Wine Review - The Good Earth

I’ve always been a fan of The Good Earth Winery. The focus on this winery has never just been on the wine and I was thrilled to check out their new cookbook <>. I spend so much time tasting wines in Niagara that often I forget about how great the culinary scene is in the area. With a food scene beginning to simmer in St Catharines and an abundance of food trucks making appearances at wineries there is a lot to be excited about. But make sure you remember that The Good Earth is one of the places that laid the foundation of what is going on now.

The wines are currently being made by Ilya Senchuk of Leaning Post and most of the wines were made by Ross Wise. All that being said my favorite thing about these wines is that they are all exceptionally food friendly… or it could just be it’s impossible to stop by this winery without getting some inspiration.

2015 Viognier – $24.95 – **** – Viognier is one of the varietals that we don’t see enough of in Niagara. There is a nice note of white flower but it’s restrained and layered over orchard fruit. On the palate it feels like everything is wrapped in subtle vanilla – it’s apricot, peach and orange. There is nice texture to this wine and it finishes medium long with a bit of spice that lingers.

2015 Chardonnay – $24.95 – **** – This is all vanilla and spice and another example of why Chardonnay rules in Ontario. There is a lot going on in this bottle but it still shows remarkable restraint. Aromas and flavours offer up apple, peach and orange. There is a bit of smoke, spice and vanilla on the finish. There is a nice creamy texture – but still restraint as this finishes clean with nice acidity.

2015 Gewurztraminer – $21.95 – ****+ – Aromas are nice rose petal and lychee with a bit of spice tossed in the mix. The aromas and flavours are concentrated and fill your mouth from cheek to cheek. The real story with this bottle is the texture; this actually sits pretty light in your mouth and makes this much easier to pair with food than your typical bottle from Alsace. I can imagine this with grilled sausages, spicy Asian cuisines, or lighter salads.

2015 Gamay – $21.95 – **** – Very light with a nice peppery note. On the palate this is bright and juicy with ripe cherry and sour cherry. There’s a bit of vanilla and raspberry that start to make an appearance on the finish. Nice and balanced and it should be no surprise that one of the most food friendly reds is so good at the Good Earth.

2015 Cabernet Franc – $21.95 – **** – The Good Earth is always one of the best places for Franc, and this is always great value. There is a slight savory note in the form of red pepper jelly – but it’s very well integrated under raspberry, cherry and cranberry. The tannin is smooth but still has nice structure. This could spend 3-7 years in a cellar but you can enjoy it now without hesitation.