TasteCamp Day 1: the Place Where it all Started

With all due respect to Cooksville and growers on the Beamsville Bench the birth of the modern Niagara wine industry began about 35 years ago on the St. Davids Bench when Bosc family planted the first 100% vinifera vineyard in Canada. With the experts saying the decision was foolish at best and that the vines would all die come winter to say it was a big risk is an understatement. But the Boscs weren't worried. Any risk they take is a calculated one and with a lifetime of experience as a fifth generation winegrower patriarch Paul Bosc Sr. knew that the vines could not only survive but they could thrive with plenty of hard work. So it was only appropriate that the Niagara edition of TasteCamp began at Château des Charmes. A pay-your-own-way wine blogger conference with some meals free or highly subsidised, TasteCamp was created by Lenn Thompson of the New York Cork Report as a way to completely immerse writers in a region that they know little or nothing about. By the end of the tastings, the vineyard tours, the winemaker talks and dinners, attendees have a solid grasp on what the region is all about.

As anyone who has ever spoken to him knows Paul Bosc. Jr. delivered an all encompassing overview of his corner of Niagara—the St. Davids Bench. His passion and knowledge of the region is undeniable. Part history, part geology and part viticulture Bosc went a basic overview of how the melting of a glacier during the world's last glacial period shaped the soil and landscape of Niagara. As it receded and water pooled into the forebearer of Lake Ontario, plateaus along the edge of the escarpment were created. One of them is the St. Davids Bench. The term was coined by Bosc after he heard early Beamsville wineries and growers talk about the Beamsville Bench area compare to flatter land that makes up much of Niagara-on-the-Lake. Up against the escarpment the St. Davids Bench, which takes its name from the nearby town, has similar characteristics. But that's not the only thing that separates the St. Davids Bench from the rest of the region. It happens to be one of the areas of Niagara that enjoys a little more growing degree days than the average, some of the highest elevations, protection from some of the cooler winds and deep clay soils and underground rivers that ensure the vines get the needed moisture even in a drought year. As Bosc explained the differences were first fleshed out by Brock University professor Simon J. Haynes. His research along with further work by fellow professor Anthony Shaw formed the basis for the VQA sub-appellations.

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St. Davids Bench is also an area steeped in history. As Bosc explained the town of St. Davids took its name from Major David Secord—a solider and politician in the late 18th and early 19th century when the country was still being settled and there were regular battles for bordering land with the Americans. You may also be familiar with his sister-in-law Laura whose bravery during the War of 1812 is the stuff of legend. Although knowing this isn't critical to enjoying the wine geography is. The g-word is so inextricably tied to and shaped by history that knowing it adds to the enjoyment of anything tied to the land to the extent that wine is. After all if it added nothing to the conversation you'd simply buy the wine online or pick-it-up off the store shelf and never feel the desire to visit the winery.

Another one of Bosc's key points is that there's human intervention and hard work to bring out the natural terroir. Yes, I realise that may sound like a contradiction but the vast majority of vitis viniferia vines all over the world are either a non-native species grafted on native root stock (North America) or either a native species planted on non-native root stock (Europe). For the most part all over the world vines are cultivated, trained to grow in a trellis, thinned, pruned and all around babied to grow the best possible fruit. When you consider this there's a strong argument that there's a significant human intervention element to what we call terroir. Bosc stressed you can't be dumb and you can't be lazy about if you want the fruit to show its best. That's why at Château des Charmes the vines are trained very low and the space between the rows is left bare. This allows the fruit to get more reflective heat from the ground. It's also why vine cuttings are mulched back into the soil returning the nutrients.

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Post vineyard talk the Boscs hosted a lunch cooked by the team at Spencer's at the Waterfront. Seasonal, fresh and bright, the light yet substantial lunch was a true wine country fare. The star was an Asian salad featuring shoots, cilantro, cucumber, carrots, mango puree and sesame seeds. A little crunchy, a little spicy, a little salty and a little sweet it was really everything you'd want in a salad. The pairing worked remarkably well too. It was the preview of the 2010 Château des Charmes Paul Bosc vineyard Sauvignon Blanc. It was full of bright citrus, passion fruit and gooseberry flavours and aromas with a hint of grassiness. The wine had the mouth watering acidity and a medium plus roundness on the palate that perfectly compliment the dressing and mango puree respectively. It also brought out the natural bright flavours in the fresh greens and the umami of the fish sauce used in the dressing.

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Sauvignon Blanc was also a focus of the next stop Hillebrand. Winemaker Craig McDonald took over last year after Darryl Brooker departed for the Okanagan. McDonald was one half of the winemaking team at Creekside, a winery that has built an argument for those skeptical of Sauvignon Blanc's place in Niagara. So when McDonald had a chance to let us in on one of his experiments it was no surprise it was a Sauvignon Blanc.


The wine in both glasses he poured was from 2010 vintage. The one on the left could be described as nothing short of a topical fruit bomb with starfruit, gooseberry and some grass just under the surface, but what really stood out was the passion fruit. This was probably the closest I've come across in Niagara to a clean, ripe, tropical New Zealand-style Sauvignon Blanc. For fans of that distinct style this Trius is one to pick-up.

But it was the glass on the right that truly intrigued. It had a slight golden colour and aromas more on the citrus side of things. This is wine that preferred the whispering method of seduction. Full of lemon zest, pineapple, spice and hints of vanilla this one was more Sancerre than Marlborough. The oak treatment it had seen provided a richness and roundness that was lacking in the first wine but it was by no means flabby. There was a lingering minerality and spicy funkiness on the finish that gave this wine complexity and an intriguing spark that wasn't in the first wine. This one was the 2010 Showcase Wild Ferment Sauvignon Blanc. McDonald whole bunch pressed to maintain the freshness and put a carboy of juice out in the vineyard. When the yeast took-off and it checked-out clean that was used to kick-start the rest of the juice fermenting in barrel.

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Yeast is one of the most underrated factors affecting a wine's flavour. People tend to love the romanticism of terroir, the geeky nature of clones and even the nuisances provided by different barrels but yeast often gets forgotten. I'm glad it's something that's being embraced in Niagara. As McDonald explained the reason he's so keen on wild fermentation is that when you taste really great flavours from the grapes out in the vineyard “you want to capture that in the bottle.” And in his experience those native yeasts really pick-up on what's in the soil. He isn't the only terroir-focused winery with the same opinon of what native yeast brings either. Hidden Bench and Le Clos Jordanne are exclusively natural fermentation for the same reason.


Post-tour with McDonald there was a tasting at Hillebrand with some local wineries. One stand-out was the Lailey 2009 Old Vines Pinot Noir. Winemaker Derek Barnett has crafted a pinot lovers pinot. It's full of roses, sour cherry and mineral tension that lasts on the finish. With the medium plus acid and tannin to match I think this will be one to watch develop over the next few years. Some of my other favourites were a trio of cabernet francs from Thirty Bench (the sister Beamsville winery under the same ownership as Hillebrand). Although Thirty Bench gets much of its well deserved recognition for it riesling, the cabernet franc has been quietly becoming a star first under the care of Yorgos Papageorgiou, then Natalie Reynolds and now Emma Garner. Although the ripe rich bramble and dark cocoa on the 2005 was beautifully balanced with some strong minerality what really got me excited was the 2006 and 2008 vintages. The spicy herbal tobacco edge in these cooler vintage wines added an intriguing dimension to that dark chocolate and ripe red fruit flavours.

The evening was capped with a dinner at Ravine and talk by Peter Gamble and Ann Sperling. I've always gotten the feeling talking to either of these winemakers that they've probably forgot more about wine than I'll ever know. But there are a lot of passionate and knowledgeable people in the wine world. What sets them apart is their willingness to share both that passion and knowledge with you in as much detail as you'd like. You really do learn something new and valuable each time you speak to them so it was a pleasure to hear them speak about biodynamic and organic growing once again. If you look at it from a scientific perspective some of the cosmic aspects of biodynamics might illicit a raided eye brow. But the important aspect is that being lazy in the vineyard and practicing biodynamics in a climate like Niagara just isn't compatible. So whatever the reason behind the techniques anything that has you out in the vineyards as much as possible growing the best grapes you can is a very good thing. The other great argument Sperling made for organics and biodynamics was that with winery workers out in the vineyard so often and for extended periods of time anything you can do to reduce the spraying of herbicides or pesticides that require wearing protection can't be a bad thing. It's not to say that spraying happens very often in a conventional vineyard especially on the small-scale ones that make-up much of Niagara—the cost is prohibitive. The difference between convectional and organic or biodynamic growing is more like the divide between preventative and reactive. If you can set yourself up to be in a situation where you're healthy with rest, a good diet, and exercise you're not likely to be sick. But should you get seriously ill it's nice to know there's the option for a conventionally accepted medical treatment. That's why even biodynamics allows the use of a copper-sulfur Bordeaux spray when there's very serious trouble in the vineyard.

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Some of the stand out wines during dinner were the 2008 Whimsy! Cabernet Franc. Although the juicy brambly ripeness of the 2007 is fantastic the tobacco undertone and the ripe red raspberry and cocoa make this the wine I'd reach for first. The high acid and medium tannins went beautifully with the roast suckling pig and crispest cracklings I've ever had. The 2007 Ravine Reserve Merlot was also a standout. Gamble isn't interested in making big showy wines, he prefers a little restraint and elegance—that's what you'll find in this wine. With black plum, black raspberry and violet flavours. With good acid structure and silky tannins it's drinking well now, but you get the feeling that it's holding back a bit and will really blossom with some time in the cellar. My favourite wine of the day was the 2005 Poetica Chardonnay poured from a magnum. It was everything you could want in an aged chardonnay. Lemon, peach, a bit of oak spice, funk and a caramel note that bordered on fudgy. It was round and beautiful but had the acid and minerality to keep it from being flabby. It won't appeal to those that prefer their whites steely and lean but it's a good example of how chardonnay can deliver something special in the hands of a good winemaker, the right oak and a bit of age. To me that's always a great way to end an evening.

There's a World of Great Wine: Thoughts about Lifford's 2011 Grand Tasting

The world of wine is a big one and it's only getting bigger as more unconventional wine countries like China, India and Thailand develop further and increase production. To complicate matters if you look at the terroir, people, winemaking and the grapes each region has something unique and special about it. Which if your a wine lover makes the whole journey of finding that special bottle that much more exciting and rewarding. But even for the dedicated oenophile staying on top of a region let alone a world of wine is a bit of a daunting task. That's why having the opportunity to taste a wide range of wine carefully selected from around the world is the perfect opportunity to get some insight into what's happening in the world of wine. One such event is the Lifford Grand Tasting. This year's tasting featured 51 wineries from Lifford's award winning portfolio of international wineries. The proceeds also go to Delisle Youth Services which works with youth and their families so that that they can learn grow and thrive.

One of the standouts from the tasting was from right here in Canada: Painted Rock. Located on shores overlooking the stunning Skaha Lake this winery is on the former property of the largest apricot orchard in the British Commonwealth. As far as tender fruits go apricots tend to be the most finicky so clearly this is a great piece of land. Despite only purchasing the land in 2004 and planting a year later, the winery has quickly made a name for itself as a top quality producer. The focus is on the five Bordeaux grapes (Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Petite Verdot. The flagship 2008 Red Icon is a meritage blend of 20% Merlot, a quarter each Malbec and Cabernet Franc with the remainder being Petite Verdot. That's right none of that other Cabernet grape. This wine had beautiful aromas and flavours of cassis, black plums and blackberries. Joining the fruit were flavours of cocoa, vanilla and oak spice. Underlying that was a savoury cigar box element that balanced nicely and gave it a dimension beyond the ripe fruit. It possessed the strong acidity and tannic structure to suggest it will develop and drink well over the next few years. The wine that really intrigued me was the 2008 Syrah. The Skinner family, which owns the winery, fell in love with wine touring the south of France where Syrah is behind some of the region's best wines. The wine is full of lush black cherry, bramble, white pepper, vanilla and oak spice. But what really drew me me in were the seductive leather and gamey notes. It was lush and juicy without being over the top and had the tannins and acid structure that made me want to revisit it in a few years.

Another outstanding producer was Kiwi producer Craggy Range. If you've ever tried a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and thought 'I like it but I would love it' if it didn't try so hard for attention the this is the one for you. Over the past forty years the Kiwi take on Sauvignon Blanc with vibrant grassy and tropical flavours has become a world benchmark. Sometimes that style can lack a bit of finesse but not with the 2010 Te Muna Road Vineyard from Craggy Range. It has aromas and flavours of gooseberry, passionfruit, citrus and herbal grassiness that cannot be mistaken for anything but New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. But it manages to do so with an elegance and subtlety that you don't often come across in the Kiwi take on this grape. The majority of fruit is de-stemmed rather than whole bunch pressed and fermentation takes place in a combination of French oak barriques and stainless steel. The result is a wine that retains balanced acidity with a slightly rounder and fuller mouthfeel than the average Sauvignon Blanc. Another favourite was the 2009 Gimblett Gravels (Block 14) Syrah. This was more food-friendly cool climate Syrah than inky jammy warmer climate Shiraz. Blueberries, black current, black plum are rounded out with rose petals before the perfumed kick of Tellicherry black peppercorns on the finish. It's a well balanced wine with a medium mouthfeel, acidity and just enough grippy tannins to pair well with heartier meat dishes.

The last outstanding wine was the 2006 Pio Cesare Barolo Ornato. If you've never had a top quality of Barolo this was a wonderful chance. Barolo is the enigma of the wine world and the grape of romance. Barolo is 100% Nebbiolo, the notoriously fickle grape, that's carefully tended to by small family run estates in the fog covered hills of Piedmont, Italy. It has the power and finesse of a thoroughbred horse and only really begins to reveal it's mysteries and true potential after years of careful finishing. It looks relatively innocuous and light with a bricking garnet red colour but make no mistake this is a serious wine. There were aromas and flavours of dried black cherries, berries, tar, earthy truffles and oak spice and they concentrated without being heavy. To open this wine now is a bit of shame because it's simply nowhere close to its peak. Yes, acidity is strong and food friendly and food would help to tame some of the strong tannins that slowly build and take over as you taste. But for those with patience, years of cellaring will help tame those tannins and allow the wine to reveal its secrets and nuisances.

NZ isn't all SB: Thoughts from Toronto's 2011 New Zealand Fair

Over the past four decades New Zealand has quickly built a reputation as a premium wine region capable of producing consistently great wines that stand-up amongst the world's best. They've largely done so on the back of a fresh, distinctively grassy and tropical style of Sauvignon Blanc. It makes plenty of sense. The country has the potential to grow the grape well year-after-year, the style is distinct and much more highly aromatic than the known benchmark of Sancerre from the Loire Valley, it doesn't require long aging time at the winery or in the cellar to be its best and the country focused its export efforts on the key taste-making market of the U.K. to build a premium reputation. But that's not a complete strategy. New Zealand is a country with grape growing regions that span over 1600 km through latitudes from 34˚ to 47˚. Simply put that means not every region is suited not does it want to focus on Sauvignon Blanc. Plus as a relatively young wine producing nation without the benefit of a long and storied reputation it helps to have a bit of diversity should a key variety fall out of favour with your market. The question is aside from Sauvignon Blanc what should New Zealand's variety or varieties be? A red would probably be nice to cater to those that for whatever reason don't drink whites.

In the Southern most region Central Otago with its hotter dryer continental climate and higher elevation vineyards the focus has been on Pinot Noir. Burgundy's favourite grape is a bit of a prodigy. Temperamental to grow and vinify you never really know if it will delivery on all its promise and brilliance. When it does winemakers and wine geeks rejoice at its complexity and the elusive balance it has between power and finesse that very few wines manage to achieve. But when it doesn't it's a bust that scorns like no other. Although I didn't get the chance to taste from all of the producers at Toronto's 2011 New Zealand Wine Fair the I found that Pinot Noir from Central Otago had a common flavour profile that leaned towards ripe concentrated berry and black fruit with surprisingly heavier weight, tannins and less acidity than you come to expect from Pinot Noir. Although delicious on their own I'm not sure this bigger style works as well with some lighter dishes that Pinot pairs well with like salmon, squab, rabbit and roast chicken. If you're a lover of cooler climate Pinot Noir with its sour cherry, rose petals, minerality, high acidity, earthy funk and the versatility that it brings to food pairing then Central Otago Pinot is almost unrecognisable. But that makes sense with hot dry summers, mica and schist soils and a need for irrigation on the steeply sloped vineyards it has much less in common with Pinot's classic cool climate home in Burgundy than you might have assumed. One of the surprise Pinots was the 2009 Konrad Pinot Noir, from the cooler Marlborough region. A medium ruby colour this wine was full of fragrant red cherry, red berry and floral notes. On the palate there was strawberries, red cherries and a bit spice from the 10 months spent in Burgundian made oak barrels. The Tannins were silky and medium minus level and it had medium mouthfeel and medium acidity.

There was also a push to exhibit Syrah as the next big thing. Producers poured plenty of young, deeply concentrated and brambly Syrah that was tight with high tannins. The best had meaty and gamey notes which added an extra dimension on top of the fruit. Without much experience tasting older examples it's hard to know whether those tannins will dissipate and integrate nicely over time. My favourite was the Elephant Hill from the Hawke's Bay region. The wine was full of black cherry, raspberry and the characteristic pepper kick you get in a cooler climate Syrah. Tannins and body were nicely balanced at medium level and the acidity was at the medium plus level which should make it a nice compliment to a richer meal like a juicy steak.

But my favourite wine was neither from the newer stars Pinot Noir and Syrah nor from the country's flagship grape Sauvignon Blanc. It was a Chardonnay from Staete Landt. The vineyards are on a former apple and cherry orchard in one of the oldest grape growing areas of Marlborough. The Chardonnay comes from two clones planted in clay over stoney soils —it was a former river bed. The 2009 vintage is a rich Chardonnay that was barrel-fermented in new French oak. The nose and palate are reminiscent of ripe peach, golden apples with a nutty spiciness. The most intrigue aspect is the savoury peach-pit kernel note that emerges towards the finish. Even with the rich full flavour and medium plus mouthfeel the Chardonnay retained great minerality and medium acidity which balances. I was also lucky enough to taste the 2004 vintage at the Lifford Grand Tasting and it was aging beautifully, gaining complexity with toasted hazelnuts and tertiary honey notes.

What did i come away with? There's more to New Zealand than Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. It's a really diverse wine producer with dramatically different climates that are capable of producing a range of wine styles even growing the same grape. I'm not convinced there should be a focus on particular grapes quite yet. Yes, the push for Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc was critical to developing the country's reputation aboard. But there's plenty of regions outside Marlborough that are just as capable of producing great wine. Over time I can see a focus emerging in each of the regions from Northland to Central Otago. But in the mean time I'm happy to taste the results as growers, wineries and consumers all figure out what each area believes it does best.