2015 Effervescence – $29.95 – **** – It’s great to see Kacaba include a sparkling wine in the portfolio. The aromas on this wine are very strong green apple with a bit of lime zest. The flavours on this wine very much match the nose but bring a nice layer of minerality on the mid palate through the finish. This is a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Riesling. It was made using Charmat method so it is ready to drink now don’t worry about aging. I refuse to call this wine “serious” because I don’t want anyone to keep this bottled up for a special occasion, you should open this wine now. This is a perfect wine for the patio to enjoy throughout the summer. For me, this is a wine I plan on enjoying on a dock with a short lunch and some freshly caught fish… If I catch nothing at least I’ve got the wine.
2014 Cabernet Franc – $24.95 – ****+ – This is your Gold medal winner from the 2016 Ontario Wine Awards. This is well deserved! When you take your first impression of this wine you get Raspberry and Cranberry with just hints of savory buried under the fruit. The flavours of this wine are complex but sharp. You get the fruit from the nose but there is also a meatiness on the finish of this wine from the first sip. As you get deeper into your glass (and the bottle) the meatiness moves to a smokiness and then finally to a whisper of cocoa on the finish. This wine needs to be in a decanter to unlock every subtle nuance found in this wine. Every aspect of this wine manages to announce itself proudly on the palate. This should benefit with a couple of years in a cellar because the acidity and tannin are quite tight right now. That being said you don’t want to hold this bottle for too long, enjoy it within the next 2-5 years so you can get all the vibrant fruit.
2015 Jennifer’s Pinot Gris – $17.95 – **** – NOTE: Bronze Medal Ontario Wine Awards 2016 – I have to tip my hat to Kacaba for this wine. 2014 was a tough act to follow with their copper hued complex Pinot Gris (that I drank A LOT of). That being said this is certainly a worthy follow up. As is the case with great Pinot Gris from Ontario the story with this wine is as much about the texture as it is with the flavour. This wine offers up a nice oily texture that fills your entire mouth with subtle Peach and Melon flavours. The finish on this wine is light and crisp keeping the palate clean and refreshed but thanks to the heavier texture of this wine the fruit flavours linger for a little while on the finish. Pinot Gris is one of those wines that is made to pair with any of your lighter summer dishes whether it’s seafood, grilled chicken or salads but I would suggest you enjoy this wine on it’s own to pick up every subtle detail in the bottle.
2015 Unoaked Chardonnay – LCBO 326975 – $14.95 – **** – This is a solid wine and currently available at the LCBO. Unoaked Chardonnay is a great wine for sipping on the patio and simply put, it’s a crowd pleaser. The nose is bright citrus with golden delicious apple. The flavours on this wine match the nose but with a nice added mineral note. The acidity on the finish of this wine is bright and palate cleansing. While this won’t pair with your burgers or steak it will make a great match to grilled seafood dishes and lighter picnic or patio fare. This is one of those wines that tastes even better on the patio as the weather gets warmer.
2015 Reserve Riesling – $17.95 – ****+ – The nose on this wine is practically climbing out of the glass with it’s intense Lime, Lemon and Apple notes. I’m going to jump ahead here, but my favorite part of this wine is the bright crisp, acidity on the finish. The mouth puckering acidity cancels out any slight sweetness there is on the finish, but even with this intense finish it leaves your mouth watering and waiting for the next sip. The flavours match the nose with an entire orchard of peach and apple layered over a nice mineral note and bright citrus flavours. This is a great wine to pair with your spicy cuisine whether Indian, Thai or Cajun.
