I recently spoke with longtime Fielding winemaker Richie Roberts to talk about the harvest conditions from 2020. Let’s face it – it’s a vintage we won’t soon forget due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That being said we had perfect growing conditions for the grapes in Niagara. What makes 2020 so special is the fact that while we had blazing hot days we ended up with cool nights. You can listen to the interview here (https://andrewinereview.ca/two-guys-talking-wine-episode-225/)
Shortly after the interview Richie Roberts sent me a pack with many of the wines in the current Fielding lineup. Here are some of my thoughts.
2019 Pinot Grigio – $16.95 – **** – In a region where we have more than our share of easy drinking, crisp Pinot Grigio this one definitely stands out. With aromas of honeysuckle, melon, and apples the moment you take your first sip you will be met with nice intensity. The ripe fruit notes feels like the summer was warmer than it actually was – but the nice light alcohol (12%) makes it a very easy drinking, crowd pleaser (once we can get back to having crowds). The absolute final verdict on this wine is that this is much better than may Italian counterparts that cost a few bucks more.
2019 Sauvignon Blanc – $20.15 – ***½ – Bright and crisp aromas of gooseberry, fresh cut lawn, and citrus. On the palate the savoury note is mated with passion fruit, grapefruit, and gooseberry. The texture is very light and clean making this very food friendly. This is a perfect match for seafood fried or grilled.
2019 Unoaked Chardonnay – $15.95 – **** – I’ll fully admit that when I normally taste unoaked Chardonnay from Ontario they tend to deliver one note – that is NOT the case here. There is a lot going on with the nose offering apples and pear with whispers of spice. The orchard fruit is so intense that it’s almost juicy on the palate. The acids leave the palate refreshed, but the apple notes linger just a bit on the finish.
2017 Rock Pile Chardonnay – $40.15 – **** – The fruit from this delicious Chardonnay comes from the Lincoln Lakeshore. This is yet another solid wine from the miraculous 2017 vintage. There are layers of vanilla and spice that soar over peach, pineapple, and pear aromas and flavours. This opens up with nice texture on the mid palate – the acidity is crisp for right now, but I would expect this to evolve into something even bigger with a few years in bottle. This is the sort of Chardonnay that I have a hard time pairing with food, not because it won’t pair with food but because I would rather enjoy this bottle on its own.
2018 Sémillon – ***½ – I do love getting a chance to taste Niagara Sémillon – it’s too bad that these vines can’t handle the winter because when these wines make it into the bottle they are usually very tasty. What we have here are delicious liquid creamsicle with notes of tangerine and vanilla. The acids are sharp, and maybe this isn’t the most intense take on Sémillon but still well worth checking out.
2019 Long Weekend Red – $13.95 ($49.95) – ***½ – I love it when entry level VQA wines deliver the goods – it’s even more exciting when we can get good wine in a bag in box. The tannin was a little rough when I poured my first taste of the wine – but it only took a few minutes for things to soften. Red fruit notes dance with violet and slightly savoury aromas and flavours. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc that isn’t trying to be more than what it is – an easy drinking medium bodied wine that delivers outstanding value while showing what’s great about Cab from Niagara.
2019 Fireside Red – $15.95 – **** – With soft tannin and brimming with juicy red fruit – this is most definitely one of the best value wines available right now from Niagara … period. The torrent of red fruit on the palate feels endless going from cherry, to raspberry, and then to strawberry. This is another wonderful wine that is a reminder that just because a wine doesn’t need to brood in a cellar before it’s ready to drink. Buy this to enjoy with some bbq this summer perhaps next to a campfire.
2019 Gamay – $20.15 – **** – If you haven’t already hopped on the Gamay bandwagon for Ontario here is yet another example of why you should. With aromas of sour cherry, and plum – this is a super elegant easy drinking Gamay. Wines put together like this make things easy when you’re putting a meal on the table because the wine has enough structure to stand up to heartier red meats but is also light enough to work well with salmon or chicken. Frankly, you just might think there’s a hole in the bottom of this bottle when you enjoy it.
2018 Rockpile Red – $25.15 – ****+ – A couple years ago this wine inspired a column I wrote for Quench magazine about Bordeaux style reds from Niagara at this price point. This wine continues to deliver outstanding value. This blend of 58% Merlot 25% Cab Franc and 17% Malbec spent time in French oak. There is plush red fruit oozes out of the glass – notes of raspberry and dark cherry. There is a whisper of roasted red pepper on the mid palate and finish of this wine but it is so well managed and deeply integrated it just screams Niagara. 2018 was a strange vintage with a crazy hot summer met with a difficult rainy fall – the fact that none of the challenges from this vintage comes through in this bottle is a testament to the skill from winemaker Richie Roberts. Fielding understates the aging potential of this wine to 2024 – while I enjoy wines in their youth – I feel this should hold well until 2027.
2018 Cabernet Franc – ****½ – There is one word to describe this wine … Stunning! (exclamation point necessary). When you think about everything that’s right about Cabernet Franc from Niagara this is it. Given the challenges with the wet fall in 2018 it’s clear the skill and attention that goes into the winemaking from Fielding goes from vineyard to bottle. There is a nice intensity to the raspberry, cherry, and plum notes in this bottle. The already soft tannin and juicy fruit notes feel like a hug for your mouth. The concentration and depth to this wine feels near endless. Buy and hold until 2027 – but honestly – drink up and enjoy near perfection now.
2017 Pinot Noir Lowrey Vineyard – ****+ – Are we at the point where we can call the Lowrey Farm legendary yet? – There is a small handful of wineries that get a chance to work with fruit from this site. Juicy bright red and dark cherry that sits light and bright on the palate. There is some nice concentration to this wine being met with nice acidity. This is definitely the lightest take of all the winemakers working from this vineyard – but I would also say that this could very much be the most elegant take on it. It is clear that this vineyard is coveted in the industry for good reason – but in the hands of a talented winemaker the sky does appear to be the limit.
