As many of you know I’ve been on a Burgundy kick. What some of you may not know – I have been biting off chunks of France in bite sized nuggets and drawing parallels with Ontario. We are truly fortunate to have all the talented winemakers in Niagara that we are not limited to a handful of grapes. While lately I have been beating the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay drum quite loudly – especially on the podcast. I do love that Ontario is such a great place to dip your toe in the pool to learn about wine. Riesling leads you to Alsace and Germany. Cab Franc leads you to Bordeaux, or Loire, or Chile. Gamay, to Beaujolais. But this brings my latest interest in Burgundy. When I visited last fall it was remarkable to learn that the effort that goes into taking Pinot Noir from bud break to harvest.
I think my mind is still having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that it’s difficult to grow this grape everywhere. I think my trip to Chile in 2019 gave me a warped view of what it means to grow grapes – in Chile they have what seems to be a nirvana for grape growing. And they do have everything planted there from the Cab Sauvignon to Pinot Noir. So I imagined that the Mecca for Pinot Noir would be an easier climate for the heartbreak grape.
That brings me to 16 Mile. This recent visit to France has given me a new appreciation for this small winery. I fell in love with these wines from the moment I first tasted them. I have stayed in love with them because they deliver a lot of flavour and finesse for the price. What I didn’t realize was just how much these wines over delivered on price. In fact, as consumers we take Pinot Noir from Niagara for granted. While these wines are generally the most expensive of the locally produced wines they are still far more affordable than their French counterparts. So while I plan on continuing my education through Burgundy – I will always be called back home, and with a renewed appreciation for the wines in my backyard.
In January I headed to 16 Mile for a tasting. Winemaker Morgan Juniper took me through some of the new wines. I also got a chance to taste through some barrels of what is tucked away at the winery. While the current lineup is very tasty – as always – there will be many reasons to go back.
2016 Rebel Chardonnay – $22.95 – **** – This is very rich and concentrated on the nose as it oozes with pineapple, canned peach, and golden delicious apple. On the palate there is a bit more restraint than the nose – so the good news is that this is going to be much more food friendly than you could imagine. There are hints of spice on the mid palate and on the finish.
2016 Civility Chardonnay – $29.95 – ****½ – I could tell from the moment I took my first nose of this wine it’s the sort of Chardonnay that doesn’t belong with food – and that’s not to say you couldn’t pair it with food – I just think a wine THIS rich, and THIS complex should not. It oozes with beeswax, peach, pineapple, and orange. This is rich and viscous on the palate – the flavours move into your mouth like it’s going to be your permanent home. The acidity is balanced but expect flavours of spice and fruit to linger.
2015 Rebel Chardonnay – $22.95 – ****+ – The 2015 summer was not as hot and dry as 2016 – but that’s the beauty about Chardonnay from Niagara – there really isn’t a bad vintage. This delivers a wine that is far more complex than the twenty two dollar price point would suggest. Aromas offer honeycomb, creamed corn, and canned peach. This has a rich texture on the mid palate – but it is mated to crisp acidity. As is the case with all the Rebel’s of the past – this is your food friendly option and hopefully will be found at a restaurant near you.
2015 Civility Chardonnay – $29.95 – ****½ – This is definitely the big sibling to the 2015 Rebel Chardonnay – If I were tasting these blind I would have a hard time telling them apart at first glance. The aromas are very similar to 2015 Rebel with honeycomb, creamed corn, canned peach, and tangerine. But the moment this hits your mouth it is VERY different. This opens in your mouth like saliva inducing fireworks – the texture is viscous and it allows the spice nuance fill your mouth from cheek to cheek. Acidity brings balance – but this is one of those wines you will find in my house only paired with a second glass.
2017 Exonerated Pinot Noir (Gamay) – $19.95 – ****½ – The front label says Pinot Noir – but this is unapologetically 10 percent Gamay. This takes beautifully floral, juicy cherry, and tart blackberry and wraps it in a rustic hug with spice and tannin that doesn’t really want to behave. The rustic edge to this wine makes it dangerously easy to drink – and it doesn’t want to settle. Frankly that’s not a bad thing at ALL. Subtle blueberry and not so subtle violet notes on the mid palate let you know that even though this is a sub twenty dollar bottle of wine it’s got a lot of complexity. I’m sure this could spend a few years in a cellar – but frankly why would you want to risk letting all this fresh fruit settle down. Enjoy it now, enjoy it frequently, and share it with as many good friends as you have.
2014 Rebel Pinot Noir – $22.95 – ****+ – Who doesn’t love a bouquet of flowers – especially when it’s in your glass. The floral notes steal the show on the aromas but on the palate this is layered with nice blackberry, cherry, and cranberry. Mineral starts to poke through on the finish. This really hits all the notes you would expect from great Pinot from Niagara. I think the real best part about this wine is that (I hope) this is an indication of the quality of wines we can expect at this price point – it’s nice to see that Chateau des Charmes, and Flat Rock have more wineries joining the party of greats entry level Pinot.
2014 Incivility Pinot Noir – $34.95 – ****½ – I realize at this point in history any Simpsons quote is overdone but this is “a party in my mouth, and everyone’s invited”. The plush aromas or cherry and blackberry being caressed by dense violet are just the beginning. On the palate this opens up – and it delivers everything you discovered on the nose. The rich texture of this wine drapes the inside of your mouth with a heavy layer of violet that lingers long after you swallow. I hesitate to call it elegant – today – but it will be very soon. The tannin is still big even after a few years in bottle – expect this to be very graceful in 3-5 years.
