TasteCamp Day 3: Niagara, U.S.A. Population Potential

If you're a Canadian and ever wondered what it might have been like to visit Ontario wine country in the early days I'd suggest taking a trip across the boarder to visit the Niagara, New York wine route. Sharing the ancient glacial-shaped soils of Niagara, Ontario and its climate this is essentially one continuous region. But even if you've only ever done a day-trip to Niagara, Ontario's wine region it doesn't take long to realise things across the border are remarkably different. From talking to some of the winemakers, winery owners and wine workers at Tastecamp it comes down to this—Niagara, New York is at a much earlier stage in its development.

For all the issues Niagara, Ontario wineries face like laws limiting how and where they can sell or high taxes and costs making it virtually impossible to sell a quality wine under $12 a bottle there are many advantages to growing grapes in Ontario. Many of those advantages are hard-fought ones that Niagara, Ontario wineries have earned over the past three decades. The real key to it all is without a doubt VQA. Reading Linda Bramble's book you get the impression that wineries were both scared and motivated to improve quality as the talk of free trade via NAFTA and unfettered access for California and other foreign wine superpowers became a real possibility. Quality producers knew great wine could be made in Ontario but they also knew that the industry as whole needed time to establish itself as a quality producer and explore where its particular strengths might lie. One of the ways this was done was fighting for government incentive programs to pull out old labruscas and then hybrids for quality vinifera grapes which take at least three years before they begin to produce commercially. This never happened on the American side so the cost of a pull-out is entirely on the individual. Naturally there are still prime sites full of lubruscas there to this day. For these growers more money can be made growing these hardy prolific native grapes best suited for juices, jellies and eating than growing vinifera best suited wine. So without incentives or a unified body showing an alternative unless an individual has a passion for quality wine and money to burn there's not much of a reason for change. There are certainly a few passionate individuals leading the way but it will take some time, effort, money and likely a little heartbreak before things develop to the same level as Ontario.

From TasteCamp

On such winery was Arrowhead Springs Growing vinifera on a modified Scott Henry trellis system, using rye and clover cover crops and fertilising with local horse manure as needed Duncan and Robin Ross have a focus on growing the best grapes they can. They also aren't afraid to experiment. They've barrel fermented some reds in local oak from from Key Stone Cooperage for instance. That's not a common practice given the difficulty of removing skins before barrel aging. After all barrels are meant to keep all but a bit of air out, let alone people, or else the wine inside would oxidise and ruin very quickly. One of Duncan Ross' favourite grapes to work with is Cabernet Franc for its hardiness against winter cold and disease pressure as well as its good yield. His 2008 was full of toasty oak-spice flavours as well as raspberry and some smoky tobacco notes.

Another memorable winery stop was Freedom Run. If you haven't heard of the Lockport winery you probably will soon because a recent purchase of 45 additional acres of pinot noir means the winery has five and half times the production than when it began. The fact that it is all pinot noir is also exceptional given that the persnickety grape is thin-skinned, prone to disease pressure and can turn on you if you so much as look at it funny. The sheer number is also significant considering that the terroir and pinot and chardonnay obsessed Le Clos Jordanne, co-owned by industry giants Constellation and Boisset, has 121 acres split between chardonnay and pinot noir. Six different 2010 pinot noir barrel samples were poured and all had an amazingly deep purple-ruby colour and a distinct bretty note that should be instantly recognisable to those who've have a Flemish sour ale. My favourite was probably the mixed vineyard blend which harmonized the characteristics of the single vineyard wines. It was full of black plum, raspberry and black cherry with medium plus acidity and a strong finish of bretty sour ale. Like a few wineries in Niagara, Ontario, most notably Foreign Affair the winery is also experimenting using the appassimento process of drying grapes to highlight and concentrate flavours.

From TasteCamp

One winery to look out for is Leonard Oakes. The Medina, NY winery is one of the furthest east in the region and they are growing a mix of hardier hybrids and vinifera trying to figure what works best in the their corner of it. The winery's winemaker Jonathan Oakes graduated from the viticulture program at Niagara College and trained under Brian Schmidt at Vineland. That experience shows in this reserve riesling. With flavours and aromas of juicy lime, smoky gun flint and crushed rock it's a classic cool climate riesling from Niagara. It's also perfectly balanced down the middle when it comes to sweetness, mouthfeel and acidity letting the flavours shine through. It would be really interesting to see what he could do with some Weis 21B clone riesling which he'd love to plant if he could get his hands on some vines. His vidal icewine shows his Canadian training as well. It's classic Niagara with the sweet flavours of honeyed apricots, peach and pineapple flavours and aromas. What's makes it exceptional is it possesses the balancing acidity which can often be lacking in vidal icewine.

From TasteCamp

One of the curious things common throughout the Niagara, New York reds was deep colour almost always at the medium plus level of intensity even in thinner skin varieties known to be fairly light in colour like pinot noir. In some cases producers are using enzymes like Color pro to aid in the extraction. The reason is that local market prefers its wine deeply coloured. What's a bit odd with this is that on the whole the body of the wines was lighter than the colour would lead you to believe—almost always a medium minus intensity even in cabernets, malbecs and syrahs. It was an interesting dichotomy that I would be be interested to see again if it changes in a few years as the vines get a bit more age. The other thing to keep an eye out for in Niagara, New York is the creation of a body made of industry producers to promote and push the industry forward. Both the VQA and Wine Council of Ontario have been instrumental in creating the framework for quality standards as well as tireless promoters to both the public and government. There's talk of trying to set something up like the VQA with formal but voluntary quality-focused rules providing a base standard which will ideally push things forward on the American side. If the same holds as it did in Ontario the sooner this happens the better. So with land being very cheap, the industry in its early years and a climate shared with Niagara, Ontario its American counterpart is a region to keep a close eye on over the next decade. I know I'll be making my next visit sooner rather than later.

From TasteCamp

Viopalooza: Vio the Rhône-born Divo Shows What it can do when it Goes to Ontario & BC Finishing School

After the success of the #Tastegris Twitter tasting a group of oenophiles recently came together to taste the best of Ontario Viognier. Yes, the favoured and sometimes only white grape permitted in certain regions of France's Northern Rhône has slowly found some traction in Niagara—enough to provide a solid line-up for #Viopalooza. As is the nature of these Twitter tastings the line-up is announced ahead of time and people are encouraged to taste along and share their thoughts with the tasters and those tasting vicariously on Twitter using the above hash tag. Naturally that makes blind tasting virtually impossible but if you want to build a community the social interaction of allowing everyone to participate is far more important than trying to isolate any bias.

Regardless of Viognier's exact origins it seems to have found a home in the Northern Rhône, in particular Condrieu where south facing slopes on heat retaining granite soils combine with hot summers and cool wet winters to produce world renown wines. But even in the grape's home producing a fine wine is a challenge. The crop sizes are dubious. Yields must be kept low to maintain varietal character. And there is a very tight window after the grapes reach the right sugar level and then develop the flavour & volatile aroma compounds that are intrinsic to good Viognier. So given the relatively short and humid summer growing seasons and cold winters in Niagara it almost seems like madness to try grow this diva/divo of a grape. But when it's done right the combination of that ethereal floral bouquet and rich without being heavy mouth-feel is really unparalleled.

From VIopalooza

Chåteau des Charmes has a long history of experimentation whether it be different trellising systems, planting viniferia in the early years or being one of the first to use wind machines to protect tender spring buds against frost damage. So it should come as no surprise that the winery has allocated a relatively small block (one acre) to Viognier since the early 1990s. According to Michelle Bosc the key to producing good Viognier in Niagara is aggressive thinning (40-60% of the bunches are dropped every year to promote ripening). And on the winemaking side it's all about being as gentle as possible limiting the movement of the wine and keeping it in stainless steel. This opinion was echoed by Jay Johnson and Marlize Beyers winemaker at Hidden Bench. Johnson, who assists with winemaking and can often be seen out in the vineyards tending to the vines, says the winery inherited some when it purchased the Locust Lane Vineyard. Given the naturally low yields of Viognier and the very low yields Hidden Bench commits itself to there are plans to grow more. For Beyers the key to making Viognier is to minimise movement using gravity wherever possible because she believes that any movement even necessary ones like tank to bottle only results in a loss of more of the aromatics that are key to variety's identity. Richie Roberts, the winemaker at Fielding first encountered Viognier when he was working as the assistant winemaker at Stratus. Although he uses stainless steel at Fielding he feels there is a place for neutral oak especially if the goal is to impart some nuttiness or leesy character. Similarly Bosc says some malolactic conversion/fermentation can add to the mouthfeel but given Viognier's naturally low acid and high sugar you need to be careful when using it. So how did the wines taste?

Overall it was was a good showing with the Canadian wines exhibiting the variety's distinctive floral character. The 2008 Chåteau des Charmes was a favourite. It had aromas of peach and rose petal as well as a full mouthfeel—all classic characteristics of Viognier. Another favourite was the 2009 Fielding with aromas and flavours of juicy peach and orange blossom that really shone through. Only 10% of the fruit came from the estate vines which were recently pulled because Roberts felt they weren't performing well in that location. The other 90% comes from a Niagara-on-the-Lake vineyard where Roberts has established a long term relationship and the Fielding crew performs the vineyard work.

From VIopalooza

Given that parts of BC's Okanagan are a virtual desert the climate has the potential to get closer to the Rhône than Niagara. And the wines didn't disappoint with the tasting's most praised wine coming from the Okanagan. Selling between $15-20 the Jackson Triggs' 2008 Silver Series was fresh containing ripe peach and orange blossom flavours. The mouthfeel was full with good weight. It hit all the points you expect from a Viognier and did so at a great price point. It was also interesting to taste the 2008 Sandhill Small Lots Program Viognier one year removed from being awarded white wine of the year at the Canadian Wine Awards. Full of peach aromas with floral blossoms the best feature of the wine was the full rich mouth feel. If there was a criticism it was that the wine which was picked late and fermented dry was really quite hot and tasted as if it had more alcohol than the 14% listed. But the mouth feel alone which was rich without being heavy much like a good soufflé, could make you understand the accolades the wine received. However my favourite Okanagan wine and one that received considerable praise around the table was a 2008 83% Viognier 17% Marsanne blend from Rhône specialist Stag's Hollow. Surprisingly this wine's mouthfeel exceed even the Sandhill in its richness. The nose was full of beautiful aromas like walking through an orchard in bloom just after a late afternoon sun shower. There was also a honeyed note which complemented the the slightly off-dry finish—kept in balance by good acidity. Interestingly it was barrel fermented in new oak and aged for eight months. It was nice to see that the practice added structure to the wine and did nothing to hinder the aromatics.

Another interesting observation that sparked a discussion at the tasting was that Viognier seemed to be wine that you want to drink upon release/purchase or shortly there after (before the next vintage is released). The wine that started this discussion was a 2006 Fielding. The colour had moved from the pale lemons of the fresh Viogniers to a medium-gold honeyed colour. Although there were still some floral elements the dominat aroma was that of burnt sugar which as Del Rollo pointed out is something that is immediately identifiable to someone who has made creme brulée before. Although a touch oxidised and slightly golden the 2006 Hidden Bench was much fresher in comparison with honeyed peach flavours. The acid seemed to be dropping in relation to newer vintages but it still continued to provide a refreshing balance. The 2007 vintage with 13.4% alcohol felt a little hot in comparison. It possessed strong floral aromatics but it had a background of barrel notes. Although all Hidden Bench Viogniers are barrel fermented and aged in neutral oak, the barrel character showed through the most on the 2007. The 2008 showed a little more in the way of floral aromatics with juicy peach and orange blossoms and a slight spicy character. The 2009 was a little less expressive in its aromatics showing a light perfumed note. What made this standout was the high acidity. Much higher than any of the other examples, it was closer to the acid levels of a cold climate Sauvignon blanc than the other Viogniers. Whether you liked the style or not is a separate issue, but it was certainly interesting to taste vintage variation. Hidden Bench uses natural ferments and it barrel fermented these Viogniers in neutral oak through all vintages so with vinification being largely the same you could really taste the differences a growing season can impart on a variety.

From VIopalooza

The last example was a Malleval, Condrieu grown on those famous heat retaining granite slopes from Pierre Gaillard. This wine was a bit of an enigma with many hard to describe flavours and aromas. It was surprisingly far from the most aromatic. However being the last wine poured, it had been open for more than two hours and other tasters had mentioned that the aromatics had dissipated a bit since opening. That said it did possess a wide range of interesting flavours and aromas. Mint, pickles and lactic acid nuances joined floral and burnt sugar flavours and aromas. The mouthfeel had strength and presence while defying heaviness much like a ballerina mid-leap. The vinfication notes on the page write about a controlled barrel fermentation and aging in tightly grained French oak with only 10% being new. Although oak really played no prominent role in the flavour profile it no doubt added something to the wine's feel.

It seems that the richness and complexity of the Condrieu exceeded anything from Niagara or the Okanagan. When the question was asked why this might be happening, Bosc chimed in with a simple but complex answer: vine age. The consensus is that Viognier vines are late bloomers really only showing what they are truly capable of after 20 years. Given that a life span of 30 years is considered quite good in Niagara due to harsher winters it seems that it's an uphill battle to be able to compete on the same level as those Rhône wines. That being said Viognier here shows beautiful aromatics that are a hallmark of the variety but the style is lighter and crispier than those wines. This situation of contrasting styles exists throughout the wine world. I would argue that a Grand Cru Chablis from Domaine Christian Moreau is neither inferior nor superior to Chateau Montelena when it comes to Chardonnay. Sure many will prefer one over the other but if you really analyse a well made old world example versus a new world example a wine lover will probably find them just as appealing but in a different way.

From VIopalooza

The other interesting element which may also help explain the difference between Condrieu and the Niagara and Okanagan Viogniers is clones. It seems that growers in Condrieu say the clone of Viognier used in their vineyards is thought to be different than the one used in the southern Rhône and everywhere else Viognier is grown. The propagation of this clone (642), which came at time when the variety was near extinction, is popular in the new word and it is believed to be a relatively high producer with larger berries but contains less of the distinctive aromatics in comparison to the one used in Condrieu. It's tough to say exactly what clone everyone is growing but Hidden Bench, Chåteau des Charmes and Fielding all use 642. Given Canada's strict importation laws designed to minimise the risk of foreign viruses the clone availability is usually very limited so it's very possible that most if not all of the Viognier found Niagara and BC is 642. Without a direct virtually side-by-side planting it's tough to say whether the clones are as different as the Condrieu growers & producers say. After all in the terroir obsessed world of French wine anything you can do to make your wine as unique as possible is a huge advantage. That said even if you can set aside the climatic and terroir conditions between Condrieu, Niagara and the Okanagan, the clone could be another interesting layer in the differences between the Viogniers. Until and likely even after science definitively sorts it out I'll be more than happy to to give my feedback on the debate through sensory evaluation of what's in the glass.

2002: An Ontario Wine Retrospective

Before 2010 usurped 2007 as Ontario's best vintage ever* there was 2005, 1998 and 2002. When 1998's hot and dry grape growing season arrived the VQA act was still a year away, Brock's Cool Climate Oenology Viticulture Institute was still a couple years away from producing its first graduates and the growth spurred from Inniskillin receiving the first new license since prohibition had only begun to reach critical mass. In other words even a lot of the pioneers were still getting a handle on exactly what their sites could produce. By the time the similar growing season of 2005 rolled in the wineries had that much more experience. But that was tempered by a severe winter which caused an extremely low crop (enough to temporarily change Cellared in Canada rules to allow 99% foreign grape content). So that really leaves 2002 as one of the first hot and dry growing seasons where education, experience and industry growth had reached a point where there was a wide range of good quality wines from Bordeaux varieties produced. Thanks to Twitter a group of industry professionals and wine enthusiast came together to taste just how that vintage is developing as we began closing in on its tin anniversary.

The genesis of the tasting was a critical assessment of the 2002 Legends Reserve Cabernet Merlot which was surprisingly released in Vintages late this summer. It's not often you see an aged VQA wine released in Vintages. As is the nature with Twitter a dialogue quickly started with many parties chiming in and within minutes plans had been laid to have a tasting of 2002 Ontario Cabernet Merlot blends. In keeping with the communal spirit of Twitter people contributed bottles from their private cellars or from winery libraries and we all met-up at Canoe on a Saturday afternoon.

From #Ontario02

The restaurant's sommelier Will Predhomme kept things objective by arranging things so it was blind for tasters which included wine writers, enthusiasts, winemakers and industry professionals. After the dizzying experience of tasting 35 wines in two hours I was struck that there seemed to be more differences amongst the wines than similarities. The range of flavours that were produced from Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot really speaks not only to the versatility of Bordeaux blends but it also to impact winemakers can have on how a wine develops after a little time in the cellar.

After the wines were revealed and the group had some time to discuss their tasting notes the general consensus was that some wines were probably past their prime. Some were showing quite nicely and are likely in the sweet spot showing their fresher flavours well right now. Still others could probably benefit from further aging. So what does that mean? Just like any vintage in order to make exceptional wine you need to start with the best fruit. But after that it really is left in the winemaker's hands to draw on experience and knowledge to do the little things he/she thinks are needed to make the best wine reflective of the vintage.

From #Ontario02

So it was certainly interesting to hear Craig McDonald formerly winemaker at Creekside and now of Hillebrand give his assessment of the wines. For McDonald the tasting added further evidence to his belief that 2002 was a solid vintage with some wines that have peaked and are in their decline, some that are drinking well right now and could go further and some where it could go either way. In his experience the danger of a hot vintage is there is a temptation to press a little harder in order to extract more flavour and juice. In other words trying to get as much as you can of a good thing. There's a fine line between maximising flavour and extraction and going a bit too far into over-extraction at the expense of balance and structure. One of the things that caught the transplanted Australian by surprise is how hot and quick a fermentation can develop here in hotter vintages. He prefers to work in smaller batches which can make it easier to monitor the fermentation temperature so it doesn't get out of control. It also allows him to more easily assess the extraction.

From #Ontario02

One thing that was surprising to learn was some of the bottles poured were the only examples remaining outside of those that may be aging in private cellars. That's something that I hope changes. Given that it takes at least three years to get a grape crop from fallow land and about a year and a half of aging before a big red is ready I understand why you would want to sell all of the production. Especially considering we haven't even factored in the cost of building the actual winery. The problem with selling everything is that there's nothing to revisit. If you want to gauge how the vines are maturing, if you want to evaluate what a certain vineyard practice or techniques brought to the wines, if you want to assess just how certain wines developed in similar vintage conditions a fairly well stocked library is essential. Plus it doesn't hurt to be able to draw from a well stocked library to give wine club members and regular customers a chance to restock on a favourite wine or to purchase something special.

From #Ontario02

Here are tasting notes from some of my favourites:

My favourite wine of the evening was lucky number thriteen the Southbrook 2002 Poetica Cabernet Merlot Still a vibriant ruby with a little aging showing at the edges the nose is full of violets, raspberry and cassis. It fills the mouth with juicy dark blackberries, raspberries and cassis. There's some added complexity with well integrated barrel spice and even a touch of barnyard perhaps from Brettanomyces. With nicely softened tannins and strong food friendly acidity it's a wine that is drinking beautifully right now. And I bet it would do so for some time.

From #Ontario02

Lailey's 2002 Cabernet Merlot wasn't as fruit forwards as some of the other wines. Blackberry and raspberry flavours were present but not in the forefront. Instead there were interesting nuances of smoke, earthiness and minerality which complimented some herbal flavours that I tasted in the wine. This is definately one of the wines that I wish I had previous notes for to see how it may have developed over time.

My other two favourite Cabernet Merlot blends came from wineries on the bench. The 2002 Vineland Cabernet Merlot Reserve had primarily aromas and flavours of cocoa, raspberries and a touch of vanilla barrel spice. There was also great complexity with addtional flavours of liquorice blackberries and cola. The tannins were well integrated with acid at a medium plus.

In a word the 2002 Cave Spring Reserve Cabernet Merlot was layered. It had a little dark chocloate, blackberry, raspberries, butterscotch barrel spice, herbs and even some barnyard flavours (maybe some Brettanomyces was a play here too). If there was a shortcoming it was on the finish which was a little shorter than expected a medium length. But don't get me wrong I'd certainly pay handsomely for a bottle.

The tasting wasn't purely Cabernet Merlot blends. There was a 2002 Nigara Syrah and Pinot Noir thrown in to keep us honest (both of which I was thankfully able to identify). The was also a Bordeaux example from St. Émillion—its always nice to have an old world benchmark for comparison. The were also numerous single varietal Cabernets and Merlots in the tasting. Of the single varieties two of my favourites were Cabernet Francs with the remaining being a Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Caberent Saugnion in question was the 2002 Rief First Growth which was dark chocolate personified. Joining the dark chocolate were aromas of tobbaco and earth with juicy blackberries on the palate. There was a little bit of a reprieve on the mid palate before the chocolate returned on the finish. The first of the Cabernet Francs, the 2002 Pillitteri Family Reserve, tasted very youthful. A bright ruby with juicy blackberry and cassis it had a lingering fruit finish with strong acid and tannin. It appears there is still some of this award winning wine made by Sue-Ann Staff available in in magnums. My favourite single varietal was the Thirty Bench Benchmark Cabernet Franc, made by one of the founders Yorgos Papageorgiou who handled much of the winemaking of the reserve reds in the winery's early days. This Cabernet Franc had a nose of fresh raspberries and blackberries. There was also intriguing minty, menthol and plum components. A slight chocolate note joins these flavours on the long finish. Still a little tight I would love to have a couple of these in my cellar to see how they might develop over the next few years.

From #Ontario02

The two wines I contributed a 2002 Marynissen Caberent Merlot and the 2002 Kacaba Proprietor's Reserve Meritage were a bit of a contrast. Unfortunately the bottle from Marynissen had a bit of a stewed fruit quality which may have meant that this particular bottle likely wasn't at its best—possibly as a result of storage. But underneath there was still a dusty tannic structure that made me want to revisit it. I've been told by staff that this very wine should see a re-release from the library soon. Given that the late John Marynissen planted Canada's first Cabernet Sauvignon vines in 1978 and the 2007 Cabernet Merlot was chosen as the house red for the Ontario Legislative Assembly last year I'm really curious to revisit a winery cellared 2002 bottle.


Kacaba has built its reputation on making small batch full-bodied wines especially big reds. The Proprietor's Reserve Mertiage is no exception. Made from 50 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and a quarter Cabernet Franc and Merlot harvested between mid-October and November it spent a full five years aging in new French oak before its release. Yes, five years of barrel aging! This wine is full of ripe cocoa dusted blackberries, raspberries and cassis that last long into the finish. Underneath the big fruit was some butterscotch perhaps owing to the extended barrel aging. The tannins were still strong as was the acid. What it lacked in finesse it did make up for in ripe juicy fruits. For those that like a big fruit forward style it would certainly be something to inquire about at the winery (some bottles were still available late last year). But the limitrf production and extended barrel aging do come with the steep price of $120 a bottle.

From #Ontario02

If there was one thing I took way from the tasting it was that I would certainly like to buy even more Niagara Cabernets, Merlots and their blends from 2007 and I've got a lot in the cellar. Tasting how these 2002 wines are drinking I plan to open them up gradually and taste how they develop over the next decade. As good as they are in their youth I'm confident that the best of them will be even better in a few years. The other great insight I took away from the tasting was that I was able to taste the proof of some sage advice. If you want to lay down a wine in a cellar your patience will be rewarded especially if you can find a winery and winemaker who has a style that's in sync with your palate. Even in the best vintages its sometimes the little things that can make the difference between a good wine and a great wine. If you're lucky the proof comes in the taste as the primary flavours develop into tertiary flavours and the tannins being to diminish and integrate into that mature bottle of red wine you've hidden in your cellar.

You can read what other at the tasting said via Tweets under the #Ontario02 tag here.

From #Ontario02

*Please note that calling any particular vintage good, better, best, (insert you favourite superlative here) in Ontario is at best a gross oversimplification and at worst dangerously misleading. There's probably no other wine region in the world that grows such a wide variety of grapes and has a harvest period so long that it can often be measured in months rather than days or weeks. In other words a hotter and drier vintage that favours late ripening big bold Bordeaux varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon makes for a challenging growing season for the earlier ripening varieties like Riesling which thrives in cooler conditions. For those that like to know the minutia of a growing season it does make distilling an assessment down to a sentence a little more challenging for Ontario. But it's a good excuse to make frequent visits for research purposes (a.k.a. tastings).

The Curious Controversy of Scarpetta Toronto

Would you eat at restaurant that featured no Ontario wines on its list? That question is at the heart of a debate over the newly opened restaurant at the boutique hotel Thompson Toronto.

Last week a tweet went out from a Niagara wine rep. looking to sell some his wines at the Toronto outpost of Scarpetta . It read " 'I have no North American wines on my list and never will.' sommelier of Scarpetta."

That's a bold statement for any business that relies on pleasing people, let alone a newly opened restaurant in a luxury hotel where the average room rate is around $300 per night. Curiously it was proceeded by an open letter praising Niagara farmers, purveyors and chefs—it even mentioned the quality of the wines. As you can imagine the initial responses were swift and passionate on Tuesday. Things got even more heated after Friday's retweet.

Now if I can digress for a moment, Twitter is unparalleled in its instantaneous ability to share our experiences and create an environment for a lively conversation. We're certainly all the richer for it. Unfortunately the 140 character limit means there's often no room for context, tone or anything beyond the barest of ideas. It also means that sometimes consequences aren't fully considered and information can move faster than it can be verified.

Given the bold statement and the reactions I decided to phone the restaurant and find out for myself. It was confirmed that there were no North American wines carried. The wine list was primarily focused on Italy with some Old World (read other European countries represented). The chef thought the Italian wines fit best with the food, I was told. When I pointed out that no Ontario options was an odd disconnect, given the praise for them in the open letter, the response I got was an agreement that it was a little confusing. I wasn't speaking to the sommelier, manager or anyone who had input into the list's creation, so the staff member's ability to speak to the matter was limited. But I was told that the position could change and the young restaurant is looking into improvements based on customer feedback. Although these were fair answers I decided to contact chef Scott Contant. After all as the author of the letter and the executive chef he is probably the authority best suited to speak on the matter.

Excutive Chef Scott Contant was polite, professional and responsive throughout our email exchange. He certainly had no obligation to speak to me especially given that I haven't spent a penny at his restaurant.

Regarding the tweet about North American wines Contant wrote "I can assure you that quote was never uttered from someone on my team. I take pride in being inclusive as opposed to ex-clusive."

I have no intention on getting into a debate over exactly what was said. I wasn't there but the parties involved know what was said. An Ontario wine representative has nothing to gain by potentially alienating restauranteurs in the province's biggest market. Similarly in a business where reputation is everything and there is a high first year failure rate, a newly opened high-end restaurant has nothing to gain by potentially turning-off pro-local customers.

Conant went on to stress that all suggestions and the criticism are key to helping him remain relevant to his customers. Contant also wrote that staff are considering and exploring many things to improve the restaurant, including expanding the wine list with local options, particularly those made with Italian varietals. If Scarpetta does do this in the future the options might include Pillitteri wines from the newly planted Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara (these were the first of their kind planted in Canada). There's also Alvento's Nebbiolo or Ridgepoint's. And the wines of Foreign Affair are made using the appassimento method.

The larger part of the debate that occurred in wake of the tweet was whether a diner should expect a local option at a restaurant, especially an ethnic one. I talked to Conant about what I saw on his menu. It largely draws on the cusines of Piemonte and Alto Adige with hints of Emilia–Romagna.

It's important to recognise that Italy is still very much a regional country with people being unable to understand the other's regional dialect. Where, this really expresses itself is in the cuisines. People the next region over not only don't, but won't eat the same dishes because their food is 'best'. So naturally it makes sense to feature the wines of a region with its cuisine. The aforementioned regions have a long history of hundreds of years where the cuisine and wine developed and evolved side-by-side and naturally are crafted to complement and enhance one another.

Interestingly the Northern Italian regions of Piemonte and Alto Adige are as much if not more influenced by boarding Swizterland and Austria as they are by the rest of Italy. So they grow and drink Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris & Pinot Blanc. There are plenty of great Ontario examples of those varieties.

A restaurant is certainly free to stock whatever it feels matches best with it cuisine & what will sell. Like a menu, a particular focus to a wine list is always best, but it does help to have some breadth to cover a range of tastes and preferences—otherwise you risk losing sales. Still it certainly can be interpreted as bit of a snub to open-up a high-end restaurant in Toronto and not list any Ontario wines. Granted Niagara is a very young wine region, but if a similar restaurant opened in San Francisco and did not list any Napa-Sonoma wines there would likely be some controversy.

Despite the email exchange I never got a reason why Conant writes "I don't think I need to tell you how great the [local Ontario] wines are, either." in the open letter, yet Scarpetta carries no local (or North American) wines on its list. It certainly seems like a contradiction given the praise for the Niagara farmers & local suppliers in the letter and the use of them.

If this is a non-issue by all means make a reservation and enjoy Scarpetta. If the responsiveness I've received is indicative of the level of service you're in for a wonderful meal. But if this bothers you don't merely vote with your dollars. Let the staff of Sacrpetta know that the lack of Ontario wine options is what's preventing you from trying the food.

Sharp Chards: of ink & in the glass

If you read the Financial Times or more aptly follow a certain British wine critic who writes in the well regarded publication you might have the impression that Ontario wine industry is at its nadir.

I can't imagine that's what Bill Redelmeier was hoping for when he began genesis of what would become Seriously Cool Chardonnay.

The proprietor of Southbrook was inspired by an interview he heard with Thomas Bachelder on CBC. After besting French and Californian competition at a blind tasting in Montreal the Clos Jordanne winemaker said he felt that there are many Ontario wineries that could have had the same success.

Redelmeier spent the past year calling on Ontario's wineries to submit their best Chardonnays and spearheading a plan to showcase the best of the best to the world. The culmination was a tasting in London on May 17, 2010. The idea was much like a past New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc tasting which begat a world-class reputation for the Kiwi take on the varietal.

By all accounts it was a good showing for the 40 wines (although this still shows 39) from 22 wineries. Like all settings where scoring and judging is involved some distinguished themselves as top performers. Still even the lowest scoring wine was deemed good, decent but unremarkable. Although this wasn't exactly an affirming declaration of quality fit for a Hollywood movie, given that these critics taste the world it is a very respectable result.

Despite this the focus became a continuation of the Cellared In Canada debate, which began last year and spilled into this one. As Rick VanSickle pointed out, not only was it disrespectful to the spirit of the tasting, but focusing on something unrelated to the tasting certainly leaves readers with the implication that Canada's world-class Chardonnay is secondary news.

Another curious thing about the post-tasting coverage was the highlighting of Prince Edward County Chardonnay as "distinctive". Although it was encouraging to see two Prince Edward County producers receiving top scores, seven of the top eight scores awarded were for wines made with Niagara fruit. With all due respect to the passionate and inventive producers of Prince Edward County, Niagara has a good 15 years more experience to draw-on. It also seems at odds to me to write that Prince Edward County's colder climate results in a Burgundian elegance when it comes to Chardonnay yet describe the top scored wine using county fruit as big, bold and Californian in style.

Even though the event went very well, it certainly could have gone better. The scores only began trickling in almost two weeks later. That's a generation ago in today's news cycles. Still that would not have seemed so long had there been any hint of a word on when to expect news to begin coming in. Also now that the scores have come there doesn't seem to be much of an indication of whether the initiative continues and if so where does it go from here.

Still you can't argue with the assement that our best can hold their own in a competition with world's best. It isn't just chardonnay either Hidden Bench certainly showed that in 2010 Decanter World Wine awards. Now if we could just make the focus the positives and highlight the best of the Ontario Wine industry with it's VQA wines both the industry and the consumer will benefit.