• Purchase the following two wines online from Château des Charmes for daily home, restaurant or office delivery or visit their Ottawa retail store in Minto Place at Laurier and Lyon or buy at their winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake 1025 York Rd, St. David’s Ontario L0S 1P0. Here’s a map.
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Château des Charmes ‘Atelier – White Blend’ 2017
VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake $14.95 (688499) 12.0% alcohol
Aromas of lemon and lime precede a barely off-dry palate-bathing stream of melon and lime cordial that ends with a flourish of mouth-watering tang on the back palate and aftertaste. It’s unoaked, light-medium bodied and very well balanced with plenty of crisp, refreshing pizzazz throughout. Gorgeous sipped on its own on a warm, sunny day, it also pours well with spicy Asian dishes or pan-seared, line-caught fish at the cottage. (Vic Harradine)
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Château des Charmes ‘Atelier – Red Blend’ 2017
VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake $14.95 (688523) 12.5% alcohol
This unoaked, red blend—gamay noir/pinot noir/cabernet sauvignon/cabernet franc/merlot—leaps from the glass with fresh, lively fruit-driven aromas of black briary berry and black plum. It bathes the palate with a medium-bodied nicely textured wash of spice-infused red fruit—strawberry and currant—carried along with excellent mouth-watering tang. Give this a go with pasta puttanesca or lasagna. (Vic Harradine)
• Order the following two wines and those from the previous newsletter by the case for daily home, office or restaurant delivery online from Legends Estates Winery or by the bottle or case by visiting the winery at 4888 Ontario St, North Beamsville, ON L0R 1B3. Here’s a map.
• Legends Wine Estates is 3rd generation, family-owned fruit and grape growers who began the winery in 1999 with Paul Lizak at the helm and Serge Papineau making wine. The Lizak family have over 70 acres of grapes with a bit over a 1/3rd of them on the estate—the estate is where the Lizak Vineyard – Reserve wines are sourced. The estate vines are situated on/near the lakeshore, north of the QEW thereby providing warmth when the winds of early spring and late fall blow.
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Legends Estates Winery Chardonnay ‘Reserve’ 2017
VQA Lincoln Lakeshore $21.00 13.0% alcohol
The concentrated nose offers aromas of zesty citrus, ripe peach and caramel apple with notions of spice and vanilla. The wine was barrel fermented, aged 16 months in oak, 20% new, spending time on its lees contributed to the nicely-textured palate. Dry and medium bodied, flavours of ripe orchard fruit, lemon zest, spice and a mineral note persist through the lengthy finish. Serve with crab and corn bisque. (Lisa Isabelle)
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Legends Estate ‘Barrel-Fermented’ Pinot Gris 2016
VQA Lincoln Lakeshore $20.00 13.0% alcohol
Barrel ageing is somewhat uncommon for pinot gris. This one needs air to dissipate the initial pungent wisps of pine to unveil apple, pear, ginger and mushroom aromas. It’s quite tangy on the palate with pithy citrus, turning to pear, apple, earthy and spicy flavours persisting through the long dry finish. This medium-bodied, pinot gris pairs well with a melon and prosciutto appetizer. Aerate/decant two hours and serve well chilled. (Louise Boutin)
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Legends Estate Merlot ‘Reserve’ 2016
VQA Lincoln Lakeshore $24.50 13.0% alcohol
Produced in limited quantity—only 100 cases made—this is barrel-aged 20 months with an additional six months of bottle maturation. Expect a pretty nose of ripe cherry and tangy raspberry that gets more complex as you dig deeper—leather, dried rose and graphite aromas. A silky-smooth textured flow of juicy cherry and blackberry flavours flood the palate, ahead of cocoa powder and dry savoury herbs, balanced with great acidity and noticeable fine-grained tannin. This value-packed medium-bodied red is your go to wine to pair with well-seasoned, grilled medium-rare, T-bone steak. (Louise Boutin)
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Legends Estates Winery Petit Verdot 2016
VQA Lincoln Lakeshore $26.50 13.0% alcohol
Produced in only the best vintages, this intriguing, single-varietal red displays blueberry, blackberry and dark plum aromas with undertones of violet, black peppercorn, leather and earth. Ripe dark fruit flavours replay on the well-structured palate joined by hints of graphite, dried herbs and a mineral note. Dry, medium-full bodied and deftly balanced, dark fruit, and a hint of piquant spice linger on the enduring finish. This is a fine match for grilled lamb. (Lisa Isabelle)
• Purchase the following two wines online by the case, for home, restaurant or office delivery from Meldville Wines, phone 905-563-6500 or email winemaker/owner Derek Barnett This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. When in the area, drop by Legends Estates Winery (Derek makes Meldville wines here) 4888 Ontario St. North, Beamsville ON, L0R 1B3 and pick up wine by the bottle(s) or case(s).
• Derek Barnett is synonymous with Lailey Vineyard. However, in 2015 Lailey was sold and Derek made the decision to move on. He had been at Lailey as a principal and the winemaker since 2001. He has been winemaker at Karlo Estates in Prince Edward County since leaving Lailey and now has launched his shiny-new virtual winery in Niagara – Meldville Wines. Remember the name, you’ll be hearing more from them—Derek’s winemaking was the certainly retained his elegant touch.
• The following 2018 Meldville ‘4th Edition’ Sauvignon Blanc was skin soaked for just over 48 hours before pressing then slowly cool-temperature fermented followed by resting on its fine sediment a couple of months before being racked clean.
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Meldville ‘Fourth Edition’ Sauvignon Blanc 2018
VQA Lincoln Lakeshore $20.00 12.5% alcohol
Aromas of herbal notes and citrus zest can be coaxed from the wine. It dishes up a delightfully clean, crisp and refreshing river of palate flavour with orchard fruit—yellow plum and crisp green apple—decorated with excellent lemony acidity and topped off with a lingering, lip-smacking finish and aftertaste. It’s medium weight with good mouthfeel and plenty of pizzazz and charm. Divine when sipped on its own… and sublime when paired with pan-seared fish or grilled seafood, (Vic Harradine)
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Meldville ‘First Edition’ Cabernet Franc Rosé 2018
VQA Lincoln Lakeshore $20.00 12.5% alcohol
This is also a ‘limited’ edition rosé, with only 108 cases made—don’t dally if you hope to purchase some. This is textbook rosé with red fruit aromas—plum, currant and cherry. It washes over the palate with great élan delivered on a wave of crunchy red fruit flavours of red currant, freshly sliced strawberry and ruby red grapefruit. There’s great balance and purity of fruit throughout and showcases a lengthy mouth-watering finish. Pour with all manner of baked, grilled or poached seafood or green salad with crumbled chèvre or roast chicken with cranberry sauce. (Vic Harradine)