Hello Prince Albert! Have you heard the term “noble grape” before? This wine lingo is a reference to classic white/red grapes which originated in Europe and produced long-lived wines full of grace, quality, flavor, complexity and the above-average ability to age well. Since I’ve focused on two white wines from Ontario, I’ll only be talking about white noble grapes which include Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris (not to be confused with Pinot Grigio), Chenin Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Viognier and Semillon. What is it that makes the grapes so “noble”?
While I’d love to talk about every grape on the list, I’ve narrowed the options to the varietals in the wines I tasted this week, the Riesling AF (100% Riesling aged for 10 months in stainless steel) and the Cottage Block (a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling from Niagara Peninsula). Many of the noble grapes have similar features from balanced acidity, varieties of sweetness levels, the ability to age, resistance to disease and frost and most of all, the range of delicate to highly intense flavors which are produced when vinified and bottled properly.
Noble grapes also have the unique ability to display the terroir in which they are grown while maintaining the base characteristics of the specific varietal. Take Riesling for example, which can be full of notes of slate, granite, limestone, chalk or wet stone depending on the soil in which it grew or elevated sugars and ripeness from the aspect and amount of sun the grapes received.
While I have love and respect for all the noble grapes, I am especially fond of Riesling, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Chardonnay for its ability to adapt and change wildly by how it is made and Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc for their intensity and higher acidity levels. It is also interesting to note that all three of these grapes (among others) can be affected by “noble rot”, aka Botrytis Cinerea where the liquid of the grape is reduced and concentrated, making it possible to create wines like Sauternes from Southern Bordeaux. Intensely sweet yet full of puckering acidity, the wines of Sauternes demonstrate the wonder and splendor of the transformation of simple grape berries into fantastically-flavored wines, often considered as “nectar of the gods”. A sort of wine alchemy if you will.
You can find Riesling in many of the major wine-producing regions of the world, from France, Hungary, Austria (where it is second only to Gruner Veltliner), Slovenia, Moldava and the USA but the heritage of Riesling stems (no pun intended) from Germany as far back as the 1400’s. In fact, Riesling has been around so long that recent DNA work in the 1990’s discovered that it is the parent/grandparent of at least 80 other varietals, making it one of the most prolific and genetically important grape varietals in the ancient and modern world.
Now comes the best part of Riesling which is its flavor profile. There is good reason for sommeliers to hold the Riesling varietal in high regard since it tastes incredible (no matter the sweetness) and is highly aromatic. Riesling is also an amazing pairing partner for a huge variety of foods and one of my favorite things to do is pair low-brow foods with high-quality wines. In this case, I tasted the Riesling AF with several types of dishes from KFC and believe me, whether you like KFC or not, the combination of the wine and food together is transcendent. If you need a higher-level class of sophistication, try sweet Riesling with some expertly prepared foie gras. Salty, fatty and savory flavors meet intensely fruity and mouth-wateringly balanced wine. Perfect harmony! Here are my wine picks of the week!
Rosewood Estates Riesling AF 2020: (VQA Twenty Mile Bench, Ontario). Off-dry white, pale lemon color. The alluring nose is tart and fruity with ripe, juicy apples (red and green), rubber hose, apple juice and a small hint of sweet citrus. From the first sip, the mouth begins to water as flavors of fresh apple fruit/skins (sweet and sour), hints of plastic/rubber (like a new garden hose) and zippy medium-plus acidity hit the palate. The flavors are simple and less intense than expected but the tangy flavors of apple throughout the long midpalate carry into an even longer finish. Light body with a bit of a syrup-like quality adds a slightly luxurious texture while the acidity tingles on the tip of the tongue. The wine impresses with its ability to sustain the prickly acidity from first taste all the way into the finish. Interestingly, the concentration opens at medium but builds with each taste into medium-plus, fully coating the palate. The clean, crisp and simple style of this Riesling is enjoyable, but some bitterness tends to creep in after each sip, marring the score slightly. Good! $35, 11.7% ABV
Cottage Block Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling 2021: (VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario). Dry white, pale lemon/green color. This blend can be smelled as soon as the wine is poured with herbaceous grassy notes, citrus, lemon thyme, a flicker of rubber ball, pineapple and a hint of cat’s pee (very typical for Sauv Blanc). On the palate, the wine is crisp and intense with excellent concentration (depth of flavor) and upfront flavors of fresh herbs, grass and bright citrus. Light bodied with high acidity that prickles the edges of the tongue and lingers on the insides of the cheeks. The lemon and grass notes shine brightly in the zesty/tangy flavor profile with hints of rubber and slate mineral maintaining a clean, refreshing edge. Some green pineapple dips in and out and I found myself coming back again and again for the delicious intensity. Not much complexity to be found but this white will be wonderful with all types of seafood and specifically pan-cooked walleye/trout or lemon-infused pastas. Good! $24, 11% ABV
Cheers and thanks for reading!
