I can’t remember the last time I had a chance to sit down and really digest the entire portfolio at Trail Estates. It’s definitely a challenge to walk into this winery, and not walk out without finding a bottle or two that’s to your liking. It’s also great when you can walk into a winery and find a great variety of style and wine.
Skin contact white’s are definitely a trend that is still on the upswing. I haven’t dedicated a lot of time speaking about these wines – but I’ll admit my experience with these wines have been … puzzling. I can understand the allure of finding something new – but the bottom line for me – is the wines needs to taste good. While many of the skin contact wines I’ve tasted have been “interesting” – to me that’s not the same thing as delicious. But, that’s not an indictment on the style as a whole. I can admit that my dismissal of the style was moved to curiosity when I visited De Martino in Chile – and I can now add Trail to the list of wineries that have me a little more curious to this style. But as I said in the opening – if skin fermented wines aren’t your speed there are some outstanding bottles of Chardonnay, and Cabernet Franc on the tasting bar right now.
2017 County Chardonnay – $35.00 – **** – Another great county Chardonnay with nice notes of vanilla and spice on the nose and on the mid palate. Aromas and flavours of peach, and pear are mated with a slight wild funk. Beautifully balanced and tasty.
2016 Foxcroft Chardonnay – $35.00 – ****+ – The intensity in this wine climbs right out of your glass and is a full on barrage of orchard fruit. Peach, golden delicious apple, and pear are delivered hand in hand with vanilla and spice. This wine is the definition of perfect balance – in spite of its intensity from the hot 2016 summer the acids are still perfectly balanced.
2017 Gewurztraminer – $35.00 – **** – Skin fermented – At its core this is has much of what you would expect from gew from Ontario. The aromas are rose petal – but dried out. There is also a layer of something a little savoury – it’s as though someone has planted savoury within reach of the rose garden. The mid palate feels like there is a bit of residual sugar, but this wine has been fermented dry. The texture is light and while the acid might not be as searing as Niagara Riesling this wine is still well balanced – and tasty.
2017 Riesling – $30.00 – **** – Skin fermented – I have to admit, I really enjoyed this wine. There is a bit of petrol on the nose (I still hesitate to just say gasoline …) a nice mingling of fresh and bruised apple. The acidity is searing on this bottle, but somehow this manages to remain lifted on the back palate. Mineral poking through on the finish makes this the full package when it comes to Riesling from Ontario.
2016 Wingfield Cabernet Franc – $40.00 – ****+ – A fantastic expression of pure Cabernet Franc. This has been aged in old French oak barrels letting the fruit speak for itself. This has captured the hot 2016 summer and delivers cocoa, cherry, raspberry, blackberry, and somehow a slight vanilla note. The tannin is already soft and integrated so no need to forget about this in a cellar – but it should evolve nicely over the next 5-7 years.
2016 Hedonism Cabernet Franc – $55.00 – **** – There is nothing subtle about this wine – having spent 27 months in Hungarian and French oak and then bottled unfiltered and unfined – this is a powerful interpretation of a hot Niagara summer. The aromas and flavours offer red and black fruit in spades. There is also plenty of smoke, leather, and vanilla. Now here comes the challenge with a wine like this – do you enjoy it now, or cellar it? This is definitely structured for a decade to be left alone in a cellar, but the tannin is already soft and integrated if you decide to crush a bottle now.
