I recently took some time to visit Sue-Ann Staff’s winery. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen Brix – the friendliest door greeter at any winery in Niagara – and this fact is undisputed. It has been great to see the Fancy Farm Girl bottles on the shelves of local LCBO’s – these bottles are a lot of fun, but offer great quality. I don’t know if it’s reflected in my posts on this site, but I have been going on a Sauvignon Blanc kick lately and the Fancy Farm Girl sauv blanc always hits the right notes.
This visit I was greeted with something unexpected. – I came in hoping to see what was new with Fancy Farm Girl – but I was greeted with some outstanding – and fantastically creative Cabernet Franc. Unfortunately I was in a bit of a rush, and didn’t get a chance to taste through all the white wines – but I will make sure to head back and soon.
2016 The Chestnut Tree Cabernet Franc – $39.95 – ****½ – This Vinemount ridge Cabernet Franc is simply outstanding. There is a torrent of outstanding top tier Reds hitting the market from the fantastically hot and dry 2016 summer – and this bottle stands shoulder to shoulder with the best of them. The nose and palate are rich, with cocoa, campfire smoke, and an endless stream of cassis, blackberry, plum, raspberry, and cherry. The tannin is soft and well integrated so this is drinking great now – but with time in a cellar should evolve nicely over the next decade.
2017 The Chestnut Tree Cabernet Franc (Brandied Barrel) – $98.00 (sold as pair with Bourboned Barrel) – ****+ – I really get uncomfortable when I see winemakers getting creative with their barrels – but when it comes to the challenging 2017 vintage in Niagara – if there’s a year to get creative with your winemaking this is it. In a year when many wineries were just hoping that their Bordeaux varieties would ripen it’s clear that these wines made it to the finish line in full stride. Brandy barrel has a slight honeyed note that is well integrated over what I would expect from hot summer Cabernet Franc. The fruit flavours are perfectly ripe blackberry, cassis, cherry, strawberry, and notes of smoke. The texture of this wine is silky and elegant with nice structure to age 5-7 years in a cellar with ease.
2017 The Chestnut Tree Cabernet Franc (Bourboned Barrel) – $98.00 (sold as paid with Brandied Barrel) – ****+ – There is a slight sweetness to the nose – where Brandy barrel brought honey, this brings maple syrup. These sweet notes are not prima donna’s they are a well behaved part of the orchestra. While brandy barrel pushed more black fruit – this leans more red as cherry, strawberry, and raspberry layer over cassis, and plum notes. Elegant, and nicely structured – expect 5-7 years in a cellar for this bottle.
2016 Fancy Farm Girl Frissonesque Sauvignon Blanc – $15.95 – **** – As if you really need another reason to love Sauvignon Blanc from Ontario – but this is a bottle I drink as often as I can get my hands on it. Pink grapefruit, passionfruit, lemon, and hay-bale climb out of the glass with spectacular concentration. There is a nic
