My visits to Back 10 Cellars has become a ritual. When I buy wine – I rarely buy it by the case – and that’s for a few reasons. When I talk to people about their wine drinking habits I explain to them that I rarely drink the same thing twice. So when I buy bottles I try to by a few here, and there from wineries that I love – and it’s difficult because the quality of wines in Niagara are just getting better across the board
I do like to stock up on a few bottles of the wines I love – but I find it difficult to hold onto my bottles from Back 10 Cellars. The wines that come out of this small winery on King St are always affable, and ready to go. That being said – they are always well structured, complex, and could go in your cellar should you have the patience. What’s most impressive is that the current lineup from Back 10 Cellars includes many wines coming from the challenging 2017 vintage. The quality of these wines hasn’t skipped a beat – and I will be stopping by as often as possible to keep one of my favorite Chardonnay’s in the house.
2018 Smitten Sparkling – $24.95 – **** – Smitten has been a quick fan favorite of fans of Back 10 Cellars. However it’s taken a bit for me to fall in love with this wine – each vintage offers something a little different, and the 2018 vintage of this wine brings something that feels a little drier than previous vintages. Don’t worry this isn’t a “serious” wine – a little bit of sweetness helps elevate peach, and apple aromas and flavours but a beautiful acid backbone keeps this feeling clean on the palate. This bottle just screams summer – I can’t imagine a better bottle to grab now and save for summer (as I have a feeling this will sell out quickly – it usually does)
2018 The Big Reach Riesling – $22.95 – ****+ – 2018 was an interesting growing season for Niagara – the summer was intensely hot, until the end of the September – when the sun essentially disappeared until December. This bodes well for early ripening varieties like this delicious Riesling. In hot summers the challenge is holding onto the acidity while getting the fruit to ripen. This is clearly the case here as you get a delicious bottle that leans towards orchard fruit with pear, and peach layered nicely over lime citrus notes. There is a nice mineral note and great balanced acidity. There is a hint of sweetness thanks to 10 grams of residual sugar – but this is not cloying thanks to the acid.
2017 The Big Leap Cabernet Franc – $28.95 – **** – The Bordeaux varieties planted in Niagara were something to watch in 2017. The damp summer led to a miracle fall that helped ripen the fruit. That being said many wineries were seen harvesting Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon well into late November. There is definitely something rustic about the 2017 Big Leap – but I would definitely say that this is ripe fruit. The fruit is raspberry, wild strawberry, blackberry, and plum – both on the nose and on the palate. The tannin is already soft and well integrated – while this may not be a bottle you want to hold onto for extended aging in your cellar it should evolve over the next 2-4 years. That being said – enjoy it now – stews, coq au vin, or other roasted meats from the oven are just begging for a dash of this bottle to be tossed in the sauce.
2017 Blood Sweat and Year Pinot Noir – $34.95 – ****½ – This may be the most complex Pinot from Back 10 Cellars yet. The symphony of aromas that climb out of the glass feel endless – Violet, plum, cherry, blackberry, cranberry, damp forest floor … and flavours that match. The fruit on the palate is ripe, and juicy but perfectly restrained. There is just something very lush and rich about this wine – but before you can put your finger on it balanced acidity lifts this wine and feels – refreshing. The finish lingers with forest floor, and is met with the violet note. Enjoy now or save a bottle for the next 5-7 years easily.
