1998 Strewn Niagara Peninsula Unwooded Chardonnay VQA, $11.95 Can.: We had a chance to get to know this a little better back at C.Z.’s later in the day, and I was able to get this expanded "snapshot." Pale – medium straw, with Chardonnay – pear flavors and aromas that have a rather interesting herbal quality to them. Medium – medium full bodied, with decent acidity and finish; good value for the price, and a pleasant summer sipper.

1999 Strewn Niagara Peninsula Cabernet Franc Terroir VQA, $23.95 Can.: Ruby dark garnet, with flavors and aromas of plums and cherries, hints of rhubarb and underbrush and good length on the finish. Nice.

1998 Strewn Three Niagara Peninsula VQA, $28.95 Can.: Ruby dark garnet, with an underarm bouquet; see expanded notes in "More Dinner at Kerr’s."

Our next visit was to Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Winery, and for reasons that will become obvious, necessitated 2 pages exclusively. 

Creekside Estate Winery

After Jackson-Triggs, our last stop was back on the Bench on our way home. Mr. Kerr felt strongly that we should get a taste of what Creekside was producing, so we pulled in late in the afternoon and did just that. Fred (below, right), the gentleman behind the bar was most accommodating, even taking us for a looksee in the caves out back where the wines are fermented and aged. Kerr and Bree were perhaps a bit more enthusiastic about the wines than I was, but to be fair, all were quite pleasant, and the dessert wines were positively delightful.

I had a bad case of writer’s cramp, so C.Z. did the honors of acting as scribe.

2001 Creekside Pinot Gris, $15.95, 12% alc.: Quite spicy and floral on the nose showing lots of tree fruit, pear, peach and apricots. Medium bodied, with the same fruit flavours plus some mineral stony elements that flowed nicely through to the finish.

2001 Creekside Sauvignon Blanc, $17.95, 12.5% alc.: Transparent straw colour with a light green hue and good viscosity. The nose was fashioned in a New Zealand style, lots of gooseberry, grapefruit, and cut grass. Initially quite tart on the palate but nice fruit flavours of lime peel, preserved lemons and tropical fruits took over. A very good Sauvignon Blanc

2000 Creekside Chardonnay, $15.95, 12.8 % alc.: Deep straw colour, a mix of apple, citrus, hazelnut, peach and vanilla on the nose. Body was medium and well balanced. The finished displayed a good acidity, a touch of candy apple sweetness and an odd trace of canned vegetable.

1999 Creekside Pinot Noir, $18.95, 10.5% alc.: Light garnet colour, although its body was light to medium there was plenty of red fruit, strawberry, cinnamon and violet aromas to make this interesting. The palate echoed the aromas and the texture was silky and smooth. Nice clean crisp feel to the finish.

2000 Creekside Pinot Noir, $19.95, 12% alc.: Very different than the 99, Colour was so much deeper, darker and more robust in structure. This seemed to have firmer fruit tones, some leafy elements, cigar and some funky terroir as well. The fruit was mostly red currant and cherry. Once again a good solid finish but with discernible tannins suggest some aging here would be a good idea.

2000 Creekside Laura's Blend, $18.95, 12.6%, alc.: A blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Cabernet Franc and 15% Merlot. I had the 1999 rendition of this wine recently and I was unimpressed. It was herbaceous and vegetal. To be honest it I think it may be suffered from the room temperature storage and florescent lighting used to showcase the LCBO Vintages section where I had purchased it.

The 2000 however, was completely different. Deep ruby garnet opaque colour. Pleasing nose of blackcurrant, blackberry, wild mushrooms, dark chocolate and black olives. I noted a touch of burnt rubber too on the nose but it was not detectable on the palate. Nice mouth feel repeating all that made the aroma so enticing. A little dusty on the close, but the acidity was refreshing and the flavours lingered well.

1999 Creekside Signature series Cabernet Sauvignon, $40.00, alc.: Toasty sweet oak, layers of blackcurrant, black cherry, vanilla and spice. Good concentration of polished fruit, dusty chocolate and tannin on the palate. Big and chewy, oak was more than just evident, still quite tight and will need time.

2000 Creekside Select Late Harvest Vidal, $17.95 11% alc.: Apricot, marmalade, honey and citrus peel. Traces of nuttiness, super balance, not sweet or cloying. Nice complexity. Good length to the finish.

1999 Creekside Vidal Icewine, $44.95 11% alc.: Lovely golden rich ripe colour, Tons of apricot, cake spice, peach, crab apple and honey. Coated the mouth leaving a creamy texture, lush and long on the finish.

Back to Niagara - Day 1