GREAT YEAR I WINE
Long growing season, ideal weather put Ontario reds on their best behaviour
Conditions were perfect for Ontario reds in 2010.
TALK TO ONTARIO winemakers about 2010 and their eyes light up, a dreamy tone creeps into their voice and a big smile crosses their face – if every vintage could be like 2010, Ontario would be a fantastic place to make wine because of its consistency.
You may have heard of the amazing 2012 vintage, but that is premature hype – red wines can be as much as a couple of years in the making because they have to be aged. The wines you should be excited about are the 2010. Emails from owners, winemakers and everyone on the ground floor tell the story:
“It was a season where the rains, if they came at all, were mostly at night,” remembers Daniel Speck of Henry of Pelham. “So we had more sunny days in total, and we didn’t lose any growing days to rain. This scenario is not the every-year norm.”
“All of our 2010 reds have won major awards nationally and internationally,” says Krystina Roman of Rosewood Estates Winery.
“2010 was one of those near-perfect seasons,” recalls Michele Bosc, director of marketing for Château des Charmes. Her recollections of the season came while she was sitting on a beach in Florida, but they flooded back as if it were yesterday. “We had rain when we needed it and dry heat when it mattered most. The season started early, by almost three weeks, and continued throughout the summer. … September was gorgeous with warm days and cooler nights so the grapes didn’t bake.”
She concludes in the wistful tone of a cherished memory: “2010 was a vintage for the ages.”
Jeff Aubry of Coyote’s Run Estate Winery says: “All that heat and extra hang-time was perfect for driving ripeness, particularly in the Bordeaux reds.”
And by Bordeaux reds he means Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, which are the grapes that go into many of the blends here in Ontario. But all reds benefitted from this type of weather – the Bordeaux varieties, especially Cabernet Sauvignon, need more time to ripen properly.
“The summer heat helped our red varieties, some of which struggle to reach full maturity in certain years,” says Richie Roberts, winemaker at Fielding Estate.
These wines are “as good, if not better than any that I’ve experienced from Niagara in my time.”
Derek Barnett of Lailey Vineyard couldn’t agree more, and talks about the finesse of the bottled wines as well as the future potential of these wines — “balanced wines with rich texture, bold flavours and great structure. Wines that are drinking well in their youth but have the stuffing to age well over the next five to seven years.”
The word balance comes up again and again when speaking both about the 2010 wines and the growing season. “During the vintage, most of Niagara had the optimal balance of rain, heat and sun,” concludes Krystina Roman.
And Steve Byfield of Nyarai Cellars calls it, “Simply brilliant.”
So let’s stop talking about them and see if we can’t get some of these amazing wines into your cellar, to enjoy now or later. Please note: most wines are available directly from the winery either by visiting or home delivery. Colaneri 2010 Insieme ($34.95:)