When last we spoke about Taste the Season (version 2010) my posse had just picked their "most looking forward to" quintet of wineries. Finally, the day arrived to take our passports and palates on the road to test out our paper impressions. With 22 wineries we split the days into two, with each member of the group keeping their own individual notes about the wines, the foods and the pairings. Thankfully, we are all old enough that our brains could not remember what our individual 5-star hopeful selections were going to be, so it was like dealing with a clean slate, nobody had any preconceived notions about what they had selected.
Before moving on it is important to catch some of you up about what Taste the Season is. Taste the Season is one of the premier events on the Niagara wine route calendar. It is put on by the Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake every weekend in November - the 22 wineries of the organization pair a wine and food which passport holders get a chance to come by and try. This year they posted the pairings well in advance of the actual event. Each year that I have attended I have written up a list of the best and worst pairings. This year I decided to do something a little different: hand each person in my party the list of pairings and ask them to select what they believe will be their favourite five. This year my 'posse' included my wife (Erica), my mother (Gloria) and myself - we picked our "five favs" independently and I posted them a few weeks before we set out on the trail. Here are the results of the days tasting:
What Gloria (the mom) selected before - alphabetical order …
Cattail Creek Estate Winery: 2006 Cabernet Merlot paired with Beef Brisket topped with Caramelized Onions and Cabernet Merlot Sauce
Coyote's Run Estate Winery: 2008 Cabernet Merlot paired with Slow braised Ontario Lamb Shank with Du Puy Lentil Ragout
Lailey Vineyard: 2008 Vidal Icewine paired with Apricot Cheesecake
Peller Estate: Andrew Peller Signature Series Ice Cuvée paired with Three Sweet and Savoury Scones
Southbrook: 2007 Cabernet Merlot Shiraz paired with Stone Road Grille Cassoulet with Cabernet Bread
What Gloria chose after - in preference order ...
Stonecurch - (not on list) - 2007 Quintet paired with Beef Canape
Cattail Creek Estate Winery - (on list)
Coyote's Run Estate Winery - (on list)
Southbrook - (on list)
Ravine - (not on list) - 2008 Riesling paired with Mini Goat Cheesecake with Vanilla Poached Peaches
Erica (the wife) selected before - alphabetical order …
Cattail Creek Estate Winery: 2006 Cabernet Merlot paired with Beef Brisket topped with Caramelized Onions and Cabernet Merlot Sauce
Château des Charmes: 2008 Estate Bottled Riesling paired with Cucumber and Yam Tempura with Cream Cheese and Spicy Sauce Sushi Roll
Coyote's Run Estate Winery: 2008 Cabernet Merlot paired with Slow braised Ontario Lamb Shank with Du Puy Lentil Ragout
Marynissen Estates Winery: 2008 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay paired with Squash Soup
Niagara College Teaching Winery: 2007 Cabernet Franc paired with Caramelized Apple and Chicken Ragout garnished with Aged White Cheddar
Southbrook: 2007 Cabernet Merlot Shiraz paired with Stone Road Grille Cassoulet with Cabernet Bread
What Erica chose after - in preference order ...
Hillebrand - (not on list) - Trius Brut paired with Peameal Bacon Sandwiches with Icewine Onion Jam
Cattail Creek Estate Winery - (on list)
Stonechurch - (not on list) - 2007 Quintet paired with Beef Canape
Ravine - (not on list) - 2008 Riesling paired with Mini Goat Cheesecake with Vanilla Poached Peaches
Southbrook - (on list)
Michael (the Grape Guy) selected before - alphabetical order …
Cattail Creek Estate Winery: 2006 Cabernet Merlot paired with Beef Brisket topped with Caramelized Onions and Cabernet Merlot Sauce
Coyote's Run Estate Winery: 2008 Cabernet Merlot paired with Slow braised Ontario Lamb Shank with Du Puy Lentil Ragout
Inniskillin Wines: 2007 Vidal Icewine paired with Blue Benedictine Mousse & Vidal Poached Apple
Niagara College Teaching Winery: 2007 Cabernet Franc paired with Caramelized Apple and Chicken Ragout garnished with Aged White Cheddar
Stonechurch Vineyards: 2007 Quintet paired with Bistro Beef Canape
What Michael chose after - in preference order ...
Hillebrand - (not on list) - Trius Brut paired with Peameal Bacon Sandwiches with Icewine Onion Jam
Cattail Creek Family Estate Winery - (on list)
Stonechurch - (on list)
Coyote`s Run - (on list)
Ravine - (not on list) - 2008 Riesling paired with Mini Goat Cheesecake with Vanilla Poached Peaches
It is very interesting to note that only 6 wineries made it onto all top 5 lists. Cattail Creek was a unanimous second place on all three lists. Also making all three lists were Stonechurch and Ravine.
Finally, speaking of all three lists, I asked everyone for a `bubbling under` selection, you know a winery that almost made the top 5 and this too was unanimous ... Marynissen (2008 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay paired with Squash Soup) was the one winery that almost made it onto everybody`s list.
It was another interesting, exciting and fun adventure in Niagara-on-the-Lake wine country ... looking forward to Days of Wine and Chocolate coming this February.
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| Announcment at Lailey |
Before moving on it is important to catch some of you up about what Taste the Season is. Taste the Season is one of the premier events on the Niagara wine route calendar. It is put on by the Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake every weekend in November - the 22 wineries of the organization pair a wine and food which passport holders get a chance to come by and try. This year they posted the pairings well in advance of the actual event. Each year that I have attended I have written up a list of the best and worst pairings. This year I decided to do something a little different: hand each person in my party the list of pairings and ask them to select what they believe will be their favourite five. This year my 'posse' included my wife (Erica), my mother (Gloria) and myself - we picked our "five favs" independently and I posted them a few weeks before we set out on the trail. Here are the results of the days tasting:
 | |
| One of the eventual winners of the day - great pairing |
Cattail Creek Estate Winery: 2006 Cabernet Merlot paired with Beef Brisket topped with Caramelized Onions and Cabernet Merlot Sauce
Coyote's Run Estate Winery: 2008 Cabernet Merlot paired with Slow braised Ontario Lamb Shank with Du Puy Lentil Ragout
Lailey Vineyard: 2008 Vidal Icewine paired with Apricot Cheesecake
Peller Estate: Andrew Peller Signature Series Ice Cuvée paired with Three Sweet and Savoury Scones
Southbrook: 2007 Cabernet Merlot Shiraz paired with Stone Road Grille Cassoulet with Cabernet Bread
What Gloria chose after - in preference order ...
Stonecurch - (not on list) - 2007 Quintet paired with Beef Canape
Cattail Creek Estate Winery - (on list)
Coyote's Run Estate Winery - (on list)
Southbrook - (on list)
Ravine - (not on list) - 2008 Riesling paired with Mini Goat Cheesecake with Vanilla Poached Peaches
Erica (the wife) selected before - alphabetical order …
Cattail Creek Estate Winery: 2006 Cabernet Merlot paired with Beef Brisket topped with Caramelized Onions and Cabernet Merlot Sauce
Château des Charmes: 2008 Estate Bottled Riesling paired with Cucumber and Yam Tempura with Cream Cheese and Spicy Sauce Sushi Roll
Coyote's Run Estate Winery: 2008 Cabernet Merlot paired with Slow braised Ontario Lamb Shank with Du Puy Lentil Ragout
Marynissen Estates Winery: 2008 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay paired with Squash Soup
Niagara College Teaching Winery: 2007 Cabernet Franc paired with Caramelized Apple and Chicken Ragout garnished with Aged White Cheddar
Southbrook: 2007 Cabernet Merlot Shiraz paired with Stone Road Grille Cassoulet with Cabernet Bread
What Erica chose after - in preference order ...
Hillebrand - (not on list) - Trius Brut paired with Peameal Bacon Sandwiches with Icewine Onion Jam
Cattail Creek Estate Winery - (on list)
Stonechurch - (not on list) - 2007 Quintet paired with Beef Canape
Ravine - (not on list) - 2008 Riesling paired with Mini Goat Cheesecake with Vanilla Poached Peaches
Southbrook - (on list)
Michael (the Grape Guy) selected before - alphabetical order …
Cattail Creek Estate Winery: 2006 Cabernet Merlot paired with Beef Brisket topped with Caramelized Onions and Cabernet Merlot Sauce
Coyote's Run Estate Winery: 2008 Cabernet Merlot paired with Slow braised Ontario Lamb Shank with Du Puy Lentil Ragout
Inniskillin Wines: 2007 Vidal Icewine paired with Blue Benedictine Mousse & Vidal Poached Apple
Niagara College Teaching Winery: 2007 Cabernet Franc paired with Caramelized Apple and Chicken Ragout garnished with Aged White Cheddar
Stonechurch Vineyards: 2007 Quintet paired with Bistro Beef Canape
What Michael chose after - in preference order ...
Hillebrand - (not on list) - Trius Brut paired with Peameal Bacon Sandwiches with Icewine Onion Jam
Cattail Creek Family Estate Winery - (on list)
Stonechurch - (on list)
Coyote`s Run - (on list)
Ravine - (not on list) - 2008 Riesling paired with Mini Goat Cheesecake with Vanilla Poached Peaches
It is very interesting to note that only 6 wineries made it onto all top 5 lists. Cattail Creek was a unanimous second place on all three lists. Also making all three lists were Stonechurch and Ravine.
 |
| The "Bubbling Under" Winner |
Finally, speaking of all three lists, I asked everyone for a `bubbling under` selection, you know a winery that almost made the top 5 and this too was unanimous ... Marynissen (2008 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay paired with Squash Soup) was the one winery that almost made it onto everybody`s list.
It was another interesting, exciting and fun adventure in Niagara-on-the-Lake wine country ... looking forward to Days of Wine and Chocolate coming this February.
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