In late December I needed to get out of the city before Christmas. The day I spent tasting was having the rare opportunity to show someone new around wine country. Reflecting on the twelve years that I’ve been living in Ontario it’s remarkable to see the dramatic increase in quality across the board of all the wineries in Ontario. I’ll be honest – I had a hard time choosing a handful of places to go in one day – especially since it was someone’s first time. It’s even more challenging as the new wineries on the block hit the ground running in terms of quality. Icellars has certainly rocked Niagara on the Lake with the superb quality of their Bordeaux style blends, and are starting to hit a certain groove with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. If you haven’t been to Niagara on the Lake in awhile this is an essential stop.
2018 Sauvignon Blanc – $40.00 – **** – This is a welcome addition to the small, but mighty, number of bottles of Sauvignon Blanc that have spent some time in oak. The aromas of passion fruit, guava, and pineapple ooze out the glass. There are layers of smoke and mineral that caress the tropical flavours. This finishes with crisp acidity, but a hint of tropical still lingers.
2017 Estate Pinot Noir – $50.00 – **** – This is rich and juicy – it teems with plush Cherry and Blackberry that climbs out of the glass. A bit of vanilla and a nice texture on the mid palate helps this open up and set up camp in your mouth. The tannin is soft and integrated – but this will improve with a couple years in bottle.
2016 Estate Pinot Noir – $45.00 – **** – It is interesting that compared to the 2017 this feels softer and more restrained. The fruit flavours are light cherry, and a little floral on the mid palate. On the finish notes of damp earth poke through. This needs another couple years in bottle to really settle down and soften a little more. This is on a trajectory to pure elegance.
2017 Chardonnay – $40.00 – ****+ – The Chardonnay from Icellars gets a little better every year. In short – restrained, elegant, and perfectly balanced. The flavours are pineapple, peach, orange, and apple mated to spice and vanilla. The acids are crisp leaving the finish a little short – but frankly, that makes this easier to pair with food.
2016 Cabernet Franc – $30.00 – ****+ – I’m jumping for joy that there are a few more affordable options at Icellars. Given the quality of winemaking across the board it should be no surprise that this overdelivers on the price. The tannin is still firm and chunky so if you decide to open this now, you’ll want to let it sit for a couple of hours in a decanter before digging in. This has raspberry, cherry, blackberry, and whispers of smoke.
2017 Estate Merlot – $45.00 – ****½ – If I didn’t know any better I would guess that this is a beautiful bottle of Bordeaux. I am going to enter this as evidence in the strong case that 2017 is not to be underestimated in terms of quality of vintage. This is still very young and should either be decanted or stowed away for a few years before opening. Juicy cherry, blackberry, plum, vanilla, and smoke – everything you would hope for from an outstanding bottle of Merlot.
2016 Estate Arinna – $42.00 – ****½+ – I was fortunate enough to taste a bottle at the winery that had been open for tasting for three days – it would seem that’s how many days it took for this bottle to hit its peak. The aromas are elegant red fruit, black fruit, and notes of smoke. On the palate this felt fine tuned and harmonious – fruit, vanilla, cedar, and smoke. I anticipate peak drinking from 2022-2030 and beyond.
2017 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon – $50.00 – ****½ – It would seem that two years in a row this is an all star bottle. Plush fruit galore with cassis, strawberry, cherry, blackberry, and plum. This is a gorgeous example of what Niagara can produce in a summer that was eclipsed by the growing conditions in 2016. The tannin is well integrated but still chunky making this destined for the cellar for a few years before it really comes together. Enjoy this from 2022-2032
2015 Wiyana Wanda – $75.00 – ****½+ – In a portfolio that is packed full of gems, something needs to sit on top. The aromas walk right up to the line of being jammy without climbing out of the glass confected. I realize it’s a common thread among the Icellars wines but this needs some serious decanting, or at least a few years in a cellar to come into focus. If you open this right now – it’s like watching a Marvel movie in the front row – there’s just so much going on. Something to stow away for a few years – and something to anticipate when the 2016 vintage comes out.
