This week I am talking about the International Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration, taking place in the Niagara region for the weekend of July 20-22. I am very excited about this event because it takes us outside of Ontario and brings in wines from all over the world. If you are still one of the doubters of how great Ontario wine can be, this is the event for you. I had a chance to speak with Stephen Gash from the Celebration. He helped give me some direction on where to start. There are A LOT of events you can attent… He suggests checking out some of the Lunches being held at various wineries on the 21st. (The wineries where tickets are still available are 13th Street, Flat Rock, Rosewood, Peller and Cave Spring). Website found below.
http://www.coolchardonnay.org/
2011 Peller Family Series Chardonnay – LCBO 582825 – $10.95 – This Chardonnay is another bargain that over delivers. Let me be clear though, this is not the best Chardonnay on the market, but this is the perfect bottle to bring to a night out with friends, or a wine that I wouldn’t be ashamed to bust out watching the game on a Saturday. Lightly Oaked gives this wine depth that really opens up as the wine warms up in your glass. I would highly recommend serving this one at fridge temperature, but leave the bottle out of the fridge once it’s opened to enjoy the changes in this wine. This is a bone dry Chardonnay with strong flavours of apple moving to pineapple as it warms up.
2010 Southbrook Triomphe Chardonnay – VINTAGES 117572 – $21.95 – I love the Triomphe series from Southbrook. This is another wine getting awfully close to perfection, especially around this price range. Another Chardonnay that falls into the category of bone dry you get Pineapple and Citrus on the palette followed by a nice butterscotch feeling that holds onto the back of your mouth all the way down. The thing that makes this wine great is, simply put, the intensity of the entire experience from nose to mouth.
