Palatine Hills Estate Winery - receive free shipping anywhere in Ontario to your home, office or restaurant for all orders containing multiples of 12 bottles by phoning the winery @ +1 (905) 646-9617 or online direct from Palatine Hills. Here are the second five of 10 wines with the balance reviewed in the September 24/14 newsletter.
Sparkling Wine
Palatine Hills ‘Prestige’ Non-Vintage
VQA Niagara Lakeshore $23.00 12.5% alcohol
This ‘methode traditional’, Chardonnay sparkling wine opens with a frothy fine-bead mousse and aromas of baking bread, hazelnut and binned apple. It explodes in the mouth with lemon tang, ripe apple and pear and wisps of grapefruit pith. Replayed on the finish, the flavours persist through the aftertaste. This is best poured with pan-seared fish or seafood with a squeeze of fresh lemon. (Vic Harradine)
White Wine
Palatine Hills Gewürztraminer 2012
VQA Niagara Lakeshore $14.00 12.0% alcohol
Perfumed, intensely aromatic and redolent with aromas of rosewater, tropical fruit, exotic flowers and citrus zest, this satin-smooth wine is a wonderful expression of the grape. Just off dry, medium bodied, quite lush on the palate, the rich fruit flavours play through, balanced by well-defined acidity and that lovely pithy grapefruit-like bitter note that graces the zesty extended finish. Serve with lightly spiced East Asian cuisine. (Susan Desjardins)
Palatine Hills Riesling 2012
VQA Niagara Lakeshore $13.00 10.5%alcohol
Orchard fruit, citrus and subtle mineral notes dominate the nose of this fruity, light-medium bodied wine. A good backbone of cleansing acidity balances the sweet, tasty fruit and delivers a fresh, clean finish. A delicious sipping wine, it’s great with appetizers, salads, light fish or chicken dishes. (Susan Desjardins)
Red Wine
Palatine Hills ‘Neufeld Vineyard’ Cabernet Franc 2012
VQA Niagara Lakeshore $20.00 14.0% alcohol
Rich, spice-laden red and dark berry fruit aromas mingle with notions of graphite heralding a gorgeous tang-laden mouthful of red cherry and blackcurrant interlaced with piquant spice and hints of blueberry. It’s structured, mid-full weight with good mouth feel and a solid underpinning of evolving tannin on the finish. The finish and aftertaste also showcase purity of fruit and oodles of charm. Handsomely rewarding careful cellaring—great value here—expect this to blossom into something quite special when popping corks 2016 to 2021 and possibly beyond. (Vic Harradine)
Palatine Hills ‘Neufeld Vineyard’ Meritage 2012
VQA Niagara Lakeshore $30.00 14.0% alcohol
Blackcurrant, baking spice and aromas of black licorice set the table for rich, luscious waves of briary berry, red currant, sweet vanilla and cassis. It’s medium-full bodied with generous texture and a lengthy finish laced with tangy fruit, good moderating acidity and a firm lick of tannin—there’s a savoury herb and spice bite on the aftertaste. Tuck away, allowing this to knit together, and open 2017 – 2023 serving with grilled red meat or hearty stew like osso bucco. (Vic Harradine)
Lailey Vineyard consistently produces wine that over-delivers in value, taste and overall enjoyment. Winemaker, Derek Barnett, dropped by for an annual visit with 12 wines for tasting. Six are reviewed below with the balance already reviewed in the September 24/14 newsletter. Order a mixed case, or cases, for home, restaurant or office delivery online from Lailey Vineyard.
White Wine
Lailey Vineyard ‘old vines’ Chardonnay 2012
VQA Niagara River $40.20 13.5% alcohol
A stunning Chardonnay harvested from 38-year-old vines, this was 16 months in French oak on spent yeast cells with stirring throughout. Baking brioche, Asian spice, smoke and toast aromas mingle with notions of apple on the nose. Medium-full bodied and absolutely creamy smooth, it rolls over the palate with a rush of piquant spice, crisp apple, white peach and baked pear. It’s balanced on a pin with a lengthy finish and aftertaste—this was tough to spit. (Vic Harradine)
Lailey Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2013
VQA Niagara Peninsula $20.20 13.0% alcohol
A complex, structured and beautifully layered effort here—60% barrel fermented, the balance stainless steel, 5 months on lees and 3 months in inert, seasoned oak barrels. It’s medium weight with very good texture and offers good value. There’s a lovely aroma of crisp apple and ripe pear along with wisps of floral notes, citrus and herbs. That beautiful tangy apple and ripe juicy pear replay on the palate and balanced aftertaste mingling with citrus and minerality—mouth watering and crisp. (Vic Harradine)
Lailey Vineyard Riesling 2013
VQA Niagara Peninsula $18.20 10.0% alcohol
The quality-price balance tips well in your favour. A lifted nose of piquant spice, crisp Granny Smith apple interweave with aromas of flinty/minerality. A tapestry of balanced and beautiful flavour bathe the palate with white peach, racy lemon and Key lime to the fore. It’s mid weight with good mouth feel and a lingering, lip-smacking finish—clean, crisp and refreshing. How good is that? (Vic Harradine)
Red Wine
Lailey Vineyard ‘Lailey 5’ 2012
VQA Niagara River $45.20 13.5% alcohol
This Bordeaux blend—39% Merlot, 24% Cab Franc, 21% Cab Sauv, 9% Petit Verdot, 7%, Malbec—showcases purity of fruit, deft balance, structure and complexity. It’s a dense, stylish red with aromas of dark coffee, blackcurrant and black plum heralding a balanced wash of dark juicy cherry and bramble berry garnished with sweet vanilla and excellent tang-laden acidity. Full flavoured and fully textured it dishes up a delightfully lengthy mouth-watering aftertaste. (Vic harradine)
Lailey Vineyard ‘old vines’ Pinot Noir 2012
VQA Niagara River $45.20 13.5% alcohol
Only 67 cases produced of this sexy, structured, complex gem. Mixed spice, beetroot and briary berry aromas precede a surge of ripe, dark berry fruit and spice-infused red cherry robed in hints of toasty oak—barrel-aged only 6 months in French oak—adorned with roasted herbs. It’s medium bodied with nice texture and a solid line of red berry fruit tang on the dry, lip-smacking finish and aftertaste. (Vic Harradine)