ISSUE NO. O9 • DECEMBER 2017
NIAGARA VINTAGE
WINE REVIEW THE WINE SMART MAGAZINE
Holiday Edition Niagara Grown - Turkey Pairings - Guide Spotlight Gift Pairings for Everyone on your List - Wine Review
A Note from All of Us
It has been an immense pleasure putting
This edition, and in the editions to follow, we
together this holiday edition of the Niagara
will be showcasing the talents and knowledge
Vintage Wine Review. With a brief hiatus due
of our guides. We hope that it will give you
to the busy season, we're excited to be back in
some insight into the world of wine, but also a
action with another informative account of
chance to connect with the Niagara Vintage
Niagara Wine Country.
Wine Tours  Family.
During our break we had a chance to reflect on
From our family to yours, we wish you all a very
the purpose of this e-magazine and what we
Happy Holiday. And remember, it doesn't
hope to achieve with it. At Niagara Vintage
matter what you celebrate, as long as you pair
Wine Tours, we've always gone above and
it with a great wine!
beyond to bring a strong educational component to our wine tour experiences. All of our guides are trained in the industry, and they all come from different backgrounds.
From all of us at NIAGARA VINTAGE WINE TOURS
HOLIDAY PAIRINGS BY MICHAEL TWYMAN, WINE SMART GUIDE
If your family is anything like mine, wine and Winter Holidays go hand-in-hand. Â In fact, sometimes the wine is more important than the presents! Â The Holidays are a perfect opportunity to share your favourite wine finds from the year with family and friends, and a great time to indulge in some of the best that Ontario has to offer.
PAIRING WINE WITH TURKEY For most holiday revelers, the bird is the feature of the meal. But for my family the feature is always the wine that we’re pairing with it. The best wine to pair with your turkey depends on what you serve it with.
TURKEY & GRAVY WITH CHARDONNAY I like gravy so much that I could drink it from the boat. Unfortunately, that’s frowned upon, so I put my gravy on some turkey instead. For turkey with gravy (or in my case, gravy with turkey) I suggest a lightly oaked Chardonnay. The white meat will pair well with the white wine, and the acid in the Chardonnay will cut through fat in the gravy. As a full-bodied wine, the weight of the Chardonnay will hold up to the density of the gravy, and the oak maturation will provide some savoury flavours that match the savoury notes in the gravy.
ROSE WITH TURKEY & CRANBERRIES It is a tradition in many families to serve cranberry sauce directly from the can, but in my family we enjoy cranberry sauce homemade on the stove. This is my mom’s favourite way to enjoy turkey. Cranberries are renowned for their tartness. The best wine to pair with cranberry sauce will be one that is medium in sweetness to contrast the tartness, and one that possesses some red berry flavours to match the cranberries. Try a medium-sweet rosé.
TURKEY & MUSHROOMS WITH PINOT NOIR It’s not common to stuff your turkey with mushrooms. But if you’ve never done it before, this year could be the year! Not to mention that it’ll be a great excuse to match your meal with Pinot Noir. A hallmark of Pinot Noir is its earthiness. This lightbodied red wine possesses flavours of red cherry and can develop notes of dried mushroom as it ages. Best match mushroom-stuffed bird with this earthy, aromatic wine.
THE CANADIAN MIMOSA In my family, Christmas morning always starts with sparkling wine. My mom, a conservative drinker, is only too excited to let herself go a little with this annual tradition. Giggling and smiling before she even gets the bottle open, this morning toast with my mom and dad is our special way of marking the start of a long day of indulgence and family fun. Sparkling wine on its own is always great, but this year let’s make it even more exciting by crafting it into a Canadian Mimosa. Similar to the classic Mimosa, the Canadian Mimosa starts with sparkling wine, but the orange juice is replaced by Niagara Icewine. Pour 4 ounces of sparkling wine into a flute and top it off with one ounce of Icewine. The Icewine will boost the flavour and the sweetness of the bubbly sparkling wine and enhance your enjoyment of both products. Prepare yourselves though, this mimosa can be strong!
From sparkling wine to table wine, to Icewine, Ontario is full of great drinks to enjoy with your friends and family over the Holidays. Kick back and relax as you take in the best of the Holiday season. Cheers to you and yours!
Niagara Vintage Wine Review This month's wine review is written by Wine Smart Guide, Jordan Cowe, CWE. He's a Certified Wine Educator, Sommelier, and a member of the Niagara Vintage Wine Tours team, so you know you he has good taste!
2014 CHATEAU DES CHARMES BLANC DE BLANCS Traditional Method Sparkling $32.95
92 Pts
Why open a bottle of champagne this holiday season when there’s something this delicious right in your backyard? Made in the traditional method with two years minimum bottle aging, this rich creamy sparkling can easily stand toe to toe with any of your favourite champagnes. The warmer growing climate in Niagara on Lake produces an intense and flavourful sparkling wine style closer to a vintage champagne. A nice balance with fruits like Apple, Pear, and Citrus at front playing off of floral and creamy background notes. Grab a bottle, pop a cork, and celebrate something special (Like New Years, or a regular Tuesday)!
BETWEEN THE LINES - ORIGIN SPARKLING WINE Charmat Method Sparkling $17.95
88 Pts
Available in 3-Packs or Single Cans (LCBO Only) these little 250ml cans can really save the day. A charmat method sparkling that is quite similar to a prosecco, but in a can. They’re easy drinking and ready to open on demand. No more worry about the bottle going flat, just open the can and pour out two glasses. A very fruity style driven by the choice of Vidal grape it’s very much in the realm of Peach, Apricot, Green Apple, and a lightly tropical back end. A tiny icewine dosage takes a bit of the edge off making the wine slightly off-dry and easy drinking. Perfect for your holiday Mimosas!
GRETZKY 2016 ESTATE SERIES WHITE White Blend $24.95
90 Pts
This wine is hard to place into a corner. The blend has a bit of everything with Viognier, Riesling, Chardonnay, Muscat, and Pinot Gris all making an appearance in varying amounts, and the style is something entirely different. In a sense it’s the utility white wine. It’s fresh, floral, and fruity and sure to be a crowd pleaser. But it’s also the white wine that even the staunchest wine snob should have a hard time finding fault with. As much as it’s approachable and drinkable, at second look you notice layer after layer unfolding in your glass. Starting at first glance with fresh juicy peach and fruit blossoms jumping out of your glass, it slowly changes to shows bits of orange, butter, vanilla, candy, and more with a very subtle oak component gradually becoming noticeable. Try this! It’s awesome!
Niagara Grown
Keeping winemaking in the family in Niagara Wine Country By Rebecca Hare, Guest Services and Group Sales, NVWT
Family-owned and operated wineries are the backbone of Niagara Wine Country. These wineries have heart and take a personal interest in every wine they create. There is something to be said for the family pride that runs through a family-owned and operated business. Many of our popular and award-winning wineries in Niagara fall into this category and can trace their start through many generations. Here are a few of our favourites....
REIF estate PILLITTERI ESTATES The Pillitteri Estates Winery story began generations ago in Sicily where grape growing was a way of life for the Pillitteri family. Growing up on the family farm, Gary helped his father and grandfather with the harvest and tending the vines. In 1948, Gary, then 12, first moved to Niagara with his father. The rest of his family soon followed. By 1965, Gary was settling in Niagara-on-the-Lake with his own family; his wife Lena and their 3 children.
Pilliteri Estates Winery is truly a family enterprise. With Gary's son Charles as C.E.O. and President of Sales, daughter Connie as C.F.O and President of Operations, daughter Lucy as C.M.O. and President of Marketing, son-in-law Jamie Slingerland as Director of Viticulture, and grandson Richard as the Vice President of Sales, and grandson Jared as the Export Manager. Every member of the Pillitteri family has worked on the farm and at the winery.
They purchased a small fruit farm and in 1973 they opened Gary’s Fruit Market. Gary's had wanted to open his own winery since arriving in Canada. So, in 1988 Gary decided to try making a small batch of Vidal Icewine. He later entered it into a wine competition and won his first gold medal. With this achievement he knew that he could make his dream happen. This dream became a reality as they opened the doors of Pillitteri Estates Winery in June of 1993.
All of the family members have worked their way up through working in the retail store and assisting on the property during their summer breaks from school. Today the 5th generation family members manage the ever-increasing demands on export.
In the 20 plus years since they opened, Pillitteri Estates Winery has been honoured with more than 700 wine awards, at both domestic and international competitions.
PondView Estate Winery is one of the newer additions to Niagara Wine Country but with three generations of experience it has a history of traditions handed down from one generation to the next. Pondview is owned and operated by Luciano (Lou) and Adriana Puglisi. The Puglisi Family Story began in Italy many years ago. Lou carries on the family tradition of grape-growing and winemaking that his father, Giuseppe Puglisi brought to Niagara in 1965. A perk of this family-operated winery is that it is not uncommon to run into Lou at the Estate. When you do, don’t be surprised to see him in dirty jeans with a smile on his face. He’s always ready to chat about his land, his grapes, and his wine. His work is his passion and he is working hard to establish a worldwide reputation for PondView as a premium wine producer. He also wants to make each visitor feel like part of the Puglisi family. “I want people to walk away with more than a wine sample — I want them to have a wine experience,” he says. Since they opened in June of 2010, PondView has won awards for almost all of the wines that they have produced! The self-proclaimed secret to the success of PondView Estate Winery is the long-held belief of the Puglisi family: Great wine is a harmony of earth and vine.
Issue 27 | 234
Konzelmann Estate Winery, now owned and operated by Herbert and Gudrun Konzelmann, began in the small German town of Uhlbach. There has been a winery in the Konzelmann family for over a century with handed-down expertise, technique and passion. Encouraged by his success producing house wines for his restaurants, Friedrich Konzelmann left the culinary trade to pursue the craft of winemaking and officially released his first vintage to the public in 1893. By 1980, Herbert Konzelmann (Friedrich's great grandson) was 43 with a well-established business and a growing family. The winery was expanding faster than the land could sustain; contracts with the growers and the price of buying land were both very high. It was on a recreational trip to British Columbia that the rumours of developing wine operations in Ontario and the Okanagan Valley piqued Herbert’s interest. Subsequent visits produced evidence that Canada's wine potential had been underestimated by most of the world and by 1984 the Konzelmann family had immigrated to Canada, purchased a lakefront peach orchard, and begun replacing the trees with grape vines.
Herbert Konzelmann is considered one of the most respected vintners and pioneers of the Ontario wine industry. He has received many awards and accolades both locally and internationally. Today, he continues his family’s fine winemaking tradition with his daughter, Claudia and grandson, Fabian. They represent the sixth generation of the Konzelmann legacy. Herbert's grandson, Fabian Reis, attended one of Germany’s premier oenology schools where he studied wine making, business and viticulture. He has now taken a leading role in the family business. Officially the seventh winery to open in Ontario, Konzelmann is now one of over 140 in the region. Production includes over thirty wines with 500,000 bottles per year. They have received hundreds of awards and accolades since opening in Canada, and with Fabian’s fresh and innovative perspective and Herbert’s 50 years of experience in mastering his craft, they are producing some exciting and spectacular wines! Issue 27 | 234
Reif Estate Winery comes from the Reif family tradition of winemaking that began nearly half a millennium ago in the small winemaking town of Neustadt, Germany. In 1977, this tradition transcended to a new continent when founder Ewald Reif purchased a plot of land along the Niagara River, joining other pioneers in the Canadian wine industry. After carefully nurturing the land for six years, the potential of these young vineyards became evident when the doors of Reif officially opened in 1983.
In 1990, Klaus was joined by Roberto DiDomenico. Roberto’s father was a winemaker, and Roberto was a winemaker's assistant when he was growing up. In 1985, Roberto attended the University of Guelph and studied Microbiology, focusing on fermentation technology. While a student, Roberto interned at Reif Estate Winery as a research assistant and when he graduated with a specialized Honours Microbiology degree, he joined Reif Estates as a Winemaker.
Born into a winemaking family with roots tracing back 12 generations, Klaus' future as a winemaker may have been preordained. But it was in 1978 when Klaus traveled to Canada to visit his Uncle Ewald Reif that he fell in love with the scenic beauty of Niagara and decided to explore a career in winemaking once he returned to Germany. The following year, Klaus enrolled in a specialized business school, began to work for a government research winery that focused strongly on the elements of winemaking, and in 1984, applied to one of Germany's most prestigious winemaking schools: the Geisenheim Institute. In 1987, two weeks after graduating with degrees in Oenology and Viticulture, Klaus W. Reif immigrated to Niagara-on-the-Lake and took the reins from his uncle Ewald, as the President and Winemaker of Reif Estate Winery.
Roberto's winemaking philosophy married perfectly with Klaus's beliefs and resulted in numerous awards over the years including a Lifetime achievement award from Ontario Wine Society for Klaus in 2010. Klaus Reif's philosophy that "great wines start in the vineyard" is the cornerstone of the quality and integrity of Reif Estate wines. Partnered with the commitment to produce predominantly estate botled wines, this philosophy has provided Roberto with all of the tools needed to produce world renowned wines. Roberto continues to merge his own family traditions, experience and techniques with those that have been passed down for generations by the Reif family.
The number of awards and fabulously produced wines speak volumes for themselves, but there is nothing that can compete with a positive personal experience at the winery. Especially if that visit includes a personal or intimate interaction with the family that produces some of your favourite wines. There is much to be said for the pride that a family takes in their heritage and the passion passed down through generations that is directly reflected in their products. So make sure you stop in or take a guided wine tour that includes stops to family owned and operated wineries next time you are in Niagara. You never know who you might bump in to or have the chance to chat with! Issue 27 | 234
NVWRÂ SPOTLIGHT
ANDREA DES GROSSEILLIERS NIAGARA VINTAGE WINE SMART GUIDE
Andrea was the first guide to be hired for Niagara Vintage Wine Tours. A native of Hamilton, ON, Andrea moved to the Niagara Region twenty years ago. She has always loved and appreciated wine, but began her career as a driver for a local transportation company. Hired as a charter for a wine tour one day, she fell in love with Niagara Wine Country and the possibility of leading tours in the area. Because of the license level she had obtained for her other job, Andrea was able to help NVWT offer tours to larger groups. At the beginning, she would drive as Chris Fuccillo led the tours. After acing some studies on wine sensory and viticulture through Niagara College, Andrea was ready to go out on her own. She’s been on the NVWT roster ever since! When not leading a tour, Andrea runs her own bookkeeping business for small companies (including a winery in Niagara On The Lake!) . NOMADIC
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Give More, Save More! BUY A GIFT CERTIFICATE FOR TWO+, GET $50 FOR YOU! This Holiday Season, we're giving you a
$50 CREDIT
towards any of our public tours when you buy a gift certificate for two or more guests!
Terms and Conditions Offer ends December 25th, 2017 Get $50 off any public tour for two or more Redeemable January 2 to March 31, 2018 (One per couple) Seat minimums apply No Cash Value No extensions/cancellations Minimum $200 Purchase to be eligible (One voucher per order)
Call us at 1 866 628 5428 to order yours today!
By: Natalie Worden, Social Marketing Coordinator
Holiday Gift Pairings
We all have someone in our lives that’s hard to shop for. If that certain someone is an oenophile, you’re in luck! We’ve selected the coolest wine gifts from the Catalogue to help you find the perfect gift pairing!
iSommelier Smart Decanter Not sure what to get for that impatient person in your life? The iSommelier Smart Decanter by iFAVINE decants an entire bottle in one minute. Using a molecular air filtration system, this device takes the guess work out of decanting. It also pairs with an app that helps decide what sort of decanting is necessary based on the wine you’re about to drink. (It’s pretty much like what you’d see in the wine bar of the Starship Enterprise. Beam me a drink, Scotty!)
$499.99 USD
Vineyard Holiday Stocking If you’ve got a wine tour lover on your shopping list, why not get them an adorkable stocking depicting a vineyard holiday? You can have it personalized, so you can’t confuse it with the other stockings on your mantelpiece. Fill it with a bottle of their favourite Niagara VQA Wine, some Icewine truffles, and add in a Niagara Vintage Wine Tours gift certificate for good measure. It’s a Niagara Wine Getaway in a sock!
$24.99 USD
WineStation System Do you have an avid wine collector on your list? Chances are they’d love to drink some of the wines in their collection, but they’re worried about them going bad once they’ve been opened. Have no fear; the WineStation Pristine Plus Preservation System is here! It holds four bottles, has three pouring methods (tasting, half glass, and full glass), and preserves an opened bottle of wine for 60 days! That means they can enjoy a fresh glass of their favourite wine even if it’s been open for a few weeks. And it’s only $5000.00 USD!
$5000 USD
$349.99 USD
Six Bottle Weekender Bag For the adventurous type, there’s a customizable leather bag created for the sole purpose of bringing wine with you when you travel. It holds up to 6 bottles (but there’s room for your other stuff too!) and can be personalized. Never leave home without your favourite bottle (or bottles) again!
Riedel Horn Decanter I’ve already sent Santa a letter about this one. For the musical wine-lover in your life, why not get them a decanter in the shape of the most majestic instrument in the orchestra? (No bias here, obviously). Made of hand-blown glass, this decanter is definitely a statement piece. Although its main purpose is to decant wine, it can also be played like a French horn. I’ve tried it, but I don’t recommend it. Don’t believe me? Click here to see for yourself!
$850 USD
Wine B’Gone Remover Spray
$19.99 USD
You know that one friend that has a clumsy streak? The Wine B’Gone Ultra Stain Remover Spray for them – or you, depending on where the mess happens. It removes stains from clothing, carpets, upholstery, sinks, countertops, and anything else they can spill something on. But keep it around outside of happy hour since it removes other stains too!
Sommelier Champagne Saber
$399.99 USD
For the show off in your life, we have the Mathusalem Sommelier Champagne (and sparkling wine!) Sabre. It takes a bit of time to get the hang of it, but sabering a bottle is a show-stopping event that your limelight-loving friend will savour. Made in Italy with a Cocobolo Wood handle, this is the perfect gift for the host with the most!
NIAGARA VINTAGE
WINE REVIEW THE WINE SMART MAGAZINE PUBLISHED BY NIAGARA VINTAGE WINE TOURS INC. CHRIS AND GABRIELA FUCCILLO EDITOR (Creative & Design) — Natalie Worden CONTRIBUTORS: Chris Fuccillo, President & Founder of Niagara Vintage Wine Tours INC Rebecca Hare, Guest Services and Group Sales, Niagara Vintage Wine Tours Natalie Worden, Social Marketing Coordinator, Niagara Vintage Wine Tours Michael Twyman, Wine Smart Guide, Niagara Vintage Wine Tours Jordan Cowe, CWE, Wine Smart Guide, Niagara Vintage Wine Tours Andrea DesGrosseilliers, Wine Smart Guide, Niagara Vintage Wine Tours
Niagara Vintage Wine Review is a publication under Niagara Vintage Wine Tours, Inc. No part of this publication may be distributed, reproduced or republished in any way without the sole permission of the publishers. For more information and exclusive content, visit www.niagaravintagewinetours.com. For inquiries, contact Niagara Vintage Wine Tours at: 1 866 628 5428 info@niagaravintagewinetours.com www.niagaravintagewinetours.com
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