Earlier in the fall I had the Foreign Affair pop up in my instagram feed. Their labels have seen a facelift. It’s been awhile since I’ve tasted through the wines from the Foreign Affair. The winery was acquired by Corby a few years ago. I think it’s normal for people close to the industry to be a little leery when a small winery is sold to corporate ownership. My memories of the winery are visits with founder Len Crispino as he shared his passion for the appassimento style. While I remain (somewhat) a skeptic of the style in Ontario, I have always had good experiences with the Foreign Affair.
Now the other side of the coin when you have a well funded corporation backing you is access to resources. The winemaking at the Foreign Affair has always been recognized as very good. But, there’s always room for improvement. The redesigned packaging definitely puts a good foot forward in drawing me back into these bottles. Needless to say when I tasted through these wines I was very much surprised, and I am looking forward to rediscovering this winery.
2019 Foreign Affair Sparkling Rosé Brut – $24.95 – ****+ – Even though summer is firmly in our rear view mirror, we’re heading into the sparkling wine season. It’s a bit of a strange year – we may not be throwing our holiday gatherings in the same size as normal – but frankly if there’s any reason to stock up and share with your household this wine is it. This bottle offers something wonderfully complex with tart cranberry, juicy raspberry, and citrus pith on the nose and on the palate. This is bright, and crisp with perfect balanced acidity. Not something you would want to cellar at the risk of losing some of the red fruit notes. So pick up a few bottles and drink now.
2019 Amarosé – $19.95 – **** – This is a blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Gamay – and it has been given a ripasso treatment. The confected fruit flavours immediately take my mind to school day lunches. I guess that’s a fancy way of saying it tastes like fruit snacks – the red ones. In spite of the fact the nose and palate scream something sweet this is a dry wine with nice acid on the finish.
2019 Semillon Sauvignon Blanc – $23.95 – ***½+ – There aren’t many producers with Semillon in their vineyards in Niagara. While we have a good growing season for Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon in the summer these grapes don’t do well in the winter. Knowing that this was a blend of Sauv Blanc and Semillon I was expecting something comparable with Bordeaux – but when you take your first nose of the wine there is a hint of red pepper. This walks a fine tightrope between New Zealand and France. The aroma is complex with white flower, tangerine, and pink grapefruit. This opens up with nice intensity on the nose and palate – the finish has nice acidity, with a slight bitter note. I would pair this with fried fish, or chowder.
2016 Cabernet Sauvignon – $39.95 – ****+ – It’s because of vintages like 2016 I am a little skeptical of why anyone would feel the need to dry their grapes. The summer was already very hot, and some of the Bordeaux varietals from Niagara were pushing up on 15% alcohol without needing to concentrate the berries. That being said – I don’t have a single bad thing to say about this wine. 22% of the fruit was dried for 100 days. The nose is incredible – intense – and complex. Plush strawberry, cherry, and cassis dance with whispers of charred damp cedar. Even though a few years into its life the tannin is still firm and chunky. That being said, it only took an hour for the texture to soften. While this wine could use with a bit of decanting to really unlock its potential the fruit is screaming to be enjoyed now.
2017 Dream – $29.95 – ****+ – This is another surprise from the 2017 vintage. The cool summer was greeted with a warm fall. I wasn’t expecting a strong showing from Bordeaux varietals in Ontario from this vintage. This is a blend of 41% Merlot, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. 17% of the fruit in the bottle spent 125 drying before being pressed. This is super juicy with plush raspberry, wild strawberry, and cherry. Everything is perfectly ripe and the tannin is soft and well integrated. Dream is always something that is cellar worthy, but you won’t want to hold this for too long to enjoy the fruit while it’s young and ripe. I would hold this for 3-6 years.
