I stopped by Creekside as one of my first winery visits for 2017. It has been a while since i’ve stopped but the recent releases making their way to Toronto through Vintages have been fantastic. Needless to say there is a lot to look forward to available from Creekside. From a winery that has a reputation for their Syrah there is certainly a lot more to this place than Syrah these days.
2015 Marianne Riesling – $21.95 – ****½ – There’s a nice mineral note that rises above lime and pear. The fruit flavours are nicely concentrated with the mineral note poking through and keeping this light on the mid palate. The acidity is in perfect balance with sweetness. So, even though there is a bit of sweetness that start to feel heavy, but the acidity keeps the palate refreshed. The finish on this wine is clean but the mineral note lingers and makes your mouth beg for the next sip.
2015 Iconoclast Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc – $22.95 – ***½+ – There is a charred wood aroma layered over tropical and citrus fruits on the nose. There flavours of lemon and passion fruit with a hint of grassiness tossed in for good measure. The finish is bright and crisp with a nice mineral note.
2013 Sauvignon Blanc Reserve – $26.95 – ****+ – The concentrated passion climbs out of the glass with intensity. The real story here is the concentration of fruit flavours, yet somehow this wine remains light on the finish. In the mouth the tropical moves to citrus which moves to mineral. The medium heavy texture to this wine is washed away by nice acidity before it’s too heavy and this is most definitely food friendly. This will make a great match to any kind of seafood.
2014 “QRV” Chardonnay – $24.95 – ****+ – Aromas of creamed corn, caramel and orange are what to expect in this glass. There is bright acidity that keep this wine light and balanced on the palate. Vanilla starts to seep through the fruit with each sip as you get deeper into your glass and the wine warms up. While this wine is still balanced the oak pressence is definitely the backbone to this wine.
2015 “QRV” Chardonnay – $24.95 – ****+ – Unlike 2015 this is bright and crisp with a nice mineral note that is layered over apple and citrus. This is light on the palate and from start to finish is the definition of grace and finesse. There is a slight vanilla note that opens up on the palate and lingers on the finish.
2013 Iconoclast Syrah – $24.95 – **** – The nose is pepper both black and white and it’s layered over softer raspberry and black currant. This is delicate on the palate and perfectly ripe with red fruit that dances on the palate. The peppery note is really the dominant theme in this bottle though and while you focus on the fruit in your mouth the pepper is what will rise above and linger on a longer finish. This is a perfect wine to pair with beef or lamb either from the grill or roasted.
2014 Iconoclast Syrah – $24.95 – ****+ – This bottle in it’s own right is worth the visit to Creekside. The nose is concentrated red fruit with a slight pepper note. The fruit definitely drives this wine home with lots of raspberry, and blackberry on the mid palate. There is a nice note of pepper on the finish. This is a solid wine and is built to last a few years in a cellar, but frankly I would enjoy this wine it it’s youth.
2012 Iconoclast Red – $24.95 – ****+ – The blend on this is 45% Cabernet Sauvignon/28% Merlot/21% Cabernet Franc/2% Malbec/1% Petit Verdot – This is an outstanding bottle at this price. The nose is very juicy red fruit with Raspberry, Cranberry, Strawberry and Vanilla. The tannin is approachable from opening, but this would do well with some decanting. This is one of those bottles that puts you in a tight spot. This wine will age well for 5-7 years in a cellar, but it is so approachable in its youth it will be hard to hang onto.
2012 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – $44.95 – ***** – There is something about this wine that has captured a warm summer in a bottle perfectly. There is cassis on the nose over slight smoke. The fruit flavours are rich and concentrated on the palate. This wine is juicy but the fruit flavours are perfectly ripe and not cooked. This wine is just a baby and worth picking up for a special occasion. In a few years the tannin should start to relax and this will be fantastic in its youth. If you have the patience I imagine this developing well over the next decade. This is something that is worth picking up and hanging onto.
