to produce one.
The Naked Vine
@JenJen:
Aw, shucks, my dear Wench…thanks for the plug…
Good to be among lib’rul wine-guzzling folk.
I was in Temecula, California, a couple of weeks ago. A few of the winemakers had the foresight to plant some varietals from the really arid regions of Spain and Italy. Some of the tempranillo and sangiovese they grew there was pretty damned good — and will only get better as the years go by. That region could become America’s “Little Tuscany” with some patience and good luck.
DougJ
You sound eerily like someone I know in real life. Possibly my father.