For a change of pace, a white wine for the tasting today. 2007 is purported to be an extraordinary, stellar vintage for Ontario wines. I remember in the fall of 2007 everyone was a-twitter about the long hot, dry summer followed by decent rains in the fall and how this should all add up to a stand-out vintage. I'd never heard such a kafuffle about an Ontario vintage and was not sure if it was a sign of the maturity of the wine industry here, the result of a successful marketing campaign (am I being too cynical?) or simply the excited celebration of a rare harvest.
I confess I don't drink alot of Canadian wines and tend to steer clear of chardonnay's because of their tendency to over-oaking but saw this 2007 on the shelf today and thought what the heck.
On pulling the cork there was a rush of sweet summer fruit -- lovely on this late August evening. In the glass a nice light tartness, a whiff of sulphur on the first few sips, faint toffee notes, a light buttery roundness. For a girl that is drawn to the steely Sauvignon Blancs I actually found this very pleasant. The oak and vanillans were not overpowering so there was a delicous freshness and light acidity which made it very drinkable to my taste. My drinking companion contributed "tart" to the tasting list. Yes, that's the acidity.
Just for comparison, here's what the LCBO taster had to say: The nose provides aromas of baked apple and honey with hints of butterscotch and smoke ... There is also a beautiful interplay of apple, peach, butter and baking spices. The acidity is wonderful, and cries out for this wine to be served next to a rich creamy pasta dish ... excellent Chardonnay from the outstanding 2007 Niagara vintage ... (Chris Saunders, www.tasteto.com, Oct. 9, 2009)
The wine was enjoyed this evening with two cheeses from the exceptional Montefort Dairy.
I'd definitely have this Lailey Chardonnay again. Wonderful to discover a local wine that doesn't have a predominate note of its additives. Or whatever that is that just tastes like process.
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