I still think that Rosehall Run is one of the most underrated wineries in the province. This is something I’ve said many times. The longer I continue to write about wine I am trying really hard to resist the urge to allow myself to go full snob with what I drink around the house. I recently tasted through a deep look at their upcoming releases. The wines being made from Dan Sullivan are always fun to taste – and if there’s one thing he’s good at, it’s making sure that when you set foot into the winery there is something for everyone. I find that I gravitate towards some of the more austere offerings so having an opportunity to visit the whole portfolio reminded me that I need to maybe drink a little bit less Pinot and Chard (heaven forbid) and get outside the box. As we start to look forward to businesses reopening in the province of Ontario I highly suggest you consider adding Rosehall fun to your list of stops if you plan on heading to Prince Edward County.
Pixie Petite Rosé Spritzer – LCBO 19301 – $3.95 – Wine spritzers aren’t my go-to in the summer – but something about grabbing something local feels pretty good. I still am baffled when I watch people grab white claw by the case and it baffles me. We have seen the large brewers all trying to find a way to catch up with the interest generated by our craft brewers – why can’t we do the same thing with canned cocktails? What you should be looking for is something affable, refreshing and easy drinking. That is what you have in your hands when you open a Pixie Petite.
Pixie Sparkling Rosé – LCBO 492959 – $19.95 – ***½ – It’s hard to resist affordable, crushable, unpretentious bubbles from Ontario. I tasted this wine on my patio in early May in a toque and puffy vest – the day I’m writing this tasting note it is a full 20 degrees warmer outside. Pixie is a perfect bottle for hot weather and good company (once we can have people over again). Fruit flavours are wild strawberry, grapefruit, and citrus pith. A bit of sweetness keeps this bright on the palate but still with balanced acidity. Always something to look forward to now that the hot weather is here.
2017 Loveless – $45.00 – **** – This bottle of bubbles comes from the Rosehall Vineyard. I’m going to go out on a limb and just start referring to 2017 as a stellar vintage. But this is made with 13% of the 2014 vintage. That vintage is referred to as ill-fated in the tasting note provided by the winery. I was shocked at the amount of opulent red fruit still oozing out of the glass – when you have a few years on lees, especially considering a part of this goes back more than half a decade I would expect some more austerity on hand. This is vibrant and brimming with life – wild strawberry, and ripe red cherry are met with a broad texture on the palate. The fruit notes are met searing acidity – it’s everything you expect from a choice bottle of Ontario sparkling wine. I always think of Rosehall Run when it comes to fantastic sparkling wine from the County – but I think this is just the beginning – keep it up Dan!
2013 Stardust – $50.00 – ****½ – There is a richness and complexity to this wine that is truly rare in Ontario unless you have the patience to cellar it on your own. Winemaker Dan Sullivan fermented the base wine in used puncheons that formerly held JCR Chardonnay. The aromas of brioche, toasted almond, and citrus all ooze out of the glass with weight and gravitas. The way this wine caresses your palate is with intensity and unravels an epic level of complexity. I am certain this has a few more years ahead if you decide to pick up a few bottles and let it continue to develop – but I think this is ready to rock right now. If you have been a fan of Ceremony you need to grab some Stardust.
2019 Hungry Point Sauvignon Blanc – $28.00 – ***½+ – It is crystal clear that Pinot Noir and Chardonnay belong in the county, but I don’t think the jury has spoken on which other grapes are out there. For this reason Dan Sullivan is one of the most important winemakers in the County. He’s not out to make wine for the sake of making it – it has to taste good. This VQA Prince Edward County Sauvignon Blanc tastes good. This was barrel fermented in older french oak and 25% new acacia barrels. There is some nice texture and the barrels have definitely taken the edge off of any searing acidity. This brings pink grapefruit notes and pith to the front and center – there are also subtle tropical notes working in tandem with citrus.
2019 Hungry Point Pinot Gris – $28.00 – ****+ – Here is another candidate in the pageant for Prince Edward County’s next grape – What’s remarkable about this vintage of Pinot Gris is that 2019 was a challenging, cooler vintage. This wine is brimming with apple and floral notes. According to the winemaking notes four puncheons needed patience to let searing acidity soften and time on lees to add some more complexity to this wine. The texture on this wine is broad on the back palate but while the acids keep this wine soft on the palate a refreshing mineral note and clean finish keeps this satisfying and food friendly.
2018 JCR Chardonnay – $36.00 – **** – This vintage is the 15th incarnation of Chardonnay for Rosehall Run. There is a slight note of reduction on the nose but it blows off quickly and this unleashes the true power of County Chard. Golden delicious apple, bright citrus, with vanilla and baking spice sprinkled on. The use of oak never overpowers the fruit in the JCR wines. This tries to set up shop on the palate with nice texture – but the acidity keeps this wine light and lifted on the back palate. Definitely a wine that needs a few years in bottle to settle down and learn to behave itself. I am looking forward to opening this in 2023 or 2024.
2019 Pinot Noir Cherrywood Pinot Noir – $34.00 – ****+ – This Pinot comes from the Rosehall Run Estate. Dan Sullivan remarks in his notes that this vintage was fiendishly deceptive and challenging – cool – and with rain coming at all the wrong times. I would say it’s clear that the grapes that made their way to the cellar didn’t get the memo – or if they did they remembered that great wine comes from fruit that struggles. There are rich notes of ripe cherry moving into blackberry (my written tasting note says simply f’n awesome… not shortened). This is super tasty right now but with a bit of patience in a few years this will soften and make even more noise than it does right now. Enjoy 2024-2026.
2019 Pinot Noir Mottiar Vineyard Pinot Noir – $40.00 – ****+ – The growing conditions in Niagara were just as challenging as in the County. This wine comes from the vineyard of Shiraz Mottiar (of Malivoire). What we have is a mirror image of Pinot Noir from a challenging vintage from the north and south sides of Lake Ontario. What this bottle has that is missing from Cherrywood is notes of damp earth and mushroom. The nose and palate swing cherry across the board. The texture of this wine sets up camp on the mid palate and just holds on as long as it can before being met with perfectly balanced acidity. Enjoy 2024-2026.
2019 Cabernet Merlot – $29.00 – **** – This wine was made with select fruit across the Niagara Peninsula. The blend is 49% Merlot, 43% Cabernet Franc, and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aromas are cherry, blackberry, blueberry, and notes of cocoa and woodsmoke. The flavours match the nose – and the tannin is already soft and well integrated. This is one of those Niagara Cab Merlots that lean into the ‘niagaraness’ hints of savoury are well integrated and buried under torrents of fruit. Drink now, or hold for a few years.
