In August 2018 Michael Pinkus and I issued a challenge to the wineries of the Lake Erie North Shore – We wanted a winery to make a Fumé Blanc. The folks at CREW rose to the challenge – and made their Walk the Plank Fumé. Granted with Niagara fruit – I have it on good authority they are trying to make VQA Lake Erie North Shore Fumé from this past summer.
You can check out the recent podcast here – https://andrewinereview.ca/two-guys-talking-wine-episode-211/
That being said – there is much more to CREW than this challenge. They continue to be on the top shelf of great winemaking in LENS. Here are some notes on a few recent releases.
2018 CREW (Colchester Ridge Estate Winery) Walk the Plank Fumé Blanc – $19.95 – **** – I visited the Lake Erie North Shore in August 2018 – and shortly after I issued a challenge on my wildly popular podcast “Two Guys Talking Wine” asking the winemakers of the Lake Erie North Shore to deliver me a Sauvignon Blanc in some oak. The people working with “fumé” styled Sauvignon Blanc in Ontario have really caught my attention over the past few years (Meldville, Featherstone, and Henry of Pelham to name a few). This bottle from CREW is a welcome addition to the lineup. While my challenge was technically to get a Fumé made with LENS fruit this bottle is made from Niagara fruit. Simply put – this delivers exactly what I was hoping for. Passion fruit and pink grapefruit with nice texture on the mid palate. There wasn’t much made – so make sure you grab it now.
2018 CREW Riesling – $16.95 – Vintages 483834 – **** – You pour this into your glass and take your first sniff – an eyebrow goes up – you’re going to find some nice peach, pear, and orange aromas. When I take my first sip I am stunned at the balance of what is in my mouth. A bit of sweetness helps to bring that fruit to life – the fruit flavours open up with a very nice intensity – but the acidity brings fantastic balance to what’s in the glass. If that doesn’t have you excited to taste this wine yet – just wait until the finish. Mineral dances nicely with the acidity to add a layer of complexity and leave your mouth begging for a second sip. Not convinced yet? This price point makes it one of the best values for great Ontario Riesling on the shelf.
2019 CREW Chardonnay – $13.95 – **** – This bottle does a great job highlighting the difference in climate between the Lake Erie North Shore and the Niagara Peninsula. 2019 was not a crazy hot summer – but that doesn’t seem to matter here the alcohol is at 14%. This wine is teeming with juicy pineapple and peach on the nose and on the palate. Fantastic acidity keeps this wine focused on the mid palate and the texture isn’t too broad. This is a wine I would be thrilled to serve to Chardonnay skeptics – it’s just affable and easy drinking.
