Coyote’s Run “Red Paw Vineyard” Pinot Noir 2004
VQA Niagara Peninsula $27


Coyote’s Run “Black Paw Vineyard” Pinot Noir 2004
VQA Niagara Peninsula $27
There are two soil types in Coyote’s Run vineyard: a red clay soil that’s reminiscent of the terra rossa found in Australia’s Coonawarra region, and the black clay soil that’s characteristic of Niagara-on-the-Lake. Coyote’s Run grows Pinot Noir on both soil types, and the grapes from each looked and tasted different enough that winemaker David Sheppard vinified them separately. Each wine was aged in barrels marked “Red Paw” and “Black Paw,” reflecting the critters that roam the area. David reports that the grapes were picked at about the same time, had the same Brix, and were vinified the same way, so that any differences in the finished wine reflected their growing conditions. And what differences there are:

Red Paw: The aromas here are all cherry and strawberry jam with herbal notes and hints of pepper. For flavours you’re treated to a core of sweet cherry, some herbal layers and caramel notes, with a peppery, spiky texture. It’s consistent right through and finishes well.

Black Paw: A tone deeper in colour, this delivers more dense, intense, darker fruit in aromas, like black cherry and plum, with notes of blueberry. The flavours highlight sweet cherry, plum and blueberry, with savoury accents and a dark, spicy cherry finish.

Both are medium bodied, well balanced, and are dry with good tannins. My suggestion: order an equal number of each and taste them side by side. Then enjoy them with grilled lamb. (RP)



EastDell Unoaked Chardonnay 2004
VQA Niagara Peninsula $11.95 (609867)
A really quite elegant Chardonnay at an excellent price. It delivers a lovely fruit core (white peach, apple, pear) with a surprisingly soft, almost creamy, texture. Well structured and balanced, it’s just very well made and makes an excellent partner to herbed roast chicken. (RP)


Henry of Pelham Gamay 2004
VQA Niagara Peninsula $13.95 (291112)
Intriguing aromas that have cherry at the centre and a mix of funky, earthy notes. The palate is more fruit-centred, with cherry to the fore, nice spicy notes, and good balancing acidity. It has a tangy texture and finishes strong, with solid spicy fruit. Drink it with a gourmet hamburger with fresh tomatoes and sliced boiled beets. (RP)


Henry of Pelham Off-Dry Riesling Reserve 2004
VQA Niagara Peninsula $14.95 (557165)
Released in Vintages late 2005, and available from the winery, this is a well-paced off-dry Riesling that you can cellar for five or more years. It’s rich now, with a range of tropical fruit and honeyed notes, and with crisp, clean acidity. The finish is a long tail of tropical and white grapefruit. (RP)


Jackson-Triggs Delaine Vineyard Pinot Noir 2003
VQA Niagara Peninsula $24.95
An elegant Pinot Noir in a fairly high-acid style that matches perfectly with dishes like duck or game in a rich berry sauce. The flavours are all herbal/spicy cherry and cranberry, the texture is attractive, and the tannins are dusty and manageable now. Overall, this easily lives up to high standards of the Delaine series. (RP)


Lakeview Cellars Baco Noir Reserve 2003
VQA Ontario $19.95
Dense, dark fruit (plum, cherry blueberry) with spicy and smoky notes but not of the funk/beet accents you often get with Baco. The fruit is sweet at the core, and the texture is big, round and generous. Medium-plus in body and age-worthy to the end of the decade, it’s well balanced and pairs well with barbecued red meats. (RP)


Malivoire Wine Company “Courtney” Gamay 2003
VQA Niagara Peninsula $25.00 (699983)
More evidence of how well Gamay does in Niagara. This 2003 example delivers solid, quite intense cherry and red berry fruit, even a hint of cherry coulis, with spicy and herbal notes. The fruit is consistent and focused and continues through the long finish. The texture is tangy and attractive, the balance is poised, and it goes well with with paté de campagne with wild mushrooms. (RP)


Malivoire Wine Company Gamay 2004
VQA Niagara Peninsula $16.00
A Gamay that offers spicy cherry and red plum aromas that replay as sweet cherry and plum with notes of spice and herbs and a hint of earthiness. Medium bodied and dry, it’s complex and well structured, and pairs nicely with grilled duck. (RP)


Stoney Ridge Reserve Chardonnay 2004
VQA Niagara Peninsula $24.95
Somewhat restrained fruit, in the peach and apple/pear zones, lies at the centre, with a oak dimension that becomes more pronounced toward the back palate. The texture is quite round, the balance is good, and this makes a fine partner for grilled chicken breast in a creamy mushroom sauce. (RP)