2011 Featherstone Joy – Vintages 310334 – $34.95 – I have been eagerly waiting the release of this wine as the 2009 was easily the best Sparkling wine from Ontario I sampled last year … and that is saying a lot in a province loaded with world class sparkling wine producers. The 2011 version of Joy is just as fantastic as the 2009. This wine is a “Blanc de Blancs” meaning it is completely Chardonnay. You will also notice that it is sealed with a crown cap which means that you can keep this wine in the cellar indefinitely. The nose is freshly baked bread with slight floral qualities. The flavours are Lemon and Grapefruit with Vanilla and a slight creaminess with focused acidity. This will be a staple wine for my holiday entertaining for the next year for sure! It is currently available from the winery, but will be coming out in Vintages in 2015.
2011 Hinterland “Les Etoiles” – Winery Only – $39.00 – Traditional method Champagne style blend of 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir. The nose is lemon with rising pizza dough. The flavours are complex with citrus, vanilla and a slight floral quality on the finish. The acidity in the bottle should let this bottle age for 5-10 years and still has a long time before hitting it’s prime. Pick up a few bottles to enjoy over the next few years. This is definitely meant to be enjoyed at special occasions. Will pair perfectly with turkey feasts but to be honest a wine of this caliber should be enjoyed on its own.
