In April I visited 16 Mile to taste through the portfolio after they had won best Chardonnay at the Ontario Wine Awards. I have made frequent visits throughout the summer to pick up more of their fantastic wines. So when I saw a tweet come out in the fall saying that new wine was being put in the bottle I didn’t waste anytime heading to the winery to taste the new offerings. Needless to say that the upcoming wines are just as impressive as the current vintages.
2013 Tenacity Chardonnay Unfiltered – $35.00 – ****1/2 – Tenacity is a new name added to the lineup and this would be the highest tier wine from a winery that is already running on a very high level. Very reasonably priced for a very small batch Chardonnay with only 29 cases made. What makes this wine special from a wine geek perspective is that it is completely sulphite free. When I spoke with winemaker Regan Kapach she asked me to do an experiment when tasting this wine to open it and enjoy it over the course of a few days to see how the wine would evolve (it is HARD for me to keep an open bottle of wine in my house… but I managed to do it). Day one tasting this wine it was nicely balanced with bright citrus notes layered over apple and peach with a nice creaminess to the mid palate that just opens right up making way to a nice long finish. On the second day the acidity had started to move ever so slightly to the back seat to leave more room for the orchard fruit to come forward and flavours of vanilla really starting to poke through. By day three the orchard fruit had started to fall off bringing even more of the barrel flavours through. To be honest the best way to enjoy this wine is the same way I did, over a few days with some good company to help you wine geek out.
2013 Civility Chardonnay – $24.95 – ****1/2 – The Chardonnay’s from 16 Mile have all been quite elegant. The 2012 Civility may have been a little bolder thanks to the hot summer but it was still soft and refined. The 2013 Civility is soft and delicate with everything in nice balance but subtle. The nose is driven by Apple and Citrus with just the slightest hints of Vanilla poking through. The flavours of this wine mirror the nose but the wine really opens up on your palate on the finish with almost a bit of a surprise because of how delicate the nose and flavours of this wine start. The finish just may be the best part because it just stays.
2013 Rebel Chardonnay – $19.95 – **** – There are citrus notes in this wine that really drive home that this is a food wine. I realize the price point of Civility and Tenacity make it easy to experiment with food pairings but those two are wines that I feel are just rich enough that you should enjoy them on their own. Rebel is demanding a meal be served with it immediately! The bright acidity should make a perfect match to creamy pasta or you can match it with Fried Chicken. Beyond the citrus you get strong apple and more subtle peach flavours and a refreshing finish. For under twenty dollars this is a fantastic wine.
2013 Incivility Pinot Noir – $29.95 – ****+ – Fruit driven with ripe and sour cherry on the nose and flavours that match. Coming off the heels of hot 2012 as with the Chardonnay we get a more delicate and expressive Pinot from 16 Mile. Beyond the fruit flavours there is violet that opens up right to the roof of your mouth while the wine rolls around on your palate. The finish offers a feeling of damp forest floor. This wine should age nicely to bring out some more of the earth notes if you’re into those flavours.
2013 Rebel Pinot Noir – $22.95 – **** – This is going to sound like a broken record but this wine is fantastic value and a perfect Red counterpart to the Rebel Chardonnay. So here’s what you’re going to do. You’re going to pick up a bottle of the Rebel Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, you’re going to pick up a duck and you’re either going to roast or bbq that bird and pair both of these wines with it. You’ll thank me later. This wine is still elegant, but a little rougher around the edges than Incivility. The nose has a little earthiness over raspberry and cherry. When the wine hits your mouth the Raspberry and Cherry drive the wine and make way to hints of spice followed by earthiness on the finish and beautiful balanced acidity (making this perfect for that duck you cooked).
