Last month I had the opportunity to visit Flat Rock Cellars. Anyone who has been reading this website for any extended period of time knows that I tend to visit this winery frequently – the Rusty Shed is a mainstay in my home and cellar. This visit felt a bit different – It was the unveiling of the new look and feel for the lineup of wines. I spend a lot of time thinking about wine labels. Last year I made the shift from from broadcasting to marketing – and I now work for a marketing firm in Hamilton. I recognize it’s a challenge to stand out on the shelf of a wine shop to convey the message that you’re killer wine – and not just flashy packaging. I will admit that I am surprised to see the departure of the monogram logo – I had fallen in love with the label that adorns the Rusty Shed, Gravity, and Nadja’s Vineyard bottles with the singular colour.
That being said – the new packaging makes a bold statement.
There is also some organization that will make it easier for consumers to figure out exactly what is in the bottle. I have always been a fan of the experimentation that takes place at Flat Rock, but I think the branding always got a bit lost. As a result, I don’t think enough wine lovers in Ontario give them the credit they deserve when it comes to pushing the envelope of innovative ways to explore their vineyards.
The tier that will now be referred to as Monolith is where the experimentation will lie. On this day I had the opportunity to taste unique Gamay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, and a Skin Contact Riesling/Gewurztraminer blend. I am looking forward to seeing what is to come in this lineup of bottles – but especially looking forward to having these bottles stand out.
The great news
While the packaging is taking a different direction … and I am going to miss the old Flat Rock logo. The wines in the bottles are going to remain what we have come to expect from Flat Rock. Here are some notes on what I had to taste on this day.
2019 Explore Gamay – $30.15 – Winery Only – **** – It’s always exciting to see another winery throwing their hat in the Gamay ring. It does make sense for a winery with such masterful ability with Pinot Noir to move to Gamay as well. This wine delivers everything I would expect from a solid Ontario Gamay. The fruit is a little heavier than I would expect from the cool 2019 vintage with dark cherry and clove on the palate. I am certain that there is some cellaring potential here – but in my books this is drinking fabulously right now.
2020 Explore Sauvgnon Blanc – $30.15 – Winery Only – **** – This has spent some time aging in Oak barrels – but the use of wood is in perfect harmony with fruit from the ripe 2020 Summer. Flavours are bright, vibrant, and tropical. Fruit notes range from pink grapefruit to passion fruit – and notes of fresh cut hay creep in on the finish. In spite of the crazy hot summer the balance with acidity is the best part of this wine. The fruit flavours have captured this crazy hot summer in a bottle but mated them with perfect palate cleansing acidity. This bottle will drink great now or hold for 3-5 years to see how it will evolve, I imagine with the time in oak this will offer an interesting evolution as the fruit settles down.
2020 Pinot Noir – $22.95 – LCBO 1545 – **** – Flat Rock continues to offer the benchmark for entry level Pinot Noir in the province. It’s hard to make Pinot here … it’s even harder to make it at this price. This is a well made wine. The tannins are a bit beefy, but they will settle down with a bit more time in bottle. Flavours are rich dark cherry, and just a light jacket of spice caressing the fruit notes give it a nice complexity beyond it’s modest price point.
2020 Chardonnay – $19.95 – LCBO 286278 – **** – Chardonnay from Niagara is going to tell the story of how incredible the growing conditions were during the pandemic summer. We have seen hot summers before … with most people tripping over themselves with excitement over the wines… but even in hot, dry summers the challenge of holding acidity in your fruit becomes key. In 2020 we were graced with a hot, dry summer – but also cool nights. What we have here, is a sub twenty dollar bottle of perfectly balanced Chardonnay. The fruit flavours scream hot summer – with pineapple, mango, and peach. There are hints of spice and vanilla – but it’s clear the fruit notes are driving the bus here.
